Side by Side Comparison of: Medline vs Drive Medical

LOVE this chair. My 12 year old granddaughter has Down Syndrome and a heart condition that limits her ability to do extensive walking. She outgrew previous strollers and chairs we had, and so we had to search for something new. This chair is perfect. Just used it at the shore on the boardwalk and we plan to take it to Disneyworld with us in a couple months. It's easy to maneuver and folds up nicely.......very easy to store in the back of my vehicle. Lightweight and doesn't take up nearly as much room as her former big kid stroller. And the price is amazingly affordable. When searching for a transfer chair, I found some in the $1,600 range. This one is far more affordable at under $150 and it will work well for our needs.

Bought this chair for my mother. Have been using it for several months now. The first chair that was sent to me came with a bent wheel from shipping. I phoned the company and they were super nice. They sent out another chair to me. The second one came just fine. My mother really likes the chair. It is pretty easy to put in the car and take it out. The chair is very comfortable and rides smoothly even through parking lots on the bumpy concrete.

I have to add that the customer service for Medline seems really excellent. It was so refreshing to have them take care of the defective chair so easily and quickly and not go through any hassles over it. At the same time let me say also that the company does not pack the chairs for shipping very well. This is how the first chair ended up with a bent wheel. There really should be a whole lot more styrofoam packed around this chair to protect it during shipping but when I suggested this to their representative he just said that they do not pack the boxes any better. There was no real reason about why not given to me.

I ordered this for my elderly mother, and it showed up in two days. Couldn't believe how fast I got it, even with "regular" delivery. It works great... very comfortable for her, and easy to stow for the caregivers. The handlebars fold down at the arm rests, the leg rests come off, and it's light enough that it can easily be picked up and placed in the trunk of either a Mazda or Honda coupe. Comes with a seat belt. The only negative is that the "brakes" shouldn't be relied on. if you plan to use it in a hilly area, don't count on them to make much of a difference. They have "teeth" on them (like a dull saw blade) that are supposed to bite enough into the rubber tires to slow them down. They don't. For very light slopes or ramps of a short distance, they're okay, but they wouldn't work on a hill or on a long slope. A disk or drum brake would be more efficient (and cost a lot more, probably). For our use though, this chair and its delivery are both 5-star.

We bought this wheelchair for my mother-in-law when we took her on a cruise for her 80th birthday. It was so handy to have, comfortable and lightweight. It was easy to transport, easy to push, and convenient to store in our stateroom. The only negative was that, because she is pretty short, she had a difficult time standing up because the arms were too high for her to push herself up on. It would be nice if the arms were adjustable somehow. But overall, it was great. Don't know what we would have done without it!

I use this for moving my disabled wife around places like the zoo or park. I originally had the other medline chair with smaller back wheels but one of the footrests broke so I decided to purchase this one as an 'upgrade' to try out.

The difference is night and day. The bigger back wheel makes pushing her around a lot easier, especially uphill. Downhill can be harder; however, the handbrakes function better since they are gripping the big wheel whereas before the handbrakes would lock up the tinier back wheels and you would start to slide...so given that the handbrakes actually work right, downhills are a bit easier as well but you must be careful to have your hands on the brakes.

The other main difference that my wife loves is the ride is much smoother. Her back is easily upset and when I go over bumps and even small things such as gaps between concrete slabs she hardly notices them anymore.

Size is essentially the same. It folds easily and pops into my trunk and isn't so heavy that I would ever need help to carry it. Also, the frame is clearly heavy duty (compared with some of the really lightweight chairs you'll see that would break fast).

As far as reliability, I will still need more time (about a year) before I could really comment. I can say that my initial concern that the back wheel was possibly puncturable has been put to rest ( I frequently take it down dirt trails for short distances). Its not an inflatable tire so puncturing really isn't an issue.

Very happy I took the plunge and got this one.

Very sturdy and folds down to a convenient size for placing in the trunk. It's a must-have if you care for someone with ambulatory difficulties. Get a nice memory-foam cushion for it. My grandfather weighs 196 lbs. and fits perfectly.

Great for taking on trips. Folds up easily, weighs only 29 lbs (yep, I weighed it). We used it on airline and cruise ship.Very convenient and it worked perfectly.

