Top 10 Best Rollators in the UK 2021 (Drive DeVilbiss, Hablicare and More)

From this simple buying guide, you'll come to learn the different types of rolling walker on the market and how to decide which is right for you. We'll also walk you through some of the features that will set a ready-to-roll (with no chance of rocking) rollator apart from a flimsy and somewhat suspicious one. 

Rollators can either be predominantly for indoor or outdoor use. With a few variances in rollator design better suiting a life inside or the great outdoors, it's best to decide on this important factor first. 

Indoor rollators prefer the quiet life in the safe confines of your home. They're typically narrower than their outdoor counterparts and benefit from smaller wheels to better manoeuvre around tighter spaces. These small wheels are ideal for hallways and doorways but will really struggle to take on the off-kilter terrain of journeys beyond the home.

Indoor rollators will have either three or four wheels and a bar-style braking system instead of the loop brakes associated with outdoor rollators. Most three-wheel rollators are capable of handling indoor and outdoor environments, however, this interchangeability also means they may not excel at either. 

If you're thinking you'd like an indoor rollator, then a hot tip is to make sure you measure its width against your home's unique size, giving you confidence in its ability to roll unabashed down your halls with an all-access pass. 

Outdoor rollators are definitely the most popular style of rollator on the market as people find them the most useful. When venturing out into the great wide world, outdoor rollators can ensure a greater sense of confidence and strength. 

That's why you will find outdoor rollators to have heavy-duty wheels that are larger in size. Designed to handle uneven terrain like pavements and grass, these wheels are one of the most striking and essential parts of an outdoor rollator. 

Other notable design features that may sway you towards to an outdoor walker include double-loop braking systems coupled with increased storage and more secure seating and backrests. 

Now that you've started to formulate an idea as to your rollator's intended purpose, it's time to hone in on a design by looking at some defining features. Wheels, storage and seats are three aspects that will make or break your rollator decision. 

Both indoor and outdoor rollators will feature either three or four wheels. Depending on your situation and degree of difficulty while walking, both types of rollator are perfectly capable of doing their job when needed.

Three-wheel rollators are generally lighter and have fewer parts, resulting in a swifter folding-down process. They're also more manoeuvrable as they direct forward from the one swivelling wheel, giving you a tighter turning circle that can suit indoor environments to a tee. 

Four-wheel rollators, meanwhile, will be heavier-set with a more stable platform due to the extra wheel. They are seen as the top choice for those wanting to walk greater distances with security in their rollator's ability to remain firm yet rolling like a stone. 

Storage is another hugely beneficial part of every rollator from here to kingdom come. With most rollators acting as a portable trolley, it'll really pay to start thinking about how and what you may want to keep close while on the move. 

Just about every rollator will come equipped with storage, but some will be of a very basic nature with a simple fabric bag that's unable to close. These are fine for indoor and basic outdoor models, but if you're looking to do some shopping in the ever-changing British weather, they'll leave your belongings exposed and vulnerable. 

Some outdoor rollators pride themselves on having sealable compartments with zips and good weather-resistance levels. Or, look for removable metal baskets with handles to make shopping easy and breezy. Whichever rollator you choose, just be sure to find one with adequate storage to suit your habitual storing needs. 

More a feature of outdoor rollators, seating is seen as a make-or-break deal-definer by many a walker user. When the day is dragging on, you can simply take a pew and get some respite when you require it, being the envy of the endlessly-standing folk. 

Rollator seats can come in the form of a solid platform with padding that locks in place and folds up and away when desired. Or, they can feature soft pieces of fabric that are secure with a comfort scale that knows no ends.

Another alluring aspect if you're after a seat is a backrest. Again, these can be solid pieces of metal with padding or soft and formable fabric to really wriggle your back into. Deciding on this utterly essential aspect to an outdoor rollator will come down to personal preference, but just remember that comfort commonly prevails. 

Rollators are excellent multi-purpose walkers designed to make life easier when on the move. That's why you'll want to check the weight that your rollator is comfortable with. Most models will come with a maximum weight capacity of 100 to 130 kg, with many sitting pretty in the middle at 115 kg.

This is the total amount of weight including all your stored bits and your weight while sitting. With indoor rollators rarely coming equipped with seats, this is more directed toward outdoor designs, but it should still be considered for indoor rollators where there's an intention to lean. 

Another important weight to contemplate is that of the rollator itself, as you want it to be light enough to make folding easy and transporting easier. Higher-end brands put an emphasis on producing lightweight rollators, whereas cheaper rollators will be heavier in comparison to those with similar specs.

Aluminium is widely used in rollator frames as it is incredibly durable yet lightweight at the same rolling time. You'll find some of the lightest aluminium rollators to be as little as 5.5 kg, which is truly remarkable considering what they offer.

The cheaper rollators will typically be constructed from steel which makes them heavier set and possibly requiring a little extra help when folding and transporting. These steel rollators can be upwards of 9 kg, which can become cumbersome and a little awkward to transport. 

Now that we've rolled you through some of the defining features and design aspects of a quality rollator, it's time to dish up the piping hot best of them found online. With just as many three and four-wheel options for the great indoors and greater outdoors, there's been no rollator left behind in this pavement-shattering top 10.  

With the right footwear, there really is nowhere that you and your rollator won't be able to reach, so we've collected a few ideas to bring unrivalled comfort to your feet. From supportive sandals for those long summer days to specially-designed orthopaedic shoes and insoles, please step this way and straight into walking comfort nirvana. 

Having a rollator to believe in is half the battle in keeping up with the pace of the modern world and not letting anything get in your way. We hope this article was helpful in you finding a rollator to be proud of, one that's going to bring you a little closer to your rolling-down-evergreen dreams. 

Author: Connor Macanally