Best Toilets
An In-Depth 2019 Review of the Top rated Toilets
We can already hear you cursing when it’s time to buy a new toilet…
Firstly, the purchase seems unappealing. This is always the case when you’re buying a necessary evil with little enjoyment attached.
Also, the topic of toilets seems somehow distasteful. Not to mention potentially dull.
Luckily for you, we’ve taken a no-nonsense approach and focused on the cold, hard facts…
You need a toilet and you want the best you can afford. We appreciate that so we’ve done the hard work for you and set the puerile humor to one side.
With 7 of the best toilets laid bare, we’ll first give you some candid guidance to help you on your buying trail.
7 Best Toilet Reviews
We’ve got 7 impeccable choices to grace any bathroom so read on to see which makes the smoothest fit for you…
The classic Woodbridge T0001-W is a one-piece, design-driven toilet that will slot neatly into any minimalist bathroom.
Installation is helped along by the comprehensive guide often sorely absent from appliances. You’ll even get the wrench required thrown in along with all hardware.
The chair height seat positioning is 14 ½-inches high. This just misses ADA compliance. Nevertheless, it’s a natural and well-considered placement suitable for anyone struggling with mobility.
The dual-flush mechanism (1-gallon and 1.6-gallon) is fully glazed and the siphon delivers all a quiet and clog-free flush. You’ll use an average of 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF) giving you an eco-friendly toilet without sacrificing firepower when it’s called for. Certification is in place from WaterSense alongside CSA and UPC.
If you have kids at home who tend to slam and damage toilet seats, the hinges on the Woodbridge are made from rugged stainless steel to mitigate this. The soft-close action should also put paid to that tedious banging.
Cleaning this toilet is simplified thanks to the fully skirted trapway. You’ll get none of the sharp corners or crevices that can make clean-up awkward with the Woodbridge.
Should you require assistance, from installation through to any others problems that develop, there’s US-based customer service in place. Call or email the responsive team and they’ll set you straight.
The Woodbridge managed to combine build quality and comfort with design and affordability rendering this one of the best toilets in its class and well worth popping on your shortlist.
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As with all one-piece toilets, you get multiple benefits in one package. The sleek design looks far neater than a two-piece while the elongated bowl places comfort uppermost.
While you won’t get the dual-flash that’s now commonplace, the water-efficient 1.28-gallon tornado system meets all WaterSense regulations. The UltraMax II also hits CALGreen and CEC standards.
The ceramic bowls of TOTO come glazed with a variety of materials. The UltraMax II features CeFIONtect which is so smooth practically nothing is able to stick to it. With this base in place, the potent cyclonic flush effectively sees off any heavy waste with relative ease even though you won’t be using much water.
ADA-compliant as a universal height toilet, this TOTO model works well if you’re catering for elderly relatives or anyone challenged by arthritis or otherwise restricted in their movements. Comfort levels should satisfy most users. The high-impact seat is finished in soft plastic. You’ll keep unintentional slamming to a minimum while enjoying great durability, too.
Cleaning toilets, obviously, is not the most pleasant job. TOTO makes it as easy for you as possible with this one-piece. Much grime in a conventional toilet collects in that ugly gap between the bowl and the tank. You’ll get none of that with the UltraMax II. You shouldn’t experience any leaks either thanks to this design so rest assured, one-piece toilets offer more than just clean lines easy on the eye.
With simple installation to complete the package, the TOTO UltraMax II is durable, affordable and economical while designed to slot in with just about any bathroom design scheme.
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Swiss Madison has a hard-won reputation for producing rugged and elegant appliances at a very competitive price-point. The St Tropez might seem a grandiose name for a toilet but let’s face it, you spend enough time in the bathroom over a lifetime so it’s worth injecting a little class into proceedings.
The compact and slimline tank fits into the fully skirted bowl so you get an immediate win in terms of slick yet subtle lines. While this toilet would look great in a stark loft, the design is underplayed enough to work well in more traditional bathrooms.
The two key elements of a toilet that delivers are comfort and cleaning…
The stretched-out bowl and the height of the seat along with a soft-shut mechanism takes care of the comfort factor.
When it comes to clean-up, half the battle is won thanks to the skirted trapway. With fewer nooks and crannies for dirt to build up, the effort required is minimized before you even start. The quick-release hinges let you remove the seat fully so you can complete cleaning unencumbered while doing a far more thorough job.
