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Commode buying guide

Commode buying guide

Finding the right commode can be trickier than expected with the huge variety of styles and extras available. Learn more about the different types with the help of our handy guide and find the right commode for you or a loved one.

What is a commode?

A commode is a portable piece of furniture that can be used as a toileting aid. If getting to the toilet in time due to illness, injury, or disability is incredibly difficult, then a commode could be the answer. A commode or commode chair is a really useful toileting aid that is designed to give people a safe place to relieve themselves, so they don't have to struggle with trying to reach the bathroom.

What's the difference between commodes and toilets?

Toilets are fixed in position and not designed to be moved as they are permanently connected to the main water and waste supply. 

Commodes, however, can be placed in any room in the house, some are even portable so they can be moved around as needed. Once used, the commode pan will need to be emptied and cleaned before being put back in the commode again.

What’s the difference between commodes and shower commodes?

Commode chairs are purely designed to help with toileting outside of the bathroom, meaning they can be placed around the home – wherever they're most useful. They can come with or without wheels.

Shower commode chairs are usually found only in bathrooms and are designed to help make it easier for you to deal with your personal hygiene as well as toileting. Shower commode chairs can be taken into the shower and are usually wheeled, to help you get around the bathroom without worrying about slipping.

Bedroom Height adjustable and wheeled Flushing Folding and travel Bariatric

Bedroom commodes

Bedroom commodes are designed to fit in with your bedroom and tend to be more discreet commodes that look like other bedroom furniture.

They're a brilliant option to consider if you frequently need the toilet during the night and find it difficult to get to the bathroom. You can have it near your bed, so you don't have far to go, and in the daytime it looks just like an ordinary piece of bedroom furniture.

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Tip from our Occupational Therapist

Need to access your commode from your wheelchair? Try one that has detachable arms to help make transfers easier.

Frequently asked questions about commodes

Before buying a commode it's important to double-check the maximum weight limit of the commode. This is for safety reasons and to give you peace of mind that the commode won't buckle beneath you at an inopportune moment. Consider choosing a commode that has a maximum weight limit above your current weight, as your weight can fluctuate through the year.

Ideally, commodes should be cleaned after every use. However, if you don't have the time to fully clean your commode pan after every use, you may want to invest in commode liners. Commode liners fit in the commode pan, absorb the waste, and then can be removed and thrown away. So that once used, all you need to do is give your commode a wipe down and replace the liner with a new one.

Many of the more discreet bedroom commodes tend to be made from wood or wicker, but these can sometimes be a little tricky to clean. Commodes with a metal frame are simpler to keep clean and also tend to be lighter, so they're easier to move around if needed.

If you need to regularly move your commode from room to room, then a wheeled commode may be the best option as they are easier to move around than a static commode.

Choosing what type of commode will depend on where and when you plan on using it. Ask yourself:

  • Will it be used purely at night in your bedroom?
    If so, you may want to consider a more discreet option that looks just like a normal chair when not in use. 
  • Will you need to use it all the time, perhaps for showering, too?
    Then a shower commode chair may be the answer.
  • Will you need to move it from room to room or put it away when not in use?
    In either case you may want to consider a wheeled or folding commode.

Think carefully about when and where you will be using your commode as this will have an impact on which one is right for you.

Commode safety tips

Commodes can be a great way to help you relieve yourself more easily, but there are some safety dos and don'ts to keep in mind while you're using one.

Do

  • Clean your commode after use to make sure it stays hygienic
  • Put the brakes on before using a wheeled commode
  • Use gloves when emptying a commode for better hygiene

Don't

  • Forget to check the max weight limit of the commode is right for you before you buy one
  • If your commode has ferrules on the end of the legs, don't forget to check them occasionally for damage and wear and tear
  • Forget to clean your commode regularly

Commode spares and accessories

Commode liners

Commode liners are a really useful way to help make it a little easier to keep your commode clean. They're simply placed in your commode pan, then, once used can be tied up and thrown away with your household waste.

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Commode pans and lids

Commode pans are what fit in the commode to catch the waste. Most commodes should come with a commode pan or bucket but there are spares available to buy should you need one.

Shop commode pans and lids

Disposable gloves

Disposable gloves can be extremely handy when it comes to keeping your commode clean, especially when you're emptying your commode pan or changing the liner, as they can help keep dirt off your hands.

Shop disposable gloves

Tip from our Occupational Therapist

Consider getting a commode that's the same height as your bed for easier transfers between the two - you may also want to use a bed rail for support to assist with the transfer from the bed to the commode and back again.

Bestselling commodes

NRS Wheeled Commode with lid raised showing the open seat and removable commode pan, with supportive arms and adjustable height on a plain background. NRS Wheeled Commode with lid closed, highlighting the padded seat and discreet design.
65% OFF
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NRS Wheeled Commode

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Angled view of NRS Adjustable Economy Value Shower Chair with moulded seat, supportive backrest and height-adjustable legs on a plain background. Front view of NRS Adjustable Economy Value Shower Chair showing drainage holes in the seat and the supportive backrest design.
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NRS Adjustable Economy Value Shower C...

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NRS Dovedale Adjustable Commode with lid raised showing the open seat and removable commode pan, with supportive arms and adjustable height on a plain background. NRS Dovedale Adjustable Commode with lid closed, highlighting the padded seat and discreet design.
25% OFF
NRS-UK

NRS Dovedale Adjustable Commode

From £41.66
Was: £55.41 From £41.66
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Angled view of NRS Folding Shower Chair with moulded seat, supportive backrest and height-adjustable legs on a plain background. Front view of NRS Folding Shower Chair showing drainage holes in the seat and the supportive backrest design.
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NRS Folding Shower Chair

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