Bruno Stairlifts

4.6 Stars (276 Reviews)
Most Reviewed
Brands that earn the Most Reviewed badge have received the most customer reviews in their category on Retirement Living over the last 12 months.

Updated: June 11, 2024

Bruno Independent Living Aids is a third-generation family business located in Wisconsin, dedicated to making lives easier for people with mobility challenges. Bruno manufactures straight and custom-curved rail stair lifts for indoor and outdoor use. The models are known for quality, performance, and customization.

Editorial Breakdown

Customer Service

4.2 Stars

Customization

4.1 Stars

Price

4 Stars

Warranty

4.6 Stars

Overall Rating

4.6 Stars

Bottom Line

Bruno makes multiple indoor and outdoor stairlifts including straight and curved stairlifts. Reviews indicate high user satisfaction, and all lifts come with a comprehensive warranty.

Bruno was founded by a US Veteran with the goal of being a leading provider of solutions for an independent lifestyle. In addition to stair lifts, Bruno designs and builds scooter and wheelchair lifts for homes, businesses and vehicles. Their stair lifts and other mobility products are sold, installed and serviced by factory-trained local dealers.

Whether the stairs are inside or outside the home, Bruno makes stairlifts to accommodate every configuration of curved or straight staircases. Bruno’s unique vertical stairlift rail system allows for maximum open space on the steps, and multiple stairlift options are available to accommodate the individual user’s needs.

Pros

  • ISO 9001 Certified
  • Indoor and outdoor stairlifts
  • Global brand known for quality and safety

Cons

  • No online purchasing
  • No DIY installation, must pay an installer

Bruno Stairlift Models

All Bruno stairlift models feature a chair attached to a rail that is secured on the stairs. When the rocker switch on the chair’s armrest is pushed, the stairlift travels up and down the steps. Bruno straight stairlifts use a vertical anodized aluminum rail. Bruno curved stairlifts feature a custom-made, vertical e-coated steel rail for stability and a precise fit. For details about how stairlifts work, see our Stairlifts Buyer’s Guide.

Bruno stairlifts

Bruno stairlifts are powered by two twelve-volt batteries, allowing the stairlift to operate in a power outage. While in a parked position at the end of the rail, Bruno curved stairlifts are automatically recharging their batteries. Bruno straight stairlift models were the first stairlifts in the industry featuring charge strips along the entire rail, which enable the unit’s batteries to constantly charge no matter where the unit is parked.

All Bruno stairlift models are equipped with standard safety features including obstruction sensors that stop the lift if the chair hits an object on the steps and a seat belt to secure the user in place.

ModelsFeatures
Elan Straight Stairlift
Indoor
Bruno’s most popular straight stairlift, with a 300 lb – lift capacity, features a vertical rail that allows the stairlift to be installed close to the wall for maximum open space. Folded rail and other power options available.
Elite Curved Stairlift
Indoor
Custom hand-built rail for precise fit, and smooth, consistent ride. High performance with stylized look offers 400-lb lift capacity. Select power options to customize the Elite curve to your needs.
Elite Straight Stairlift
Indoor
Custom hand-built rail for precise fit, and smooth, consistent ride. High performance with a stylized look offers a 400-lb lift capacity. Select power options to customize the Elite curve to your needs.
Elite Curved Outdoor Stairlift
Outdoor
Curved rail custom built to exact specifications of stairs. Engineered to withstand harsh weather – performance tested from 0⁰ F to 125⁰F. Cover provided with stairlift.
Elite Outdoor Stairlift
Outdoor
Marine-grade vinyl padded seat and arms and waterproof cover for weather protection. Anodized aluminum rail with covered gear rack. 400-lb lift capacity.
Bruno Stair Lift Options

Bruno Stairlifts Costs and Warranty

Bruno straight stairlifts have a limited lifetime warranty. Curved and outdoor models come with a comprehensive five-year limited warranty on components and two years on parts. You may get additional warranty coverage through the authorized Bruno dealer or installer.

The cost of a Bruno stairlift varies depending on the custom configuration and dealer. The price depends on the model, the rail length, upgrades, and state permitting requirements (businesses). Straight stairlifts from Bruno start at around $4,000, while custom curved models start at $11,000. The average labor cost for installation is $70 per hour, and electrical work should be around $300. Call your local government office to discuss building permits.

Bruno logo
4.6 Stars

Bruno

  • Made in USA
  • High customer satisfaction rating

How Bruno Stairlifts are Installed

Bruno dealers are factory-trained to ensure proper installation of your lift. It takes an average of two-to-three hours to install a straight stairlift. A curved stairlift takes longer to install based on the complexity of the curves and length of the stairlift rail.

Where to Buy Bruno Stairlifts

You can buy Bruno stairlifts from an authorized dealer in your community. To find an authorized dealer in the United States or Canada, visit Bruno’s website. If you need to find a Bruno Stairlift dealer outside of North America, there’s a form you can complete and submit on the website. You can also request a stairlift quote on the Bruno website.

