2026 BUYING GUIDE
How to Choose Bath Safety Equipment
Advice from our South Surrey showroom
Start with the moment that feels hardest: standing in the shower, stepping over the tub or getting up from the toilet. Each one has its own fix.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Tired standing to shower? A shower chair or bench lets you sit.
Hard to step over the tub wall? A transfer bench lets you slide across.
Trouble rising from the toilet? A raised seat adds height, and a frame adds arms.
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By the South Surrey Medical Equipment team · Updated September 2026
STEP 1 OF 6
Find the hardest moment first
Stepping in, sitting down, reaching, standing up and getting out each need something different. Start with the moment that feels least steady. Not sure? We work with a team of occupational therapists and can provide one when needed.
Then think about who helps. The 3 in 1 Shower Commode Wheelchair is pushed by a caregiver, not by the person sitting in it. The Transfer Tub Bench is made for getting in and out of the tub on your own.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Note the moment that feels least steady.
Note who helps, if anyone, and from which side.
Measure the tub wall height and the shower floor.
STEP 2 OF 6
Shower chair, bench or transfer bench?
A shower chair or bench sits inside the tub or shower. A transfer bench straddles the tub wall. You sit on the outside part, then slide across, so there is no step over the wall. If no seat feels safe, our walk-in bathing systems are another way in.
The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 seat rotates 360 degrees and locks every 90 degrees. It is a shower chair, not a tub transfer bench. For entry from either side, the Transfer Tub Bench has a reversible seat back, and the Padded Transfer Bench has a reversible seat.
YOUR CHECKLIST
High tub wall? Look first at a transfer bench.
Need armrests to push up from? Check each seat.
Check which side you will enter from.
STEP 3 OF 6
Get the seat height right
The right height makes sitting down and standing up easier, and many of our seats adjust. The Deluxe Aluminum Shower Bench sets from 15.5 to 19.5 inches, in 1-inch steps.
The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 adjusts from 16 to 21.5 inches. The Deluxe Aluminum Bath Chair has legs that adjust in 1-inch increments. The Transfer Tub Bench sets from 16 to 20 inches, and the 3 in 1 Shower Commode Wheelchair is fixed at 20 inches.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Test the height seated, with feet flat on the floor.
Check the floor is flat where all four legs sit.
Bring photos and measurements of your bathroom.
STEP 4 OF 6
Check weight rating and footprint
Each seat has its own weight rating. The Deluxe Aluminum Shower Bench and the Padded Transfer Bench are rated to 400 lb. The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 and the Deluxe Aluminum Bath Chair are rated to 300 lb.
Footprint matters in a small bathroom. The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 measures 20 inches arm to arm, and its legs cover 18.5 by 16.5 inches. The Deluxe Aluminum Shower Bench measures 19.5 by 19.5 inches outside the legs. The Padded Transfer Bench base measures 27 by 16.5 inches.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Compare the user's weight with the seat's rating.
Measure the shower floor or the inside of the tub.
Check the shower door or curtain still closes.
STEP 5 OF 6
Toilet help: seat, frame or commode
A raised toilet seat lifts you higher. Our Premium Raised Toilet Seat adds 5 inches, holds 300 lb and needs an elongated bowl. A Toilet Safety Frame adds armrests to push up from. Its height sets from 24.5 to 31.5 inches. It fits many standard and raised toilet seats.
A commode is a seat with a pail, so it can go where it is needed. The Folding Steel Commode folds flat and holds 350 lb. The Drop Arm Wheeled Commode has arms that drop down for sideways transfers.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Confirm an elongated bowl before choosing our raised seat.
Measure around the toilet for the arms or frame.
Our Folding Steel Commode is not a shower commode.
STEP 6 OF 6
Know which bars hold your weight
Our suction grab bars steady you, but they do not hold your weight. The Rotating Suction-Cup Grab Bar is balance-assist only, not weight-bearing. Use it to steady yourself, never to pull yourself up.
For weight, choose a rated support. The AquaSense Bath Safety Rail fits onto the tub wall. At the bedside, the M-Rail Bed Assist Handle supports getting into or out of bed. The Wonder Pole Plus and Wonder Pole Premium stand floor to ceiling. Each is rated to 300 lb.
YOUR CHECKLIST
Suction bars need a smooth bathroom surface to grip.
AquaSense rail: tub walls 3 to 7 inches, not acrylic or fibreglass.
M-Rail: check the mattress, the base and the strap path.
