10 best potties and toilet training seats to help you crack potty training in 2024

The seat-style BabyBjörn Potty Chair doesn’t come cheap, but Mumsnetters – and parents all over – swear by it. It doesn’t have any bells or whistles, but it's simply designed to do one job well, which we like. It was among the first heavy-duty potties on the market and has been much-copied since – and it’s not hard to see why.

An insert (which has a high front to prevent splashing) lifts out easily to be cleaned and emptied - read: no struggling with potties under taps! The back comes up really high too, and the potty has comfy, softly-curved armrests, for while your child waits for ‘the magic’ to happen. Because it’s a good height and has plenty of legroom, the BabyBjörn is a great choice for bigger toddlers or late-comers. We’re pleased to tell you that it’s hard to tip over too, as the bottom is covered in a rubber strip. Though it’s on the pricey side, it’s excellent quality, a relatively nice design in muted colours, robust and it should see all your kids through potty training - that’s why we’ve chosen it as our best overall.

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For a reasonably priced, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin model, the Boots Potty is pretty impressive. Parents have noted the high splash guard, which not all potties have. It also has feet that your toddler can stand on, which prevent the potty coming up with them when they stand.

It’s lightweight, which means it's more likely to take a knock and spill than some of the heavy-duty potties around but, on the plus side, the weight makes it easy for your toddler to fetch the potty themselves (using the handle on the back) as and when they need a wee. It’s also a great chuck-in-the-car-or-under-the-buggy option and, while it's only available in an unimaginative pink or blue, at just over a fiver you could get one of each.

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The Fisher-Price Character Potty is functional and friendly for toddlers. Its generous height means it’s suitable for bigger or slightly older potty-trainers, and it feels really sturdy, which should prevent any unnecessary spillages as potty training gets underway.

A removable insert means it’s easy to clean after use and a built-in splash guard makes it a good choice for little boys still remembering to “point it down!” The easy-to-grasp handles also help toddlers to stand up without taking the potty with them after use.

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BabyBjorn is generally a trusted brand amongst parents and, as you saw, one of their products even won our best overall. This Smart Potty has rubber edging along the base so we reckon it’s pretty non-slip, which is especially useful if you have a little wriggler! It should rest firmly on the firm, helping your child to sit comfortably.

The splash guard helps to prevent spills and there’s an inner potty, which means you’ll be able to take it out to clean easily. Though quite pricey - some Mumsnetters reckon cheaper brands are just as good - it’s simple, reliable and compact.

IKEA often comes up trumps for simple-but-brilliant baby and child products and this toilet seat is no exception. If you’re a fan of their cheap and cheerful Lockig Potty, you’ll like the Tossig Toilet Seat. It sits securely over your usual toilet seat and the anti-slip material on the underside will help it stay put.

If you’re ready for your child to try this, they’ll be comfy on the seat’s soft curves. You might like to invest in IKEA’s toilet step at the same time to help little ones reach. It’s easy to clean and, after use, it slides easily down the side of the loo or can be hung on the wall, and it’s lightweight enough to go with you on holiday or to friends’ or families’ houses. If you don’t have an IKEA near you, they also deliver.

This clever potty from Fisher Price will cover your potty training journey through stages. It works as a potty chair, it has a removal potty ring to put on the toilet, and it can be used as a step stool for when little ones need to reach up to the loo.

It boasts a splash guard and the removal bucket means it’s easy to clean. Plus, the base is non-skid - useful for when using as a potty or a stool. It’s a little pricey but with so many uses that will grow with your child, we think it’s pretty good value.

The uber-clever Pourty Potty turns traditional potty design on its head. Designed by a dad of two, fed up with potties that were awkward to empty and clean, the Pourty has a handle at the front rather than at the back, and an easy-pour spout at the back. Simply pick up the potty and chuck the contents easily down the loo via the spout - spill and dribble-free - with anything yucky going out the back of the potty, rather than over the front edge, which is the bit your child touches most. Very clever!

The base is wide to keep the potty secure on the floor and it has a flat, wide seat too, which is extra comfy and avoids that unattractive potty ring look on their bottom when they’ve been sitting for a while. It also comes in several colours to match any bathroom.

You get your child used to their potty. Then, you step out of the house to a different one - and it can be a whooole new board game. A great solution is a portable potty, like this My Carry Potty, designed to be used at home and on the go - which aids routine. It’s sturdy enough to be a main potty thanks to the non-slip feet, splash guard and large, comfortable seat; but it also folds up like a travel bag with a carry handle, so it can be taken to nursery, Grandma’s house or even to the shops with you.

It’s lightweight enough to be hung on the handles of a buggy too. And if your child is caught short somewhere inconvenient, the potty even has a leak-proof seal so you can just close it up and deal with the contents later. Because it doesn't require a bag, there’s no additional outlay once you’ve bought it (and it’s better for the environment as well). We think kids will like the friendly animal designs and might even have fun carrying it around themselves. All in all, we can see why this award-winning potty has fast become a favourite with parents.

This award-winning, multi-tasking travel potty folds flat. Then, with just a couple of clicks, you can fold the legs out to the sides to turn the potty into a seat (with handles) to put over a toilet. Alternatively, lock the legs into place to turn the Potette Plus into a standalone potty complete with an absorbent biodegradable bag that folds easily over the seat. It means you can use it all over the house as well as out and about, as it will fit in a bag or suitcase, so you needn’t use public toilets if you don’t want to.

When your child has finished, you just tie up the bag and the absorbent liner soaks up any liquid. After use, give the potty a quick clean with an antibacterial wipe and it can go back into your bag for the next outing. Parents tell us they kept the Potette Plus well past the toddler years as it was also perfect for pukes in the back of the car. It’s a genius product that you’ll always be glad to have in your bag or car boot.

The family toilet seat replaces your entire loo seat, which means that you don’t have to buy and then store a separate potty or trainer seat: hence, space-saving! It’s just like a normal loo seat with lid, but it has an additional small seat that pulls down when your child wants to use the loo. It then goes back up inside the lid when an adult is using it. Voila!

If you’re in this for the long-haul and may have younger children coming out of nappies in the near future, then this is a good purchase that will see you through the whole ordeal. There’s plenty of models available. This one has a soft close function so it’ll close slowly (and importantly, quietly!) preventing any trapped fingers and sudden bangs. Quick release hinges aid removal for cleaning.

Yes, this is a book rather than a potty, but we think it’s invaluable for parents in need of a step-by-step guide to potty training. Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right may well be the toilet-training Holy Grail you need (which is why it also appears on our guide to the best parenting books).

With resounding praise across the Mumsnet forums and beyond, plus a proven six-step method to quell any potty-training woes, parents love this book for being easy to follow, humorous and, above all, knowledge-based. While Glowacki's tell-it-like-it-is approach could be a little hard to swallow at first, we think any parent struggling with toilet training should give this book a go.