Best Wheelchair

If you are ever in need of mobility assistance equipment such as a wheelchair to get by, you possibly cannot go wrong by choosing our top pick, the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair as your first choice. We understand and empathize that having a limited range of mobility can be daunting and we want to help you find a way to free you from such immobility. This is where wheelchairs come in handy. Because there are endless options in the market to choose from, you can now pick one which suits your situation perfectly. To make your decision easier for you, we have narrowed the list down to the best ones we could find and reviewed them for your benefit.

Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair
Top Pick: Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair

Our top pick, the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair came with a lot of backing. Considering that for its practically superstar status, it costs only slightly more than a hundred dollars is what made the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair our top pick.

We are all about number one bestsellers today. Our budget pick, the Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair is quite a bargain. It’s lightweight. It’s sturdy. It’s durable and it’s easily transportable. This is a wheelchair which you definitely need to check out.

Take a look at our step up pick. Doesn’t it make you go wow? We admit that we were looking at it with our mouths hanging open for good two minutes. You would too. Because our step up pick, the Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair is so futuristic looking that it seems like something out of a sci-fi movie. And close to another jaw dropping three thousand dollars, it’s price will attest to that. But it’s everything you want a wheelchair to be. It’s comfortable. It’s easy to use. And it’s cool.

Types of Wheelchairs

Whether you find yourself in a position of needing a wheelchair or trying to purchase one for a loved one, first you need to know exactly what types of wheelchair there are in the market. There are different types of wheelchairs under a variety of names and finding one might be daunting. But, have no fear, the most important and the most sought after ones have names which you might have heard of. First, there are manual wheelchairs, which come as either self-propelled or transport. The second well known wheelchairs are power wheel chairs. Both manual wheelchairs and power or electric wheelchairs come with their own pros and cons which you can read in depth about in this guide to wheelchair selection.
Then there are light weight and ultra-light weight wheelchairs, reclining wheelchairs, ergonomic wheelchairs, standing wheelchairs, bariatric wheelchairs, active and sport wheelchairs, pediatric wheelchairs so on and so forth.

Wheelchair add-ons

There are many add on you can select for you wheelchair. Some of them actually seem rather necessary. Take a seat cushion for instance. If the seat of your wheelchair isn’t already cushioned, it actually makes a lot of sense in to invest in a gel cushion or even a regular wheelchair cushion. You can also buy custom seat covers to adorn your newly cushioned seat. Among other more practical things you could affix to your wheelchair are seat backpacks to carry all your necessities and a water bottle or cup holder. To make your ride more comfortable you can also add calf rests and seat belts. There are also pouches available to carry oxygen tanks.
You can also affix a number of fancier add-ons to your wheelchair. These include (to name a few) wheel slippers, wagons, casters which light up, frog leg casters, brake tips. Read this article on great add-ons for wheelchairs.

How to Choose a Good Wheelchair

The topic of how to choose a good wheelchair has two facets. The first one of them includes all the factors you need to consider when buying a wheelchair. The second facet includes the attributes of a wheelchair we considered when compiling our list. Because we figured that the attributes we considered to include a wheelchair in our list merge with the ones you need to consider when buying one we are laying them down together for you.
Before the discussion even begins there is something we must tell you. If you are seeing an occupational or a physical therapist, ask them of their opinion first. Ask them of the kind of wheelchair which would suit you best depending on your injury or disability. Then look at the factors we have listed below and narrow down your search.
As mentioned in this guide to wheelchairs after considering the option of buying a wheelchair, the first thing you need to think about (or talk your physical therapist or doctor about) is the length of time you might be in the wheelchair. Is it weeks, months or years? If it’s weeks, renting one will probably save you money. However if it’s anything more than a month, as many customers have found the hard way, buying one would be more cost effective because renting one would cost just as much or more. It is related to this we considered the first attribute when compiling our list, durability of the wheelchair. We wanted wheelchairs which stand the test of time.
The second attribute we looked at is actually on you need to think on too, which is how you plan to get around in your wheelchair. Do you want to completely independent and roll yourself around or do you see yourself needing someone to push the wheelchair. If you want complete independence you can either choose from a manual self-propelled wheelchair or an electric wheelchair. Transport wheelchairs are easily pushed by another.
Thirdly, are you planning to use the wheelchair indoors or outdoors? This became the third factor we considered as we quickly realized that the width of a wheelchair is important. If you want a wheelchair to be mainly used indoors, it is advisable to use a narrower wheelchair.
Other factors we looked are as follows. How much weight the wheelchair can carry. This is especially important if you are bigger in stature. If the wheelchair can be folded, and if can, the ease of which with it can be folded and opened. Other facilities such as reclining seats, elevated foot rests detachable arm rests etc. Then the last factor we considered was the price.

