A toilet seat riser is something you just don’t think about until you need it. If you’ve had major surgery (like hip or knee) or are experiencing mobility problems for the first time, you may be surprised to find that getting on and off of the toilet has become more difficult.
One relatively easy way to solve this issue is to purchase a toilet seat riser. You don’t have to permanently modify your toilet or bathroom, and installation is typically simple. The good news is that there are a wide variety of toilet seat risers designed to fit your specific needs. The bad news is that the selection can be overwhelming.
Whether you’ve never heard of a toilet seat riser or are looking to exchange your old one for something different, we’ve got you covered. We’ve researched a large collection of toilet seat risers to find the best one for each unique situation.
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In this article you’ll find:
| Image | Category | Produc | Price |
1  | Best Hinged Toilet Seat Riser | Vive Hinged Toilet Seat Riser | |
2  | Best Toilet Seat Riser with Handles | Vive Toilet Seat Riser with Handles | |
3  | Best Heavy-Duty Toilet Seat Riser | Bemis Clean Shield Elevated Toilet | |
4  | Best Safety Assist Frame | OasisSpace Standalone Raised Toilet Seat | |
5  | Most Comfortable Toilet Seat Riser | Platinum Health Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat | |
6  | Best Toilet Seat Riser for Travel | HealthSmart Portable Elevated Toilet Seat Riser | |
7  | Best Value | Drive Medical 2-in-1 Locking Raised Toilet Seat |
Best Hinged Toilet Seat Riser
Sometimes a hinged toilet seat is the best option. If you don’t necessarily need handles for stabilization and you’re looking for ease of use, a hinged toilet seat can be perfect for you. And the best one you’re going to find is the Vive Hinged Toilet Seat Riser.
It adds a solid 3.5” in height to any toilet and can hold up to 350 lbs. The Vive Hinged Toilet Seat Riser can also raise up a full 90 degrees.
This product is perfect for households with male users who would like to still be able to stand at a toilet.
And the biggest advantage of this product is that it is easy to clean. With a lot of non-hinged products, you have to completely remove them to clean between the riser and the toilet. But not this product. It may be worth buying the Vive for that reason alone.
At 13.75”, the Vive’s opening is also much wider than most other toilet seat risers. While the wide opening is convenient, the thin nature of the riser seat itself may make it uncomfortable. For some users, it may be beneficial to purchase some kind of covering, toilet seat, or cushion to go over it.
Now on to the downsides. The first is that some users find that the Vive Riser comes loose more often than they would like. Most say it is still stable, but note that the bolts need to be tightened relatively often.
In addition, because the Vive is a hinged product, it doesn’t have any kind of splash guard or protective lip extension. Because of this, urine tends to get between the riser and the toilet seat. Luckily, it is easy to clean. But without any kind of guard, you may be cleaning a lot.
Overall, the Vivie Raised Toilet Seat is a solid product. It’s not perfect, but it does what you’re looking for if you’re looking for a hinged toilet seat riser.
Best Toilet Seat Riser with Handles
The Vive Toilet Seat Riser with Handles is a bolt-on, 3.5” toilet seat riser with padded handles. It comes as a standard round (17” from front to back) toilet seat or as an elongated toilet seat (19” from front to back).
There is 19” between the handles. This will be plenty of room for most users, but some larger users may find it more restricting than the 22” space between the armrests of some larger freestanding frames. The toilet opening, at 10” however, is wider than many standard toilet seat risers.
As noted above, this product is a bolt-on toilet seat riser. It comes with a corrosion-resistant frame and is one of the more sturdy toilet seat risers you’ll find. It holds up to 300 lbs., and when it’s bolted in, there is little to no chance of sliding.
The downside of these bolt-on toilet seats is that they are a pain to remove. Once the Vive seat is attached, you will have to unbolt it to clean under the seat. While the sturdiness and handles on this product are essential for some users, a hinged toilet seat (that you can raise and clean) may be the better choice for users who are looking for something easier to use.
Additionally, although it may not seem like it at first glance, you can keep the toilet seat or lid on top of this product after installation. You simply have to bolt this product on under the lid and/or seat. And, honestly, most users find that adding some kind of toilet seat on top makes your experience with the Vive much more comfortable. It is, for the most part, an extender, not a seat made for comfort.
