Decorating & Renovating
Kaiterz
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Buying a toilet
We are looking to replace the toilet in our powder room. I'm looking at it as -- It's a toilet... just pick one. But I'm wondering what, if anything, I'm not considering.
So - what is there to consider when buying a new toilet?
Re: Buying a toilet
As per DH, shape is everything. You definitely want a toilet that is elongated. Apparently it makes being male and sitting substantially more comfortable.
I also would prefer a low flow toilet, provided there was jet assist or something for the flush. Smooth sides make them easier to clean. As a short person, I avoid ADA toilets because sitting on them means that my legs dangle like a little kid.
DH is a plumber, and he always recommends buying a mid range (or high range toilet). He is forever telling people not to buy American Standard toilets, just because he ends up replacing those at a higher rate.
As pp mentioned, you've got to consider the normal or elongated seats as well--most people seem to prefer elongated unless their bathrooms are very small.
If you tend to have older visitors, you might consider a 'right-height' toilet. My poor grandmother has so much trouble getting up and down anymore, particularly in a bathroom where she doesn't have a bar or vanity to get some leverage.
There is a lot to buying a toilet if you want to get into it. Mainly because of government regulations you can only buy low flow (1.6 gallon) toilets now. How often do you want to be plunging it? How often do you want to be cleaning it? How often do you want to be trying to fix it? Here's some posts to read:
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
And if that wasn't enough here is a whole forum dedicated to toilets from a guy who is considered the king of toilets. You can read about both plumbers and DIYers advice there.
Basically every plumber, plumbing engineer, and plumbing show person I know has a Toto in their house so that's got to say something. We went from a 70's 7 gal/flush Kohler toilet to a 1.2 gal/flush Toto and we haven't had a single issue yet. Eventually all of our toilets will be Toto. They are the worldwide leader in toilets...oh and even though it's a Japanese company they have a big hold here in the US too. Our toilet was made in Atlanta.
That's quite a bit of reading material on toilets lol
Thanks to everyone for their responses!
Toto!
I swear I never knew I could love a toilet. The are the best. I replaced my awful American Standard toilets that came with this place years ago. (This was before dual flush toilets were around) The next toilet I buy will be a Toto dual flush (one button for #1 and a different button for #2) Saves water and money.
I put my trust in my plumber. He chose what he knows to be the best.
However looks can vary. Some newer ones have that more squared look with more detailed molding look.
I didn't care about looks. Only function.
I thought about a Toto, but out of our price range/house range.
Our must have's were:
-Max 1.6 gallons per flush (I'd like a dual flush - the add on kits at the hardware store don't work for our toilets),
-Right height (I think it's 17 or something - I feel like I'm doing workout squats when I use someone else's toilet that's lower)
-Elongated - ours fits in the space a standard round would with an enlongated instead
-Smooth exterior - minimal extra shapes makes for quicker cleaning
-Bemis quiet close toilet seat (the lid slowly goes down, no slamming noise - bought separately)
This is ours. The Everclean surface is great - super simple to keep clean. It has a larger flush valve which makes the flush faster (don't really know how much faster, it just sounds good and our plummer recommended it) http://www.americanstandard-us.com/toilets/compact-cadet-3-right-height-el-toilet-with-seat/