Stair Lift Guide (2024)

Straight Stair Lifts

Straight stair lifts are commonly installed in a home to restore access to an upstairs bedroom or downstairs laundry room. Choose from Bruno’s two indoor straight stairlift models: the popular Elan and the high-performance Elite.

Both Bruno indoor straight stair lift models offer superior Made in America quality, including unique vertical rail design, easy exit swivel seat, two wireless remote controls, obstruction safety sensors and more. The Elan stair lift offers a 300-lb lift capacity; the Elite stair lift carries up to 400 lbs. In addition, the Elite features an adjustable seat that ensures comfort for every body type.

A notable benefit of Bruno’s unique vertical rail design is it allows Bruno straight stairlifts to install within 5 inches of the wall. That means there is plenty of open space on the steps for other family members, pets and guests to easily pass the stairlift. Fold up the armrests, seat and footrest when the stairlift is not in use and it becomes even more compact.

Curved Stair Lifts

Most staircases accommodate a straight rail stairlift, but curved rails are also available. Bruno’s curved stairlift rails are custom-made in Wisconsin to ensure a precision fit to each unique staircase. The vertical rail flows perfectly into every corner, creating a graceful appearance and extraordinary smooth ride.

Bruno’s unique vertical rail also hides the gear rack for a clean look that limits the ability of dirt to accumulate in moving parts. To ensure a precision fit, your local Bruno dealer will take photos of your stairs and the measurements will be translated into drawings by Bruno engineers, and fabricated into the rail by Bruno’s skilled welders and fabricators. 

Many manufacturers use modular curved rails because they can be installed quickly. Bruno chooses to custom-craft our curved stairlifts as we believe they give our customers the highest-quality solution long-term. While a handmade stairlift rail takes longer to fabricate, the ride and beauty are worth the wait. Because a Bruno curved rail is created to the exact specifications of your stairs, the rail fits tightly into every corner to create maximum open space on the steps. In addition, there are fewer joints – and Bruno engineers can determine the best placement of the joints – to create an incredibly smooth ride from start to finish. 

Bruno’s Elite curved stair lifts feature a 400-lb lift capacity, a handmade precision fit rail and adjustable comfort. The Elite curved stairlift’s seat and footrest can be adjusted in height, and the width between the armrests can also be changed, to best accomodate different body types. When not in use, the Elite’s seatbelt retracts to keep it neatly out of the way. 

Talk to your Bruno dealer about the option to lengthen your custom-curve rail to wrap around the top and/or bottom of the staircase landing. Some people choose the option of a “rail overrun” in order to have the chair park in a position away from the steps to create additional open space on the steps, to allow for exit farther away from the steps or to park the stairlift in a less visible position. 
 

Outdoor Stair Lifts

Bruno also offers outdoor stair lifts – in straight and curved models - suitable to withstand the elements and offer an alternative to steps leading to decks, front doors, lake, etc.

Bruno’s outdoor stairlifts are engineered to withstand elements. Marine-grade vinyl padded seat, durable outdoor paint on all steel surfaces and a weather-proof cover helps keep the stairlift performing in harsh climates. Performance tested to 0⁰ F to 125⁰ F, Bruno outdoor stairlifts feature a 400-lb lift capacity and a five-year Gold Warranty on major components. 
 

Commercial Stair Lifts

In addition to residential stairlifts, Bruno manufacturers a commercial Elite stairlift model suitable for use in places of worship, schools and businesses. Codes and permitting vary by community, so please check with your local Bruno stairlift dealer for more details on how to make your building accessible and ADA compliant.

Rail

Rail design varies greatly with each manufacturer, but all chairlifts glide up and down stairs on a rail. Bruno’s exclusive vertical rail design is one of several best-in-class features of Bruno stairlifts. 

The rail's unique vertical design maximizes available space on the staircase while providing an exceptionally smooth ride. Additionally, the gear rack is covered to allow for a clean, sleek appearance and reduced exposure to dirt, dust and grease.

Chair

The stair lift chair provides a comfortable, customizable way to get up and down the stairs. Bruno stair lift seat heights are adjustable on all models and the Bruno Elite features adjustable arm width.

The stair lift carriage is the workhorse of the entire stair lift system, housing all the primary components necessary for functionality, including the motor, gearbox and batteries.

Power Source

A regular 120v household outlet charges the battery of stairlifts when they are not in use, and the battery provides reliable power to send the stairlift up and down the rail.  While most stairlifts are recharged only when sitting at the bottom or top of the steps, Bruno straight stairlifts feature a continuous battery charging system that charges anywhere – no matter the position on the rail. This advanced stair lift charging system eliminating the possibility of unknowingly draining the battery.

Folding Seat / Footrest

Bruno stair lifts come standard with a folding seat and footrest, which provides maximum space when the stairlift is parked. A power option that automatically folds the footrest when the seat is lifted is available on indoor stair lift models.

Swiveling Seat

When a Bruno stair lift stops at the top of your staircase, its unique seat rotates up to 90 degrees to ensure a user is able to safely exit the stairlift away from the stairs. The Bruno Elite also features a chair with adjustable seat and footrest heights, and space between armrests, to ensure the most comfortable fit for each unique body type.

Adjustable Chair

Bruno stair lift chairs have adjustable seat height and armrest width to increase comfort for individual user needs. The Bruno Elite stair lift seat is 17.5" deep and padded with premium materials for an exceptional ride. 

Seat Belt / Safety Sensors

Bruno stair lifts come standard with industry-leading safety features. An automotive-grade seat belt helps keep riders secure, while the footrest and carriage feature several pressure-sensitive obstructions sensors.

Remote Controls

Bruno stair lifts come with two ergonomically-design remote controls. These easy-to-use remotes allows users to "call and send" the stair lift chair up and down the rail, making a multi-user home more accessible.

Power Folding Rail

Power Swivel Seat

Power Folding Footrest

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Bruno indoor stair lifts are backed by the most comprehensive manufacturer warranty in the stairlift industry.  Each Bruno indoor straight stairlift includes a lifetime warranty on major components for the lifetime of the Bruno stairlift as long as the original purchaser owns the stairlift. In addition, there is a two-year warranty on all components and 30-days of labor coverage for any manufacturing defects after installation by an authorized Bruno dealer.

5-Year Gold Warranty

Bruno outdoor stair lifts includes a 5-year warranty on major components, as long as the original purchaser owns the stairlift. A two-year warranty covers all other components and any manufacturing defects after installation by an authorized Bruno dealer are covered with 30-days of labor coverage.