We have reviewed the best sliding transfer benches with swivel seat. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot. Or you can scroll down for detailed reviews of the transfer benches.
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An early morning shower that clears the cobwebs or a hot bath in the evening to while away all your worries are the little luxuries of life that we all enjoy. However, for some of us, getting into that bathtub can be a death-defying act in itself!
With approaching old age, the prospect of having to raise one’s leg over the edge of the bathtub, carefully placing it over the other side, then doing the same with the other leg, all the time having one foot in the air and the other on possibly slippery bathroom or bathtub floor is a daunting task and one that is fraught with the possibility of falling and hurting oneself.
If you are injured or have arthritis or any other debilitating disease, it may not even be possible for you to make this complicated and possibly painful move.
Thankfully there is a wonderful gadget available that can aid our loved ones in getting into a tub without having to worry too much about all these problems. This is known as a “Shower transfer bench” (not to be confused with a shower bench, which only helps you to sit under the shower, not transfer over the bathtub.
Shower transfer benches can be of two types – sliding and non-sliding. In the non-sliding transfer bench, the user has to manually scoot over to the bathtub side, wherein the sliding transfer bench, this is done through the help of a sliding frame or rails. This reduces friction and eases movement for patients who may not have the upper body strength to push themselves over to the other end of the bathtub.
In this article, we discuss a specific kind of shower transfer bench – a sliding transfer bench with a swivel seat.
What Is a Sliding Transfer Bench with a Swivel Seat?
Let us start with the basic question – what is this gadget and how does it work? A sliding transfer bench with swivel seat typically consists of 4 legs, a swivel seat, a backrest, rails for the seat to slide on/a sliding frame, and it may/may not have handrails for the user to hold on to on both ends.
Two legs are placed outside the bathtub and 2 in it. The user then sits on the swivel chair (which rotates in place, to make it easy for wheelchair users or users who find it difficult to rotate their bodies. The chair is turned at a 90-degree angle, in parallel to the bathtub. Arm rails are adjusted.
After this, the user puts one leg over the bathtub, then carefully puts the second leg over the bathtub as well and then slides over to the other end of the chair with the help of the sliding frame. This puts the user in the bathtub, where he/she can then continue with their bath. There are optional seat belts and other features also available for safety and comfort.
Where Can I Buy a Sliding Transfer Bench?
Sliding transfer benches are not the typical furniture available at a furniture store. You should be able to buy them from a specialized medical equipment store. Or you can order them online from Amazon to be delivered, right at your doorstep!
How to Select the Best Sliding Transfer Seat with a Swivel Chair?
Padded seats and backrest: The seats should be comfortable with padding so that the user can bathe in comfort. They should also be water-resistant to ensure that water does not accumulate on the chair while bathing
Anti-slip legs: The legs should have anti-slip bottom tips to avoid any accidental slippage during transfer
Height adjustable: As bathtubs come in many sizes and shapes, it is best to buy a transfer chair that can accommodate most heights.
Leg extension and horizontal extension options: While adjustable heights are a good option, some transfer chairs will also have the choice of an additional leg extension to increase the height of the chair, and a horizontal extension to increase its width.
Arm rails: Arms rails help maintain balance during the transfer
Anti-slip seats: The seats should be made from an anti-slip material to avoid slipping off during the transfer motion or else the swivel motion.
Seatbelt: Seat belts provide an extra layer of security during the transfer
Easy assembly: The transfer chair should be easy to put together
Maximum weight capacity: Weight capacity may be anywhere between 250 to 400 pounds and even higher. If your loved one is heavier in size, its best to make sure the weight capacity matches their requirements
Frame Strength: The chair’s frame must be strong yet lightweight so that it can be easily installed and put away after use.
Next, we discuss the best sliding transfer seats with swivel chair available in the market today.
#1 Carousel Sliding Transfer Bench with Swivel Seat
This transfer seat by Platinum health has almost every feature in the book and is one of the most popular choices off the block.
It is a professional grade transfer seat that is used in many hospitals and healthcare homes. It has effortless swivel as well as slide action and optional leg extensions and length extensions are available to make the seat compatible with any bathtub.
