# Medical equipment brands

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-equipment-brands/230667>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 23, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-equipment-brands/230667 "2004-02-23T13:57:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-equipment-brands/230667/1 "2004-02-23T13:57:56Z")

</div>

In looking for an ophthamoscope/otoscope for my daughter I note that Welch-Allyn equipment costs over twice as much as competing brands, particularly Riester. Does anyone know if the equipment is essentially identical (as I suspect) or is there a significant advantage to buying the more expensive brand?