If you are looking after an elderly parent, or loved one, you undoubtedly have to look carefully before you buy new equipment, and if you aren’t familiar with all the different types it can all get a bit confusing.
Before my mom’s hip replacement surgery, I had to look into raised toilet seats, and to find one for the job. There are about 9 different types, which are divided into a series of different height options.
A raised toilet seat costs between from $15.00 to $259.00 in the US, and between £14.00 to £479.00 in the UK.
This is not including heavy duty bedside commodes, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
CONTENTS - Overview & Quick Links
Where to buy raised toilet seats ?
The pricing of raised toilet seats
Raised toilet seat prices in US
Safety frames with raised toilet seats and their prices in US
Portable bedside commodes and their prices in US
Raised toilet seat prices in UK
Safety frames with raised toilet seats and their prices in UK
Portable bedside commodes and their prices in UK
Raised toilet seat weight capacities
How to choose a raised toilet seat ?
Best Raised toilet seats for the elderly
Best raise toilet seats after a hip replacement
- Temporary raised toilet seats
- Seats which lock to the toilet bowl
- Raised toilet seats with legs
- Seats which bolt on to the toilet – long term
- Safety frames with elevated toilet seats – long term
- Bedside commodes
Used raised toilet seats near me
- State Assistive Technology Programs
- Used medical equipment suppliers near me
- Used medical equipment loan closets near me
- Medical equipment recycling and refurbishing centers near me
- Thrift stores with used medical equipment near me
Where to buy raised toilet seats ?
The prices that you will find in this post were taken from a range of stores for the US section – Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Walgreens, Amazon, and some online specialist suppliers.
Both Walmart and Amazon have huge collections in the hundreds of raised toilet seats, but Walmart is easier to navigate, as their search results are not messed up by sellers stuffing keywords into the titles of their products.
Home Depot carries around 50 models, Lowes has over 25 models, Walgreens just over 20, and my online specialist, Rehabmart.com, has around 50 models.
If you want to know more about where to get a raised toilet seat, you can find out about all the main brands and where to get them, in my article – “Where To Buy A Raised Toilet Seat ?”.
The pricing of raised toilet seats
I have listed ranges of different risers and raised toilet seats below with their prices.
All the risers and seats are organized by height, and followed by the safety frames with raised seats, and then the portable bedside commodes.
Raised toilet seat prices in the US
The seats listed are examples of the many on the market, and are chosen just to show the range of prices available.
6″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
5″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
4″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
3 1/2″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
3″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
2″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
Safety frame with raised toilet seat prices
Portable bedside commodes prices
Raised toilet seat prices in the Uk
6″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
5″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
4″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
3 1/2″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
3″ raised toilet seat and riser prices
2 ” raised toilet seat and riser prices
Safety frame with raised toilet seat prices
Portable bedside commode prices
Raised toilet seat weight capacities
All these different raised toilet seats have different weight capacities, and you certainly don’t want to get a seat with too low a weight capacity, so head on over to my post “Raised Toilet Seat Weight Capacity: Over 180 Examples”, and find out which models have the right weight capacity for you or your loved one.
How to choose a raised toilet seat ?
As you make your price choice, I would advise you to consider the strength, coordination and mobility of the person you have in mind for the seat.
Personally, having experience with the different types, I would suggest a safety frame, or portable commode, for anyone who is elderly and fragile, as it is easy to one’s lose balance when sitting down, or getting up, and the frames really afford the most support and are totally stable as they have four legs.
My mom has had a portable bedside commode over our toilet for the last 18 months, since she had her hip replacement, and it has helped a great deal.
My mom did try a raised seat which fitted on the toilet, but didn’t have confidence in it.
The frames and portable bedside commodes also have the benefit of having adjustable heights, just like crutches, so if you get the wrong height you can just raise, or lower, the frame to what is comfortable.
There are some raised seats out there that have adjustable heights, and I have put examples on the lists, but there are not that many.
I have an article all about how to choose a raised toilet seat, which is right for you, and your loved one. It outlines the questions you should be asking yourself to inform your choice, along with a PDF that you can download and print out for free – “How To Choose A Raised Toilet Seat ?”
While you are looking for raised toilet seats, there is lots more that you can do to make your bathroom a safer place for seniors, or anyone else with mobility issues.
To find out all the different things you can do, to have an instant impact on bathroom safety, take a look here, “54 Bathroom Safety Tips For Seniors – A Helpful Guide”.
Best raised toilet seats for the elderly
You will need to decide what is the appropriate type of seat for an elderly, or frail, person.
Seats, without armrests, or locking device, may not be suitable for an elderly person who may be lacking in strength and overall stability.
