Best Stair Lifts

For an elderly or disabled person, climbing up a flight of stairs can be as exerting as climbing a mountain for the rest of us. If they live in a two-story house, a stair lift is practically a necessity. Also, for people who have suffered a lower limb fracture, a stairlift can enable them to ascend and descend a flight of stairs--something that otherwise they would have to wait until they recovered. With a stair lift, a person simply gets into a seat, flicks a switch on the armrest, and the stairlift does the rest. But, there are options that make the device even more comfortable and convenient. You can find stairlifts which fold up when not in use. That way, they can take up very little space, allowing you full use of the stairway the rest of the day. There are also options for a wider seat and greater weight capacity. If necessary, there are stairlifts that can transport a wheelchair up and down the stairs.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a stair lift. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of stair lift,

• See useful tips about that particular type of stair lift,

• Read reviews of different stair lifts, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of a stair lift, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Straight: This is installed on a straight staircase, that doesn’t exhibit any turns. They will be the simplest and cheapest to install. An example is the Acorn 120 Stair Lift.

Acorn 120 Stair Lift

• Curved: These are for curved staircases. You can find them in L-shaped lifts (with a 90° turn) or a U-shaped lift (with a 180° turn). There are also spiral stair lifts, for houses designed with a spiral staircase.

AmeriGlide Curved Stair Lift

• Outdoor: These are for outdoor staircases, such as from a patio or backyard. Since the lift is exposed to the elements, it has to be able to withstand inclement weather.

Acorn Outdoor Stairlift

• Wheelchair platform stairlifts: This will consist of a platform and flaps that serve as a ramp.

Wheelchair Stairlift

• Heavy Duty: These are designed for heavier weight capacities, of over 350 lbs. They are also supplied with wider seats.

• The angle of incline: You will see that stairlifts vary in the pitch of the angle that at which they operate. Most will have a range of angles. For example, the AmeriGlide H-Rizon can accommodate a staircase at an incline ranging from 25 to 55 degrees incline.

• Length of track: Take note of the length of track that can be installed, according to the price that you pay. The AmeriGlide H-Rizon is a 14-foot long rail initially, but, if need be, they can add more track for up to 30 feet! They will install the stairlift themselves, depending on your place of residence.

• Folding seat: When not in use, you’d like to be able to fold the stair lift seat out of the way. There are designs where the seat, footrest, and armrests can all be folded out of the way when not in use. That can also be ideal for public places that are required to be wheelchair accessible.

• Safety features: You would like the stair lift to be easy to use--but not so easy that children can play with it and potentially get hurt. There is a security lock on some stair lifts, to make sure that it can’t be operated accidentally (or on purpose, by a child).

• Power supply: There are stair lifts that are powered by wall current, and others that are powered by batteries. The AmeriGlide Horizon Standard Stair Lift uses wall current, with a battery backup in the event of a power failure.

• Mounting to the stairs or to the wall: You will see stair lifts that have a rail that attaches either to the stairs or to the wall. Clearly, attaching the rail to the stairs itself will allow it to support greater weights, and will be more durable in general.

• Weight capacity: You’ll see a range of weight capacities among stair lifts. The AmeriGlide stairlift has a 300-pound capacity, which is quite standard among most models.

• Joystick controls: The H-Rizon has a joystick in the armrest, which allows you total control when going up and down the stairs. Also, it has a remote control unit--that allows you to summon it downstairs, even if someone took it upstairs and stranded it there.

• Swivel feature: Once you manage to get to the top of the stairs, you might be faced with some difficulty of getting out of the stair lift seat. The H-Rizon has a lever that helps you swivel the chair, to make it easier to get in and out of the seat.

• AmeriGlide--is a retailer of equipment for assisting the elderly and disabled. They make stair lifts, vertical platform lifts, walk-in tubs, lift chairs, and scooters. They are located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

• Acorn--has its headquarters in Orlando, Florida. They were founded in 1992, focusing on making stairlifts that are high-quality, yet easy to install.

• Harmar--is located in Sarasota, Florida. They design and manufacture vehicle lifts, stair lifts, platform lifts, and pool lifts. They make curved lifts for 90-degree and 180-degree turns.