Introduction to Heavy Duty Electric Wheelchairs

Ideal for the bariatric patient, the Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair provides a stable, supportive base with maximum mobility capabilities. Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair is adapted to moving up inclines up to 10 degrees and with a max weight capacity of 700 lbs. everyone can be comfortable while they ride.

The Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair is designed to be among the most durable and heavy duty power wheelchairs on the market today. Users of this machine boast of how easy it is to manage uneven terrain without feeling unstable during the journey. The Merits heavy Duty Power Wheelchair is also managed on a foldable frame, so it is portable as well. You can truly go anywhere you want to be with this incredibly well designed power wheelchair.

A reinforced double cross braces ensure that no matter your size, you can rest and ride in a supported structure. Foam filled casters and wheels are available on the Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheel Chair to enhance overall stability and ensure you never have to fill the tires with air on any occasion.

The Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair’s onboard computer is able to be programmed with various settings to ensure that every ride is as comfortable as possible. The auxiliary brake system ensures even on the toughest of downward grades, the chair can effectively stop. For the bariatric patient in your life, ensure their overall safety and comfort with a Merits Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair.

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When just an average electric wheelchair simply will not do, the Merits Atlantis is here for your mobility needs. With the Metris Atlantis heavy duty electric wheelchair, you can enjoy the ride in supreme comfort knowing you have a truly heavy duty chair supporting you the entire time the Merits Atlantis is among the most durable, heavy duty power wheelchairs on the market today.

The design of the Merits Atlantis is one of comfort and capacity with an extra wide captain’s chair capable of comfortably seating any individual up to 600 pounds. The Merits Atlantis features a full four post seat configuration for maximum support on any journey. This chair is also designed to take on steep grades with ease and can effortlessly carry you up inclines of up to 10 degrees.

The heavy duty Merits Atlantis is equipped with a 3” ground clearance configuration with speeds of up to 5mph, so no matter where you take your chair, it can ensure you have maximum mobility. Even though the Merits Atlantis is designed to be more robust than your average power wheelchair, it maintains a sleek design with a maximum overall width of 27”, so it is easily maneuverable indoors in tight spaces. Find more All Terrain Wheelchairs here!

The wheel configuration for the Merits Atlantis remains simple, yet supportive with 2 air filled 14” tires on the rear and 2 – 6” casters on the front. An adjustable footrest and easy access joystick enable you to go where you want to be with ease and optimal comfort at all times.

Pride Mobility has brought the world a lot of excellent mobility scooters, and they have done it again with the powerful Jazzy 1450 Power Chair. When you use the Jazzy 1450 Power Chair, you will enjoy one of the smoothest rides on any comparable power chair in its class. For those who are on the go all the time, but still like to maneuver around their own home with ease, the Jazzy 1450 Power Chair is the one for you.

Being able to go when and where you want to can feel like a luxury with some power chairs, but the Jazzy 1450 Power Chair houses the ability to go up to 12 miles on a single, full charge at a comfortable 4.5 mph. For all the traveling you will no doubt accomplish in your Jazzy 1450 Power Chair, it has been designed for both durability and comfort with adjustable seating and custom seating options to personalize your chair.

When it is time to put away your Jazzy 1450 Power Chair into a vehicle or stow away in a closet, the system folds easily for maximum portability. The total weight of the Jazzy 1450 Power Chair remains at a standard 195 lbs. so it will never feel like a burden to move.

An average chair can take you to the grocery store, but the EW-M51 Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair can take you there and allow you to enjoy the great outdoors in supreme comfort. This chair is designed for the rugged outdoors, but works just as well for moving about your home with ease. The EW – M51 Heavy Duty Electric Wheelchair comes with all the typical features you might expect from such an amazing machine, but it also houses a variety of customizable options such as a rear basket, walker holder, canopy and more.

Top speed for the EW – M51 Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair is 5mph and the stability brought to you by the large, 14” rear tires allows for maximum traction control on any terrain. This power wheelchair is not only a beautifully constructed piece of mobility greatness, it holds up to 400 lbs., so it is a robust and functional chair as well.

While on your adventurous journey, should you encounter a few steep inclines, the EW – M 51 Heavy Duty Power Wheelchair easily adjusts to up to an 8 degree incline and with the fully adjustable foot rest in place and the true comfort of enhanced supportive cushions, you never have to worry about a thing. Speaking of cushion comfort, you will truly enjoy the full 22” wide and 21” depth of the cushion configuration.

