Reliable step counter/pedometer

[Ilovecashews]

I had the perfect one, but it broke, so I bought the same item. It arrived, I used it, it’s wildly off range if compared with my iPhone pedometer app. The previous one matched the iPhone one so I know the newly purchased one is rubbish.
Decided to upgrade to a Fitbit inspire 3. It worked so well yesterday, much closer to the number of steps on my iPhone so I was happy.
today I cooked for a couple of hours. My phone said 500 steps, the Fitbit 3000! It basically counted every arm movement as a step. Changed arm, same problem. I need to return it.

does anyone have a really reliable step counter please?

I use my Apple Watch. I find it really accurate.

I think any watch that tracks steps will track arm movement as steps

I've had various Garmin watches over the years and they do seem pretty accurate. My current one (Venu) definitely doesn't count arm movements unless you're actually walking. I've also had a Fitbit and that massively overstated, it counted steps when I was driving.

Thank you all!

My Apple Watch counts knitting as steps