The Best Potty Chairs and Seats for Toddlers
Potty training doesn’t have to be a struggle. The right equipment can make it fun for your toddler—and easier for you.
By
We get it, potty training isn’t the most glamorous part of parenting. It’s messy at best, and at worst can be a source of frustration for both toddlers and adults. (But on the bright side, once your child is done with diapers, it'll all seem so worth it.)
Once you and your little one feel ready to tackle the big world of potty training, it's time to research your main piece of equipment: a potty chair. There are a lot out there to choose from, and it’s a good idea to look at a range of options, because having the right potty chair can make all the difference.
Whether you’re looking for a seat with built-in steps to encourage independence, a realistic flushing sound for added fun or a larger splash guard to help reduce the mess, there are features to help make your toddler’s potty training experience go more smoothly. Here are our tried-and-tested favorite potty chairs and seats (what’s the difference? Check out our chart below.).
How We Judged the Best Potty Chairs and Seats
The Best Potty Chairs
When choosing a potty chair, think of it like Goldilocks: not too big, not too small, but just right. The most comfortable potty chairs are just big enough that your toddler can use it without risk of overspraying or missing the target, but not so big that they’re afraid of falling in. "Ideally, you want to use a potty training device that is comfortable for your child," says pediatrician Dr. Krupa Playforth. "We all poop better when we're relaxed.” Any other features—a realistic look, flushing sounds, wipes holder—are just nice bonuses.
This potty chair has all the style of a real toilet and plenty of conveniences: a wipes container, a pushable handle that makes flushing noises and gives an encouraging “Hooray, you did it!” and a collapsible toilet paper holder. And as a bonus, the seat is removable; it’ll fit right on the adult toilet once your kiddo is ready to move up to the big leagues.
Sleek and simple, this potty chair keeps it to the basics with a comfortable high, wide back to keep your toddler feeling more secure, without having the bulkiness of a miniature toilet style.
The Munchkin 3-in-1 checks both "chair" and "seat" boxes. The seat can be removed from the potty and placed onto the big toilet, while the rest of the chair becomes a handy step stool. There’s even a slot for the included baking soda disc to help eliminate odors.
This budget-friendly option from IKEA keeps things simple with a lightweight design and removable inner bowl. And like the others on this list, the tall back keeps things comfortable for smaller toddlers. The splash guard is wider than on most potty seats, which can be handy for those with more wild streams, but it might cause some kids to sit a little more spread out than they’d like.
The Best Potty Seats
Just like with potty chairs, potty seats (which sit on top of the regular toilet seat) should be just the right size to fit your toddler. “The seat should not be too big,” Dr. Playforth says. “[Your toddler] should be able to sit comfortably without worrying about falling in.”
Potty seats require a step stool to help your toddler climb up onto the big toilet and give their feet firm support. But no need to buy a separate stool for this seat—a collapsible, adjustable step ladder is conveniently attached.
Designed to fit almost all toilets, this potty seat has extra grip and wide handles to help your toddler feel safe and secure. The non-skid edges prevent the seat from shifting side to side, and it stores upright on the two "feet" in back (no need to find a hook to hang it on).
No matter the size or shape of your toilet, this lightweight, comfortable seat features an adjustable dial that provides a secure fit on almost any toilet. The built-in handle makes for easy hanging storage.
Jool Baby Folding Travel Potty Seat and Travel Bag - Aqua
From $14.95When you're on the go, having a toddler-sized toilet seat handy will help you continue potty training away from home. This travel potty seat folds up small, has eight suction cups to prevent slipping and comes with a travel bag.
The Best Potty Training Accessories
No potty training is done with just a potty chair—it’s a task that requires both practical tools to help your toddler and entertainment to keep things fun and encouraging. Your kiddo will likely need a step stool to help them reach the sink (and the toilet, if they’re using a potty seat) and absorbent training pants and bed sheets to help them transition out of diapers.
At the same time, a silly soap will encourage the all-important hand-washing (we’ve also recommended an automatic, touchless dispenser to help out little ones who can’t quite do it on their own yet), and a potty training progress chart can help the whole family cheer on your toddler.
BabyBjörn
Step Stool
Pillowfort
Double Step Stool
Skip Hop
Double Up Toddler Step Stool
IKEA
FÖRSIKTIG
Pampers
Easy Ups
Hanna Andersson
Training Unders In Organic Cotton 5-Pack
Seawah
Foaming Touchless Soap Dispenser
Zaaina
Kids Animal Soap Bar, Pack of 6
Putska
Animal Potty Training Chart
Lily and Threads
Editable Potty Chart
Hygge Sheets
100% Waterproof Potty Training Pee Pads for Kids
Do you need a potty chair?
Many toddlers are intimidated by the size of the toilet, so starting off with a pint-sized version made just for them can often be a step in the right direction when it comes to potty training.
If your toddler is totally fine starting off with the regular toilet, keep in mind that regular toilet seats are made for adults, so it can be tricky to keep your kiddo’s tiny rear from falling through the hole. In that case, we recommend adding a potty seat to help little ones feel more comfortable and relaxed until they grow into the full-size seat. You'll also need a step stool so they can reach the seat all by themselves.
When to think about potty training
Typically sometime between 18 months to three years, toddlers get better at holding their bladder. Once you notice that your child doesn’t need diaper changes as often, that’s a great indicator that they may be ready for toilet training. Other signs might include an awareness when wetting or soiling their diaper (especially if they tell you right away when they’re wet or dirty) or a sudden interest in all things potty, including following you to the bathroom and wanting to read all the potty books.