Personally, with my very elderly mom, I have found her to be far more suited to, and safe using, a safety frame with an elevated seat, or a portable bedside commode, placed over the toilet bowl.
I have an article about the best raised toilet seats for the elderly, “Best Raised Toilet Seats For Elderly Seniors: A Detailed Guide With Prices”. I have suggested a possible 16 different raised toilet seats, which are all, depending on the situation, very good options for an elderly adult, drawing on my experience of 13 years of caring for my two parents.
You will find different raise toilet seats which I feel are best suited to different sized elderly adults, and also with regard to their strength and mobility.
Best raised toilet seats after a hip replacement
The best raised toilet seat for after hip surgery for an elderly person is a 3-in-1 bedside commode placed over the toilet, an elevated toilet seat with safety frame, a raised toilet seat with legs, a riser.
I actually have written an extensive article on this subject, which as well as suggesting the best raised toilet seats for the job, with all the reasoning behind my preferences, also includes information about –
- how high your raised toilet seat should be
- who needs a raised toilet seat after hip surgery
- how long you need a raised toilet seat for after hip surgery
- how to select a raised toilet seat
- how to sit on a raised toilet seat after a hip replacement – with lots of illustrations
- what the 90 degree rule for sitting is – with illustrations
- how to use a raised toilet seat and a walker to sit after hip surgery – with illustrations
Here is a link to the article “Best Raised Toilet Seats After A hip Replacement”
I am going briefly this question into two sections, and if you want the full answer you can read the answer which I linked to above –
- best raised toilet seats for elderly adults who may be more frail due to age
- best raised toilet seats for fitter younger seniors who have no mobility issues aside from the new hip, or knee replacement
Types of raised seats
This section is a brief introduction to the different types of raise toilet seats, so if you know nothing about them, and want a more detailed article you can find that in my article “Types Of Raised Toilet Seats: All You Should Know Before You Buy”.
The seats which can be called raised, or elevated seats, fall into the following categories –
Temporary seats which have no fixing (locks, clamps, brackets or bolts) –
- seats which slot onto the top of the toilet bowl, and several inches inside it, often having some type of grip pads, and are called raised or elevated seats – sometimes referred to as “bubble seats”
- Clip-on seats which are squeezed and inserted into the existing toilet seat opening and which then clip onto the seat when released
Bubble seat raised toilet seat
Bubble seat raised toilet seat - underside
Clip-on raised toilet seat - topside
Clip-on raised toilet seat - underside
Seats which lock onto the toilet bowl –
- side locking seats – these are placed on, and go partially down into, the toilet bowl, and are fixed with side locking clamps and a front lip, or bracket – also called raised or elevated toilet seats
- clipper seats are seats which slot onto the toilet bowl, with a deep inside rim, and 4 large plastic clips on the outside, which are pushed in against the toilet bowl to hold it in place
- front locking seats -these fit over the top of the toilet bowl and slot partially into it with a front locking clamp, and a lip at the back which slips under the back rim of the inside of the toilet bowl – called elevated or raised toilet seats
Side locking raised toilet seat with lid
Side locking toilet seat installed on a toilet
Clipper raised toilet seat with armrests
Clipper raised toilet seat - underside
Clipper seat on a toilet
Front locking raised toilet seat without handles
Front locking raised toilet seat
Front locking raised toilet seat clamping mechanism underside
Front locking raised toilet seat on a toilet
Raised toilet seats which slot onto the toilet seat and have legs –
- theses are somewhat like the front locking toilet seats, but they have the additional support of 4 legs
Raised toilet seat with legs
Seats which bolt onto the toilet for long-term use –
- risers, which are simply a block of plastic which has holes that is bolted onto your toilet bowl – you take off your seat and lid, and then you bolt down the lid, and seat, through the plastic riser and onto the toilet, some risers are hinged, so they can be lifted for cleaning
- seats with little spacers, or legs, underneath which bolt onto the toilet available in 2 and 3 inch sizes – sometimes called “tall” toilet seats
Basic riser
Hinged riser
Riser with armrests
Riser installed on a toilet under the seat and lid
Spacer raised toilet seat with lid
Spacer raised toilet seat installed on a toilet
Safety frames with elevated toilet seats – again for long term use
- some elevated, or raised, toilet seats are mounted on safety frames
Toilet safety frame with elevated seat placed over a toilet
Bedside Commodes
- certain portable bedside commodes can also be used as elevated toilet seats, very similar to the safety frames – you simply lift out the commode, or potty, and place the frame and toilet seat over the open bowl of the toilet
3 in 1 bedside commode placed over a toilet as a raised toilet seat
Used raised toilet seats near me
The good news is that there exist quite a few resources for used, and even free used medical equipment, including raised toilet seats, and especially for the elderly, or the disabled.
