E-Fix E25 – Power Assist

* The photos published alongside this review have been supplied by the product manufacturer. *

Item Description:
The Alber E-Fix E25 is a power assist attachment that turns your manual chair into an electric one via a compact controller.

Battery Life:
There are two battery sizes you can buy; the larger, long-range battery size lasts me all day and the smaller battery is fine for a trip out. The battery life is very low in terms of how quickly you will need to replace it if using the chair daily, but you can replace the smaller sized battery with a different type of Lithium-Ion, which has a much better life span.

Source of Item:
Second Hand

Diagnosis:
Not Disclosed

Personal Opinion:
This product is great if you have fatigue issues that make self-propelling harder, but for some reason do not have/do not want/do not feel ready for an electric wheelchair. It’s also a great product for holidays, as the chair can very easily be taken apart to prevent any transportation problems. The other three positive factors about this attachment are a) it looks cool, b) it’s fun to drive, and c) it’s very versatile!

It can be taken off-road with quite a lot of success despite the manufacturer’s specs. Some people even put off-road tyres on theirs to make them more accessible, which is a great idea. Although the E-Fix 25 is probably a better alternative for people wanting to frequently go off-road, as it has a heavier battery at the front that provides you with more weight. For me, the benefits of having the E-Fix 35 outweigh the need for the added weight, as it genuinely folds into a corner without having to remove anything!

Now for the not so good – if you are thinking of owning one of these and will need to independently take it apart to transport in a car, but have weak arms, low energy or limited upper body strength – this is not really the right product for you. The main reason for this is that the wheels are incredibly heavy, so it isn’t an easy chair to transport by yourself. Also, if you think you are going to need to push/propel this chair in manual mode at any point then you can think again. Because of this, I would say that they are not really compatible with steep inclines etc.

If you struggle with stuff breaking down on you, I would take some time to consider things such as the warranty period, who is going to maintain your chair and if you have a reasonable backup while waiting for parts! If you don’t have a backup device, you might want to consider suppliers and mobility dealers who keep a certain amount of spare parts on-site.

Finally, one of the unexpected benefits is that it is incredibly fun to drive!