Verdict: The toughest Philips AED (IP55, 1-meter drop rated) with an optional infant/child key. Buy new for 8 years of warranty; the recertified unit at $875 covers most budgets.
Recertified Philips HeartStart FRx: $875 at AED Leader, down from a $975 regular price. It carries a 3-year warranty, against 8 years on a new unit. Verified 25 September 2026.
Check $875 at AED LeaderRecertified Philips FRx price and warranty
Best for: Schools, sports fields and outdoor sites
The toughest Philips at full price. SMART Pads II list at $89 and cover adults and children with the key.
How we score
Every score is out of 10 and higher is always better. Value compares the price with the other 14 AEDs we track; Features covers coaching, durability, child use and connectivity; 10-year cost is the device plus the pads and batteries bought over ten years, from our 10-year AED cost table. The overall ABR Buyer Score is the average of the three. Prices are re-checked at AED Leader and dated on the page.In the box: New FRx unit, carry case, SMART Pads II, battery, user manual, first responder kit, inspection tag, window decal, free ground shipping (AED Leader listing)
Quick verdict
8.9
Verified 30 September 2026
Philips HeartStart FRx review, 2026 verdict
$2,099.00 to $2,199.00 by carry case at AED Leader, verified 30 September 2026. Choose the FRx over the OnSite when the unit will live outdoors, on a field or in a vehicle: IP55 sealing, a 500 lb crush rating, and an infant child key instead of a second pad set.
What changed in 2026
- Price band $2,099.00 to $2,199.00, unchanged since 19 September.
- The value package at $2,062.80 to $2,161.80 is $36.20 to $37.20 UNDER the matching bare device.
- Recertified FRx holds at $875.00, a $1,224.00 saving against the cheapest new build.
- It is a prescription device, unlike the over-the-counter OnSite and HeartSine 350P.
Philips HeartStart FRx review: the verdict
The Philips HeartStart FRx (861304, FDA PMA P180028) is the OnSite for rough environments: IP55, drop-tested, a pediatric key instead of separate child pads, and the same spoken coaching. It costs $2,099 at AED Leader (19 September 2026), $2,062.80 as a value package, or $875 recertified. It is prescription-only, unlike the OnSite. Pick it for schools, gyms, pools and vehicles; pick the OnSite for a quiet office.
Quick answer
The Philips HeartStart FRx costs $2,099.00 to $2,199.00 new, verified against seller product data on 30 September 2026. Total cost of ownership is $2,099.00 to $2,199.00 plus about $854 in consumables over ten years. It is a prescription device in the United States, although several sellers include a free physician authorisation with the purchase. Like every AED sold in the United States it is FDA-approved through premarket approval (PMA) and carries a PMA number.
Verified by AED Brand Review on 30 September 2026 against the published product data of AED Leader and Response Ready.Philips HeartStart FRx specs at a glance
Quick answer
| Specification | Philips HeartStart FRx (861304) |
|---|---|
| Operation | Semi-automatic, voice prompts + CPR coaching |
| Ruggedness | IP55 (dust and water jets), withstands a 1-meter drop |
| Pediatric | Single Infant/Child Key (no separate pad set) |
| Pads | SMART Pads II, pre-connected, can be placed before the unit is on |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) |
| Battery / pad life | Battery ~4 years · pads ~2 years |
| Warranty (new) | 8 years |
| Prescription | Required (Rx); authorisation included by AED Leader and Response Ready |
What we like, and what we don't
- IP55 rugged, handles rain, dust and rough handling the OnSite cannot
- One Infant/Child Key covers pediatric use, no second pad set to buy or expire
- SMART Pads II can be placed before power-on, saving seconds
- 8-year warranty, same simple voice coaching
- Available recertified at $875 with new pads and battery
- No CPR depth/rate feedback (the ZOLL AED Plus has it)
- No screen, audio prompts only
- Higher new price than the OnSite for features an indoor office may never use
- Still needs pad and battery replacement on the normal cycle
FRx vs OnSite vs ZOLL AED Plus: which Philips-class AED to buy
Quick answer
| Model | Best for | Rugged | Pediatric | CPR feedback | New (approx) | Recertified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips FRx This review | Schools, sports, outdoor | IP55 | Single key | No | ~$2,099 | $875 |
| Philips OnSite | Home, small office | IP21 | Separate pads | No | $1,589 to $1,819 | $875 |
| ZOLL AED Plus | Trained responders | IP55 | Pediatric pads | Yes | $2,082 | $875 |
Philips FRx price: new vs recertified
Quick answer
Buy the Philips HeartStart FRx
The pediatric key: the FRx's real advantage
Quick answer
Maintenance and the failures that actually happen
Quick answer
Who should buy the FRx, and who should skip it
| Buy it if | Skip it if |
|---|---|
| It covers a school, gym, sports field, or outdoor/industrial site | It sits in a quiet indoor office and price is the priority → Philips OnSite |
| Both adults and children may need it → the Infant/Child Key | You have a trained team wanting live CPR feedback → ZOLL AED Plus |
| You are buying multiple units → recertified at $875 stretches the budget | You only ever cover adults indoors → the OnSite does that for less |
How the Philips HeartStart FRx compares
| Model | Verified price | Ten year running cost | Pediatric method | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips HeartStart FRx (this page) | $2,099 to $2,199 | About $854 | Reusable child key, about $139 once | Schools, mixed adult and child settings |
| Philips HeartStart OnSite | $1,589 to $1,819 | About $894 | Separate M5072A cartridge, prescription only | Untrained staff, offices, home |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR2 | $2,256 to $2,681 | Not published per part | Built-in child mode button, no extra pad | Schools, fleets, cprINSIGHT |
| ZOLL AED 3 | $2,399 | About $435 | Uni-padz cover children, no extra pad | Mixed ages, Wi-Fi fleet management |
New unit prices verified at AED Leader and Response Ready on 30 September 2026. Ten year running cost is our own calculation from published consumable part prices and service lives. We checked the top five ranking pages for every one of these models and not one publishes a table like this.
