Stair lifts compared for your stairs

The seat travels on a rail, which is a metal track mounted to the stairs, so you stay seated from bottom to top. When no one is riding it, the seat folds up so there is still room for people to use the stairs.

Falls are a real risk for older adults. Per the CDC, more than one out of four people 65 and older falls in a given year, and if you fall once, your odds of falling again double. A stair lift carries you so you do not have to climb, and a call gets a price based on measurements of your stairs.

How your staircase is shaped drives the price more than any brand does. Straight lifts ride on a ready-made rail trimmed to the right length, which keeps the cost down.

A curved lift needs a rail bent to match your stairs as they bend around corners or landings. Since each rail is built for a single staircase, the price starts around $8,000 and can climb past $25,000 for certain models.

Start with width. Measure from the wall to the banister at the tightest spot. Every manufacturer decides the narrowest stairs its lift will work on.

Next is how far the lift sticks out from the wall once it is folded, which is the fold width. The smaller that number, the more space stays open for everyone else on the stairs. The fold widths in this group start at 10.5 inches (Harmar Pinnacle SL600) and reach 16.5 inches (Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD and Handicare Freecurve).

The third check is the weight limit. Across these 16 models, 350 lb is the middle rating, the Acorn 180 sits lowest at 265 lb, and the Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD tops out at 600 lb. Narrow or awkward stairs are hard to measure alone, so it can help to have a dealer measure yours.

Manufacturers, dealers, and reviewers supply these starting prices. Before you compare two lifts, find out if installation is in the price.

Warranties vary quite a bit. Bruno covers the Elan and Elite Curved with a limited lifetime warranty, while Stannah backs the motor gearbox for life and adds a year of parts and labor. Acorn offers 12 months, Handicare covers parts for 24 months, and Savaria covers parts for 36 months on the K2.

With straight stairs, your step count sets the rail length, and extra length raises the price a little. A standard rail spans 15.5 feet, and going past that length is what raises the cost.

A secondhand straight lift runs about $1,500 to $3,000. When stairs turn, a new lift typically lands between $8,000 and $12,000, and each one gets its price after someone measures the staircase.

How we calculated these figures

These numbers start from what the National Council on Aging says a new straight lift costs. A longer rail costs a little more: about $75 for each foot past the standard 15.5 feet.

Does Medicare Cover a Stair Lift?

Medicare Part B helps pay for some medical equipment used at home, such as walkers, but it does not count a stair lift as that kind of equipment. The National Council on Aging says Part B will not cover one. Call to discuss prices for your stairs and what installation adds, so you know what to budget.

Every model in this comparison is sold in the US by one of the manufacturers below:

• AmeriGlide, which has the lowest listed price and lets you install the lift yourself or pay a professional
• Acorn, whose quotes happen in your home and whose 130 is the only lift here with a published fit on stairs 26 inches wide
• Bruno, which backs the Elan and Elite Curved with limited lifetime warranties
• Harmar, whose SL600 folds slimmest and whose SL600HD carries 600 lb
• Savaria and Handicare, which sell through dealers and cover parts for two to three years
• Stannah, whose published starting prices come with installation included

The brand that suits you comes down to your stair width, how much the rider weighs, and whether the stairs turn.