:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HLT-First-Aid-Kits-Group-tamara-staples-024-0470a12875304cd490f5e5353447dcc0.jpg "The 8 Best First Aid Kits, Tested and Reviewed")
Over the course of my 15+ years as a lifestyle journalist and editor, I’ve worked at several food publications with test kitchens. With all the slicing and cooking, occasional accidents were unavoidable, and I saw firsthand how important a well-stocked first aid kit is in an emergency. In one case, essential medical supplies and quick thinking even saved a staff member’s finger.
According to the National Safety Council, about 175,000 preventable injury-related deaths occurred in homes and communities in 2023, and an additional 53 million people suffered nonfatal medically consulted injuries. The bottom line is that accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Make sure you’re prepared by having one of these first aid kits on hand at home, in your car and when doing outdoor activities. It could save digits—or even a life.
Alicia M. Hoffman, MSN, RN, Critical Care Clinical Specialist at MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center in Iowa, notes that while first aid training is ideal, kits that provide a simple guide for basic first aid skills are helpful, especially for understanding things like stroke recognition (BEFAST) and administering aspirin for chest pain.
To find the top options on the market, the Health team tested 25 first aid kits in our lab, examining their contents, quality, organization, and overall value.
According to Shalom Sokolow, MD, an emergency medicine doctor and EMS fellow at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, the most important part of owning a first aid kit—whether purchased or homemade—is knowing your supplies and how to use them.
- Essential Supplies: All the experts we spoke with agreed on a standard supply list for any first aid kit, including adhesive bandages in multiple sizes, gauze, shears, gloves, antibiotics, hydrocortisone ointments, and something to clean wounds, whether that be alcohol or sterile water. You’ll also want a splint and something to secure it with, typically a cravat, also called a triangular bandage. Dr. Sokolow notes that wound care is the most critical component of a first aid kit since many lacerations that need stitches can only be closed in the first 18 hours post-injury. In addition to these basic supplies, you’ll also want to include OTC medications like Benadryl and ibuprofen.
- Specialized Supplies: While most first aid kits will have you covered for minor injuries, our experts suggest adding a few more specialized supplies depending on who you may need to help, including an AED, EpiPen, aspirin, glucometer, and tourniquet. Dr. Sokolow also mentions Naloxone, an intranasal spray that can be used to treat narcotic overdoses in an emergency.
- Additional Supplies: Our experts suggest including a few everyday supplies you can find around the house that will come in handy. These items include trash or sandwich bags, candies or items with sugar, super glue, tampons, towels, or aloe vera.
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Why We Like It
The 100-piece Surviveware Small Comprehensive Premium First Aid Kit includes a wide range of essential items such as bandages, CPR kit, gauze, scissors, and an emergency blanket. But what really made it a standout to us is its excellent organization. It has clearly labeled pockets for each type of item, which not only aids in quick identification but also makes all the supplies easily accessible, which is crucial in urgent situations and makes it ideal for comprehensive family usage in the home.
We also appreciate its durability, which makes it a good choice for outdoor enthusiasts, as well. Made from water-resistant and rip-resistant polyester, this medical kit survived drop tests without any damage, indicating that it can withstand rough conditions that might occur during outdoor activities. The kit’s design, including a strong zipper and structured compartments, makes it very easy to use. Plus, it features D-rings, so it can be attached to almost anything, making it great for cars, trucks and boats too.
It’s Worth Noting
- The supplies are not brand-name, but despite the generic branding, everything was found to be of good quality.
- We found it to be slightly cramped when repacking items.
Product Details:
Also Contains: CPR pouch, first aid guide, emergency blanket, splinter probes, whistle | Number of Pieces: 100 | Size: 7.5 x 6 x 3.5 inches | Case Type: Water-resistant polyester zip case
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Why We Like It
In an emergency, time is of the essence, meaning that one of the top criteria you should think about when selecting a first aid kit is organization. The Homestock+ Professional First Aid Kit is organized with clearly labeled compartments, is MOLLE compatible and has D-rings, so it’s easy to attach to a bag.
We loved how easy it was to find supplies in this kit. All the supplies are visible and accessible, making it a great pick for emergency injuries. This kit also contains shears and supplies for burn care in addition to a CPR kit and more standard wound care supplies.
