This is for those who don’t already know but are curious. Or for those who find the common online description too mouthy. Well, stairlifts are mechanized chairs used to ferry people up and down the stairs, simple? Yeah – I know. You might wonder why the selection of the best chair lifts from a wide array of lifts is important. But you know, stairlifts are especially important in places where a person has a condition or an accident. One that has reduced their mobility whether temporarily or permanently.
It is also recommended for use by the elderly. In a situation where the stairs are wide enough, rails can always be made and the mechanical chair attached, and voila, we have a chair lift. There are three types of stairlifts: the straight, curved, and platform stairlifts. We have identified some of the best options out there when it comes to choosing the best stairlift for that person you care about.
- Legacy Classic StairLift by Jameson
- 350 lbs
- Two wireless remote controls and armrest switch make it easy to call or send the lift
- Electric (Battery Back-up)
- Read review
- Elegant StairLift in Walnut
- 350 lbs
- "2 wireless remote controls for upper and lower landings"
- Battery Operated
- Read review
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Editor’s Choice
- Acorn - Brooks Stairlift
- 350 lbs
- "Softly padded seats with swivel action-enabled with two remote controls "
- Battery Operated
- Read review
- Nautilus Stair Lift with Hinged Rail
- 350 lbs
- "Wireless remote call/send controls; Limit switches automatically shut the unit off at the top and bottom of the stairs;"
- Battery Operated
- Read review
- Outdoor Stair Lift by Jameson
- 350 lbs
- "Footrest safety sensor and is designed to stay long term outdoors. "
- Electric
- Read review
BUYERS GUIDE ON CHOOSING THE BEST STAIRLIFTS
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Staircase
You will want to pick a stairlift that goes with the type of staircase you have in your home. Whether it is straight or curved as this would determine the type to buy. The measurement of your staircase is also important. You have to check the length and if it is a standard that can be purchased or has to be customized. Also, if there is room for at least 24 inches clearance at the bottom to allow the chair entirely lower to the floor.
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Wall or Rail
It is important to know if you are attaching the stairlift to a wall or using a rail. This would determine the allowance on the staircase for other people to have space to walk by too. And when using a rail, you have to choose according to the type of staircase. Straight and curved staircases use different types of rails.
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Carriage
Comfort is a must for a stairlift ride as it usually runs within a small distance. A cable or chain pull most designs, or they could be driven along the inclined rail by a rack and pinion system. We recommend the rack and pinion system for easy maintenance. Another thing to take note of is the length of the seat as you have to choose. Thus, depending on if the user has a short or long leg. Some select models have a stand on the platform also known as perch for users that cannot seat. Check if the carriage has a swivel or not. This is necessary for a user who would like to turn but don’t want to twist their body and if the swivel is a 45⁰ or 90⁰ turn. So, you would pick the most suitable for the user.
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Safety
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Battery options
Stairlifts run on either AC or DC electricity. Early stairlifts used AC drive motion from the power grid. More recently, domestic stairlifts have been powered by rechargeable batteries. They are very useful during power outages. Hence, they run smoother and quieter than those that run on AC electricity.
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Maintenance
Maintenance is also a critical factor to consider when shopping for a stairlift. Are the parts mechanized or automated or do they come in manual? Do the moving parts need a lot of greasing and what kind of greasing? Also, can you carry out these maintenance unsupervised? Or will you need the aid of skilled technicians from the manufacturers? And how easy can you gain access to these professionals?
OUR CHOICES ON THE BEST STAIR LIFT OP PICKS
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LEGACY CLASSIC STAIR LIFT BY JAMESON (CARAMEL) – Top Quality
The legacy of classic stairlift is a work of art. It has a leather high seat design, with classic seat belt providing added comfort and supple support. Its carriage caramel color is nicely fitted for you if you are passionate about the color and design of your home in general. It comes with two wireless remote controls and armrest switch for easy call and send options in the lift. Thus, invoking a sense that it was deliberately manufactured for comfort and durability. This is reliable and comes in handy when you want the user to maintain a sense of independence. Also, this is important for the mental state of a user with a strong personality. So as not to feel pitied or helpless. The chair cannot give them their legs back. But, it can help them in regaining that self-confidence.
It has automatic battery charging and works when power is out. It folds to 11 inches from the wall leaving plenty of space for other people to use the stairs. It isn’t attached to the wall, so there is no smearing of your paintings, and your wall remains intact.
It's provided with safety sensors around the footrest with constant-pressure controls. It has a ¾ length stationary arms. The chair of the stairlift also automatically stops when anything obstructs its movement. It's also provided with preprogrammed quick and easy adjustments. Thereby, would tell the stairlift where to start and or stop.
