diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/POITestCase.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/POITestCase.java
index a6cb26a90..55c7f9969 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/POITestCase.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/POITestCase.java
@@ -241,4 +241,17 @@ public final class POITestCase {
     public static void testPassesNow(int bug) {
         fail("This test passes now. Please update the unit test and bug " + bug + ".");
     }
+    
+    public static void assertBetween(String message, int value, int min, int max) {
+        assertTrue(message + ": " + value + " is less than minimum value of " + min,
+                min <= value);
+        assertTrue(message + ": " + value + " is greater than maximum value of " + max,
+                value <= max);
+    }
+    public static void assertStrictlyBetween(String message, int value, int min, int max) {
+        assertTrue(message + ": " + value + " is less or equal to than minimum value of " + min,
+                min < value);
+        assertTrue(message + ": " + value + " is greater or equal to than maximum value of " + max,
+                value < max);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/TestHSSFSheet.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/TestHSSFSheet.java
index 65a5f21db..b2b8e5fab 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/TestHSSFSheet.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/TestHSSFSheet.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
+import static org.apache.poi.POITestCase.assertBetween;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -704,10 +705,8 @@ public final class TestHSSFSheet extends BaseTestSheet {
        s.autoSizeColumn((short)1);
        
        // Size ranges due to different fonts on different machines
-       assertTrue("Single number column too small: " + s.getColumnWidth(0), s.getColumnWidth(0) > 350); 
-       assertTrue("Single number column too big: " + s.getColumnWidth(0),   s.getColumnWidth(0) < 550); 
-       assertTrue("6 digit number column too small: " + s.getColumnWidth(1), s.getColumnWidth(1) > 1500); 
-       assertTrue("6 digit number column too big: " + s.getColumnWidth(1),   s.getColumnWidth(1) < 2000);
+       assertBetween("Single number column width", s.getColumnWidth(0), 350, 550); 
+       assertBetween("6 digit number column width", s.getColumnWidth(1), 1500, 2000);
        
        // Set a date format
        HSSFCellStyle cs = wb.createCellStyle();
@@ -723,10 +722,8 @@ public final class TestHSSFSheet extends BaseTestSheet {
        s.autoSizeColumn((short)0);
        s.autoSizeColumn((short)1);
 
-       assertTrue("Date column too small: " + s.getColumnWidth(0), s.getColumnWidth(0) > 4750); 
-       assertTrue("Date column too small: " + s.getColumnWidth(1), s.getColumnWidth(1) > 4750); 
-       assertTrue("Date column too big: " + s.getColumnWidth(0), s.getColumnWidth(0) < 6500); 
-       assertTrue("Date column too big: " + s.getColumnWidth(0), s.getColumnWidth(0) < 6500);
+       assertBetween("Date column width", s.getColumnWidth(0), 4750, 7000); 
+       assertBetween("Date column width", s.getColumnWidth(1), 4750, 7000);
        
        wb.close();
     }