EZ Able® Resource Guide
Bruno Elan vs Elite: Which Stairlift Fits Your Stairs?
Quick answer
For a straight indoor staircase, the Bruno Elan fits most riders up to 300 lb and keeps the rail closest to the wall; choose the Bruno Elite when the rider needs 400 lb capacity or a wider, adjustable seat; choose the outdoor Elite for porch or deck steps, and a custom curved Bruno for any turn or landing.
The short answer
Start with the staircase, then the rider.
- Straight indoor stairs, rider under 300 lb: the Bruno Elan. It is our most popular stairlift because it suits most homes and most people.
- Straight indoor stairs, rider over 300 lb, or someone who wants a wider seat: the Bruno Elite, rated to 400 lb, with armrests that adjust wider.
- Porch, deck, garage or lake-house steps: the outdoor Bruno Elite, built and tested for weather.
- Any turn, winder or landing partway up: a custom curved Bruno. Neither straight model will work, no matter how short the turn.
Both straight models are Made in the USA by Bruno, run on batteries, fold up out of the way, and swivel at the top so getting off is safer. The differences are capacity, seat, rail clearance and options. The rest of this guide walks through each one in plain terms.
Bruno Elan vs Elite at a glance
| Feature | Bruno Elan | Bruno Elite (indoor) |
|---|---|---|
| Staircase | Straight, indoor | Straight, indoor |
| Weight capacity | 300 lb (136 kg) | 400 lb (181 kg) |
| Seat pad / width | 15.75 in wide seat pad; 20.25 in between arms | 17.75 in seat; armrests adjust up to 21.75 in apart |
| Rail distance from wall | Within 5 in | Within 6 in |
| Swivel at the top | Manual swivel up to 90°; power swivel optional | Offset swivel seat that locks at top and bottom |
| Footrest | 10.5 x 11 in; power folding footrest optional | Height adjustable; bigger footrest optional |
| Folding rail (for a door or hall at the bottom) | Optional (manual or automatic) | Automatic folding rail optional |
| Power | Batteries, charged from a household outlet | Two 12-volt batteries, charged from a household outlet |
| Warranty (Bruno) | Lifetime on motor, gearbox, drivetrain and rail for the original owner; 2 yr parts | Lifetime motor coverage per ezable.com; see warranty section below |
| Made in USA | Yes | Yes |
Prices change, so we don't repeat them here. Both straight lifts show an installed price on their product pages (Bruno Elan, Bruno Elite), and the stairlift cost page explains what changes the final number.
Step 1: Look at the staircase, not the catalog
The shape of your stairs decides more than any feature list.
Straight stairs
If you can stand at the bottom and see the top step with no turn, no winder (pie-shaped steps) and no flat landing partway up, you have a straight staircase. Both the Elan and the Elite are built for straight runs. This is the most common job we do, and a standard straight stairway is usually surveyed and installed on the same visit. See how that works on the 1-day stairlift process page.
Stairs with a turn or landing
A turn changes everything. The rail has to be bent to your exact staircase at the factory, so a curved stairlift is measured first and installed on a second visit. If your stairs turn, skip the Elan vs Elite question and look at the Bruno custom curved stairlift.
Outdoor steps
Porch, deck and garage steps need a lift built for rain, snow and sun. The outdoor Bruno Elite is rated to 400 lb, uses outdoor powder-coat paint on the aluminum and steel, is tested from 0°F to 125°F, and has a weather-resistant cover that travels with the chair. Straight outdoor runs go up to 50 feet.
Step 2: Match the lift to the rider
Once you know the staircase is straight and indoors, the rider decides between the Elan and the Elite.
Weight capacity: the first question we ask
On almost every phone survey, we ask the rider's weight. It isn't personal. It is the safety rating. The Elan is rated to 300 lb. The Elite is rated to 400 lb. If the rider is close to 300 lb, or expects to be, choose the Elite. A lift run near its limit every day is not where you want to save money.
Seat width and comfort
The Elan has a 15.75-inch seat pad with 20.25 inches between the arms, which suits most adults. The Elite has a 17.75-inch seat, and its armrests adjust out to 21.75 inches apart. A wider seat option is also available on the Elite. If the rider is broad through the hips or shoulders, or simply wants more room, the Elite is the more comfortable ride.
Knees, hips and getting on and off
Both lifts swivel at the top landing, so the rider faces the floor, not the stairs, when standing up. The Elan swivels by hand up to 90 degrees, with a power swivel available if turning the seat is hard. The Elite uses an offset swivel seat that locks at the top and bottom.
If bending to fold the footrest is uncomfortable, ask about the Elan's power folding footrest. We often suggest it when someone tells us reaching their toes is a struggle.
Step 3: Check the space around the stairs
Room for everyone else on the stairs
The arms, seat and footrest on both models fold up, so family and guests can still use the stairs. The Elan's rail sits within 5 inches of the wall and the Elite's within 6 inches. On a narrow staircase, that inch can matter, and we confirm it when we measure.