Perfect chair for me. I just need it occasionally,I have rheumatoid arthritis and can't wallk long distances, but now I just get in the chair and away we go. Easy to push and maneuver ,Easy to get in elevators easy to open and easy to pack up. What more could you ask for, good price too. Great little chair. Thanks

THIS IS DEFINITELY A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE AND ANY AGE. My 80 year old aunt loves this transport chair. This transport chair is very well made and lasts. Easy for me to get her around in. This transport chair has all the safety mecanisum needed for you and your loved one. Very well made and durable! A must have! Quick,easy,fast on delivery, packaging was perfectly done. We will definitely be using g this seller for future medical equipment for years to come! Thank you DRIVE MEDICAL.! My great aunt t hasn't been able to be in a large department store in years due to degenerative disk disease, arthritis in her hips and knees. She stays in pain, but this chair , is as my aunt described, as like sitting in her lay z boy! THANK YOU AGAIN : )-

Elderly relative requires frequent doctor's appointments and this has been a game changer for the whole family. So much easier than a traditional heavy wheelchair, both to push around, and to get him in and out of the chair.

So my Mom was visiting us here in Chicago. She had done knee surgery and though can't be called disabled remotely- she can't walk for long period of time. So we purchased it primarily to use it for navigating museums, parks etc. But boy, what didn't we use it for? It is so easy to carry, so easy to transport and so easy to fold/unfold- we used it at1)airports2)zoos3)rough roads in national parks4)museums5)parks6)wherever we CAN.This would also speed up your journey as the disabled person would not need to make any effort to move.The product is sturdy, wheels are smooth and the material looks like it would last quite a while. So I would absolutely recommend this product to anybody.

I really want to give it 5 stars...but I am reserving judgement because we only used it a few times since purchase! It hasn't been as "road-tested" as I would like, so I can't say if it would function as well in different weather and road conditions! For now, so far, so good!!! :) So happy we purchased the chair with the larger rear-wheels. It provides for a smoother ride (for the User) on bumpier sidewalks. The handle-BRAKES takes a little getting used to as everyone is more familiar with the wheel-brakes, but once you're used to the handle-brakes, it's fine. I was pleasantly surprised by the fabric handles on either side of the seat ~ it provides for easier carrying and lifting when the chair is folded.This is a small feature I did not consider (as the caregiver making the purchase) but now loves! I was even more surprised by the height-adjustable foot-rest as other reviews did not mention this feature! This is a shared chair and the adjustable foot-rest is welcomed by the different Users. Shipping and delivery were as promised! Oh, alright...4.75 STARS!!!!

This chair suits our purposes perfectly. it transports in the trunk very nicely, is lightweight, and the color is just lovely. We bought an extra seat pad because the seat itself is more comfortable for Mom with the extra pad. It's taken me a bit of "driving time" to trust the brakes but they do seem to hold well

We also ordered the cup holder that attaches to the arm of the chair, and that's the 4-star rather than 5 star rating. Don't bother with the cup holder; it's not worth the extra time, money or effort.

This works pretty good most of the time. It is very easy to load and unload from a vehicle, and handles well. It was called an all terrain and that it's not. It works great on flat sidewalks or streets. Grass is somewhat hard to navigate and gravel - forget it! You can't get it across a gravel driveway very easy at all. I do like the ease in which it folds up. Also it will go down some pretty narrow isles in a store.

Nice for occasional use, but not for long periods of time. Tried to use it at Disney and it didn't hold up well. But it's great if you just need a Transport Chair (which is what this really is). Very easy to get in and out of the trunk. Nice color, too! I've bought two of these and the brakes needed to be adjusted on both of them.

Color is very nice. Comfort is good, except for the length of the foot peddles. For a taller person your knees are bent a lot to fit in the chair and rest your feet on the pedals...which hurts my foot and my knees don't like it either. Sometimes I don't use the pedals and just cross my feet straight out in front of me...but you have to watch so they don't bump into anything!!!

Maneuverability is fine. My husband enjoys pushing it. It's great in airports and for short jaunts. Don't have to lift out the heavier/bigger wheelchair from the car. Main drawback, and it was understood when I purchased it, is that you can't propel yourself (no wheels to turn on the sides like a regular wheelchair!) so sometimes you feel sorta STUCK!

This is just what we need though and really helped in airports and changing planes.

