Shower chair or transfer bench? How to choose (and how to get one free)
If standing in the shower is tiring or shaky, a seat helps. The question is which kind. A shower chair sits inside a walk-in shower or tub. A tub transfer bench straddles the tub wall, so you sit down outside the tub and slide across instead of stepping over. This guide covers how to get one free or on loan, how to choose and measure, the add-ons that make it work, and a few products. Last checked Oct 2026
Before you buy: you may get one free or on loan.
- Medi-Cal: DHCS tells Medi-Cal plans to use regular Medi-Cal medical equipment benefits first when they meet the need, and it names shower chairs as an example. Ask your doctor, then your plan. See which Medi-Cal programs can pay.
- Borrow or get reused equipment: Ability Tools, California's assistive technology program, runs device lending and reuse. Some Independent Living Centers lend or recycle equipment too, so ask.
- Local programs: some county programs install bath safety items. For example, JFS Fix-It in San Diego lists shower chairs and toilet seat risers (see the San Diego County page). Check your county page and the statewide page.
- Get advice that fits the person: an occupational therapist (OT) can say which seat is safe and set its height. Ask the doctor for a referral.
Shower chair or transfer bench?
| Your situation | Usually a better fit |
|---|---|
| Walk-in shower, and you can get in safely but tire standing | Shower chair (with a back and arms if balance is poor) |
| Tub-shower, and you can step over the tub wall safely | Shower chair inside the tub |
| Tub-shower, and stepping over the tub wall is hard or risky | Tub transfer bench |
| You use a wheelchair or walker to reach the tub | Tub transfer bench, and ask about longer-term options such as a roll-in shower (Medi-Cal plans may pay; see our Medi-Cal guide) |
What to measure
- Weight rating: pick a seat rated well above the user's weight. Ratings are on each product page (the ones below range from 300 to 400 pounds).
- Seat height: the user should be able to sit with feet flat on the floor. Most seats adjust in steps; check the range.
- For a transfer bench: measure the height of the tub wall, the inside width of the tub, and the floor space beside the tub. The bench needs room for two legs outside the tub, and the seat has to clear the tub wall at the height you set.
- For a shower chair: measure the shower floor. The chair's base has to sit flat, with all four feet on the floor and clear of the drain lip and the step.
- Which side: check that the bench's back can be put on the side your tub needs (most below are reversible).
- The doorway: make sure a boxed or assembled item can get through the bathroom door.
Add-ons that make it work
- A handheld shower on a hose. With a transfer bench it's close to a must, because you sit with your back or side to a fixed showerhead.
- A grab bar where the person sits down and stands up. Read our grab bar guide for heights and mounting. A slide bar for a handheld shower isn't a grab bar unless its maker rates it as one.
- A non-slip mat for standing in the tub. Most suction mats only stick to smooth surfaces, not textured or tiled floors. A mat doesn't replace a grab bar.
- Toilet help if sitting and standing is hard there too: a raised toilet seat, a toilet safety frame, or a grab bar.
Safety checks
- Check the leg locks every time you change the height. Each push button should pop all the way through the same hole on every leg, so the seat is level and all four feet touch the floor.
- Check it before each use: no wobble, rubber tips in good shape, suction feet holding.
- Never stand on a shower chair or transfer bench.
- Don't use a shower chair as a transfer bench over a tub wall. It isn't built to straddle one.
- Keep the floor outside the tub dry so the outside legs don't slide.
Products to look at
These match the advice above and were sold on the maker's or a large store's site when we checked. We haven't been paid to list them, and these are ordinary links, not affiliate links. Prices change often. Check the maker's weight limit and instructions before you buy.
Shower chair
- Vive Shower Chair: aluminum chair with padded handles and a removable back. Vive lists a seat height of 16 to 21 inches, a base about 17¾ inches wide, and a 300-pound limit. It doesn't fold, but it comes apart. About $70 on Vive's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
Tub transfer benches
- Drive Medical Plastic Tub Transfer Bench with Adjustable Backrest (12011KD-1): plastic bench with a reversible back and suction-cup feet inside the tub. Drive lists a seat height of 17½ to 22½ inches and a 400-pound limit. About $52 at Home Depot at the time of writing (Oct 2026). Maker's page: Drive Medical.
- Carex Universal Transfer Bench: no metal parts to rust, a backrest that switches sides for left- or right-hand entry, and legs that adjust without tools. Carex lists a height of 17½ to 22½ inches and a 400-pound limit. About $80 on Carex's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
- Vive Tub Transfer Bench: aluminum frame, reversible back and arm, suction feet inside the tub. Vive lists legs that adjust from 18½ to 23½ inches, a base 30½ inches wide, and a 400-pound limit. About $110 on Vive's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
Toilet aids
- Drive Raised Toilet Seat with Lock and Lid, 4 inch (12065): adds 4 inches and locks onto the bowl with no tools. Home Depot lists it for round bowls with a 400-pound limit, so check your bowl shape first. Re-tighten the lock regularly. About $41 at Home Depot at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
- Moen Home Care Toilet Safety Bar (DN7015): two armrests that mount under the toilet seat bolts, with no wall work. Follow Moen's weight limit and check the bolts often. About $48 on Moen's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
- Vive Stand Alone Toilet Rail: a freestanding frame around the toilet; nothing attaches to the floor or wall. Vive says it fits most standard and elongated toilets and holds up to 300 pounds. Keep its feet on a dry floor. About $70 on Vive's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
Non-slip mats
- Gorilla Grip Bath Tub and Shower Mat, 35 by 16 inches: a long mat with suction cups and drain holes; machine washable. The maker warns it's only for smooth, non-textured, non-tiled surfaces. Hang it to dry so mold doesn't grow.
- Vive 28 by 16 inch Bath Mat: a suction mat for smooth tub floors; Vive says to take it out and rinse it after each use. About $20 on Vive's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
Product details are from each maker's own page or the linked store page, checked Oct 2026. Listing a product isn't an endorsement, and it isn't medical advice.
Sources
- Drive Medical: 12011KD-1 product page (specifications) and owner's instructions (PDF) (leg locks, all four legs on the floor, don't stand on it)
- Medi-Cal equipment rules: our Medi-Cal guide, which links to the DHCS sources
- Ability Tools: device lending library
- U.S. Access Board: 2010 ADA Standards, chapter 6 (grab bars)
Last checked Oct 2026