The 7 Best First Aid Kits of 2024

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Keep yourself and your loved ones protected and safe with these expert-approved first aid kits.

Verywell Health / Amelia Manley

From scraped knees to car crashes, having a quality first aid kit allows you to treat minor injuries, prevent infections, and even increase the chances of keeping an accident victim alive until proper medical help arrives. Eddie Boyle, director of operations at Cetronia Ambulance Corps, says that a first aid kit is a small stockpile of basic necessities that can treat burns to traumatic injuries. He adds that the supplies can provide life-saving interventions.

We tested 15 top-rated first aid kits and narrowed down the best eight. We evaluated each kit for included products, ease of use, organization, quality, and overall value. An emergency physician from our Medical Expert Board reviewed the contents of this article for medical accuracy.

For any serious injuries, we suggest consulting a healthcare provider immediately. We also recommend visiting a doctor if you notice any negative side effects, such as increased irritation, swelling, or fluid build-up, after treating yourself with a first-aid kit, as it can be a sign of a larger health issue or infection.

Amazon

Durable case

Includes tools like a carabiner, scissors, and safety pins

Comes with a cold compress

Does not include ointment

Items can shift around in the open plastic pockets

Ideal For: Travel and personal use | Case Size: 7.8 x 5.9 x 2.6 inches

We named the Protect Life First Aid Kit our best overall because it has everything you need to treat minor wounds. The durable first aid case contains gauze pads, bandages, first aid tape, a cold pack, gloves, scissors, tweezers, and even an emergency whistle. The contents—all manufactured at an FDA-registered facility—are stored inside a durable hard case, making it ideal for road trips, camping, and hiking. It also proved easy to use, grab, and go during testing.

If you're looking for a similar kit with a more affordable price point, the Be Smart Get Prepared Kit packs a lot of value at a lower price point. We loved that in addition to the basic bandages and alcohol wipes, the kit includes antibiotic ointment, finger splints, a cold compress, and exam gloves. It also carries most of the basic items to treat lacerations and contusions. It just doesn't come with scissors or tweezers.

We didn't like the small carrying case, and the containments weren't secure. They were easy to fall out or shift, and it was hard to get things back inside.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

Enough supplies to a family of four

Includes OTC medications

Is well organized

Flimsy, soft case

Ideal For: Outdoor activities, travel, families | Case Size: 6 x 8.5 x 3 inches

Adventure First Aid Family Kit has enough supplies for small groups or families of up to four people, including topicals like antiseptic wipes and antibiotic ointments, bandages and sterile gauze dressings, and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medications.

Out of all the kits we tested, this one felt the most organized. We loved that the products were clearly and securely sorted into categories: medications, gauze/bandages, and various trauma care accessories.

The goods come in a zippered soft case which was flimsy and a little difficult to open.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Staples

Wall-mountable and well organized

Includes a face shield, gloves, and trauma pads

Contains topical and OTC medications

It’s not portable

Ideal For: Offices | Case Size: 4.5 x 13.25 x 14.25 inches

The First Aid Only Kit is the priciest pick on our list, but it's worth the price if you're looking for a kit that contains everything from bandages to OTC pain relief medications, scissors and tweezers, gloves, and a CPR face shield. There are enough supplies to treat up to 50 people, and the plastic case is wall-mountable, making it a smart choice for offices and other places where groups gather.

During testing, we liked that each product had its own designated space. This keeps everything secure and visible, making it easy to use quickly during an emergency. While it's pricier, we feel the value is there.

It's not designed to be portable, so if you're traveling often or plan to move it around frequently, we suggest another option.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

Well organized

Portable

High-quality materials

Zipper is difficult to open with one hand

Ideal For: Traumatic injuries | Case Size: 7.9 x 5.9 x 3.6 inches

The Professional First Aid Trauma Kit contains items designed to treat traumatic injuries like bleeding, burns, and shock. A pocket-size guide explains each item and how to use it. We like that it contains a trauma pad, elastic bandages, burn care gel, eye pads, and more, all neatly organized and clearly labeled. The design made us feel prepared for anything.

It folds open, so everything is technically accessible. Still, during the timed trial, opening the zippered kit with one hand proved challenging, which could waste precious seconds in an emergency.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

Compact and portable

Includes an emergency blanket and tourniquet

Items are not well organized

Ideal For: Travel, car | Case Size: 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches

Looking for a basic first aid kit that you can tuck into your backpack or glove compartment? We recommend the Small First Aid Kit, which is compact but durable. In addition to bandages, tape, and topical ointments, the affordable pouch contains many foldable items, like an emergency blanket, a tourniquet, and a CPR mask. It also has a saline solution for rinsing the eyes and irrigating wounds.

The kit felt very disorganized, which isn't great in an emergency. Everything was just jammed in there. We'd suggest finding a way to organize the kit at home or picking another option if that organization is crucial to you.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

Durable, quick-release case

Has items for traumatic emergency

Well organized

Doesn’t include OTC medications

Ideal For: Traumatic injuries, outdoor survival | Case Size: 8 x 6.5 x 5 inches

From a tactical flashlight to a paracord, compass, and even an 11-in-1 tactical pocket tool—all stored in a military-grade EMT backpack—the Everlit is the perfect first aid kit for campers, hikers, and survivalists. During testing, we felt that it carries a lot of value at a very accessible price point. It has all the basics for managing a traumatic emergency (especially when you're in the middle of nowhere).

There are also various bandages and topical sting relief wipes, safety pins, an emergency blanket, glow sticks, a pocket knife, a fire starter, a poncho, and a thermal blanket. We felt it was intuitive and neatly organized, too. It took us mere minutes to find and identify everything important during a crisis.

It has all the basics, except for OTC medication.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

Easy-to-open case

Contains items to treat traumatic injuries

Might be tricky to keep main compartment organized

Ideal For: Traumatic injuries, natural disasters | Case Size: 13 x 6 x 9 inches

After testing the First Aid Emergency Response Trauma Kit, we found it easy to use, organized, and filled with quality items, which is great for emergency medical professionals. It includes an assortment of bandages, a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and just about everything a first responder would need, making it a full-service kit. It's a great one-stop shop for emergency care needs.

It has convenient front and side pockets, but keeping the main compartment organized might take some effort.

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson

We tested 15 first aid kits in the Verywell Testing Lab. Following our detailed methodology, each test was designed to evaluate and compare the kits for ease of use, organization, quality of the products and carrying case, and overall value.

We consulted the following experts during the research and writing of this article on the best first aid kits:

Receiving her master’s degree in public health in 2020, Kayla Hui is a seasoned public health practitioner and health journalist. She has interviewed dozens of experts, reviewed numerous research studies, and tested many products to deliver well-researched product reviews and roundups. She aims to help readers make more informed decisions about their health and well-being.

By Kayla Hui, MPHHui is a health writer with a master's degree in public health. In 2020, she won a Pulitzer Center Fellowship to report on the mental health of Chinese immigrant truck drivers.