Bruno is an American manufacturer of stairlifts, while Stannah is a British manufacturer of stairlifts. Both companies manufacture and supply their products around the world and both are considered market leaders. Bruno and Stannah make the best quality curved lifts. What follows is a comparison of both models.
Bruno’s has been in business since 1984 and is a family owned, American manufacturer. It is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer, which means that it produces the highest quality products using the best materials and the latest technology. Bruno chairlifts are very popular. The company makes a curved version called the Electra-Ride III Curved Rail.
Stannah is a UK manufacturer and has been in business for over 140 years and is still owned by the family that founded the company. It began manufacturing electrical appliances for the UK market in 1975 and began exporting in 1979. Stannah stairlifts are now exported to over 40 countries. To date, the company has installed more than a quarter of a million of them. The company makes a curved model called the Stannah 260 Stair Lift.
What follows is a comparison and review of both models.
seat
Seats from both companies come with the usual fold-down seat and fold-down footrest features. Both seats offer footrest-mounted safety detectors to immediately stop the chair if it encounters an obstacle.
The standard weight capacity of the Stannah 260 is approximately 270 pounds. The Bruno elevator can carry heavy loads; up to 350 pounds as standard. If you’re on the large size, Bruno might be the best option.
Both seats come with armrest controls. The Bruno comes with a 3 position momentary rocker switch that requires the user to continuously hold it towards the control unit; the switch is mounted under the arm. The Stannah comes with a removable end-of-arm “on/off” key cap and a light-touch tiller-style control for up/down operation. The best control system is a matter of personal preference, however the Stannah looks the more appealing of the two and its ergonomic design is easier to use for the most effortless.
Both chairs can be rotated to allow easy access. Both the Stannah and Bruno stairlifts come with manual operation as standard: a lever is pressed to rotate the seat. However, with the Stannah you have the option to upgrade to a motorized swivel seat; this can be a real plus point for those with more restricted mobility.
clue
Both companies use a rack and pinion system, which is the industry standard. Both tracks look appealing, but the Stannah’s unique twin rail system might look a little fancier. The Stannah also outperforms the Bruno when it comes to space requirements. The Bruno track sits about 7 to 8 inches from the wall; the Stannah rail fits closer at about 5 inches. Also, the actual width of the rail is thinner due to its innovative double track system. Finally, the standard angle at which the rail can be placed is a maximum of 45 degrees with Bruno. The Stannah wins again, as her stair lift can cope with 52 degrees stock.
Therefore, if your stairs are narrow or quite steep, the Stannah stairlift would be the best choice.
security features
Chairs from both companies come with a host of safety features. Both come with retractable seat belts. They also come with overspeed governors to slow down the car and prevent it from traveling at a certain speed. Both have safety sensors in the footrest to stop the cart upon touching any obstruction. Both are battery operated, therefore they can still work if there is a power outage. All in all, both elevators are up to scratch in terms of safety.
The price of the Bruno and Stannah stair lift will depend on the features you want and the offer your local supplier offers you. A curved model requires a site inspection as the track must be custom made. Accredited Dealer Surveys are free with no purchase required. Your best bet is to request a survey for both the Bruno Electra-Ride III Curved Track and the Stannah 260. Compare the options offered and the total cost. You can easily find a Bruno and Stannah provider on the web.