Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you have someone in your life who has had a hip replacement, knee replacement or spine surgery, this item is for you. At this price point, it's a no brainer. Let me explain. This incredible little seat replaced the standard floor standing type of seat elevator recommended to me by the Physical Therapist at my mother's inpatient rehab facility prior to her discharge some 6 years ago, Medline 3 In 1 Steel Commode . Despite 17 years of training, preparing my mother's home prior to her arrival from inpatient rehab after her hip replacement was daunting, primarily because I didn't really know which devices to buy or where to procure them (note: the Pelvic in my screen name refers to the soft tissues of the pelvis, which my surgeries aim to repair and reconstruct; I am not an orthopaedist!) I relied heavily on the advice of her therapists, and though I'm glad that they were able and willing to provide guidance at that time, I am now better equipped to make my own assessments and purchasing decisions when it comes to this sort of thing. When we first received this awesome little bathroom accoutrement, Yunga Tart Raised Toilet Seat, my mother was reluctant to try it. That's probably because upon initial inspection, it is not clear that the ergonomics of this gem's design allow it to replace, if not improve upon, the bulky freestanding version with the safety rails. Being the good sport that she is, she did agree, albeit reluctantly, to give the item a spin and provide her assessment. I put it into the small front powder room off of our kitchen, mainly because I wanted to see how it worked in a bathroom that's shared by the family, which consists primarily of people who do not need the toilet seat elevated. It was clear from the get go that if this seat would work for my mom, it would really be an improvement for the rest of the family, because of its compact size and unobtrusive appearance. So I crossed my fingers, but, honestly, wasn't all that hopeful as I feared the absence of hand-rails would be a deal breaker for my discerning mother. How wrong I was. The design of the hand holes on this seat is so ergonomic that my mother actually prefers this to her other sturdier-in-appearance-only and bulkier floor standing device. She tells me that for someone with difficulty assuming the position, the hand hold cut-outs are perfectly placed and really do assist her in lowering herself onto the seat. She's also pleased that the compact design of this device allows her to more easily reach the toilet tissue while seated (apparently the hand rails on her other toilet assister blocked her reach no matter how she configured them or where she kept the roll). So, not only does she not miss the hand rails; she says, "good riddance!" And her mobility is more severely limited than normally expected after bilateral hip replacement due to the lasting effects of post operative complications that required multiple surgical revisions and ultimately precluded full rehabilitation. Further, the friction pads on the toilet side of the seat are of the perfect material to seemingly cement the seat in place, yet allow for easy lifting of the device when necessary. They have no adhesive and thus aren't sticky in the traditional sense. Not only is the material of the non-slip pads miraculous, their placement works well on the elongated bowl of our front bathroom's Kohler and the round bowl of her en suite toilet. As for the gentlemen (ahem) who've tried it, they, too find this seat to be a vast improvement. Although at least one of them told me that it's difficult for men to hit the spot with this one in place, it's light weight and compact size make moving it out of the way a breeze. Even in the tiny powder room, this seat easily slides into place between the toilet and cabinetry when not needed. In fact, my mom, despite her severely limited mobility, can stash it and replace it when needed, though most of the time the seat is left in position since it's really unobtrusive. This seat is also much easier to clean than our previous model was, mostly because its superior design ensures that no one manages to hit the inside of the device when aiming for the bowl, as often happened with our other model. Ick. PROS: 1) Design is unobtrusive to the eye, making it nicer for those who don't need it and seem less like a home medical device for those who do. (Imagine being reminded of your limitations each and every time you go to the bathroom. Now imagine NOT being reminded.) 2) Ergonomic hand holds provide more stable support than traditional handrails. Don't ask me to explain how this works, because it is simply unfathomable to me, but I trust my mother, and you can, too, since she really has no reason to be deceptive on this issue. 3) Compact design doesn't take up precious space in tiny powder rooms. 4) Design doesn't hinder the reach for the toilet tissue. 5) Lightweight. Easily moved when necessary by the lazy folk and the hindered folk. 6) Design discourages near misses that soiled our other seat elevator. This makes cleanup easier and less disgusting. 7) While Ammy discourages ratings and reviews based on price, I just have to mention that my father saw a, "similar," (which I've put into quotations because I doubt that any other seat has these specific hand-holds) device at 300% of the cost of this little gem (and we're not talking about Neiman's here; it was at Walgreen's no less). Compare yourself against the price of the model we gave up in favor of this one (links above). 8) Non-skid pads actually act to attach the unit to the toilet seat with no slippage or movement. Our family members range in weight from 105-250 lbs. 9) Unit effectively stays put on both the elongated and round toilets that we have. 10) The compact and attractive design may make its introduction to someone who is newly facing such needs a bit easier, as it looks less like a medical device than some others do. CONS: 1) So easily moved that even the person with mobility issues can cart it off to her private bathroom. 2) At first glance, because it's so compact, the item doesn't appear as useful or effective as it truly is. This may cause some resistance to its acceptance by those who really need it, if they're already used to a bulkier device. 3) You may have to wait the 2 days for shipping if you're a Prime Member, or a few more if you're not. (Can you tell that I'm struggling to find negativity here?) Overall, this item is highly recommended for purchase. It is particularly appropriate after surgeries of the hip, knee, or spine, but can be helpful to persons with chronic pain or limited mobility who haven't undergone surgery, too. Yunga Tart provided us with samples of a few of their newest products hoping for one or more honest reviews. This was my personal favorite of the items received, but again my mobility is not impaired, though I've had several spine surgeries myself. Everything said herein is my honest opinion, and no review was promised in exchange for merchandise. To me, the most impressive thing about this company is their attention to detail and ergonomics in their attempt to enhance the features and function of home medical devices. They seem open to ideas and suggestions for improvements to their existing products and advice on the unmet needs and desires of those who use home medical equipment. Even if I'm wrong there, they certainly have done their due diligence in designing this toilet seat elevator. Thank you, Yunga Tart, for making this a pleasure to use rather than the necessary evil that it replaces! UPDATE : Though I have provided photos of this product on one of our toilets in an attempt to be helpful, I have come to learn that my customer images may have confused some customers. This product works well on a variety of toilets, some with the seat up and others with the seat down. On the particular toilet that I photographed, the Yunga Tart toilet elevator is most stable with the toilet's seat down (and the Yunga Tart seat sitting on the seat rather than the bowl). Out of the 10 toilets in our house, all but 3 are Kohlers, but even those are various models. I have tested this seat on 3 different Kohlers, 2 different American Standards, and 1 Gerber (with a Church seat on it). Some of ours have round bowls and some have oval bowls. The seat has worked well with all of them, but there is no generalization I can make about putting the Yunga Tart on the seat or directly onto the bowl (i.e. toilet's own seat up or down). In other words, regarding the toilet's own seat, up or down before placing this additional seat, your mileage may vary, but the YH seat will most likely fit one way or the other; you'll just have to try both to see which way provides the most stability. I apologize for any confusion my customer images may have caused. For those who have noticed those images absent from this product but want to see them, you'll have to click on my name above to access my Profile Page. Depending whether you are viewing the Old page or the New page (which is indicated at the very top), you may have to click on, "images," (on the Old page) or simply scroll down until you see toilets (on the New page). The photos were provided to show the side cut-outs that replace the safety rails on the bulkier framed toilet elevators.