Escalators vs. Lifts: Which Option is Best for Your Needs?

Both elevator lifts and escalators serve the same purpose . . .moving people and cargo from one floor to another, but which is better? The answer lies in what you need them for. Each method of moving things has its own pros and cons.

Elevator Lifts: Pros and Cons

An elevator is designed to move vertically within an elevator shaft and the box used to move people and items is limited to a specific weight. While you can use freight elevators to increase the amount of cargo permitted in the elevator, these are more expensive.

Elevators take up minimal space because they simply go straight up and down. The same elevator car can take you fifty stories or just one, so they are particularly useful in high rise buildings where it would be impractical to add escalators to each level. Elevator lifts are also wheelchair accessible and can be used for hauling loads of cargo, as well.

Lifts tend to be useful for reducing energy usage, as well. They can be designed to only light up when someone is inside and only use energy when they are in use. It’s possible to reduce the electricity used by an elevator drastically with just a few changes.

The downside to elevators is that they are limited in how many people they can carry. Some smaller elevators can only fit three or four people and even large ones rarely exceed 10. This means you will either need multiple elevators in a large building, or people will have to wait long periods of time to ride the elevator.

Escalators: Pros and Cons

Escalators take up the same amount of space as stairs, so they can be quite bulky. If you are tight on space, this makes it difficult to design an efficient escalator.

However, escalators can carry many more people than an elevator and don’t make people wait around to start moving. This eliminates a lot of frustration. Also, when the power goes out, the immobile escalator serves as regular stairs. This makes them useful even when turned off.

The downside to this type of lift is that it uses a lot more electricity and tends to move slower than an elevator. Escalators are also not wheelchair friendly, though they are helpful for those with mobility issues who can stand. They are also not very practical for moving large amounts of cargo or product.

When trying to decide between the two lift types, consider who will be using the escalator or lift and what their needs are. You should also look at how much space you have. In many cases, such as shopping centres, you’ll find that a combination of the two works best, since people can choose which option they prefer.

If you’re looking to install a lift or escalator in your building, contact Euro Lifts today to find out how we can help.