That leads into another issue though. Some users find the product can be a little difficult to install. But if you’re looking for an attachable toilet seat riser (you have to install all of them), you probably won’t find one better suited to your needs.
Best Heavy-Duty Toilet Seat Riser
The Bemis Clean Shield Elevated Toilet is the sturdiest and most reliable toilet seat riser we’ve reviewed. It comes in four different styles (all at different prices): (1) round toilet seat, (2) round toilet seat with handles, (3) elongated toilet seat, and (4) elongated toilet seat with handles.
No matter which version you choose, though, you’re going to get a strong product. The Bemis has been tested to withstand up to 1000 lbs. And the models with handles can hold up to 350 lbs. on each handle. As opposed to other raised toilet seats with handles, the Bemis has proven to be the most sturdy – and likely the only one that allows many users to put their entire body weight on one handle.
The Bemis seat, while not large itself, does have wide handles if you choose to purchase them. There is a full 21” between each armrest, along with padded grips to allow for easy use.
The Bemis Clean Shield is also hinged, allowing for easy cleaning and use by males who prefer to stand. Additionally, the product is made of material that is similar to traditional toilet seats. While this may cause it to be less comfortable than other padded solutions, it also makes it easier to clean and less likely to retain odor.
Installing this product actually isn’t that hard, either. It comes with nylon bolts, so you don’t’ have to worry about rust. And to install it, you simply use the included tools to tighten down the bolts to the toilet frame until the bottom side of the bolt snaps off. When this occurs, the riser is secured to the frame. The Bemis is one of the few toilet seat risers that almost every user has found completely secure and sturdy.
While reliable, the Bemis Clean Shield doesn’t offer much of a lift. It only adds 3” to traditional toilets. Depending on the user, this could be a benefit or a problem. Some users don’t require a 5” lift, and may be uncomfortable with products that rise too high. Others, however, may not be able to bend down to the level that the Bemis rises to. The fact that this product does not offer a taller height may exclude some potential buyers.
On the downside, the Bemis – which is made to support larger users – has one main flaw. It does not have an opening in the front. As we discussed in our article on the best bedside commodes, an opening in the front of a product like this could be essential for cleaning and general use by larger buyers.
In addition, a decent amount of users have had problems with leakage between the riser and the toilet base. Apparently, with certain toilet models, there’s a gap in the front, though this doesn’t always appear to be the case.
Finally, this product is not made to be easily removed. Once it is installed, there isn’t really any moving it. The bottom of the bolts break off, locking it into place. So, there’s no moving it before company comes over, or no using it when you travel.
Besides those few flaws, however, the Bemis looks like the most reliable toilet seat riser on the market. It holds the most weight, and the hinge allows easy use and cleaning. The product is relatively expensive, but if you’re willing to pay up, you can get peace of mind for you or your loved one.
Best Safety Assist Frame
Sometimes you want a toilet seat riser that you can easily move from one toilet to the other. Or one that you can adjust in height. In that case, the OasisSpace Standalone Raised Toilet Seat is the product for you. If you have the budget and the space in your bathroom, this toilet safety assist frame can make things a lot easier.
First, a safety assist frame like this can raise and lower in height (from 20.5” off the ground to 27.5”), unlike attachable toilet seat risers. In fact, the OasisSpace can probably provide the highest lift of any raised toilet seat on the market. But this could also be a problem for some users. The lowest setting is 20.5” off the ground. If you have a standard 15” toilet, then this is 5.5” – a pretty high raise (the highest for most standard risers) for any shorter users.
In addition, the OasisSpace can easily be moved from one spot to another. Whether you have to take it to another toilet or clear up your bathroom before guests come over, this product makes it that much easier.
This product also offers a wide base. It holds up to 300 lbs. and provides a sturdy frame to assist less-stable users. The legs are intentionally angled to prevent the seat from rocking. And you don’t have to worry about this product coming loose from the toilet base or whether it may rock to one side either. Additionally, the OasisSpace comes with non-slipping rubber feet.
This safety assist frame also has a very wide 22” between armrests. It can easily accommodate larger users, but some find the size of the actual toilet seat to be a problem The seat is only 15” across, making it a little more difficult to use. Buyers who are experiencing this problem may want to purchase a bariatric bedside commode instead.
And while you don’t have to worry about attaching this product to your commode, you do have to worry about putting the frame itself together (which could be more difficult for some buyers).
