Comparing the Top Residential Elevator Companies: Pollock vs. Stiltz, Stannah, Savaria, Staying Home, PVE, and Cibes
October 31, 2025
Choosing a home elevator isn’t just about “up and down.” It’s about footprint, construction work, power needs, ride feel, capacity, and how quickly you can get it installed without turning your home into a jobsite. If you’re comparing brands before calling a dealer—smart move—this guide lays out the core differences so you can match the home lift to your home, mobility needs, and budget.
At Pollock, the design cues are simple: sleek through-floor travel, a shaftless dual-rail system installed behind the cabin, whisper-quiet operation, shallow entry ramp (<1″), and personalization touches like mood lighting and in-cabin folding seat on select configurations. It’s built to look like it belongs.
Quick Primer: What type of lift fits your home?
- Through-floor, shaftless (Pollock, Stiltz, Staying Home): Minimal construction (cut a ceiling opening), no hoistway/pit, compact footprint. Great for retrofits.
- Vacuum (PVE): Self-supporting clear tube; no pit or machine room; runs on dedicated household power; very distinctive look.
- Shafted home elevators (Savaria) or modular shaft/platform style (Cibes): Larger car sizes, higher travel/stops, classic elevator experience or platform solution; more building work but also more flexibility and finish options.
- Hydraulic homelifts (Stannah—Salise): Quiet hydraulic drive in a homelift format; brand heritage and curated finishes.
Pollock vs. Stiltz
| Category | Pollock | Stiltz |
| Structure | Shaftless through-floor with dual rails along a wall; preserves floorspace when parked upstairs. | Self-contained through-floor car with drive in roof space; minimal footprint. |
| Drive / Power | Traction/through-floor configuration; household power. Options include mood lighting, diagnostics display. | Electric rope-hoist in car roof; plugs into domestic socket; battery lowers to ground in outage. |
| Ramp/Entry | Shallow ramp (<1″); easier wheelchair/rollator entry. | Level threshold designs vary by model; Trio sized for wheelchairs. |
| Typical Travel | ~13’–15’9″ (two floors) depending on config. | Two floors typical for residential models. |
| Aesthetic Options | Mood lighting, full-height door style options, color choices. | Compact car styles (Duo/Trio), neutral finishes. |
Takeaway: Choose Pollock for the clean dual-rail look, shallow ramp comfort, and ambience options; choose Stiltz for a highly self-contained, plug-in, through-floor capsule.
Pollock vs. Stannah
| Category | Pollock | Stannah (Homelifts/Salise) |
| Architecture | Shaftless through-floor; compact retrofit. | Homelift range with hydraulic drive; curated homelift product (Salise). |
| Drive System | Traction/through-floor with household power. | Quiet hydraulic system. |
| Build Scope | Minimal works: cut opening, mount rails; no pit/room. | Homelift process with site survey/fit; product lineup varies by market. |
| Design Details | Mood lighting, diagnostic display, shallow ramp. | Heritage finishes/brand craftsmanship; styling-led. |
Takeaway: Pollock excels when you want a quick, low-build retrofit with modern accents; Stannah is the “heritage luxury” hydraulic homelift.
Pollock vs. Savaria
| Category | Pollock | Savaria |
| Architecture | Shaftless through-floor (2 stops typical). | Full home elevators (Eclipse geared-chain, Gearless, Hydraulic) up to 6 stops/50–60 ft; plus Vuelift with integrated hoistway (glass/acrylic). |
| Construction | Minimal works; no hoistway or pit. | Requires hoistway or uses Vuelift’s integrated shaft; broader permitting. |
| Capacity/Use | Residential two-floor independence; compact footprint. | Larger cab sizes, multiple openings, more travel—classic elevator experience. |
Takeaway: Pick Pollock for fast retrofit and design simplicity; pick Savaria for multi-stop, full-elevator capability or the architectural statement of Vuelift.
Pollock vs. Staying Home (Staying Home Corp.)
| Category | Pollock | Staying Home |
| Structure | Shaftless through-floor dual-rail. | Through-floor residential lift designed to retrofit against any wall; no pit or machine room. |
| Power/Backup | Household power; modern controls and diagnostics. | Battery-operated; runs both directions during power outages. 400-lb capacity, up to ~14 ft travel. |
| Doors/Car | Shallow ramp, mood lighting, full-height door options. | Sliding radial door; compact car sized for small wheelchairs/transport chairs. |
Takeaway: Pollock focuses on premium aesthetics and smooth dual-rail travel; Staying Home leans into battery resilience and wall-mounted simplicity.
Pollock vs. PVE (Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators)
| Category | Pollock | PVE |
| Technology | Conventional through-floor cabin on rails; enclosed car, customizable lighting and finishes. | Vacuum tube elevator (PVE30/37/52). No pit/hoistway/machine room; 220V single-phase power; compact circular car. |
| Look/Feel | Discreet, blends with interiors; wall-hugging rails. | Iconic panoramic tube—design statement that’s visible by design. |
| Use Case | Seamless retrofit that “disappears” when parked upstairs. | Showpiece aesthetic, tight footprints, clear cabs. |
Takeaway: Pollock = subtle elegance and familiar cabin form; PVE = futuristic tube with minimal building work and a distinct look.
Pollock vs. Cibes
| Category | Pollock | Cibes |
| Type | Through-floor homelift (car travels through cut-out; no shaft/pit). | Platform lift with modular shaft; delivered in ready-made modules; plug-and-play electrics; typically no major rewiring. |
| Aesthetic | Enclosed cabin, lighting options, shallow ramp. | Platform with integrated shaft; architectural feature; installation in a few days. |
| Fit/Scope | Best for two floors where you want minimal construction and a traditional cabin feel. | Great where a self-contained shaft solves structural constraints or you want a platform-style solution. |
Takeaway: Pollock keeps the footprint small and the look refined; Cibes brings a modular shaft/platform package when a self-contained structure is the winner.
Pollock Feature Highlights (Why homeowners and clinicians love it)
- Shaftless, space-saving design—no hoistway, no pit, no machine room.
- Shallow entry ramp (<1″) for easier rolling entry and safer foot clearance.
- Mood lighting + full-height door options for a residential-grade aesthetic (not “equipment” vibes).
- In-car diagnostic display for service transparency; optional 7″ display plus emergency phone system.
- Two-floor travel typical; published ranges ~13’–15’9″ depending on configuration.
Which elevator matches your situation?
- I need the least disruption and a blend-in look with a full door: Pollock (through-floor, dual-rail, mood lighting).
- I want a self-contained capsule that plugs in: Stiltz.
- I want a full traditional elevator with more stops/features: Savaria (Eclipse/Gearless/Vuelift).
- I need battery resilience both directions: Staying Home.
- I love the modern glass-tube look: PVE.
- I need an integrated shaft with modular install: Cibes.
Interested in Becoming a Distributor?
If you are looking to expand your product offerings or trying to reach a new market, then the Pollock Residential Elevator could be perfect for you. Reach out to our team to learn more.
