Competitors to Acorn Stair Lifts claim that battery operated residential stair lifts are not reliable and need to have their batteries changed every 18 months. In addition, the battery compartment they say is hard to get to, so you have to have a tech come out and service the stair lift. Acorn counters that the Superglide has no cable that trails along so there is less chance of getting shocked. The battery operation offers a smooth start and stop which is essential, I believe, for handicapped.

And one of the best features I like about the Acorn lift is that it has a double tube rail that the chair rides on. Heavy duty rollers on the chair keep the ride smooth. This is the same technology many coaster cars use world wide. Acorn uses eight rollers making the ride one of the smoothest and improves stability.

The safety features are very nice. There is a mechanical brake and an electric one which is in the control of the rider. There are limit sensors on each end of the track, common in installations of stair lifts, and these give the unit a gentle start and stop as well. On a normal run, the chair will come to a very gentle stop and locks in the proper position for the rider to swivel out.

On the Superglide there are two ways to control it. First you can have a tethered joy stick which you keep in your hand while the car makes its way up or down. The other way is with an infrared handheld remote control device and with this, someone can operate the chair without physically being on it.

Chairs are a big consideration on a stair lift and Acorn has a three-position swivel seat that locks into place. Swiveling just makes it much easier when getting on and off the lift. You have a much less chance of falling on the stairs when you can swivel the chair to the side and dismount.

Acorn Stair Lifts can be designed to work in almost any staircase situation, straight or curved. There is even a small model that is thin and can operate on narrow stairs. And Acorn makes an outdoor model as well. Seems they’ve thought of everything.

Now any stair lift company is not going to have everything. There are going to be issues you will find with any company. It’s the customer support you get after the sale that makes the difference. I feel Acorn is a good company to deal with and make a good unit. When dealing with any of their representatives, make sure you build a relationship as you will be dealing with them through installation and service.