To maintain your active lifestyle, you want the confidence that your heavy duty electric wheelchair is durable and ready for whatever lies ahead. A Pride Mobility: Jazzy Elite HD is designed to be heavy-duty and capable of handling various terrain in style. Designed with front-wheel drive and large front wheels that resist slippage, Pride Mobility puts the control in your hands and gives you peace of mind whether handling climbs or maneuvering tight spaces. Its powerful two-motor construction can handle indoor and outdoor travel with ease.

Why Buy a Heavy-Duty Power Wheelchair?

Heavy-duty wheelchairs are perfect for bariatric patients who require extraordinary stamina and strength to cover short and long distances. The bariatric power wheelchairs at Scooters ‘N Chairs are capable of supporting a weight of anywhere between 300 lbs. and 600 lbs.

In addition, our heavy duty power wheelchair range is completely designed by top household US manufacturers who put stability, ease-of-use, comfort and a robust design above everything else.

With average weight capacities of 400-500 lbs, our range of heavy-duty power wheelchairs are strong and sturdy enough to accommodate users of all sizes. In contrast with lighter power chairs that often have folding or portable components, high weight capacity wheelchairs generally feature more powerful drive motors, increased torque, larger wheels and longer frames. And while a regular power wheelchair may be unsuitable for traversing rough landscapes, a bariatric power wheelchair is designed from the ground up to negotiate the most challenging of landscapes.

At Scooters ’N Chairs, we offer a superb lineup of high weight capacity wheelchairs, all from the most sought after US manufacturers. Most models in our collection can be accessorized to help ensure that you get the maximum riding pleasure and ergonomic comfort out of your power wheelchair.

Advantages of a Heavy-Duty Electric Wheelchair vs. Regular Power Wheelchairs

Since most heavy-duty power wheelchairs are not portable, they feature robust and heavy-duty steel tubing frames, with the relatively heavier models featuring steel bars. They also feature reinforced welds while the heavier and powerful motors offer significantly more torque, allowing bariatric patients to travel over almost all surfaces with ease.

Other attributes that make heavy duty wheelchairs significantly superior include:

Larger Batteries and Higher Performance

Since this variety of power wheelchairs are intended to be put under heavy use and, at times, power up multiple components of the wheelchair in one go, they come with heavy duty batteries. Owing to these more powerful batteries, users can expect to cover broad ranging distances anywhere between 11 and 32 miles on a single charge.

Owing to the powerful, high-torque motors, no matter how heavy the individual may be, heavy-duty wheelchairs offer smooth acceleration and top speeds that range between 3.5 mph and 5 mph.

Larger and Roomier Seats

Seat frames come in a variety of sizes from approximately 20” in height to 28” in width, as well as between 18” and 28” in depth. Given the nature of these heavy duty wheelchairs, you can be rest assured that the seat frame will be constructed to meet the demands of users weighing 500 lbs. or more.

Some models even feature a reclining seat or elevating seat for the best comfort level. 

Turning Radius

If you’ve never heard the term, then turning radius simply refers to the space (in inches) that the power wheelchair requires to make a complete circle while turning. Therefore, the smaller the turning radius, the more maneuverable your heavy duty electric wheelchair.

There are a number of factors that govern the turning radius of a high weight capacity power wheelchair. For example, apart from seat width and frame length, we must also take into account how far the footrests extend over the front/rear of the chassis. The seat position and size along with the type of footrest can all affect a bariatric power wheelchair turning radius.

The Compass Sport Power Wheelchair by Golden Technologies, for example, boasts a reasonably good turning radius of 50” – meaning that if a space measures more than 50” across, you can easily make a U-turn in your power wheelchair.

The lightweight Drive Medical Trident front-wheel driven heavy-duty wheelchair, however, features an astonishing 24” turning radius and is also capable of easily negotiating platforms or surfaces that are raised by 7.5°.

High Weight Capacities

Folks call them “high weight capacity power wheelchairs” for a mighty good reason – with the smaller and somewhat lighter models having the ability to withstand a weight of 300 lbs., the larger models are capable of easily withstanding over 600 lbs.

Heavier individuals will never have to worry about riding their heavy-duty power wheelchair over raised surfaces or uneven outdoor terrain, and seeing stability or performance compromised as a result.

Picking the Right Heavy-Duty Power Wheelchair

If the choices seem too overwhelming or you’re generally having trouble picking the right heavy duty electric wheelchair to meet your needs, then we can certainly offer some insights to put you on track.

Choosing the right model for yourself largely depends on its intended use. For instance, if you think that you’ll be using your high weight capacity wheelchair indoors mostly, then the Jazzy 614HD Bariatric Power chair is a solid choice.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg as other factors need to be weighed in as well. When we talk about power wheelchairs for obese individuals, the next thing you want to look at is your own bodyweight or the bodyweight of the person you’re purchasing it for. Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is!

