Baby & Family
The Best Potty Training Seats: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Four current potty training picks - a floor potty, a toilet ring, a travel potty, and a 3-in-1 - compared on stability, cleaning, and how kids actually use them.
The short version
Start with the BabyBjorn Potty Chair: a high-backed, one-piece floor potty that stays planted, comforts a nervous new sitter, and empties and rinses in seconds - the single thing that decides whether a potty keeps getting used. When your child is ready for the family toilet, the BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat grips on securely, leaves nothing to clean, and costs little. Keep the OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty in the car for outings and travel, but don't make a bag-fed travel potty your everyday trainer. And skip the Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1: a convertible that does three jobs adequately is beaten by two dedicated pieces that each do one job well. Best for: parents who want a comfortable, easy-to-clean floor potty first, then a cheap, secure ring for the transition.
Our picks at a glance
- BabyBjorn Potty Chair - Buy. A high-backed, one-piece floor potty that stays put, empties cleanly, and asks nothing of your toddler except to sit down.
- BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat - Buy. A simple, grippy ring that shrinks the family toilet to toddler size with nothing to empty afterward.
- OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty - It depends. A fold-flat travel potty that saves the day in the car or a strange bathroom - as long as you treat it as a backup, not your main potty.
- Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Potty - Skip. The all-in-one that promises a potty, a toilet ring, and a step stool - and does each of the three jobs less well than a dedicated piece.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Type
- Where it's used
- Cleanup
- Stability
- Grows with the child
- Ongoing cost
"Potty training seat" covers two very different tools: a standalone potty that sits on the floor, and a ring that adapts your grown-up toilet down to toddler size. Most families end up wanting one of each, plus something for the car. We compared four current, widely available options across both types - a floor potty, a toilet-ring trainer, a foldable travel potty, and an all-in-one convertible - and the verdicts split cleanly: two easy buys, one that only makes sense as a second potty, and one popular convertible we would pass on for most homes.
A high-backed, one-piece floor potty that stays put, empties cleanly, and asks nothing of your toddler except to sit down.
Best for: The first potty for a child just starting out - the one to put on the bathroom floor and let them own.
- Tall backrest and armrests give a new sitter something to settle into and hold
- Removable inner bowl lifts straight out with a raised edge that limits splashing, and rinses in seconds
- Wide, non-slip base stays planted when a child climbs on and off unaided
- Smooth one-piece shell with no electronics or gaps - wipes down completely
- Takes up permanent floor space in the bathroom
- Does one job only - it never converts to a toilet ring or step stool
- Costs more than a basic no-frills floor potty
A simple, grippy ring that shrinks the family toilet to toddler size with nothing to empty afterward.
Best for: Families short on bathroom space, or the natural next step once a child has the idea and wants to use the 'big' toilet.
- Rubber underside grips the toilet seat so it does not slide when a child sits or shifts
- Nothing to empty or rinse - waste goes straight into the toilet
- Lightweight and easy for a child to lift on and hang up between uses
- Contoured seat and built-in splash guard shaped to keep boys aimed down
- Child needs a separate step stool to climb up and get down independently
- The fixed shape fits most standard and oval seats but not every unusually shaped toilet
A fold-flat travel potty that saves the day in the car or a strange bathroom - as long as you treat it as a backup, not your main potty.
Best for: Road trips, days out, and grandparents' houses - a second potty to keep in the car, not the one you train on at home.
- Legs fold in so it collapses nearly flat and drops into the included bag, a stroller basket, or a diaper bag
- Works two ways - open the legs for a standalone potty with a disposable bag, or set it on a public toilet as a clean seat cover
- Smooth plastic surfaces wipe clean, with no bowl to carry through a parking lot
- Relies on disposable bags for standalone use, which is an ongoing cost and something you have to remember to restock
- Small footprint suits younger toddlers better than tall or older ones
- Owners note the legs need a firm, deliberate snap to lock before you trust a child's weight on it
The all-in-one that promises a potty, a toilet ring, and a step stool - and does each of the three jobs less well than a dedicated piece.
Best for: Only the family that genuinely wants one box to do everything and will forgive compromises at each stage - most will be happier buying a floor potty and a ring separately.