A door or hallway at the bottom
If the bottom of the rail would block a doorway or a hall, a folding rail solves it. The bottom section of rail flips up out of the way when the lift is parked at the top. The Elan offers a manual or automatic folding rail. The Elite offers an automatic folding rail. Tell us about any door at the bottom of the stairs during the phone survey, because it changes the quote.
Outlets
Both lifts run on batteries and charge from a standard household outlet, so they keep working during a power outage. We'll ask where your nearest outlets are at the top and bottom of the stairs so the charger can reach.
What about warranty?
Bruno's Elan specification sheet lists lifetime coverage on the motor, gearbox, drivetrain and stationary rail for the original owner, two years on other parts after installation by an authorized Bruno dealer, and 30 days of labor for manufacturing defects. Our Elite product page lists lifetime warranty on the motor. Read the warranty on the product page for the exact model you choose, and ask us if anything isn't clear.
On top of Bruno's warranty, our Michigan pages explain who handles the service call. We install the lift, and the same team services it afterward.
Medicare, sales tax and paying for it
Medicare doesn't cover stairlifts or other home modifications. In Michigan, the stairlift itself is exempt from sales tax with a physician's prescription. That exemption covers the stairlift, not service or parts. Our guide to paying for a stairlift in Michigan covers the programs that do help, such as VA home-modification grants and Michigan waiver programs.
Can I buy a used Bruno or move one from another house?
We get this call often. A straight rail is cut to the length of the staircase it was measured for, and the lift is set up for that stair's pitch and landings. A used lift may not fit your stairs even if the length looks close, so we can't promise one will work. A free measure of your own staircase is the honest place to start.
Who installs Bruno stairlifts in Michigan?
EZ Able has sold and installed stairlifts in Michigan since 2008, from our Traverse City location in the north and our Kentwood location for Grand Rapids and West Michigan. We don't hand your job to a call center. Our own installers measure, install and service the lifts we sell.
Here is how it works:
- Phone survey. A few minutes on the phone about your stairs, the rider and any doors or turns.
- Preliminary quote. An installed price up front, with options priced in, before anyone comes to your home.
- Site survey. We measure your actual staircase and confirm the quote. On a standard straight rail, the price doesn't change.
- Installation. A standard straight stairway is usually installed on that same visit. Curved rails are built to your stairs and installed on a second visit.
Find your local page: Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Traverse City, Petoskey, or all of Michigan. We install in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. If you live outside Michigan, Bruno can point you to a dealer near you.
Still deciding whether a stairlift is the right fit at all? Our stairlift buying guide covers the bigger picture, and stairlift vs. home elevator compares the two.
Questions we hear
Is the Bruno Elan or Elite better?
Neither is better for everyone. The Elan suits most riders up to 300 lb on a straight indoor staircase and keeps its rail within 5 inches of the wall. The Elite is the pick for riders up to 400 lb or anyone who wants a wider seat, with armrests that adjust to 21.75 inches apart. Both are Made in the USA, battery powered and fold up when parked.
What is the weight limit on a Bruno stairlift?
The Bruno Elan is rated for 300 lb (136 kg). The indoor Bruno Elite and the outdoor Bruno Elite are each rated for 400 lb (181 kg). If the rider is near 300 lb, choose the Elite so the lift isn't working at its limit every day. We ask the rider's weight on every phone survey because it decides which models are safe to quote.
Can a Bruno stairlift go on stairs with a turn?
Not a straight model. The Elan and Elite only work on straight runs with no turn, winder or landing partway up. For stairs that turn, Bruno builds a custom curved rail to your exact staircase. We measure first, the rail is made to fit, and we install it on a second visit. Curved lifts are priced after the measure.
Will a stairlift block the stairs for everyone else?
Not much. On both the Elan and Elite, the arms, seat and footrest fold up, and the rail sits within 5 inches (Elan) or 6 inches (Elite) of the wall, so others can still use the stairs. If the bottom of the rail would block a door or hallway, a folding rail flips that section up when the lift is parked at the top.
Does Medicare pay for a Bruno stairlift?
No. Medicare doesn't cover stairlifts or other home modifications. In Michigan, the stairlift itself is exempt from sales tax with a physician's prescription (the exemption doesn't cover service or parts). Some families qualify for VA grants or Michigan waiver programs. Our guide to paying for a stairlift in Michigan explains each one.
Who installs Bruno stairlifts near Grand Rapids?
EZ Able installs and services Bruno stairlifts in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming and across West Michigan from our Kentwood location, and in northern Michigan from Traverse City. Our own installers do the work. Call 877-392-2531 for a phone survey and a preliminary installed price before anyone visits your home.
Next Steps: Not Sure Which Bruno Fits?
Call 877-392-2531 for a phone survey. We'll ask about your stairs and the rider and give you a preliminary installed price before anyone visits your home.
Facts reviewed by the EZ Able® team, checked against ezable.com product pages and Bruno specification sheets, November 2026.
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