Choosing the Best Raised Toilet Seat or Safety Rails

What to Consider when Choosing Your Handrail and Raised Toilet

Try to take all the factors into consideration when choosing a bathroom safety aid for your home.

Raised Seat or Safety Rail

Based on your needs, you’ll first need to decide between a raised seat or a safety rail.

Raised Toilet Seats

A raised toilet seat provides additional height, whereas safety rails typically only provide leverage for sitting and standing. If your range of motion is limited, we recommend a raised toilet seat to minimize the distance you’ll need to bend.

Our standard raised toilet seat design provides 5” additional inches of height to your toilet seat and has padded handrails to help you stand and sit.

Safety Rails

Safety rails provide a reliable way to get extra support when getting on and off the toilet, offering a firm grip and sturdy design. Ours are made of lightweight and durable aluminum, which prevents rusting in moist bathroom environments. They are a good option for many bathrooms, but may not always be practical due to their size. If you already have wall-mounted grab bars or aren’t concerned about balance, choosing an option without handrails might make more sense.

If you’re looking for a combination of both, we recommend the Toilet Seat Riser with Arms or the Raised Toilet Seat. Both designs have added height with handrails for some leverage.

For added comfort, add this toilet seat cushion!

Cushioning

If you’re looking for added height plus cushioning can be beneficial for individuals with pain-related challenges; such as hemorrhoids, pressure sores, or tailbone injuries. The soft, padded surface reduces pressure on sensitive areas while the elevated seat height reduces strain on knees, hips, and back while helping prevent falls.

Check out our two padded designs. Both offered in 2” or 4”.

Cushioned Toilet Seat Riser

Cushioned Toilet Seat Riser with Strap

The cushioned toilet seats can also be used in conjunction with any of our safety rail designs.

How Much Added Height

All of our seat risers add extra height to the toilet, making transfers on and off much easier, especially for those with weak knees or limited range of motion. The amount of added height you choose will depend on your needs and capabilities.

Our toilet seat riser with arms and standard toilet seat riser add 3.5”, while our raised toilet seat adds a full 5”.

Toilet Size & Shape

Ensure that the raised toilet seat or handrails that you choose will fit accordingly to the size and shape of your toilet bowl. The most common style is standard, which is round in and extends 28” out from the wall. Elongated-style seats are more oval and extend 31” from the wall.

You can review the individual product listings for measurements and specifications before ordering. For an almost guaranteed fit, choose our Stand-Alone Rail or Stand-Alone Toilet Rail. These options are quite versatile as they don’t require installation on the toilet seat itself.

Weight Capacity

It’s important to get a bathroom safety aid that easily supports your weight to ensure safety and stability. Check the weight capacity of each of our bathroom aids in the chart above.

Stability

While all our safety rails and toilet seats provide stable support, some designs are more heavy-duty than others.

Our newest safety rail design features an added horizontal support bar to eliminate any wobble during use. A few other helpful stability tips include:

• Handrails provide even more stability

• Seats and rails that bolt to the toilet seat offer the most stability

• While the standalone rail provides ample support, it’s important that the user is mobile enough to operate without knocking out of place or tipping.

Both our toilet safety rail and toilet safety frame legs suction to the ground for additional stability and won’t get knocked out of place.

Our Recommendations for... 

Find the perfect bathroom safety aid for your needs here.

Elderly

Elderly patients often require a bit of assistance when getting on and off the toilet, making a firm grip and stable base invaluable. Our toilet riser with arms adds an additional 3.5” to standard or elongated toilet seats, and stays stable with a smooth plastic base that installs under a regular toilet seat with included screws. Aluminum handles with foam padding are attached with brass pins, giving elderly users a firm grip during transfers.

VIEW Toilet seat riser with arms

Stability for Long Term

Long-term stability means finding a safety frame that is both durable and simple enough for everyday use. Try the Rise-Up Toilet Rail. This simple, minimal design can support up to 450 lbs. and attaches to most standard toilets. Another good option is the toilet safety frame, which features a durable aluminum frame that will resist rust and stand up to regular use. Textured plastic handles are easy to grip and won’t show signs of wear as they contour to the shape of your hand. The frame supports up to 300 lbs, making it a good choice for most users.

VIEW Rise-Up Toilet Rail

Travel or Short Term Use

For stability and support when traveling or for short-term use, our compact toilet rail is a good option. It has the most compact design of any of our toilet rails and fits securely to any toilet seat with a tool-free installation. Our raised toilet seat is another highly portable option, featuring a plastic body that can secure to round or elongated toilets. The adjustable knob allows for secure attachment without tools.

VIEW Compact Toilet Rail

Surgery Recovery

The weeks and months following surgery can be a difficult time, with decreased mobility and joint fatigue. Whether it's a knee replacement surgery or another serious procedure, our raised toilet seat is a great option. Its lightweight plastic body and tool-free attachment make it good for short-term use. Add padded grip handles and an ergonomically designed seat, and you have comfort ideal for easing difficult recoveries.

VIEW THIS Raised Toilet Seat

Comfort or Pressure Relief

If you suffer from hemorrhoids, pressure sores, tailbone injuries or are recovering from surgery, extra cushioning may help relieve some of your pain while using the restroom. Our Cushioned Toilet Seat Riser with or without straps provides ideal cushioning and additional height that allows for a more comfortable toileting experience.

VIEW Cushioned Toilet Seat Riser

Multi-Purpose Use

Our modern Stand Alone Rail was designed with versatility in mind. This rail conveniently fits most toilet shapes and sizes. It’s simple to install and slides right over the toilet bowl for added support on either side. Its minimalist design is more attractive than standard toilet rails, but just as reliable. As a bonus, the rail can also be used as a stand assist on couches, recliners, or other seating options throughout the house.

VIEW Stand Alone Rail