Came just about ready to use. Had a problem with right handle not clicking in, but saw in faq how to lengthen the pin. Easy to also lengthen the leg room. Comfortable, easy to collapse. Great for long shopping trips with my husband, who has trouble walking very far. Terrific for the price.

Exactly what I expected! The only problem I had was when someone would push me over a bump it would almost flip me out of the chair.

This transport is heavier than our old transport making it nice for a male but more difficult to cross over any size threshold. The old transport went over anything with the front wheels and this one won't. We have to back over the threshold of most outside doors which can be tricky at times. I didn't pay attention to the weight when I ordered and I should have. That said, the transport is well made and does the job.

Lightweight but sturdy! This chair is terrific! Great around the house but so convenient to put in the car to go to doctors appointments or to the store. Folds up easier than a stroller. Not awkward or clunky. Feels secure. I've used it every day since having ankle surgery & probably will for many months. Better price on amazon than at medical supply stores in our town. Easy to maneuver. If I were to improve it, I would make the wheels with tread. And the position of the front wheels seem to turn like a wayward shopping cart at times. For long term use, a person may want larger back wheels for independence sake. If you have someone to push you it's perfect. If you're going to go it alone, you'll need things like furniture & doorways to grab onto . I zip around the kitchen, bathroom & on hardwood floors on my own. On carpet...not so much. The locks on wheels hold, & I've even put my knee on the seat and used temporarily as a scooter -- for a short period of time. (I'm 5'3) Worth every penny & more.

this transport wheelchair was better than expected overall but oh so heavy...I chose this chair because it specified lightweight and it is anything but...its also very narrow but my mom fits into it just fine.. but she herself is not large...I guess the steel makes it a heavy chair and it is also very sturdy..so all in all it is a good purchase..but lightweight?? not so much..

Use in a physician's office to transfer patients short distances after procedures. Has a safety belt if you are interested. I don't find this particularly useful. Seat is a bit narrow for the average Memphian, so don't plan on any people with much greater than normal BMI. Rolls nicely, footrests are solid and rotate out of the way for transfers. Overall, fine wheelchair for indoors and minimal terrain (concrete and asphalt).

The book that comes with this chair is next to useless. The brake feature on this chair is not addressed well enough. It does not cover how to adjust the brake, so you just have to blunder on. When we received the chair one side of the breaking system was dragging against the wheel took more than a few tries to get it close to correct. The book does not show how this adjustment is done. Also the first use of the parking setting resulted in breakage of the plastic part inside the hand grip, so now we can only lock one wheel. It is easy to push, and light weight, so it's easy to get in and out of the car trunk.

We purchased this chair for my elderly mother in 2013. After less than a year, the entire hand-brake ensemble became very loose. Handles wobble and brakes drag or do not hold properly. We have had it adjusted several times, but the screws come loose after one or two uses. The holes for the screws seem to have widened over the first several months of use. Medline advised that we would have to replace the entire top section and brake mechanism. We only use the foot brakes now to stabilize the chair, as the hand-brakes are not much use at all. We may decide to permanently attach the handles so they do not wobble.
Pros - it is light, otherwise sturdy, easy to fold up and store, and the larger back wheels are great. Someone asked about the height of the arms - they are a little high - and do not fit under some tables for dining, etc.

What the reviews say of the brakes is true. They're pretty bad quality. However, with some skill and a screw driver you can adjust them. Out of the box, one of the brakes was dragging on the wheel so it didn't have free movement at all. I looked up a replacement locking brake set. I'd rather have that but it doesn't look like it will fit on the frame due to a welded part for the hand brake. It doesn't lock open; fair warning. Overall, it's a good transport chair after adjustments were made. I give it 3 stars because it does what it's suppose to do. I only wish I didn't have to open my tool kit to get it running smoothly.

This is the forth one in 5 years. They have been pretty good for the most part. I admit that I am rough on them pulling my wife over rough ground and up steps etc. The large wheels make this possible. We bought the 2nd and 3rd one because they were starting to look bad because of scrapped paint. The 3rd one was in good shape except I broke a folding handle bracket pulling my wife up a step after a year of use. She weights 165. None of the brakes for the person pushing have lasted very long because of the constant folding of the handles. The first one had the best brakes for the disabled person. The last one did not even have brakes for the disabled person. THIS IS STUPID! I often get my wife started in the door of a public restroom then she pulls herself in the rest of the way. Without the brakes for the disabled it is not safe for that person to get in and out by themselves. I took the brakes from the 3rd chair and put it on the new one. Not sure what I will do next time.