Our Top Pick: Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair

Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair
Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair

Our top pick, the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair is a standout. People who make this wheelchair, i.e. Drive Medical understand two things very well. First, that those who have been rendered immobile want to be mobile and independent. They are tired of having to depend on another person to get from one place to another. Second, they want to be on the move in comfort. With our top pick, Drive Medical has tried to make a good union out of these two reasonings and from the looks of it, succeeded.
This is why the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair is such a hit with its customers. It is true that it’s a basic, no fuss wheelchair. However, just because it’s basic that does not mean that it’s not great. It’s sturdy. It’s durable, having been made with a blue powder coated frame and nylon upholstery to which solid rubber tires have been added to. It is pretty easy to clean too. And the padded armrests are extremely comfortable.

Drive Medical Gel E Skin Protection Wheelchair Seat Cushion
Drive Medical Gel E Skin Protection Wheelchair Seat Cushion

If you want even more comfort, just order a Drive Medical Gel E Skin Protection Wheelchair Seat Cushion from Amazon, and you are good to go.

But we love the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair for an entirely different reason. It’s foldable. Yes we know that there are plenty of foldable wheelchairs in the market, but we found our top pick to be the best of them. All you need to do is lift it up from the seat and the chair simply collapses. Even the armrests fold up so that you can slide into another chair or your bed or for you to be seated at your dining table easily. It is also a wheelchair which can take a bit of abuse in the forms of rough terrains with easy to operate push to lock brakes and calf straps. It also has a weight capacity of 250 pounds. It is also narrow enough to fit through most doorways and is not too heavy to be lifted from the chair itself.

Flaws but not deal breakers

As the reason anyone find themselves in a wheelchair is different from person to person, it is inevitable that little quirks of the wheelchair which bug people come to life in daily use. For instance, while many of its happy users found the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair light enough to lift up by themselves, there were some users who felt that it was a little too heavy. As all the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchairs are made uniform, this little problem felt like a personal one. When we got to thinking, we realized that a person of a smaller stature might have trouble lifting up a wheelchair of forty pounds all by themselves. If such a person happened to live alone, this could indeed be a problem. But we did not consider the weight of the wheelchair a flaw which would deter us from buying it as many of its customers seemed to consider it lightweight enough to be lifted up by themselves.

Our Budget Pick: Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair

Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair
Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair

Our budget pick is also a wheelchair made by Drive Medical. The Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair which anyone would agree, is a great bargain.

Here’s why the Drive Medical Lightweight Steel Transport Wheelchair is a good pick if you are looking for a transport wheelchair. It’s narrow. In fact it’s quite narrower than a manual wheelchair making it easier to be maneuvered through doorways and tight hallways.
It’s also a good option if you are buying it for someone in your family whom you want to take out of the house and visit the mall or outdoors. Because it is easily pushable by someone else, anyone on this wheelchair will be able to go through airports, shopping excursions, parks and practically anyplace you wish to visit. It’s made to be comfortable and it has a safety belt so that you will not be jostled about much. The 8′ wheels have a rear locking mechanism and the chair can be easily folded into a compact little bundle to be carried in your car.

Our Step Up Pick: Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair

Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair
Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair

After our little intro, we hope you checked out our step up pick. Amazing isn’t it? We certainly thought so. If you have around three thousand dollars to spare, you should definitely buy a Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair. Why, you ask. Well, let us tell you why.
First of all (even though this shouldn’t be its deciding factor) it looks cool. Futuristic. You would look like a crime fighting space-age vigilante in this chair. Completely and utterly drool-worthy.
Secondly, it literally takes two seconds to either fold it up or open it. And when folded it fits in a duffel bag (provide by Foldawheel) and can be carried as a carryon bag when travelling by air. It is also easy to charge and the charge lasts up to five hours or for about six miles of continuous usage.
The Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair can also carry up to 330 pounds of weight. They do assure you that while someone heavier could use it, they might not be as comfortable. The construction of the chair is of good quality and it is quite sturdy. This wheelchair can be used to pretty much any terrain including, grass, gravel, carpet or paved stone meaning that you can use it both indoors and out.