In a sea of sameness, that detachable seat differentiates the St Tropez. The truly surprising thing about this toilet is the almost budget price so take a closer look if you’re hunting for a bargain while still ensuring an upscale look in your bathroom.
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Everyone has slightly varying needs when uprating a toilet. If you appreciate the benefits of a bidet and you’re looking for a smarter solution inkeeping with your new bathroom, the one-piece T-0737 is well worth investigating.
Packing a wireless remote, you can take charge of the bidet without needing to grasp back behind yourself. You can fine-tune the water pressure and enjoy warm jets adjustable for all types of cleaning from posterior wash through a dedicated feminine setting. The stainless steel nozzle is built to last the distance and automatic cleaning is a welcome touch.
Comfort extends nicely to the heated seat. You can adjust settings here to suit. The seat slides off with ease when you need to clean the toilet. Since it’s fully skirted, these elements ensure you won’t be laboring away for hours. With the glazing and flushing system capable of wetting the entire bowl, you won’t be dealing with any particles clinging to the sides either.
Certified by WaterSense, choose from a pair of flush volumes according to the type of waste and you could potentially slash 20% off your annual water consumption.
As long as you can handle the 150-pound beast, installation once is place is not problematic.
Woodbridge offer a robust warranty with parts covered for 5 years and the seat and flushing mechanism guaranteed against defects for 1 year.
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Available in a choice of configurations, this American Standard is rated at normal height and comes with an elongated bowl. If these specs don’t fit, opt for the right height variant and consider the round front bowl.
This H2Option gravity flush offers superb power without using too much precious water. When your flushing needs are minimal, the half-flush uses just 0.92 GPF gaining that all-important WaterSense seal of approval. Keep your water bills and eco footprint down just as efficiently as the waste stays down.
Thanks to the treated surface supplied at no extra cost, most mess goes down the bowl rather than sticking to the sides. Many manufacturers charge extra for this feature. To see off any rogue particles, there’s a siphon jet in place.
This particular model sits slightly higher so think about your preferred positioning. There’s also a right height version depending on your needs.
Make sure you factor the price of a seat into your budgeting since nothing but the two-piece toilet is included. You’ll also need to make provision for the wax ring so this is not a plug-and-play option. In return, the overall package still comes in priced keenly.
As long as you’re happy with the limitations of a two-piece toilet and you don’t mind buying those additional components, the American Standard is cost-effective, water-efficient and strong enough to give you years of faithful service.
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No collection of the best toilets is complete without an entry from the powerhouse Kohler so we’ll round out with a pair of models.
The Memoirs Stately is not exactly cheap but you’ll enjoy fantastic overall value along with the eye-catching design you’d expect from Kohler.
Although a two-piece toilet, the cunningly concealed trapway gives you the ease of cleaning you’d normally associate with a one-piece.
You won’t get a choice of flush volumes but at 1.28 GPF, you can realize substantial savings on your water bill over the course of the year, all done without being forced to sacrifice power for economy.
The gravity flush works in tandem with the precision engineering of the bowl and trapway to create a powerful siphon capable of dispatching even stubborn waste without calling for too much water. The proprietary AquaPiston canister sends water flooding into the bowl from all angles while the nifty flush valve also enhances flushing performance. As an added bonus, the flush actuator needs only the lightest of touches, great news for anyone with aches and pains.
Installation calls for a 12-inch rough-in with just 3 bolts required. The supply line, however, is not included.
If you want a toilet that looks the part without stiffing you on the performance front, the Memoirs range from Kohler merits closer inspection.
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A modern one-piece toilet with strong, clean lines, the Sans Souci K-5172-0 is another sterling example of design meeting functionality headlong from the Kohler stable.
Do you have a cramped bathroom and the desire for a toilet that slips easily into a tighter space without shorting you in terms of comfort? If so, this one-piece has an elongated bowl to achieve both those goals. You’ll also benefit from striking looks and the choice of 10 colors to suit.
As with any worthwhile toilet, cleaning the Kohler won’t eat up too much time or effort. The one-piece construction with the trapway out of sight lends to less waste getting trapped where it shouldn’t and more flushed straight down the bowl.
As for that flush, you won’t get a choice of volume. The 1.28 GPF, though, saves water while also following through with requisite power. The siphon effect ensures a single flush is all that’s required. Once you’re done, after the lightest of touches on the actuator, the soft-close lid puts paid to that frustrating smashing sound.
While the warranty could be longer, all we’d suggest is that you’re unlikely to encounter too much interference with a Kohler. We wouldn’t consider this to be anything approaching a deal-breaker but it bears pointing out.
