The Only Two Things That Really Matter When You're Buying a Potty Training Chair

How to find a potty chair that will help you say goodbye to diapers quickly

Medically reviewed by Ann-Louise T. Lockhart, PsyD, ABPPFact checked by Rich Scherr

Potty training is a huge milestone and one of the biggest transitions to independence for your little one. Plus, it's pretty nice not having to change diapers (though you may not want to throw out the baby wipes quite yet). After testing 22 different potty training chairs from the top brands, we've learned some important things along the way regarding what makes a good potty chair and what doesn't.

Is Your Toddler Ready for Potty Training?

Take it from parents who have recently potty trained their toddlers: You don't want to try to train them if they aren't ready. No matter if you want to try the three-day method or you're more go with the flow and don't mind taking it at a slower pace.

Before you even start contemplating potty training (and purchasing the right potty training chairs and seats, for that matter), you want to make sure your kiddo is ready. Some signs of readiness for potty training are easy to spot (like staying dry for extended periods of time or knowing how to undress from the waist down), while others can be trickier to identify (like knowing when to go or showing interest).

Once you and your child are ready for potty training, you need to stock up on a few supplies: a potty training chair, big-kid underwear (or potty training pants), and maybe a potty training book or two to give you some helpful tips and encouragement. The right potty training chair, in particular, can help get your toddler excited about the process and help you transition from the potty chair to the toilet when the time comes. In our vast experience, we have found that there are really two big factors to pay attention to when buying a potty training chair: the type of chair you actually need and how easy it is to clean.

Types of Potty Training Chairs

Before potty training begins, think about how much space you have for an extra toilet and how you may need to use a potty training chair. There are three main types: the traditional potty training chair, the toilet insert, and the travel potty training chair.

Traditional potty training chairs can take up space. Like our best overall pick, the BabyBjörn Smart Potty, they are miniature chairs with an opening that your toddler can sit on to go potty. These are popular because they are designed for toddlers and don't require step stools or extra accessories. They're also pretty lightweight, so they're easy to take from room to room or even to the backyard, depending on where you want to be when you potty train your child.

What to look for:

• Two-piece designs where the bowl is a smooth surface that can be removed and cleaned after use.

• Grips on the feet base to keep them stable while your child is learning to go.

• Splash guards are important if you're potty training a boy to help keep their urine stream in the potty chair.

Toilet inserts are the next most common type of potty training chair. These are great space savers since they fit on top of your toilet and don't take up any real estate on your bathroom floor, and they're the easiest to clean.

Our favorite is the BabyBjörn Toilet Trainer, which has a comfortable contoured seat, a dial on the back that allows you to adjust the seat size so it fits on a variety of toilets, and a hook for storage. Just note that you probably also want to invest in a step stool until your child is big enough to get up on the toilet seat independently.

What to look for:

• A contoured seat is designed for comfort and to better support them as they sit on top of the full-size toilet.

• Splash guards, while not always as pronounced on toilet inserts as on traditional potty chairs, are also an important feature.

• A hook or handle so you don't have to store it on the bathroom floor.

Travel potty chairs come in handy if you are on the go a lot (or are planning a big family road trip). They are a cross between a traditional potty training chair and a toilet insert in that they don't typically have a bowl that needs to be cleaned out between uses, but rather often look like an insert with legs and have a way for you to use disposable bags for your child to go potty. Many function as stand-alone potty chairs and as toilet inserts, so they can be nice hybrid options.

When it comes to travel potty chairs, we like the Summer Infant Travel Deluxe because it has a simple design—just a ring that your child sits on, with legs affixed to it—and comes with 12 disposable bags. It can also be used as a toilet insert, but we find that it's more stable when it stands on its own.

What to look for:

• Versatility—many travel potty chairs can function as a traditional potty chair and as a toilet insert.

• Pay attention to the liners. It's ideal if the travel chair comes with a pack of disposable liners, but be sure to check if you have to buy a particular brand of liners (which might be expensive over time) or if you can use any plastic bag as long as it fits.

• Splash guards help keep things from getting too messy.

• A base or feet with a rubberized or grippy finish to keep the chair stable.
  

How Easy It Is to Clean

It might go without saying, but we'll go ahead and say it anyway: Potty training can be messy. Whether you remove the diaper like a Band-Aid and dive in head first or you prefer to take baby steps with the transition, you'll likely end up cleaning the floor, the toilet, and, if you're (un)lucky, maybe even your walls and some other surfaces, too. That's why you want a potty training chair that's easy to clean. Here's how the three types of potty training chairs stack up against each other in terms of cleaning.

Toilet inserts have a leg up on all the other types of potty chairs for cleanup because they just sit on top of an existing toilet—you don't have any waste to dispose of. You simply have to wipe the seat down with disinfectant.