PROS | CONS |
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The effort put into the design and how it blends in homes with light colors. | Beautiful and elegant as the seat might be because it's fashioned in leather. It might not be suitable for all users, especially users in temperate regions. |
The rechargeable battery power and the joy of finding how something this elegant. It is still usable during a power outage. | |
It’s great to support weight and how that assists in the safety of the user during the lift. | |
Solid warranty provided. | |
Excellent customer service. |
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ELEGANT STAIRLIFT IN WALNUT- Best for Durability
A critical thing to point out is the maintenance of the track. It requires average maintenance every 2-4 months. You have to clean the tracks and apply a thin coat of light body general purpose lithium grease to the vertical surfaces of the track channel where the chassis wheels roll.
Upholstery colors: Light Almond, evergreen, and Mocha.
It is also easy to self-maintain.
PROS | CONS |
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It is quite sturdy and durable, a recurring quality of the Harmar brand. | With users whose dexterity is challenged to say with arthritis or MS, the turning of the seat is hard for them to handle alone. |
The pricing is decent. | The presence of middlemen (authorized dealers) removes that personal feel you get when you buy a stairlift from the manufacturers. |
You can turn the brackets inwards without the bracket screwed to the threads showing. This is a very forward-thinking design approach. | Noisy as it is cable-driven. |
Incredible speed. | |
Easy installation of the product with a very colorful manual that explains everything. |
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ACORN BROOKS STAIR LIFT - Best for Safety Measures and Ease of Use
It has a lockable swivel mechanism for easy entry and exit of the user. Also, comes with a sturdy seat belt, so the user doesn’t have to twist their body when making a turn.
This is the kind of lift that will help the user avoid annoyance that comes from the frustration of an inability to walk. It runs on low voltage batteries capable of automatic recharge. Also, its switches are easy to control.
PROS | CONS |
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It's an affiliation with a strong brand and household name in the U.K. | It's a dependency on the ratings of its British sister company. |
Its safety measures, the seat belt, and sensors. | The swivel mechanism is not suitable for every immobility condition. |
It is affordable. | The long idle time between calling an engineer for support on installations or fixes and their responses. |
Its switches are easy to control. |
PROS | CONS |
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One surprising feature is that for its lightness, it had the ability to bear weights of over 400 pounds. | Other weight categories were not available. So, the EMS stair chair aluminum medical lift would not be suitable for patients over 400 pounds. |
Compact foldability, allowing for easy storage. | Needs extra cushioning as it isn’t quite comfortable when in motion up or down a stair. |
Non-slip grip during carriage. | It doesn’t come provided with permanent safety traps. |
It can be used anywhere and at any time. | |
It is very helpful during the winter where mechanized parts of some machines might be affected by the frost. | |
We found it to be especially useful for caregivers who needed to transport patients through stairs too narrow for conventional wheelchairs. |
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ELEGANT STAIR LIFT IN CARAMEL - Best for Quick Installation and Ease of Use
The average installation time for each product is about 3hrs. It is also available in walnut color.
PROS | CONS |
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The product design. Very elegant. | Personnel is not always available on the ground for installation in all areas of delivery. Hence, customers have to make extra arrangements for installations to be done after procuring or ordering the product. |
The rack and pinion system used for their rails is quite easy to maintain. | Customers are curious about getting a stairlift with a lifetime warranty. They should prepare to pay through their teeth as this option is quite expensive. It requires a lot of technicality and measurement, paid for by the customer. Nonetheless, carried out by the manufacturers before installation. |
It is also very easy to operate. | It doesn’t come provided with permanent safety traps. |
Low installation time – only about 3hrs. | |
It also comes with a lifetime warranty on Motor and Circuit boards. How cool is that?! | |
Optional very durable German design. | |
Available in deep walnut color. | |
Optional lifetime warranty, which is one of the best we encountered. Most of its other parts come with a good warranty, so you do not have to fret when buying. |
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NAUTILUS STAIRLIFT IN HINGED RAIL - Best for a Non-Greasy Experience
It is usual for the rails of stairlifts to be fixed. But, the Nautilus stairlift has a length of the rail, at the bottom. Hence, capable of folding upwards and downwards, this is the hinge. The hinge of the Nautilus stair lift is a powered hinge. That means it's done automatically with the push of a remote. The hook is necessary for helping you fold the rail or track when the stairlift is not in use. Thus, providing space at the entry point into the staircase. But, before this is done, it is advisable to send the chair up to its resting position for charging.
