Stair lift features explained
When you compare stair lift features, a few things matter most: how much weight the chair can carry, how far it sticks out when folded, how the battery stays charged, and whether the rail can fold away from a door at the bottom of the stairs. Across the 16 lifts we looked at, the median weight limit is 350 lb. The Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD has the highest weight limit at 600 lb; the Acorn 180 has the lowest at 265 lb.
- Median weight limit: 350 lb across all 16 models
- Battery lifespan: roughly 3 to 5 years per Stannah, or 1 to 3 years per NCOA
- Folding rail add-on: $795 if manual, $1,295 if powered (one dealer's pricing)
- Installed cost, straight stairs: $2,500 to $5,000 according to NCOA
How much space does a folded stair lift need?
The lifts in this comparison extend between 10.5 and 16.5 inches from the wall when folded. The footrest is the little ledge your feet sit on during the ride. Folding the chair keeps the rest of the staircase clear for anyone on foot.
| Model | Type | Depth from wall when folded | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
 Harmar Pinnacle SL600 | Straight | 10.5 inches | |
 Savaria K2 | Straight | 10.75 inches | |
| Harmar Pinnacle SL300 | Straight | 11 inches | |
 AmeriGlide Rave 2 | Straight | 11 inches | |
 Bruno Elan | Straight | 12 inches | |
 Acorn 130 | Straight | 12.25 inches | |
 Handicare 1100 | Straight | 12.625 inches | |
| Acorn 180 | Curved | 13.25 inches | |
 Stannah Siena 600 | Straight | 14.5 inches | specs · price |
| Bruno Elite Curved | Curved | 15 inches | |
| Bruno Elite | Straight | 15.125 inches | |
| Handicare 1000 | Straight | 15.25 inches | |
| Harmar Helix | Curved | 16 inches | |
| Stannah Siena 260 | Curved | 16 inches | |
| Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD | Straight | 16.5 inches | |
| Handicare Freecurve | Curved | 16.5 inches |
You can fold the chair by hand or let a motor do it. One dealer shows a power folding footrest at $560 for the Savaria K2, which is useful for anyone who struggles to bend down. The same dealer will also fit a power swivel seat for $660. A swivel seat swings the chair round to face the top landing, so you step off onto level floor instead of over the drop.
Stair width decides which lifts can even be fitted. On stairs 26 in wide, just one of the 11 straight lifts makes the cut, and none of the five curved ones do. Widen that to 28 in and all 11 straight lifts should fit, going by the usual guide. Of the five curved models, the Acorn 180 fits stairs from 27.5 in wide, while the other four need at least 30 in. For tight stairs, the Acorn 130 is the model to check; it's rated for staircases of 26 in or more.
How long a stair lift battery lasts
Stannah says its batteries generally last about 3 to 5 years. How much you use the lift matters, and so does parking it back at its charge point, the spot where the chair charges its battery between rides. Ask your dealer where the model charges, since Stannah says leaving a lift off its charge point can affect battery life.
The National Council on Aging quotes a lower number. It puts replacement at every 1 to 3 years, costing $200 to $300 a time, unless the warranty steps in first. Since the two figures don't match, it's worth asking your dealer what they'd expect from the model you go for.
Warranties don't cover batteries for long. On the Pinnacle SL300, SL600 and SL600HD, Harmar covers the battery for one year. AmeriGlide covers the Rave 2 battery for just 30 days. On the Savaria K2, one dealer sells a continuous charging option at $150.
What to check in any lift's handbook
Whatever brand you're considering, check four things: the weight limit, how far the chair sticks out when folded, where it parks to charge, and what the warranty covers.
The models listed range from 265 to 600 lb. For straight lifts, they begin with the Acorn 130 at 280 lb, with a heavy-duty 350 lb version, and top out with the Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD at 600 lb. On warranty, terms run from 12 months on both Acorn models up to the limited lifetime cover on the Bruno Elan, and battery coverage can be much shorter than other warranty coverage.
How long a rail will you need?
The rail is the track the chair rides along, and it runs the full length of your stairs. This site's cost estimates assume a 15.5-foot rail, with about $75 added for each extra foot; your dealer can confirm the rail length and price for your stairs. The standard 15.5 ft rail is included in the base price, so you only pay extra for the length beyond that.
| Steps | Rail | New lift, fitted price |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | approx. 10 ft | approx. $2,500–$5,000 |
| 13 | approx. 16 ft | approx. $2,575–$5,075 |
| 16 | approx. 19 ft | approx. $2,800–$5,300 |
| 20 | approx. 23 ft | approx. $3,100–$5,600 |
Eight steps call for roughly 10 ft of rail, comfortably within the standard length, so the price stays in the base range. Twenty steps take about 23 ft, which runs 8 ft past the standard rail and adds around $600.
A curved rail is made to match your staircase's exact bends, and that's why the price climbs so fast. A new curved lift, installed, comes to $8,000 to $12,000 on NCOA's figures. Dealer prices vary. The Bruno Elite Curved runs $12,000 to $25,000 or more, while one dealer lists the Handicare Freecurve at $9,999. In both cases, the final price depends on the shape of your stairs.
Folding rails for a door at the bottom
A straight rail normally carries on down to floor level at the bottom step, and that tail end can block a doorway or a passage. A hinged rail, sometimes called a folding rail, includes a lower section that swings up and out of the way once the chair is parked further up. On the Savaria K2, one dealer prices a manual folding rail at $795, or a power version at $1,295.
The price isn't the only cost. On that lift, fitting either folding rail drops the weight limit to 280 lb from the usual 350 lb, so a heavier rider might have to solve a doorway at the bottom another way.