Straight stair lifts
- New and installed, in a typical home about $2,500 to $5,000 (per NCOA)
- Secondhand unit roughly $1,500 to $3,000 (per NCOA)
- The 11 models here, installed $2,749 to $8,230
- Typical minimum stair width around 28 in
With installation included, a new straight stair lift typically runs $2,500 to $5,000, based on figures from the National Council on Aging.
Straight stair lifts compared
| Model | Weight limit | Folded, from wall | Installed price | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 AmeriGlide Rave 2Pro: parts are covered for 2 years, longer than the one year some manufacturers give. Con: you buy it online, so fitting it is up to you: hire your own installer or do it yourself. Sources | 350 lb | 11 in | $2,749–$4,249 estimate: lift price + usual fitting | 2 years on parts |
 Acorn 130Pro: it fits stairways only 26 in wide, the manufacturer says. Con: 280 lb as standard, the lowest weight limit among the straight lifts here (350 lb with the heavy-duty option). Sources | 280 lb heavy-duty version: 350 lb | 12¼ in | $3,000–$5,000 estimate from review sites | 1 year |
 Bruno ElanPro: it carries a limited lifetime warranty. Con: its standard weight limit is 300 lb, below the 350 lb carried by most lifts here. Sources | 300 lb | 12 in | $3,500–$5,000 estimate: lift price + usual fitting | Limited lifetime (for as long as you own it) |
 Handicare 1100Pro: parts are covered for 2 years, longer than the one year some manufacturers give. Con: not as close to the wall as the slimmest straight lifts (it folds to 12⅝ in). Sources | 310 lb | 12⅝ in | $3,799–$5,299 estimate: lift price + usual fitting | 2 years on parts |
| Handicare 1000Pro: up to 440 lb with the heavy-duty version. Con: it sticks out 15¼ in from the wall when folded. Sources | 350 lb heavy-duty version: 440 lb | 15¼ in | $3,990–$5,490 estimate: lift price + usual fitting | 2 years on parts |
 Harmar Pinnacle SL300Pro: parts are covered for 2 years, longer than the one year some manufacturers give. Con: its standard weight limit is 300 lb, below the 350 lb carried by most lifts here. Sources | 300 lb | 11 in | $4,365 published: lift + fitting, one dealer | 2 years on parts |
 Savaria K2Pro: parts are covered for 3 years. Sources | 350 lb | 10¾ in | $4,135 published: lift + fitting, one dealer | 3 years on parts |
| Harmar Pinnacle SL600Pro: of the straight lifts here, it folds closest to the wall (10½ in). Sources | 350 lb | 10½ in | $5,380 published: lift + fitting, one dealer | Lifetime on the motor |
 Stannah Siena 600Pro: the motor gearbox is covered for life. Con: the parts warranty runs one year. Sources | 350 lb | 14½ in | $4,700 published: the manufacturer's installed price | Lifetime on the motor, 1 year on parts |
| Bruno ElitePro: the major components are covered for life (a limited warranty). Con: it sticks out 15⅛ in from the wall when folded. Sources | 400 lb | 15⅛ in | $5,499–$6,999 estimate: lift price + usual fitting | Limited lifetime on the main parts |
| Harmar Pinnacle SL600HDPro: the highest weight limit among the straight lifts here (600 lb). Con: folded, it sticks out the most (16½ in). Sources | 600 lb | 16½ in | $8,230 published: lift + fitting, one dealer | 3 years on parts |
Ask for a written quote
Lifts for curved stairs cost much more, about $8,000 to $12,000 installed.
What the straight lift figures mean
Each lift on this list travels along a rail, the metal track bolted along the stairs that carries the seat up and down. Folded depth tells you how far the unit protrudes from the wall once the seat, arms, and footrest are folded. The smaller that number is, the more space is left for people using the stairs on foot.
The prices in the table come from manufacturers, dealers, and reviewers, and each source quotes them differently. Installation is bundled into some figures and left out of others, so check what each one covers.
