Factors Affecting Emergency Evacuation Chair Prices

Emergency evacuation chairs are an excellent way to help a person with mobility impairment traverse stairs quickly and safely in case of emergency. But costs can vary wildly, and the price tag doesn’t always indicate the quality of the evacuation chair.

To help you find the best chair for your needs and budget, let’s unpack factors affecting the price of emergency evacuation chairs. First we’ll look at general factors, before sharing key differences between two of our own models.

What influences emergency evacuation chair prices?

When you’re weighing up your options for evacuation chairs, make sure you’re comparing similar products. Here are key factors that influence the prices attached to evacuation chair makes and models:

• Materials. Typically, chairs made with different materials will cost more.
  
  
• Design and Features. Evacuation chair prices can sway depending on the design and additional comfort details. For instance, a headrest, belt, footrest and padded handle grips can add to the cost and experience for the user.
  
  
  • Intended use. An evacuation chair that’s designed for daily use by emergency personnel can be priced differently to one that’s meant for occasional use in a family home.

• Weight load. The maximum weight an evacuation chair model is intended to carry will influence its design and materials. This can affect the cost of manufacture and, ultimately, its price.
  
  
• FDA Registration and Approval. Cheaper products are less likely to be FDA registered or approved. While resulting in a higher price, FDA approval means you can trust the safety of the design and manufacture.
  
  

Before shortlisting evacuation chairs, we recommend you draw up a list of your own needs. Here are some questions that can help you zero in on what you’re looking for.

• What do I need it for? Are you looking to buy an evacuation chair for your EMT team to use in daily medical emergencies, or are you a person with a mobility impairment who would love the peace of mind that goes with having an evacuation chair at the ready?
  
  

• What’s the maximum weight my chair will carry, and how often? Depending on the age and weight of the intended user, your chair will need to meet a certain criteria. 
  
  

• What after-sales support do I need? Some evacuation chair manufacturers offer no after sales support or warranties. Money-back guarantees, warranties and customer service desks indicate a manufacturer takes pride in their products, and will ensure you get a chair that delivers on its promise.
  
  

This will help you create a shortlist — and determine whether any of the evacuation chairs are over- or underpriced.

Comparing Mobile Stairlift’s two emergency evacuation chairs

Let’s compare the Mobile Stairlift EZ Evacuation Chair and the EZ Lite Evacuation Chair to see how a different intended use, weight load and more can influence price.

Here’s a table of the key characteristics of each model for easy reading:

As you can see, both evacuation chairs are FDA approved, accompanied by warranty, and are made of the same materials. While both can be used at home and by emergency personnel, the EZ Evacuation Chair is designed to withstand a little more wear and tear, and to carry more weight. This makes it the preferred choice for EMTs and other medical professionals. The difference in intended use case influences design, build, and cost of manufacture — raising the price.

For related information on evacuation chairs read our Ultimate Guide To Emergency Evacuation Chairs.

Which evacuation chair is right for you?

Whether you’re a home user or someone needing to kit out an entire first response team, there will be an emergency evacuation chair that’s built to suit your needs — at a fair price.

At Mobile stairlift, we’ve taken the time to understand the different needs of home users and emergency personnel. That’s why we’ve created two FDA-approved evacuation chairs that serve their intended purpose, without compromising on the safety of the patient or the transporter. Find out more about our EZ Evacuation Chair and EZ Lite Evacuation Chair.