How to Choose the Best CPR Manikins and AED Trainers

Published Wednesday, April 26, 12:00 pm

As a leader in the industry for over 20 years, PRESTAN has continuously invested in innovation to provide a robust portfolio of CPR/AED training products, supplies, and accessories.

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In this blog, we will discuss the Great, Better, and Best options for CPR Training Manikins and AED Trainers to help guide instructors when choosing training products that will give their students the confidence and skills necessary to be ready for all lifesaving moments. 

Unlike any other branded or privately labeled CPR Training Manikin available worldwide, all PRESTAN CPR Training Manikins are Made in the USA. Whether you are just starting out as an instructor or are looking to upgrade your training equipment, we have compiled recommendations and features for choosing the right PRESTAN CPR Manikins and AED Trainers to fit all of your training needs.

What Makes the Ultralite® Series and AED UltraTrainer a Great Choice for Instructors

Recommended for traveling instructors who are on the go, conducting virtual or mass training events at schools or large community events, and need affordable training solutions that are lightweight and portable.

Ultralite® Manikin Series Features

• Compliant with industry guidelines. Fully compliant with current industry guidelines (when purchased with feedback), including the most recent AHA Integrated Feedback Directive.
• ​​Easy to transport and store. The Ultralite Series manikins are the most compact and lightweight offering from PRESTAN, making them easy for instructors to take on a plane, transport to training sites, and store when not in use.
• Classroom in a bag. PRESTAN offers the only CPR training manikin ‘classroom in a bag’ with their Ultralite 12-pack in a 39-pound roller bag with wheels & telescoping handle and infant 12-pack in a 15.5-pound portable bag with shoulder strap.
• Realistic training scenarios. The adult, child, and infant manikins have realistic anatomical features and are offered in diversity kits, allowing instructors to provide more realistic training scenarios that better prepare students for real-life situations.
• Feedback devices. Instructors can monitor and assess students' performance more effectively through feedback devices that provide visual and audible feedback on the rate and depth of compressions.
• Cost-effective. The series is priced competitively, making them an affordable option for instructors and organizations with limited budgets.
• Durable and long-lasting. Instructors can count on high-quality materials built to last, ensuring you maximize your investment.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Ultralite Manikin Diversity Kits offer both medium and dark skin tone manikins in one package, providing instructors with a diverse and inclusive training experience. The PRESTAN Female Accessory easily attaches to the Ultralite manikin to represent the female anatomy in training helping improve CPR survival rates in women, encourage dialogue & breakdown barriers, and eliminate gender bias in CPR administration.
• Three-year PRESTAN limited warranty.

 AED UltraTrainer Features

• Compact and lightweight. The most portable AED trainer solution with easy storage.
• Fully customizable. Offers full customization options to adapt to any training situation.
• Realistic training experience. This solution resembles a live training experience for a more engaging and confident learning environment.
• Patented Pad Sensing System. Designed for use with the reliable PRESTAN Pad Sensing System for accurate feedback on compression performance.
• Multilingual programming. Can toggle between two languages and is easily upgradable for AHA guideline changes, with English/Spanish or English/French standard options.
• Available in single and 4-packs. Easily purchase the correct number of trainers for various class sizes.
• Three-year PRESTAN limited warranty.

What Makes the Professional Series and AED Trainer Plus a Better Choice for Instructors

Recommended for instructors who offer training for medical staff, EMS personnel, fire departments, or the general public and want the tried-and-true flagship PRESTAN training experience.

Professional Manikin Series Features

• Compliant with industry guidelines. Fully compliant with current industry guidelines, including the most recent AHA Integrated Feedback Directive.
• Lifelike appearance. Provide a training experience that closely resembles real-life situations, using infant, child, adult, and female manikins that are realistic to the eye and touch to better equip students for lifesaving moments.
• Immediate feedback. The CPR Rate Monitor provides instant feedback on the rate and depth of compressions, allowing instructors to monitor and assess students’ performance more effectively and allows students to self-correct during training.
• Lightweight and portable. The manikins are lightweight and easy to transport, with a fast and simple setup that saves time and effort for instructors on the go.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Professional Manikin Diversity Kits offer both medium and dark skin tone manikins in one package, providing instructors with a diverse and inclusive training experience. The PRESTAN Female Accessory easily attaches to the adult and child manikins to represent the female anatomy and the PRESTAN Professional Female Manikin transforms training by opening up a broad range of scenarios to help encourage dialogue, breakdown barriers, eliminate gender bias in CPR administration, and improve CPR survival rates in women.
• Three-year PRESTAN limited warranty.

Professional AED Trainer PLUS Features

• Realistic training experience. The Professional AED Trainer PLUS resembles brand AED Trainers in size and weight, providing a realistic training experience.
• Customizable. Instructors can tailor the training experience to their needs with customizable options, including a child button.
• Patented Pad Sensing System. Designed for use with the patented PRESTAN Pad Sensing System, this AED trainer provides accurate and reliable feedback.
• Clear voice prompts. The AED Trainer PLUS features clear voice prompts with optional CPR prompts to help students keep pace with chest compressions.
• Easy to replace module. The module containing current CPR guidelines and two languages is easy to replace and upgrade.
• Convenience with the use of a remote. The PRESTAN Professional AED Trainer PLUS Remote easily controls the volume, language, and training scenarios with the ability to control multiple units at once.
• Three-year PRESTAN limited warranty.

