Summit Stair Lifts - Old Fashioned And Out Of Date?
Robin OBrien Summit stair lifts are among the cheapest on the market today. But, they've been accused of being old fashioned and obsolete and not giving the consumer the advantages offered by other brands. Are Summit stair lifts old hat? Should you go out and buy one? Many have discovered the real benefits of installing a home stair lift. Those with mobility problems are finding that these appliances allow them to get back their entire home and alleviate the worry of getting home help or moving to a single storey house. Unfortunately, many of these who really need one have very small budgets and can't afford the price of many leading brands. Summit stair lifts specialize in filling this niche. They make a machine that is cheap, safe and reliable. However, other manufacturers have accused them of making a very inferior product that is out of date. But, how true is this accusation? When electric stair lifts first came on to the market they were all powered by mains AC power. Battery technology was not sufficiently advanced to operate stair lifts. However, times have changed and now nearly all models now sold use 24 volt DC rechargeable battery units. Summit lifts continue to be mains powered and this one main reason why others say their product is out of date. There are a number of advantages in using batteries. Installation is easy, the unit can still be used when there is a power outage and, it is claimed, that DC batteries provide a much smoother ride than mains power. While the above may be true, there are advantages to be had using a mains supply. The big advantage of mains powered units is that you can use them constantly - batteries need to be recharged after about 20 round trips up and down the stairs. So, if you will be using your chair lift a lot or if more than one person will be using it, the mains powered Summit stair lift doesn't sound that out dated. As for the claim that battery powered units give a smoother ride, the average user isn't going to notice this when they're traveling at around 20 feet per minute. Also, the technology used in motors is now better than it was. I doubt if many people could tell the difference in terms of ride comfort whether they were using a Summit or a Bruno stair lift (which is battery powered). The drive mechanism of most modern lifts is by rack and pinion. However, the Summit continues to use a cable system. There are many arguments as to which system is better. Summit argue that rack and pinion need regular cleaning and maintenance, but many top rated stair lifts like Bruno, Acorn and Stannah all have sealed units that don't require any maintenance at all. Other manufacturers have hit back and claim that cable systems suffer more wear and tear as the cable is constantly moving. However, Summit units come with a five year warranty, which would seem to suggest that the company is confident that its cable system doesn't suffer any more wear and tear than a rack and pinion system. If there is one major downside to the Summit unit it is the ride comfort of the cable system. Rack and pinion stair lifts do give a smoother ride than that of cable stair lifts. Summit stair lifts do use older technology but it is a technology that has been proven to work. It's also a very reliable product and many customer reviews concur with this. If you're on a budget and want to buy a low cost stair lift then the Summit is a good option. About the Author
Follow the links for the Summit stair lift as well as stair lift ratings on brands like the Bruno stair lift and many others. Click here to view more articles by Robin OBrien. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
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