In a Nutshell:
The AquaTeak 18″ Asia Teak Shower Bench is a very stylish, Asian inspired shower stool design, offered in solid teak wood. Recommended for anyone weighing up to 250 pounds who doesn’t have a mobility issue.
Value for the Money
Comfort
Brand Reliability*
Overall Rating
4/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended For: Anyone weighing up to 250 pounds who doesn’t have a mobility issue.
Do you enjoy taking long, luxurious showers? Are you in the market for a stylish and attractive shower stool or shower chair?
If you answered yes to either of those questions and if you don’t have any type of mobility issue, then you’re going to like what you see in this review.
Doing a search for the term “shower stool” usually brings up medical devices meant for use by folks with serious mobility issues, which can make bathing a challenge. Sometimes though, you just want a pretty accent piece for your bathroom to provide you with a convenient perch while you’re bathing.
If that’s the situation you find yourself in, then the AquaTeak 18” Asia teak shower bench has a lot to offer. In the sections that follow, we’ll step you through both its best and its worst features so you can decide for yourself whether or not this is the model you’ve been looking for. If that sounds good to you, let’s jump right in and see what the AquaTeak Asian shower stool has to offer!
An Overview of the AquaTeak Asia Teak Shower Bench
AquaTeak has been in the business for more than two decades, and the brand offers a stunning variety of teak wood bathroom accessories. While they focus primarily on decorative shower stools and benches, that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If you love the idea of teak wood accents in your bathroom, their entire product line is well worth a look.
As to the AquaTeak 18” Asia teak shower bench, in particular, the Asian influences in the design are unmistakable. That can either be a good thing or a bad though. Unless your bathroom is already decorated with an Asian theme, or you’re redecorating and want to go that direction, this model probably isn’t going to work for you, which makes it a bit of a niche product.
Even so, it’s such an attractive design you may want to consider it anyway!
Before we say more than that, let’s take a moment to look at the core stats that define the model.
Here they are:
For the most part, these are good numbers. The seat height is right on the edge of the big and tall range, which starts at 18” and goes up from there. Since it’s right on the line, though, unless you’re super short, you’ll be able to use it quite comfortably.
In a similar vein, the seat width is a good fit for the vast majority of the market, and the chair is crafted from solid teak wood, it’s heavier than many of the shower stools on the market.
Not so heavy that it’s impossible to move it out of the way when you’re not using it, but heavy enough to provide a solid, stable place to sit while you’re enjoying a long, leisurely shower.
The seat depth is a bit wanting, but given that you’re not likely to spend endless hours sitting on your trusty shower stool, it’s not a huge issue.
The real limiting factor is the maximum supported weight limit. Most of the furniture on the market today are designed to support in the neighborhood of 300-pounds, and this stool misses that mark by a significant margin.
Even so, it’s suitable for some 85% of the market, which makes it a good, versatile product.
Adjustability and Comfort
There are no adjustable features on the AquaTeak Asia teak shower bench. What you see is what you get. Also note that it’s made of solid wood, so it’s about as comfortable as you might expect an all-wood stool to be.
Beyond that, there are two things to draw your attention to here: First, this is not a medical device. As such, it’s not optimized for people who have serious mobility issues that make bathing a challenge. There are no safety features built-in. If that’s what you need, then you want a medical shower chair with rubberized feet and no-slip grip surfaces. This just isn’t the stool for you.
The second thing to talk about is the fact that the swayed seat design used here is somewhat less than optimal because it collects water, which leaves you sitting in a puddle of it while you’re using the stool. It’s certainly not the end of the world, but it’s also not hard to find a shower stool with a better drainage system. It is a point that bears at least some consideration.
Some Assembly Required
Most of the furniture that you can buy online these days comes unassembled, and this stool is no exception. If you decide you want one, it will arrive at your house in a medium-sized box and in a handful of pieces.
Fortunately, the production quality is excellent, and the assembly instructions are simple and clear.
It’s also worth mentioning that this product utilizes stainless steel screws, which are themselves water-resistant, so you won’t have to worry that they’ll slowly rust away on you. Kudos to AquaTeak for doing such a great job on this front. Assembly wise, this is about as painless as it gets.
Pros & Cons of the AquaTeak Asia Teak Shower Bench
There’s a lot to like about this stool. It looks great, is beautifully crafted from solid teak wood, and is an extremely well-priced accent piece that’s easy to put together and delightfully low maintenance.
Unfortunately, there are two drawbacks to consider—first, the Asian influences on the design. As we said earlier, unless your bathroom is already decorated with an Asian theme, or you’re planning an Asian-themed overhaul, this design might be a poor fit.
Second, the relatively modest weight limit of this stool means that it’s just not going to work for some. We’d advise you to take that weight limit seriously. The last thing you want is for the stool to collapse beneath you while you’re in the middle of using it!
In our view, these two things make the stool more or less self-selecting. If you love the Asian design influences and the weight limit isn’t a problem for you, this stool is really a no-brainer. Unless both of those things are true, though, you can probably find something that’s a better fit for you.
AquaTeak 18” Asia Teak Shower Bench Review Conclusion
Even though the AquaTeak 18” Asia teak shower bench has a few noteworthy limitations, it’s an exceptional design that would make a simply exquisite accent piece for the right bathroom.
On that basis, we provisionally recommend it.
References & Resources
- AquaTeak, Official Brand Website.
- Inspiring Ways to Incorporate Wood Into a Bathroom, HGTV.
- Wonderful Ways to Use Wood in Your Bathroom, House Tipster.
- Different Ways to Integrate Wood in Your Bathroom, The Spruce.
- 30 Amazing Asian Inspired Bathroom Design Ideas, Architecture Art Designs.