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Posted by Mike Phipps on March 28, 2022
Whether you’ve recently had a knee, or hip replacement, or just simply have trouble bending, it can be embarrassing to ask for help when using the toilet.
This is where a simple mobility aid, the humble raised toilet seat, or toilet seat riser, really comes into its own. So, what is the best raised toilet seat available? A question we are frequently asked and one we are going to address here. A few inches of extra height can make all the difference when popping to the loo!
A raised toilet seat, or toilet seat riser, is exactly what it say on the tin! It's a very simple and fairly low-cost addition you can add to your bathroom to make any toilet more manageable and to minimise bending and overbalancing. Sometimes called an elevated toilet seat, this ingenious device does really help to minimise the risk of falling in the bathroom.
Raised toilet seats are easy to fit and can be quickly removed if circumstances change and you don’t need to use one any more, for example, after you have recovered from an operation.
There is a wide range of styles and sizes of raised toilet seats available, so, there are a few fundamental questions you need to answer before you buy one.
Hip replacement surgery is a major procedure that requires a person to get back into their daily life quickly. This can be difficult if they are not able to use the bathroom with standard height toilets, because it puts too much stress on injured joints during bending, or squatting positions, which could cause further complications down the line, such as nerve pain, muscle strains/sprains etc. This is just one example where an elevated toilet seat would be a really useful addition to the bathroom.
There are many other instances where bending becomes more problematic as you get older, or where an operation has resulted in a painful back, or legs, which again means bending is more difficult, or painful.
The raised toilet seat is a simple yet effective way to make going about your daily life easier and safer.
When you need extra support while getting up from sitting down, this small addition can really come in handy. Avoiding using the loo, because it maybe too low, puts other health risks in place, such as urinary tract infections, or severe constipation. Having and using a raised toilet can be a contributing factor to maintaining one’s overall health.
When the time comes to use a toilet, getting up and down can be difficult for elderly people with mobility limitations. Fortunately there is help available. Placing a higher toilet seat on a toilet raises the height of the seat, ensuring that the person using the loo doesn't have to struggle to raise and lower.
When you’re sitting on the loo, your knees and hips should be at roughly equal heights, with your knees down to the floor forming a right angle.
If your toilet seat is too low, then it can be uncomfortable, as well as being difficult to rise up from. A lot of standard toilets in the UK actually have an existing seat height which is too low for many adults and in turn, this means that the toilet seat itself is too low.
In order to find out what the right height for you is, you need to do the following simple task…
First, (you may need to ask a family member, or a loved one to help you), take the measurement of the height between the back of your thigh (behind your knee), to the floor. This measurement is the recommended height the toilet seat should be.
Now take the height of the toilet seat you’re currently using. Then take this number away from the first measurement. The difference between the two numbers is the height of the raised toilet seat you may find will help you with both raising and lowering yourself from the toilet itself.
Lids are ideal for keeping smells and bacteria from escaping!
Lids also help to make the raised toilet seat blend in with the rest of the bathroom furniture, so it doesn’t look out of place. And, if you are superstitious, the lid also keeps out any bad karma!
Raised toilet seat options come with and without lids. Simply check the one you are interested in to see if a lid option is available for your new raised toilet seat.
If you need a raised toilet seat for just a short period of time, you may decide you do not require a raised toilet seat with a lid. It may save a few pennies on the price, and you may find it easier to remove from the toilet bowl itself without a lid in place.
There are many different styles of raised toilet seats.
There are 'contract' models which tend to be at the cheaper end and are often produced for large organisations, such as care homes and the NHS (hence the term 'contract'). Frequently, these contract options do not come with a lid model.
There are several different styles of raised toilet seat which usually include some form of bracket to secure the raised toilet seat on to the actual toilet bowl.
There are 'clip on' models (again, without a lid) which simply clip on and off from the existing toilet seat on the toilet bowl, providing easy tool free installation.
There is also a toilet seat riser, which is placed underneath the existing toilet seat to help raise this slightly higher.
This toilet seat riser actually sits on the toilet bowl and is sandwiched between the existing toilet seat and the bowl, helping to raise the existing toilet seat height slightly. These are ideal where you want to keep the existing toilet seat and toilet seat lid in place, but still require a slight raise.
There are also standard raised toilet seats which have specifically been designed and manufactured for the end user market. There are many different styles, some with more definition in shape than others.
One question we are frequently asked is, 'Will this fit my European style toilet?'. European style toilets tend to be slightly more square in shape than standard UK toilets. There are a number of raised toilet seats which do fit more square shaped bowls – one to watch out for! It appears that there is no such thing as a regular toilet nowadays!
