Best Stairlift For Narrow Stairs

We have found the best stairlift for narrow stairs and it’s the Flow X from Thyssen Krupp (Now Access BDD). The Flow X has a unique patented technology which allows it to pivot the chair while in motion. This makes it the best stairlift for awkward staircases. It also has a super slim design and folds down to only 38cm in width when not in use:

Certain staircases simply aren’t suitable for a stairlift and it’s in those situations where the Flow X comes into its own! So if you have a very narrow staircase and no other stairlift will fit, we often recommend this one.

Best Stairlift For Narrow Stairs – Awkward Fittings

Another reason you might need a specialist stairlift such as this one is with a tight bend or an obstacle of some sort. Often, it is an awkward radiator which causes a problem, or a doorway at the base or top of the stairs.

In these picture you can see how the Flow’s “drop nose” rail gets around the problem of a doorway near the base of the stairs.

Many stairlifts require more space to park, or pivot for entry/exit at the top/bottom of the staircase. But the Flow X can be parked on the rail anywhere and the rail adapted for the best accessibility.

Best Stairlift For Narrow Stairs – ASL Tech

There’s ASL tech in this model (Advanced Swivel and Levelling). This means it can seamlessly pivot and glide around obstacles with ease! The Flow X has the patent on this technology. This makes it is the most agile stairlift available.

Here’s a picture of the stairlift being programmed to turn a tight corner without hitting the newel post.

Even spiral staircases are no match for the Flow!

When Would Another Stairlift Be Suitable?

If you asked us which is the best stairlift for narrow stairs, we would always say the Flow X! However, with a higher specification stairlift you’re looking at a higher cost. There are lower cost options if your staircase will allow. Particularly for a straight staircase, you may not need such an advanced stairlift as this one.

We would recommend this higher-spec model usually only when absolutely needed, and if no other models would fit. Unless of course the customer particularly likes the model.

Our next “go-to” stairlift for narrow stairs would be a Stannah. Stannah’s are a household name and for a good reason. They make excellent stairlifts! In particular they are very good for tight fittings because of the chair position on the rail.

Stannah have got their design very well down with a chair which sits well back on the rail. This means there’s loads more leg room than some other lifts would enable.

With a traditional stairlift setup – with an outward facing chair position, the leg length is a vital measurement, particularly with a narrow staircase. Specifically it is the back to knee measurement or the back to toe measurement which is important (whichever is the larger).

This distance will often be the deciding factor as to which stairlift will fit on your stairs.

Stairlift Obstacles To Consider With A Narrow Staircase

Here’s a case study of a fitting of a Stannah 600 (straight staircase) in Manchester where there was a slight issue with the radiator. As you can see, the radiator affected the rail position and in this case we had to remove the radiator for the stairlift footplate to fit inside the newel post.

This staircase was fairly narrow, but the newel post at the bottom was the narrowest point. Often, it is the narrowest point of a staircase which determines which lift can be installed. With a curved staircase, there’s more potential problems because of the need to manoeuvre the stairlift around a corner.

Summary

While we have mentioned a couple of stairlift options here, ultimately, the best stairlift for narrow stairs will depend on a few other things such as:

• The type of staircase – is it straight or curved?
• Are there any doors at the base or the top?
• Are there other obstacles such as radiators/cupboards?
• How narrow is it at its narrowest point?
• What is your back to knee/toe measurement?

We always recommend having an engineer offer a free assessment of your property. That way we can determine which stairlift is best for your stairs and your budget. If no other stairlifts can be fitted to a very narrow/awkward staircase, we will often will recommend the Flow X as an option if possible.

Get in touch and book an assessment. Call us on 0161 746 7566 or visit our contact page. We offer free home assessments UK wide for stairlifts.