It’s Worth Noting
The kit is difficult to open with one hand, which can be a negative in some first aid situations.
Product Details
Also Contains: Emergency blanket, burn care | Number of Pieces: 104 | Size: 7.9 x 5.9 x 3.6 inches | Case Type: Soft zip case
Health / Jhett Thompson
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Why We Like It
Between cuts, scrapes, and falls, kids are more prone to small injuries than adults. The SHBC First Aid Kit is small but stocked, making it a great choice for families. The kit also contains ACE wraps, which Mohini Bedi, MD, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, called out as a must for families with children.
The kit also contains alcohol and prep pads for wound cleaning, small and large bandages, gauze, and even more additional first aid supplies like emergency blankets, a CPR mask, and a multi-tool. The hard zip case is waterproof and stores away easily for use at weekend sports games or long family vacations.
It’s Worth Noting
It has plenty of items for basic first aid needs, but it doesn’t contain many extra supplies.
Product Details
Also Contains: Emergency blanket, CPR mask | Number of Pieces: 228 | Size: 8.3 x 6.3 x 3.2 inches | Case Type: Hard zip case
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Why We Like It
The Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series “Backpacker” Medical Kit claims to be the perfect first-aid option for multi-day wilderness adventures, and we agree. Equipped with enough first aid supplies for two people on hiking or camping trips of up to four days, this kit is tailored to meet the challenges of the outdoors, including high-quality supplies for minor and moderate injuries—wound care, cuts, scrapes, scissors, tweezers and even items to stop bleeding quickly. It also includes medications like Diphen, which is an antihistamine useful for allergic reactions to plants or insect bites, plus comprehensive supplies for blisters and ankle sprains (the two most common hiking injuries).
This rugged nylon first aid bag features a durable, lightweight design that’s compact enough to fit into a backpack without taking up excessive space and a reflective logo to make it easy to spot in the dark. We found it to be well organized, with zippered see-through pockets that protect your supplies from dirt and moisture, labeled by injury categories, which helped us find what we needed quickly. We also love that it has extra space to add your own items and comes with a fully illustrated manual with instructions for handling common “backcountry” emergencies, including improvised first aid techniques, “When to Worry” tips, and more.
It’s Worth Noting
The price is slightly high for the range of items provided, but we think it’s worth it for outdoor enthusiasts.
Product Details:
Also Contains: Irrigation syringe, pre-cut moleskin, elastic bandage for stabilizing sprains, splinter/tick remover forceps, anti-diarrheal, antihistamine, wilderness first aid manual | Number of Pieces: 96 | Size: 8 x 8 x 4 inches | Case Type: Zippered nylon bag
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Why We Like It
We found the Protect Life The Medicine Cabinet First Aid Kit to be ideal for vehicle storage due to its size, durability, and range of essential items for typical travel emergencies. Not only do we appreciate its portability, but also the clear labeling of items.
Though it’s small and lightweight, it still packs 100 pieces and includes a surprisingly broad range of emergency supplies—all the must-haves for minor injuries, plus a few extras like an emergency blanket, tourniquet, and eye wash. Stashed in your car, this mini first aid kit in a rip-resistant polyester zippered bag is versatile and useful to have on hand for unexpected situations away from home.
It’s Worth Noting
The zipper pouch could be more secure to prevent items from moving around. Some items, like the scissors and tape, were of lower quality, which could affect their effectiveness in an emergency.
Product Details:
Also Contains: First aid guide, emergency blanket, tourniquet, eye wash | Number of Pieces: 100 | Size: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches | Case Type: Rip-resistant polyester zippered bag
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Why We Like It
As its name indicates, the Johnson & Johnson Travel Ready First Aid Kit is highly portable but still packs plenty of essentials—all in a clean, compact package. The easy-to-carry case contains 80 pieces to help clean cuts and scrapes and prevent wound infection, including a variety of Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages in assorted sizes, cleansing wipes, Neosporin antibiotic ointment and gauze pads.
