The 10 Best Walk-In Tubs for Seniors

Walk-in tubs are designed to literally walk in to. That removes the need to step over a large lip that could present a safety issue for seniors or anyone with mobility issues. Determine whether the added safety and comfort provided by a walk-in tub is right for you or your loved one by reviewing these top products.

Who Might Benefit From a Walk-In Tub?

Although anyone can potentially benefit from a walk-in tub, they’re especially beneficial to seniors. Walk-in tubs provide a safer option for older adults who find it difficult to step into a standard tub and can prevent potentially severe injuries from falls that arise from this difficulty.

Even if an older adult doesn’t currently have a disability or mobility issue, it’s good to plan for the future. Walk-in tubs may also benefit seniors who are too large for traditional bathtubs and anyone with chronic conditions seeking relief from symptoms, such as poor circulation, arthritis or injured joints or muscles.

Does Medicare or Insurance Cover Walk-In Tubs?

Original Medicare usually won’t cover walk-in tubs because they're not considered durable medical equipment. However, in rare cases, Medicare will provide some assistance if the tub is considered an absolute medical necessity and the beneficiary has a written prescription for it.

Many Medicare Advantage plans, also called Medicare Part C, cover walk-in tubs as a supplemental benefit that Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn't cover. All Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover everything Original Medicare covers, and most Part C plans offer extra benefits that aren't covered by Part A and Part B, such as prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, fitness and wellness club memberships, transportation and more. 

Important Considerations When Choosing a Walk-In Tub

One of the most important considerations when choosing a walk-in tub is whether it will fit into the existing space to avoid the additional expense of an expensive bathroom remodel. While contemplating size and shape to ensure a walk-in tub will fit within the space available, consider door swing. Doors may open into the tub or outward, so it’s vital to consider placement and mobility issues of the person utilizing the tub. While an outward swinging door requires more space, these are ideal if the person using the tub requires a wheelchair. Other considerations include:

• How quickly a tub fills and drains
• Whether surfaces are heated
• Safety features, such as nonslip surfaces, grab bars and anti-scald technology
• Ease of locking and unlocking door handles
• Added features, such as hydrotherapy, aromatherapy and chromatherapy
• Threshold height to prevent trips
• Warranty
• Average cost

10 Best Walk-In Tubs for Seniors

Before buying one of these relatively pricey products, explore some of the best options available for seniors to enhance their safety. Start by learning more about these top 10 walk-in tubs, including some key features that set them apart.

Safe Step Walk-In Tub

Safe Step distinguishes its walk-in tubs with an array of therapeutic options balanced with a full assortment of safety features, including built-in grab bars, anti-slip surfaces, mold-resistant coatings and anti-scald showerheads. Tubs are fully customizable to meet various bathroom layouts and personal needs, and many standard features on Safe Step tubs are considered extras for other manufacturers.

Safe Step tubs have U-shaped doors that swing inward only, either to the right or left, and boast a low threshold height of 4 inches. Its walk-in tubs also have heated seats and surfaces to keep bathers warm during filling and draining, and it further sets itself apart by making aromatherapy and chromotherapy standard features.

Kohler Walk-In Bath

Kohler mostly offers soaker-style walk-in tubs with built-in seats that are customizable to accommodate nearly any size space. One of the most distinguishing features of its tubs is the doors, which are wider than most standard doors offered by many other manufacturers. Doors can be configured to swing left or right based on the bathroom layout and have a threshold height of only 3 inches, one of the lowest in the industry.

Standard safety features of Kohler walk-in tubs include textured, slip-resistant flooring, a handrail inside the tub for support and anti-scald valves. Tubs fill and drain within a couple of minutes and have heated surfaces to keep bathers warm during the process. Its walk-in tubs come with a limited lifetime warranty but only if they’re installed by an authorized Kohler dealer.

American Standard

American Standard primarily provides soaker-style walk-in tubs with built-in seats at a variety of price points. Tubs have numerous walk-in door options for easier accessibility and configuring them to fit existing bathroom space. Doors are U-shaped and can be set up to open inward or outward and swing to the left or right. American Standard also offers a handicap-accessible door that’s extra wide to facilitate wheelchair transfers.

Safety features on American Standard walk-in tubs include textured floors to prevent slips and durable built-in grab bars. Fast-filling faucets and quick-drain pump systems provide quicker fills and drains. Its therapeutic features are among the best available, which can include air and water jets that target and massage the back, feet, legs and wrists. Certain tubs also have built-in aromatherapy systems and seven-color chromatherapy lighting.

Boca Walk-In Tubs

Consumers can order Boca walk-in tubs with a nearly unlimited combination of comfort and safety elements. Because they’re made to order, these tubs are fully customizable to match a range of requirements and bathroom layouts. Boca sets its tubs apart with walls made of marine-grade material that are three times thicker than average tub walls and a finish that’s resistant to bacteria, mold and mildew.

