How to Choose a Commode Chair: Bedside, Western or Indian Toilet

A commode chair lets an elderly, post-surgery or bedridden person use the toilet safely, beside the bed or over the existing toilet. The right one depends on the user's weight, whether they can walk to the bathroom, and whether your home has a western or Indian-style (floor) toilet. For every model and its price, see our commode chair price list: chairs start from Rs 8,500 and commode stools from Rs 2,000.

What a commode chair does

A commode chair is a sturdy seat with a toilet opening and usually a removable bucket. Place it next to the bed at night, or remove the bucket and set the chair over a western toilet so the user sits higher and has armrests to push up from.

Which type fits your situation

Your situation	Type to look at	From
Floor (Indian-style) toilet, and the user cannot squat	Commode stool for Indian-style toilets	Rs 2,500
Travel or occasional use	Portable commode stool	Rs 2,000
Bedside use at night, and storage space matters	Folding commode chair	Rs 8,500
The chair gets wet or washed every day	Aluminium or rust-proof commode chair	Rs 13,000
The user cannot walk to the bathroom	Commode chair with wheels	Rs 15,000
A heavier user	Heavy-duty bariatric commode chair	Rs 15,500
The user also needs a wheelchair	Commode wheelchair	Rs 31,500
Bathing and toilet in one chair	4-in-1 shower and commode wheelchair	Rs 36,000

How to choose

• User's weight: check each chair's maximum load. Our range covers users from about 20 kg up to 150 kg, and the bariatric chair is made for heavier users.
• Mobility: if the user cannot walk to the bathroom, a wheeled chair or a commode wheelchair saves lifting.
• Bathroom size: measure the door width and the space around the toilet before buying a wheeled chair.
• Indian or western toilet: for a floor toilet, a commode stool or a bedside chair is easier than squatting.
• Washing: aluminium and rust-proof chairs last longer if they get wet every day.

Safety tips

• Lock the wheels before the user sits down or stands up.
• Place the chair on a dry, non-slip floor.
• Check the height: feet should rest flat on the floor with the knees at about a right angle.

Questions about choosing a commode chair

Should I buy a folding or a fixed commode chair?

A folding chair is easier to store and carry. A fixed or wheeled chair is sturdier for heavy daily use.

Can a commode chair be used over a western toilet?

Yes. Remove the bucket and place the chair over the toilet. It raises the seat and adds armrests to push up from.

What helps with an Indian-style toilet?

A commode stool made for Indian-style toilets lets the user sit instead of squatting. A bedside commode chair with its bucket is another option.

Related: shower chairs and toilet seat raisers.

See them in Saddar, Karachi

Visit Zain Surgicals at Shop G-17, Jabbar Plaza, Bhicajee Street, Lucky Star, Saddar, Karachi, open daily 9 AM to 9 PM, or call or WhatsApp 0335-2221152. We dispatch within 2 hours and deliver across Pakistan in 24 to 48 hours. Commode chairs are for sale only, not for rent.