By VerifiedCareData. Specs checked against each maker’s spec sheet and FDA records on . How we check →
For most older adults, the best shower chair has a backrest, arms to push up from and a seat about 2 inches above knee height. Our pick is the Medline Shower Chair with Back and Arms, rated 350 lb. Have to step over a bathtub wall? Get a tub transfer bench instead. The fit check below matches each chair to your stall and your knee height.
Our pick: Medline Shower Chair with Back and Arms, $39.99 on Amazon today
Because standing on a wet floor is the hard part of a shower.
01Chair with back and arms
Medline Shower Chair with Back and Arms
Best for most people who can step into the shower but need to sit, with arms to push up from.
✓Seat 16–21 inches off the floor, in 1-inch steps. Seat 16 wide × 13.5 deep inches.
✓Rated 350 lb. Weighs 7.5 lb. Goes together without tools.
✓Backrest and padded arms. Slip-resistant rubber feet.
How we chose it: Medline’s spec sheet confirms 350 lb and a 16–21 inch seat range, no FDA recall names it, and Amazon itself sells this listing (model G2-100KHX1).
One flaw (not a dealbreaker): It is 21.5 inches wide across the arms, wider than a stool. Medline does not publish its depth or the space between the arms, so check a tight stall door.
Amazon price today: $39.99 Amazon price, checked Oct 25, 2026
How we chose: we started with the models the top buying guides recommend most, kept the ones that fit a walk-in or step-in shower, have no FDA recall naming them and are sold new on Amazon, then picked the one with the clearest maker specs for the most common situation. Each number comes from the maker’s spec sheet unless we say it comes from the Amazon listing. How we check →
The other shower chairs worth a look
These are the chairs the top buying guides recommend most. Each one fits a different person or bathroom. Pick the line that sounds like you.
Stool with arms, no back
Medline Backless Shower Chair with Arms
Best for: a small stall, or someone who sits up straight and only needs arms to push up from.
Weight limit350 lb
Seat height16–21"
Seat size (in)16 wide (listing) × 13.5 deep
Footprintnot published
Trade-off: No backrest. Medline publishes no overall width or weight for this model, only a catalog line.
Your knee height. Stand barefoot. Measure from the crease behind your knee to the floor, then add about 2 inches. That is the seat height to aim for. (“Stand barefoot and measure your lower leg from knee crease to floor then add 5cm.” Townsville Hospital occupational therapy fact sheet, 2018. Drive: “Adjust the height to ensure your feet are flat on the floor.”)
Your shower floor. Measure the inside of the stall, wall to wall, both ways. Common stalls are 30 × 30, 32 × 32 and 36 × 36 inches. The chair’s footprint has to fit, with room left for your feet. (No maker gives a minimum stall size, so we show how many inches are left.)
The user’s weight. Pick a chair rated at or above it. When the maker and the Amazon listing disagree, we use the lower number.
Chair
Seat height
Footprint in your stall
Weight
Medline Shower Chair with Back and Arms
16–21"
21.5 × ?"
up to 350 lb
Medline Backless Shower Chair with Arms
16–21"
not published: measure
up to 350 lb
Drive Heavy-Duty Shower Chair with Back
14–19"
17.5 × 17.25"
up to 500 lb
Drive Shower Chair with Padded Arms
16–21"
17.75 × 19.25"
up to 300 lb
Drive Shower Chair with Back
15.5–19.5"
19.5 × 19.5"
up to 300 lb
NOVA Heavy Duty Shower Chair with Back
17–23"
19.75 × 18"
up to 500 lb
Drive Swivel Shower Stool
16–22"
15 × 15"
up to 300 lb
Drive Rolling Shower Chair and Commode
21"
21.5 × 21.5"
up to 300 lb
Type your numbers and each row shows ✓ fits, ✗ does not fit, or ? when the maker does not publish the number we need. In the footprint column we show the inches left over. Using a chair in a tub? Measure the tub floor, which is narrower than the rim.
What the makers claim vs. what the record shows
FDA treats shower chairs as low-risk (Class I) devices. Makers still have to register with FDA, and recalls are public. Here is what we found, checked October 25, 2026.