Potty Chairs vs. Potty Seats
As you’re gathering your potty training arsenal, you’ll need to decide whether to go with a full-size, stand-alone potty chair or a smaller, portable potty seat. What you choose will depend on your child’s needs and your family’s routine, and it can help to ask yourself the following questions:
How much space do you have in your bathroom?
Do you need multiple potties for multiple locations?
Can you deal with the ick factor of dumping and cleaning out a potty chair basin each time?
What makes your child feel the most comfortable and in control?
To help you decide, here’s a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of each option:
Potty Chairs vs. Potty Seats
Potty Chairs
Pros
- Closer to the floor
- Extra fun features
Cons
- Needs to be emptied each use
- Takes up more space
- Not as portable
Potty Seats
Pros
- Doesn't take up much space
- More portable
- Larger handles
Cons
- Requires a step stool
- May not fit perfectly on toilet seat
Why Trust Babylist?
Babylist is the expert in baby; we know baby gear inside and out. We talk with parents face-to-face in our showroom and on our user panels and hear from thousands annually via our Best Baby Products online survey. We know what items millions of expecting parents are adding to their baby registries.
Firsthand professional and personal experience. As a Babylist editor and parent of two, I’ve tested hundreds of baby products over the years. I even tested many of the seats on this list while my own kids were potty training, so I know which ones keep kiddos comfortable and excited about potty training (and which ones keep messes at bay).
Expert POV. I spoke with pediatrician Dr. Krupa Playforth about all things potty training, including what features on potty chairs and seats typically work best for keeping toddlers comfortable and confident.
Potty chair data. At Babylist, we regularly analyze which baby products users are purchasing (and which ones they aren’t) and what our Babylist Shop merchandising experts are excited about. Studying this kind of data helps us determine which products to test, including potty chairs.
Feedback and reviews. We read customer reviews from thousands of parents, including Babylist users, about their real-life experiences with potty training tools.
Expert Sources
Babylist content uses high-quality subject matter experts to provide accurate and reliable information to our users. Sources for this story include:
Dr. Krupa Playforth, pediatrician and founder of The Pediatrician Mom
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/2891a7aa784c9ba86d6476e606c38de441dd1b104b310a266dd7ae8e96811ee5/e57e41ee7172adaa897d05bce37e5323/2891a7aa784c9ba86d6476e606c38de441dd1b104b310a266dd7ae8e96811ee5.png?fl=progressive&fm=jpg&bg=rgb:f9f9f9&w=620&h=620","price":26.99,"product_id":666181,"title":"BabyBjörn Step Stool - White/Gray","url":"https://www.babylist.com/gp/babybjorn-step-stool/21190/666181","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/1eMukixxI3WlovJB8osIS3/ef1aa8ce2bde0bf178458994c8622834/51RECLVd0aL._SX679_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"24.99","title":"Skip Hop Double Up Toddler Step Stool","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Toddler-Stool-Double/dp/B086QM7FVT","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/2JLLu149rHH9zWnx6CnEXN/820166b3bfa0df3c5ceb3356a3530d35/Screen_Shot_2023-01-15_at_8.00.55_PM.png?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"6.99","title":"FÖRSIKTIG","url":"https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/foersiktig-childrens-stool-white-turquoise-10591318/","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/37NUQYSA9YjVuPcjfUSzkV/9d0a6f2515cb3db8d4d5843c78e4d6a5/58665_WQ7_110_01.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"35","title":"Hanna Andersson Training Unders In Organic Cotton 5-Pack","url":"https://www.hannaandersson.com/girls-clothing-underwear/58665-4TD.html","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/5UrrOPYfMYuxxXDblHcRRu/944e56aedc293ed2084279e419e1ee29/51GS2oXlUPL._AC_SX679_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"23.99","title":"Seawah Foaming Touchless Soap Dispenser","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Seawah-Automatic-Dispenser-Waterproof-Countertop/dp/B09H7J8F7R","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/6KMSSGt4HnFauQMCrpU23x/8d58feae74c4f9c0633f14f9c45e4c58/817t2wdKzQL._SX679_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"29.99","title":"Zaaina Kids Animal Soap Bar, Pack of 6","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Children-Handmade-Artificial-Ingredients/dp/B082GJ66NX","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/7voAbV2VLrhmaYGkLlscMV/6bb61ce4796e99fdd7f0974e5193bbd3/71DvnWSLOFL._SX679_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"9.97","title":"Putska Animal Potty Training Chart","url":"https://www.amazon.com/Training-Toddler-Sticker-training-sticker/dp/B07QCBY4LW","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/7ntpozfHL67yiPBAJuATre/ebb683886acf1eba7b223a2cc20f0a3e/il_794xN.3881388798_n0bg.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"3.00","title":"Lily and Threads Editable Potty Chart","url":"https://www.etsy.com/listing/1221065102/editable-potty-chart-potty-training?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=potty+training+chart&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&bes=1&organic_search_click=1","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/48H2n16U3cOaKKxiBblszg/8849da6d1acd8aaffeaac278881ebedf/71N4-xhw-KL._AC_SX500_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"26.99","title":"Hygge Sheets 100% Waterproof Potty Training Pee Pads for Kids","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C53WR4HX?th=1","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}