For indoors or outdoors, with air tyres or puncture-proof wheels? This is how you choose a rollator based on handle height, width and transport weight and clarify cost coverage in Switzerland.
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·13 min read
Image: Produktbilder: drive Medical, DIETZ
A rollator should give you security without interfering in everyday life. Whether this succeeds depends less on the brand than on four questions: Where will you use it? Does it fit your body height? Can you lift and fold it? And who pays for it?
This guide by the saneq editorial team is based on manufacturer information from drive and DIETZ, the rollator guide of the Centre for Quality in Care (ZQP) and the information sheets of the Swiss social insurances. The models mentioned come from our range. We have not conducted our own practical test.
Where do you want to use the rollator?
First consider where you will most often need the rollator. This determines what you should pay attention to regarding width, wheels and weight.
Use
What to look out for
Examples
Apartment
narrow design, short frame, tray for dishes or laundry
If your requirements indoors and outdoors are very different, a second, narrow rollator for the apartment can be useful.
Rollator for outdoors: air tyres or puncture-proof wheels?
First check for which paths your model is intended. According to DIETZ, the TAiMA XC may only be used on firm, level surfaces. Large wheels can make it easier to roll over small gaps and edges but do not extend the permissible area of use. The Nitro has front swivel wheels with a diameter of 24.5 cm. TAiMA XC and M-GT have a tipping aid that allows you to lift the front wheels over a kerb. Have their safe use demonstrated to you.
Pneumatic tyres can absorb shocks. For this, you must regularly check the air pressure, and a tyre can get a puncture. Puncture-proof tyres do not require air filling; these include soft PU tyres. The outdoor rollator TAiMA XC is available with pneumatic tyres or puncture-proof soft PU wheels:
TAiMA XC
Air tyres
Soft PU wheels
Weight with cane holder
9.1 kg
9.8 kg
Overall width
67 cm
65 cm
Maintenance
Check air pressure
no pumping needed
If you mainly use asphalt and pavements, puncture-proof wheels are usually sufficient.
Rollator for home: check width and space in the apartment
Indoors, it matters whether the rollator fits through doors and corridors and has space beside the bed. Measure every door at the narrowest point with the door fully open, also corridors and space between furniture. Compare these dimensions with the overall width of the rollator and allow some clearance for the hands.
The narrowest in our range are the Nitro in size XS with 52 cm, the Roomba with 57 cm, as well as the Migo 2G and the TAiMA S-GT with 58 cm each. However, the Nitro XS is designed for small people, its handles only reach up to 77 cm. The Roomba is a pure apartment rollator: short design, with a large tray and soft wheels that protect the floor. It has no seat.
Which size fits? Check handle height and seat height
A rollator must fit your body height. If the handles are too low, you lean forward. If they are too high, you raise your shoulders. Both make walking more tiring. Here's how to determine your handle height:
Put on the shoes you usually wear in everyday life.
Stand upright and let your arms hang loosely.
Have a second person measure from the floor to your wrist. This value is the starting point for the handle height.
Check whether the value is within the adjustable range of the rollator, ideally with some clearance above and below.
When walking, you stand inside the rollator, feet approximately between the rear wheels, elbows slightly bent. This is also described by the ZQP. The wrist rule is a starting point: adjust the handles so that you walk upright and relaxed, and consult a specialist if in doubt.
Rollator Nitro: comparison of four sizes
With the rollator Nitro, handle height, seat height and width change with the frame size. Narrow down the suitable size based on your measured handle height. Then check the seat height and the space between the handles: Can you sit comfortably, place both feet securely and stand up again?
Values according to manufacturer. DIETZ specifies the overall height for the TAiMA models, which corresponds to the adjustable range of the handles. For the rollator with forearm supports Cristallo², the height of the supports counts instead of the handle height: 102 to 118 cm.
Lightweight rollator: How much weight can you handle?
A lightweight rollator is easier to lift, for example over a curb, a door threshold or into the boot. If you lift it only rarely, weight is less important than the right size and a secure stance. Manufacturers sometimes specify the weight with or without accessories such as a bag or cane holder. Differences of a few hundred grams are therefore not significant.
Values according to manufacturer; the TAiMA XC user manual states the weight with cane holder. Observe the load limit of the respective user manual: For DIETZ models, the additional load counts towards the maximum user weight. Separate maximum loads apply for bag, basket and tray.
Does the rollator fit in the car?
For transport, how the rollator folds is important. The TAiMA models, the Nitro, the Nitro SL and the AeroWalk Carbon fold sideways and are only 21 to 27 cm wide when folded. Cristallo, Migo 2G and Gigo 2G fold flat: they remain 58 to 61.5 cm wide but are only 23 to 28 cm deep. Compare width, height and length in the folded state with the opening of your boot. A rollator that stands on its own when folded, like the TAiMA models, is practical.
