Compare Stair Lifts for Homes
Those who have trouble using the stairs because of limited mobility or a disability can greatly benefit from the installation of a stair lift. To help those who may be interested in a stair lift, we've done research to help you compare both straight and curved lifts from the top manufacturers in the industry.
Below are charts that will make it easy to do a comparison. Lifeway does not offer all models shown below as we are a Bruno Diamond Dealer and typically recommend Bruno models for their quality, vertically designed rail, warranty coverage, and large volume of positive customer reviews. Some of the products listed were used only as a comparison to the stair lifts that we do offer in our service areas.
Please note that there may be some features and options that were not included in the chart.
If you are interested in a FREE stair lift assessment, please call us at (508) 329-1031.
Compare Straight Stair Lifts
| Manufacturer | Bruno | Bruno | Handicare | Handicare | Savaria | Acorn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stair Lift Model | Elan | Elite | Simplicity | 1000 | K2 | 130 |
| Stair Lift Image |  |
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| Manufacturer Location | USA | USA | UK | UK | China | UK |
| Weight Capacity | 300 lbs. | 400 lbs. | 310 lbs. | 350 lbs. | 350 lbs. | 300 lbs. |
| Hidden Gear Rack on Rail Track | ||||||
| Charges Anywhere on Track | (available as option) | Top or bottom only | ||||
| Adjustable Seat Heights | ||||||
| Seat Belt | ||||||
| Obstruction Safety Sensors | ||||||
| Seat Swivels Full 90° at Top Landing | ||||||
| Warranty on Major Components (Motor & Gearbox) | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 36 months | 1 year |
| Warranty on Parts | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 3 years | 1 year |
| Rail Distance from Wall | 5" | 6" | 6 ¼" | 6" | 9" | 9–10" |
| Space Between Armrests | 20" | 21 ¾" | 19" | 19" | 21" | |
| Average Speed | 18 ft/min | 25 ft/min | 24 ft/min | 24 ft/min | 15 ft/min | 24 ft/min |
| Painted Rail | ||||||
| Rail Width Less Than 2.5" | ||||||
| STAIR LIFT OPTIONS | ||||||
| Manual Folding Rail | ||||||
| Power Folding Rail | ||||||
| Upholstery Choices | ||||||
| Power Swivel Seat | ||||||
| Power Folding Footrest | ||||||
| Larger Footrest | ||||||
Compare Curved Stair Lifts
| Manufacturer | Bruno | Handicare | HAWLE Treppenlifte | Acorn | Harmar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stairlift Model | Elite Curved | Freecurve | H10 | 180 | Helix |
| Stair Lift Image |  |
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| Consumer Affairs Star Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.6/5 | 1.9/5 | ||
| Manufacturer Location | USA | Europe | Europe | UK | USA |
| Weight Capacity | 400 lbs. | 275 lbs. | 350 lbs. | 265 lbs. | 350 lbs. |
| Rail Type | Custom-built, solid steel rail | Custom-built, single tubular steel rail | Custom-built, double tubular steel rail | Modular rail, extruded aluminum | Custom-built, double tubular steel rail |
| Warranty on Major Components (Motor/Gearbox/Rail) | Motor: 5 years Gearbox: 5 years Rail: 5 years | Motor: 10 years Gearbox: 10 years Rail: 2 years | Motor: 5 years Gearbox: 5 years Rail: 2 years | Motor: 1 year Gearbox: 1 year Rail: 1 year | Motor: 2 years Gearbox: 2 years Rail: 2 years |
| Warranty on Parts | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 1 year | 2 years |
| Warranty on Labor (Provided by Lifeway) | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year |
| Gear Rack on Rail Track | Covered | Exposed | Exposed | Exposed | Exposed |
| Rail Distance from Wall or Obstruction | 7-9" | 7-9" | 6.3-9" | 13.25" | 7-9" |
| Average Speed | 25 fpm | 21.5 fpm | 19.7 fpm | 19 fpm | 20 fpm |
| Max Rail Length | Not Specified | 115 ft. | 131 ft. | Not Specified | 164 ft. |
| Arm Width | 17.5-23" | 22-23.5" | 19-23" | 19" | 23.6" |
| Min. Staircase Width | 31" | 27.25" | 30" | Not Specified | 31" |
| STAIR LIFT OPTIONS | |||||
| Folding Rail | |||||
| Rail Overrun for Top/Bottom Park Positions | |||||
| Rail Paint Color Options | Available (indoor only) | ||||
| Upholstery Color Choices | |||||
| Power Swivel Seat | |||||
| Power Folding Footrest | |||||
| Larger Footrest | |||||
| Seat Style Choice | Standard or large | 1 standard style seat | 1 standard style seat | ||
| Can Be Installed Outdoors? | |||||
Overview of Stair Lift Manufacturers
Bruno Independent Living Aids
Bruno is the most trusted stair lift manufacturer in the industry, and usually, the number one option recommended by Lifeway Mobility. Bruno has been a family-owned business for over 30 years with their headquarters is located in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. As seen above, Bruno offers two different straight rail stair lift models and one curved rail model. Their straight and curved Elite models can be installed indoors and outdoors in both residential and commercial settings. Lifeway Mobility is a Bruno Diamond stair lift dealer, which means that we finished in the top 3% of Bruno stair lift sales across North America. Lifeway Mobility Chicago is proud to be Bruno’s only stairlift diamond dealer located in the greater Chicago area!
Savaria
Savaria offers a variety of accessibility solutions for home use and commercial applications. In addition to stair lifts, Savaria manufacturers a range of wheelchair lifts, home elevators, LULA elevators, and vehicle lifts.
Harmar
Harmar, which is headquartered in Sarasota, FL, offers a variety of accessibility solutions. Their products are distributed through a number of dealers in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Currently, Lifeway Mobility only offers Harmar’s stair lifts to customers across the Midwest & Northeast regions of the United States.
Hawle
Hawle, which is also know as Precision, is a German-based manufacturer that offers curved rail stair lifts in North America and Europe. The Hawle HW10 is unique because it can accommodate steeper staircases and spiral staircases. Hawle also offers many more design and color options than the other curved rail stair lift manufacturers listed in the chart above.
Handicare
Handicare is headquartered in Sweden and offers a number of other accessibility solutions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Lifeway Mobility has been proudly offering Handicare products to customers over the past several years, including Handicare’s Freecurve stairlift.
