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 looking for a stylish and attractive shower stool or chair?
If you answered yes to either of those questions and don’t have any mobility issues, then you’ll like what you see in this review.
Searching for the term “shower stool” usually brings up medical devices meant for use by folks with serious mobility issues, making bathing challenging. Sometimes, you want a pretty accent piece for your bathroom to provide a convenient perch while 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 following sections, we’ll step you through its best and worst features so you can decide whether 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!
Key Features of the AquaTeak Asia Teak Shower Bench
AquaTeak has been in business for over two decades and offers many teak wood bathroom accessories. While they focus primarily on decorative shower stools and benches, that’s 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.
The AquaTeak 18” Asia teak shower bench, particularly, has unmistakable Asian influences in the design. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing, though. Unless your bathroom is already decorated with an Asian theme or you’re redecorating and want to go that direction, this model won’t work for you, making it a bit of a niche product.
It’s such an attractive design you may want to consider it anyway!
Chair Specifications
Before we say more, let’s examine the core statistics 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 can use it quite comfortably.
Similarly, the seat width is a good fit for the vast majority of the market, and the chair is crafted from solid teak wood, heavier than many of the shower stools on the market.
It is not so heavy that it’s impossible to move it out of the way when you’re not using it, but it is heavy enough to provide a solid, stable place to sit while enjoying a long, leisurely shower.
The seat depth is a bit wanting, but it’s not a huge issue, given that you’re not likely to spend endless hours sitting on your trusty shower stool.
The real limiting factor is the maximum supported weight limit. Most furniture on the market today is designed to support around 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: First, this is not a medical device. It’s not optimized for people with serious mobility issues that challenge bathing. There are no safety features built-in. You want a medical shower chair with rubberized feet and no-slip grip surfaces if you need that. This isn’t the stool for you.
The second thing to mention is that the swayed seat design used here is somewhat less than optimal because it collects water, leaving you sitting in a puddle while you’re using the stool. It’s certainly not the end of the world, but finding a shower stool with a better drainage system is not hard. It is a point that bears at least some consideration.
Some Assembly Required
Most of the furniture you can buy online these days comes unassembled, and this stool is no exception. If you want one, it will arrive in a medium-sized box and a handful of pieces at your house.
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. The first is the Asian influence 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, this stool’s relatively modest weight limit may not work for some. We advise you to take that weight limit seriously. The last thing you want is for the stool to collapse beneath you while 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, this stool is 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.
Recommended Reading
EcoDecors Eleganto Teak Shower Bench Review
Our evaluation explores the EcoDecors Eleganto Teak Shower Bench, a gorgeous rustic option from a well-respected company.
Bare Decor Mosaic Folding Stool Review
We evaluated the Bare Decor Mosaic Folding Stool, a beautiful teak wood stool for average-sized users.
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.