Bruno stairlifts review

Bruno's stairlifts are manufactured with ISO9001 certifications (Image credit: Bruno)

In our Bruno stairlift evaluation, we take a close look at the company’s history and reputation, and note how the company’s strict ISO 9001 certified quality management system has led to consistently great stairlifts. And in turn, this has led to Bruno having the highest customer satisfaction rating among seniors in our evaluation. We also evaluate the stairlifts, focusing specifically at what Bruno does better than other brands. And finally, we evaluate the pricing and compare it to other stairlift manufacturers on the market. After 40 hours or research and evaluation, Bruno is our pick for best stairlift company overall.

How we evaluate stairlifts

About Bruno stairlifts

Bruno is a family-run business and has been around for over 35 years, making it one of the oldest manufacturers of stairlifts in the US. This brand also makes powered lifts for wheelchairs and scooters, as well as vertical platform lifts, which are ideal for helping people in wheelchairs get up a flight of stairs. They don’t have the breadth of products as other brands, but they succeed with the products they have.

Bruno really has just two stairlift models, the Elan and the Elite. There’s nothing wrong with this. Each has a comfortable seat and all the safety features you’d want in a stairlift. That said, the Elite is available in a curved stairlift option, an outdoor option capable of handling the weather, and a curved outdoor option.

The best stairlift for customer satisfaction

As mentioned earlier, Bruno has just two seat options, the Elan and the Elite, though there are different outdoor and curved versions of the Elite. But given the high level of customer satisfaction with over 2,500 reviews, these stairlifts are clearly made with a high level of quality. As such, Bruno is our pick for best stairlift for customer satisfaction.

The Elan is, according to Bruno, the most popular American-made stairlift. It features all the amenities you’d expect in a stairlift: a seatbelt, safety sensors to stop the stairlift if it senses something on the rails, a swiveling seat, and rechargeable batteries that recharge anywhere on the rail. At just 15.75 inches wide, the seat is a bit narrow by comparison to other seats, making it uncomfortable for larger seniors. By comparison, the best stairlift seats are typically over 20 inches wide. However, it features a hidden track system that keeps the gears hidden and allows the track to hug close to the wall.

While there weren’t many complaints with the Bruno Elan in over 2,500 reviews, one issue that did come up was noise. That said, these complaints are few and far between and could be the result of a poor installation. In addition, noise may not be a significant issue for most seniors, especially if you’re aging-in-place on your own. But if you’re living with family, the noise might be something to factor in. Stairlifts only move at about 20 feet per minute, so you can expect the noise to last about a minute every time you go up and down the stairs.

If noise is a factor for you, then the Bruno Elite was specifically engineered to be smooth and quiet while providing a more robust motor than the Elan. It’s also compatible with Bruno’s curved rail system. In addition to the comfortable ride and the same safety features as the Elan, the seat is wider too at 21.5 inches, making it far more comfortable for larger seniors. The Elite also features a call/send remote, allowing you to use the stairlift even if the seat is downstairs when you’re upstairs, and vice versa. As with the Elan, the Elite also features a hidden track that hugs closely to the wall.

Our favorite option for Bruno stairlifts—and something that was mentioned in numerous positive reviews—is the folding rail. This is not included with each model, as it’s not necessary to have a folding rail in many situations. However, since the rail needs to reach the floor, it typically means that it extends several feet past the stairs. If your stairs are adjacent to a room or an area with a lot of foot traffic, this extension of the rail can get in the way. By folding upwards, the rail easily gets out of the way. You can choose to get this in either a powered or manual option. The powered option costs a little more but means you only have to press a button for the rail to fold up.

Bruno’s warranty is exceptional. It features a limited lifetime warranty, which is rare in this industry. Typically, stairlift manufacturers break the warranty in parts, with different limits on the drive train motor, electrical components, and the rail. That said, we couldn’t find the exact terms of the lifetime warranty anywhere, so we’re not sure what it may or may not cover.

Cost comparison

As with many manufacturers, Bruno doesn’t quote prices—this is because it sells its stairlifts through a factory-trained dealer network; each independent dealers sets their own pricing. However, according to multiple sites and our own interactions with Bruno representatives, the average Elan straight stairlift sells for $3,200 while the Elite straight stairlift will cost an additional $1,000. Although, it's worth pointing out that these prices vary depending on which part of the country you live in and how competitive the local market is.

If you have curved stairs, you’re looking to spend at least $10,500, as the rails need to be customized to your home. The base price of $3,200 is more expensive than most brands for a straight stairlift, but the curved stairlift is relatively affordable by comparison. Many brands start at about $12,000 for a curved staircase.

By comparison, AmeriGlide’s entry-level straight stairlift costs about $1,700 while a curved stairlift costs about $8,200. That said, Bruno’s customer satisfaction based on user reviews eclipses AmeriGlide many times over. Paying a little extra might be worth it for better quality stairlift. That said, Bruno isn’t the most expensive brand. Stannah’s curved stairlifts start at $12,000 and reach as high as $15,000.

Since you have to purchase a Bruno stairlift from a dealership, Bruno doesn’t have any financing partnerships to help you afford a stairlift. That said, most dealerships do offer some type of financing options, allowing you to make a monthly payment.

Final verdict

Bruno might be more expensive than most stairlift companies, but the strict adherence to quality assurance manufacturing has shown results. Bruno is the highest rated and most reviewed stairlift brand on the market. While the options aren’t much, the Elan and the Elite have all the features you’d need or want in a stairlift. The Elan might be a bit noisy for some, but the Elite makes up for it with a quiet and smoother ride. And with a lifetime limited warranty, Bruno is confident in their product.

The main question to ask yourself is if it’s worth the extra money for a better quality product. In this case, we believe it is. The price difference between the economical Elan model and the base package for most straight stairlifts is not significant. And the curved Elite stairlift costs less than many brands.

Jeph Preece is an ambitiously creative writer, editor, and content strategist with over seven years of digital publishing experience and five years teaching and admin experience in academia. He is specialized in short-form and long-form, purpose-driven content. Jeph is also an accomplished artist, musician, and author of innovative fiction.