Potty · Months 18 to 30
Potty training: four things, and a lot you don’t need.
Potty training runs on readiness and patience, not equipment. But four inexpensive things make it easier: somewhere to sit, a book to explain it, a step to reach the sink, and pants that let them feel what happened.
- 4 picks, 3 skips
- Recall-checked Oct 2026
- Includes the $0 option
Independent picks. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a commission; as an Amazon Associate, Betteroo earns from qualifying purchases. It never decides what makes the list. How we choose
The short answer
Buy a low potty, a potty book, a step stool and cotton training pants. All four are in our Budget band. Our picks: the BabyBjörn Smart Potty, Potty by Leslie Patricelli, the Dreambaby Step Stool and Gerber cotton training pants. Start with the book a few weeks before training; the rest can wait until your child shows signs of readiness.
Children generally show signs of bladder and bowel control between 18 and 24 months, and readiness varies (AAP). On October 4, 2026 we checked every pick’s maker page, live US listing, price band and the CPSC recall database.
At a glance
Four things for potty training
BabyBjörn Smart Potty
A low, one-piece potty with an inner potty that lifts straight out.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the list
Potty, by Leslie Patricelli
A board book about a baby deciding whether to use the potty. Very few words.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the list
Dreambaby Step Stool, Grey & White
A low step for the sink and, later, to brace their feet on the big toilet.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the list
Gerber Training Pants, 3 pack, white
Plain white cotton training pants. They let your child feel an accident, which is the point.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the listBefore you buy
What we looked for
A common mistake is buying the whole aisle at once. Every pick here maps to one line of the AAP’s toilet-training advice: a potty chair where feet reach the floor, books for potty time, cloth training pants, and a stool to brace their feet (AAP).
We assess each on the same three things: whether it does that one job, how it cleans, and what it costs.
Feet on the floor
A potty low enough for a child’s feet to reach the floor, as the AAP advises.
Easy to clean
An inner potty that lifts out, surfaces that wipe, pants that wash.
Cheap
All four are in our Budget band. Training doesn’t need a premium potty.
The picks
Why each one made the list
BabyBjörn Smart Potty
A low, one-piece potty with an inner potty that lifts straight out.
A compact potty with a splashguard and an inner potty that you lift out, empty, and rinse or wipe clean (BabyBjörn). It’s low enough for small feet to reach the floor, which is what the AAP says to look for in a potty chair (AAP). No music, no flushing sounds, nothing to distract.
Why it’s worth it
- Inner potty lifts out to empty
- Low, for feet flat on the floor
- BPA-free and PVC-free (maker)
Key specs
- Age range
- Not stated by BabyBjörn
- Material
- Polypropylene and TPE
- In the box
- Potty with inner potty
- Size
- 10 x 13 x 6.5 in, 19 oz
From BabyBjörn’s product page, checked October 4, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 4, 2026). BabyBjörn’s past CPSC recalls were other products: a bouncer and feeding spoons.
- BabyBjörn says its bathroom products meet the relevant plastic safety requirements in Europe and the USA (maker).
Potty, by Leslie Patricelli
A board book about a baby deciding whether to use the potty. Very few words.
A board book with about one sentence per page, following a baby who needs to go and thinks it over: feeling the urge, sitting, waiting, success. The AAP says books for potty time may help make it more fun (AAP). Reading it for a few weeks before you start gives your child the words for what’s coming.
Why it’s worth it
- Shows the whole sequence, simply
- The cheapest thing on this page
- Sturdy board pages
Key specs
- Age range
- 1 to 3 years
- Material
- Board book, 28 pages
- In the box
- 1 book
- Size
- 7.1 x 7.1 in
From the amazon.com listing, checked October 4, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 4, 2026).
Dreambaby Step Stool, Grey & White
A low step for the sink and, later, to brace their feet on the big toilet.
A single low step with a textured, non-slip top and a grip base, light enough for a child to carry from room to room (Dreambaby). Handwashing is half of potty training, and a toddler can’t reach the sink without it. Later, when they move to the big toilet, the AAP suggests a stool to brace their feet (AAP), and this one is contoured to fit around a toilet base (listing).
Why it’s worth it
- Non-slip top and base
- Contoured to fit around a toilet base
- Holds up to 175 lb (listing)
Key specs
- Age range
- Toddler (listing)
- Material
- Plastic, rubber-dot top
- In the box
- 1 stool
- Size
- 14.3 x 9.6 x 5.6 in
From Dreambaby’s product page, then the amazon.com listing (size, weight limit), checked October 4, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 4, 2026).
Gerber Training Pants, 3 pack, white
Plain white cotton training pants. They let your child feel an accident, which is the point.
Three pairs of 100% cotton rib training pants with comfortable leg openings (Gerber). The AAP suggests switching to big-kid underwear when training starts, and says some parents use cloth training pants, which are a little thicker, to protect clothing; it notes that diapers and disposable training pants tell children they don’t need to learn yet (AAP).
