Best Toilet Stools for Pooping: How to Choose One That Actually Fits
🛒 Just Want the Recommendations?
Already know you want to try a toilet stool? You can skip the buying guide and go straight to the products.
You have already decided you want to try raising your feet while you poop. Now the question is simpler: what kind of stool should you actually use?
You do not need anything fancy. A toilet stool has one basic job: give your feet a stable place to rest while raising your knees comfortably.
🪑 First: You May Already Own Something That Works
Before buying anything, look around the house. A small, sturdy step stool may work perfectly well if it fits comfortably in front of your toilet, supports both feet, does not slide around, is easy to get on and off, and raises your knees without making the position uncomfortable.
If something you already own does the job safely, there may be no reason to buy a purpose-built toilet stool.
📏 Height Matters More Than Branding
Many toilet stools are roughly 7 to 9 inches high, although the most comfortable height depends on your toilet and your body.
A taller toilet may need a little more lift. A lower toilet may need less. The goal is not to force yourself into an extreme squat. Your feet should feel supported and the position should feel natural enough that you can relax.
↔️ Make Sure It Fits Around Your Toilet
Purpose-built toilet stools often have a curved or U-shaped design so they can tuck around the toilet base when they are not being used.
- Check the width around the base of your toilet.
- Look at how far the stool will stick out.
- Make sure you will not constantly kick it when standing at the toilet.
- Think about whether other people using the bathroom can move it easily.
This is one of those products where dimensions matter more than extra features.
🧱 Stability Is Worth Paying Attention To
A stool should feel solid under both feet. Look for a wide enough platform for comfortable foot placement, non-slip feet or rubber grips, a surface that is not slippery when wet, and enough rigidity that it does not shift easily.
If it rocks, slides, or feels flimsy, it defeats the purpose.
🧼 Keep Cleaning Simple
Bathroom equipment gets dirty. Smooth plastic is popular for a reason: it is inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to wipe down.
Wood or bamboo can look nicer, but check whether the surface is properly sealed and easy to clean. You probably do not need an elaborate material or finish unless appearance matters to you.
🧳 Folding vs. Fixed
A fixed stool is usually the simplest choice if it will live beside the same toilet every day.
A folding stool may make more sense if the bathroom is small, you share the space, you want to store it between uses, or you occasionally travel with it.
The tradeoff is that folding models have moving parts, so make sure the design still feels stable.
💸 What Is Actually Worth Paying For?
Worth looking for:
- correct height
- stable construction
- non-slip feet
- enough room for both feet
- dimensions that fit your toilet
- easy cleaning
Usually optional:
- premium finishes
- complicated adjustable mechanisms
- elaborate branding
- accessories that do not change how well the stool supports your feet
A more expensive stool is not automatically a better stool.
✅ The Simple Buying Test
Before ordering one, ask:
- Will it fit my toilet?
- Will it raise my feet enough?
- Will both feet sit comfortably on it?
- Will it stay put?
- Can I clean it easily?
If the answer to all five is yes, you probably have what you need.
🎯 Our Practical Recommendation
For a first toilet stool, we would generally start with a simple, sturdy, easy-to-clean model in roughly the 7-to-9-inch range rather than an expensive adjustable or premium version.
If you already have a stable household stool that fits your toilet and gives you a comfortable position, try that first.
The purpose-built version becomes worthwhile mainly when you want something that fits neatly around the toilet, stays there, and is convenient enough that you will actually use it.
🛒 Recommended Toilet Stools
You do not need to buy one of these. A stable stool you already own may work just fine. These are simply purpose-built options if you want one.
1. Best Simple / Everyday Option — Squatty Potty Original 7″
Best for: Someone who wants the standard, simple version without extra features.
Why we like it: It is a straightforward plastic stool, easy to clean, designed to tuck around the toilet, and currently listed at about 7.75 inches high. Squatty Potty lists a 250-pound weight limit and a current price of about $24.99.
Potential downside: It is fixed-height and not especially compact if you need to store it away.
2. Best Budget Option — Step and Go 7″
Best for: Someone who wants the basic function at a lower price.
Why we like it: The Step and Go is a simple 7-inch plastic stool with a curved shape, non-slip surface, and easy-clean construction. Target currently lists it around $18.99, making it one of the cheaper purpose-built options we found.
Potential downside: It is basic by design, so you are not getting adjustable height or a folding frame.
3. Best for More Height / Adjustable Fit — Squatty Potty Bamboo Flip 7″/9″
Best for: Someone who is not sure whether 7 inches or 9 inches will feel better, or who uses a taller toilet.
Why we like it: The Bamboo Flip gives you two heights in one stool—7 inches and 9 inches—simply by flipping it. That makes it more flexible than a fixed-height model and gives you a way to experiment with fit.
Potential downside: It costs more than a basic plastic stool, and the extra flexibility may be unnecessary if you already know what height works for you.
4. Best Folding / Small-Space Option — Squatty Potty Oslo Bamboo Folding
Best for: Small bathrooms, shared spaces, or anyone who wants to store the stool between uses.
Why we like it: The Oslo folds down to under 2 inches thick, while unfolding to about 7.4 inches high. It is a much better fit for someone who does not want a toilet stool permanently sitting in front of the toilet.
Potential downside: It costs more than the basic plastic options, and folding hardware adds complexity that a fixed stool does not have.
5. Best Premium / Design-Focused Option — TUSHY Ottoman
Best for: Someone who wants a toilet stool that looks more like a deliberate bathroom accessory than a plastic utility stool.
Why we like it: TUSHY offers the Ottoman in 9-inch and 7.5-inch versions, with a compact 16.5-inch-wide footprint and a smooth, easy-clean body. It is the most design-conscious option in this group.
Potential downside: At around $59, you are paying substantially more for appearance and finish. We would not pay the premium unless that genuinely matters to you.
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⚠️ A Quick Note
A toilet stool is a positioning tool, not a treatment for every cause of constipation or difficult bowel movements. If bowel movements remain consistently painful or difficult, or you have bleeding, major changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, or other concerning symptoms, the right next step is medical evaluation rather than a different footstool.
Want to understand the idea before buying anything? Read Does a Squatty Potty Actually Help You Poop?.
💬 Affiliate Disclosure
Some links on this page may eventually be affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, Show Me The Poo may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
We do not choose products because they pay us. We start with what is useful, including free options and things you may already own.