Drive Medical Tub Transfer Bench Review (12011KD-1)
By SK Kutubuddin, Founder & Senior Care Researcher Updated October 28, 2026In this guide
The Drive Medical 12011KD-1 straddles the bath wall: two legs stand in the tub and two outside, so you sit down outside and shuffle across without ever stepping over the rim.
Stepping over the side of a bath on a wet floor is one of the riskiest movements an older adult makes at home. The Drive Medical 12011KD-1 removes it. You sit on the end of the bench outside the tub, then shuffle across and lift your legs over while you are fully seated. It is a simple bench with nothing to break, backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Drive lists a 400 lb capacity, a 26-inch-wide blow-molded plastic seat, a backrest that can be set up for either side of the bath, and legs that adjust from 17.5 to 22.5 inches in half-inch steps, so you can match the seat to your bath rim precisely. It assembles without tools.
The trade-offs are real. The seat is fixed, so you shuffle rather than slide, which is hard with weak arms or a painful hip. It takes floor space, and a normal shower curtain will not close around it. If shuffling is a struggle, a sliding or swivel bench is worth the extra money. See our tub transfer bench guide.
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Drive Medical Plastic Tub Transfer Bench with Adjustable Backrest (12011KD-1)
An older adult who can sit and shuffle sideways but should not step over the bath wall, especially after a hip or knee replacement or when balance is poor
- Removes the step over the bath wall, the most dangerous part of bathing
- Half-inch height steps let you match the seat to your bath rim precisely
- Backrest works for a left or right approach, so it fits most bathrooms
- Tool-free assembly and a light 13.6 lb weight
- Drive lists a 400 lb capacity
- Limited lifetime warranty from a major home medical brand
Model
Drive Medical 12011KD-1
Capacity
400 lb (Drive Medical); some listings state 350 lb
Seat
26 in wide x 18.5–19.5 in deep, blow-molded plastic
Seat height
17.5–22.5 in, half-inch steps
Backrest
Can be set up for a left or right approach
Weight
About 13.6 lb
Assembly
Tool-free
Warranty
Limited lifetime
HCPCS code
E0247
What we like
- Removes the step over the bath wall, the most dangerous part of bathing
- Half-inch height steps let you match the seat to your bath rim precisely
- Backrest works for a left or right approach, so it fits most bathrooms
- Tool-free assembly and a light 13.6 lb weight
- Drive lists a 400 lb capacity
- Limited lifetime warranty from a major home medical brand
Worth noting
- Fixed seat: you shuffle across rather than slide, which is hard with weak arms or a painful hip
- A normal shower curtain will not close around it; you need a split curtain or splash guard
- Takes up floor space outside the tub
- Plastic seat is not padded
- Capacity is stated differently on some listings (350 lb); use the lower figure to be safe
Buy it if…
- You can sit unaided and shuffle sideways a short distance
- You have been told not to bend the hip far or lift the leg over the bath wall, for example after surgery
- You want a simple, durable bench with nothing to break
- You have room beside the bath for the outside legs
Look elsewhere if…
- Shuffling sideways is difficult: a sliding or swivel transfer bench moves you across
- You have a walk-in shower, not a bath: a shower chair is what you need
- Not sure whether you need a bench or a chair: read our tub bench vs shower chair guide
How a tub transfer bench works
A tub transfer bench is longer than the bath is wide. Two legs stand inside the tub and two stand on the bathroom floor, so the seat reaches over the bath wall.
- Sit down on the outside end of the bench, with your back to it, as you would on a chair.
- Shuffle sideways along the seat towards the tub, using your hands on the seat.
- Lift one leg, then the other, over the bath wall while you are fully seated.
- Shower seated, ideally with a hand-held shower head.
- Reverse the steps to get out.
You never stand on one leg over a wet tub floor, which is exactly where many bathroom falls happen. An occupational therapist can show you the safest technique for your situation.
Size, height and capacity
Drive Medical lists the 12011KD-1 with a 26-inch-wide seat, 18.5 to 19.5 inches deep, made of durable blow-molded plastic, on an A-frame for stability. The legs adjust from 17.5 to 22.5 inches in half-inch steps using dual-column extension legs with pinch-free levers.
Capacity: Drive Medical’s own product page lists 400 lb. Some retailer listings, including the one used in our roundup, state 350 lb. When figures differ, plan around the lower one.
The bench weighs about 13.6 lb, assembles without tools, and is covered by a limited lifetime warranty. Drive sells suction-cup feet as an accessory to help keep the inside legs from sliding on the tub floor.
Measure before you buy
Most disappointment with transfer benches comes from three measurements taken after the box arrives. Take them first:
- Bath rim height from the bathroom floor. The seat should sit level with or slightly above the rim.
