Where can you find a bathtub with a built-in seat for comfort?

A bathtub with a built-in seat is a walk-in tub: the seat is molded into the tub itself, and you step in through a door over a low threshold, sit down at chair height and bathe with the door closed. Ella's Bubbles builds its walk-in tubs this way, and you can find one through your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, with tubs assembled in Chicago and shipped nationwide. For the basics of the category, start with what a walk-in tub is and who it is designed for, then use this page to compare the seats themselves and the comfort options that go with them.

What a Built-In Seat Changes About a Bath

In a standard bathtub you lower yourself to the floor of the tub and then have to get back up again. A walk-in tub with a built-in seat removes both of those moves. You step through the door, turn and sit, and the water rises around you while you are already settled. Ella's guides give a 17 inch seat height on most models, which is why sitting down in the tub feels like sitting on a chair instead of climbing down into a basin.

The seat works together with the other parts of the tub:

• A low threshold. The Capri, for example, has a 3.5 inch threshold, so the step in is small.
• A textured, slip-resistant floor under your feet as you turn to sit.
• A deck-mounted faucet with a pull-out hand shower, so the tub fills and you can rinse while you stay seated.
• Grab bars. Most seated tubs carry one or two deck-mount bars for support at entry, at exit and while seated.

Because the seat is part of the molded tub, there is nothing to add, strap in or remove. That is the real difference between a walk-in tub and a bath seat placed in an ordinary tub.

How the Seat Differs from Model to Model

Not every built-in seat is the same shape. Some Ella models are designed for sitting upright in deeper water and others for scooting down and stretching out. The figures below come from Ella's model guides and the Elite product video.

What this means for you: decide first how you like to bathe. If you want to sit tall with deep water around you, an upright seat such as the Deluxe is the natural match. If you would like to lean back and stretch, the Longer's extended seat area tends to suit someone of smaller stature, around 5 foot 6 and 125 pounds, who wants more room to lie back. If seat width matters most, the Elite's 22-inch seat is described in its video as spacious, and the Transfer XXL adds overall width for bathers who need it. The walk-in tub model highlights page describes these models in more detail.

Comfort Options That Go with the Seat

The seat is the starting point, and several options build on it.

• Heated seat and backrest. This option warms the surfaces you sit and lean against, so you are not sitting on cold acrylic while the tub fills. It is a 4A radiant surface heating system, separate from the in-line water heater that works with the hydro jets. For maximum comfort, turn it on 10 to 15 minutes before you enter the tub. It switches itself off automatically after 20 minutes, and one more press restarts it. The details are in how the optional heated seat and backrest works.
• A head pillow. Depending on the model, a 10 by 7.5-inch head pillow can be added.
• A hand shower slide bar. A 24-inch slide bar is available on some models, so you can shower seated without holding the handset.
• Therapy features. Depending on the model, options include hydro jets, air jets, microbubbles and hydrofoot therapy. Most models can also be ordered as a soaker with no jets if a safe, comfortable seated soak is all you want.

The heated seat and backrest is an optional accessory on most seated Ella models. It is not offered on the LayDown tubs.

What the Elite Video Shows About a Built-In Seat

The Elite video on this page is a quick way to see a built-in seat in a real tub. It shows the low threshold for easy access, the spacious 22-inch seat, the removable backrest, the wall mount grab bars and the textured floor. It also shows the fast fill faucet and the extendable shower head being used from the seated position, and the large, easy to operate buttons for the therapy systems. Watching it gives you a good sense of how much room the seat takes up and where your hands naturally reach.

How to Make Sure You Get the Seat and Options You Want

Every Ella walk-in tub has its seat built in, so the seat itself is never an add-on. The comfort options are a different story. Ella walk-in tubs are built to order, and the same base model is offered in many configurations: door side, therapy package, faucet package and comfort options. A few careful checks keep your order on track:

1. Read the feature list for the exact configuration, not the general model description.
2. Do not rely on the letters at the end of a model number. On some listings the letters HB refer to the faucet package, not to the heated seat.
3. If the heated seat and backrest is not listed as included, assume it is not, and ask for the configuration that includes it.
4. Make sure the options you chose appear on your order confirmation.

The heated seat and backrest is built into the tub at the factory, so plan for it when you order. The full checklist is in confirming the heated seat and backrest before you order.

It also helps to be sure a seated tub is the right entry for the bather. A person who can step through a door and sit is usually best served by a seated walk-in tub. A person who stays in a wheelchair or shower chair may be better served by a curbless shower base or a transfer-style tub, a choice weighed in which bathroom accessibility upgrades deliver the most value. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can help match a model to your bathroom and the way you like to bathe.

Watch: The Ella Elite: Luxury Walk-In Tub Built for Comfort, Safety & Independent Bathing | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Heated Seat and Back: How It Works, Which Tubs Offer It, and How to Add It to Your Order
• Seat sizes and soaking depth: how to measure yourself for a comfortable fit

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