Travel potty chairs are the next easiest to clean, since they often work as toilet inserts and are also compatible with disposable liners. While it might not be the most environmentally friendly, depending on what the liner is made of, having your child go straight into a liner definitely streamlines cleanup.

When it comes to cleaning, you really want to assess the traditional potty training chair. Look for smooth surfaces and bowls that can be removed for easier washing and disinfecting.

Extra Features That Make a Difference

When you decide it's time to buy a potty, have your child help you decide which one to bring home. The extra features, many of which are helpful to you, may also catch their eye and get them excited for potty training (especially the flushing sounds and lights). These are some of the extra features you might find and what purposes they serve.

Attached step ladders or step stools: Some toilet inserts are larger contraptions with step ladders attached. They may also have handles that help your child keep their balance as they climb up and sit on the toilet. This is helpful since you'll probably need to invest in a step stool if you choose a toilet insert. That's because when most kids are potty training, they aren't big enough to climb up on the toilet seat unassisted. Plus, if your child has an older sibling, they may do well with a potty with an extra feature like a step stool because they want to behave just like their big brother or sister.

While the SKYROKU Potty Training Seat with Step Stool Ladder is a practical toilet seat and step ladder all in one, we also recommend the Munchkin Arm & Hammer 3-in-1 Potty that can be used as a traditional potty chair and as an insert—and when you use it as an insert, the chair turns into a step stool.

Splash guards: Due to their anatomy, little boys might not always get their urine into the toilet bowl, even when sitting. Most potty training chairs come with built-in splash guards (the front part of the seat will be curved up to prevent contents from spraying out of the seat). While potty training is going to be a messy process, especially at first, this one feature can help curb the mess just a little bit.

Handles: Little kids aren't known for having the best balance in the world, even if they're destined to be Olympic gymnasts. Handles on toilet seat inserts help them hang on and stay balanced on a tall toilet. We like the SKYROKU Potty Training Seat with Step Stool Ladder, which is a toilet insert with both an attached step ladder and handles so they can keep their balance.

Flushing sounds and lights: Some training toilets, like the Fisher-Price Learn-to-Flush Potty, have extra features, like flushing sounds and music or lights. These extra features give children a sense of ownership of their potty, since it looks and sounds like the toilet their older sibling or caregiver uses.

High-back seats: Some chairs, like the BabyBjörn Potty Chair (a high-backed version of the BabyBjörn smart potty), have a taller back to the seat. This can make them a bit more comfortable and even mimic the design of a standard toilet, making them more enticing for your child to use. Due to their larger size, however, they can be bulkier than smaller traditional potty chairs, which might be an issue if you're constantly moving it from room to room.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best potty training chair?

After testing 22 different potty training chairs, we found that the best traditional potty training chair is the BabyBjörn Smart Potty. We love its simple and lightweight design. The bowl is removable and easy to wipe clean. Plus, it comes in a handful of colors. Our favorite toilet insert is also from BabyBjörn—the Toilet Trainer. It has a contoured and comfortable seat for your little one, a handle for storing it off the floor, as well as a dial on the back to help give it a secure and stable fit over your toilet.

At what age should a child be potty trained?

For a successful potty training experience, children should be able to sense when they need to go potty, understand what the urge to go means, and then tell you when they need help going to the potty. When you wait for these skills to develop, you can expect a much easier potty training experience for everyone involved. While every kid is different, children typically begin potty training anywhere from 18 months up to 3 years old. Remember—one of the most important things you can do during potty training is to be consistent.

How should we transition from the potty chair to toilet?

One of the easiest ways to transition your child to the toilet is by letting them run the show, says Arthur Lavin, MD, FAAP, pediatrician at Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio. “When you wonder if they are ready, simply ask them, ‘How about using the regular toilet?’ Once they say ‘yes’ and give it a go and it works, the transition is done!”

Dr. Lavin also suggests simply telling your child what is happening. “When you as a parent feel ready to turn over the care of your child’s poop and pee to your child, you simply have a chat with them and let them know they are now old enough to take care of themselves,” he explains. “Let them know you will help them do that by getting some training pants. Tell them they will no longer be put in diapers, and that they are expected to put their poop and pee in the toilet and then clean themselves.”

To ease your child from the potty chair to the toilet, use a toddler-size ring that fits on top of the full-sized toilet seat. That will help make your child feel more secure and eliminates the risk of falling into the toilet. To help your kiddo comfortably reach the seat, you may need to add a step stool (or use a potty seat that converts to a step stool, like the Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Potty).

Read Next: The Best Potty Training Watches to Remind Kids When to Go, Go, Go

Read the original article on Verywell Family.