While many battery operated stairlifts include a battery charger, having an extra one handy can provide additional piece of mind. This way you can ensure you never have an uncharged battery. You can also keep one on the top level or the bottom level of the stairs.

In *Most Cases* Any type of battery charger with the proper voltage and specs should work properly for your stair lift. However, we did not personally test every possible scenario here to say for sure, so it may or may not work with your specific model/manufacturer. Also, be sure to check if certain types of uses are allowed – if not properly done, it could void your warranty for either the battery or the charger.

So where do you get a stairlift battery charger? How do you choose the right type? Here is everything you need to know:

1. Contact the Manufacturer: The manufacturer is the best place to start when you are in need of a battery charger. You can contact the stair lift manufacturer, or if you note the model and manufacturer name on the battery itself, that could be an additional place to consider. These places should certainly have it available, or at least be able to tell you if there is a place locally for you to purchase it.

2. Contact the Distributor: Where did you purchase your chair lift? If it was at a dealership/distributor, they too should know where you should be able to buy one, and they may even have it in stock.

3. Read the Battery Specs: If all else fails, read what it says on your battery. All batteries should have basic information like voltage. While 24 volt batteries are common, so are some 12 volt ones. Some chargers can be switched between 12 and 24 volt, others may only be able to support one or another. Read you battery. You might be surprised to learn it could possibly list exactly what type of charger you need right on it!

4. Visit ATV/Small Motor Shop/Boat/Auto Part Store: Is there a motorized bike shop near you or other type of place that specializes in batteries or small motors? Chances are they have a number of different battery chargers, and if they are nice people, they will help you find out exactly what type will work for your battery if you bring the battery in with you. Marine shops may even have a charger that could potentially work for you!

Do you have any experiences in purchasing a stairlift battery charger? Do you know of what resources to look at when replacing or buying one? Your comments below can help our future visitors to know what to look for or how to find the parts they need!

While most would think that stair lifts would only be suitable for someone with a chronic health condition, even the healthiest and most active of seniors can be prone to getting injured on the stairs. Often times carrying bulky items such as a laundry basket can increase the likelihood of a staircase related accident.

If you are a senior citizen considering purchasing a stair chair lift, or if you are researching stair lifts for an elderly family member, it is very important that you take some of these factors into consideration:

How Will it Be Used? Seniors are often able to go up and down the stairs without assistance, however a stair chair lift is a nice thing to have for transporting bulky items like clothing, boxes, shopping bags or even grocery items. If you intend to use the stair lift for things like this, it is useful to have one that can be remote controlled or has storage space.

How Comfortable Are You With Technology? Some lifts have many different options, but with these options come more buttons and learning how to use these features. While many seniors are very good with these things, some may prefer something very simple to use where you simply just push one button to make the chair go up and down. Often times when talking to the elderly where their tech savvy children did the shopping they will say “this is too complicated” or “I don’t need all that!” Make sure whatever you choose will be something they find easy to use.

What Safety Features Are Necessary? If a senior lives alone, then chances are that most standard safety features will be fine. However, if they live with others or have frequent guests, especially children, then you will want to make sure that the chair can not be misused or accidentally set to go on and off.

Electric or Battery Operated?: Choosing between battery and electric options is often a matter of personal choice. One may like electric lifts because they do not need to charge the battery. However, it will not work in the event of a power outage which could cause problems for some. Battery operated lifts can usually work just fine should the power go out, but you will need to remember to charge it! Some units make it very easy to charge the batteries – others can be complicated. If choosing a battery operated model, make sure you understand how the battery will be charged and ensure that the person who is using it will be able to easily do it themselves.

Taking these things into consideration can help ensure that the mobility device you choose is right for your individual needs. For more information on choosing a stairlift, some of these articles on our site may be useful for you:

What to Look for in a StairLift

Popular Stairlift Brands

Shown Here is the Sofia Model on their website, photo used with permission.

As a family owned business since 1867, the company specializes not only in stair chair lifts, but also a number of other types of lifts for both home and commercial use. The company began when founder Joseph Stannah began with lifts designed for easily transporting cargo on large ships. Designing stair lifts for better accessibility in homes since 1975, they have become one of the most trusted brands in the UK. In 1992 they expanded the company to service North America including the United States and Canada.

They have a large selection of different lifts available, ranging from straight to curved stair lifts with a number of different seat options. They also have lifts for outdoor use and one model available for children as well. All of their designs are sleek and modern with many different fabric and upholstery designs to choose from.

Shown here is their Sofia model, which is installed directly on the stairs (as opposed to others which mount to the wall) and offers a number of safety features such as an easy to fasten safety belt and can be controlled whether one is sitting in the stairlift or not.