Before you buy: shipping, prescription and the small print
- Prescription. Only two AED families are approved for over the counter sale in the United States: the HeartSine Samaritan 350P and the Philips HeartStart OnSite in its adult configuration. Every other model here, including the FRx, ZOLL, Powerheart G5, LIFEPAK CR2 and Defibtech, is a prescription device.
- Free physician authorisation. Several sellers include a free prescription from a board certified physician with the purchase, so the prescription requirement is rarely a real obstacle.
- Free shipping threshold. AED Leader and Response Ready include free ground shipping on the FRx in the contiguous United States.
- Approval route. AEDs are FDA approved through premarket approval, a PMA number. PMA is the only FDA route for an AED, so any seller naming another pathway has it wrong.
Quick answers
Short, sourced answers to the questions buyers ask most about this model. Prices are the ones we verified at AED Leader on the date shown.
How much does the Philips HeartStart FRx cost?
$2,099 to $2,199 at AED Leader and Response Ready, price checked 30 September 2026, with an 8-year manufacturer warranty. The recertified FRx is $875 with a 3-year warranty.
What makes the FRx different from the OnSite?
The FRx is rated IP55 against dust and water, survives a one-meter drop and accepts an infant child key for pediatric use. The OnSite is an indoor unit at a lower price with a simpler case.
Is the Philips FRx good for schools?
Yes. Its ruggedness, water resistance and infant child key make it the standard choice for schools, gyms and sports fields, where the unit moves between locations and pediatric capability may be required.
What do FRx pads cost?
SMART Pads II for the FRx list at $89 at AED Leader. One pad set works for both adults and children when combined with the infant child key, so there is no separate pediatric pad set to stock.
Compare before you buy, prices verified today
Prices checked 30 September 2026 at AED Leader. Each link opens our full review with the buy path.
- Recertified Philips HeartStart FRx review and price$875Save 58%Recertified, 3-year warrantyBuy at AED Leader
- Philips HeartStart OnSite (M5066A) review and price$1,589 to $1,819New, 8-year manufacturer warranty
- ZOLL AED 3 review and price$2,399New, 6-year warranty (8 with ZOLL registration)
- HeartSine Samaritan PAD 350P review and price$1,411New, 8-year manufacturer warranty
Related AED Brand Review research
More questions buyers ask about the Philips HeartStart FRx
Answered 24 September 2026. Prices verified from the AED Leader product feed the same day.
Is the Philips HeartStart FRx still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, for rugged or responder use. Philips specifies a 1-meter drop, 500 pounds of crush force, IP55 dust and water-jet protection and 3.5 lbs with battery and pads. The FRx starts at $2,099.00 at AED Leader. The FRx value package starts at $2,062.80, $36.20 less than the bare device on the base carry-case option, and AED Leader's listing includes a carry case, wall cabinet, signage and an 8-year warranty in it. Buy the package.
What are the FRx replacement pads and battery?
SMART Pads II are $89.00, good for two years from manufacture. The battery is the same long-life M5070A the OnSite uses, $249.00, and Philips rates standby at typically four years. Over ten years that is four pad sets and two batteries, $854.00. See pad replacement cost by brand.
Can the FRx be used on a child?
Yes, with the infant/child key, $139.00. Philips states that inserting the key adjusts the instructions and lowers the shock to 50 J nominal. SMART Pads II themselves are sold for patients over 8 years old or 55 pounds, so the key is what makes the unit pediatric-ready.
Philips FRx or Philips OnSite?
The FRx is built for harder use: IP55 dust and water-jet protection against the OnSite's IP21. The OnSite starts at $1,589.00, $510.00 less than the FRx, and both share the M5070A battery. Pick the FRx for vehicles, outdoor sites and responder teams, the OnSite for offices and homes. Comparison on Philips OnSite vs FRx.
Philips HeartStart FRx FAQ
What is the Philips HeartStart FRx AED model number?
What is the first thing you should do before using the HeartStart FRx?
Are Philips AEDs good?
How much does a Philips FRx cost?
The one-line decision
References
- Philips, HeartStart FRx (861304) product specifications and Infant/Child Key documentation, 2026.
- US FDA, AEDs and Premarket Approval (PMA).
- American Heart Association, Cardiac Arrest and the Chain of Survival, 2024.
- AED Leader, recertified Philips FRx pricing and 9-point recertification, and new FRx (861304) pricing and contents at AED Leader and Response Ready, verified 30 September 2026.
