Bestcare Genesis PL400HE Powered Patient Lift Review
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When you rely on medical equipment to help you with day-to-day tasks, it’s no secret that the cost of this equipment can quickly mount up. However, there are affordable options out there that offer superior performance and safety. One such product is the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE powered patient lift which is easily portable yet durable and incredibly easy to use.
Whether you require a lift for a care home setting or need something lightweight and effective on a budget around the home, the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE might be a worthwhile consideration. In our review of this product, we will be detailing some of the most important features of this lift to help you decide whether it is right for your needs.
Bestcare Genesis PL400HE Patient Lift Specs
Lifting Range
Height Range
One of the great things about the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is that it will lift the patient directly from the floor. This makes it an excellent choice for people who need a lift that will help the user after a fall. It’ll safely and easily return them to a chair, bed, wheelchair, or anywhere else, which can save time in calling for emergency service assistance.
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE has the ability to lift the patient between 28 inches and 68 inches, so there’s a good degree of versatility here. This will allow you to transfer the user to and from a variety of locations, and this good height range will come in handy if you are working with a bed that cannot be altered in terms of height. In a professional care setting, this lift will allow you to perform a variety of different transfers with ease and convenience.
What’s more, the lift benefits from a built-in emergency lowering system so that you can quickly lower the patient in the event of an emergency.
Power
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE runs on a rechargeable battery. One of the main concerns of this type of lift is that the battery will overcharge and become damaged. But that won’t be a problem in this case since the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE features a built-in overcharge protection feature that will stop charging once the battery is full. This will vastly improve the lifespan of the battery, but just for your peace of mind, you do get a one-year warranty on this.
Having a battery-powered lift is far more convenient than a manual hydraulic lift when the caregiver will be making repeated transfers throughout the day. For example, in a care home setting where there are multiple patients. This will prevent fatigue which could lead to the unsafe operation of the lift.
What’s really interesting is that the controls are universal and can be used with any kind of apex lift which is certainly an advantage in a professional setting where multiple lifts may be in use.
Lift Dimensions
If you are looking for a compact lift that is easy to move around the space then we would highly recommend considering the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE since it is designed for this very purpose. The lift features a 41-inch base which is adjustable (more on that later) and is intended to be used in confined spaces. When moving the lift through narrow corridors or tight spaces, you won’t have many problems.
This is an important consideration as there is very little point in choosing a lift that is too big for the space in which you are working. Doing this will mean that you are unable to operate it properly, which could lead to the safety of both patient and caregiver being compromised.
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE also benefits from being incredibly lightweight at just 75lbs when unloaded. This means that the caregiver will not have a difficult time moving the lift from room to room, and there is no need to over-exert oneself.
Lifting Capacity
Generally speaking, a patient lift will have a weight capacity somewhere between 275lbs and 400lbs. Since the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE boasts a 400lbs weight capacity, it is at the higher end of this average and so may be suitable for slightly larger patients. It’s by no means a bariatric lift, but it does give you more diversity as to who can use it.
What impressed us about the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is that it has a built-in overload protection that will warn the caregiver if the lift is carrying too much weight. This is a superior safety feature that will prevent injury to both the patient and the assistant.
Spreader Bar
A lot of patient lifts come with a 2 point spreader bar, and there is the option to include one of these with the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE. However, as standard, this lift comes with a 6 point spreader bar which is a much more advanced option and gives you far greater freedom in using the lift because you can choose to hook up a much wider selection of slings.
Moreover, attaching your chosen sling to the 6 point spreader bar is quick and easy, and once attached, you benefit from ultimate safety. A spreader with more points is ideal for lifting larger patients as it is more durable and will improve lifting ability. When you consider the generous weight capacity of the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE, it seems only natural that this advanced spreader bar would be included.
Portability
Base
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is equipped with a fully adjustable base that can be taken from just 26 inches at its smallest to 35.5 inches when spread to its widest capacity. This allows you to move the lift through tight spaces and use it even when there isn’t a lot of room. The wider the base is spread, the more stable the lift will be, so we would advise that you consider this when choosing how much you’ll adjust the base.
You will make the necessary adjustments manually using a foot pedal which is smooth and doesn’t require much exertion. Moreover, the base is coated in protective rubber, which will prevent it from damaging furniture, door frames, and skirting boards when moving around the setting.
Moreover, the lift base has a lower than average height which means that you can easily slide it under a bed or chair when making transfers. Another feature that is ideal in a tight space.
Wheels
Fitted the two sets of castor wheels at the front and rear of the device, the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE offers easy movement around the care home and will glide over a number of different surfaces without much resistance.
The front wheels are slightly smaller at 3 inches, while the rear wheels measure 4 inches. This design gives a good degree of stability to the lift when moving it around. There is a lock on the rear castors which should be engaged when the lift is in use and will protect the patient and the caregiver.
Weight
As we have already mentioned, the patient lift weighs just 75lbs when unloaded which makes it one of the more lightweight lifts on the market. But that doesn’t mean that it is flimsy or poorly made. In fact, this lift is incredibly durable and feels very solid. You get the best of both worlds, and this lightweight design means you can move the lift from room to room without having to use a massive amount of strength.
Disassembly
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE benefits from super simple disassembly, so it’s a great choice for people who may need a portable lift. It comes apart into several pieces and reassembling it is a breeze thanks to the quick snap connections. You won’t need any tools to get the job done, so it offers great convenience.
What We Like
We have been highly impressed by how easy to use the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is. It’s bursting with convenient features that make it the lift of choice for care home and private settings. With a compact and lightweight design, the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is a great choice for places where space is limited, and with an adjustable base and narrow design, you’ll have no problems moving through tight spaces.
The 6 point spreader bar provides you with excellent stability and safety even for larger users, and you’ll be able to choose between a whole host of slings as the bar is as good as universal. You’ll also benefit from universal controls that can be used with all apex lifts giving you even further versatility.
What We Didn’t Like
There aren’t many bad points about the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE. This is truly a superior lift. However, if we were to be extremely picky, we would point out that the lift would not be suitable for bariatric patients. While it does have a 400lbs weight capacity, this would not be safe for very large users, so you wouldn’t have the benefit of being able to use this in a confined space without putting the user at risk.
Round-Up Review
The Bestcare Genesis PL400HE is a portable powered lift that has a wealth of features that make it suitable for a wide range of patients. For people who are looking for a lift that won’t break the bank, this is worth considering because while it does have a lot of interesting features, it isn’t hugely expensive.
We would also recommend the Bestcare Genesis PL400HE for professional and private settings where space is limited. Thanks to a compact design that can be easily taken apart you can still make transfers safely and efficiently.
