Convenience is key these days, especially when it comes to personal care products. People don’t want to put their lives on hold or feel embarrassed simply because they need to use the restroom. This is where handheld portable urinals, also known as medical urinals ( should you use a medical urinal for surgery recovery ), come into play.
Why use a portable urinal?
Handheld urinals are frequently used in hospitals or nursing homes by people who have difficulty getting up to use the bathroom. Here are some instances where a handheld medical urinal could be a good solution:
- If you have an injury that impedes your mobility like a torn ligament or broken bone in your leg, ankle, or foot.
- If you tend to get light-headed when you stand up, or have another condition that places you at high risk for falling when getting out of bed to use the toilet.
- If walking safely to the bathroom is an issue because you are physically weak or extremely deconditioned from a prolonged illness.
But portable urinals also offer a quick and easy option to anyone who simply needs to go. For active people who are on the move, portable urinals can provide real convenience, eliminating the need to find an available restroom, let alone an available AND clean restroom. Portable urinals can be used in almost any discreet spot. Men (or anyone who uses a penis to urinate) can generally use them without pulling down their pants, and women (or anyone with a vulva) can typically use them without having to sit down.
Whether you’re purchasing a portable urinal for home use, camping, or car trips, it’s important to find one that best fits your specific needs. Thankfully, there are a range of products with a variety of features to choose from:
URSEC Spillproof Urinal
The URSEC Spillproof Urinal has a number of features that make it stand out among its competitors. A unique anti-reflux screw-on spout makes it less likely to spill or leak than similar types of products. Also, an ergonomic handle makes it easier to grasp securely, and notches in the body (reservoir) of the urinal–a feature unique to the URSEC urinal–offers users an alternative way to hold it.
The URSEC Spillproof Urinal is an especially good option for people who want a urinal for nighttimes, as its glow-in-the-dark handle allows it to be easily located without being knocked over. The handle is also removable, allowing the urinal to be easily cleaned and conveniently stored.
Uribag Travel Urinal
The design of the Uribag Travel Urinal makes it particularly versatile. The reservoir or “bladder” is made of latex and expands only as it fills with urine, making the Uribag Travel Urinal more compact and lightweight than most portable urinals. That doesn’t mean that the Uribag will overflow though; its expanding reservoir can hold up to 32 ounces and can typically be used more than once before it requires emptying. There are male and female versions of the Uribag, the difference between them being the size and shape of the plastic spouts that attach to the urinal’s reservoir. Fortunately, both versions have secure, snap-lock seals on their spouts that prevent leaks and allow them to be sealed after use and then stored, emptied, and cleaned at a later time.
The Loona Portable Commode
Manufactured by the healthcare innovators at Loona Medical, the Loona portable bedside urinal is designed for women, or anyone with a vulva. The Loona offers a sleek, streamlined alternative to traditional handheld portable urinals. It’s sophisticated contemporary design makes it look like it’s meant to be in people’s homes!
The Loona is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing. Loona has a soft, contoured funnel that creates a comfortable and secure seal against the body, a snap close lid that prevents spills and leaks, and a broad, stable base to ensure it stays upright. Its solid construction and opaque color make the Loona more discreet than other urinals on the market, many of which are made of light-weight, clear plastics. Ergonomic handles on both sides of the Loona offer individuals ultimate control over how they use it. And, although the Loona is only 9 inches tall it can hold up to 40 ounces of fluid. This means that it can typically be used three times before it reaches capacity.
Men’s Pocket Toilet
Another compact urinal is the Men’s Pocket Toilet. Even though the name contains the word “Men’s” it is designed for use by people with a penis vs. a vulva no matter their gender identity. The reservoir of this accordion-style urinal is made of a soft plastic which, like the Uribag Travel Urinal, expands as it fills. Consequently, when not in use, this portable urinal can be collapsed and easily stored in a backpack, purse, or glove compartment. The plastic spout that sits on top of the reservoir has a sealed, flip-top lid that helps protect against spills, however, the reservoir’s soft plastic construction does make it susceptible to tears and small leaks. The Men’s Pocket Toilet is one of the smaller portable urinals on the market, with a total capacity of around 23 ounces.
North American Health & Wellness Unisex Portable Urinal
The portable urinal made by North American & Wellness is unisex. A removable spout creates a more comfortable experience for women and people with a vulva using the product. Anyone with a penis can simply use the urinal without the spout.
The North American & Wellness has a built-in handle that is easy to grasp and hold securely, and the reservoir, which is constructed of an opaque, colored plastic, is durable and unlikely to leak. Although it has a comparatively large capacity, about 40 ounces, because it’s not see-through and lacks measurement markers, it can be difficult to determine how full this urinal is when it’s in use.
When shopping for portable or handheld urinals, it’s important to consider several important design elements. Is it comfortable for me to use? A handle that is easy to grip and hold onto? Fill markers that allow urine output to be easily measured? Does it have features that minimize the risk of spills and leaks? Make it quiet to use? Help it trap odors?
And, since no one really wants to bring the hospital into their home, people who are looking for a urinal for regular daytime and/or nighttime use should take aesthetics into account as well. Finding a portable bedside urinal like Loona that looks as though it belongs by your bedside is key. Before selecting a portable urinal for you or a loved one, be sure to weigh all these features carefully.
This article was written by Dr. Shani Saks
