Chair Height vs Comfort Height Toilet vs Standard Height Options

Ndesho ThomasLast Updated: April 8, 2024

If you are looking around for a new toilet, you’ll probably come across different toilet height choices including the chair, comfort, standard or regular. All these terms can be confusing but not anymore!

Chair height and comfort height are different terms that refer to toilets with a minimum height of 17 inches while standard height toilets measure 15 to 16 inches from the floor to the top of the seat. While chair heights are mostly meant for tall individuals and people with mobility issues, standard heights are meant for short people and children.

Following is a detailed discussion of these toilet height options. Find out more about how they differ in dimensions and features, the similarities, and the best models plus an insight into other toilet height measurements such as ADA and custom alternatives

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Chair Height vs Comfort Height Toilet vs Right Height

Chair height is a common term used for all toilets that measure approximately 17 to 19 inches tall from the floor to the top of the seat. On the other hand, right comfort height is a brand-specific term, for chair heights.

Kohler comfort height two-piece toilet — Kohler Chair Height Toilet

Comfort height is used by Kohler CO, an American manufacturing company best known for its quality plumbing products, while right height is commonly used by American Standard Brands, a North American manufacturer of plumbing fixtures. Toto, on the other hand, calls their chair heights universal height.

Basically, chair, comfort, and right height are different terms that refer to a toilet of the same height.

Each brand may come in a different style or design but the features and how they work are similar.

Comfort Height Toilet vs Standard Height Toilet

Comfort height toilets are 2-3 inches taller than standard height toilets. The measurement is the main differentiating factor.

You already know that chair height toilets come in a height of above 17 inches from the floor to the seat top. Without the seats, comfort heights measure 16 to 18 inches while with seats they measure 17 to 19 inches.

Standard height toilets measure 14 to 15 inches without the seat and 15 to 16 inches with the seat. Some may go up to almost 17 inches but the measurement should be below 17″.

Standard vs chair height toilet differences — Chair and standard height

Following is a table showing a summary of differences in terms of dimensions, features and usage

Features	Comfort Height Toilet	Standard Height Toilet
Toilet Height Without Seat:	16-18 inches	14-15 inches
Toilet Height With Seat:	17-19 inches	15-16 inches
Other Names:	Chair Height, Right Height, Universal Height, Raised/Tall Toilet, ADA Compliant Height	Regular Height, Traditional Height
User Type, Group & Age	All people including tall adults, the elderly and disabled	Short people and kids
Constipation Problems:	Good(especially for tall people) but bad for short people	Better
Pricing:	Less Expensive	Slightly Expensive
Where Common	Commercial Places & Homes	Homes
Concept Age	Modern/Recent	Traditional
Sitting Position	Unnatural	Natural

Comparing chair height and standard height toilets

What is a Comfort Height Toilet & How Tall is it?

A comfort height toilet measures between 17 inches and 19 inches tall from the floor to the top of the seat. It is also commonly known as chair height since it has the same height as a standard dining room chair seat.

Comfort height toilet features — Comfort height toilet dimensions

Chair height toilets are very appealing to tall individuals, handicapped individuals as well as the elderly/ seniors.

Measuring two to three inches higher than the standard height toilets, they are gaining more and more popularity daily.

With such a huge allowance, these sets offer more comfort and better convenience for all taller folks who may be struggling with using bathroom fittings. This is why they are common in restrooms, commercial spaces, plus other non-residential units.

Measuring two to three inches higher than the standard height toilets, they are very appealing to tall individuals, handicapped individuals as well as the elderly/ seniors.

As mentioned earlier, different companies identify chair heights with different names for marketing purposes.

For instance, Kohler refers to them as comfort height, Toto calls them universal height while American Standard calls them right height. Others call it ADA-compliant height. All these terms refer to the same toilet height.

Chair Height Toilet Pros & Cons

Pros

Perfect for tall people, disabled, elderly/ seniors.
Cheaper than the standard height toilets.
Most of them are ADA compliant.

Cons

May pose an issue for children and shorter adults who measure about 4 to 5 inches tall.
They can cause your feet to dangle in the air – something not advised as it cuts off blood circulation in the body.
They can increase your chances of constipation.

Some of the best comfort height toilets include;

Kohler K-3819-96 Memoirs Comfort Height Two-Piece Elongated

Best kohler comfort height toilet — K-3819-96 Memoirs

American Standard Champion 4 Right Height

American Standard right height toilet — Champion 4

WOODBRIDGE T-0018/B-0735 Dual Flush Elongated One Piece Soft Closing Seat

Woodbridge Comfort Height Toilet — Woodbridge

Standard Height Toilet-What it is and How Tall is it?

A stand height toilet is toilet that is between 14 inches and 16 inches tall from the top of the seat to the floor, an ideal size for short individuals and kids. It came into existance in the 19 century, just after, the first flushing toilet was introduced.