It has high-quality padded seats, back, and armrests for extra comfort. Every part is covered with anti-slip, warm and soft to touch material which does not absorb any water.
The chair can be assembled easily within 5 minutes, and that too without the use of any tools. The swivel chair can rotate a full 360 degree, locking at every 90 degrees so as to provide safety as well as maneuverability.
The armrests pivot down and up from the chair so that the user can sit in the chair easily and after seating, they can be closed up for extra safety of the user.
Pros
- Water-resistant, anti-slip coating on seats, back and armrests
- 360-degree swivel chair for optimum space utilization
- Easy assembly
- Pivoting armrests for extra safety and comfort
- Effortless swivel and sliding action
- Length and height extension available optionally
Cons
- Extension kit for height and length increase is quite expensive
- The sliding action may be difficult for some people to adjust to, esp. Dementia patients
Here we have a video featuring Carousel sliding transfer bench with swivel seat.
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#2 Eagle Health Swiveling and Sliding Transfer Bench
This product from Eagle health supplies is again one of the best transfer chairs out there with a whole host of features.
The swivel chair has a patented action which makes it very smooth. It can rotate a full 360 degrees and locks at every 90 degrees. It has specially designed sliding rings at both ends of the chair to hold the chair in place when sliding it.
It has a comfortable seat made from molded plastic along with a seatbelt for extra safety. The legs have anti-slip tips.
The assembly of this product requires minimal effort, no tools are required, and it can be put up within minutes.
This transfer seat can hold up a 400-pound weight, which is professional-grade and can support almost any user.
The height and width are both adjustable as per requirement.
Pros
- Patented swivel design for easy locking of seats at every 90-degree angle.
- Height and length extensions
- Anti-slip legs and chair seat
- High max weight capacity of 400 pounds
- Easy Assembly
Cons
- It’s difficult to operate the features purely by oneself
- Some of the buttons broke after a few uses
#3 Maddak Sliding Rotating Transfer Bench
The Maddak sliding and rotating transfer bench have an innovative design different from the other transfer benches available in this list.
The design makes the seat, backrest and legs easy to remove, making this one of the easiest to install and portable transfer benches ever.
The bench has an expansive weight capacity of 450 pounds, making it one of the most versatile benches. It also comes with a 1-year limited warranty so as to be able to select the product without worrying about defects or shipping problems.
There are two slots in the bench for the shower curtains, so that the curtains can easily be pulled up after the user has been transferred into the bathtub, thus keeping the bathroom clean.
The bench is height adjustable between 16 to 23 inches and locks into place when transferring the user for extra safety.
Pros
- Max weight capacity of 450 pounds
- Innovative design makes it easy to disassemble
- 2 Slots for shower curtains
- Height adjustable and locks into place when transferring the user
Cons
- As there are no slide rails on the bench, it is difficult to transfer a person with heavier size
- The bench is not water-resistant
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#4 Eagle Health Supplies Tub-Mount Swivel Sliding Shower Transfer Bench
Unlike the rest of the entries on this list, the eagle health supplies tub mount chair does not have 4 legs, instead, it has only 2 legs and it can be mounted on top of the edge of the bathtub on the other side, which makes it very compact for use.
Its seat can slide from side to side and also rotate to a full 360 degrees, thus increasing safety and reducing strain on the lower back.
The product has a rust-resistant exterior made of lightweight aluminium and is easy to lift and fold for easy portability. It has adjustable height as well.
There is a seat strap for added protection and the assembly of the seat requires zero tools and can be done very quickly and easily. The maximum carrying capacity is 350 pounds.
Pros
- Saves space
- Height adjustable
- Rust-resistant, Lightweight frame
- Maximum weight capacity of 350 pounds
Cons
- Chair and backrest are not padded and are not water-resistant
Conclusion
A sliding transfer bench with a swivel seat is a great device for people who find it difficult to step over a bathtub. These benches come with many features and qualities and it depends on the space available and the personal requirements of the user which finally decides the features which are more important. We believe that our list is a good general starting point for doing your research and each of the products we mentioned is good for most use cases.
For more adaptive bathroom equipment, read best handheld shower head for elderly, best bath lift for the elderly, and best shower gurney beds for elderly.