Bruno Stairlift Complaints

Bruno Independent Living Aids is rated at nearly 5 out of 5 stars with 1,550 reviews on ConsumerAffairs. Customer feedback frequently mentions the quick installation process and how well the stairlift improved mobility. Reviewers often spoke highly of the authorized dealers as being friendly and professional.

Bruno has an “A+“ rating with the Better Business Bureau, with 46 reviews and an average rating a 4.3 out of 5. Bruno resolved or offered to resolve each complaint, even contacting dealers to get customers the resolution they desired. On TrustPilot, Bruno scores 9.6 out of 10 stars across 1,854 customer reviews.

Bruno Outdoor Elite stair lift
Bruno Outdoor Elite stair lift

Bruno Stairlifts FAQ

Can I install a Bruno stairlift myself?

Only authorized dealers and technicians can install Bruno stairlifts. There are no DIY options available at this time.

Does insurance cover some of the costs for Bruno Stairlifts?

Most health insurance plans don’t cover the full cost of buying and installing stairlifts, and Medicare provides no coverage. See How to Pay for Aging in Place Home Remodeling for tips on making a stairlift affordable, and ask your Bruno dealer about financing.

Can you order Bruno stairlifts online?

New Bruno stairlifts must be purchased and installed by a local authorized Bruno dealer. Most Bruno dealers will not install a stairlift not purchased from them, so ordering them online is not recommended. In addition, by using a dealer, a trained specialist is able to properly measure the steps and also determine if any options are needed to customize the stairlift based on the individual user’s capabilities.

Are Bruno stairlifts permanent?

Since Bruno Stairlifts are not permanently installed and do not require home modification, you can remove them from your home if they are no longer needed.

Will Bruno stairlifts work in a power outage?

Bruno models are battery-powered and continually charged via a wall outlet. If the power goes out, the stairlift will pull from the battery power for an additional number of rides.

Conclusion

When you’re in the market for mobility equipment such as a stairlift, it’s essential to choose the highest quality and safest product possible. Bruno Independent Living Aids has been in business for more than 35 years, stands by its products, manufactures all its lifts in the United States, and carries leading industry certifications for safety. Consumer reviews indicate that Bruno stairlifts are reliable and the company listens to customers.

Bruno logo
4.6 Stars

Bruno

  • Made in USA
  • High customer satisfaction rating

276 Bruno Reviews

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Featured Review

5 Stars

May 06 2022 11:06AM

The Bruno chairlift is working well. Bruno looked like it would fit our needs and they gave us the price of it, and it was affordable. The installers were courteous and kind. They cleaned up their mess when they were done. So, I was happy with that.

My dad uses the product. He's having difficulty climbing the stairs and now, he can get up and down the stairs.

Wanda B.
TN, TN
5 Stars

March 23 2025 10:31AM

The people from Bruno were very prompt and efficient, as far as answering my questions. I felt like I could trust them. They genuinely cared. The sales agent came out and measured the staircase and explained how the stairlift would be mounted and how far out in the stairs it would come. He was very informative as far as the equipment that they were going to be installing. It's out of the way, but yet it's there when I need it. I love it. If I have somebody else in the house at the time, I can send a load of canned goods down to the basement and put them on my shelves and they can send the chair back up for another load. I can use it like an elevator-type thing also. So, it seems to work for whether I'm sitting in it going down or whether I'm sending something down to the basement that I don't want to try to carry down the steps. I am totally satisfied with it. It makes the difference of being able to live on my own without any help. So, it's been a life-changer.

MJ P.
Independece, VA
5 Stars

March 22 2025 5:15AM

I had a Bruno chairlift installed for my brother who recently suffered a stroke. He has a townhouse, so it is to access the second floor. The installers were very nice and professional. I did research to find out the excellence of Bruno's product, and that contributed to me choosing the product. Lifeway was the company that sells it and they were very good from start to finish as far as the salesman that came out and the installers that installed. My brother tested the chairlift and he got it down pat.

Cynthia H.
Fairburn, GA
4 Stars

March 21 2025 5:17AM

The salesperson from Bruno explained what the stairlift's capability was and how you worked with it. It just three separate stairs so it’s easy to maneuver. We ended up purchasing one. It works very well. It takes me up and about very quickly.

Daniel S.
New Berlin, IL
5 Stars

March 16 2025 9:49AM

At first, it took me a little bit of time to know how to operate the Bruno stairlift but since then, it's been fine. When it was put in, the young lady was very nice and very congenial and explained things to me. It just took me maybe a number of times to get the gist of how to get it going. I had a little trouble then, but it's fine now. It's wonderful. I enjoyed it. I had 14 steps and I'm 90 years old. My children kept saying, "Mommy, you don't need to go up and down those stairs." So, that was when we decided to get in touch with a stairlift company and get this installed for me and it's been great. I feel very safe. The wonderful thing about it is I can carry things in my arms and still operate it fine. I can get my laundry ready, put it in my lap and bring it right up the stairs. I don't have to struggle with carrying it with walking. So that's been good, too.