Standard height toilet features — Standard toilet dimensions

With a low measure of the regular height toilets, you can easily place your foot down as you go on with nature’s business. Another benefit of the regular height toilet is that they offer your hips excellent positioning ( less than 90° ) which is a more natural pose for efficient bowel movements.

Regular Height Toilet Pros & Cons

Pros

They offer a more natural position for a bowel movement.
Great for those experiencing constipation.
Ideal for children and short adults.
No dead/hanging feet

Cons

Strenuous to aged and tall individuals.
They are more difficult to erect from.
They are more costly than chair height toilets.

Even though all standard height toilets fall under 17″, this does not mean that this is the standard height for a toilet. How high a toilet should be varies depending on the user and regulations if any. It is also important to note that, American Standard, has the term “standard” in their name. Not all American Standard toilets are standard heights.

Some of the best standard height toilets you can buy today include;

Kohler Standard Height Toilet (Wellworth K-3987-7)

Features

Two-piece toilet
Round-front bowl offers an ideal solution for smaller bathrooms
Dual flush that has a left-hand nested trip lever with a choice of 1.1 or 1.6-Gallons per flush
2-1/8-Inch glazed trap way

Kohler standard height toilet — Wellworth K-3987-7 in white and black

Swiss Madison Well Made Forever SM-1T254 St. Tropez One Piece Toilet

Swiss Madison Standard Height Toilet — SM-1T254

DeerValley DV-1F52807 One Piece, Elongated, Compact Modern Toilet

DeerValley Regular Height Toilet — DV-1F52807

HOROW HWMT-8733 Small Toilet

Horow Standard Height Toilet — HWMT-8733

ADA/Handicap Toilet Height

An ADA toilet height measures between 17 and 19 inches from the floor to the top of the seat.

ADA toilets are toilets that are compliant with the requirements of the American Disabilities Act. The act was enacted to protect the rights of physically-limited individuals.

Also known as disabled toilets, accessible toilets, handicap toilets and/or comfort height toilets, ADA toilets are designed to address the inconvenience bought by disabilities.

ADA toilet height requirements

A raised toilet seat for easier sitting and standing for the disabled
Tool-free removable arms, for more flexibility for users
Added height – there is an additional 17″-18″ over a standard toilet
Wider space to accommodate a full-size adult wheelchair and movement within the stall
Special colored toilets, which help color blind people

ADA Toilet Height vs Regular

The height of ADA compliant toilets is higher (2-3 inches) and spacious regular toilets are shorter and with less space. Handicapped toilets have additional features like removable arms while regular toilets do not. Most regular toilets are white. Some ADA toilets come in special colors for visually-impaired people.

Custom Toilet Height Options

This category of toilet height is made up of toilets that are taller than comfort heights. This includes wall-hung toilets that can be positioned at a custom height from 15 inches to 28 inches to accommodate a range of statures.

Another popular toilet height name in this category is the convenient height toilet. This is a 19-inch toilet bowl height designed by a company by the name Convenient Height.

What to Consider when Choosing Toilet Height

To wind up, here are some factors to look into if you’re not sure what height measurement is right for your new toilet.

1. Users

As mentioned earlier, comfort height toilets are more prevalent than the standard toilets, probably because they serve a greater population than the other.

Either way, they allow for easier sitting and standing, regardless if you’re not physically challenged, aged, or tall.

This, however, doesn’t mean that standard toilets aren’t common. They are an excellent choice for kids as you won’t require to purchase a ladder or step chair for them to use.

2. Height Measurement Requirements

The ADA compliance act under exception clause 604.4 states that the recommended height for persons with a disability requires two to three inches taller than the standard height of 16 inches. This is the measure from the floor to the toilet seat.

This then qualifies comfort height toilets to be used commercially or universally since they cater to more individuals.

Standard height toilets are best for home use, where if you need additional height, you can invest in risers, arms, or paddles, among other seat raisers.

3. Appearance

The main differentiating feature between these two toilets is simply the height. That being said, design and coloring are available in a variety for both, although white is the most common shade.

Also, the two wash sets do come in different designs from a one-piece to a two-piece.

However, the one-piece can be rather expensive to purchase, which adds more financial strain, especially for the regular height toilets since they are occasionally more costly than the chair height type.

4. Sitting Position Constipation Issues

Standard toilets are thought to enhance bowel movements hence preventing constipation and hemorrhoids. This is because the hips will be well-positioned below the knees.

Because the ADA complaint toilets are taller, they offer a 90-degree seating angle. This position is good for the knees and back; especially for the aged, tall and people with mobility issues.

However, some health experts claim that the chair-like posture inhibits natural bowel movement.

5. Cost

Finally, the budget price for these two toilets. Comfort height toilets cost between $100 to $300 depending on your preference and brands such as TOTO, Kohler, and American Standard.

As for the standard toilets, they can cost you between $200 to over $400. The best brands for these kinds of wash sets include Drake, TOTO, and American Standard.

Which height is best for you?

Whether the toilet is identified as standard height or chair height, the best toilet height will depend on the user. It should be one that allows you to easily sit down and stand up.