We recommend models that have no failures, or only very minor failures. These models pass all the tests for structural integrity and durability, safe impacts, and serious entrapment hazards such as head entrapments in the playing area. They might have very minor failures such as instructions or labels that aren't quite as per the standard.

This consists of performance (70%) and ease of use (30%).

Based on testing to the Australian standard AS 4989:2015, covering structural strength, impact safety and checks for entrapment hazards in the trampoline frame and enclosure. The more failures, the lower the score. A score of 80% indicates the model has only very minor failures while 100% means no failures at all.

Based on the quality of the supplied instructions for assembly and use; ease of assembly; the ease of using the entry/exit to the net enclosure; and how easy the trampoline is to move to a different location once assembled. 

How the testers rated the bounce quality of this trampoline. Opinions could vary a lot on this, so this score doesn't factor into the overall CHOICE Expert Rating.

Serious failures include any failures to the standard tests for structural integrity; failures for impact testing, which test whether the pads and enclosure can safely absorb the energy of a user landing on them without making the impact too hard, or getting damaged; and head and limb entrapment hazards inside the play area.

'Tested model' means the model should still be available in stores or online. Discontinued models were tested, but are no no longer available.

Recommended or typical retail price.

"Spring" means the trampoline has the traditional set of springs and padding around the mat edge. "Springless" models have a different mechanism such as rubber bands instead of metal springs, or vertical rods or leaf springs around the frame edge below the jumping surface, so they are much less likely to cause injury. This can also give a different feel to the bounce of the mat; the bounce is more focused in the centre and there's relatively little bounce at the mat edge.

All the tested models are round in shape.

Most of the tested models are nominally 10 feet in diameter, but actual mat size and frame size can vary a bit from brand to brand.