Used stair lifts for sale
- Used straight lift
- $1,500 to $3,000
- From a dealer, fitted
- $2,900 to $4,500
- Reconditioned
- 80% of the new price at Stannah
Used stair lifts for sale for a straight staircase usually cost $1,500 to $3,000, according to the National Council on Aging. Pay a dealer to fit a used lift and the price goes up. Curved stairs are harder. Each curved rail is made for one staircase. Stannah offers reconditioned curved lifts with new rails, but Lifeway Mobility does not sell used curved lifts.
What a used lift costs
What you pay for a used straight lift comes down to the model, the shape it is in, and who is selling it, says the NCOA. Lifeway Mobility quotes $2,900 to $4,500 or more for a used straight lift, but that price includes installation, so check whether fitting is included when you compare quotes.
A reconditioned lift is simply a used one that the manufacturer or a dealer has gone over, fixed where something was worn, and made ready to sell again. Stannah sells its reconditioned models at around 80% of a new lift's price.
| What you are buying | Rough cost | Where we got it |
|---|---|---|
| Straight lift, bought used | $1,500 to $3,000 | NCOA |
| Straight lift, used, fitted by a dealer | $2,900 to $4,500 or more | Lifeway Mobility |
 Stannah lift, reconditioned | Roughly 80% of new | Stannah |
| Straight lift, brand new, installed | $2,500 to $5,000 | NCOA |
| Curved lift, brand new, installed | $8,000 to $12,000 | NCOA |
A used lift from a dealer may not cost much less than a brand new one. Lifeway Mobility starts its used installed prices at $2,900, and new straight lifts start near $2,500 installed. That is why it pays to price out both before deciding.
Where to find a used or second-hand chair lift
Dealers are one place to start. Some sell used lifts and install them too. Used straight lifts from Lifeway Mobility start at $79.99 a month if you would rather pay that way.
A few manufacturers sell their own reconditioned lifts. Stannah inspects each one and sets it up for your home, so the lift ends up matched to your own staircase rather than the one it used to sit on.
Will it fit your stairs and your weight?
A used lift needs to suit your stairs and the person riding it, the same as a new one would. Check two things first: how wide your stairs are, and how much weight the lift can carry.
Straight lifts generally need stairs that are 28 inches wide at minimum. Of the models we looked at, only the Acorn 130 goes as narrow as 26 inches. On a curved staircase 28 inches wide, the only model that fits is the Acorn 180.
| Model | Stairs | Weight limit | Narrowest stairs it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
 Acorn 130 | Straight | Up to 280 lb (350 lb in heavy-duty form) | 26 in |
| Stannah Siena 600 | Straight | Up to 350 lb | 27 in |
 Bruno Elan | Straight | Up to 300 lb | 28 in |
 Harmar Pinnacle SL600 | Straight | Up to 350 lb | 28 in |
| Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD | Straight | Up to 600 lb | 28 in |
| Acorn 180 | Curved | Up to 265 lb | 27.5 in |
| Stannah Siena 260 | Curved | Up to 300 lb (352 lb in heavy-duty form) | 30 in |
We compared 16 models, and the middle weight limit among them is 350 lb. At the low end sits the Acorn 180 at 265 lb. The Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD tops the list at 600 lb.
Can you get a used lift for curved stairs?
The seat runs on a metal track called the rail. On curved stairs, each rail is made for one staircase, which is why Lifeway Mobility does not sell used curved lifts, and why Stannah fits every reconditioned curved lift with a brand new rail made for your stairs.
According to the NCOA, a new curved lift fitted costs somewhere in the range of $8,000 to $12,000.
What warranty do you get?
Buy a reconditioned Stannah lift and you get a 10-year warranty covering the carriage motor gearbox, plus a year of parts and labor cover. The carriage, the part the seat sits on, is what travels up and down the rail.
Warranties on new lifts come from the manufacturer, and they vary a lot from model to model:
- Acorn 130 and Acorn 180: 12 months from the manufacturer
- Bruno Elan: limited lifetime cover
- Harmar Pinnacle SL600: motor covered for life, gear rack for 10 years, battery for a year
- Stannah Siena 600: lifetime motor gearbox, parts and labor for a year
- AmeriGlide Rave 2: drive train and parts for two years, batteries for 30 days
One thing to ask about when buying used: what warranty, if any, comes with it. It will not always match what you would get new.
How does staircase length change the price?
Longer stairs mean a longer rail, and that extra rail adds to what you pay for a new lift. Our cost tool assumes a standard rail length of 15.5 feet and estimates an extra charge for longer rails. These estimates are for new lifts.
| Straight steps | Rail length | New lift, installed, roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Around 10 ft | $2,500 to $5,000 |
| 13 | Around 16 ft | $2,575 to $5,075 |
| 16 | Around 19 ft | $2,800 to $5,300 |
| 20 | Around 23 ft | $3,100 to $5,600 |
For 13 straight steps, our tool estimates about $2,575 to $5,075 installed for a new lift, including an allowance for extra rail.
A used lift from a dealer isn't always the cheapest choice. AmeriGlide's new Rave 2 is listed online at $2,249 for the lift alone. You can fit it yourself or pay an installer, so add that cost before you compare.