Why it’s worth it
- 100% cotton
- Washable and reusable
- Three to a pack
Key specs
- Age range
- Sizes 18M, 2T and 3T
- Material
- 100% cotton rib
- In the box
- 3 training pants
- Size
- Linked size: 3T
From Gerber’s product page, then the amazon.com listing, checked October 4, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 4, 2026). Gerber’s CPSC recalls on record are for knives and tools from Gerber Gear, a different company.
Side by side
Four picks side by side
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job | Sit | Explain | Reach the sink | Feel an accident |
| Price band | Price band: Budget | Price band: Budget | Price band: Budget | Price band: Budget |
| Age or size | Not stated by BabyBjörn | 1 to 3 years | Toddler (listing) | 18M, 2T, 3T |
| Cleaning | Lift out, empty, rinse | Wipe the pages | Wipe down | Machine wash |
| When to buy | When you start | A few weeks before | When you start | When you start |
Which one is yours
Start with your situation
Not showing signs yetJust the book, for now.
Ready to start this monthAll four.
Small bathroomThe potty can live in another room; the stool stays by the sink.
Want to spend the leastThe book, the stool and the pants. Use the $0 version for the potty.
Going straight to the big toiletSkip the potty, keep the stool for their feet.
The $0 version
Your own toilet works with a folded towel on the seat edge for confidence and a sturdy box or a stack of books under their feet, with you holding on. Big-kid underwear from the store works in place of training pants. And your local library will have potty books, so you can try a few before you buy one.
The toilet you own, a sturdy box for their feet, and you.
What we would skip
Three things we’d leave on the shelf
They’re sold as potty-training must-haves. Here’s why we’d pass.
Potties with music, flushing sounds and lights
A potty is somewhere to sit. Sounds and buttons add things to clean and things to play with, and the AAP’s advice is about readiness and praise, not features.
Disposable training pants as the main plan
The AAP notes they send a message that children aren’t taking over and don’t need to learn to use the toilet (AAP). Keep them for nights or long trips if you want them.
Reward charts and gadgets bought before you start
The AAP’s advice is to praise progress rather than punish mistakes, with perhaps a small reward (AAP). A hug and a sticker you already have will do.
What we passed on
- Frida Baby Drop Down Potty Training Seat. Number 1 in Amazon’s potty seats category on October 4, 2026. A seat for the big toilet, so it needs a stool for the feet; we’d start with a floor potty.
- Ingenuity My Size Potty Pro. Number 1 in Amazon’s Potties category the same day, and in our Budget band. A toilet-shaped alternative; we picked the Smart Potty for its simple lift-out inner potty.
- OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty. A useful travel extra once training is going (OXO rates it 12 months and up, to 50 lb). We couldn’t match a maker photo to the color the listing sells, so it isn’t a pick today.
Questions parents ask
FAQ
When should you start potty training?
When your child shows signs of readiness. Children generally show signs of bladder and bowel control between 18 and 24 months, and they also need to follow instructions and pull their pants down and up (AAP). The AAP suggests waiting if there’s a big change at home, like a move or a new baby.
Potty chair or toilet seat?
Either can work. The AAP describes a potty chair as a child-sized seat with a removable container, and says children’s feet should reach the floor. On the big toilet, a stool lets them brace their feet (AAP).
Do you need training pants?
The AAP suggests switching to big-kid underwear when training starts; some parents use cloth training pants, which are a little thicker, to protect clothing (AAP). We’d skip disposables as the main plan.
How many training pants do you need?
More than you think in the first week. We’d buy two or three three-packs so you aren’t washing twice a day.
Why trust Worth It
How we choose
We don’t run a product lab, and we won’t pretend we do. Worth It picks are researched from makers’ instructions, retailer listings and official safety guidance, not lab-tested. Each is chosen for a specific age and a specific job, the way a friend a couple of years ahead of you would choose: a few products, each with a reason, and an honest note on what could go wrong.
We check every listing on amazon.com for a live US offer and sort it into a price band: Budget (under $30), Mid-range ($30 to $100) or Premium (over $100). We don’t print exact prices because they change daily. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission. That pays for this, and it never decides what makes the list.
For safety, we search the CPSC recall database by product name, and we note the US safety standard the maker says a product meets. Where the maker doesn’t say, we tell you what the law requires for that kind of product. The JPMA’s certification list (now run by the Baby Safety Alliance) isn’t publicly searchable, so we only mention certification when the maker states it. Specs come from the maker first, and the Amazon listing second.
Sources for this page
- AAP: The right age to toilet train
- AAP: Creating a toilet training plan
- BabyBjörn: Smart Potty product page
- Dreambaby: Step Stool, Grey & White
- Gerber Childrenswear: 3-pack white training pants
- OXO: 2-in-1 Go Potty
- CPSC recall database, searched by product name on October 4, 2026
- Product listings on amazon.com, checked October 4, 2026
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