Seniors with mobility issues benefit from the low walk-in thresholds of Boca walk-in tubs. At only 2 inches, Boca tubs have the lowest step-in threshold height on the market. They also feature larger door entries to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers, anti-skid material on the floors and seats to prevent slips and ADA-compliant seat heights and grab bars.

Ella's Bubbles

Ella’s Bubbles sets itself apart by offering more walk-in tub sizes and types than its competitors. Options include soaker-style and traditional-style tubs, wheelchair-friendly tubs, shower-tub combinations and two-person tubs, among others. Ella’s tubs also have varied door styles, including U-shaped doors that swing inward or outward and L-shaped, outward swinging doors for easier wheelchair transfers.

Ella offers ADA-complaint, handicap-accessible tub designs and a broad array of safety features. Support handrails can be mounted on the interior or exterior surfaces and come in various shapes. Thermostatic control valves are standard and minimize the risk of being scalded by hot water. Ella’s therapeutic features include a hydromassage system with 24 water jets that target different parts of the body. A limited lifetime warranty covers all parts of Ella’s walk-in tubs.

Jacuzzi

When it comes to brand recognition, Jacuzzi has been a household name since the 1960s for its whirlpool tubs. The company transferred all the knowledge and industry-leading safety features already found in its hot tubs to its walk-in tubs. Jacuzzi makes some of the most luxurious walk-in tubs on the market with hydrotherapy and air therapy options built into a safer, indoor design.

Although it doesn’t offer a wide range of models of differing sizes, certain models do come in a variety of configurations. Tubs promote ease of access with low step-in-thresholds, leak-proof doors with wide openings and an ergonomic grab bar for additional stability. Jacuzzi offers a limited lifetime warranty on the shell, blowers, jets, controls and factory-installed pumps. If one of its specialists installs the tub, Jacuzzi also provides a 2-year warranty on labor.

AmeriGlide

AmeriGlide offers 17 different walk-in tubs and walk-in tub/shower combinations, including a large selection of wheelchair-accessible tubs. Tubs come in various sizes to fit nearly every user’s needs and bathroom sizes. It also offers bathtub conversion kits to alter existing tubs.

Most AmeriGlide walk-in tubs are made of fiberglass and are designed to allow users to add water or air jets. Available doors include U-shaped, L-shaped and S-shaped doors that swing inward or outward from the side of the tub. Safety features found in every tub include safety bars and skid-proof floors. AmeriGlide offers a limited warranty, and though some models have differing coverage, common coverage includes lifetime warranties on door seals, 10 years on the tub itself, 5 years on the pump and motor and 1 year on faucets.

Hydro Dimensions

Hydro Dimensions has two product lines that provide 16 different walk-in tubs total. Tubs in its specialty line are usually larger and designed to accommodate users with limited mobility. All models include standard safety features, such as step-in entry doors, nonslip floors, built-in seats and safety grab bars. It can also customize its walk-in tubs with a wide range of comfort and therapy features, including six distinct jet upgrades and add-on features like heaters and lights, to tailor each product to suit a consumer’s specific needs.

Hydro Dimensions distinguishes itself by including an installation package with every walk-in tub purchased to ensure installation is handled by an experienced, professional Hydro Dimensions dealer. It also offers a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser, which includes parts and labor for the first year and then parts only.

Bathing Solutions

Bathing Solutions offers 10 models but distinguishes itself with its inclusive selections of walk-in tubs built for bathers with different bodies and abilities. Because it forgoes the one-size-fits-all approach, almost anyone can find an option to meet their needs. Tubs are molded into one piece, instead of two like many other models, to give them added strength and keep them from flexing.

Its walk-in tubs undergo a rigorous certification process to ensure performance, quality and safety. Safety features include ADA-approved seat heights and built-in grab bars. Bathing Solutions backs its entire line of walk-in tubs with a lifetime warranty on the tub shell and finish, door seal and whirlpool features. It also includes a limited lifetime warranty on electronic components.

Independent Home

Independent Home focuses all its resources on this industry niche by manufacturing walk-in tubs only. Seniors have been bringing these tubs into their homes for more than 15 years. Although the number of walk-in tub models it carries is relatively small, it still manages to cater to many different body types, abilities and bathroom space requirements.

Safety features include low-entry door thresholds, anti-slip floors, ADA-compliant seats, grab bars and overflow drains. Added perks include heated seats and backs, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, chromotherapy, Micro Bubbles and self-cleaning capability. Independent Home has a full lifetime warranty on all its walk-in tubs. Although its industry-leading warranty requires an additional cost, it's more comprehensive with few exceptions. It offers better coverage than many free warranties and covers parts and labor.