The Harmar Pinnacle SL600 tucks in tightest, sticking out only 10.5 in when folded. The Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD protrudes the most, 16.5 in, and in return it carries the heaviest load of all.
Cost by Number of Steps
In this site's cost estimates, the base price covers up to 15.5 ft of rail; longer staircases cost more. If your staircase is longer, you pay for extra rail, about $75 for each extra foot.
| Step count | Rail needed | New lift, installed |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 10 ft or so | Roughly $2,500 to $5,000 |
| 13 | 16 ft or so | Roughly $2,575 to $5,075 |
| 16 | 19 ft or so | Roughly $2,800 to $5,300 |
| 20 | 23 ft or so | Roughly $3,100 to $5,600 |
A 13-step staircase needs roughly a foot more rail than the stock length, which costs about $75 extra. A 20-step staircase needs about eight extra feet, which adds about $600.
Fitting a straight chair lift on narrow stairs
Most manufacturers of straight lifts publish no minimum width at all. For straight stairs, Stannah suggests about 28 in as the working guide. All 11 straight models here should work at 28 in, and the installer verifies the fit during the home visit.
Only two models list a smaller minimum. The Stannah Siena 600 starts at 27 in, and the Acorn 130 starts at 26 in. Of the 11 straight lifts compared here, only the Acorn 130 fits stairs 26 in wide.
Weight Limits
Looking at all 16 straight and curved lifts covered on this site, the median weight limit is 350 lb. Five of the straight lifts here carry 350 lb: the Savaria K2, Stannah Siena 600, Handicare 1000, AmeriGlide Rave 2 and Harmar Pinnacle SL600.
The Acorn 130 and Handicare 1000 each offer a heavy-duty option with a higher weight limit. That lifts the Acorn 130 from 280 lb to 350 lb and the Handicare 1000 from 350 lb to 440 lb. When you need real capacity, the Bruno Elite holds 400 lb and the Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD holds 600 lb, which beats every other lift covered here.
Warranties
Warranties differ a lot from one lift to the next, so it's worth reading them closely. Bruno backs the Elan for a limited lifetime, and the Elite's motor, gearbox, drivetrain, and rail are also covered for a limited lifetime. Harmar gives the Pinnacle SL600 a motor covered for life, and Stannah does the same for the Siena 600's motor gearbox.
Parts coverage runs shorter. Savaria covers the K2's parts for three years, and the Handicare models for two. AmeriGlide backs the Rave 2's parts for two years as well. The Acorn 130 offers 12 months, and Stannah's Siena 600 includes parts and labor for a single year.
Comparing a Brooks straight stairlift quote
These 11 models come from seven manufacturers: Acorn, AmeriGlide, Bruno, Handicare, Harmar, Savaria, and Stannah. If you have a quote for a Brooks or other lift, you can compare it on five things:
- Weight limit, compared with 350 lb, the middle rating across all the lifts on this site
- Folded depth, checked against this list's spread, 10.5 in up to 16.5 in
- Narrowest stairs it works on, checked against the usual 28 in
- Warranty terms for the motor and for parts
- Whether the price includes fitting
Buying a Used Straight Lift
Expect to pay somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 for a pre-owned unit, per NCOA, depending on condition and whether fitting is thrown in. Because those figures sit alongside the lower end of new pricing, going used usually saves money, though not in every case.
Who pays for a stair lift?
- Medicare: Original Medicare, the government health plan for people 65 and older, does not pay for a stair lift because it does not count one as medical equipment. Some Medicare Advantage plans (private plans that take the place of Original Medicare) include home safety benefits, so check yours.
- Medicaid: Medicaid, the state health cover for people with low incomes, sometimes pays through a state program for changes to the home. It depends on the state.
- Veterans: The VA's HISA home improvement grant does not pay for stair lifts. Ask your VA medical center what other help you can get; veterans with a disability caused by their service may qualify for larger housing grants (SAH and SHA).
- USDA Section 504: Homeowners in rural areas who are 62 or older and have a very low income can get a USDA home repair grant of up to $10,000.