Acorn Stairlifts
Acorn Stairlifts is a family owned company established in 1992. They started out selling reconditioned stairlifts made by other manufacturers before beginning to design and manufacture their own brand of stairlifts and launching the Superglide Stairlift, which is still a bestseller today.
Acorn was the first company to introduce DC batteries to power their stairlifts, meaning the motor will still work during a power cut. This system of powering stairlifts is now the norm for all modern stairlifts.
They manufacture over 50,000 stairlifts each year. In addition to selling to customers throughout the UK, Acorn sell their stairlifts internationally in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and South Africa.
Acorn sell a range of straight and curved stairlifts to fit nearly all types of stairs. They offer a free no obligation survey so you can get professional advice on which model is best for your particular requirements.
Acorn Stairlift Reviews
In a recent Which survey that asked members of the public to rate their Acorn stairlift in a range of categories, the overall customer satisfaction score was 68 percent. Acorn stairlifts got a high score of 4/5 for:
- Reliability
- Useability
- Suitability for the user
- Suitability for the stairs and home
Based on these results, an Acorn stairlift is a good choice for someone who is worried they won’t be able to operate a stairlift.
The average prices people paid were £2,307 for a brand new model and £1,214 for a secondhand one. In this particular survey, Acorn was the cheapest of the big brands. In fact, 31 percent of people were able to successfully haggle to get a lower price than they were first quoted. Read on for reviews of the different models.
Acorn 130 Stairlift – for straight stairs
The Acorn 130 stairlift is designed for use on straight staircases.
Features:
- Glides smoothly up and down the stairs and has a gentle stop and start mechanism
- Complies with European safety standard BS EN 81-40:2008 and international safety standard ISO 9836-2:2000
- Slimline design with foldable seat, arms and foot rest that leaves plenty of room for other stair users
- Seat and back rest are padded for comfort and support
- Easy to use up and down switch on arm
- Two remote controls with big buttons to call the stairlift up or down the stairs if needed
- Seatbelt
- Swivel seat to make it easier to get in and out
- Fits to the stairs not the wall, so doesn’t require structural alterations
- Key to lock and deactivate the stairlift
- Five safety sensors to detect anything blocking the stairs
- Simple to read digital display to detect any problems
Acorn 180 Stairlift – for curved stairs
The Acorn 180 stairlift can be specially designed to fit any configuration of curved stairs.
Features:
- Runs on a modular rail system that can be installed quickly using Acorn’s Fast Track service
- Installation does not require any structural changes
- Self-levelling carriage travels smoothly and stops gently
- Hard-wearing seat and foot rest
- Seat swivels and lock to make it safe to get on and off
- Easy to use paddle switch to move the stairlift up and down
- Two remote controls included to call the stairlift to the top or bottom of the stairs
- Seatbelt for safety and security
- Easy to read digital display to diagnose faults
- Five safety sensors to prevent the stairlift bumping into any obstacle on the stairs
- Slimline design with seat, foot rest and arms that can be folded away when not in use
Acorn 130 Outdoor Stairlift – for outdoor use
The Acorn 130 Outdoor stairlift has the same features as Acorn’s 130 indoor straight stairlift except that it can be used outside.
Features:
- Weather resistant cover to protect the stairlift from the elements
- Installed on the steps not the wall, so no major structural alterations needed
- Easy to use paddle control
- Two remote controls
- The arms, seat and foot rest can be folded up and covered for storage
- For security, a removable, waterproof, lockable key switch to disable the stairlift when not in use
- Five safety sensors to prevent collisions with any objects that may be on the steps
- Easy to board swivel seat with seatbelt
- Comfortable and supportive padded seat and back rest
Acorn Perch Stairlift – for narrow stairs or for people who have trouble bending their knees
Acorn’s Perch starlift is designed for people with limited flexibility, who have difficulty bending their knees. It is also a good solution for narrow stairs. It has similar features to Acorn’s 130 straight stairlift.
Features:
- Can be fitted to narrow stairs
- Enables users to perch rather than sit
- Grab safety rail for added security and comfort
- Softly padded seat and back rest
- On/off switch can be locked with a key
- Safety sensors to bring the lift to a smooth halt if a stray object is found on the stairs
- Two remote controls with big buttons can be used to park and call the lift
- Easy to read digital display
- Attaches to the stairs not the wall, so no need to redecorate
Acorn Sit/Stand Stairlift – for when two people with different requirements need help with the stairs
The Acorn Sit/Stand stairlift is a versatile model that combines features from Acorn’s other stairlifts. It is designed for homes where two people need to use the stairlift but have different physical requirements.
Features:
- Like the Perch stairlift, a grab rail for extra security
- Arthritis Foundation approved controls
- Swivel seat and safety belt
- Removable key
- Safety sensors to detect any obstruction on the stairs and automatically halt the stairlift safely
- Two remote controls to send the stairlift up or down the stairs
- Comfortable padded seat and back rest
- Foldable seat, arms and foot rest
