AED Comparison Chart – Costs, Features, Ratings
For many organizations, an AED is an essential piece of equipment. It’s not unusual to find AEDS in churches, dental offices, and even stadiums. Most of us know the importance of having an AED, but buying one can be a confusing experience. Just like cars, there is the cost to purchase an item but then also a cost to maintain the item as well as outfit it with the appropriate accessories. We’ve created an AED comparison chart to help you easily compare AED features, AED costs, and more.
| AED | Price | Warranty | Adult Pads | Pediatric Pads | Battery | 8-yr. Life Cost | 8-yr Life Cost w/ Ped. Pads | |
| Zoll AED Plus [Best] | $2,100 | 7-year | 5yr ($177) | 2yr ($99) | N/A ($75) | $2,277 | $2,673 | |
| HeartSine Samaritan PAD 350P [Economical] | $1,315 | 8-year | 4yr ($186) | 4yr ($221) | N/A | $1,687 | $2,129 | |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR2 [Bi-Lingual] | $1,745 | 8-year | 4yr ($186) | 4yr ($221) | N/A | $2,117 | $2,559 | |
| Cardiac Science G5 | $1,820 | 8-year | 2yr ($69) | 2yr ($102) | 4yr ($395) | $2,491 | $2,899 | |
| Philips OnSite | $1,470 | 8-year | 2yr ($69) | 2yr ($102) | 4yr ($395) | $1,921 | $2,369 | |
| Defibtech Lifeline | $1,245 | 8-year | 2yr ($60) | 2yr ($105) | 5yr ($169) | $1,654 | $2,074 | |
| Cardiac Science Powerheart G3 Plus | $1,895 | 7-year | 2yr ($51) | 2yr ($101) | 4yr ($398) | $2,895 | $3,299 | |
| HeartSine Samaritan PAD 450P | $1,865 | 8-year | 4yr ($186) | 4yr ($221) | 4yr ($398) | $3,033 | $3,475 | |
| Philips FR3 AED | $3,320 | 5-year | 2yr ($46) | N/A | 5yr ($270) | $3,952 | N/A | |
| Philips HeartStart FRx AED | $2,099 | 4-year | 2yr ($56) | N/A | 4yr ($169) | $2,661 | N/A | |
Types of AEDs
Generally speaking, there’s two types of AEDs: public access AEDs and professional use AEDs. While both types of AED’s work towards the same goal—saving someone’s life by delivering a shock to restart their heart—they’re very different in appearance, controls, and price.
If you’ve ever watched a medical drama and heard a paramedic shout “Clear!” you likely saw them using a professional use AED. These AEDs typically cost upwards of $2,000 dollars and are meant for emergency medical professionals like paramedics and EMTs.
A public access AED—also called a home AED—are generally smaller, more compact, and have simple designs so anyone can use them in the event of a cardiac emergency. While it is highly recommended you receive AED training to operate a public access AED, they’re designed for anyone to use. In fact, most every AED comes with clear, concise instructions so anyone can operate them quickly in a life-threatening situation.
Because professional-use AEDs aren’t recommended for the layperson, we sell several Home AEDs that are available through our website. You can find links to each AED in the chart above. We also offer CPR/AED training courses so you can be prepared to do CPR in the event of a cardiac emergency as well as use an AED.
Best AED Features to Look For
To assess which AED is right for your home or business, you need to take its features into account. You will want to be mindful to examine features so you don’t pay for something you don’t need, or miss out on something you do just because you’re looking at the bottom line.
Basic AED Features
All AEDs should have a few basic features. Of course, the ability to shock someone’s heart is the primary feature, but that jolt needs to come from somewhere. All AEDs need a battery—either replaceable or rechargeable—and at least one indicator to show when the battery is reaching depletion. Ideally, you’ll want to be able to see the exact level of charge.
Another important feature is the instructions’ format. Unless you’re operating a medical facility, you likely won’t purchase a professional use AED. As we mentioned previously, public access AEDs come with clear, concise instructions. The way the AED delivers these instructions, however, can vary. Some AEDs only come with written instructions, while others also have audio instructions. Many will give language options for English or Spanish. If you’re buying an AED for use in the home, consider if any one that may use it has vision issues or hearing issues you would want to mitigate.