PROS | CONS |
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It never uses grease or requires any form of constant greasing. So, there is no need to bother or worry about grease finding its way to your carpets or walls. | It is very expensive for most buyers, and this is due to the presence of the power hinge. |
The manufacturer’s provision of a lifetime warranty on their circuit board and motors. | The unit only charges whenever it's parked at the top or bottom of the stairs, never in transit. |
The 10.5” folding capability of this stairlift creates an uncluttered space for others when not in use. | |
The energy usage of the product is quite minimal. | |
The presence of a hinge makes the stair more spacious than other stairlifts fitted without a hinge. |
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NAULITUS STAIR LIFT - Best for Use in Big Spaces
PROS | CONS |
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It maintains the ultra-slim fold that we have come to love and expect from the Nautilus stairlift brand. | It maintains the ultra-slim fold that we have come to love and expect from the Nautilus stairlift brand. Although we are in love with this stair, it doesn’t seem durable enough to withstand extreme changes in temperature. And though this is usually a feature of outdoor lifts and the Nautilus stairlift is an indoor lift, who says it can’t be built to last longer |
The absence of the hinged rail system makes it more de-cluttered than its predecessor. | The free installation does not include any electrical work or staircase modification. |
Thankfully for those big about spaces, a hinged rail system is optionally provided. | |
It consumes low energy due to the patented worm gear system. | |
It has a smooth start and stops. | |
It has the capacity to deliver up to 40 trips in the event of a power outage. Most stairlifts, like the Acorn Stairlift we tried out, can only deliver less under similar circumstances. |
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OUTDOOR STAIR LIFT BY JAMESON – Editor’s Choice
The track only takes up to 10 inches of your staircase space, and the chair folds up to 14 inches from the wall. It has a foot or finger activated call system control for wall or floor mounting at the top or bottom of stairs. It also comes with unit controls provided on both armrests.
It has a lifetime warranty and can carry weight up to 350 pounds.
It has a rack and pinion drive system, a covered gear system, and is your best choice for cold climates. Travels on inclination up to 20 feet.
It has a footrest safety sensor and is designed to stay long term outdoors. Has limit switches for automatic shut unit off at the top and bottom of stairs. We love this lift so much.
PROS | CONS |
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The manufacturers detailed dedication to the quality of the product. | Its swivel of 90⁰ might not be suitable for all users. |
It has a lifetime warranty. | Its footrest safety sensor is suitable for all types of immobility conditions. |
It’s durability, especially in cold climates. |
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HARMER OUTDOOR STAIR LIFT 350-OD - Best Weatherproof Stair Lift
PROS | CONS |
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Attention to details. Because it's made specifically for the outdoors, it comes highly durable. This is even evident in the way the product is packed for delivery. | It doesn’t come provided with anti-adhesive finishes to enable it to withstand dust and dirt free. |
It is weatherproof. Thereby, making it very highly recommended for outdoor usage in all seasons. | It runs only on AC electricity. |
It’s durable, especially in cold climates. It can withstand little or no change in temperature fluctuations. | Requires that the user self-lubricates the tracks every 2 – 3 months with Teflon. This might make it hard for users whose dexterity is challenged. |
Comes with cover for all parts. | |
The seat swivels at the top and bottom landings to help to get on and off the lift. | |
The remote control provided at the top and bottom of the stairs. | |
It has footrest fold to save space. |
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ACORN STAIRLIFT – Best Saving
A lockable on/off switch provides extra child-friendly safety. A diagnostic digital display allows you to see the exact status of the stairlift at all times. It has a slim fold-away design for folding arms, seat and footrest, for maximum space on stairs. It comes with an extra remote control so that the user can share the lift with a loved one.
PROS | CONS |
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This stairlift requires no structural changes to your home. There is no need to increase the stair space for instance for the rails to be fitted and the chair installed. | Only made for straight staircases. |
The seats are particularly very comfortable as it frames your butt and your back sinks in. | Imagine if the folding ability could be done with a push of the button, now that would be something! |
The stairlift comes with preinstalled safety measures for both adults and children. | Insufficient or unreliable warranty. |
Its diagnostic digital display is super cool and very easy to use. | |
The mechanized chair also can fold into place when not in use. | |
The stairlift is easy to use than most. | |
The lift comes directly from Acorn, with no middlemen involved or dealer. Hence, we found that the installation time was pretty short – less than 24 hours. |
Conclusion
We also recommend our shower commode chair which is very useful for the elderly. Let's make their toileting and showering very easy with no hassle.
From our painstaking usage of the products reviewed, one brand name Harmer, the makers of the STAIR LIFT WITH FLIP-UP ARMS seems to be at the forefront of durability. They are our best choice for outdoor lift. You almost cannot go wrong with them. While for pioneering innovations that ensure a smooth flowing of your stair lift’s chair, aesthetics, the availability of options, and range, Acorn is at the forefront. They also give very personalized services. For the Nautilus brand, their products need very little servicing. The absence of grease application ensures if you have grandchildren or any children in the house. Thereby, the railing system won’t get messy.
Choosing the best stair lift is a significant investment that can save the user a whole lot of future stress and strain. This will ensure the user’s ability to access every part of the home when climbing and descending becomes difficult. Our list of the best stair lift is a guide that will help you navigate through the thousands of products out there.
To see more of our featured items you can go to our website amazingmachines.info.