Electric wheelchairs worth investing in

After being awed by our step up pick, we thought we should show you a few other electric wheelchairs, just show you know what to look for in one, in case you decide to buy one. There are a few good options in the market, and if you can spare the bucks, an electric wheelchair can be extremely comfortable. And given the fact that unlike a self-propelled chair, your hands will not tire when using an electric chair. And you will not need someone pushing you either, all the while looking ultra-modern.

Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair

Smart Chair - Electric Wheelchair
Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair

The Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair also looks absolutely amazing and comes packed with great features. The feature which caught our attention almost at once was the fact that the chair can be reclined. If you’ve been wheeling around and need a break, you can simply recline the backrest and take a much needed nap.

The Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair also folds up and opens up in a few seconds flat and the fully charged state of the art lithium ion battery can go up to fifteen miles. You can also easily climb street ramps and hills with up to slope of 12 degrees. What’s more? This chair has an amazing turning radius. We also like the fact that it’s less expensive than our step up pick, something apparently KD, the manufacturers of this wheelchair pride themselves on.
We must tell you that only reason that the Foldawheel PW-1000XL Power Chair is our step up pick and not the Smart Chair – Electric Wheelchair is that the KD smart chair does not come with a carry-on bag, something which we feel would come very handy when travelling by air.

Invacare Pronto P31 Power Wheelchair

Invacare Pronto P31 Power Wheelchair
Invacare Pronto P31 Power Wheelchair

Invacare is a name well known for their good and reliable mobility assistance equipment. The Invacare Pronto P31 Power Wheelchair is a power wheelchair with a semi-recline captain seat.
This wheelchair is a front wheel drive wheelchair which is compact and easy to use. Its compactness makes it a good choice for home/indoor use. It is also durable and easy to charge because the charging controller is in the joystick.
The only downside to this wheelchair that we could find was that it does not fold, mainly because of the nature of the seat. But if you wanted the seat removed, that can be done with minimum fuss. In addition, it will hold a weight up to 300 pounds if you pay a little extra, the company will deliver it all the way up inside your apartment if you cannot come to the door.

Light-weight wheelchairs

Lightweight wheelchairs deserve a section of their own because there are is quite a number of lightweight wheelchairs in the market. All major wheelchair manufacturers make lightweight or ultra-lightweight wheelchairs.

Karman LT-980-BD-E 24 Pound Ultra Lightweight Wheelchair

Karman LT-980-BD-E 24 Pound Ultra Lightweight Wheelchair
Karman LT-980-BD-E 24 Pound Ultra Lightweight Wheelchair

Karman Healthcare makes a variety of great wheelchairs and their mobility assistance equipment come with great ratings and reviews. Their product line includes not only lightweight wheelchairs, but also standing wheelchairs, ergonomic wheelchairs, bariatric wheelchairs and even pediatric wheelchairs.
The Karman LT-980-BD-E 24 Pound Ultra Lightweight Wheelchair is a product which has been hailed a good investment not only because it weighs as little as 24 pounds( having been made with lightweight aluminum), but also because the frame comes with a lifetime warranty.
The front and rear wheels of this wheelchair are solid and the elevating leg rests can be easily removed. The wheelchair can also be folded up in a jiffy and stored in the trunk or in the backseat of your car. One of the best things about this chair is that the seat height can be adjusted to suit the user.
If you want extra options such as anti-tippers to be added to this wheelchair, all you have to do is contact the manufacturer.

Karman Healthcare S-105 Ergonomic Ultra Lightweight Manual Wheelchair

Karman Healthcare S-105 Ergonomic Ultra Lightweight Manual Wheelchair

Karman Healthcare S-105 Ergonomic Ultra Lightweight Manual Wheelchair

Here’s another wheelchair by Karman Healthcare worth looking at. The Karman Healthcare S-105 Ergonomic Ultra Lightweight Manual Wheelchair is slightly more than the Karman LT-980-BD-E 24 Pound Ultra Lightweight Wheelchair.
For instance, this wheelchair is ergonomically designed, which means that it will fit the contours of your body perfectly and you will not aches and pains by prolonged use. The upholstery has been made for prolonged use by making it with AEGIS approved anti-bacterial and stain-resistant material so that you will not get skin sores either.
In addition, because the frame is shaped like an S there is anti-slippage support making the seat very comfortable to sit in. It is also lightweight, being only 27 pounds. It can also be easily folded and fitted into the back of car.