- One inexpensive purchase covers three stages, and the baking-soda deodorizer disc helps with odor
- Removable bowl and a mostly smooth shell make everyday cleanup manageable
- The detachable trainer ring is smaller and less secure on an adult toilet than a purpose-built ring
- Owners report the splash guard pops off easily and gets lost or set aside
- The step-stool stage is short and low, and some find it less steady than a real stool once a child puts full weight on it
- More separate parts than a plain potty means more pieces to track, clean, and eventually misplace
| Criteria | BabyBjorn Potty Chair Top pick | BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat | OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty | Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Potty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | The first potty for a child just starting out - the one to put on the bathroom floor and let them own. | Families short on bathroom space, or the natural next step once a child has the idea and wants to use the 'big' toilet. | Road trips, days out, and grandparents' houses - a second potty to keep in the car, not the one you train on at home. | Only the family that genuinely wants one box to do everything and will forgive compromises at each stage - most will be happier buying a floor potty and a ring separately. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Type | Standalone floor potty | Toilet-ring trainer seat | Foldable travel potty | 3-in-1 convertible (potty / ring / stool) |
| Where it's used | Bathroom floor | On the family toilet | Car, outings, travel | Floor, then toilet, then as a stool |
| Cleanup | Lift-out inner bowl, quick rinse | Nothing to empty - flushes away | Wipe clean; disposable bag standalone | Removable bowl, but extra parts |
| Stability | Very stable, wide non-slip base | Grippy rubber underside holds firm | Solid once legs are locked in | Ring less secure; stool can feel tippy |
| Grows with the child | No - single stage | Yes - bridges to the real toilet | Somewhat - potty and seat cover | In theory yes, in practice briefly at each stage |
| Ongoing cost | None | None | Refill bags for standalone use | Deodorizer discs optional |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
Which one is right for you?
- The first potty for a child just starting out - the one to put on the bathroom floor and let them own. Buy it BabyBjorn Potty Chair
- Families short on bathroom space, or the natural next step once a child has the idea and wants to use the 'big' toilet. Buy it BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat
- Road trips, days out, and grandparents' houses - a second potty to keep in the car, not the one you train on at home. It depends OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty
- Only the family that genuinely wants one box to do everything and will forgive compromises at each stage - most will be happier buying a floor potty and a ring separately. Skip it Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Potty
How we judged the field
We synthesized independent testing of current potty training gear with the large volume of owner reports that only surface after weeks of real use - the emptying, the rinsing, the 6 a.m. rush to the bathroom. Four things mattered most. First, cleaning: a potty with a lift-out inner bowl and few crevices gets used; one that is fiddly to empty gets abandoned. Second, stability: a wide non-slip floor base or a grippy toilet ring lets a child get on and off with confidence instead of tipping. Third, the match between the tool and the stage - a floor potty for a beginner, a ring for the jump to the family toilet, a fold-flat potty for the car. Fourth, honesty about convertibles that promise to be everything at once. We did not run our own lab; where we describe how a product behaves, it reflects what reviewers and owners consistently report.
BabyBjorn Potty Chair — buy
This is the floor potty to start with, and the reasons are unglamorous and exactly right. It has a tall backrest and armrests, so a child who is nervous about the whole idea has something to settle back into and grip - it feels like a little chair, not a plastic bucket. The inner bowl lifts straight out with a raised edge that keeps splashes contained, and it rinses clean in seconds, which is the single feature that decides whether a potty keeps getting used after week one. The base is wide and non-slip, so a toddler can climb on and off unassisted without the whole thing skidding away. There are no electronics, no flushing gimmicks, and no seams to trap grime - just a smooth one-piece shell you can wipe down entirely. The trade-offs are honest: it lives on your bathroom floor, it does exactly one job and never converts into anything else, and it costs more than a bare-bones potty. For the first potty a child actually owns, that is money well spent.
BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat — buy
Once a child has the idea and wants to use the same toilet as everyone else, this simple ring is the cheap, sensible next step. Its whole design philosophy is ‘stay out of the way’: a rubber underside grips the toilet seat so it does not slide when a child sits or wriggles, the contoured seat and built-in splash guard are shaped to keep boys aimed down, and - crucially - there is nothing to empty or rinse, because waste goes straight into the toilet. It is light enough for a child to lift on and hang up themselves, which builds independence. Two honest caveats: your child will need a separate step stool to climb up and get down on their own, and the fixed shape fits most standard and oval toilet seats but will not sit perfectly on every unusually shaped one. Neither is a dealbreaker, and for the space-saving it delivers, it is an easy recommendation alongside the floor potty.
OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty — it depends
The Go Potty is very good at a narrow job: being somewhere useful when you are not at home. The legs fold in so it collapses nearly flat and drops into the included bag, a stroller basket, or a diaper bag, and it works two ways - open the legs and line it with a disposable bag for a standalone potty, or set it on top of a public toilet as a clean seat cover. The plastic surfaces wipe down easily, and there is no bowl to carry across a parking lot. So why not a straight buy? Because it asks for ongoing bags you have to remember to restock, its small footprint suits younger toddlers better than tall or older ones, and owners note the legs need a firm, deliberate snap to lock before you trust a child’s weight on them. As the potty you train on at home, it is the wrong tool. As a second potty that lives in the car for road trips and days out, it is genuinely worth having - which is exactly why the verdict is ‘it depends’ on how much you are actually out and about.
Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Potty — skip
The pitch is tidy: one inexpensive box that is a floor potty now, a toilet ring later, and a step stool after that, with a baking-soda disc for odor. The reality, in a consistent thread of owner reports, is that doing three jobs means doing each one a little worse than a dedicated piece. The detachable trainer ring is smaller and less secure on an adult toilet than a purpose-built ring. The splash guard pops off easily and ends up lost or set aside. The step-stool stage is short and low, and several owners find it less steady than a proper stool once a child stands on it with full weight. And every extra removable part is one more thing to clean, track, and eventually misplace. None of this makes it dangerous or useless - it is simply outclassed. A separate floor potty and a separate ring usually cost little more together and each do their one job noticeably better, which is why we would pass on the convertible for most homes.
BabyBjorn Potty Chair vs BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat: which should you buy?
Like the best pairings in baby gear, these two are not really rivals - they are a sequence, and the question is only which one your child needs right now. If you are at the very start, buy the Potty Chair. A beginner does better on a low, stable seat they can reach on their own, with no fear of a big toilet and no feet dangling in the air, and the comfortable backrest genuinely helps a hesitant child sit long enough for something to happen. If your child already gets the concept and is asking to use the family toilet, skip ahead to the Training Seat: it grips on securely, leaves nothing to clean, and costs a fraction as much, provided you add a step stool for climbing up and down. Most families with the space and a child in the thick of training simply buy both - the Potty Chair for the early weeks and the Training Seat for the transition - and rotate between them. If you must pick one to start, and your child is truly at the beginning, start on the floor with the Potty Chair.
What to look for
- Prioritize cleaning above all. A removable inner bowl with a raised edge that lifts straight out and rinses clean is what keeps a potty in daily use.
- Match the tool to the stage. Floor potty for a beginner, toilet ring for the jump to the family toilet, fold-flat potty for the car.
- Check stability. Look for a wide non-slip base on a floor potty, or a grippy rubber underside on a ring, so the seat does not slide.
- Be skeptical of ‘does everything.’ Convertible 3-in-1s trade away quality at each stage; two dedicated pieces usually win.
- Skip the electronics. Flushing sounds and wipe dispensers add crevices and breakable parts and rarely change the outcome.
- Confirm the fit of a toilet ring against your actual seat shape, and add a step stool so your child can be independent.
- Keep travel separate. A bag-fed travel potty is a backup for outings, not the potty you train on at home.
Our final take
Get the fundamentals right and the rest is patience. The BabyBjorn Potty Chair is the floor potty to start with: stable, comfortable for a nervous new sitter, and genuinely fast to empty and clean, which is the quality that actually determines success. When your child is ready to graduate to the family toilet, the BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat makes the jump for very little money and nothing to rinse. Keep an OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty in the car if you are often out, but don’t ask a travel potty to be your everyday trainer. And skip the Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1: a convertible that is three things at once is quietly beaten by two simple pieces that each do one thing well. Buy the potty that is easy to clean and steady to sit on, and you have bought the one that gets used.
Questions, answered
Floor potty or a seat that goes on the toilet - which should we start with?
For most kids, start with a floor potty. It sits low, a child can get on and off it entirely on their own, and there is no big-toilet fear or dangling feet to overcome. A toilet-ring seat is the better second step, once your child has the idea and wants to use the same toilet as everyone else - just add a sturdy step stool so they can climb up and down without help. Many families keep both in rotation for a while.
Is a 3-in-1 convertible potty worth it to save money and space?
It sounds efficient, but the compromises show up quickly. The detachable ring tends to be smaller and less secure on an adult toilet than a dedicated ring, the splash guard on these often pops off and gets lost, and the step-stool stage is brief and not always as steady as a real stool. A separate floor potty plus a separate ring usually costs little more and does each job noticeably better, with fewer parts to lose.
What actually makes one potty easier than another day to day?
Cleaning and stability, more than features. A removable inner bowl with a raised edge that lifts straight out and rinses clean is the difference between a potty you keep using and one you resent. A wide, non-slip base or a grippy toilet ring keeps the seat from sliding, which builds a child's confidence. Electronics, flushing sounds, and wipe dispensers add crevices to clean and parts to break - they rarely earn their keep.
Do we need a special travel potty, or is that overkill?
It depends on how much you are out and about. A fold-flat travel potty like the OXO Tot 2-in-1 is genuinely useful for road trips, long errands, and questionable public bathrooms, because it works as a standalone potty with a disposable bag or as a clean seat cover on a grown-up toilet. But it runs on bags you have to restock, and it is small - treat it as a backup that lives in the car, not the potty you train on at home.
How do I know a toilet-ring seat will fit our toilet?
Most ring-style trainer seats are shaped for standard round and oval toilet seats and sit securely on them, held by a rubber or non-slip underside. Very elongated, square, or unusually contoured toilets can be a poorer match, so check the shape of your seat against the ring before you rely on it. Whatever you choose, add a step stool the child can use unaided, and stay nearby until they are steady climbing up and down.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: BabyBjorn Potty Chair vs BabyBjorn Toilet Training Seat.
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