Shower chair or bath transfer bench?
Written by Nadim Assaf, registered pharmacist, Connect Mobility in Picton
Both let you sit down while you wash. What sets them apart is how you get in, and that comes down to your bathroom.
Got a walk-in shower? A shower chair is all you need. Ours start at $149.95.
Got a bath with the shower over it? You need a transfer bench, from $249. You sit down outside the bath and never step over the edge.
If shuffling across a seat is hard, look at the sliding bench ($499.95).
Look at the bathroom first
People usually start by telling us about their knees or their balance. That matters, but the first question is simpler. Do you wash in a walk-in shower, or in a bath?
A shower chair stands inside the shower. You walk in, sit down, wash and walk out.
A transfer bench has two legs in the bath and two on the floor. You sit on the outside end, then slide across while your legs go over the edge. You're sitting the whole time.
A shower chair in a bath doesn't solve much. You still have to climb over the side to reach it.
Why the bath edge matters
In 2019-20, bathroom falls put Australians aged 65 and over in hospital 8,560 times. That figure is from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
A large US study looked at where in the bathroom people got hurt. About two in three injuries happened in or around the bath or shower. Getting out caused more injuries than getting in.
Getting out is when you're wet and tired, and reaching for something to hold. A bench lets you do it sitting down.
Getting in on a bench
Queensland Health's occupational therapists set the bench up facing the taps. The handrail goes inside the bath, nearest the wall.
- Back up until you feel the bench behind your legs. Sit on the outside end.
- Shuffle back so you're close to the edge of the bath.
- Stay seated and lift one leg at a time over the edge.
- Slide along to the middle of the seat.
To get out, do it in reverse. You can dry off and start dressing while you're still sitting.
Pull the shower curtain across and tuck the bottom edge under you. That keeps most of the water in the bath. Some carers cut two slits in the curtain so it hangs around the bench.
A non-slip mat in the bath helps too. The Aspire Bath Mat ($29.99) holds on with suction cups underneath.
Our shower chairs
The Shower Chair Special ($149.95) is our simplest chair. The seat goes from 400 to 550 mm high, and it takes up to 125 kg.
The steel frame has a coating under the paint to stop rust. The sides are open, so you can slide on from a walker.
If you need arms to push up on, the Smik Aluminium Shower Chair with Arms ($169.95) has padded armrests. The backrest comes off, and it takes up to 114 kg.
For someone heavier, the aluminium Shower Chair ($199) takes up to 200 kg. Aluminium won't rust, and it's tested to Australian Standard AS/NZS 3973.
A shower chair can't get anyone into a bath, though. For that, you need a bench.
Our transfer benches
The Bath Transfer Bench ($299.95) has a wide moulded seat, 800 mm across, with holes so water drains away. It has a curved backrest, a soap dish and a grab rail. Tell us if you want the rail on the left or the right.
The seat goes from 450 to 565 mm high and takes up to 130 kg.
The Aspire Bath Transfer Bench ($249) costs less and comes with suction feet. The seat is 670 mm wide, and it takes up to 136 kg.
The Sliding Bath Transfer Bench ($499.95) is for when shuffling across is the hard part. You sit down, then the seat slides along rails over the bath. It locks at both ends and has a lap belt.
It suits someone who can't shuffle on their own, or a carer doing most of the work. It takes up to 125 kg.
The Aspire Transfer Bench with Rotating Seat ($749) slides too, and the seat also turns. It locks every quarter turn, so you can swing round to face straight down the bath. It has padded arms and takes up to 136 kg.
For thin or fragile skin, there's a padded bench ($329.95). For people over 130 kg, the Aspire Bariatric bench ($329) takes up to 227 kg.
Which one fits
Pick the line that sounds most like your bathroom.
Measure before you order
Seat height. Sit barefoot and measure from the crease behind your knee to the floor. For a bench, Queensland Health's therapists add 5 cm to that. For a shower chair, set the seat so your feet sit flat on the floor.
The bath. The inside legs need to stand flat on the bottom of the bath. Corner baths and spa baths may not have room for them.
A level seat. If the bath floor sits higher than the bathroom floor, lengthen the outside legs until the seat is level.
Glass screens. A fixed glass screen along the bath can stop a bench sitting across the edge. A curtain works better with a bench.
Floor space. The bench needs room on the floor outside the bath. Check the bathroom door still closes.
Aspire's guide says the legs with suction cups go on the same side as the armrest. That's the side inside the bath.
Their legs are marked A and B. Match each leg to the same letter on the frame, and make sure every spring pin clicks into place. It's worth checking the pins before each shower.
We couldn't find cleaning steps from Care Quip or Aspire. Rinse off the soap after each wash and let it dry. If the bench ever wobbles, stop using it and call us.
Paying for it
Everything in this guide costs less than $1,500. The NDIS counts that as low-cost assistive technology, and it names shower chairs as an example. You usually don't need a quote or an assessment.
On Support at Home, bathing aids come through the AT-HM scheme. The low tier covers up to $500 a year, and the medium tier up to $2,000. Your provider will talk through what you need.
We're NDIS registered (#4050144759), and we can invoice your plan manager directly.
Side by side
| Shower Chair Special | Chair with Arms | Bath Transfer Bench | Sliding Bench | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our price | $149.95 | $169.95 | $299.95 | $499.95 |
| Goes in | Walk-in shower | Walk-in shower | Bath | Bath |
| Gets you over the edge | No | No | Yes, you shuffle | Yes, the seat slides |
| Seat height | 400 to 550 mm | 400 to 500 mm | 450 to 565 mm | 495 to 590 mm |
| Seat width | 410 mm | 460 mm | 800 mm | 480 mm |
| Max user weight | 125 kg | 114 kg | 130 kg | 125 kg |
| Support | Open sides | Padded arms, backrest | Backrest, grab rail | Backrest, grab rail, lap belt |
| Frame | Powder-coated steel | Aluminium | Aluminium | Aluminium |
Specs are from the makers' listings. The Shower Chair Special's width is measured between the arm frames.
Questions we get
Can I use a bench in a walk-in shower?
Yes, if the shower has a step or hob to get over. Two legs go inside and two outside, like a bath. It does take up a lot of the floor.
Will water get on the floor?
Some will. Tuck the curtain under you and point the shower head into the bath. Some carers cut slits in the curtain so it hangs around the bench.
Do the suction cups always hold?
Not on every bath. Some reviewers found they didn't grip well. Press down firmly on the seat once it's set up, and check it's steady before you sit.
Not sure it'll fit?
Baths vary a lot. Call Nadim on 1300 216 888 with the bath's inside width and the height of its edge. We'll tell you which seat fits and what height to set it.
More bathroom guides
Where our facts come from
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, where falls occur (8,560 bathroom falls, 2019-20)
- US CDC, nonfatal bathroom injuries (where injuries happen, getting in and out)
- Queensland Health, Townsville occupational therapy, tub transfer bench (set-up, steps, seat height)
- Hamilton Health Sciences, using a bath transfer bench (tucking the curtain)
- Aspire, bath transfer bench assembly guide (suction legs, spring pins)
- Aspire product listings for the rotating, bariatric and plastic seat benches (specs)
- Care Quip product listings for the Bath Transfer Bench AA0190 and shower chairs (specs)
- Trualta, tub transfer bench caregiver FAQs (curtain slits, levelling, suction)
- NDIS, low-cost assistive technology ($1,500 limit, shower chairs)
- My Aged Care, AT-HM scheme (funding tiers, bathing aids)
- SpinLife customer reviews of transfer benches (user experience)
Checked September 2026.