I assumed we'd do a built in bench and niche in our new shower, but our contractor really discouraged it . He suggested triangular tempered glass shelves built in a corner of the shower (the edges anchored into the tile) and a freestanding bench.I'm so glad we went this direction. The wood bench adds a visual warmth (not to mention warmer on the tush than tile), was inexpensive, and is easy to move for cleaning. Our tile install was faster and cheaper too.

I opted for this instead of a niche and I'm so glad I did! Holds a lot and I can just remove it if I need to clean it.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grips-reg-slide-lock-trade-standing-shower-caddy/1042675037?opbthead=true&ta=typeahead&Keyword=free-standing-shower-caddy

I am having both a niche and bench in my new remodel.

I am also having corner shelves (marble) at the end with the shower heads - bench is at opposite end and niche would hold grooming products other than shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap.

Whether it's worth it really depends on how you actually shower - what the niche would hold - i.e. is it a decorative element or purely functional.

Would you ever want to actually use the bench - is a corner bench functional - my bench runs along one short end of the shower and since I plan to age in place, I wanted. a bench just in case as even when I was younger, I needed a bench when I had surgery. If you can't imagine using the bench or would use it just to elevate legs for shaving, they actually have shelves you can install to rest your feet which would be less expensive than a bench.

It's difficult to advise people on whether something is "worth it" since that's a subjective decision depending on budget and needs and needs versus wants.

We built 2 niches, but bought a teak corner seat instead of having one built in. I like the flexibility, bc I can move it if I want to. And it looks nice.

On the niche, position it so that it doesn't get very much water on it. One of ours gets a little more then I'd like, but the other one doesn't. They drain bc they are pitched slightly, but still I don't like that the one niche gets so wet.

I did have a portable seat when I needed a temporary seat after an operation. It took up quite a bit of room and I certainly wouldn't want to have kept it there all the time.

The issue for me is that you either keep the seat in the shower all the time or you have to store it someplace.

If you are keeping the seat in the shower all the time, a built in is much more functional and leaves more room in the shower - at least in terms of how mine is configured.

If you want a bench or seat because you are anticipating aging in place or needing it for surgery, you would want one that has a back which means it is quite bulky - the one I had was effectively like having a lawn chair in the there :-).

If you are not keeping the seat in the shower all the time, where do you store it. Most people don't have room to store a stool in the bathroom and it defeats the purpose if you bring in back and forth from wherever you are storing it especially since it would be wet after you use it.

I just redid three bathrooms. Was going to put benches in two where there was room, but opted to put large niches, and a lower one for shaving. I love how it turned out. We have a bench in our current house (other baths are at a vacation home) and we don't use the bench for anything except shaving.