Bruno is a US stair lift manufacturer while Stannah is a UK stair lift manufacturer. Both companies make and supply their products all over the world and both are considered to be market leaders. Bruno and Stannah make curved lifts of the best quality. What follows is a comparison of both models.
Bruno has been is business since 1984 and is a family owned US manufacturer. They are an ISO 9001 Certified manufacturer, which means they produce products of the highest quality using the best materials and latest technology. Bruno chair lifts 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 making appliances for the UK market in 1975 and began exporting in 1979. Stannah stair lifts are now exported to over 40 countries. To date the company has installed over 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
Both companies’ seats come with the usual features of fold-down seat and flip-up foot rest. Both seats offer safety detectors mounted on the footrest to immediately stop the chair if any obstacle is encountered.
The standard weight capacity of the Stannah 260 is about 270 lbs. The Bruno lift can carry heavier loads; up to 350 lbs as standard. If you’re on the large size the Bruno might be the best choice.
Both seats come with controls in the armrest. The Bruno comes with a 3 position, momentary rocker switch requiring the user to continuously hold it down to the control unit; the switch is mounted under arm. The Stannah comes with one removable ‘on/off’ key cap at the end of arm and a light-touch tiller-style control for up/down operation. What control system is best is a matter of personal preference, however, the Stannah does look the more attractive of the two and its ergonomic design is easier for most to use effortlessly.
Both chairs can be swiveled to allow easy access. Both the Stannah and the Bruno stair lift come with manual operation as standard – you depress a lever to swivel 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.
Track
Both companies use a rack and pinion system, which is the industry norm. Both tracks look attractive but the unique twin rail system of the Stannah perhaps does look a little more elegant. The Stannah also beats the Bruno when it comes to space requirements. The Bruno rail is fitted to about 7 to 8 inches from the wall; the Stannah rail is fitted closer at around 5 inches. Also, the actual width of the rail is thinner due to its innovative twin track system. Finally, the standard angle at which the rail can be fitted is a maximum of 45 degrees with the Bruno. The Stannah wins again, as its stair lift can cope with 52 degrees as standard.
Therefore, if your staircase is narrow or quite steep, the Stannah stair lift would be the best choice.
Safety Features
Both companies’ chairs come with a plethora of safety features. Both come with retractable safety belts. They also come with overspeed governors to slow the carriage from travelling over a certain speed. Both have footrest safety sensors to stop the carriage when touching any obstruction. Both are battery powered, therefore they can still operate if there’s a power outage. All in all, both lifts match each other in terms of safety.
The stair lift price for the Bruno and Stannah will depend on what features you want and what deal your local supplier will give you. A curved model requires an onsite survey as the track has to be custom made. Surveys from reputable dealers are free with no obligation to buy. Your best bet is to ask for a survey for both the Bruno Electra-Ride III Curved Rail and the Stannah 260. Compare the options on offer and the overall cost. You can easily find both a Bruno and Stannah supplier on the web.