What Makes the Professional Series the Best Choice for Instructors

Recommended for instructors who want to take their training to the next level by providing Advanced Feedback, including rate, depth, recoil, ventilation, chest compression fraction, and hands-off time. The Series manikin elevates the training experience making it more interactive; some instructors choose to gamify the process, allowing students to compete with others and build upon their individual scores through the PRESTAN CPR Feedback App, which allows performance improvement by tracking progress.

Professional Manikin Series Features

• Compliant with industry guidelines. Fully compliant with current industry guidelines, including the most recent AHA Integrated Feedback Directive. The Series is also fully compliant with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's February Use of Feedback Devices in Resuscitation Training Courses Policy.
• Enhanced training experience. The Professional Series is the ultimate dual-purpose training solution for instructors, designed with the latest technology to enhance the training experience for students and instructors.
• Bluetooth® enabled. The PRESTAN CPR Feedback app is available on both Apple and Android devices, allowing seamless connectivity to the manikin and real-time advanced feedback on rate, depth, recoil, ventilation, and hands-off time.
• Better student monitoring. With the ability to project the manikin's performance onto a screen or iPad, instructors can monitor multiple students simultaneously and provide better feedback and assistance.
• Affordable upgrade. Instructors can upgrade their existing Professional Adult to the Series through the Add-On Kit, making the upgrade process easy and cost-effective without purchasing an additional manikin.
• Self-correction features. The manikin has built-in lights and an audible beep, as well as connection to the app for recoil, ventilation, and hands-off time feedback, allowing students to learn and self-correct their technique, which leads to better performance and mastery of CPR skills.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Series manikin is offered in both medium and dark skin tone providing instructors with a diverse and inclusive training experience. The PRESTAN Professional Female Series Manikin is available (February ) to encourage dialogue & breakdown barriers, eliminate gender bias in CPR administration, and help improve CPR survival rates in women.
• Three-year PRESTAN limited warranty.

Build Confidence and Prepare for Lifesaving Moments using PRESTAN

If you're interested in purchasing PRESTAN Products, you can easily Find a Distributor through our global authorized distribution network. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or want to learn more about our products. We're here to help!

About Our Company

PRESTAN has been located in Northeastern Ohio for over 20 years designing and manufacturing CPR Training Manikins and AED Trainers that provide immediate feedback to help build confidence when learning these critical lifesaving skills. 

Authors - Lindsay Benz, PRESTAN Marketing Manager & Kayla Collier, Accrisoft Corporation

Jousing Medical supply professional and honest service.

Date Published - April 26, (Updated September 4, / February 18, )

How to Choose an Instructor Kit

When it comes to selecting the best instructor kit, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Choosing an instructor kit to buy at the Red Cross Store depends on which classes you are teaching. The ideal instructor kit depends on the specific Red Cross course you will be teaching, whether it is First Aid/CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Lifeguard, CPRO or other courses. And if you're teaching adult, child or infant CPR (or all of the above).

Each course has unique requirements (see Suggested Instructor Kits section), that may require different combinations of CPR manikins, CPR Masks/BVM/Pocket Maks/Face Shields, Manikin Lungs & Shields, and First Aid and CPR training kits. Understanding the specific needs of your course will help you choose the most appropriate and effective instructor kit.

To get started teaching First Aid/CPR/AED, do I need the starter kit and instructor kit with books?

You must have the equipment and training supplies (CPR manikin(s), AED trainer, face shields/ CPR masks and first aid training supplies). Certified Instructors who are affiliated with a training provider can access the instructor manual and videos online within the Red Cross Learning Center platform; however, it is recommended to have a printed instructor guide with reference guide. (First Aid/CPR/AED Deluxe Instructor Kit with Skill Boost Training Supplies; item )

Teaching First Aid/CPR/AED Courses?

Visit redcross.org/store/first-aid-cpr-aed-equipment-supplies-materials/instructor-equipment to buy the required and optional materials, equipment and supplies for First Aid/CPR/AED course.

Teaching Lifeguarding Courses?

Visit redcross.org/store/new-lifeguarding-materials-/lifeguard-instructor-equipment to buy the required and optional materials, equipment and supplies for our Lifeguarding r.24 course.

Teaching BLS, CPRO and Lifeguarding Courses?

In BLS, CPRO and Lifeguarding students learn how to use a BVM and in lifeguarding students learn the jaw-thrust maneuver and therefore should use a CPR manikin that is jaw thrust enabled (designed to open the airway by moving the jaw).

• Teaching Adult, Child and or Infant CPR? There are different manikins for Infant CPR versus Adult & Child CPR!
• Interested in both types of CPR manikins? The Red Cross guidance allows for an adult manikin to be used for Child CPR training.

For more information, see ‘Suggested Instructor Kits’ section for Instructor Kits by Course as well as recommended ‘Books & DVD Kits’ by course.

Teaching Adult or Infant CPR, First Aid, BLS, CPRO or Lifeguarding Classes?

The instructor kits include training supplies, such as CPR manikins, AED trainers and other equipment and supplies which are needed to teach different classes to help your instructors hit the ground running to begin teaching.