One look at the detailed specifications sheet for each model, and you’ll instantly know if the heavy duty electric wheelchair will be able to withstand the intended user’s weight. For bariatric patients, we would recommend going for a power wheelchair that can withstand between 400 lbs. to 600 lbs. The Merits Atlantis priced at $4,232 can withstand a weight of up to 600 lbs. Not only that, but the heavy duty motors have been built to negotiate inclined surfaces up to 10°, while the extra-large 12V Group 24 batteries can help users cover a travel distance of up to 32 miles without any hiccups.

Heavy duty power wheelchairs are typically usable in both indoor and outdoor areas. With that said, if you plan to use yours mostly indoors, then you’d definitely want to consider getting a model that boasts a turning radius of between 22” and 35”. The Jazzy Elite 14 by Pride Mobility, priced at $3,529, boasts some of the best turning radiuses in the heavy duty electric wheelchair market: 24”. It is also a lightweight model with its heaviest piece weighing in at 89 lbs., which makes it quite appropriate for indoor use.

You’ll notice when comparing specification sheets between a variety of models that the heavier, more powerful models are capable of going over inclined surfaces between 7.5° and 10° with ease, as well as negotiating all kinds of outdoor terrain – however, they feature much higher turning radiuses in the 45-55” range.

Next, you’d want to understand how the suspension of the model you’re interested in might affect the overall experience. Most bariatric power wheelchairs have a robust suspension that provide the extra cushioning required to offer a smooth ride, but they can still provide the speed and sometimes, the nimbleness of lighter weight models.

Keep in mind that the general rule of thumb when picking a model with adequate cushioning is to determine what weight capacity it can support. If you weigh, say, around 300 lbs. then ideally, you’d want to buy a heavy duty electric wheelchair that is capable of supporting 350-400 lbs. This ensures that you have more than adequate cushioning when riding your specific model indoors or outdoors.

To give you a better idea of how any two models might stack up against each other, let’s take the Jazzy 1450 electric wheelchair and the Jazzy 614 heavy-duty electric wheelchair. Both are manufactured by the highly sought after Pride Mobility brand name – one that users across the nation fondly identify with quality, reliability and performance.

One look at the reviews the Jazzy 1450 has received, and there’s no denying what an excellent contender it has been all these years. This is a quality heavy-duty power wheelchair that is known for its ergonomic comfort and travel distance. The roomy captain’s seat alone is something users can’t stop praising. Given its maximum 600 lbs. weight capacity, it is one of the most commonly used power wheelchairs by bariatric patients today.

Rave customer reviews and high product satisfaction ratings aside, the 4-wheel heavy-duty wheelchair is capable of safely maneuvering over multiple surfaces – which may not always be the case with other models under the $5,000 price tag.

Another heavy-duty powerchair commonly bought by bariatric users is the Jazzy 614HD variant – an electric wheelchair that can perform just as well outdoors as it does indoors, while having a maximum weight capacity of 450 lbs. It comes with a large mid-wheel powertrain, with four supporting wheels for added stability and a suspension that is as robust and well-built as the Jazzy 1450. However, the one thing it offers over the former is its low 22.75” turning radius – versus the 26.50” turning radius of the Jazzy 1450.

This is fantastic for indoor maneuvering while the varying seat widths, between 18” and 24”, ensures that you are always nicely snuggled in, no matter how much traveling you need to do.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, if you’re looking for some of the best quality and longest lasting power wheelchairs for overweight individuals, you really need not look any further than Scooters 'N Chairs. All the products that we feature are covered under a comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty and we offer the best prices you’ll find anywhere on the web.

If you have any questions around features, specs, shipping or warranties, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Why buy your Heavy Duty Electric Wheelchairs with at Scooters 'N Chairs?

Here at Scooter 'N Chairs, we aren't a mindless, soulless company, we care about each customer and each purchase.

We are here to assist you with the most personalized, patient and friendly team on the market, who find no question too trivial and will personally research any questions or queries you might have, until you are totally comfortable you have found the perfect Heavy Duty Electric Wheelchairs to purchase. For any questions about our top-of-the-line elevating seat electric wheelchairs, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly customer service team. We are available by phone, livechat, email - these details can be found on our contact us page linked above.

For more information on Electric Wheelchairs, give these Blog Posts a read:

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4. The Best Ultra Lightweight Manual Wheelchairs of 2022

5. The Best Heavy Duty Power Wheelchairs for Outdoor Use in 2022