Hydraulic, MRL or platform lift: choosing a home lift

Home lifts come in three broad types. They differ in how they move, what they ask of the building, and how they feel to ride. Here is how to tell them apart.

Hydraulic lifts

A hydraulic lift is pushed up by a piston driven by oil under pressure, and lowered by releasing that pressure. The pump unit sits in a small machine space near the shaft.

• Suits: low rises and heavy loads, including car lifts and goods lifts.
• Asks of the building: a pit, and room for the pump unit close to the shaft.
• Consider: oil must be maintained, and energy use is higher than traction lifts because the motor lifts the full weight of the car each trip.

Machine-room-less (MRL) traction lifts

An MRL lift is moved by ropes or belts over a compact motor mounted inside the shaft, with a counterweight balancing the car. No separate machine room is needed.

• Suits: villas with several floors, and residential buildings.
• Asks of the building: a pit and enough headroom at the top of the shaft, both depending on the model.
• Consider: usually faster, smoother and more energy efficient than hydraulic lifts, which makes them the default choice for most new villa lifts.

Platform lifts

Platform lifts are compact home lifts that travel slowly, often driven by a screw, belt or small traction system, and many need only a very shallow pit.

• Suits: existing homes where digging a pit or building a full shaft is difficult.
• Asks of the building: little civil work, and many models come in a self-supporting glass or panel enclosure.
• Consider: lower speed and capacity, so they suit two to four floors and light daily use.

How to choose

Start with the building, not the brochure. The number of floors, the pit depth you can achieve, the headroom at the top and the space available for a shaft rule out options quickly. Then weigh how the lift will be used: one person a few times a day is a different brief from a family with elderly parents or a wheelchair user. Finally, compare the cost over ten years, including energy and maintenance, not just the purchase price.

The cabin is a separate decision. Any of the three types can be finished to match your interior, from glass and bronze to stone floors and timber walls.