Lift design compared
MRL vs machine room lifts: what your building needs to plan for
Quick answer
A machine room lift keeps its motor, controller and drive equipment in a separate room, usually above or beside the shaft. A machine-room-less (MRL) lift fits that equipment inside the shaft or lift tower.
MRL designs free up floor and roof space and mean less building work, which is why they suit new apartments, offices and homes. Every Lift Ease lift is machine-room-less, from the Zenith DDA and E1 commercial elevators to our home lifts.
Side by side
Machine-room-less (MRL) vs Machine room
| Feature | Machine-room-less (MRL) | Machine room |
|---|---|---|
| Where the equipment goes | Inside the shaft or lift tower. | A dedicated room above or beside the shaft. |
| Floor and roof space | No extra room to build, so more usable space. | Needs space for the room, often on the roof or next to the shaft. |
| Building works | Less excavation and structural work. | More construction: the room itself, access and ventilation. |
| Servicing access | Technicians work on the drive from within the shaft. | Equipment can be reached in the room, outside the shaft. |
| Typical uses | New apartments, offices and homes where space is tight. | Older buildings, and installs where a room already exists. |
| Lift Ease examples | Zenith DDA and E1 (MRL traction), Vector Pro (small pump cupboard), Atlus (fully contained), Levare (shaft-less). | None. Every Lift Ease model, including the Zenith Ultra, is machine-room-less. |
Every lift is planned for the building. We confirm space, pit and access requirements at the site visit or in your proposal.
Why machine rooms existed
Traditional traction lifts put their motor and sheave in a room above the shaft, and older hydraulic lifts put their pump and tank in a room beside it. Keeping the machinery outside the shaft made it easy to reach, but it costs floor space and adds building work.
What changed with MRL
More compact motors and drives can now fit inside the shaft itself. Machine-room-less and shallow-pit designs mean less excavation and structural work, faster installs and lower construction costs, which is why they are increasingly popular in apartment developments.
Home lifts have gone the same way. The Atlus is a fully contained screw system, the Levare range is shaft-less with no pit, and even our hydraulic Vector Pro needs only a small cupboard for its pump, thanks to its submerged worm screw hydraulic motor.
Our range
Lift Ease lifts that need no machine room
Every Lift Ease model is machine-room-less, with no machine room needed.
Commercial passenger elevators (MRL traction)
- Zenith DDA Electric traction (MRL)
Commercial passenger elevator. 1100 × 1400 mm car, 0.3 to 1.0 m/s, up to 10 levels (G+9), built for high cycle counts. Machine-room-less. Single phase 230VAC.
- E1 VVVF traction (MRL)
Commercial. 1.0 to 2.0 m/s, up to 2,500 kg, up to 35 m travel, passenger and goods. Machine-room-less. Three phase power.
Home elevators
- Vector Pro Hydraulic
400 kg (5 person), 0.25 m/s, up to 10 m travel and 4 stops, 120 mm pit. Submerged worm screw hydraulic motor: no machine room, just a small pump cupboard.
- Zenith Ultra Electric belt drive
450 kg (6 person), 0.3 to 0.4 m/s, up to 15 m travel and 6 levels (G+5), 150 to 300 mm pit. Near-silent advanced belt drive with an energy recovery system and automatic glass doors. Machine-room-less.
- Atlus Electric hybrid screw drive
400 kg (5 person), 0.15 to 0.30 m/s, up to 12 m travel and 5 stops, 50 to 150 mm pit. No oil, battery backup drive. Machine-room-less.
Shaft-less compact lifts
- Levare Compact Electric belt motor
Shaft-less, no pit, 170 kg. Installs in about 2 days.
- Levare Plus Electric belt motor
Shaft-less, no pit, 250 kg, 1300 mm deep wheelchair-friendly cabin. Installs in about 2 days.
Planning a commercial building? Our commercial estimators prepare a detailed proposal, typically within 48 hours. Commercial lifts →
Choosing
Which suits your project?
MRL suits you if
- Floor or roof space is valuable, as in most new apartments and homes.
- You want less excavation and structural work.
- You are retrofitting a lift into an existing home.
A machine room may suit you if
- The building already has a machine room you can reuse.
- Your designer or builder has planned for one from the start.
Home lifts: free quote in 24 hours. Commercial projects: detailed proposal within 48 hours.
Common misconceptions
Myths debunked
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Myth Every lift needs a machine room.
Fact Many modern lifts are machine-room-less, with the drive inside the shaft or lift tower. Every Lift Ease lift is machine-room-less. The Atlus is a fully contained screw system, and even our hydraulic Vector Pro needs only a small cupboard for its pump, with no machine room.
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Myth A home lift needs a deep pit.
Fact Most modern home lifts need only a shallow pit. The Vector Pro needs just 120 mm, the Atlus 50 to 150 mm and the Zenith Ultra 150 to 300 mm, and the Levare Compact and Levare Plus need no pit or shaft at all.
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Myth You can’t add a lift to an existing house.
Fact A large share of home lifts are retrofitted. Shallow-pit and shaft-less designs such as the Atlus and the Levare range are made for existing homes.
FAQs
Questions we get asked
What does MRL mean?
Machine-room-less. The lift’s motor and drive sit inside the shaft or lift tower, so no separate machine room is needed.
Does a home lift need a machine room?
Not a Lift Ease one: every model we supply is machine-room-less. The Atlus is fully contained, the Levare range is shaft-less, and the hydraulic Vector Pro needs only a small cupboard for its pump.
Does a hydraulic lift always need a machine room?
Older hydraulic designs usually did. The Vector Pro uses a submerged worm screw hydraulic motor, so its pump needs only a small cupboard, with no machine room.
Is an MRL lift harder to service?
It is serviced differently. With no machine room, technicians reach the drive from within the shaft. Regular servicing, at least once a year, keeps any lift safe and reliable.
Do Lift Ease commercial lifts need a machine room?
No. Our commercial passenger elevators, the Zenith DDA and E1, are both machine-room-less (MRL) traction lifts. In fact every Lift Ease unit is machine-room-less.
Do MRL lifts still need a pit?
Usually a shallow one, depending on the model. The Atlus needs 50 to 150 mm and the Levare range needs none.
Talk to a lift specialist
Tell us about your home and we’ll recommend the right lift. Free quote in 24 hours.