HeartSine Samaritan 350P vs 360P vs 500P: Which AED Do You Need?

HeartSine make three AEDs in the Samaritan range — the 350P, the 360P, and the 500P. They look almost identical, weigh the same, and share the same warranty. The differences between them are small in number but significant in consequence, and choosing wrong means either paying for a feature you don't need or missing one you do.

Here's what actually separates them.

The short answer

• 350P — semi-automatic. The rescuer presses the shock button when prompted. Choose it if you have designated, trained first-aiders.
• 360P — fully automatic. The device delivers the shock itself, no button press. Choose it if your rescuers may be untrained or likely to hesitate.
• 500P — semi-automatic with CPR Advisor. Coaches compression depth and rate in real time. Choose it if CPR quality is your priority and rescuers are trained.

All three are 1.1 kg, IP56-rated, TGA-approved, carry an 8-year warranty, and use the Pad-Pak cartridge system.

What all three have in common

Before the differences, it's worth understanding what you get across the range, because the shared platform is the reason HeartSine units are popular in Australian workplaces.

The Pad-Pak system. Most AEDs use separate batteries and electrode pads, each with its own expiry date and replacement schedule. HeartSine combines both into a single cartridge — the Pad-Pak — with one four-year expiry date. One part to track, one thing to replace, one date in the calendar. For a facilities manager running multiple devices across multiple sites, this materially reduces the administrative burden and the chance of a missed replacement.

The tradeoff: when the Pad-Pak expires you replace both battery and pads together even if only one is genuinely spent. Whether that's a net cost saving depends on your usage, but for most workplaces the simplicity is worth more than the marginal cost.

Weight and durability. At 1.1 kg, HeartSine units are among the lightest AEDs on the market — a genuine advantage for mobile response teams, sports clubs, and anywhere the device gets carried rather than wall-mounted. The IP56 rating means resistance to dust ingress and powerful water jets, making the range suitable for outdoor sports grounds, construction sites, and marine environments where less robust units struggle.

350P vs 360P: the decision that actually matters

This is the choice most buyers get wrong, and it isn't about cost — it's about who will be holding the device.

A semi-automatic AED (350P) analyses the rhythm, announces that a shock is advised, and waits for the rescuer to press the button. A fully automatic AED (360P) analyses the rhythm and delivers the shock itself after a verbal countdown.

Both are equally safe for the patient. The difference is entirely about rescuer behaviour under stress.

The case for fully automatic: pressing a button that you know will deliver a shock to an unconscious person is psychologically difficult. Untrained bystanders hesitate. Some freeze entirely. Every second of hesitation reduces survival probability. A fully automatic device removes that decision at the exact moment it is hardest to make.

The case for semi-automatic: a trained responder retains control over timing, and can confirm that nobody is in contact with the patient before the shock is delivered. In a crowded or chaotic scene, that control has value.

The practical rule: if your AED will be used by a designated, trained first-aid officer, the 350P is appropriate. If it sits in a public foyer, retail floor, gym, or anywhere a random member of staff or the public might be the one to grab it, the 360P is the better choice. Ask yourself honestly who is most likely to be holding it — not who you hope will be.

The 500P and CPR Advisor: what it actually does

The 500P is the only AED in the HeartSine range with CPR Advisor, and it's the model that generates the most questions — largely because it isn't obvious what you're paying extra for.

Here's the underlying problem it addresses. Defibrillation gets the attention, but CPR quality is one of the strongest predictors of survival in cardiac arrest. Compressions need to be deep enough (roughly 5–6 cm in an adult) and fast enough (100–120 per minute). Under real-world stress, almost everyone gets this wrong — compressions are typically too shallow and too slow, and rescuers have no way of knowing.

CPR Advisor uses a sensor embedded in the electrode pads to measure the actual depth and rate of compressions as they happen, and gives audible feedback: push harder, good compressions, and so on. It turns a blind task into a guided one.

Who should buy the 500P: organisations where trained responders will perform CPR and where survival outcomes justify the additional cost — healthcare facilities, larger workplaces, sports clubs with CPR-trained coaching staff, and sites with a high-risk population.

Worth knowing: the 500P uses a unique CPR Advisor Pad-Pak with the embedded compression sensor. It is not interchangeable with the standard Pad-Pak used by the 350P and 360P. If you run a mixed fleet, you need to stock both types — a genuine operational consideration that often gets overlooked at purchase.

A common approach for multi-site organisations: fit a 500P at the highest-risk or highest-traffic location, and 350Ps or 360Ps elsewhere.

How HeartSine compares to Defibtech and ZOLL

HeartSine's distinguishing characteristics against the other major brands we supply:

Against Defibtech Lifeline: HeartSine is lighter (1.1 kg vs 1.9 kg) and uses the integrated Pad-Pak; Defibtech uses separate battery and pads, which can be replaced independently and offers a 7-year battery option — a longer maintenance cycle than HeartSine's 4-year Pad-Pak. If minimising replacement frequency matters most, Defibtech's 7-year battery is compelling. If portability and administrative simplicity matter most, HeartSine wins.

Against ZOLL: ZOLL's AED Plus and AED 3 also offer CPR feedback (Real CPR Help), so the 500P isn't unique in that respect. ZOLL units are generally larger and heavier. The choice often comes down to existing fleet standardisation and pad/battery supply logistics.

For a broader framework, see our guide to choosing the right AED for your Australian workplace.

Ongoing costs — the part people forget

The purchase price is not the whole cost. Across an 8-year warranty period you should budget for:

• Pad-Pak replacement every 4 years — so at least one replacement within the warranty period, plus immediate replacement after any deployment.
• Annual testing and certification — under AS 3718 and Model WHS Regulations, AEDs must be maintained per manufacturer specification, and most public liability policies require documented maintenance records. The device's self-test green light confirms the unit powers on; it does not verify delivered shock energy, and it is not a compliance document. We cover this in detail in why your AED needs annual testing.
• Paediatric Pad-Pak if children under 8 (or under 25 kg) are in scope — a separate cartridge, not included as standard.

Vectr Medical provides NATA-certified AED testing with a signed calibration certificate suitable for WHS files and insurers.

Summary table

Feature	350P	360P	500P
Shock delivery	Semi-automatic	Fully automatic	Semi-automatic
CPR Advisor	No	No	Yes
Weight	1.1 kg	1.1 kg	1.1 kg
IP rating	IP56	IP56	IP56
Pad-Pak life	4 years	4 years	4 years
Pad-Pak type	Standard	Standard	CPR Advisor (unique)
Warranty	8 years	8 years	8 years
Best for	Trained first-aiders	Untrained rescuers	CPR quality priority

Buy or ask

Vectr Medical stocks all three models:

• HeartSine Samaritan 350P — semi-automatic
• HeartSine Samaritan 360P — fully automatic
• HeartSine Samaritan 500P — with CPR Advisor

We're biomedical engineers, not just resellers — we service and test these devices as well as supply them. If you're unsure which model suits your site, or you're standardising a fleet across multiple locations, contact us at joe@novabiomedical.com.au or 1300 723 900 and we'll talk it through properly.

Browse the full AED range.

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Product availability can vary. Confirm current supply with our team before ordering. This article is general equipment guidance and does not replace formal AED and CPR training, which we strongly recommend for all workplace first-aid officers.