There are so many types of bath lifts in the market, that it is a difficult choice for the buyer. However, it certainly helps knowing what is available, helping one decide what they want. Different bath lifts cater to different needs.

Portable bath lifts have a seat that fits in to the bath and moves up and down. You need to slide from the side of the bath into the seat and it lowers you deep into the tub in a gentle manner. You will bathe while sitting on the seat and once you are done, you just flick a lever and it will bring you back up. Most of these lifts use rechargeable batteries. This is for people who can get onto the seat and off the seat from the side of the bath and this involves lifting the legs over the bath rim.

Inflatable bath lifts are nothing but seat shaped air cushions and are very light. They can be inflated or deflated depending on whether you want to be lowered into the tub or lifted up. A compressor is used to pump air into the cushion. This provides the comfort of letting go right down to the bottom of the tub. Suckers are used to secure the cushion to the bottom. These bath lifts are lightweight and portable. They are generally battery operated, although they have the option to be operated from the mains.

Because they are so light, they do not afford as much support as other lifts and are not good for someone who has difficulty with balance. Strength of upper arm muscles is needed to get in and out.

Reclining bath lifts have a reclining mechanism that allows you to relax in a reclining position while having a bath. Along with the regular function of raising and lowering into the tub, it has an additional feature of being able to choose the desired position of recline, for extreme relaxation and comfort.

Water powered bath lifts make bathing easy and convenient for people who find it difficult getting in and out of the tub. This uses household water pressure to lift for operation and not electricity or batteries. It needs approximately as little as 20 PSI of water pressure and has the capacity or lifting a weight of up to 200 lbs. It occupies less space and is lightweight. These lifts connect to the normal tub fixtures and shower. Some of them come with rotating seats to enable transfer easily.

Children's bath lifts assist carers in raising and lowering small children and infants into a bath. They are operated by low air pressure and are portable and simple to use. They have an adjustable backrest and seat. They come with an option for side rails, body belt, and leg straps as well, for safety. A backrest, a padded headrest, and a padded seat all ensure a comfortable bath for a child.

There are several other types of custom-built bath lifts like the special need lifts, which use hydraulic power to lift an individual completely and place them in the bath or full length lifts for people that need to lay down in the tub. The Jacuzzi modeled lifts are great to use in huge baths.

There is no dearth of options available and new ones keep entering the market everyday to help thousands of people that need these bath lifts to regain the lost happiness.