Advanced AED Features
Of course, the above features are the bare minimum of considerations. If you have more extensive needs, you may need more features. For example, many AEDs also come with a warranty. If they do, you’ll want to take into account how long that warranty lasts, what it covers, and other terms and conditions. These warranties are very important if you are buying a public access AED for a high-traffic organization, since you never know when an emergency will occur and who will operate it. If any damage occurs, you’ll want to repair it as soon as possible.
You’ll also want to consider advanced maintenance features. Some AEDs come with USB ports or wifi connectivity so you can easily monitor the AEDs status and retrieve usage data remotely. Some people would prefer the convenience of having alerts sent to their phone when the battery needs replacing, while others don’t mind checking manually.
More advanced public access AEDs have the ability to walk the user through the process of using the AED in an emergency situation. Some AED’s can even tell which steps the user’s completed and give the next instructions accordingly.
You’ll want to seriously consider which features you need and which you don’t and then weigh those against their cost.
What’s the Cost of an AED?
As you can see from the chart above, AEDs range in cost from about $1,200 to around $3,300. Public access AEDs usually cost less than $1,600, with prices ranging from $1,200 – $1,900. This, of course, isn’t counting the cost of accessories which typically aren’t included with the AED (spare batteries and pads, for example).
An AED isn’t a small investment, but it’s an important one. If you need an AED but can’t afford one upfront, then you should consider our financing options which allow individuals or organizations to pay for an AED and it’s accessories through monthly or quarterly payments.
If you’re still considering whether or not you should even purchase an AED, keep in mind that there are 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the U.S. every year according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. That’s around 1,000 people every day. An AED nearby could save someone’s life.
Having an AED is also a smart investment from a pragmatic standpoint. If someone is injured or dies on your property, you could find yourself subjected to litigation. Even if you are deemed not responsible and the lawsuit is quickly dismissed you may have fees to pay to a lawyer. In this event, you will find an AED is cheaper than a lawsuit. As health and safety standards increase across the world, it’s not long before AED’s are expected everywhere in the same way first aid kits are.
Buying AED Kits & Accessories
Many AEDs will come with accessories like carrying cases, but you may find yourself in need of more equipment. For example, if you plan to keep your AED in plain view of the public, you’ll need a cabinet to keep it in and a sign to mark it. You may also want to purchase extra pads and batteries in case the current ones die or get used. For places with high use, extra pads and batteries are crucial. We’ve even helped one client resupply their equipment three times in one weekend after repeated use!
Some AED’s offer kits. These kits usually contain biohazard bags for safe disposal of certain items, disposable gloves, scissors to quickly cut off clothing, a razor to shave the chest where the pads are being applied, disinfecting wipes, a towelette, and a CPR mask. These kits make it easier to spend time focusing on giving care by keeping all necessary tools in one place.
Another point of consideration is whether or not the accessories and the AED need to be the same brand. If you are purchasing extra battery packs and pads, the answer is usually yes. Typically, pads and batteries are designed specifically for the brand or device in question, and therefore aren’t compatible with other AEDs. However, if you’re looking to buy a kit, cabinet, et cetera, then they likely don’t need to be the same brand.
To browse AED kits and accessories, you can check out AED Source’s selection through this link.
In Summary
If you’re looking to purchase an AED, there are many factors to consider. Not only do you have to consider the AED itself—with all relevant features and the price—but you’ll also need to think about what accessories you need, and how those fit in with you and/or your organization.
Whether you live with someone at risk for sudden cardiac arrest or run a busy organization, an AED is an indispensable and life-saving device. Sudden cardiac arrest can strike at any time, and an AED can mean the difference between life and death.
AED Source has an excellent selection of AEDs to browse. If you know you want to purchase an AED, but want to feel comfortable using one, we also offer both CPR/AED courses and First Aid CPR/AED courses. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us.
