By Zach Wennstedt, owner of Aging Safely Baths. Installing walk in tubs and roll in showers since 2011. Updated October 2026. Pricing for other brands comes from quotes customers have shared with us and from the brands' own published ranges; it changes, and we are not affiliated with them.
Safe Step and Kohler are the two walk in tub names most people have seen on television, and both sell the same way: an in-home visit, a presentation, a price at the end. This comparison covers what each does well, what neither offers, and the questions to ask before either sits down at your table.
Safe Step wins on safety extras and senior-focused service; Kohler wins on finish and drain speed. Both require an in-home sales visit, both set the price at the end of it, and neither offers a wheelchair transfer or bariatric model. Both are typically quoted in the mid teens to $30,000 installed.
| Safe Step | Kohler Walk-In Bath | Aging Safely Baths (HD / Ella) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales process | In-home presentation | In-home consultation | Phone or photos, itemized, no visit |
| Typical installed price (reported) | $18,000 to $30,000 | Mid teens to $20,000+ | $15,250 after promo |
| Hydrotherapy | Air + water jets, chromotherapy | BubbleMassage air, heated surfaces | Air, water, microbubble, heated seat as options |
| Ozone or UV clean | Ozone system | Not standard | Available on Ella models |
| Door swing | Inward | Inward | Inward or outward (transfer models) |
| Wheelchair transfer tub | No | No | Yes |
| Bariatric tub | No | No | Yes, 29" seat |
| Two-person tub | No | No | Yes |
| Shell warranty | Lifetime (original owner) | Limited lifetime | Lifetime |
| Install time | Usually 1 day | Usually 1 day | 1 day in most homes |
| BBB | Accredited | Kohler Co. | Accredited A+ since 2012 |
Where Safe Step is strong
- Safety features bundled in: anti-scald, ozone cleaning, heated seat and back are standard on most packages.
- A sales team trained on seniors; many customers tell us the presentation was respectful.
- Lifetime warranty while the original purchaser lives in the home.
Where Kohler is strong
- Finish quality and a showroom-grade look.
- One of the fastest drains in the category.
- Installed by Kohler-authorized crews with a single warranty holder.
What neither offers
- A price you can see before the visit.
- An outward-swing door for wheelchair transfers, or a bariatric seat.
- A two-person or lay-down tub.
- Supply-only purchase for your own plumber.
Questions to ask either company
- Will you give me the itemized price in writing, and is it good for 30 days?
- What is the price if I say no today?
- Which door swing, and what is the threshold height?
- Who holds the warranty, and what does it exclude?
- Can I see the factory drawing before I sign?
We answer all five on the first call. The Safe Step cost investigation and Kohler cost page go deeper on each brand; the compare tool puts any two of our tubs side by side with drawings.
Kohler, Safe Step, American Standard, Freedom Showers and Bestbath are trademarks of their owners. Aging Safely Baths is an authorized dealer of Hydro Dimensions, Ella's Bubbles, Meditub and Bestbath and is not affiliated with Kohler, Safe Step, American Standard or Freedom Showers. Competitor figures are published ranges or customer-reported quotes and may not reflect current pricing.