# This amazing commerical is for .... a toilet stool **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353 "2015-11-01T18:51:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/1 "2015-11-01T18:51:49Z")
It’s interesting to see how advertisers approach advertising products used for private and embarrassing functions. Not a fan of bathroom humor in general but what “Squatty Potty” did borders on a kind of genius. No idea if this thing works of not. [Commercial here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYWhdLO43Q) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/2 "2015-11-01T19:55:30Z")
Elevating one’s feet relative to one’s hips does make taking a crap easier. Some of us have known that for awhile now. But I don’t see where I have to pay for someone else’s plastic footstool. You can use anything that gets the job done, such as an old cardboard box, old telephone directory (if you can find one anymore), plastic milk crate, whatever. As for the commercial - very funny, and very well done according to my household. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/3 "2015-11-01T20:42:40Z")
I kind of thought the commercial was a little too out there. Did we really need to see a unicorn poop? But still funny. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/4 "2015-11-01T21:06:24Z")
Funny commercial. Saw that on Shark Tank. I’d be interested in giving it a try but I don’t think my knees will like it. I certainly don’t want them to lock up while taking a crap. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/5 "2015-11-01T22:21:22Z")
Well, I have to admit, it worked on me. They sell then at a Bed, Bath & Beyond near me, so I picked one up. I’m glad I did. I’d long adopted a sort of hunch that positions my body in more or less the same way without lifting my feet, and using a stool is definitely more comfortable. Sure, you could use a box or a couple of old phone books, but this is sturdy and nonslip and it fits under the bowl. It’s worth the 25 bucks, IMO. Plus, whoever came up with that ad is frankly a genius and deserves for it to be very successful. (And I day that as someone who verbena hates advertising.) Sigh. The things I never thought I’d post about someday when I signed up 16 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/6 "2015-11-01T23:17:48Z")
Isn’t leaning forward while on the shotter the exact same thing? ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/7 "2015-11-01T23:57:35Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Isn’t leaning forward while on the shotter the exact same thing? That’s my question, too. Also, I could build something that would do the same thing using scrap 2x4s. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/8 "2015-11-02T00:13:46Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Isn’t leaning forward while on the shotter the exact same thing? Yes. It’s all about the angle between your upper body and lower limbs, not what you’re sitting/squatting on. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/9 "2015-11-02T00:14:36Z")
So, is the person who made the ad a stool stool stoolie? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/10 "2015-11-02T00:21:40Z")
When you use toilet and stool in the same sentence, this is not what comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/11 "2015-11-02T00:24:47Z")
This product was popular on Reddit a couple of times this past year. I don’t remember seeing the commercial before, though. Anyway, I have IBS and other minor bowel issues, so I decided to buy one and try it out. It works a charm. There’s less straining in general, and it seems to provide a straighter shot so my occasionally less-than-regular poops (on either side of healthy) are easier and less troublesome. It provides sort of a similar change to simply leaning forward, but it seems to accomplish the goal much more completely. The alignment seems to be ideal, whereas just leaning forward only improves one of the angles involved, for me. IIRC it comes in two sizes. We tried the taller one first, as our toilet is a bit taller than standard, but that proved to be too much. The shorter one (by only 2" I think) was perfectly comfortable. Its shape and weight also means that it is unobtrusive and easy to use. Definitely worth the price. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/12 "2015-11-02T00:30:20Z")
I would rather not talk about my pooping. It’s possible that there is a similar product in my bathroom that gives its users great joy, but I can’t confirm it. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/13 "2015-11-02T00:34:58Z")
So this is a way to make a Western toilet more like [the Eastern squat toilet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_toilet)? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/14 "2015-11-02T00:55:16Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > So this is a way to make a Western toilet more like [the Eastern squat toilet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_toilet)? Basically. Though I find those difficult to use wearing western clothes (i.e., pants) without making a mess. And yes, leaning forward (the “hunch” I mentioned) does the same thing, but not as comfortably or consistently. And of course anyone could cobble something similar together with some scrap wood. You could make most of your furniture that way. Do you? And could you do it for less than $25? I doubt it unless you value your time very cheaply or happen to enjoy making toilet stools. It’s not a high priced item, and most people are willing to pay for things that grant then even a small amount of comfort and convenience. This product does both. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/15 "2015-11-02T01:22:38Z")
One question I have: does it result in a reduction in the number of necessary wipes afterwards? I rarely have a problem with constipation, but sometimes it takes a large number of wipes to get clean. Would a squatting position result in less-messy buttocks? ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/16 "2015-11-02T01:57:24Z")
Plenty of fiber, never a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/17 "2015-11-02T03:11:53Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > One question I have: does it result in a reduction in the number of necessary wipes afterwards? I rarely have a problem with constipation, but sometimes it takes a large number of wipes to get clean. Would a squatting position result in less-messy buttocks? I have the opposite. For the past few months, the paper is perfectly clean on the first wipe. I wonder if this is a sign of a problem. I can’t believe I’m talking about this. :o ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/18 "2015-11-02T03:48:07Z")
I’m thinking family Christmas presents this year! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/19 "2015-11-02T12:24:39Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Isn’t leaning forward while on the shotter the exact same thing? When I was at Boy Scout Camp, back in the PreCambrian era, the walls of the open-pit latrine were covered with graffiti, the cleverest of which was written in very tiny letters opposite the seat, just above the floor. When you leaned over to read it, you could see that it said… “You are now shitting at a 45 degree angle” ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353/20 "2015-11-02T18:49:23Z")
That commercial is pretty awesome. I was just thinking about how it kind of ruins ice cream though, then the guy said that line that expressed the same thoughts. I’d been hearing about putting your feet up while pooping for a long time so it’s not a new idea but the dedicated stool that fits against the toilet is actually a good idea. I used to keep a small step stool in the bathroom but then I’d need a step stool elsewhere and take it out of the bathroom then next time I needed it it would be gone. Not sure if I’d want to spend $25 for one though, but Bed, Bath & Beyond has coupons a lot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-amazing-commerical-is-for-a-toilet-stool/736353.md?page=2)