The Best Toilet

When you buy or rent a place, toilets are generally included as part of the deal. However, if one of those toilets malfunctions or you decide to remodel your bathroom, you quickly learn how challenging shopping for a toilet can be. You’ll first need to measure your space and make sure you pick a toilet that fits, but you’ll also see that there are many features to consider before you spend money.

One of those features is flush power. Today’s toilets use a variety of technologies to provide powerful flushes while still maintaining water efficiency. This means instead of having to flush multiple times to clear the bowl, one flush should do it. For environmentally-conscious consumers, this is a huge plus, but it also means lower water bills, which is a bonus for your bank account.

If you’re installing the toilet yourself, read the installation instructions carefully to make sure you can set it up without professional assistance. You may also find that you’ll need special tools to install, so reading ahead will help you make sure you have everything you need. Some toilets don’t even come with a toilet seat — something you definitely want to have on hand ahead of time if you need it.

Another feature to consider is clog resistance. If you’ve ever dealt with a toilet that clogs easily, you know how frustrating it can be. Some toilets have features that provide mostly clog-free flushes. You may still need to keep a plunger around, but you should find you only have to use it on occasion.

Of course, one of the most personal decisions you can make is based on sheer aesthetics. The way a toilet looks is important since it becomes an integral part of your bathroom décor. This is a matter of taste, but you may find that one of the biggest changes in toilets in recent years has been the elimination of the tank in some models. These can save space by making more room for behind-the-toilet shelving if you choose.

• Your toilet-shopping research should start with the power of the flush. The Saniflo SANICOMPACT Toilet uses a process called maceration, which utilizes a fast-rotating blade to chop up waste and toilet paper. The TOTO Toilet with Elongated Bowl is a gravity-fed toilet, which is the traditional design. However, it employs a 3-inch wide flush valve for pushing water through with a great deal of force. The TOTO Round Bowl Toilet also employs a larger-than-usual valve to get more water through for more effective single flushes.
• One major decision to make as you start shopping is whether you want a bowl with a tank or without. The Saniflo SANICOMPACT Toilet comes without a tank.
• Clogging is always a concern with a toilet. The American Standard Right Height Toilet has an extra-large trapway size, which gives it unprecedented anti-clogging ability.
• If you live in a small house, you’ve likely experienced that middle-of-the-night bathroom trip, where the flush seems to reverberate throughout your home. You can avoid disturbing your loved ones’ sleep by going with a toilet that has a quieter flush, like the Saniflo SANICOMPACT, TOTO Elongated Bowl or American Standard Right Height toilets.
• TOTO’s Elongated Bowl and Round Bowl toilets don’t come with seats, so you’ll need to buy one before you install.
• Whether you’re environmentally conscious, you want to save money on your water bill or both, some toilets are better than others when it comes to water efficiency. The Saniflo SANICOMPACT Toilet uses only 1 gallon of water per flush, while the TOTO Round Bowl Toilet uses only 1.6 gallons.
• If money is an object, TOTO’s Elongated Bowl and Round Bowl toilets should catch your interest since they each retail for around $250. The American Standard Right Height Toilet is midrange, hovering around the $500 price point. However, the Saniflo SANICOMPACT Toilet is considerably more expensive than the others, retailing for a price closer to $1,000.