babyworld's testers go potty over potties!

• Rymax family seat - 10/10
• Weeman - 9/10
• Bibs and Stuff padded training seat - 8/10
• Cheeky Rascals trainer toilet seat - 8/10
• Bruin's 3 in 1 toilet trainer - 10/10
• Safety 1st musical potty and step stool - 9/10
• Potty with footplates - 8/10
• Baby Bjorn potty chair - 7/10

Testing panel says

What an excellent idea - I had never seen anything like this before but I really approve. I have always hated plastic potties and seats - I wouldn't want to sit on one myself so why would my child. This makes toilet training seem the most natural thing in the world especially if you fit it a good few weeks before you even start training so it's just part of the bathroom furnishings. Kids learn best by copying and with this they copy you exactly, using the same loo and same loo seat. The smaller inner seat clips away within the lid when not in use and the whole business becomes really discreet. Superb design.

Takes a bit of time to fit - secures like any normal loo seat - and obviously is more expensive than a plastic one, but if you are due to replace your loo seat anyway, well worth buying.

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Testing panel says

Absolutely fantastic. I would recommend this to anyone with a boy. Boys want to wee like their dads not sitting down but if they stand, the loo is always too high - we had tried steps and all sorts but accidents seemed inevitable. With this the bowl height is perfect - my son hated sitting on the potty - but with the Weeman in place he was toilet trained in a week. It is extemely easy to fit and just flips over to empty into the loo - when you flush the loo water rinses it out - it's an excellent design.

Does look a bit odd - visitors to the house were a little concerned - you can slide it round to one side of the loo so it is out of the way but even so we did find we needed to explain before visitors entered the toilet.

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Testing panel says

We really like the cushioning on this seat - it makes this much more welcoming and warmer for a little bottom than rigid plastic - and the handles were a big success. My daughter has always been terrified of sitting on the loo because she thinks she is going to fall in - with this her bottom was snug and securely in place and the handles made her feel more in control. The splash guard helped protect against directional errors!

More pricey than other trainer seats

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Testing panel says

Very simple to use and extremely easy to clean. Sat securely on the loo seat - so no scary wobbling. The moulding at the back seemed to make my son feel safer in position and I really liked the leg rests as they mean there is absolutely no chance the child can pinch their legs with the seat - which has happened to us before and was very off putting! Very fairly priced.

Functional but not the most attractive item.

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It comes complete with a a sticker reward programme with certificate, disappearing tinkle targets to encourage a good aim, potty training tips booklet and voucher for a free pack of toddler wipes worth £1.49

Testing panel says

Simple and straightforward to use and remarkably versatile for a very low price. I liked the fact that it is quite big - almost as big as a real loo but at low level - and the fact that the same seat can be used on the adult loo - as a trainer seat - which makes the final transition much easier. The inner bowl was very easy to empty and clean and the storage draws were useful for wipes - especially if you were out and about! We all really liked the included extras - the reward stickers and tinkle targets and thought this a very good value purchase.

Quite bulky.

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Testing panel says

We had this in the bathroom for a while before we started training and my daughter really liked playing with it. The seat is soft and comfy and the musical 'flush' made it an entertaining item. We hadn't even really begun training in earnest when she decided to take herself off to her loo and had an immediate success - I was really amazed and I'm sure it's because she like the seat. She had been totally unimpressed by a traditional plastic potty we had had around. Very easy to empty and wash out because the bowl removes and isn't too deep so it fits under the tap. The music is a bit of a gimmick but she liked it and I like the fact that it is so versatile and adapts into a trainer seat and step.

Quite pricey and bulky

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Testing panel says

This is a cheap and cheerful potty which does the job well and adds a bit of fun to the proceedings. The footplates help stablise the whole thing so we didn't have any major accidents. My son was determined to keep his feet on the potty's feet every time which did give him something else to think about each time but also made sure he had positioned himself firmly in place before going into action. The splash shield did its job well and the whole thing was a very easy to clean. Pretty compact so easy enough to take out in the car.

No frills

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Testing panel says

I wasn't too sure about this at first but it was actually very good. The chair style and the high back really gave my son something to get comfy on and I was half expecting him to sit their half an hour with the newspaper - like his dad! The first time we use it we had a success - probably because he sat there so long! The lift-out bowl is an excellent idea because it is quick and easy to empty and clean and has also been useful when I've had to run to catch a wee mid-flow! It's a simple design with no dodgy, dirt collecting crevices and seems robust and stable.

This is quite bulky so not so great if you have a small house and also not very transportable - you would probably need another smaller one to take out and about for emergencies.

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Where to next

• Read the brief results for babyworld's potties product test
• See babyworld's other product tests
• Want to know the basics of potty training - start here!
• Potty training not going so smoothly? Check out these common problems and solutions
• You've gotta laugh …. Look at some of these pooey stories for the lighter side of potty training!
• The world’s gone potty - we take a look at how other cultures toilet train their tots
• Going potty?! Share your potty training stories and woes on our forum
• Shop for potties and loo seats at the babyworld shop