UPDATE.
After less than 3 wks use both the handles broke off when I tipped the chair to go over a curb. Could have been a bad accident. They have cost reduced the folding mechanism of the handles until it is no longer safe. We were half way across the country so I put pipe inside the handles and bolted them solid. I would send it back but a new one would not be safe either and I need the larger wheels. I guess I will just put up with the handles not folding. At least now it is safe.

It is indeed a lightweight unit. Both in weight and stability of construction. It works, but only on smooth, hard surfaces. We recently went to an outside art show, and it was a nightmare traversing over even modestly uneven ground/grass.

Wheel chair is a bit heavier than my previous foldable wheel chair but it is definitely made out of a stronger material. The only thing it that the left foot rest was bent, not sure if it is the way it was manufactured but the two knotches wouldnt go in correctly. The fact that it was also made out of a thicker material it was hard to bend it straight in order to place the foot rest on.

It is for lighter individuals. Works for a team park, but I wouldn't use it in rougher terrain.

Footrest is hard to attach. Not clear instructions on how to attach the footrest and folding the wheelchair.

Comfortable and easy to handle however the seat is a bit small and you can't roll it on your own. The seat belt is a great feature and the price was fair.

Decent transport chair for the money. I wouldn't recommend purchasing one if your loved one is more than 120 pounds. The person I purchased this for weighs 90 pounds and it was a little wobbly at times - especially going over small bumps. This isn't intended as a permanent wheelchair, just a method of getting from Point A to Point B fairly fast. Remember that. If you plan on using it more than transporting, go to a store and have your loved one try it out and purchase there.

I bought this for short term use for my daughter after her neurosurgery. Mainly, we needed something to help her get in and out of follow up doc appointments. It is not a smooth ride outdoors, even just going between blacktop parking lots and doctors' offices. It does fine indoors. It may be more suitable for indoor only use but it worked for what we needed. It looks well made but I doubt the wheels would hold up to long term, outdoor use.

Chair works good but little plastic lever that's used to allow the handles to fold for transport broke the second time we used it so the chair no longer folds all the way...poor design. I'll try to make a lever out of some aluminum

Sturdy and affordable. First appearance and feel, 5 stars. I subtracted 3 starts for poor customer service.

Make sure its what you need and want, if conditions arise and you no longer need it (unopened and unused), there is a hefty return policy. (18% restock fee, and about $45 shipping (FedEx) charge.

I hope they learn from thier mistakes.

The wheelchair folded up very easily and was comfortable to sit in. It, however, did not have wheel brakes, as pictured, and the hand brakes were too tight and impossible to adjust. The instruction manual that was provided was not even the right one. The customer service was helpful and e-mailed me the correct manual. I was unable to correctly adjust the brakes and had to send the wheelchair back.

Too much free play in the joint where it fold the back of the wheelchair, every time dad sit and rest his shoulder to the back of the wheelchair it fold and we can not push him, the joint are very loose the hand break useless too, but the main issue the loose joint that fold the back of the wheelchair, I can not use it any more I need to buy different wheelchair. if the joint was not that loose it was going to be perfect wheelchair

One of the grip bars that are supposed to snap and then unsnap into place for easy storage in a car did not snugly snap into place. This was due to misalignment of the pin with the hole. When attempting to move the patient the handle snapped out of place causing the loss of control over the wheelchair which could be very dangerous when moving down a ramp. This is shoddy quality control on what should be a high quality product used for transporting patients.

This chair is anything but lightweight. I should have figured that as it stated "Steel" construction. Also it rolls well if the front wheels remain completely straight but if the front wheels are not lined up, it is challenging when you have a person in the chair. My dad is 175 lbs and I feel he is too big for the chari. Does not handle well over slight door or sidewalk bumps I would not recommend this product.

