UK Stairlifts

A guide to the main stairlift manufacturers

When it comes to stairlifts in the UK, it’s a pretty competitive market. There are a number of stairlift, or chair lift, manufacturers, some better known than others, but pretty much all are a similar size. There’s not a great deal to choose between their stairlifts, either.

Stannah stairlifts

Perhaps the best known stairlift manufacturer is Stannah. Stannah is a family stair-lift company founded way back in the 19^th century. It’s a British company that’s become famous all over the world for its stair lifts. The company boasts that there are more Stannah stair lifts in homes around the world than from any other company.

The Stannah Group, which also makes lifts and escalators, works with design agencies to make stylish and practical stair-lifts. Since 1975, Stannah has sold over 300,000 stairlifts around the world and leads the global market in stair-lifts. Stannah sells straight, curved and outdoor stairlifts.

Bison Bede stairlifts

Another major stairlift manufacturer in the UK is Bison Bede. Bison Bede has over 20 years’ experience of designing and manufacturing stairlifts. Today, the company makes straight, curved and outdoor stairlifts.

For straight staircases, the company manufactures the Bison 50 stairlift, a slimline model based on the original Bison Compact, one of the world’s best-selling straight stairlifts. The Bison 50, which also comes in a ‘perch’ version that’s ideal for those who have trouble bending their knees, offers fast, clean installation, excellent reliability and a smooth ride. It comes with a rechargeable battery pack, so that it will work even in a power cut.

For curved installations, the Bison 80 stairlift will accommodate almost every curved staircase. The Bison 80 stair lift offers a smooth and comfortable ride on a slim, well-finished rail on either side of the staircase.

Minivator stairlifts

Minivator is another big name in stair lifts in the UK. Minivator is the world’s second-largest stairlift manufacturer and has a reputation for reliability, quality and good value. Minivator offers stairlifts and bath lifts for both domestic and public use, and lifting solutions for both indoors and outdoors. Minivator also has a reputation for offering a wide variety of stairlift products.

The Minivator 1000 straight stairlift comes on a track with a charging point at the top and bottom. When not in use, the stair lift can be folded up, so that stairs access is not compromised. There’s also a powered footplate, to make folding even easier.

The Minivator 2000 is a curved stairlift. Minivator has a team of stairlift designers who calculate the best track for each individual staircase to maximise the space on the stairs. This might be why the Minivator 2000 stairlift system offers the market’s tightest internal bend.

Acorn Stairlifts

Another major stairlift manufacturer is Acorn Stairlifts. Acorn is a British stair lift company based in Yorkshire with an international client base, and sales and distribution centres in the USA, Canada, Australia and Germany. Acorn has over 1,000 employees worldwide and is primarily engaged in manufacturing and selling Acorn Superglide electric stair lifts.

Hundreds of thousands of customers in over 70 countries use Acorn stair lifts such as the Acorn Superglide 120. This is a straight stairlift designed for the domestic user. It runs on maintenance-free battery power, has an easy-to-use paddle control and smooth start/stop action. The stair lift has a lockable isolation switch, a swivel seat for safety and a fold-up seat and footrest.

For curved staircases, the Acorn 80 offers the ultimate in versatility. The Acorn 80 stairlift has an innovative, modular design and is suitable for almost any staircase. Acorn also manufactures perch stairlifts for customers who have trouble bending their knees or have narrow staircases, and outdoor stairlifts, which feature all the reliability and style of indoor lifts but are constructed from weather-resistant materials.

Brooks stairlifts

Another popular stairlift manufacturer is Brooks. Around 1972, Mr Frederick Brooks designed his first stairlift for his wife, who had rheumatoid arthritis and was starting to struggle on the stairs.

The Brooks Lincoln straight stairlift is possibly the best-known model. Like other Brooks stairlifts, it’s built to last and is low on maintenance. The Lincoln runs on maintenance-free DC power packs that recharge after every trip. The Lincoln stair lift is whisper-quiet and features a smooth start and stop system, with no sudden jolts. There’s an easy-to-use joystick control and installation is fast (it can be fitted in an hour).

For those with curved staircases, the Brooks Curved Stairlift can fit any configuration of staircases, including turns and half-landings, and can even continue along the hall or landing.

Platinum stairlifts

Anyone needing a curved stairlift might want to consider Platinum. Focusing solely on the curved-stairlift market, Platinum has also built a reputation for supplying quality reconditioned stairlifts through its Approved Used range. It also boasts that its Platinum Curve stairlift provides the smoothest ride on the market.

The Yorkshire company’s Approved Used range has more than 8,000 satisfied customers and offers reconditioned stairlifts of the highest quality at an affordable price. Platinum claims to be the UK’s leading supplier of re-engineered stairlifts. It says that all the work on its stairlifts is carried out to the highest possible standard and that all its reconditioned stairlifts are completely overhauled and fully tested by its team of dedicated staff. Platinum believes that reconditioning stairlifts helps the environment, too.

MediTek stairlifts

MediTek Ltd is another English stairlift manufacturer that provides stairlifts and accessories worldwide. MediTek stair and chair lifts also have a great reputation for high levels of safety, effectiveness and quality. MediTek stairlifts started out in 1992 when two stairlift manufacturers decided to design a stair lift that would eclipse everything on the stairlift market at the time. MediTek appeals to many people because of its ability to build high-quality stairlifts at very low prices.

MediTek manufactures straight outdoor and standing or ‘perch’ stairlifts. The company’s Multi-flight stairlift is aimed at staircases with intermediate landings and changes in direction. The Multi-flight also offers easier mounting and dismounting from the stairlift at the top of the stairs without needing to swivel the seat.

Hopefully, you’ll have found this brief introduction to the UK stairlifts market useful. All the main stairlift manufacturers have comprehensive websites. However, for truly impartial advice based around your or your relative’s circumstances, it might be best to approach an independent retailer, such as UK Stairlifts.

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