Is Golden Technologies a Good Scooter & Power Chair Brand?
Built in a One-Car Garage — The Golden Technologies Story
Some mobility companies started as venture-backed businesses aiming at a big market from day one. Golden Technologies didn’t. It started with two men, a one-car garage, and a promise. Here’s the real story, what they build today, and how they stack up against the bigger names in the category.
“Build It Right the First Time”
Golden Technologies was founded in 1985 by Robert Golden, Sr. and Fred Kiwak, who started out hand-building lift chairs in a one-car garage in Pittston, Pennsylvania — a small town navigating the decline of the region’s coal mining industry. Their guiding pledge, “build it right the first time,” still hangs on a banner above the manufacturing floor today, and it’s the same principle the company was founded on.
Golden remains family-owned today — Robert Golden’s son, Richard, one of the company’s earliest employees, now serves as CEO. That’s a genuinely rare thing to find intact in an industry that’s seen so much consolidation: a company still run by the founding family, four decades in.
From Lift Chairs to Scooters — Growing One Category at a Time
Like Pride Mobility, Golden’s roots are in lift chairs, not scooters or power chairs. The company built its reputation there first — its MaxiComfort and Comforter lift chair lines are still core to the business — before entering the mobility scooter market in 1996. That’s over a decade of establishing quality standards in one category before expanding into the next, rather than launching everything at once.
Today Golden employs nearly 500 people, almost all of them at its Old Forge, Pennsylvania facility — a town locally nicknamed the “Pizza and Lift Chair Capital of the World,” which tells you something about how central Golden has become to that community.
The Models Golden Owners Actually Talk About
A few Golden lines stand out across their scooter and power chair catalog:
- Buzzaround — Golden’s best-known scooter line (Lite, LX, EX, XL), covering everything from lightweight portables to heavier-duty models with higher weight capacities.
- Companion — Golden’s more upscale 3-wheel and full-size scooter line, aimed at riders who want extra comfort and features over a basic travel scooter.
- LiteRider — a lightweight, airline-approved travel scooter built for easy disassembly and portability.
- Compass — Golden’s power chair line (Sport and HD versions), known for reliability at a more accessible price point.
- Cricket — a genuinely distinctive product: an ultra-lightweight, 100% carbon fiber folding power wheelchair weighing just 39.3 lbs, with a removable USB-chargeable joystick. It’s one of the lightest folding power chairs available from any manufacturer.
Where They’re Actually Built
Golden’s manufacturing facility in Old Forge, Pennsylvania is one of the largest lift chair production facilities in the world, and it’s also where the company’s scooter and power chair lines are built. Like most manufacturers in this category, Golden combines domestic manufacturing with imported components — but the assembly and manufacturing footprint itself is genuinely, substantially American, supporting nearly 500 jobs in one Pennsylvania community.
Service Network & Warranty
Golden sells through a national network of authorized dealers and providers, similar to most manufacturers in this category, with in-home service available in many areas. One detail worth knowing specifically: Golden has been recognized for offering a lifetime frame warranty on many of its products — a genuinely strong warranty commitment that signals real confidence in their own build quality, and it’s worth confirming the exact terms for any specific model you’re considering with an authorized dealer.
Who Golden Technologies Is Genuinely Best For
If a family-owned company with a genuine, decades-long track record and a strong warranty commitment matters to you — not just a big logo — Golden is a compelling choice. Their lift chair heritage also means anyone shopping across multiple product categories (a scooter or power chair alongside a lift chair) can reasonably expect the same build philosophy across the whole line, since it’s the same company and the same Pennsylvania facility behind all of it.
How Does Golden Compare to Other US Manufacturers?
Golden’s strength is family ownership and a strong warranty — but it’s worth weighing against other options too:
- If you want the single widest range of models and configurations available, Pride Mobility offers a broader overall lineup, including complex rehab options through Quantum Rehab.
- If domestic manufacturing specifically is your top priority — every unit built in the USA, not a blend of domestic and imported parts — PaceSaver makes the strongest claim of any manufacturer in this category.
- If you’re focused specifically on scooters and want the brand with the longest continuous history in that exact category, Amigo Mobility built the first one back in 1968.
Already own a Golden scooter or power chair and something’s not working right? EasyMed’s AI Technician is free and can help you figure out what’s going on in a couple of minutes — worth a look before scheduling a service call.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Golden Technologies founded?
Golden Technologies was founded in 1985 by Robert Golden, Sr. and Fred Kiwak, who started out hand-building lift chairs in a one-car garage in Pittston, Pennsylvania. The company remains family-owned today, with Robert Golden’s son Richard serving as CEO.
When did Golden Technologies start making scooters?
Golden entered the mobility scooter market in 1996, more than a decade after founding the company on lift chairs. Power wheelchairs followed as part of the broader mobility product expansion.
What are Golden Technologies’ most popular scooter and power chair models?
Buzzaround (scooters), Companion (upscale scooters), and LiteRider (travel scooters) are their best-known scooter lines. Compass and the ultra-lightweight, carbon fiber Cricket are among their most notable power wheelchairs.
Are Golden Technologies products made in the USA?
Golden’s scooters, power chairs, and lift chairs are manufactured at the company’s facility in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, which employs nearly 500 people. Like most manufacturers in the category, some components are imported, but the manufacturing and assembly footprint is genuinely and substantially American.
Does Golden Technologies offer a warranty?
Golden has been recognized for offering a lifetime frame warranty on many of its products, a notably strong commitment in this category. Exact terms vary by model, so it’s worth confirming specifics with an authorized dealer.