In addition to the Sofia, the Solus, Starla, and Saxom are other models to consider. They all boast of sleek and modern designs, the main difference between them are how they are folded up and whether the offer additional features such as multiple control options and weight limits. (All are battery operated and support at least 250 pounds, with some supporting up to 320 pounds).

Some of the other products the company offers:

Passenger Lifts
Platform Lifts
Commercial Moving Walkways
Commercial Escalators
Goods & Services Lifts
Moving Walkways

If you are looking into Stairlifts, Stannah may just be one of the ones to research for your needs due to the number of different options they have available. They also offer a number of used and reconditioned models to make getting a lift possible for any budget. To learn more about Stannah, visit their website to view all of the stairlifts they have to offer.

Option 1: Vertical Platform Lift

Click the Photo to Learn More About This Type of Lift

The above picture is an example of a Vertical Platform Lift which is an ideal solution if you do not have to go up more than 4-5 stairs. You can order them online here or check with many of the major stair lift suppliers and dealers as it is likely they will carry them as well. While a platform lift for stairs is often more expensive than a traditional stairlift, there are some advantages, with the main one being the person does not have to be able to get out of his or her wheel chair in order to use it. Another bonus is that it makes it easy for carrying and maneuvering larger bulky objects. For example, moving a few shopping bags of groceries with a vertical platform lift would be much easier than it would be with a traditional wall mounted stair lift.

Option 2: Curved Stair Lifts

Curved stairlifts can often be more expensive, but if you have a large staircase which turns the corner, this is often one of the best options. Sterling makes a curved stairlift especially for stairs that have 2-3 steps, then turn the corner, and then are straight the rest of the way up. Others are designed more for traditional curved staircases.

Option 3: Custom Build

If neither of those options seem like they will work for your needs, the other thing you can do is see if you can get a stairlift which is custom built for your home. One method that is commonly used is to actually affix two different rails and chairs to the stairs as pictured below.

The disadvantage to doing this method of course is that you will need two chairs, and it will likely also be very expensive. If the person needs assistance moving from one chair to another this could also cause some issues making it no better.

Option 4: Explore Other Living Arrangements

Sadly this is sometimes the only feasible option for some people, though of course purchasing a new home is very expensive. Some may find that moving into an apartment complex with one level handicapped accessible rooms and an elevator or a first floor room remains to be the best choice. If you are disabled, you may qualify for special loans or housing assistance.

Have you found a suitable solution for a handicapped corner stair lift? Share it in the comments below.

The first thing to think about is which features are important to you.  This is often different for everyone. Obviously, the more features a stair lift has, the more comfortable and convenient to use it will be.

Here are some of the features you will want to look for:

Safety Belts: Seat belts to some are very important, to others not so much. Most chair lift manufacturers today will include one free of charge, but for others it may be an added accessory and additional expense.

Battery Vs. Electric Operated: There is much debate whether a battery operated or hard wired electric chair is better. Batteries need recharging and can sometimes be cumbersome to handle; however you do not need to worry about power outages as much.

Speed: Some stairlifts move very quickly, others go at a slower pace. Whether you want a fast one or a slower one is completely up to you! If you are concerned about speed, our article on Fast Stair Lifts may be helpful. Remember that motor size and power can affect overall performance with speed.

Design: Another option to consider is the styles available. Many designs exist that can look very nice to match just about any home’s decor, but with some manufacturers these options are pretty limited. Make sure while shopping you ask about the different fabric patterns available.

Adjustable Seats: Some stairlifts have various options on the types of seats available. Some seats swivel, which can make it easier and safer to get in and out of, especially at the top of the stairs. There are also models which can allow someone to use it while standing, which can be a good feature if the person has difficulty going from standing to sitting.

Warranty and Installation: It’s important to know what the warranty is on the stair lift and how it will be installed. Some brands you have to install yourself or hire someone to install, others are installed all by in house companies. This all varies between manufacturers and distributors, so do your homework very carefully.

Price: Price is another factor. Some would say the best stair lift must be the one that is the most expensive, but this is not usually the case. Many good quality brands out there exist that are of good quality and are not too expensive.

Because this site tries to be objective and unbiased, we cannot really tell you which one is the “best”…however, we can give you links of the most popular stair chair lift manufacturers so you can do your research to see which one will meet all of your needs and keep you the happiest for many years to come!

Used Stair Lifts on eBay

Curved Stairlifts

Sterling Stair Lifts

Summit Stair Lifts

Bruno Stairlifts

Acorn Stair Lifts

Ameriglide Stairlifts

By looking over all of these articles and reviews, you’ll be able to decide which type is the right type for you!