Invacare LightWeight Tracer EX2 Wheelchair

Invacare LightWeight Tracer EX2 Wheelchair
Invacare LightWeight Tracer EX2 Wheelchair

Here’s why we love this lightweight wheelchair. The Invacare LightWeight Tracer EX2 Wheelchair comes already assembled and you only have to fix the footrests which is actually a pretty easy job.
This wheelchair also comes with storage. There is storage space under the seat and a zipper bag for keeping your things safe once the chair is folded. The seat of this wheelchair is wider than most other chairs in the market, so even a person of a bigger stature could easily fit in and be comfortable.
And because Invacare specializes in making hospital wheelchairs, all their wheelchairs and sturdy and are long lasting. This is true for the Invacare LightWeight Tracer EX2 Wheelchair as well. It can also withstand a lot of abuse and does not break easily.

Basic wheelchairs for a good price

Even the mere words ‘basic wheelchairs’ conjure images of hospital wheelchairs. However, medical sciences have developed so much, that even the most basic of wheelchairs aren’t exactly basic anymore. Especially the ones made for personal use (as opposed to hospitals) come equipped with great features.

Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair

Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair
Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair

The Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair is a self-propelled wheelchair with nylon upholstery. The leg rests of this wheelchair can be elevated for the ease of your feet and the arm rests can be removed for sliding under tables with the push of a button. The leg rests are equipped with padded calf pads. The seat is quite wide being 18 inches by 16 inches.
Medline has obviously made this wheelchair with your comfort in mind. It goes without saying that if you spend long stretches of time in a manual wheelchair you need which is comfortable. That is what this wheelchair exactly is. It is comfortable. It’s easy to use. Its footrests can be elevated and the padded armrests can be operated with the push of a button. It rolls easily and does not leave tire marks on the floors.
The Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair can also be easily folded up for storage, however you must be mindful of the bigger weight of the wheelchair amounting to 46 pounds with leg rests. It also comes with brakes and height adjustment features.
The Medline K1 Basic Elevating Wheelchair can currently be ordered from Amazon for 130.28

Medline Transport Wheelchair with Brakes

Medline Transport Wheelchair with Brakes
Medline Transport Wheelchair with Brakes

The Medline Transport Wheelchair with Brakes is another well recommended wheelchair manufactured by Medline. It’s a transport wheelchair with comes with brakes and a lovely red colour.
This transport wheelchair is actually a lightweight wheelchair, weighing only 25.47 pounds, made with a lightweight powder coated aluminum. Because of the aluminum, the frame is also rather sturdy and durable. The rear wheels with a diameter of 12 inches are bigger than the front wheels and give better traction when being pushed.
When transferring the user into and from the wheelchair, the loop style handbrakes which lock the rear wheels come very handy. The back of the chair folds down and the frame can be folded flat for easy stowing and carriage.
When you use this wheelchair you will notice that the ride is smooth and that you hardly feel the bumps on the road.

Self Transport Folding Wheelchair

Self Transport Folding Wheelchair
Self Transport Folding Wheelchair

We like this wheelchair because the rear wheels are full sized and enlarged making it easier for the user to maneuver it around. Further, because they have hand bars on them, your hands never need touch the tires. The front wheels are equipped with casters for locking in place. It also has foot rests which can be elevated. This is a feature which would undoubtedly come in handy for anyone with a foot injury. To elevate the foot rests all one has to do is lift with the foot. And to lowering the leg rest can be done by simply pulling a lever. The selfsame footrests can also be swung away or detached according to your wishes. They also come with padded calf rests for added comfort. The desk armrests are also detachable.
However weight 49 pounds, the Self Transport Folding Wheelchair is not a lightweight wheelchair. However, can carry a weight up to 250 pounds with relative ease. Folding up this chair is also breeze as all you have to do is squeeze the sides together. Once it’s time to open the wheelchair, simply pull the sides apart. The company also provides a lifetime warranty on the wheelchair frame.

In Conclusion

It is not easy to find the best wheelchair to suit your needs. It has to be comfortable. It has to be easily maneuverable. It has to be sturdy. And it has to be safe. Last but not least, it should be worth the price you pay.
Which is why whether you are looking for a wheelchair for short term use or want something to be used alongside your power chair, the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair is a great choice to invest in. It is extremely affordable, is easy to clean, is foldable and comes with countless recommendations and great reviews. With a few complementary additions such as a gel seat, a cup holder and a chair back pack, you will want for nothing with this the Drive Medical Blue Streak Wheelchair. You will come and go as you please. You will be free. You will be independent. Nothing will hold you back.