What you should try before buying
Brakes: Can you reach the brake levers comfortably, and can you pull and lock them with your hand strength?
Turning: Can you turn the rollator on the spot, for example in your narrowest hallway?
Folding: Can you fold, lock and unfold the rollator yourself?
Sitting: Sit down with the brakes applied and stand up again. Pay attention to a firmly attached back strap or backrest.
Accessories: Do you need a basket, bag, tray, cane holder or reflectors? For the Cristallo, basket and tray each carry up to 5 kg.
Special cases: three wheels, forearm supports, transport chair
The three-wheeled Tri Walker is agile and only 25 cm wide when folded. When opened, it is 61 cm wide, not narrower than many four-wheeled models, and it has no seat. If you rely heavily on support when walking, you should clarify with a specialist before buying whether three wheels provide enough stability.
With the rollator with forearm supports Cristallo², you support yourself with your forearms instead of your hands. This can help if hands or wrists are not fully load-bearing. Whether this design suits you is best clarified in physiotherapy or occupational therapy.
The Diamond Deluxe can be converted into a transport chair without tools, in which a companion can push you. This is practical for longer trips but makes the rollator heavier at 10.3 kg.
What does a rollator cost in Switzerland, and does the health insurance pay?
The rollators presented here cost between CHF 99 and CHF 549 in our range. Examples are the Cristallo for CHF 99, the lightweight rollator Gigo 2G for CHF 119, the TAiMA XC for CHF 389 and the AeroWalk Carbon for CHF 549 (price status September 2026). Various bodies can cover the costs in Switzerland:
Ask your health insurance what your policy provides.
AHV
regularly no
Rollators are not on the regular AHV list of aids. Already granted IV benefits can continue in AHV age as long as the conditions remain fulfilled.
IV
if entitled
Rollators are on the IV list of aids. Whether and which model the IV covers is clarified by the IV office of your canton.
Supplementary benefits (EL)
possible
If entitled to EL, further aids can be financed or lent. Have this checked by the responsible EL office before purchase.
Pro Senectute
possible
For people of AHV age, if AHV or EL do not cover the costs. The advisory centre near you checks contributions or loan devices; there is no legal entitlement.
All models with current prices can be found in our category Rollators.
Start safely and maintain the rollator
Walk inside the rollator, not behind it, and keep your upper body upright.
Before sitting down and standing up, apply both brakes.
Do not pull yourself up from a chair using the rollator when standing up.
Cross curbs at the flattest possible point or lift the front wheels with the tipping aid.
Practice the first routes with accompaniment, for example in physiotherapy or with relatives.
Check the rollator before each use according to its instructions for use. For the TAiMA XC, DIETZ specifically mentions brakes, folding lock and fastenings. Also regularly check the air pressure for pneumatic tyres. The ZQP recommends having the rollator serviced at a specialist shop at least once a year.
Frequently asked questions about the rollator
The basic insurance does not cover it because rollators are not on the List of Medical Aids and Devices (MiGeL). Whether supplementary insurance contributes depends on your policy. If you are entitled to IV benefits, it can cover a rollator. Clarify this before purchase.
Measure standing, with shoes and arms hanging loosely, from the floor to the wrist. This value should be within the adjustable range of the handles.
Pay attention to the upper value of the handle height. In our range, the Nitro in size L goes up to 101 cm, as well as the Cristallo and the Migo 2G up to 100 cm.
It depends on how often you lift it. For frequent transport in the car, models around 5 to 7 kg are comfortable, such as the TAiMA S-GT with 5.6 kg or the Nitro SL with 6.3 kg, each with accessories. For everyday use in the apartment and neighbourhood, it can be heavier.
Pneumatic tyres can absorb shocks but require regular pressure checks. It is crucial whether your model is intended for the respective path. According to DIETZ, the TAiMA XC may only be used on firm, level surfaces. Within this range of use, compare the driving experience, maintenance effort and weight.
A narrow, short rollator like the Roomba with 57 cm width. For small people, the Nitro in size XS with 52 cm is also suitable.
Still unsure? Our team advises you by phone from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at +41 56 511 60 99. It is best to have your measured handle height, the narrowest point of your apartment and your body weight ready.
Sources: dimensions, weights and load capacity from the manufacturer information of drive and DIETZ, verified in September 2026. If the website and instructions for use differ, we use the instructions for use. Area of use, wheels and air pressure of the TAiMA XC according to the TAiMA XC instructions for use by DIETZ (version 4.1). Handle height, handling and maintenance according to the guide «Rollator – Tips for safe handling» by the ZQP. Cost coverage according to the List of aids and appliances by the BAG (as of 1 July 2026) and the information sheets AHV aids and IV aids (as of 1 January 2024).
