What is a Comfort Height Toilet?
Comfort height toilets are becoming more popular in both public and private bathrooms across the UK. Also, know as ‘right height’ toilets, comfort height toilets stand around two to four inches taller than standard flush toilets. Already common toilets in Japan, comfort height toilets are designed to offer a more comfortable sitting position to users, especially those who are tall, elderly or disabled.
How High is a Comfort Height Toilet?
Comfort height toilets vary in height. By and large, the seat tends to stand between 17 and 19 inches from the ground (43cm to 48cm). In contrast, a standard traditional height toilet stands at around 15 inches (38cm).
This means that the comfort height toilet sits you an additional two to four inches (5cm to 10cm extra) from the floor. The additional height offered by the comfort height toilet puts less pressure on joints and the lower back than traditional alternatives.
Standard Height vs Comfort Height Toilets
There is a fair bit of debate when it comes to weighing up the pros and cons of standard height versus comfort height toilets. Each option has its own strengths and weaknesses that need to be considered before you make confidently make a decision.
Comfort Height Toilets
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Standard Height Toilets
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Are Comfort Height Toilets Bad for You?
Comfort height toilets are designed to benefit those who use them by offering them a more comfortable position to sit in than standard variations. For those whose joints are already strained, whether by height, age or injury, comfort height toilets are great. They save pain and discomfort, helping those who might struggle to get up from the toilet easily as they are closer to average human height.
If you don’t suffer from problems in your joints, the drawbacks of a comfort height toilet might outweigh the benefits. It is naturally easier for humans to make bowel movements in a squat position. It’s one of the reasons why squat toilets remain popular in so many areas of the world. Although a comfort height toilet may offer less stress and strain on your joints, it’s position, keeping you upright, prevents the squatting position, which in turn may result in constipation. So, whether a comfort height toilet will be good for you largely depends on current stresses and strains on your body.
Should You Get a Comfort Height Toilet?
The choice of whether or not to include a comfort height toilet in your bathroom comes down to how important the benefits described above are to you. If your household is made up of adults, particularly if they are of advancing age, then a comfort height option might be for you.
If people using your bathroom are shorter in stature or include children, you might be better with a traditional height toilet. A higher toilet can cause problems for kids trying to climb up and might expose them to toilet-related injuries such as slips, trips and falls.
If you are considering a comfort height toilet and have an injury or infirmity that is likely to be only temporary, there are options you can pursue that do not necessitate buying a whole new toilet. Installing a new toilet in your bathroom can be an expensive process that can even means you have to alter the plumbing in your home. To avoid this, if you are only looking for the benefits of a comfort height toilet in the short term, you can consider using a raised toilet seat, these are available in heights of up to four inches (10cm).
Although this can be a great option if you are looking to ease yourself through a short-term problem, they probably aren’t the best in the long-term as they are not the most attractive bathroom feature.
If you are struggling to get down to and up from a regular height and want to see the benefits of a comfort height toilet, but are worried about the strain it will cause owing to the lack of a natural squat position, you can combine a comfort height toilet with a step stool. A step stool, or squatty potty, sits alongside the base of your toilet and gives you a place to rest your feet in a natural squatting position, without meaning you have to struggle up and down from the toilet seat.
Hopefully, the guide above has clued you in a bit about what comfort height toilets are and when they will benefit you and your family. Have a think about the challenges your family face and build this into your new bathroom plan. You can consider mobility and accessibility not only when it comes to your toilet, but around your bath and shower too. There are plenty of options out there that allow you to have both comfort and flawlessly elegant design, helping you get the best of both worlds!
