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Shower Chair or Tub Transfer Bench: Which One Do You Need?
Both a shower chair and a tub transfer bench give you somewhere to sit while you wash, and MedlinePlus advises sitting on a bath chair or bench when you take a shower. They differ in one way that decides which you need: whether you have to step over the tub wall.
How They Differ
With a chair, the hardest part is the step over the tub wall while balancing on wet feet. With a bench, you sit down first and bring your legs over one at a time, so there is no standing step. A bench needs a tub with a wall to span, so it does not suit a walk-in shower.
The Numbers from Two Drive Medical Models
Drive Medical's page for its transfer tub bench (12011KD-1) lists a seat 26 inches wide and 18.5 to 19.5 inches deep, legs that adjust from 17.5 to 22.5 inches, a weight of 13.6 pounds and a limit of 400 pounds. Its page for a bath bench with a back (RTL12202KDR) lists a seat 19.25 inches wide and 11.5 inches deep, legs that adjust in 1-inch steps, 7 pounds and a limit of 300 pounds.
That is the trade in one comparison: the bench has a much wider and deeper seat, and it is nearly twice as heavy. The Amazon listing for the same bench says 350 pounds and 10 pounds, and the Drive page says suction cup kits are sold separately where the listing says suction cup feet. When two sources disagree, use the lower weight limit and read the label on the one you receive.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Can I lift each leg over the tub wall without holding on? If not, look at a bench.
- Do I tire in the shower? A seat with a back gives you something to lean on.
- Do I need something to push on? The chair with arms in our guide has padded armrests, and a bench in our guide has a side handle.
- Does my tub have a wall to span, and how wide is the space? Measure before you buy.
Neither Replaces a Grab Bar
MedlinePlus recommends two grab bars fixed to the wall, and says towel racks can't support your weight. A seat gives you somewhere to sit, and a grab bar gives you something to hold as you get in, out and up. See our grab bar guide.
What They Cost in Our Guide
The three chairs and stools in our guide cost less than the Drive transfer bench. The bench costs more because it is larger, with a seat 26 inches wide against 16 to 19 inches for the chairs, and because it has four legs and a back and side handle to adjust. Price should not decide this: if you cannot step over the tub wall safely, a cheaper chair does not solve the problem.
Setting up Either One
- Set the height before you get wet. The chairs in our guide adjust in 1-inch steps, and the bench adjusts from 17.5 to 22.5 inches on Drive's page. Aim for your feet flat on the floor when you sit.
- Check the legs are locked. Push the pins through the holes on all four legs and press down before you sit.
- Look at the feet. Drive's page for its bath bench lists slip reduction tips, and its transfer bench page says suction cup kits are sold separately. Replace tips that are worn, and make sure the tub floor has a non-slip mat, as MedlinePlus suggests.
- Keep a hand on a grab bar when you move. The seat does not replace the bar.
Ask a Therapist
We found no clinical guide that sets out who should use which, so this comes down to how you move. An occupational therapist can watch you get in and out of the tub and tell you whether a chair or a bench fits. The CDC says more than 1 in 4 older adults falls each year, and the bathroom is a good place to ask for that help. Our shower chair guide compares five models, including the Drive bench.
