Compare AmeriGlide vs. Handicare Stairlifts

Lifetime warranty??? This is big words for very limited warranty! If you REALLY read warranty paper you will find that it is EQUIPMENT lifetime which is estimated for 10 years. NOT YOUR lifetime (until you die). It looks like lousy product which will last only 10 years...

We live in OR state and when we needed a stair lift for my dad we thought no problem we will just buy it locally and be done with it. Of course, we went on line prior to calling the local companies and found out Ameriglide sold new stair lifts for self install for $1799 and installed them for $575. We then started getting quotes from local dealers for Bruno, Stannah, called Acorn, and even Easyclimber. We were shocked to hear the prices for what appears, with the exception of Stannah, to be very similar equipment. Acorn, $3000 plus, Bruno, $3000 plus, Easclimber just crazy at over $5000, and Stannah the top at $6,000. We called Ameriglide and talked with Sean Graham in AZ. He told me we could buy an Ameriglide lift and self install but they could not install it for us because of state regulations. Acorn was the next consideration however their ratings are terrible! We ended up buying the Ameriglide and installed it ourself. Sean said it would take 3 hours and that is right on the money. Have had it installed for about 4 months now and it is wonderful. Had one little issue with a seat switch and Ameriglide tech support walked us through how to fix it in about 5 minutes. No service call needed. The stair lift arrived on schedule and was well packaged. The boxes were pretty beat up as it came from their warehouse facility in NC but everything was in good shape. Read the instructions and watch the installation video before starting the installation. Follow them step by step and it is easy. Ameriglide saved us thousands over the competitors.

Bought one of their curved stairs lifts from the Raleigh NC store. We worked with Roger Adams and although it took over 30 days to get the lift made and installed we are so happy we did. The process took two trips to our home. One to measure the stair case and the second to install the lift. Our mother is now safe on the steps and she loves the lift. We can highly recommend both Roger and his company.

Overall for the price paid, I expected a system that was a little more refined, a lot of the components come together like an amature cobled this thing together in their garage to make it work. After installed it does work and seems to be adequately sturdy for its purpose. My lift arrived with the following problems: -Final Limit Error - I immediately called my sales rep Danny Efron for assistance and he quickly transferred me to parts, which went straight to voicemail, I left a message and now, 2 days later still no response. Apparently once they get your money they're out of the customer service business and you're on you own. Lucky thing I'm a retired electronics tech and they do provide a wiring diagram. I found the problem with adjustment of the Safety Gear Limit switch, not sure what that switch does, it's attached to a bunch of levers and springs, I adjusted it until the error disappeared. -I was missing the fused link that you are suppose to connect between the batteries, I fabricated one. -The lead that they included to connect the last battery to the power switch was too short, I fabricated one of them as well. -A big gouge in both halves of the rail, the gouge on the top rail is cosmetic, but the gouge on the bottom rail was on the side of the rail which interfered with the passing of the carriage assembly. I had to use a flat file to smooth out the guide roller opening to allow smooth passage past that point. -No hardware was sent to attach the upper rail end cap, I took a screw out of the bottom cap and matched it a the hardware store, wouldn't you know, apparently the two rail sections I received are from different extrusions, the holes for the upper cap are larger in diameter than the bottom rail, a second trip back to the store for some thicker screws. -The power leads from off of the power supply that you are suppose to connect to the rail already have the connectors crimped onto the wires. Pretty interesting when you are suppose to thread this end of the wire through the cable gland on the rail, but it is physically impossible to do that with the connectors already on the wire, I had to cut them off, back to the hardware store for connectors and install new connectors after the wire was threaded through the gland. -After getting this thing to finally work, It would not charge, so I had to take it all apart again (3rd time) only to troubleshoot it down to a blown 7.5a fuse on the motherboard, a blown fuse on a tested unit, tested by NP on 23/3/17, notice the date of 2017, I'll get back to that below. Another trip to the hardware store for a fuse and everything seems to work. -Well almost... The remotes do not seem to work, no documentation other than how to mount them to the wall is included. Not an important feature for me anyway. As I mentioned my sales rep was Danny Efron, he was the most helpful person up until I paid. Let me explain: I needed this lift installed before my mother arrived to live with us, he assured me I would have it delivered on the 13th, I was leaving on the 17th. I confirmed with him on 2 additional dates and got the same answer. Now shipping from North Caroline to my location is 5-7 days ground via any carrier including freight. So on the 10th I again inquired about shipping, got the same answer. So when it didn't show up on the 13th I call again and now all of a sudden I'm not going to get it in time. This was when the big storm hit NC, but this thing should have shipped the week before to be on time. I had to depart to move my mother, and it was sitting here waiting when we returned, but with all the problems I had getting this thing up and running (see comments above) it took 3 days before my mother could use it, she was confined to the upstairs for 3 days because I had to carrier her up the stairs and she did not feel safe being carried. Take everything that Danny Efron tells you with a grain of salt, he's just into getting your money. I purchased a used Horizon unit, he told me that they didn't have any used units in stock and that I would be receiving a new unit... even better. But did you notice the inspected by date on the used unit I did receive? March 2017? Yep, not in stock since 2017! I received what I paid for, kind of, but just don't like being lied to. I do have buyers regret not due to the quality of the lift, but due to the lack of customer service. Be prepared to troubleshoot and fix this thing yourself, you'll be on your own once you've paid, if you think that will be an issue for you, then you should shop somewhere else.