Jane S.
Dadeville, AL
5 Stars

March 15 2025 6:29AM

I went online to see what stairlift was rated the best one, and overall, it said Bruno. I looked at who locally sold them, and then who called me back is who I went with. The sales visit was very good. Everything was excellent. The installers did a great job. We got a straight stairlift. I like the remote control that you can use at either end to bring it up. It sits down at the bottom place first.

Larae H.
Turbotville, PA
5 Stars

March 12 2025 12:23PM

Our Bruno stairlift goes up and down the stairs and we use it. It looks like okay. It's designed to fit into the stairs. Also, the chair pulls up. My wife can't get up and down the stairs by herself. We're on a two-story house, and the stairlift impacted our life to the plus. It's a necessity. Occasionally, when my hips are hurt, it runs me up and down.

Dennis C.
Argenta, IL
1 Star

March 10 2025 6:23AM

The installation of our Bruno stairlift was fine, but some of the parts were missing. It's been three weeks and I haven't heard from them since to put the parts on. It was taking little chunks out of my steps and I had to duct tape the pedal, where you put your feet on, because that's where the pin's missing, then that couldn't hold that there up. The tech put little ties on it, but that broke after a while and it kept dragging on my steps and stopping it and we had to put duct tape on it to hold it up. So, I'm not happy with that. Also, there is a little tear in the seat on the side. I told them about it and that's been a month or so. They were supposed to bring a new seat out when they came out and put this other one in and they didn't bring that one out either. Overall, the guys that put it in were really good, but getting the pieces that are missing and cut is not very good.

Greg W.
Kensington, OH
5 Stars

March 06 2025 6:25AM

I'm very happy with the Bruno stairlift. I live in a house that's bi-level. It has a split foyer. So before I got the stairlift, I was reduced to just barely able to get myself up and down the stairs, but I could not carry anything. We live in the upper level, and we keep our washing machines, our storage and our pantry downstairs in the lower level. I couldn't foresee how we would put an elevator or a dumbwaiter. So, it had to be a stairlift and I have two of them. The first one, I paid for and it was an inexpensive one and it's not workable. So, I went to the VA and told them that, and then they gave me the larger one with the larger seat and it's wonderful. Our new stairlift is excellent. It's just what I wanted. I can put a small bag of groceries in my arms and it works, where the other stairlift did not. Also, I could carry up laundry. You take a basket of laundry down to wash it, and then you bring it back up.

Leo M.
Warrenton, VA
5 Stars

March 06 2025 4:45AM

I had a friend encourage me to get a stairlift because she worries about me climbing the stairs. I went with the Bruno because I was impressed with what I saw on the internet about how it performs. The salesperson did a very good job. They had a display in their showroom where I could try it out and see which one I wanted. I got the top of the line because one of the stairs is right in front of a doorway to the living room. So, I like that I can fold up that bottom part of the rail so that you don't have anybody tripping over it going through the doorway.

There's an issue when I get to the top of the stairs and I put so that it's sideways and the foot thing comes up. When I start it again, it won't move. So, I think it's a little loose in the twisting part of it. I was going to call them and have their technician come over and try and figure out what happened. I do like the two remotes because I can leave one upstairs or downstairs.

Overall, having the stairlift made me feel a whole lot safer. One of the things that the rep told me after he got all installed was not to put any weight on the foot thing that I put my feet on. I have to somehow put my feet on the floor and scoot it, but it can be very awkward with having Parkinson's. So, an improvement would be if they could make it so you could put weight on the thing that you'd have your feet rest on. Mine does turn when you get to the top of the stairs and get the one where I have to manually do it. I have to lift my feet up as it turns. My feet are kind of dangling until I get turned around to be able to stand up.

There's a footrest that you put your feet on to go up but then, when you get to the top of the stairs and it turns to the side, the footrest stays on the stairs where you stop and it twists to the side so the footrest is left behind. You have to hold your feet up as it turns for you to stand on the floor. But when I get on it, the footrest is in the way to sit down. An improvement would be if I could sit down on the seat and then push the button for the footrest to go down because I'm at risk of tripping just trying to get on it sometimes at the bottom. At the top, it's not an issue because the footrest doesn't come up to the top. It stays on the staircase, and it beeps until I close it back so it's not in the way for somebody to come up the stairs, which I think is a good reminder. I like that it beeps.

I was thinking I could be able to put my laundry in my lap and go up the stairs, but it doesn't quite fit when I put it in my lap because the staircase isn't wide enough for me to do that. So, I got to put it way on top of the armrest and stuff to go up. My staircase isn't very wide and they measured it and they said it would fit. I thought the rail would be a little closer to the wall than what it is. So, they have to allow for the movement of the seat.

Cynthia S.
Naperville, IL
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