A potty chair sits on the floor, so many toddlers can get on and off alone, while a toilet seat reducer fits onto the regular toilet and skips the emptying step. Neither is better in every home. The right first choice depends on your bathroom, how your child feels about heights, and whether you travel between homes.
How each one works
A potty chair is a freestanding seat at floor level. Many models have a removable bowl or insert that you lift out and empty, but the details differ, so check the product page for how a particular one works.
A toilet seat reducer is a smaller ring or insert that sits on top of the regular toilet seat and narrows the opening for a child. Styles differ in how they attach and in whether they fold or have handles, so read the maker's instructions. Your child then uses the real toilet, usually with a step stool to climb up and to rest their feet.
Space and where it can live
A potty chair needs a patch of floor, and it can live in the bathroom, a hallway or a bedroom, which is useful if the bathroom is far away. It should sit on a surface where it will not slide, so check it on smooth tile before your child uses it. On carpet, a washable pad underneath makes splashes easier to deal with, and the washable underpads and bed pads collection is one place to look.
A seat reducer takes almost no floor space, but it needs somewhere to hang or be stored whenever an adult uses the toilet, and it needs a stool too. In a small bathroom, think about what you can easily put away and bring back.
Clean-up: emptying a bowl vs flushing
With a potty chair, someone empties the bowl into the toilet, rinses it and cleans it, following the maker's care instructions. If it is left unemptied it can smell, so empty it promptly. Wash your hands afterward.
With a seat reducer, whatever goes in goes straight into the toilet, and you flush as usual. You still wipe the reducer according to the instructions after use, but there is no bowl to carry. Wipes need somewhere to go as well, so keep a small bin nearby and check the pack for disposal directions. A look at the baby wipes collection shows what is available.
Getting on and off without help
A potty chair is low, so many toddlers can sit down and stand up without an adult. That independence can matter when you want your child to go when they feel the urge.
A reducer on the toilet usually needs a stool and some help at first, and an adult nearby. Check that the reducer sits firmly and does not shift when your child sits down. Some children are unsure about the height or the flush, so go at your child's pace.
Moving to the regular toilet later
With a potty chair, there is a later step: moving from the floor-level seat to the regular toilet. Many families use a reducer and a stool for that. With a seat reducer from the start, your child is already using the real toilet, so the later change is just removing the reducer when your child is ready.
Either way, the move happens when your child is comfortable, not by a deadline. When you are ready for the next step, the training pants collection lists pull-on pants for the in-between weeks.
Using both together
Some families keep a potty chair at home and a reducer in a second bathroom or a grandparent's home. Others start with the chair and add a reducer later, once their child is steady on the stool. If you do use both, keep the rest of the routine the same in each place: the same words, the same wiping and the same handwashing at the end. You do not need both from day one, and a second item is a decision you can make once you see which one your child takes to.
Which suits your household
- A small bathroom with little floor space: a seat reducer and a folding stool may suit, if you can store them easily.
- A bathroom far from where your child plays: a potty chair can sit closer to the action.
- A child who is nervous about heights or the flush: a floor-level chair can be a gentler start.
- Frequent travel or visits: a reducer may be easier to pack, if the other home has a stool.
- Several children using the same bathroom: think about who uses the toilet when, and what can be stored easily.
| Question | Potty chair | Seat reducer |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | On the floor, any room | On the regular toilet |
| Emptying | Yes, a bowl to empty | No, you flush |
| Stool needed | Not for the chair | Usually yes |
| Moving on later | A further step to the toilet | Remove the reducer |
Shop this guide
- Orzbow 3-in-1 Potty Training Toilet and Chair (ships via Amazon)
- BabyBjörn Smart Potty, Deep Blue/White (ships via Amazon)
- Munchkin Grip Potty Training Seat, Gray, 12" x 3" W (ships via Amazon)
- Potty Training Watch V2, Water Resistant, Musical & Vibration Reminder, Sky, with eBook (ships via Amazon)
- See all: Potty Training
Prices are on each product page. Free shipping on orders of $100 or more within Canada.
Common questions
Which one is easier to clean?
A reducer has no bowl to empty, but it still needs wiping after use. A chair needs emptying and rinsing. Follow the maker's instructions for either one.
Can I just start with the regular toilet?
Some families do, with a reducer and a stool. Whether it suits depends on your child and the room.
Is a potty chair or a reducer safer?
Both should be used under supervision, and both should sit steadily. Check the product page and instructions, and ask your public health nurse if you have safety questions.
My child will sit on one but not the other. What now?
Use the one your child accepts and store the other where it can be seen. You can offer it again once the first is routine. If sitting or going seems to hurt, ask your doctor or public health nurse.
Still deciding between the two? Describe your bathroom on the contact page and our team will get back to you within one business day.