By PensionsWeek Team
Updated: 2021, May 26
Reviewed by Rosemary Bointon
Walking is a common difficulty in elderlies. Hence a walker can be useful in situations like joint pain, mobility issues, balance issues, fatigue, or some medical conditions where mobility emerges as a significant issue. In our recent retirement gears article we discussed how a walker can reduce the risk of physical damage of an elderly, but what kind of walker would be helpful in your situation? And more importantly how much does a walker cost?
Let’s take a deeper look at it!
Overview on - How much does a walker cost?
Due to their walking difficulties, elderlies lose their independence and they intend to stay in one place. Thus to improve walking in older adults, a walker is used to help the elderly walk with stability and help to participate in many life activities
However, the types of walker depend on their condition thus depending on various needs, there are 6 different types of walkers available in the market:
- Traditional / Standard Walkers
- 2-Wheeled Walkers
- 3-Wheeled Walkers
- 4-Wheeled Walkers
- Knee Walkers
- Scooters
Let’s take a deeper look at it!
Typically, the range of a standard walker’s prices start with $30 and go up to $100 tops. Whereas, the 2 wheeled walker ranges between $40 to $250. 3 wheeled and 4 wheeled walkers come under the rolling walker category called “The Rollators” and are more expensive. A budget friendly walker such as The Drive Medical 4 wheel walker can cost you about $200 whereas the premium heavy duty walkers models can cost upto $900
Table of Contents
What is the difference between Walker and Rollator?
The key difference between a walker and a rollator is that the walker is designed as a frame that needs to be lifted for any movement, whereas a rollator has wheels in it that only need to be pushed.
A walker gives you a slower pace with more energy consumption which results in exhaustion, while the rollator allows you to move fast with less energy consumption. It also features a hand braking system and may provide seating to rest on.
Different types of walkers and their cost
As we just discussed the prices of walkers in a general way, let’s summarize the costing of each type of walker for your ease:
If your budget is low or you want to temporarily buy wheeled walkers for seniors, then used walkers can be a great choice for you. You can also compare the used walkers with wheels price from the list above.
All the different types of walker specified above can be categorized into three categories:
- Traditional Walkers
- Wheeled Walkers
- Rollators Walkers
The price updated in the article reflects the price of the product on the date of publishing, the price range of a product may differ.
#1 Standard / Traditional Walkers
Image source: Amazon
If a senior or a patient, who cannot bear weight on one or both legs caused due to a surgery or an accidental recovery, however they do not have any mobility issue then the walkers are the perfect choice for them. According to experts, if a patient or a elderly person faces difficulty walking from bedroom to the bathroom then the standard walkers are ideal for them.
How Much Does a Standard Walker cost?
Also if you are tight on your budget or require a walker only for a short duration, then a standard walker would be the best option and it will cost you as low as $30.
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#2 Wheeled Walkers
Image source: Unsplash
Different from the traditional walkers as they do not have wheels and functions with all four legs on the ground.
However, the wheeled walker features a set front wheel to make the walk a little smooth and fast with the same amount of support. These are used for elderlies who have gait instability but do not need to bear a considerable amount of weight on them, as the Traditional walker however the energy conservation is higher than the traditional walker.
How Much Does a Wheeled Walker cost?
Due to a few of the extra features such as wheels, the cost of wheeled walkers slightly increases. These wheeled walkers typically cost as low as $40.
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#3 Rollator Walker
How Much Does a Rollator Walker cost?
These walkers can cost you from $75 to $700. In case of the motorized scooter there is a huge hike in the price. Their price range starts from $800 approx. and goes up to $5000.
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#4 Knee Walker
Image source: Amazon
This kind of walker is generally used in the case of ambulation aid and can be utilized as an alternative to the traditional walker. If an elderly or patient is suffering from a knee injury but loves to commute and does not have any mobility and balancing issues, then this can be an ideal choice for you.
How Much Does a Knee Walker cost?
Knee walkers are generally available in 3 or 4 wheeled structure to provide you stability while commuting. The costing of a knee walker can be as low as $80.
Top Products/ rollators under different Price Range
Cheap walkers: $25 to $50
Mid Range walkers:- $60 - $150
Luxury Rolling walkers -More than $150
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Features to look for when buying 4 wheel walkers
Many 4 wheel walkers allow you to customize different parts like getting more gripped handles or a larger seat. Here is a list of features you must look for before buying a
- Seating
- Storage basket
- Bottle or cup holder
- Walker light
- Basket holder
- Organizing pouch
- Seatbelts
- Trays
Why Do Walkers' Prices Vary So Much?
The difference in pricing mainly depends on these reasons
- Design – The design consists of Ultra-lightweight, compact, foldable etc. frames. Made out of a couple of metal or fibre tubes.
- Frame Material – Grade or type of material such as metal or fiber, which defines the strength of a walker. This has a huge impact on the price of the walker. Metal is most commonly utilized to design walkers as it is cheaper than the Fiber.
- Frame Size – The size of a standard walker is about 12 inch deep and slightly wider than the users. They are also available in pediatric or bariatric.
- Component Quality – Each individual component such as the wheels and the hand grips, that makes up a walker are most commonly overlooked variables which can affect the costing. Gel Hand Grips are commonly used in walkers.
- Weight Capacity – This completely depends on the grade of material and components used to design a walker. Heavy duty walkers can cost more, and they weigh around 7 to 12 pounds.
- Guarantee – Many of the high quality brands provide genuine time period guarantee to lifetime guarantee for their walker designs, thus it is important to look for a good quality or walker brand.
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Where to buy a walker for elderly?
A well-designed walker/rollator is worth the weight in gold when it comes down to maintaining the active lifestyle of the user. In this era of Internet buying a walker/rollator online is the best and an easy way for you. We have also gathered a few of the walkers with seats where all the walkers listed operate the same way, make sure you choose the right one for you.
Conclusion
Through this article, we intend to give you a briefing about the type of walkers and how much a walker costs. Here our motto is to help seniors choose the right product for your needs without spending too much.
If you find this article helpful and our recommendation in rollator, leave a comment to share your experience. Also, If you have any questions we’ll be happy to answer them. Have a nice day!
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Last update on 2023-07-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API