Probably the biggest issue with the OasisSpace Standalone seat is that it does not have an opening in the front. This is an issue with a variety of bedside commodes, and it extends into the raised toilet seat market as well. If you’re a woman or a smaller user, you may not have to worry about this, but larger males may want to go with a product that has an open front.
Overall, however, the OasisSpace is a very solid standalone toilet frame. If you want the peace-of-mind that comes with a wide-based, adjustable toilet seat riser the OasisSpace Standalone Raised Toilet Seat is the product or you.
Most Comfortable Toilet Seat Riser
The Platinum Health Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat is a versatile, sturdy, and comfortable toilet seat riser. Like the OasisSpace it is free-standing. It can be moved from one bathroom to another, and it can also be used as a 3-in-1 toilet. This means that this product can be used as a raised toilet seat, a shower chair, and a bedside commode.
A removable commode pail is included with your purchase, so the product can easily be converted to a bedside commode without having to go buy other accessories. It is also waterproof, making it easily adaptable to shower user. Additionally, the Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat comes with an open-bottom, insertable splash guard, making it easier to avoid messes when using as a raised toilet seat.
Unlike a lot of risers that are included in this list, the Platinum Health Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat is made with soft, but firm padding. It has a 15”-wide seat. However, the armrests are only 20” apart. While this is nothing to scoff at, the OasisSpace product mentioned above does have 22” armrests. So, if you think you may need a wider area to be more comfortable, you may want to consider a different product.
The Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat holds 350 lbs. It also has an adjustable, rust-free frame (good for shower use, as we mentioned above). This product can adjust in height, from a low of 19.5” off the ground to a high of 23.5”. This is notably shorter than the OasisSpace, allowing for shorter users to use the product without much of a problem. Though neither product should be too much of an issue if you are already using a traditional toilet that is more than 15” off the ground.
Maybe most importantly, the Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat has an open front. As we’ve discussed in other articles, an open front is essential for larger users (especially men) and makes cleaning and use much, much easier. The fact that this product has an open front may make it worth paying up for some users.
And speaking of the price, it is clearly much higher than most other toilet seat risers. But with that price you’re getting a versatile, sturdy, and easy-to-use toilet seat riser. Keep in mind that it can adjust in height, so multiple people can use it. You are also essentially getting three products with your purchase.
On the downside, some customers have noted that the product’s material stains very easily, making it difficult to keep the product clean all of the time. In addition, the assembly time can be quite a bit longer than most attachable toilet seat risers. Also keep in mind that with the product being just over 12 lbs., it may be difficult for some users to remove it from the toilet if needed.
Best Toilet Seat Riser for Travel
Sometimes you’re just looking for a toilet seat riser that you can use at home and take on a trip. You don’t necessarily need one with every attachment. And (given your mobility) you may not even need one that attaches to your toilet seat. If that’s the case, the HealthSmart Portable Elevated Toilet Seat Riser is the product you’ve been looking for.
It is a cushioned, 5” toilet seat riser that you simply place on the seat of your toilet for a lift. It does not actually attach to the toilet, but it does have an extender that will secure under the lip of the toilet seat. Also, the HealthSmart comes with several non-slip pads on the bottom to prevent it from easily slipping off the toilet seat.
As I mentioned above, this product is ideal for travelling – but not much else. It holds 250 lbs. – formidable, but not great for larger, stationary users. Before buying, you need to understand that this product is not ideal for users with serious mobility issues. It is best for people who simply have trouble bending down or getting off of the toilet (not anyone who needs some serious stability).
That being said, there are a lot of benefits to having a toilet seat riser like this. One is that you can easily remove it before guests come over or if someone else wants to use the toilet without the riser.
In addition, the HealthSmart is very cheap – at around $20. And it is comfortable as well. The entire seat is padded. A lot of users have also found that the connector under the lip serves as a splash guard as well, preventing any liquids from getting underneath the riser. And you can rest easy knowing that if you have to clean, you can simply remove the riser in a few seconds.
Some of the downsides to the HealthSmart are that (1) the opening is not very wide, and (2) there is potential for it to fall off the toilet. First, the opening is 8” across and 10.25” long. It does not leave a lot of room to wipe, etc. In addition, while this product does secure under the lip, it is not bolted on to the toilet frame. There is still serious potential for it to slip off or flip off of the toilet. For that reason, it should only be used by able-bodied individuals who are not at serious risk of falling.
