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Being tall has never been easy and when it comes to bathroom assistance aids, using extra tall bedside commodes for the tall person is crucial for both comfort and practicality.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of commodes, whether they be bedside or not that are simply too low to the ground to suit tall people. Many tall people can endure extra tall toilets on a day to day basis.
However, once you sustain an injury, illness, or simply become older than you like to admit, the tall person will need a commode with a taller seat. Without a high seat, the chair can become impractical to use and unsafe as a result.
In this guide, I will be revealing some of the best big and tall commodes suitable for heavy people taller than 6-foot along with regular bedside commodes with seat heights over 20-inches.
Anything below a 20-inch seat height is going to be too low to the ground for a tall person whether you are heavy or not.
Compare Commodes By Seat Height
Drop-Down Arms | Seat Height | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
19.75"-23.75" | Check Price Amazon | ||
19"-23" | Check Price Amazon | ||
21"-25" | Check Price Amazon | ||
20"-25" | Check Price Amazon | ||
19"-23" | Check Price Amazon |
Tall Commodes For Disabled People
When you’re tall and disabled, life can be rather challenging. The best tall commodes for disabled people will essentially consist of the following criteria:
- Drop-Down Arms
- Spacious Seating Area
- Supportive Frame
- Armrests, backrest, and comfortable seat.
NOVA Medical Bariatric Bedside Commode
The NOVA commode features all the criteria required for a tall disabled person to safely transfer from bed to chair. The drop-down arms are non-negotiable in my opinion. When you’re disabled you need as much help getting from point A to point B as possible.
As the arms can quickly and easily drop down on this commode, the disabled person and carer can efficiently transfer from the bed to chair and vice versa.
Extra Tall Seat 23.75″
For optimum safety and comfort, the seat of the NOVA Medical can be raised from 19.75″ to 23.75″ tall. This is one of the tallest bedside commodes on the market, making it ideal for disabled taller people.
Oversized For The Big & Tall
The NOVA commode is suitable for people of all sizes, but if you’re big and tall you will especially enjoy the extra-wide seat along with the reinforced frame.
Whether you are heavy or not, anyone that is disabled should not sacrifice the quality of the commodes frame for a cheaper price. The construction of this commode is straight-up heavy-duty.
Being able to support larger people up to 500 pounds, the NOVA chair gives the disabled person the confidence to sit down safely.
The extra-wide seat allows the elderly, injured, and disabled people to sit comfortably without feeling restricted. The measurement between the drop-down arms is 25.75-inches. This is a huge seat with plenty of space for the bigger people along with the average size folks.
Over The Toilet Or Bedside Capabilities
One of the reasons the NOVA Medical commode is such a popular choice is its ability to be used as either a bedside commode or over the toilet chair.
For bedside, you have the included 6-quart pail and lid in combination with the drop-down arms for easy access to and from the bed.
If you need to use the frame over the toilet, you simply remove the pail and you can have the best of both worlds.
The Ultra Commode For Tall People
The Ultracommode by Platinum Health is a relatively new commode on the scene, but it is certainly making an impression. This commode is a 3-in1 offering bedside, over the toilet, and shower chair capabilities.
While it’s not the first or the only 3-in-1 commode on the market, it does have a unique design allowing it to fold down for easy storage and transportation. The downside is that it is a little expensive and I feel if you don’t need a folding commode, then it may not be worth the initial investment.
Adjustable Seat
The first thing a tall person needs to consider is seat height. The Ultracommode has a nice tall seat height that adjusts from 19″ to 23″. So it ticks the boxes in regards to comfort for a tall person’s height.
Weight Bearing Fold Down Arms
The most impressive feature for me is the weight-bearing fold down arms. With most other drop-down arm models, you can’t really put your weight onto the armrests to help you stand up. Normally the armrest will just drop down under the pressure of your body weight.
The unique design of the Ultracommode allows you to really push yourself off the armrests to stand up. This is a really good feature if you need assistance to stand up from your commode.
However, if you want to use the chair as a transfer chair, I feel it is not the best solution. When you fold the arms out of the way, the folding mechanism used to move the arms is positioned in a way that could pose issues during transfers to and from the seat.
Be sure to check out the images closely if you want a commode with folding arms that can be used as a transfer chair. If you need a smooth transfer, I just don’t think this is the best option.
Other Notable Features
- Soft and waterproof foam padded seat
- 16″ x 16″ Seat (Too small for larger people)
- 20″ Between armrests
- 300 LB Capacity
- Open front seat area – No restrictions when wiping
- Futuristic looking
Lift Commode Chair With Extra Tall Seat 25″
Following on from the above Platinum Health commode chair is this ‘Self-propelled lift chair’ by the same company. This is yet another unique, yet very handy commode, especially for the tall elderly people.
This model does not have drop-down arms, however, it does have a feature that is very unique. A self propelling seat.
