• FDA-approved via PMA
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  • Editorial · Updated July 2026
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Sudden cardiac arrest takes ~350,000 American lives each year. Survival can exceed 70% when a shock is delivered within 3 minutes. Get CPR + AED trained →
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Find Your Perfect AED
  • The Complete Buyer's Quiz

Find your perfect AED in 60 seconds.

Answer 4 short questions about your environment, users, pediatric needs, and team training. Get one personalized recommendation from FDA-approved AED models, backed by AHA placement guidance and our published methodology. No email required.
  • Updated · July 2026
4
Questions to match

Editor-designed decision tree

~70%

SCA survival

AED within ~3 min · AHA

350K+

US cardiac arrests / yr

EMS-assessed OHCA · AHA

3

Free planning tools

Quiz · Quantity · Cost

Free Tool · No signup
4 questions · 60 seconds · Personalised recommendation
Step 1 of 4
1Question 1 of 4
Where will this AED primarily be used?
School / Daycare
Gym / Fitness
Office / Workplace
Home / Family
Public / Government
Outdoor / Pro
2Question 2 of 4
How many AEDs do you need?
1 unit
2 – 4 units
5 or more units
Not sure yet
3Question 3 of 4
Are children under 8 likely to be present?
Yes — children present
No — adults only
4Question 4 of 4
Is your team CPR trained?
Yes, trained
Partially trained
Not yet
Your Match
Your Recommended AED
  • Quick answer · The 30-second rule

The right AED depends on four things: environment, quantity of units, whether children may be present, and how trained your team is. The quiz maps those against FDA-approved models and returns the best fit, plus an alternate.

  • At a glance

Which AED fits which facility?

Quick reference for the models covered by the quiz. Every model is FDA-approved via Premarket Approval; verify any unit in the FDA PMA database.[5]
AED modelBest forPediatricCPR feedback2026 list
Philips HeartStart OnSiteOffices, retail, low-trainingSeparate cartridgeNo$1,529
Philips HeartStart FRxSchools, mixed adult/childChild KeyNo$1,944
ZOLL AED 3Gyms, trained respondersUniversal padsReal CPR Help$2,240
ZOLL AED PlusWorkplaces, fleet programsPedi-padz IIReal CPR Help$2,021
HeartSine 350PBudget buyers, portabilityPediatric Pad-PakNo$1,295
HeartSine 450POutdoor, sports, IP56Pediatric Pad-PakRate Advisor$1,535
Powerheart G5Gyms, ERTs, CPR coachingBuilt-in child modeIntellisense$2,157
LIFEPAK CR2Clinics, professionalsChild mode buttoncprINSIGHT$2,450
Defibtech Lifeline VIEWVideo coaching, high turnoverSeparate padsVideo$1,695
Prices are 2026 US list from authorized distributors, verified monthly per our methodology. Multi-unit orders typically price 8 to 12 percent below list (labeled estimate across published distributor bundles).
Who it's for

Common buyer profiles and typical picks.

Untrained · adults · indoor

Office / corporate

Maximum simplicity wins: pull-handle activation, calm voice prompts. See the office AED guide.
Typical match → Philips OnSite

Mixed · adult + child

School / campus

Pediatric capability is non-negotiable: one device for adults and children under 8. See the schools guide.
Typical match → Philips FRx + Child Key

Some training · high risk

Gym / fitness

SCA risk runs up to ~17x higher during vigorous exertion in habitually inactive individuals.[3] CPR feedback is critical. See the gyms guide.
Typical match → ZOLL AED 3

Untrained · IP-rated

Outdoor / sports field

Weather resistance (IP55+), light weight, carrying case. The quiz filters for dust and water ratings.
Typical match → HeartSine 450P

High turnover · multi-floor

Hotel / hospitality

Turnover means training consistency is low; the device must be near-foolproof. Size coverage with the Quantity Calculator.
Typical match → Defibtech VIEW

Trained staff · ECG

Clinical / professional

Trained responders unlock ECG display, manual override, and advanced rhythm analysis.
Typical match → LIFEPAK CR2
  • Buying guide

The 7 specs that actually matter.

FeatureWhat it meansWho needs it
CPR feedbackMeasures compression depth and rate in real time, coaching by voice and displayGyms, ERTs, trained responder teams
Pediatric modeReduces shock energy for patients under 8 years / 55 lbs via key, button, or pad swapSchools, daycares, family facilities
IP ratingDust + water resistance per IEC 60529: IP55 jet water, IP56 powerful jets[7]Outdoor, poolside, warehouses, fields
Pad + battery life2 to 5 years before mandatory replacement; longer cycles cut 5-year consumables costBudget-conscious operations
Ease of useHow fast an untrained person deploys correctly under stressHigh-turnover environments
Self-testingAutomatic battery, pad, and readiness checks that cut inspection burdenUnmonitored locations
Weight2.4 lbs (HeartSine) to 7+ lbs (LIFEPAK CR2); affects mounting and travelOutdoor and travel deployments
Consumables planning: see AED pads explained and the battery category for replacement cycles by model.
  • Methodology · how the match works

The 4 variables that drive most of AED fit.

Each input narrows the pool of FDA-approved models until one rises to the top. Selections align with the AHA collapse-to-shock target of about 3 minutes; survival falls 7 to 10 percent per minute of delay.[1] Full framework on the methodology page.

01

Your environment

Office, gym, school, outdoor, home. Setting determines required durability rating (IP55+ outdoors, per IEC 60529[7]), form factor, and placement features.

02

Quantity needed

Single unit vs multi-location fleet. Five or more units routes to fleet management with program-level support.

