Bruno is an American manufacturer of stairlifts, while Stannah is a British manufacturer of stairlifts. Both companies manufacture and supply their products worldwide and both are considered market leaders. Bruno and Stannah manufacture curved elevators of the highest quality. What follows is a comparison of both models.
Bruno 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. The 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 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 flip-up seat and flip-up footrest features. Both seats offer footrest-mounted safety sensors 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 lbs. as standard. If you’re in 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 down towards the control unit; the switch is mounted under the arm. The Stannah comes with a removable “on/off” key cap at the end of the arm and a light touch tiller style control for up/down operation. Which control system is best is a matter of personal preference, however the Stannah looks the more attractive of the two and its ergonomic design is easier for most to use without effort.
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 attractive, but the Stannah’s unique twin rail system might look a bit more elegant. The Stannah also outperforms the Bruno when it comes to space requirements. The Bruno track sits about 7 to 8 inches from the wall; Stannah rail fits closer to about 5 inches. Also, the actual width of the rail is slimmer due to its innovative double track system. Finally, the standard angle that the rail can be placed at is a maximum of 45 degrees with Bruno. The Stannah wins again, as its stair lift can handle 52 degrees as standard.
So if your stairs are narrow or quite steep, the Stannah stairlift would be the best option.
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 on the footrest to stop the cart on touching any obstruction. They are both battery powered so they can still work if there is a power outage. All in all, both lifts are up to the task in terms of safety.
The price of the Bruno and Stannah stairlift will depend on the features you want and what your local supplier offers. A curved model requires an on-site inspection as the track must be custom made. Accredited dealer surveys are free with no purchase required. Your best option 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.