Despite its compact size, it has an organized interior that makes items quickly accessible and easy to open. Its size and the variety of bandages make it perfect to slip into luggage or a car’s glove compartment, covering basic needs for minor injuries on the go.
It’s Worth Noting
While it’s good for minor cuts and scrapes, it lacks some basic items like sterile saline solution and equipment for more serious injuries.
Product Details:
Also Contains: Hand-cleansing wipes | Number of Pieces: 80 | Size: 6.25 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches | Case Type: Hard plastic case
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Why We Like It
The Breakwater Supply All-Purpose First Aid Kit immediately impressed us with its compact size, waterproof case, and easy-to-open zipper for quick use in emergencies. We love that while it’s small and lightweight (its contents weigh less than a pound), it doesn’t sacrifice critical supplies. And because of its compact size and waterproof casing, this first aid kit is ideal for every location, from the beach and outdoor hiking to your car and home storage.
Its life-saving supplies for both major and minor injuries include a tourniquet, gloves, a cold pack and scissors. And even though it doesn’t offer allergy medicine, it does include burn gel relief, insect bite relief, and first aid ointment. While the bandages and gauze aren’t from a recognizable brand, their quality and variety more than make up for it. To top it off, the case is sturdy and showed no signs of breakage after being dropped.
It’s Worth Noting
Because of the lack of space in the kit, it may be hard for visually impaired people to search for items in an emergency. It’s challenging to repack the kit once opened and used because of the lack of organization within the kit, though it does offer two large pockets to assist in repacking supplies.
Product Details:
Also Contains: Tourniquet, a cold pack, glove, tongue depressor, burn gel relief, insect bite relief, and iodine pads | Number of Pieces: 101 | Size: 8 x 6 x 2 inches | Case Type: Soft zip case
We tested 25 of the top first aid kits in our lab. During testing, our team—which included a registered nurse—determined how easy each case was to open with one hand. We were then tasked with finding specific items in the case and timed our search. We carefully inspected the items for quality and replaced them in the kit to see how easy it would be to keep them organized.
We rated each kit based on the following attributes:
- Ease of Use: We considered how easy it was to open each case and find supplies.
- Organization: We gave higher ratings to kits that were well-organized and allowed us to easily identify which supplies were which.
- Quality: We rated each case based on the durability of the case, as well as the quality of the supplies contained in the kit.
- Overall Value: We considered how the cost of each first aid kit stacked up to its quality and the variety of objects contained in the kit.
We consulted with several experts in the medical field to select the best products. Those experts included:
- Mohini Bedi, MD, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
- Alicia M. Hoffman, MSN, RN, Critical Care Clinical Specialist at MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center in Iowa
- Shalom Sokolow, MD, an emergency medicine doctor and EMS fellow at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, NY
- Jay Woody, MD, FACEP, ABEM, chief medical officer of Intuitive Health and a co-founder of Legacy ER & Urgent Care
In addition to the kits in our roundup, we also tested these kits. They all contained plenty of helpful first aid supplies but fell short on organization or types of supplies.
- Medique Multi-Purpose First Aid Kit: While this kit includes products that aren’t available in many other first aid kits, like burn creams and cold packs, it’s a little more difficult to find than most other kits on our list and has fewer total items.
- Swiss Safe Professional First Aid Kit: This kit is stocked with 200 first-aid items, but their labels may be difficult to read and identify quickly. The kit also doesn’t include any pain relievers.
- American Red Cross Be Red Cross Ready First Aid Kit: The Red Cross kit contains most items in an ideal first aid kit, but the products aren’t name-brand.
- Welly Large First Aid Kit: This kit offers fun bandage designs and is very easy to open. But supplies feel limited, and they only offer aid for minor cuts and scrapes. Plus, the contents are tightly packed, making it hard for those with limited dexterity to access supplies in emergencies.
Nicole Cherie Jones is a writer and editor for Health.com, with over 15 years of experience as a lifestyle journalist. She specializes in cooking and nutrition, health and fitness, pregnancy and postpartum care, and more.
Loren Brutsch is an editor for Health.com and specializes in all things health and wellness. As an ISSA-certified personal trainer and a CPR-certified wellness expert, she knows how important it is to have a first aid kit on hand that will actually get the job done.
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