In these busy times, every second of peace and comfort is relevant and valid. And yes, this relates to the bathroom as well. It’s completely normal and accepted to spend hours, even days, debating on what kind of fridge or stove to buy. You analyze the price ranges, the types, talk it over with other members of your household. But a home cannot be a home without a proper toilet. Getting a good model, putting in the hours needed actually to find what you need, is something that will improve your life in the long run.
Now, this is not just a matter of comfort. You need to know how much water it uses up, the durability, looks, and many other things. It may sound simple and unimportant, but a proper quality toilet will make your life much more comfortable and can save you a lot of money, not only on bills but repair expenses as well. Not to mention the headaches and heartaches caused by a toilet getting clogged or broken at the worst possible moment, like when you’re getting ready for a job interview, a date or just have close relatives in your home. And don’t get us started on the embarrassment. That’s why we have written up this article to help you out as much as possible, explaining to you how to choose an excellent commode and what are, in our opinion, good, quality, and affordable toilets.
Commode basics
Humanity had the option of basically going to the woods to relieve themselves. This is quite annoying at best, while more than often is unsanitary and dangerous. When ancient cultures created indoor plumbing and sanitation systems, it improved the lives of regular people dramatically. The most famous proponents and pioneers on this front were the ancient Romans, but also the civilization found in the Indus Valley. Humanity found other ways to dispose of their waste, sometimes as simple as throwing it out into the streets of their cities. Some had precursors to today’s restrooms, like the “garderobes “found in the houses of the upper classes. Today, we will be talking about the main and most comment type of toilet, located all around the world – the flush toilet.
The best toilets out there
The following list is composed of, in our opinion, the best and most useful flush toilets that you can buy.
1. TOTO CST744SL – Bestsellers
Now, this is one of the best flushing toilets money can buy—practical, lots of useful features, and at a high price. Before we start talking about what makes this toilet so amazing, let’s first list out the specific details.
It weighs 92 pounds, its dimensions being 28 by 19.5 by 40.5 inches. It has a beautiful chrome finish and comes in black ebony and shades of white (beige, cotton). The shape is elongated, and the material is real Vitreous China (porcelain). It consumes 1.6 GPF of water and is a gravity flush type. Now, onto what makes this product so useful.
First of all, the chrome finish removes the annoying and unsightly headache of seeing stains on the inside of your toilet. While you usually have to flush two or three times and break out the toilet brush, the finish on this thing helps it avoid any stains. This is also supported by its stable flushing power, having eight psi of force. Also, the tank fills up quickly and silently. This is all accomplished by the G-Max flushing system.
However, its dimensions make it not as compact as it could be, so if your bathroom isn’t as large as some other bathrooms are, you may have trouble fitting this toilet in.
- Chrome Finish
- Lots of power
- G-max flushing system
- Not practical for smaller bathrooms
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2. WoodBridge T-0001
At a fantastic price, the WoodBridge T-0001 is an excellent choice, focused on efficiency and comfort. Its specs are Glossy white color, weighing 119 pounds. It has an elongated shape, with a white ceramic finish, and is made from quality ceramic. It measures 28.5 by 14.5 by 27.5 inches.
This product has a siphon flush design that makes it both powerful and silent. What makes this more useful is the skirted tramway. This makes it more powerful, but also much easier to clean. Another reason it’s so easy to clean is the fact that its design allows you to reach places that on another model would be almost impossible to clean without specialized tools. The dual flush system allows you to save up on water easily while losing none of its power.
However, this quality product has one annoying design flaw. The button used actually to flush the toilet is short, and you need to press long and hard for it actually to flush. Still, you get used to it, and there is little else to complain about.
- Modern, sleek design
- Very water-efficient
- Easy to clean
- Meets all certifications
- Difficult to flush (short button)
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3. KOHLER K-3987-0
This product is all about efficiency. It’s compact and small and can fit into smaller bathrooms easily. The Kohler K-3987-0 weighs 45 pounds, measuring 29.2 by 28.5 by 18 inches. It’s made from quality porcelain and has a round shape, with a gravity flush system.