The seat is spring-loaded so that when you lean forward the seat assists you in getting up. This is called the ‘GentleBoost technology’. How it works is pretty simple, yet very effective.
The front of the armrests are angled downwards, so when you want to get up from the commode you move your hands over the angled armrests. With your hands, you press down on the armrests and the spring-loaded seat will pop up pushing you from behind.
Making it easier to get up from the chair.
Tall Padded Seat
The seat on the ‘GentleBoost’ commode is similar to their previous model (UltraCommode), in that it is made from a waterproof PU foam material. So it is soft, padded, and can be used as a shower chair also.
The seat can be raised from 21″ to 25″, making it the tallest option on this list. Do note, this includes the top of the padded seat and over time the foam may flatten slightly making it a little lower. But in saying that, it’s quite a tall chair, so losing a little bit from the seat is not a huge issue.
Not For Large People
While I do like the self-propelling seat, I’m not a fan of the fixed armrests. I know it is part of the structural design, but it makes the chair useless for larger people. 20-inches between the arms is simply not enough room for plus size people to comfortably sit on the 16-inch seat.
This is also reflected by the 285-pound weight capacity.
Should you be of average size, but taller than average, I believe you will find this commode chair one of the most intriguing chairs of the year. The lifting seat in combination with the lifting seat and padded arms makes it hard to pass up. However, the fixed arms will be an issue for some folks.
Padded Tall Bedside Commode With Drop-Arms
If all you’re after is an old fashioned tall commode with a padded seat, then Medline has you covered. This model features an adjustable seat that can adjust from 20 inches to a maximum of 25-inches. Giving the taller disabled, elderly person plenty of height to adjust to.
The backrest is also adjustable and removable. Making it suitable to be used as a bedside and over the toilet.
The frame is quite heavy duty and sturdy giving it a weight capacity of 350 pounds. However, with the arms up, you only get 18.5″ between the arms. Which is too narrow for a larger adult.
Fortunately, the arms drop down by pressing the small button the side of the frame. So you can have one of the arms folded down if you’re a larger person. This also makes it easier for transfers to and from the bed.
My only gripe with this commode is the design of the pail. It feels like it was designed too short, as in front to back. As the seat has a full cut out for easier wiping of the backside, the pail doesn’t cover the entire cutout area from front to back.
So if you put the pail all the way back, there’s a gap at the front, making it not ideal for Male users. If you move the pail forward, there’s a gap at the back of the chair between the cutout and the bucket, which is not ideal either.
3-In-1 Commode for Taller Persons
HealthLine produces this 3 in 1 commode, toilet safety frame, and over toilet seat for tall people. It offers a taller seat height that is adjustable from 19″ to 23″.
The design is pretty similar to the first commode I listed, The MedWase. That is it has drop-down arms that face inwards so the frame can be positioned in smaller narrow areas. However, the seat is more like a regular toilet seat rather than a transfer bench.
So while the drop-down arms make it easier for transferring from a wheelchair to the commode, you can’t really slide along the bench like you can on the MedEase.
Multi-Functional Commode
If you weigh less than 300 pounds, you can certainly make good use of this adult potty. It can be used as the regular commode, over the toilet elevated seat, or as a toilet safety frame. The whole chair is assembled and adjusted without using any tools.
So you can quickly and easily take off the back section to turn the commode into a safety rail.
When using it as a regular bedside commode, do remember that this is like a regular toilet seat. It is not padded, so you may need to look into investing in a padded seat riser for maximum comfort. Without additional padding, some people have noticed that the seat is hard and can pinch your skin if you’re not careful.
Overall I do like the fact this commode can be adjusted to perform multiple tasks. But the negatives of the harder style toilet seat are a bit of a turn-off. I would consider one of the other chairs listed on this page if you don’t like a harder style seat.
Factors To Consider As A Tall User
Seat Height
Anyone taller than 6-foot will need to research the seat height of any commode they intend to buy. Many commodes have adjustable seat heights, however, not all the options are suitable for tall people.
When the commode becomes taller, it is also very important to research the structural integrity of the frame. As the taller the frame is, the more likely it is to break under heavier weights.
Even if the chair has a weight capacity of 350 pounds, a 300-pound person could still break the frame when the seat is extended to its maximum height.
So it is imperative that the frame has some form or reinforcements to handle heavier weights at a higher seat height. So I would recommend buying a commode with a much higher capacity than what you actually weigh to be on the safe side.
Fixed Or Drop Down Arms
For some people, this won’t be an option and the commode must have drop-down arms. If you are not disabled to the point where you don’t need to transfer from a wheelchair or bed, you should still consider a commode with drop-down arms.
It makes getting in and out of the chair easier regardless. Also, if you’re a little larger than regular, the drop-down arms can help you fit between the arms as many commodes are quite small.
Seat Depth
As any tall person knows, the seat depth is almost as important as the seat height. With a commode, you need to ensure that the seat has a depth suitable to your height. Otherwise, you may find that the hole in the seat is not aligned correctly with your body.