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Buying a New Toilet The Easy Way
On one level, choosing a new toilet might seem like the easiest task in the world.
There are, though, several elements that bear close consideration so you can get the most suitable toilet for you and your family.
Assuming that all toilets will fulfill the core purpose of removing waste effectively, here are the areas you should think about carefully before launching in.
One-Piece or Two-Piece?
Flushing System and Water Efficiency
To Spray or Not To Spray?
Shape of Bowl
Treatment of Glazing
Height of Seat
Overall Ease of Use
Design and Appearance
One-Piece or Two-Piece?
You’ll first need to decide whether a smaller one-piece or more substantial two-piece toilet would work best in your bathroom.
What’s the difference then aside from the obvious?
One-Piece: Occupying a smaller footprint and easier to clean, these toilets typically cost more and are also expensive to replace since if anything goes seriously amiss, you’ll need a complete new toilet. Installation is elementary with no technical knowledge required. Extremely durable and a cinch to maintain, one-piece toilets look better if you can weather the steep price tag
Two-Piece: Installing a two-piece toilet can be awkward. You’ll likely need to call in a plumber. Much more substantial, this design doesn’t work so well in more confined bathrooms. Although less expensive, you don’t get such durability so overall value is arguably not any better. Maintenance and cleaning demand more effort and the appearance tends to divide opinion
Flushing System and Water Efficiency
Toilets come with a single or double flush.
A double-flush allows you to use half the volume of water when dealing with lighter or liquid waste.
Many states impose a limit of 1.28 gallons per flush, often quoted as GPF.
Check, too, for the specifics of the flush mechanism as this can seriously impact efficiency and performance.
To Spray or Not To Spray?
Increasingly, toilets for the American market are coming with bidets attached.
These warm-water sprays, long a staple in Asia, help you feel cleaner while also using less toilet tissue.
Most bidet tips are self-cleaning to save you that unappetizing job and they come with a variety of spray settings.
Shape of Bowl
Round bowls are generally more compact and make a great fit if you’ve got a smaller space to work with.
Although elongated bowls might seem like they’ eat up too much space, more and more manufacturers are addressing this issue head-on. With the elongated bowl toilets we explore below, you can still get a space-saving footprint with the inbuilt advantage of a little more room when you’re sat down.
In many ways, the choice of bowl shape now centers more on design preference than dimensions. Buy what seems right for you.
Treatment of Glazing
Prevention is the best cure. When the toilet ceramic is treated with a glaze – the type tends to vary according to manufacturer – you’ll find far fewer particles stick on to the surface.
Opting for a treated bowl will minimize the amount of cleaning you’ll need to do and keep your toilet looking spotless with almost no effort required.
Height of Seat
Seats vary quite widely when it comes to height.
The majority of seats labelled comfort height sit 17 to 19 inches tall. You’ll get a position roughly comparable with sitting in a regular chair.
Think about who will be using the toilet and, if you’re catering for anyone who has problems with mobility, a seat boasting comfort height or right height will make their life easier.
As with all aspects of choosing a toilet, these are differences to be aware of but there’s no right or wrong answer. Go with what works most effectively for you.
Overall Ease of Use
Think about how easy the toilet is to clean and maintain.
Dive down into the reputation the manufacturer has for providing worthwhile customer service.
Think long and hard about installation.
It’s also a smart move to think about extra features available from wireless remotes to heated seats, soft-close lids to automatic flushes. Rather than obsessing about which toilet offers the most bells and whistles, seek out features you’ll truly benefit from, elements that would improve your experience.
Design and Appearance
Last but by no means least, design obviously counts when you’re looking to add a toilet to your prized bathroom.
Although form should never take precedence over functionality, don’t overlook aesthetics then regret stumbling in to buy something you don’t really like the look of.
So…
If you take a short while to pore over the above, you should now be able to establish which of the following models accomplishes most of your goals and comes in on-budget.
Conclusion
Choosing the best toilet from this batch was remarkably challenging since they cater for slightly different use-cases.
On balance and based across all categories, we opted for the Woodbridge T-0737 as our overall pick.
With a dual-flush offering you maximum versatility and water-efficiency, a bidet for total hygiene and the convenience of a wireless remote to simplify control, the Woodbridge ticks all boxes.
Throw into the mix a commanding yet refined appearance and a quick release seat and you’ve got a valuable addition to any bathroom from a brand you can trust.