The majority of raised toilet seats are made from easy to clean plastic.
However, there are a few model which are padded/foam based, to provide a more comfortable sitting experience, which is particularly useful for those who find they experience difficulty sitting for any length of time.
The majority of raised toilet seats are white. The colour helps the raised toilet seat blend in with most bathrooms, and the plastic makes them extremely easy to clean.
Some raised toilet seats are available in either red, or blue. These are specifically designed to help for those who may be visually impaired, who struggle differentiating specific items within the bathroom when everything is exactly the same colour (i.e. white) and for those living with dementia.
Raised toilet seats usually come in 3 standard size options; 5 cms (2 inches), 10 cms (4 inches) and 15 cms (6 inches). These three standard sizes tend to accommodate most requirements when choosing the right height for a raised toilet seat, or elevated toilet seat.
Padded raised toilet seats come in several different height options. Again, 5 cm (2 inches), 10 cm (4 inches), or 15 cm (6 inches). This style of raised toilet seat helps to soften the seat for the user (because they are padded) and are fixed to the regular toilet seat, usually with a hook and loop strap, making them fairly easy to remove when required.
Some models of raised toilet seat come complete with arms.
These sturdy arms, or handles, can be useful to help guide a person on and off the toilet, as they provide additional support on either side of the elevated toilet seat. The handles makes sitting more secure, providing peace of mind. So you may consider choosing a raised toilet seat with arms to provide further assistance in the seated position when using the loo. The handles, or arms, also make standing easier, too.
A toilet frame is frequently used with a raised toilet seat to help the user lower and raise from the toilet. The majority of toilet frames are made from either steel, or aluminium, and they are, as their name suggests, frames which stand on the floor surrounding the toilet bowl. The toilet frame often has a padded arm rest on the top part of the frame which can be held when lowering and rising.
There are a few models of toilet frames available which also incorporate a raised toilet seat. These are placed above the existing toilet bowl and allow the user to gently raise and lower from the loo.
The toilet frame with integrated raised toilet seat can simply be moved to one side when another person wishes to use the loo, but doesn't require the additional height the frame and raised seat provides.
There are a couple of helpful attachments that you may need with a toilet seat. One is the – splash guard.
A splash guard prevents accidental splashing that sometimes happen when you’re using the toilet.
The vast majority of raised toilet seats are very easy to install.
Most raised toilet seats sit directly on the toilet bowl and a bracket is then used to fix the raised toilet seat firmly to the toilet bowl. You can also buy clip on raised toilet seats which clip on to either the toilet bowl or on to the existing toilet seat itself.
You will find that a lot of raised toilet seats require that the existing toilet seat is removed so that the raised seat can be placed directly on to the toilet pan. Some of the more expensive raised toilet seats attach to the toilet bowl or pan using a mechanism which fixes through the holes in the pan, to ensure that the new raised seat does not move at all.
Some seats use brackets and rubber grips that attach/grip the side and front of the pan, and sit on top of the existing seat. This type of fitting tends to work for most toilet styles. So, there is no complicated installation required.
When travelling to visit friends or relatives, or staying away on holiday, many people find that they miss their own toilet seat. Many people ask us which are the most portable raised toilet seats and our answer always is either a padded toilet seat riser or the Novelle clip on toilet seat. A portable raised toilet seat is ideal when travelling and staying away from the comforts of home.
We are frequently asked if we sell other raised toilet seats which feature a locking mechanism to attach them to the toilet, so a locking raised toilet seat. As long as the brackets on the raised toilet seat are correctly fixed, or locked into place, this should ensure that the raised toilet seat remains steady and in place, with very little movement.
It’s important you look into how the raised toilet seat will fit before you buy one, so you can make sure that you are able to fit it yourself, and it’s the correct version for your existing toilet.
A good idea is to try and buy a raised toilet seat with hidden fittings, so it's easier to keep the toilet as clean and sanitised as possible.
Some seats have a front clip that can be altered to allow the seat to fit a toilet bowl that is either square, or rectangular.
There is such a wide selection of raised toilets seats you can choose from, so we thought it might help if we give you our best raised toilet seat guide.....
At number 5, we have the – Serenity Raised Toilet Seat.
The Serenity Raised Toilet Seat is designed to look like a ‘standard’ toilet seat as much as possible and is definitely worthy of being in our top five – Best Raised Toilet Seats.
This seat has smooth edges and a gently contoured shape that makes it extremely comfortable to sit on, and it ensures that the person is seated in the correct position.
With its sleek, discreet look, this toilet seat is stylish and will blend in effortlessly with your current bathroom decor. The adjustable fittings allow this seat to fit the majority of toilet bowls, including round, oval and slightly square-shaped ones.