- Tub floor depth: the tub floor is lower than the bathroom floor, so the inside legs must be set longer than the outside legs for the seat to sit level.
- Floor space beside the bath for the outside legs, plus room to sit down and turn.
Also check the person’s seated height. With the feet flat on the floor, the knees should be at roughly a right angle. A seat that is too low is hard to get up from.
Setting it up safely
- Assemble the backrest and legs, then fit the backrest on the side that suits the way you will sit down and slide across.
- Set the leg heights so the seat is level: inside legs longer, outside legs shorter. Check every height pin has clicked fully into place.
- Position the bench with two legs firmly on the tub floor and two on the bathroom floor, and press down to check it does not rock.
- Test it empty, then with a careful sit-down, before the first bath.
- Fit a hand-held shower head so the person can wash while seated.
The shower-curtain problem: a standard curtain cannot close around the bench, so water runs onto the floor. Buy a split shower curtain made for transfer benches, or use a splash guard and aim the hand-held shower downward. Plan for it at the same time as the bench.
After hip or knee surgery, and Medicare
Transfer benches are standard equipment after hip and knee replacements, because surgeons often limit how far the hip may bend and how much weight the leg may take for several weeks. Ask the discharge team about your specific restrictions before buying, and whether they recommend a particular height.
Medicare: Original Medicare generally does not pay for bathroom safety equipment such as transfer benches, which it treats as convenience items. Some Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid programs and local loan closets may help. Many people also use FSA or HSA funds.
For the full recovery checklist, see our post-surgery home equipment checklist.
Fixed bench vs sliding and swivel benches
Fixed bench (this one): simple, light, inexpensive and durable. The person shuffles across the seat.
Sliding bench: the seat glides along a rail, so a caregiver can slide the person across. That is much easier with weak arms, a painful hip or limited mobility, but it costs more and has more parts.
Swivel seat: rotates so the legs swing in together. It reduces leg lifting, which helps after hip surgery.
All three types are compared in our best tub transfer benches guide. For a home with a walk-in shower instead of a bath, a shower chair is the right tool.
What Drive Medical says
The following are Drive Medical’s own marketing claims from the product listing, not our independent findings. Details can change over time — check the current Amazon listing for the latest.
- Drive Medical lists the 12011KD-1 transfer tub bench with a 400 lb weight capacity, a 26 in wide x 18.5–19.5 in deep seat, and height adjustment from 17.5 to 22.5 in in half-inch increments.
- Drive describes a durable blow-molded plastic bench and backrest, A-frame construction, dual-column extension legs with pinch-free levers, tool-free assembly, and a bench that is reversible to suit any bathroom.
- The bench carries a limited lifetime warranty and HCPCS code E0247; suction cups are sold separately.
How it compares to other bath seats
The 12011KD-1 is a sound, simple first transfer bench. Choose a sliding or swivel bench if shuffling is hard, or a shower chair if there is no bath wall to cross.
- Sliding tub transfer benches — the seat glides across the bath, so less effort is needed from the person and the caregiver. More expensive.
- Shower chairs — for walk-in showers, where there is no bath wall to cross.
- Tub bench vs shower chair guide — a side-by-side of this bench and a Drive Medical shower chair, to decide which your bathroom needs.
Frequently asked questions
Drive Medical’s product page lists 400 lb for the 12011KD-1. Some retailer listings state 350 lb. When figures differ, plan around the lower one.
Drive lists a seat height range of 17.5 to 22.5 inches, adjusted in half-inch steps. Set the inside legs longer than the outside legs so the seat sits level, because the tub floor is lower than the bathroom floor.
Assembly is tool-free. Attach the backrest and legs, choose which side the backrest goes for your approach, then set each leg height until the push-buttons click into place. Check the seat is level and does not rock before use.
The seat and backrest are durable blow-molded plastic, on adjustable aluminum legs. Drive describes it as made in part from recycled materials.
Use a split shower curtain made for transfer benches, which closes around the frame, or a splash guard, and aim a hand-held shower head downward.
Original Medicare generally does not pay for bathroom safety equipment such as transfer benches. Some Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid programs and local loan closets may help, and FSA or HSA funds can usually be used.
If the person bathes in a tub and stepping over the wall is unsafe, a transfer bench. If there is a walk-in shower, a shower chair. Our tub bench vs shower chair guide compares both side by side.
Drive Medical Plastic Tub Transfer Bench with Adjustable Backrest (12011KD-1)
Best for: An older adult who can sit and shuffle sideways but should not step over the bath wall, especially after a hip or knee replacement or when balance is poor
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