In a Nutshell:
It’s small, lightweight, functional, and offered by a great company. The Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool is recommended for those who weigh 300 pounds or less, have light to moderate mobility issues, and don’t need much in the way of assistance.
Value for the Money
Comfort
Brand Reliability*
Overall Rating
3.9/5
Benefits
Drawbacks
Recommended for: Ideal for those who weigh 300 pounds or less, have light to moderate mobility issues, and don’t need much in the way of assistance, or for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of space to work with.
Do you have a light to moderate mobility issue that can sometimes make bathing a challenge?
Are you living in a smaller house or apartment with a tiny bathroom that sees you cramped for space?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, then the Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool might be the perfect solution for you.
Drive Medical is one of the most respected companies in the industry, and they make consistently excellent, high-quality medical products designed to assist people with mobility issues.
This stool, while simple and bare-bones, is a perfectly functional aid that’s a good example of their work.
We’ll be quick to point out that it has its limitations, so it won’t be for everyone.
Even so, as we take a closer look at the product, we think you’ll agree that it could be close to ideal for the right user.
Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool Overview
Simple and functional.
Those are the two words most likely to come to mind when you see the Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool for the first time. It’s not pretty, but it’s not designed to be.
It’s a simple product designed to give you a handy perch while you’re taking a shower. However, it is worth mentioning that the company did pay at least a little attention to aesthetics, offering the stool with either an off-white or blue seat for those who want to add a splash of color.
Chair Specifications
Before we say more than that, let’s take a moment to do a quick stats review:
For a stool, these are pretty good numbers. The seat is on the small size, but then, that’s fairly common where stools are concerned and note that it is height adjustable, allowing you to set it as low as 13.5” if you’re on the short side, all the way up to 21” if you’re taller.
The smallish seat size, paired with the 300-pound weight limit though, makes this an unsuitable choice for bigger, taller people. Granted, since it’s designed for use in the shower, you won’t be spending a lot of time sitting on it, but if you’re bigger and taller, you’re bound to want something a bit more substantial.
On the other hand, if you’re of a slight build or average-sized, and you don’t have a severe mobility issue that sees you requiring significant help when bathing, this shower stool is pretty close to ideal. Weighing in at a scant three pounds, it’s a snap to move it out of the way when you’re not using it.
The rubberized feet provide a good grip to the surface of your shower or tub, and it’s small enough that even if you have a pocket shower, you can still manage to squeeze this stool in.
If you have a serious mobility issue, though, you’ll probably want something a bit more substantial: a proper shower chair with rubberized grips on the chair arms and a seatback to provide additional support.
Adjustability and Comfort
With a flat plastic seat, this stool doesn’t win high marks for comfort, but again, since you’ll only be sitting on it long enough to grab a shower, that won’t be an issue for most people.
In terms of adjustability, there’s only one feature to talk about here, and that is the height-adjustable legs. As we mentioned, you can set them from 13.5” to 21”, which makes this bath stool capable of accommodating a surprisingly wide user height range.
The height adjustment mechanism is dead simple, too. You’ll find a button on the inside of each leg. Just push the button, adjust the height of each leg to taste, and you’re all set.
It takes mere seconds.
Assembly is Required
Given the small size of this product, we would love to have seen it arriving at your door preassembled and ready to go. Sadly, the company opted to flat-pack it, which means you’ll have some work to do to prepare it for first use.
The instructions are clear, and there are only a few pieces to contend with, so the assembly process is a snap. It will likely take you as long to unbox your new stool as it will to put it together, so we’d regard it as a painless process, even if you’re not fond of putting your own furniture together.
Pros and Cons of the Adjustable Height White Bath Stool By Drive Medical
Overall, we regard this as a good product that falls short of greatness. It serves a niche, and for people in that niche, it’s well worth considering, with its biggest advantages being:
On the other hand, it’s not for everyone.
Final Thoughts – Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool Review
The Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool is one of those products that you’ll either be very interested in or not interested in at all.
Its defining characteristics make it almost entirely self-selecting. This is a great choice if you can move around well enough that a stool is all you need or if you don’t have much space to work with.
Heavier people, or people with significant mobility issues, will need something beyond this product’s capabilities to deliver. On that basis, we provisionally recommend it.
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Drive Medical, Official Brand Website.
- Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool User Manual.
- Drive Medical Adjustable Height Bath Stool Specifications Sheet.
- The Attack of the Shower Chair, Caregiver.
- Mobility Aids for the Bathroom: Usage and Tips, Passionate People.