The places to look –
- State Assistive Technology Program
- local reuse, recycling and refurbishing centers
- local community medical equipment loan or lending closets
- local medical equipment suppliers
- local thrift stores
- local Goodwill stores
- local Salvation Army stores
- Freecycle.org
- Nextdoor.com
- Craigslist
- UsedHME.com
- Facebook selling groups
- BuyNothingproject.org
- local churches and faith groups
A great place to start is your State Assistive Technology Program
State Assistive Technology Programs
In all states across the US, have an Assistive Technology Program of some kind – some better than others.
The AT programs were conceived of as a way to improve access to assistive devices (including durable medical equipment) in the home, primarily for the elderly and the disabled.
There may be eligibility requirements, or proof of need + low income.
The equipment may be new or used.
State Assistive Technology Programs have –
- a main website, where you can make contact and ask about how to get access to medical equipment, where your local center is, and what the eligibility requirements are
- reuse and refurbishment programs overseen by the state program, or partnered with community groups to help them provide free or extremely low cost equipment to those in need
- medical equipment loan closets where you can borrow equipment
One bonus with the equipment on Assistive Technology Programs, which has gone through their system to be re-distributed, is that if it is used, it will have been checked and refurbished for safety.
You can find your state assistive technology program website.
To see what projects are in your state, click here.
Step 1/
Pick your state on the map or the drop-down menu, and click on “Go to state”
– I chose Florida for this example
Step 2/
Click on the link “Program Title” – for my example, I outlined it in red.
Step 3/
The AT Program state website will come up, and you can sign up, or use their contact info.
Used medical equipment suppliers near me
Official medical equipment suppliers are not going to be the cheapest source for finding used medical equipment such as raised toilet seats.
But the equipment should be in a good state of repair when you buy it, and some will give a warranty, which you will not get from most the other sources of equipment that I am writing about here, except for your State AT Program.
To find used equipment suppliers near you, use the yellow pages, or internet search, and you will get results from Yelp and other sites with lots of listings.
Used medical equipment loan closets near me
Medical Equipment Loan Closets loan out new, or gently used, equipment on a temporary or long basis, or both, and typically for free.
Loan closets, sometimes, ask for a deposit, which you get back on return of the equipment, and it is typically very little money.
Loan closets are typically run by –
- community volunteers for the town or village where it is located
- some loan closest are county wide initiatives
- senior centers
- nonprofit organizations
- churches have independent loan closets for the community
- religious charities such as The Society of Vincent De Paul, or UMC
- American Legion Posts
- VFW
- Lions Clubs
- Rotary Clubs
- Elk lodges
Medical equipment loan closets may also be listed as –
- medical equipment lending libraries
- community loan closets
- assistive technology lending libraries
- lending libraries
- medical equipment banks
Finding a medical equipment loan closet in near you may be a little tricky, but first, do the obvious, and have a look on the internet.
If you don’t find anything, you can contact these different administrations and ask if they know where there’s a loan closet near you –
- County Office On Aging
- your local Area Agency on Aging
- your town council human services
- your town or municipal senior services department
- public senior centers near you
- established religious charities
- local churches and faith groups
Medical equipment recycling and refurbishing centers near me
Centers for recycling and refurbishing frequently work with state AT programs, but it is not always the case.
These centers will find used raised toilet seats and all kinds of other durable medical equipment there.
The equipment is typically free or not expensive, and generally will have been checked to make sure that it is safe and in working order, and fixed if it wasn’t.
To find centers in your area, I would suggest that you contact your local Area Agency On Aging, and find out which centers they recommend.
Area Agencies On Aging are contracted by the state, or county, to help the elderly and their caregivers, to find the services available to them, and will give good unbiased advice.
Thrift Stores with used medical equipment near me
Thrift Stores are another source of used medical equipment.
Do, though, remember you are buying the equipment in the condition that you find it, and unless you are buying from Goodwill, or The Salvation Army, the equipment probably has likely not been refurbished, and will come with a disclaimer that if there are problems with it, or even accidents from using it, the thrift store is not responsible.
You will find that not all stores have used medical equipment, especially those which are going for a more “chique” fashion and jewelry boutique look.
To find Thrift Stores in your area, search on the internet, with your location + “Thrift Stores”. This will bring up all the stores in your area.
Do call the stores to check that they have used medical equipment, or look on their website, or Facebook Page – I have done a huge amount of research on this, and I found that if the stores don’t have a website they often have a Facebook Page.