Chair
Maker sheet vs. Amazon listing
FDA registration
Recalls
Medline Shower Chair with Back and ArmsModel G2-100KHX1
Medline lists 350 lb, 16–21 inches, a 16 × 13.5 inch seat, 21.5 inches overall width and 7.5 lb. The Amazon listing gives 16.3 inches wide and 8.23 lb, and three different seat widths. Source
Medline Industries, LP is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Medline shower chair found. FDA recall list
Medline Backless Shower Chair with ArmsModel G2-200KHX1
Medline’s catalog lists 350 lb, 16–21 inches and a 13.5-inch seat depth. The seat width, padding and 6.3 lb weight come from the Amazon listing only. Source
Medline Industries, LP is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Medline shower chair found. FDA recall list
Drive Heavy-Duty Shower Chair with BackModel 12021KD-1
Drive lists 500 lb, 14–19 inches and no arms. The Amazon listing says it has “padded armrests” and a push pin; Drive’s chair has neither, and its assembly sheet calls for a Phillips screwdriver and a wrench. Source
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Drive shower chair found. FDA recall list
Drive Shower Chair with Padded ArmsModel 12445KD-1
Drive’s chart lists 300 lb and 7.72 lb. The Amazon title says 350 lb (its own spec table says 300), and its bullets say 10 lb. Source
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Drive shower chair found. FDA recall list
Drive Shower Chair with BackModel RTL12202KDR
Drive and the Amazon listing agree on 300 lb and 15.5–19.5 inches. They differ on weight: the listing says 7 lb, Drive’s chart says 9.07 lb. Some other sellers say 400 lb. Source
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Drive shower chair found. FDA recall list
NOVA Heavy Duty Shower Chair with BackModel 9023
NOVA lists 500 lb, 17–23 inches, a 20 × 12 inch seat and drainage holes, and the Amazon listing agrees. NOVA’s guide also says not to use it to help you step in or out of a tub. Source
NOVA Ortho-Med, Inc. is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a NOVA shower chair found. FDA recall list
Drive Swivel Shower StoolModel RTL12061M
Drive’s page says the seat locks every 90°; its manual says it has 12 locked positions. Both say lock it before you sit or stand. The 15 × 15 inch leg footprint is from the Amazon listing. Source
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Drive shower chair found. FDA recall list
Drive Rolling Shower Chair and CommodeModel 11114KD-1
Drive lists 300 lb, a 16 × 16 inch seat at 21 inches, 14 lb and 3-inch casters (two rear locking). The 21.5-inch overall size and 18 inches between arms are from the Amazon listing. Source
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is registered with FDA. FDA listing
No FDA or CPSC recall of a Drive shower chair found. FDA recall list
FDA lists 4 recalls for this device type (2015–2021) and 8 more for bath seats (list). Most were for seats that “may not meet specifications for weight load” (Nutech, 2009) or for brackets, bolts and casters that failed. CPSC lists recalls of Ivena shower benches sold at Costco (2021), Target Room Essentials shower stools (2021) and Steamist wall-mounted seats (2024) (cpsc.gov). None of them is a brand on this page.
Shower chair or shower stool?
A shower chair has a backrest, and often arms. A stool has neither. For most older adults, the chair is the safer choice: the back keeps you from tipping backward and the arms help you stand up. Choose a stool only if the stall is too small for a chair, or if the person sits up straight with no trouble and wants to turn freely. A swivel stool turns so you can reach the controls without twisting; lock the seat before you sit or stand (Drive manual).
Shower chair with wheels or without?
Most people need a chair without wheels. It stays put on a wet floor. A rolling shower chair is for a roll-in shower with no step, where a helper wheels the person in, or to use the same chair over the toilet. The Drive Rolling Shower Chair and Commode has four 3-inch casters, two of them locking, and a fixed 21 inch seat. Lock the wheels before anyone sits down or stands up.
Drive or Medline?
Both have a back and padded arms and adjust from 16 to 21 inches. The Medline Shower Chair with Back and Arms is rated 350 lb. The Drive Shower Chair with Padded Arms is rated 300 lb by Drive (the Amazon title says 350), has arms that come off, and a slightly deeper seat. Choose the Medline unless you want removable arms.
For a small shower stall
Look at the footprint, not the seat. In a 30 × 30 inch stall, a 21.5-inch-wide chair leaves about 8 inches, and you still need room for your feet in front of it. If space is tight, a backless stool or a chair without arms takes less room. Check the fit table above for your stall.
Does Medicare pay for a shower chair?
No. Original Medicare does not pay for shower chairs or bath stools. CMS lists bathtub seats as a comfort or convenience item, not medical equipment (NCD 280.1). Shower chairs had 0 Medicare claims in 2024. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, call and ask whether it covers bathroom safety items.
How to set it up
Set all four legs to the same height and make sure each button clicks through its hole (Drive, Medline, NOVA manuals).
Put the chair on a level spot, with all four feet on the floor. In a tub, keep the rubber tips off the curved sides (Drive).
Never adjust the legs while someone is sitting, and never stand on the chair (Medline).
How to clean it
Wash it with mild soap and warm water, then wipe the seat dry after each use (Drive). Don’t use abrasive cleaners or scrub pads (Drive, NOVA). Check the rubber feet often and replace any that are torn or worn.
This is an equipment guide, not medical advice. If a doctor or therapist has told you which shower seat, height or transfer method to use, follow their instructions over anything here.
Some links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, VerifiedCareData earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That never changes which product we pick or what we say about it. See our methodology.
CMS DMEPOS utilization, 2024 — E0240 and E0245 claims
Amazon product listings — Product names, photos and prices. We check each Amazon price and whether it is in stock every night. A price only shows if it was checked in the last 24 hours.
For Medicare billing
Shower chairs bill as HCPCS E0240 (bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size) and stools or benches as E0245. Neither has a DMEPOS fee schedule entry, and both had 0 national claims in 2024 (CMS utilization data, published with about an 18-month lag). See NCD 280.1.