I bought this to have for travel use in case venue had no wheelchair and will likely only require this temporarily. I figured I would buy this online rather than wait and hassle with my insurance company. Good that it is foldable. A staff member at a local hospital (not a volunteer) dumped me out of this accidentally. I don't know what happened, as I had gotten in and out myself without any help.It was a good thing I landed on my knees and didn't get hurt, as I was very close to a glass table and could have hit my head on it when this occurred.It can fold and fits in closet. I had it in my home for a while prior to using it, so I think it was past the return date, and it is probably good to have it just in case, and perhaps all the inexpensive, travelers ones are like this? I don't know.

I really don't like this chair. The ride is very jiggly, even on a smooth surface. You have to go quite slow for the jiggling to stop. I'm 5'8" and the foot rests are too high so my knees are up higher than I'd like (they are not adjustable). It puts too much pressure on my feet. It's probably best suited for short, slow rides indoors and not outdoor use.

After one month we're already having to replace one wheel that is already breaking. This chair has only been used inside and has not been abused.

I was disappointed that we the wheelchair arrived that the box was damaged and the right arm was broken and pieces were missing.

I ordered the chair because the physical therapist recommended it for outings to the doctor, dentist, hair salon, etc. It is light weight and much easier to use than the standard large/small wheel chairs. The first chair had a malfunction on the folding back handle. So I returned it with no problems. The second chair came with the same malfunction.

This worked well for six months then one of the handles broke. No help on a return or a replacement so far. This thing was always a bit flimsy. Look for better quality but be prepared to pay more.

Does it allow my family to transport my elderly parent around? Yes. Is it reasonably portable? Yes. The quality of the chair, especially the brakes are a big problem. I have a significant amount of experience using, maintaining, and adjusting hand brakes, and these are absolute junk. I could never get them adjusted to make them useful even a little bit. Even when I could get them adjusted to contact the wheel, the force on the wheel is not enough to actually hold the chair in place at all. This is a serious safety issue for a device meant to transport the invalid. I could never recommend this product.

This unit does NOT come with with rear wheel locks. You can hold the chair with hand brakes but that prevents you from aiding the patient in getting on and off the wheelchair.

I never received the chair. They sent me a half of a chair and an arm piece. It took a lot of haggling to eventually get it straightened out. Ordered 4/21 and just this last Friday they picked up the half chair. Had to go through my visa and fill out special papers to make sure I wasn't charged for it. Don't know yet about refund.

I purchased this wheelchair for post surgery use for my disabled son...who is 5 feet tall and weighs 120 lbs. The first time we used it, the left handle broke and the entire left side of the backrest snapped off. I assumed this was a fluke and Amazon replaced the wheelchair with a new one. Two weeks later, the same exact thing happened with the new one! Amazon told me that they would not be selling this model anymore until they personally reviewed the product, but they still have it posted as available. There is a serious defect with this wheelchair and I would strongly suggest that you not buy it until the manufacturer addresses this issue.

Arrived with broken armrest

After one week use while.on vacation the strap on the door rest broke. Spent half our time fixing our sons foot.

Loose screws on the adjustable back not even used yet (brand new) . I asked for a replacement but was not able to because it was more than 30 days of purchase. Not a good buy!!!

Chair is heavier than expected and chair back will not secure.

back lock support is defective on right side. Even in the replacement order.

I bought this chair for my 88 year old Dad who has trouble getting around due to a very arthritic knee. The armrest broke off the VERY FIRST TIME we used it! I contacted the company and they sent me a new armrest in the WRONG SIZE. It was too small for the chair we had. I contacted them again and they sent a second armrest. I am not a repair person and I didn't think I should have to repair something I just bought brand new and only used once. However, I thought "maybe it was just a fluke." It seemed trivial and troublesome to send the chair back over this issue, so I installed the second armrest that was sent to us. Before we had the chair for six months, it BROKE AGAIN!!! This time a piece on the right side broke and the right side of the chair collapsed. I'd like to make it clear that we DID NOT abuse this chair! It received normal use and my Dad weights considerably less than the 250 pounds the specifications for the chair says it can handle. This time I decided this thing was defective and I wanted to return it. I tried to return it only to be told that since I'd had it more than 30 days, they WOULD NOT take it back! I have contacted the manufacturer, the vendor and Amazon in good faith trying to get my money back for this hunk of junk to no avail. Tonight is our garbage night. I just put it on the curb with the rest of the garbage. This is one of those cases where if I could give it no stars, I would. Save yourself a lot of aggravation and your money and do not buy this thing.