Stair lifts for seniors

For many older adults, the stairs become the toughest part of the house. The CDC reports that over a quarter of people 65 and up fall every year, and one fall makes a second one twice as likely. The CDC adds that fewer than half of fallers mention it to their doctor.

A stair lift lets someone keep using the whole house. It is a chair that travels on a rail mounted to the staircase, so you sit down at one end and get carried to the other end.

New lifts for straight stairs generally cost less than curved models. NCOA gives an installed range of $2,500 to $5,000, though some of these models cost more. The prices we compared for straight models are below.

Model	Weight limit	Cost	Sources
AmeriGlide Rave 2	350 lb	$2,249 online; you can fit it yourself or hire an installer	specs · price
Acorn 130	280 lb (350 lb heavy-duty)	$3,000–$5,000 fitted (a reviewer's estimate)	specs · price
Bruno Elan	300 lb	Starts at $3,000; fitting costs more	specs · price
Handicare 1100	310 lb	$3,299 from one dealer; fitting not included	specs · price
Handicare 1000	350 lb, or 440 lb in the heavy-duty version	One dealer charges $3,490 for a 16-foot track; fitting not included	specs · price
Harmar Pinnacle SL300	300 lb	$3,640 at one dealer, plus $725 to install it	specs · price
Savaria K2	350 lb	$3,790, with fitting at $345–$445 from one dealer	specs · price
Harmar Pinnacle SL600	350 lb	$4,655 at one dealer, plus $725 to install it	specs · price
Stannah Siena 600	350 lb	$4,700 and up, fitted	specs · price
Bruno Elite	400 lb	$4,999 from one dealer; fitting not included	specs · price
Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD	600 lb	$7,505 at one dealer, plus $725 to install it	specs · price

Some of these prices include fitting and some do not. As you gather quotes, it is worth checking whether the number covers installation.

A typical rail runs about 15.5 feet. Stairs longer than that take extra rail, which nudges the price up a bit.

On a 20-step staircase, those extra eight feet of rail add roughly $600 to the total.

Curved stairs, or stairs with a landing in the middle, need a rail built for that specific staircase. That is what makes these lifts pricier, and why most sellers only quote a price after measuring.

Model	Weight limit	Cost	Sources
Acorn 180	265 lb	$8,000–$15,000 or more, fitted (a reviewer's estimate)	specs · price
Handicare Freecurve	275 lb	$9,999 at one dealer; your staircase decides the final figure	specs · price
Stannah Siena 260	300 lb (352 lb heavy-duty)	$10,800 and up, fitted	specs · price
Harmar Helix	350 lb	$10,995 and up at one dealer	specs · price
Bruno Elite Curved	400 lb	Fitted, $12,000–$25,000 or more (a dealer's range)	specs · price

The listed weight limit helps you compare models for your needs. Some offer a higher-capacity option: the Handicare 1000, for example, is rated for 350 lb, or 440 lb with its heavy-duty option.

Looking at the 16 models we compared, the weight limit in the middle is 350 lb. The Acorn 180 sits lowest at 265 lb, and the Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD sits highest at 600 lb. For a heavier rider, the strongest picks are the Harmar SL600HD, the heavy-duty Handicare 1000 (440 lb), and the Bruno Elite models (400 lb).

Each lift also needs a minimum stair width, given in inches. Most straight models ask for stairs at least 28 inches wide.

• At 26 inches: only the Acorn 130 works, and no curved lift does.
• At 27 inches: the Acorn 130 and the Stannah Siena 600 work.
• At 28 inches: all 11 straight models compared here meet their listed minimum or the usual 28-inch guide, as does one curved model, the Acorn 180.
• At 30 inches: all five curved lifts are listed for stairs this wide.

These are the manufacturer's listed minimums, so a dealer should still measure your stairs.

Even folded up, a lift sticks out from the wall a little. The thinnest straight models fold down to 10.5 inches from the wall (Harmar SL600) and 10.75 inches (Savaria K2). The thickest are the Harmar SL600HD and the Handicare Freecurve, which stick out 16.5 inches.

Warranty terms differ a great deal from one manufacturer to the next. A few cover parts for only a year or two, and a few will cover a motor for its whole life.

• Bruno Elan and Bruno Elite Curved: a limited lifetime warranty.
• Harmar SL600: the motor for life, the gear rack for 10 years, and the battery for one year. The gear rack is the toothed strip on the rail that the chair travels along.
• Stannah Siena 600 and Siena 260: a lifetime motor-gearbox cover, one year for parts and labor.
• Savaria K2: 36 months of parts coverage through the dealer.
• Handicare models: the dealer provides 24 months of parts coverage.
• Acorn 130 and Acorn 180: 12 months from the manufacturer.
• AmeriGlide Rave 2: drive train and parts covered for two years, batteries for 30 days.

Whatever lift you look at, ask the dealer four things: does it fit your stair width, is the weight limit above the rider's weight, what does the warranty cover and for how long, and does the price include installation?