Used medical equipment near me ?
Finding equipment on online listings and groups
Online listings have a great deal of used medical free medical equipment posted on them.
With online listings and groups, you are able to make your searches as local as you wish, which allows you to get results for used equipment near to you.
Important points to remember –
- the quality of the equipment you are going to find is not guaranteed to be great, and if it is faulty you don’t have any recourse, you will be accepting it for free in the condition that you find it
- always pick up your free equipment with a friend – you know nothing about the person, people, you are meeting
- don’t have the items brought to your home (especially if an elderly adult lives there) – meet up somewhere local, such as a mall car park
The following are the online listings and groups on which you can find used medical equipment –
- Craigslist online listing
- ebay.com
- UsedHME.com
- Freecycle.org
- Nextdoor.com
- Facebook Groups and Facebook Marketplace
- Buynothingproject.org
I have illustrated guide posts on the how to find and buy used medical equipment on the following platforms –
Craigslist – “How To Find And Buy Used Medical Equipment Near Me On Craigslist ? A Quick Illustrated Guide “
UsedHME.com – “How To Find And Buy Used Medical Equipment near me on UsedHME.com ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Nextdoor.com – “How To Find And Buy Used Medical Equipment Near Me On Nextdoor.com ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Facebook.com – “How To Find And Buy Used Medical Equipment Near Me On Facebook ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
eBay.com – “How To Find And Buy Used Medical Equipment Near Me On eBay ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Frequently asked questions
Do raised toilet seats fit any toilet ?
A freestanding elevated toilet seat should be able to be place over most toilets, as they typically have a maximum seat height of at least 21 inches from the floor.
Raised toilet seats which attach to the toilet, depending on the particular model, can be for –
- elongated toilets only
- round toilets only
- universal, fitting both types of toilet type
Can a raised toilet seat be too high ?
If a toilet seat is too high and the user’s feet are hanging in the air, and not flat to the floor, the blood circulation in the legs can be affected, causing the user’s feet to go to sleep, and lead to falls when standing.
Secondly, for those with issues with constipation, a lower seat is more conducive to passing a bowel movement.
What’s the tallest toilet height ?
The tallest toilet height is a wall mounted toilet from Kohler.
The Kohler Veil Wall-hung Toilet K-6303 has a maximum bowl height of 28 1/2 inches from the floor.
The tallest standing toilet is the Signature Hardware Bradenton Elongated Toilet, which has a bowl rim height of 21 inches without a seat from the floor.
How to measure for a raised toilet seat ?
To find the correct height of raised toilet seat that you need –
- measure the height of the toilet bowl rim from the floor
- measure the from the floor to the back of your knee where it bends
- subtract the first measurement from the second, and the difference is the height of raised toilet seat that you need
The position you are looking to achieve is one where, when seated, your hip is not lower than your knee.
What sizes do raised toilet seats come ?
Raised toilet seats which attach to the toilet come in a range of heights from 1 inch up to 6 inches.
With regard to the size of the toilet bowel shape, you can get raised toilet seats which fit only elongated toilets, only round/standard toilets, and seats which are universal.
You can also buy raised toilet seats in safety frames with standard models, or 3-in-1 commodes, which range in seat height from 17 to 21 inches – which have adjustable legs and are placed over your toilet.
The tallest model is the OasisSpace Safety frame with elevated toilet seats, which have a top seat level of 27 1/2 inches.
How high are raised toilet seats ?
Raised toilet seats which attach to the toilet come in a range of heights from 1 to 6 inches.
Freestanding raised toilet seats, known as safety frames with raised toilet seats, or 3-in-1 commodes (these can also be used), typically have an adjustable seat height of 17 to 21 inches, with taller models available, up to 27 1/2 inches.
What is the highest raised toilet seat ?
The highest raised toilet seat is the OasisSpace Stand Alone Safety Frame and Raised Toilet Seat, which has a maximum seat height of 27.5 inches.
The tallest raised toilet seat which attaches to the toilet seat is a 6 inch high seat, of which there are many models, but even on the tallest standing toilet they are not as high as the OasisSpace Stand Alone Safety Frame and Raised Toilet Seat.
Who benefits from a raised toilet seat ?
Anyone who has difficulty sitting down, or standing up from the toilet, can benefit from a raised toilet seat.
This will include those with arthritis, Parkinson’s, balance issues, reduced mobility, a lack of muscles, visual impairments, and anyone in rehab from a knee or hip surgery.
I’m Gareth, the author and owner of Looking After Mom and Dad.com
I have been a caregiver for over 10 yrs and share all my tips here.