Overall, the HealthSmart can provide a cheap and easy alternative to most toilet seat risers, especially if you’re looking to travel with it. It can easily fit in a bag or suitcase. It is also light – so carrying it around is not a problem.
Best Value
If you’re looking for a toilet seat riser that is relatively cheap and easy to use, look no further than the Drive Medical 2-in-1 Locking Raised Toilet Seat. This product is typically priced at around $50 and can be quickly attached to your standard toilet.
We need to make clear, however, that this product is not for everyone. It would be best for users who are still pretty mobile, but just require a little extra height on their toilet.
The Locking Seat isn’t a seat you attach to your toilet frame with bolts. It’s one that is fastened into place by a twisting lock on the front of the seat. This means that there is more of a chance the seat will come loose (or loosen over time) compared to a riser that is bolted onto your toilet frame. Some users have even found that their seat may tilt if they lean too far to one side.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the Drive Locking Seat shouldn’t be used. A lot of users have found it to be the perfect product for them. You just have to know whether you’re the type of buyer who can safely use this product.
It adds 5” in height to any toilet and holds an impressive 300 lbs. (for its size). It is also very easy to remove and clean. You don’t need to worry about rusting bolts or taking the seat apart. For the more mobile user, this seat can be perfect.
It has an impressive 18” between the handles, though some users find that the handles are restricting. The good news is that the padded handles are easily removable. So if you find yourself having trouble using the Locking Seat with the handles, you can simply take them off.
Another upside of this seat is that it isn’t permanent. If, for some reason, you want to remove it from your toilet for a short period of time, you can do that. Say you have company coming over, and you don’t necessarily want them to use the seat. You can simply twist the lock and store it away.
Other Considerations
The Type of Toilet You Have
The type of toilet you have will play a big part in determining which type of riser you should buy. You may want to buy a riser suited to your elongated toilet, if you have one. And you always want to check product dimensions before purchasing.
When it comes to attachable toilet seats, you also want to make sure that your toilet can support them. Sometimes the bolts do not fit, or your particular toilet cannot handle an extra riser on it.
This is less of a concern with standalone frames, but still something to keep in mind. You can fit frames around most toilets, but some toilets with an unusual shape may not be accommodating to all standalone toilet frames.
Also, the actual shape of your toilet bowl and lip can play a role. If you’re using an attachable toilet seat like the Drive 2-in-1 Locking Raised Toilet Seat, you will probably want to make sure that it fits the lip of your toilet well enough to remain steady when in use.
The Mobility of the User
The mobility of the user is probably the most important consideration in purchasing a toilet seat riser. You need to get a riser that will keep you or your loved one safe when using the restroom.
This comes into play when you’re deciding on height, handles, etc. If someone needs more stabilization, you may want to get a safety assist frame. If the user is relatively mobile, you may be comfortable with one of the less expensive risers, without handles or other safety features.
If the user is a male and wants to be able to stand to use the restroom, you can purchase a hinged toilet seat. However, if the user needs some reassurance or extra safety features, you may want to purchase an attachable toilet seat riser with handles.
Finally, if the has serious mobility needs, you may want to purchase a 3-in-1 frame or some kind of bedside commode. Some users may want to still use a regular toilet most of the time (with a raised seat of course), but they may require a frame that can be transported to other parts of the house. A product like the Platinum Health Ultimate Raised Toilet Seat can make this happen. With its waterproof design and removable pales, it can allow for use in a variety of scenarios.
Size of Your Bathroom
The size of your bathroom only really comes into play if you’re considering purchasing a standalone toilet frame. These products are typically larger than the attachable toilet seat risers, and they often require more space to secure a steady base.
Depending on the size of your bathroom, this may or may not be the best purchase for you. Some bathrooms, for instance include only a toilet, with enough room for an individual to sit on the toilet but not much else. In that scenario, you may want to consider purchasing an attachable toilet seat riser (if it’s not too wide, as some with handles may be).
Either way, most purchasers should consider getting measurements of the product online or by contacting the vendor before making a purchase.
Conclusion
When you’re looking for a toilet seat riser, it is essential to consider all the options. We’ve reviewed a wide variety of products that span several categories of toilet seat riser. Once you’ve taken your mobility, size of your bathroom, and type of toilet into account, you can check out the items above to find out which one is best for you.
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