Bruno Stairlifts

4.6 Stars (217 Reviews)
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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

4.55 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 Stairlifts Review

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). A straight stairlift can cost between $2,000 and $5,000, while curved models range from $8,000 to $10,000. High-end customized stairlifts cost up to $15,000. 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.

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 FAQs

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.

If you are interested in learning more about a stairlift from Bruno, give them a call (877) 718-1244 or visit their website.

217 Bruno Reviews

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5 Stars

October 23 2020 6:27AM

I had three companies come in to give me estimates. Bruno was the very first to come. I liked their rep a lot. I felt like he made me feel comfortable. The night before when I was just doing stairlift research online, I found Bruno.

I watched some kind of video about Bruno, and I liked the video. The stairlifts were made in Wisconsin and is manufactured in the United States. I'm trying not to buy anything overseas now.

I didn't have anybody else come to my house. I knew what it was gonna cost, and the Bruno rep's estimate was right at where it should have been. He didn't hose me. It's a custom stairlift so I know how much the difference is. Being in real estate, I have an idea what it cost.

I got a curved custom stairlift. I love it. It's all great. The only negative I have for that stairlift is when my grandma gets to the top of the stairs, she forgets to turn it, and so it's sitting sideways to the stairs.

I'm afraid that if she tries to get out because she forgets, she could fall down the stairs. She's trying to remember, though. She's 91. I wish when it went to the stairs, it just wouldn't turn. She has to lift up that handle and turn the seat.

The guy that did the measuring that sold it, John, was perfect. He was very professional, but personable and likeable.

Then the installation team was three kids, but they did a great job. They're very well trained. One of the kids is one of the owner's kid. He was good. They had an older kid who's probably in his 20s, and he was the foreman. He did a great job too. They put it in quickly.

As far as the Bruno stairlift, we haven't used the remotes, but they're nice. We just took a velcro and put it on both sides, top and the bottom. Grandma really doesn't use them. But it's nice to have them because I grabbed it before where it's at the bottom of the stairs.

A couple of times, she's feisty, and she climbed the stairs a couple of times without getting on the Bruno. So, I just grabbed the remote and pull it up so it's ready for the next time she's ready to go down.

The only negative is one of the armrests won't stay up. It just keeps falling down. It's a wide stairs. So, it doesn't really bother me, but it would be nice if that would fold up.

When you push it up, it just comes falling down. It's loose. I'm a do-it-yourself person, but I haven't really messed with it. I'm wondering if I'd just take my screwdriver and put it in the screw and tighten it.

My grandma is using the stairlift, and she's like 95 pounds. It has a 400 pound limit, so we're pretty good. It's enabled her to live in the lower level. It's really allowed us to move her in.

We got a living area upstairs, a living area downstairs, but no living area on the first floor. It's a big house with a bunch of kids, so it worked out.

My overall experience with Bruno was very smooth, easy, and I felt like I was delivered what was promised.

Rob F.
Noblesville, IN
5 Stars

October 19 2020 3:05AM

I've been having a really hard time getting up the stairs. I've had a lot of chest pain and breathing problems. I finally decided, rather than continuing with that, I would go and get a stairlift.

As far as Bruno goes, I did some research on the internet and they have a really good rating so I decided to go with them.

When I researched it, Bruno seemed like the logical choice. One of the things I was looking for was the weight capacity because I'm pretty heavy. They have that available. I thought that was nice.

As far as the sales experience goes, I just called them and told them what I wanted and they came out and did measurements, and then three days later, they came and installed, so it went really smooth. They did a great job.

I like the stairlift a lot. It makes it much easier to get upstairs. A lot of times, what I'll do is take it upstairs and then walk back downstairs and I come back down. I really like the remote to be able to bring it back down.

Nora G.
Indianapolis, IN
5 Stars

October 11 2020 6:48AM

My wife got to the point where she couldn't go more than three steps at a time up the stairs. She's got a bad heart. I had to do something, so I thought getting a stairlift might be the right solution. Bruno is working great.

I met the salesman when he came out. He was local. He also seemed more sincere and more reliable to take care of the problem. He was more believable. He was a better salesman.

The installation was easy. I'm a building contractor, and I'm used to this stuff. The installer was here a little over two hours. It was great.

We got a straight stairlift, and there's plenty of room. I got a big stairwell. I got the one where you lift the seat and the step goes down. I thought that was a pretty important option, and it turned out to be very good.

I don't like the fact that I got the track on the stairs, but you can't do without it. I thought that one was less revealing than the other. The seat could be a little more comfortable, but I think it compares with anything else I looked at.

It works just like it's supposed to. It does everything that the salesman said it would do. It's quiet. My wife uses it all the time. Now, she can go up and down the stairs. She loves it.

Larry K.
Napa, CA
5 Stars

October 10 2020 10:18AM

We're pleased with Bruno. The installation was wonderful. There was an issue and the installer had to come back a second day. But it wasn't his fault. It was a mechanical issue.

Now that we have the stairlift, my mother is avoiding the stairs and she's able to bathe. With assistance, she's able to shower on her own.

Joanne S.
New Paltz, NY
5 Stars

October 10 2020 3:20AM

My Bruno stairlift is beautiful. It's a lifesaver for me because I just had knee surgery. My children were after me constantly for going up and down the steps. So, they sorta insisted that I do something that would help me.

I had Acorn come out a couple of years ago, and they viewed what I had such as the steps. Then, when I got really serious about it this year, I thought, "Well, I'll call somebody local," because Acorn is from Florida.

Bruno had a rep here in town. They came out and they explained what they would do and they said that they would mount it on the steps. Acorn mounts on the wall. I didn't want it mounted on the wall. Bruno did a beautiful job mounting it on the steps.

Bruno's rep was a very nice young man. The installers were outstanding. You really wouldn't have even known they'd been here. They were so clean when they left. The men were very polite. They did their business, and left. They were very quiet.

It was a very nice decision that I went with Bruno. I'm very satisfied with my decision. It was an outstanding experience.

Darlene K.
Red Bank, TN
5 Stars

October 03 2020 3:51AM

Because my father is an old man, he's not able to go up the steps. My friends recommended me to Bruno and it is where we got a stairlift from.

I was 100% satisfied with the person who came to install it. It was done in two and half an hour. The stairlift has very good quality. I'm very happy. I'm using it every day.

Israel W.
Monsey, NY
1 Star

January 14 2020 6:05PM

Had Access stair-lift for 17 years. Extremely comfortable chair and easy to use. Replaced with Elan, disappointed and upset. Installer 1 kid, very nice but needed more help. Track way into stairs, past previous one. Chair functions, but terrible. VERY slim seat, afraid of sliding off, 5"2" petite. Feels like sitting on metal, NO padding. Arms curve out SO far my arms can't rest on them so difficult to hold lever. Extremely slow and not told how to use. Track so far past bottom step interferes with wheelchair on ramp. Altogether not anything I expected.

Read multiple reviews that were good. Would have had tech remove completely but he was firm that other seat options available. UNTRUE now stuck with nearly unusable lift. Would almost rather crawl UP AND DOWN..I LIKED IT BEING AMERICAN MADE BUT COMPANY HAS A long WAY TO GO. REALLY CHECK THIS OUT PRIOR TO PURCHASE. GOOD POINT (1), IT IS QUIET. If tech had not assured me of different seat options would not have kept. Anyone want a good deal?

Gigi M.
Burnsville, MN
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