The Serenity Raised Toilet Seat is finished in high gloss, so it's very simple and quick to clean.
This model comes with, or without a lid and is available in 3 different rises – 5 cm (2 inches), 10 cm (4 inches) and 15 cm (6 inches).
At number 4, we have the – Ashby Easyfit Raised Toilet Seat
The Ashby Easyfit Raised Toilet Seat is a great raised toilet seat. It was originally designed and manufactured specifically for the care home industry and is still sold in thousands to many care and nursing homes across the country. It's a trusted, reliabled, strong and durable raised toilet seat.
The Ashby Easyfit Raised Toilet Seat is made from polyethene and is in one piece, which means it’s amazingly easy to keep clean. It’s also incredibly simple to fit to the existing toilet bowl with its two adjustable fixing brackets that keeps the seat firmly in place. It’s ideal for using on square-ish shaped (or European style) toilets.
As with many raised toilet seats, this mobility aid is available in 3 different rises – 5 cm (2 inches), 10 cm (4 inches) and 15 cm (6 inches).
At number 3, we have the – Prima Lift Toilet Seat Riser
This toilet seat riser fits directly under your existing toilet seat.
The Prima Lift Toilet Seat Riser is an ideal solution as it fits underneath most existing seats. It gives a rise of 5 cm (2 inches) and is quick and simple to fit and is suitable for oval, square and round toilets.
With its smooth finish, and being completely sealed, this toilet seat riser is incredibly easy to keep hygienically clean, and it’s strong and durable as well.
The Prima Lift Toilet Seat Riser is also quick and simple to fit, although your existing seat will need to be removed in order to fit this product. Its locking mechanism ensures that it sits happily in place below your current standard toilet seat.
At number 2, we have the Novelle Clip-on Raised Toilet Seat.
The Novelle clip-on Raised Toilet Seat is a great option for those who want an easy, quick and simple way to add a raised toilet seat to their existing bathroom.
This innovative product doesn't have any brackets, so you can secure it on top of your existing toilet seat instead of the bowl. This makes it an ideal portable raised toilet seat when travelling, or going on holiday.
This Novelle clip-on Raised Toilet Seat comes in a 7.6 cm (3 inch) rise (making a total rise of 10 cm [4 inches], when you include the existing seat).
To fit, you simply squeeze together the horseshoe section, and then put the front clip under the existing seat and push down. To remove, all you have to do is to reverse this process.
Top of the pops, and the – Best Toilet Seat Riser – is the Savanah Raised Toilet Seat.
The Savanah Raised Toilet Seat is durable and lightweight. It is one of our most popular within this category and we therefore award it the title of the – Best Raised Toilet Seat.
It has a seat that's gently contoured which makes it comfortable to sit on. The seat slopes down slightly from the front to the back to aid lowering and raising.
The wide, front cut-out on the Savanah Raised Toilet Seat makes it easy for personal cleansing, while the large rear cut-out provides plenty of space for your coccyx and, combined with the gentle slope, makes hygiene for your rear easy to manage.
The Savanah is entirely made from plastic, so it’s super easy to keep clean. It also has two moulded plastic brackets with non-slip buffers that keep the toilet seat firmly in place, stopping the seat from moving around. These buffers, along with the handles on the brackets, allow the seat to be easily adjusted, so it is suitable for a lot of different makes and styles of toilets. These brackets also allow the seat to be fitted, and removed, quickly and easily.
We frequently run offers on many of our most popular products including raised toilet seats, so it always worth checking out our special offers section. You may find that a toilet riser is just the product you, or a loved one require to make popping to the loo, that little bit easier.
With easy installation, some with built in hand grips, or support arms, removing the original seat may make using the bathroom simpler providing the few inches of additional height required.
If you are still unsure on the type of raised toilet seat which would be most suitable for you, or a loved one, simply give us a call free on 0800 255 0498. A member of our friendly customer services team will be happy to help and advise. We have even had customers send us photographs of their toilet so that we are able to advise on shape and dimensions!
Don't forget that we are always here to help and advise on any mobility aid or independent daily living aid, to help you live life to the full. Our team are available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 8.30am to 5pm. Or you can email us at heretohelp@abilitysuperstore.com
Of course, if you are local to us, you could pop in to our local store in East Lancashire. We can then talk you through the different types of raised toilet seats available.
Don't forget to let us know the toilet height of your existing loo, so that we can advise correctly!
You can find at us The Mill, Gertrude Street, Nelson, BB9 8RS. Our retail store is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 10am to 4pm
