Carex EZ Swivel Stool Review 2024

Do you have a slight mobility issue? Does that fact sometimes make bathing a bit of a challenge? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’d be intrigued by what you read in this review.

Carex isn’t one of the major players in the industry, but they have been in the game for a long time and have a solid reputation for both quality and customer care, and they make consistently good products. While the Carex EZ swivel stool is a decent example of their work, we don’t regard it as one of their best efforts because it’s got a couple of shortcomings that limit its appeal.

Nonetheless, for the right user, it could be a superb fit.

Are you that user? If you’re curious to find out, read on, and we’ll give you the full details!

An Overview of the Carex EZ Swivel Shower Stool

The Carex EZ swivel stool is never going to win any beauty contests. But, as medical devices go, it’s not all that bad looking and certainly a cut above what you tend to see where this class of product is concerned. That said, if you’re looking for a bath stool that would make a good accent piece for your bathroom, you’re probably better off checking out one of the many teak wood models available. 

On the other hand, if you’re more interested in function over form but want something that’s at least marginally better looking than your average medical shower chair, this is a great choice. Before we say more than that, let’s pause to take a quick look at the core stats that define the model. Here’s a quick overview:

These numbers are a mixed bag, with some being exceptional and others being decidedly underwhelming.

The seat height range is exceptional, allowing you to set it low enough that the stool is useful for even very short people and kids while also extending well into big and tall territory, which typically starts at 18” and extends to 22” or higher.

The weight of the stool is delightful in that it’s light enough that you’ll have no difficulty moving it out of the way when you’re not using it, but the seat dimensions are a bit underwhelming. 

12.75” is big enough to get the job done, but honestly, it’s a good thing that you won’t be spending much time sitting on the stool, or it would start getting uncomfortable in a hurry.

The maximum supported weight limit is strictly average. There’s nothing wrong with that. At 300 pounds, the stool is useful to some 90% of the market. Even so, more supported weight is always better.

Adjustability, Comfort, and Extras

At first glance, it seems like this would be the section where the Carex EZ swivel shower stool would shine, but as you will see, due to a few implementation issues, this model winds up coming up a bit short here.

Let’s start with comfort, which is an area where this model shines. Most stools of this type are totally un-padded, but this one does offer a bit. Its PU upholstery is stretched over a modest amount of waterproofed block foam, which isn’t great but compared to sitting on molded plastic, which is what most of its peers offer, it’s a significant upgrade. 

In addition to offering padding, the top of the stool also swivels, which allows you to maneuver in the bath or shower to reach anything you might need.

Unfortunately, the upholstery and the fact that the stool swivels combine to have an unintended side effect. The stool is notoriously easy to slip off of. When the upholstery gets wet, it gets a bit slippery, and the fact that it swivels only makes matters worse. Needless to say, a medical shower stool that gets slippery and is easy to fall off of is NOT a good thing.

In terms of adjustability, we already mentioned the seat height adjustment feature so that we won’t repeat that information here. The only thing to add is the fact that you accomplish the height adjustment by adjusting the length of each of the legs. Just push the button, set the leg length where you want it, then repeat the operation for the other three, making sure that all four legs are set to the same setting, and you’re in business.

Where extras are concerned, this model offers two additional perks we haven’t touched on yet, the first being a small shelf located beneath the seat. While it’s not terribly roomy, it is big enough to hold soap, shampoo, and a few other little accessories, so we’d rate it as being big enough to be functional.

The more important extra, though, is the fact that the legs come sporting rubberized feet which gives the little stool a sure, firm grip with the bottom of your tub or shower, making it incredibly unlikely that it will try to slide out from under you as you’re using it. Now, if only the seat itself wasn’t super slippery!

Some Assembly is Required

As is the case with most of the furniture you can buy online these days, if you decide you want one of these, it will arrive in a modestly sized box and in several pieces.

Fortunately, the production quality is fairly high here, and the assembly instructions are about as straightforward as they could be. Best of all, you won’t even need any tools to put the little stool together, and from start to finish, the whole process should take you about ten minutes. Kudos to Carex for that!

Pros & Cons of Carex Ez Swivel Shower Stool

In no particular order, here are the things we think you’ll like best about the Carex EZ bath and shower swivel stool:

Its biggest points of weakness are:

Carex EZ Swivel Stool Review Conclusion

On the whole, the good points of this design outweigh the bad, but the Carex EZ swivel stool does have a couple of weak spots that are worth keeping in mind.

First, there’s the weight limit. 300-pounds is strictly average, and while it’s enough to accommodate most of the market, if you’re heavier than that, this model is going to be a complete nonstarter.

The bigger issue is the fact that the seat gets slippery when wet. Combine that with the fact that it doesn’t sport a handle, and there’s just no way around it; it’s a major point of weakness, especially for a medical device aimed at people who have mobility issues.

For this reason, although we like many aspects of the design, we can only give it a provisional recommendation, and only for people who suffer from a slight mobility issue.

Anything more serious than that, and you’re going to want something that has a handle at the very least, and preferably isn’t slippery when wet!

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Official Manufacturer Support

References & Resources

• Carex, Official Brand Website.
• Carex EZ Swivel Stool User Manual.
• The Pros and Cons of a Walk-In Shower, Mosby Building Arts.
• Top Tools to Make Bathing Safer and Simpler, Harvard Health.
• 7 Surprising Reasons Baths Are Better For Your Health Than Showers, Little Things.