Toilet seat safety rails are exactly what they sound like: rails that sit to the sides of your toilet, giving you an extra bit of support when getting on and off the throne. For those with knee troubles or other physical ailments that make sitting and standing troublesome, toilet seat safety rails provide a stable platform to aid in those bodily motions, giving you a firm handhold to make the whole process a bit less tedious and painful. There are many different types, which we’ll cover here.
#1 Toilet Safety Rails
Vive Toilet Rail - Bathroom Safety Frame
When it comes to toilet safety rails, this Vive Toilet Rail is one of the best, for a number of reasons. It’s designed specifically for the elderly and physically handicapped, with a weight support limit of 300 pounds. The rails can be adjusted to a variety of heights and widths, making them capable of fitting most any toilet. It also doesn’t require any special tools to install, as it uses the existing bolts on the toilet to be mounted. The aluminum frame is corrosion resistant, and the handles have closed cell foam padding for comfort. Finally, there’s a lifetime guarantee, so replacing it if anything does go wrong is a simple matter. And on top of all of that, it’s pretty affordable.
Pros:
- Heavily adjustable to fit many toilet sizes and types
- Aluminum frame is corrosion resistant
- Closed cell foam padding is comfortable on the arms
- Comes with a lifetime guarantee
Cons:
- Does require assembly, so an elderly or handicapped person may need help putting it together
- Like assembly, the mounting process will probably require someone that is not physically hindered
What are the Types of Toilet Safety Rails?
Sometimes called toilet safety frames, toilet safety rails come in a variety of forms, though they all serve the same function. What sets them apart is usually small details, like whether or not the railing is combined with a seat. Some are portable and some are installed right into walls. Some models are specifically designed for certain medical conditions, like toilet safety rails for the obese, while others are just general purpose, such as the best toilet safety rails for the elderly.
But for the most part, it comes down to whether these safety rails are portable or built in. Portable safety rails are obviously useful if you travel a lot and make use of many toilets that aren’t yours. Sometimes these railings are foldable, but other times they are just small enough to carry around. Naturally, portability is a strong pro, but it goes without saying that portable safety rails don’t have the same level of stability that installed ones do, and they can’t support as much weight either.
But of course, installed safety rails can’t be moved around. They are the best option if you are only concerned with the restrooms in your own home, and they certainly offer the greatest amount of support and stability. Of course, the other major problem with installed safety rails is that you generally have to rely on an installation service provided to you by a worker or company, and that generally means that installed rails are more expensive as well.
In the end, it comes down to whether you need stationary stability and reliability or portable convenience while traveling, and there are toilet safety rails for both needs. That said, most of the rails we’ll be covering in this article are of the portable variety.
How to install toilet safety rails watch here:
The Best Toilet Safety Rails Reviews
If you’re short on time and just need to see some reviews of good items, this is the meat of the article, covering our brief reviews of some of the best toilet safety rails available right now.
The top best product [hide]
Vive Toilet Rail - Bathroom Safety Frame
Bariatric Grab Bars Bathroom Safety Rail with Leg
Medline Toilet Safety Rails and Frame
Drive Medical Toilet Safety Rail
Essential Medical Supply Height Adjustable Standing Toilet Safety Rail
Carex Toilet Safety Rails
Toilet Safety Rails: Buying Guide
There’s many things to consider when buying a toilet safety rail, which we’ll cover here for your convenience.
What are Toilet Safety Rails?
The design philosophy of these products is very simple: they provide a stable support frame to put your weight on when sitting and standing during the process of toilet use. This is mainly for those who need to be careful during this process and avoid slips and falls, like the elderly, obese or those who have just undergone relevant surgeries. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most are installed either into the toilet itself or the wall next to it, but they all serve the same purpose.
What Type of Safety Rail do you Need?
While all toilet safety rails do the same basic thing, there are two specializations: there are toilet safety rails for the obese and toilet safety rails for the elderly. The main difference between them is how much weight they are designed to support. Products designed for the elderly often have weight support limits around 200 to 300 pounds, while products designed for the obese often have higher weight limits. But other than that, toilet safety rails are mostly the same. It’s just about choosing one that can support your weight.
How do you Know which Safety Rail is Best?
There are many different types of toilet safety rails, designed to accommodate certain needs or particular specializations, so there isn’t an objective ‘best.’ However, some products are just objectively better than others. Top rated medical toilet safety rails are generally quite reliable, seeing as how they have to match a strict criteria for those with serious medical needs. If you aren’t sure of how high quality or reliable a product is, always be sure to check the reviews of the best toilet safety rails to see how they stack up in the opinions of those who have bought them. While they are just opinions, if they are overwhelmingly positive, that generally means the product is a good one and can be trusted.
How does the Product Work, Can it be Moved, Etc.?
There’s no universal answer to this, as the variety of toilet safety rails means they often function in different ways.Some of them are set up on the floor, while others attach to the toilet in one way or another. And of course, some are installed directly into a wall, so there’s no one way that any of these devices work. Some can be moved rather easily, to clean the floor and whatnot, while others would be much more difficult to move or may even require tools to do so. In the same manner, some safety rails may require assembly or special tools to mount, while others may not.
Because there is such a wide variety of products out there, you can’t just assume how they function. That being the case, you should always read the details and specifications of any item you are looking at. For instance, if you are looking for a product that doesn’t require assembly or tools, you’ll need to make sure that it is specified the product meets those expectations. It doesn’t do anyone any good to buy a product assuming it will meet a certain expectation, only to find out that it doesn’t.
What should a Toilet Safety Rail be Made of?
The majority of these items are made out of aluminum, because it doesn’t rust in the water filled environment that most bathrooms are. Moisture is a serious problem in those rooms, so aluminum is a great choice of strong metal that doesn’t rust. That said, there’s no guarantee that ALL of these products are made out of such a material. You should make doubly sure that you are buying a quality product made out of the best materials for the job: always read the fine print and all the specifications of a toilet safety rail before you settle on it as the best choice for your needs.
Toilet Safety Rails - FAQ
What is the Maximum Support Weight of…?
Do I need Tools for Assembly?
What are the Adjustable Dimensions of this Item?
Vive Toilet Rail - Bathroom Safety Frame
In our opinion, this is the overall one of 2020’s best rated toilet safety rails. This is due to the product’s ability to check most desirable boxes: it can support 300 pounds, has a pretty fair deal of width and height adjustability, fits most toilets, requires no tools to assemble or install, and is an aluminum non-rusting frame. It’s pretty affordable, and has comfortable handles that prevent slipping. But most notably, this product has a lifetime guarantee, which is something special. If anything were to go wrong with it, replacing it is hassle free.
Conclusion
Ultimately, there are many types of toilet safety rails, but they have most of the same strengths. They support around the same weights and are often adjustable. The biggest things to consider when shopping for one is ease of assembly and installation, and whether or not the rail is installed directly into your floor or wall. That’s because more complex assembly and installation procedures will probably require a fit and capable person to put it together, which may not always be available. But with almost all of these products functioning the same way, it usually comes down to personal taste and the cost.