First aid kits review and compare

Many of the first aid kits we tested could leave you ill-prepared when an accident strikes.
 
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  • Updated:29 Sep 2007
 

02.Results

What to buy

  • Australian Red Cross Household Kit 12730 $79
  • Brenniston Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit Q150W * $38
  • First Aid Kits Australia Medium Risk Home Portable K410GP $88

* We included this kit because it’s also labelled for home and personal use.

The Australian Red Cross Household Kit lacks an insect bite treatment, but has all items recommended in the Australian standard, though not always in the specified sizes. The other two kits have sufficient equipment to cope with five common household emergencies (serious burn, major bleeding, fractured limb, foreign body in wound or eye, snake or spider bite).

 

 

Results table

  Results
Brand / model Overall score (%) Resuscitation shield Gloves Basic first aid instructions Container type Dimensions (H x W x D, mm) Price ($)
Australian Red Cross Household Kit 12730
www.redcross.org.au 		78 • • Plastic box with handle 160 x 325 x 185 79
Brenniston Motor Vehicle First Aid Kit Q150W
www.brenniston.com.au 		73 • • • Soft bag 55 x 275 x 195 38
First Aid Kits Australia Medium Risk Home Portable K410GP
www.firstaidkitsales.com.au 		70 • • • Plastic box with handle 150 x 400 x 225 88
Quell Home and Family 128381
www.quell.com.au 		65 • • Plastic box with handle 115 x 290 x 250 55
First Aid Kits Australia Home and Away KP295GP
www.firstaidkitsales.com.au 		58 • • • Plastic box with handle 155 x 321 x 180 66
Amada 9/S
03 9555 1133 		55 • • • Soft bag 50 x 330 x 205 55
St John All Purpose Small Leisure 640001
www.stjohn.org.au 		55 • • • Soft bag 70 x 260 x 180 50
First Aid International Domestic Kit
www.firstaidinternational.com.au 		52 • • Plastic box with handle 145 x 400 x 230 100
Trafalgar Handyman First Aid Kit T94225 #
www.firstaid.com.au 		48 • • • Plastic box with handle 140 x 325 x 170 50
Ambulance Victoria Home Kit #
1800 248 859 		43 • • • Soft bag 80 x 280 x 165 30
Royal Life Saving Everyday First Aid Kit TS445
www.royallifesaving.com.au 		43 • • Soft bag with handle 90 x 245 x 175 55
Australian Red Cross Personal Kit 12700
www.redcross.org.au 		42 • • Soft bag 40 x 170 x 140 25
Equip REC 3
www.equip.com.au 		42 • • Soft bag 70 x 210 x 150 60
First Aid International Basic Domestic Kit
www.firstaidinternational.com.au 		42 • • Plastic box with handle 150 x 405 x 225 70
Brenniston Home Essentials
www.brenniston.com.au 		35 • • Plastic box 70 x 195 x 135 28
Quell Home and Office 128378
www.quell.com.au 		35 • • Plastic box 65 x 195 x 135 17
St John Small Emergency 619501
www.stjohn.org.au 		35 • • • Plastic box 70 x 195 x 135 20
Tyco Healthcare TFK1
1800 252 467 		35 • • Soft pouch 70 x 135 x 95 14
Protector First Aid Kit
131 772		 33 • • Plastic box 45 x 215 x 140 20
Royal Life Saving First Aid Kit Bumbag TS450
www.royallifesaving.com.au		 33 • • Soft pouch (bum bag) 110 x 200 x 135 30 
Trafalgar Home Kit T94020 #
www.firstaid.com.au 		30 • (A) • Soft bag 80 x 180 x 130 25
Equip Family First Aid Kit
www.equip.com.au		 27 • Soft bag 60 x 215 x 160 30
 

Table notes

# Discontinued or being phased out.
(A) Plastic, not latex

Score For the overall score, we considered:

  • Compliance with the standard.
  • Provision of adequate information on how to use the items.
  • Rust resistance.
  • Bandage ‘stretchability’.

Price: Recommended retail at August 2008, or what we paid in June 2007 (excluding postage).

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