Toilet lifts compared: four models, and what each needs from your bathroom
Three of the four lift you 9 to 14 inches and hold 300 pounds. The two things that separate them are power (battery or wall plug) and which toilet they fit. Check those two before price.
| Model | Price | Holds up to | Fits toilet bowls | Lifts | Power | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe (DL2) | $1,499 | 300 lb | 14 to 18½ in | 14 in | Rechargeable battery, or plug in | Maker says a charge lasts about 30 days. Takes about 20 seconds to go bottom to top. |
| Bidet (listed as WL2) | $2,999 | 300 lb | 14 to 18½ in, elongated bowls | 14 in | Wall plug on a GFI outlet | Has a built-in bidet with heated seat. Taps into your toilet's water supply line. |
| Basic (BL1) | $999 | 300 lb | 16 to 18 in | 9 in | Wall plug | About 24 in wide. The cheapest, with the least lift. |
| Extra-Large (XL1) | $1,999 | 650 lb on the metal platform; 450 lb on the plastic seat | 16 to 18 in | 9 in | Wall plug, 120 V | About 30 in wide and 70 lb. See below. |
Deluxe DL2Bidet liftBasic BL1Extra-Large XL1
The XL1 number that is easy to misread
The headline says 650 pounds. Dignity's page and its own instruction manual both say the plastic toilet seat on it only handles 450. Heavier users are told to take the seat off and sit on the painted metal platform. Whether that works for you is a question for your therapist, not for a shopping page.
How well we could check these
- XL1: the product page and the manual agree on capacity, power and size. Strongest of the four.
- DL2: the 300 lb and 14 in lift figures also showed up on a reseller's page, but it was for the older DL1 model. Battery life and charge time come from Dignity only.
- Bidet and BL1: Dignity's pages only. Treat them as the maker's claims.
We left out the DL2's exact width. Dignity's page says 24⅞ in. A reseller's page for the older model says "less than 24 inches." Close to 24 inches, then. If your doorway is tight, ask Dignity for the exact figure.
Odd things on the pages
- The BL1 page shows a "regular price" of $999 and a "sale price" of $1,499, which is backwards. Dignity's front page lists it at $999. Confirm at checkout.
- The page for the bidet model says WL2 in the text, while some resellers call the same lift WL1. We used the page's own wording.
- Dignity also sells a Helper Lift (HL1) at $1,299. That one is a sling lift that moves a person from a bed or chair, not a toilet lift. A commercial CL1 is also listed. Neither is compared here.
Measure first
- The height of your toilet bowl rim from the floor, with the seat off.
- Your bathroom doorway, and the space beside the toilet. The lifts here run from about 24 to 30 inches wide.
- Where the nearest outlet is. Dignity says plug-in models want a GFI circuit.
- Who will install it. Dignity says setup takes about 20 minutes and the person should be able to lift 50 pounds.
Then take the numbers to your therapist. Our question list has what to ask.