03

Pediatric presence

If children under 8 or under 55 lbs may be present, the quiz filters for built-in child mode, pediatric key, or universal pads, per Red Cross guidance.[6]

04

Training level

Untrained teams need foolproof simplicity. Trained teams benefit from real-time CPR feedback and ECG display.
  • Long-form guide

Where AED purchases actually go wrong.

Most bad AED purchases are not bad devices. They are right devices in the wrong building: every model in our tool is FDA-approved through Premarket Approval, so the safety floor is identical.[5] What differs is fit.

These are the four purchase mistakes our editorial team sees most, and what each one costs.

Mistake 1: buying on price before environment

A budget unit without an IP rating dies quietly on a pool deck or sports field. The device works; the deployment fails.

Environment first, price second. If the AED lives outdoors or near water, weather sealing is the spec that decides survival, not the sticker.

Mistake 2: ignoring the pediatric question

Children under 8 or under 55 lbs need lower-energy defibrillation, and the Red Cross and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend pediatric-capable AEDs anywhere young children are served.[6] A daycare with an adults-only AED owns a device it may not be able to use.

Schools, daycares, family gyms, youth sports, churches with childcare: answer the pediatric question before comparing anything else. Mandate details are in the schools guide and your state’s rules on the 50-state law tracker.

Mistake 3: buying sophistication your team cannot use

FDA labeling and Good Samaritan laws in all 50 states cover untrained rescuers, and every approved device talks the user through each step.[4] But advanced features cut both ways.

A trained response team gains real advantage from live compression coaching. An untrained front desk gains hesitation from the same screen. Match the device to the people who will actually hold it at minute one, and close the gap with CPR1 training.

Mistake 4: budgeting the sticker, not the program

A $1,944 Philips FRx runs $2,400 or more across 5 years once pad and battery cycles land (sourced calculation: two pad cycles plus one battery at 2026 consumable pricing). Cabinets, signage, and training add $200 to $700 per location (labeled estimate across published deployments).

The buyers who get burned approved a device price, not a program price. Run the Cost Calculator before procurement signs, and size the deployment with the Quantity Calculator.

The stakes behind all four

The AHA counts over 350,000 EMS-assessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the US each year.[2] Roughly 70 percent survive when the shock lands inside 3 minutes; past 10 minutes, fewer than 5 percent do.[1]

Every mismatch above adds seconds or hesitation at exactly the moment neither is affordable. The quiz exists to remove the mismatch before the purchase order exists.

Picked your AED · now plan the rolloutt

Coverage, cost, and comparison : three tools, 10 minutes total.

Picking the model is step one. Sizing the deployment and modeling 5-year ownership cost are steps two and three.

Step 1

AED Quantity Calculator

Building type, square footage, floors. Returns a planning estimate aligned to the AHA 3-minute collapse-to-shock target, validated by timed drills.

Run the Quantity Calculator →

Step 2

AED Cost Calculator

Model, quantity, period, cabinet. Returns true 5-year and 10-year ownership cost including pads and batteries.

Run the Cost Calculator →

Step 3

Read the Buyer's Guide

The complete long-form guide: brands, features, budgeting, compliance, and maintenance in one place.

Open the Buyer's Guide →
Take the 60-Second Quiz →
Browse All 6 AED Brands
  • Common questions

Frequently asked questions.

Yes, free, and no email is required to see your result. An optional box lets you email the recommendation to yourself after the match appears.

There is no single best AED; the right model depends on environment, quantity, pediatric needs, and training. Untrained office teams usually land on the Philips OnSite; schools need the FRx with Child Key; trained gym teams benefit from the ZOLL AED 3.

Match four variables: environment, unit count, pediatric presence, and responder training. The quiz automates exactly that mapping in 60 seconds.

Survival is time-dependent: about 70 percent survive with defibrillation inside ~3 minutes, falling 7 to 10 percent per minute of delay.[1] On-site AEDs close the response gap EMS cannot.

Among models we review, the HeartSine 350P at $1,295 (2026 list). Its 4-year combined Pad-Pak keeps long-term consumables among the lowest.

The Philips FRx with the Infant/Child Key; one device covers adults and children without swapping pads. Details in the schools guide.

The ZOLL AED 3 or Powerheart G5; both coach compressions in real time, which matters where exertion raises SCA risk up to ~17x.[3]

Not necessarily. The FRx uses a Child Key; the LIFEPAK CR2 and G5 have built-in child modes; others use separate pediatric pads.
 
Yes. FDA labeling and all-50-state Good Samaritan protections cover untrained bystanders, and every approved device gives voice guidance.[4] Training via CPR1 still improves outcomes.
The HeartSine 450P: IP56, 2.4 lbs, CPR Rate Advisor. The IP55 ZOLL AED 3 is the trained-team alternative.
Enough that every collapse point is reachable inside the AHA 3-minute target, proven with a timed walking drill. Get a planning estimate from the Quantity Calculator.
Requirements vary by state and facility type. Check the 50-state AED law tracker before procurement.
  • Data sources

Every recommendation traces to a primary source.

  1. American Heart Association: CPR and AED placement guidance; collapse-to-shock survival relationship and the 7 to 10 percent per-minute decline.
  2. AHA Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: more than 350,000 EMS-assessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per year, US.
  3. Albert CM et al., NEJM 2000: SCA risk up to ~17x during vigorous exertion in habitually inactive individuals.
  4. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.151 and OSHA Publication 3185: workplace medical readiness and AED program endorsement.
  5. FDA Premarket Approval (PMA) database: approval status verification for every model referenced.
  6. American Red Cross: pediatric AED guidance for children under 8 or 55 lbs.
  7. IEC 60529: ingress protection (IP) rating definitions.
  8. 14 CFR 121.803: FAA aircraft AED mandate, context for transport-grade durability.
Updated · July 2026MethodologyMedical Advisory BoardAbout AED Best Brands
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