BEFORE YOU BUY
Four common mistakes
01
Leaning your weight on a suction grab bar. Ours steady you for balance only. They are not weight-bearing supports.
02
Using a shower chair to cross a high tub wall. The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 is a shower chair, not a transfer bench.
03
Buying a raised toilet seat without checking the bowl. Ours needs an elongated bowl and room for its arms.
04
Taking a folding commode into the shower. Our Folding Steel Commode is not a shower commode.
TRY BATH SEATS IN SOUTH SURREY
Sit on each seat before you choose
Sitting on a bath seat tells you more than a measurement can. At our South Surrey showroom, minutes from White Rock, try a shower chair at your own height, turn a swivel seat until it locks, and practise the slide across a transfer bench.
Bring photos and measurements: the tub wall height, the shower floor and the space around the toilet. An in-home consultation is also worth asking about, and we can help sort out insurance or funding forms.
Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave
Surrey, BC V4P 0A2
START WITH THE HARDEST PART
Which one is right for you?
Start with the part of the day that is hardest.
Standing in the shower is tiring
Sit down to wash. The swivel chair turns and locks. The bench holds 400 lb and has no back. The bath chair has a back but no armrests.
TRY FIRST
Getting up from the toilet is hard
A raised seat adds 5 inches of height and needs an elongated bowl. A safety frame adds armrests to push up from. Both hold 300 lb.
TRY FIRST
Stepping over the tub wall is hard
A transfer bench straddles the tub wall. Sit on the outside, then slide across. The sliding bench seat glides along its frame. The padded bench has a padded seat and back.
TRY FIRST
Toilet trips at night are hard
A commode can go beside the bed. The Folding Steel Commode holds 350 lb and folds flat. The drop arm commode has arms that drop down for sideways transfers.
TRY FIRST
A caregiver helps with toilet and shower
One chair can do several jobs. The 3 in 1 is a shower chair and a bedside commode, and a caregiver pushes it for short transfers. It holds 350 lb.
TRY FIRST
Getting in and out of bed
The M-Rail gives several hand positions and holds 300 lb. It suits single, twin, double, queen and king beds. The Wonder Pole Plus stands floor to ceiling beside the bed.
TRY FIRST
Bath safety questions
Will a swivel shower chair fit my shower?
It will if your shower floor has room for its legs and arms. The Swivel Shower Chair 3.0 measures 20 inches arm to arm, and its legs cover 18.5 by 16.5 inches. Its seat turns 360 degrees and locks every 90 degrees, and sets from 16 to 21.5 inches high.
Will a raised toilet seat fit my toilet?
Ours fits a toilet with an elongated bowl, room for the arms and space to reach the locking knob. The Premium Plastic Raised Elongated Toilet Seat with Lock adds 5 inches of height and holds 300 lb. Its arms sit 21 inches apart, so measure around the toilet first.
Can a suction grab bar hold my weight?
No. Our suction grab bars are balance aids only, not weight-bearing supports. The Rotating Suction-Cup Grab Bar can steady you on a smooth bathroom surface. To push or pull yourself up, choose a rated support, such as the Toilet Safety Frame or the AquaSense Steel Bath Safety Rail, each rated to 300 lb.
Can one chair work as a shower chair and a commode?
Yes. The 3 in 1 Shower Commode Wheelchair is a shower chair, a bedside commode and a chair a caregiver pushes for short transfers. It holds 350 lb and has a removable commode pail. Our Folding Steel Commode folds flat for storage, but it is not a shower commode.
Will a bed assist handle fit my bed?
It depends on the bed and its base. The M-Rail Home Bed Assist Handle suits single, twin, double, queen and king bed sizes, and its strap wraps around the mattress or box spring. It has a 300 lb weight capacity. Check the strap path first, and do not assume it suits a platform or adjustable bed.
Where can a floor-to-ceiling support pole go?
Our Wonder Poles are made to stand beside a bed, chair or toilet. The Wonder Pole Plus must not go inside a bathtub or shower, on a loose rug, or under a vaulted, angled, panelled or suspended ceiling. The Wonder Pole Premium fits flat or vaulted ceilings. Both are rated to 300 lb.
Where can I try shower chairs near White Rock?
Come to Unit 930, 15057 32 Ave, our showroom in South Surrey. Sit on a bench, turn a swivel seat and practise getting on and off a transfer bench. Please call 778-545-0102 before you come, so we can check the seats you want are on display.
Ready for a safer bathroom?
Try seats and benches in our South Surrey showroom, or browse our bath and safety range online.