Having a small bathroom has its reasonable share of annoyances, and one of those is fitting a proper toilet in there. That’s why this compact toilet is a lifesaver. Furthermore, it’s straightforward to install all by yourself. It also has class five flushing technology, meaning that the valve this toilet tank is quite large and works by releasing a large amount of water instantly. However, it is a bit loud and noisy when you flush.
- Compact
- Strong flush system
- Noisy
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4. American Standard 2795.204.020
An all American product, this is a sturdy and durable toilet. It focuses on saving water and efficient and easy cleaning. The American Standard weighs 137 pounds, is 28.2 by 15.8 by 30.9 inches, and made out of standard porcelain.
Another toilet that has the dual-flush system, it doesn’t use a lot of water, and yet it gets the job done. It is estimated that it spends 21 percent less water than the standard flush toilet. Furthermore, the extra-wide flush valve allows for more water to exit the tank and enter the bowl, giving more power and water actually to clean it. Another addition is that the rim of this toilet is pressurized, helping it have even more force when exiting the tank, making it even cleaner. Finally, the bathroom is treated with an EverClean surface, which is resistant to the formation of mold and mildew.
However, some people have found issues in assembling this toilet. If you are unsure of your DIY abilities, best to hire a plumber to install it for you. Trust us, and it’s worth the money.
- Saves water
- Easy cleaning
- EverClean coating
- Difficult to assemble
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5. TOTO CST744SG
This toilet is a combination of looks and usefulness. A robust and universal size, made out of the right, high-quality materials, this toilet has all you need. It weighs 103 pounds and is made from quality porcelain. Its dimensions are as follows: 28 by 19.5 by 28.5 inches.
However, an excellent addition is its SanaGloss material, which is an ion barrier finish that essentially cleans and polishes your toilet whenever you flush. Trust us, and cleaning won’t be an issue whenever you use this toilet. Another decisive factor is that it’s quiet. However, when compared to the other four on this list, it doesn’t especially stand out. It is, however, affordable, and is more of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type of product.
- SanaGloss material
- Quite
- Doesn’t especially excel at anything
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Things to keep in mind
The first thing you should know is that there are two types of toilets that you need to consider. You have a pressure-assisted variety and the gravity-feed bathrooms. While the latter type is the most popular, the former also has many positive aspects attached to it.
First, the pressure type. Inside the tank of these commodes is a mechanism that mainly causes the water inside to compress the air inside. This system forces the water down the toilet with a lot of force. These have a much more powerful flush than the gravity feed type, but are also quite noisy, and can be a bit costly.
Gravity feed toilets rely on, you guessed it, gravity. The tank is full of water, the water drops inside the tank and pushes the waste down, towards the drain. They are quieter than the pressure type but have less power. Mostly, it’s a choice of convenience and money. If you have a small home or are simply very annoyed by loud sounds, a gravity feed type is a good bet. However, if you have had issues with clogging, or have a large family, pressure-assisted toilets are the way to go.
There are also some small details and facets of each toilet that may not sound that important, but can help you get off the fence if you can’t make up your mind.
For example, the shape of the toilet bowl can be vital for you if you don’t have that much room in your bathroom. You can get the standard elongated type, or the round one, depending on how your bathroom is ordered. There is also the height of the bowl that could be a single deciding factor. These can range from 14 inches away from the floor to a height of 18 inches. Pick what’s most comfortable.
Also, there are different flushing systems. For example, you have the dual flush option, where you can choose how much force you want to use to flush the toilet. One is better for liquids (being weaker), while the other button is designed for solid waste. If you’re feeling futuristic, you can also flush by using a sensor, so as not to have to touch anything. This isn’t there just for you to feel fresh, but because it’s also more hygienic than pushing the button found on the tank. There is also a powerful system called the G-Max flushing system. This system is used on wider and bigger toilets, with bigger tramways and flush valves. They are mighty and yet are not as loud as they could be. Still, they are very water inefficient and hard to come by.
Now, we still haven’t mentioned any kind of material, and for a good reason. Mostly, it has been proven that porcelain is the best one because it’s very durable, reliable and also has a non-stick surface, as well as not absorbing too much bacteria (at least compared to other materials). It’s also cost-effective. Mostly, stick to the basics, there is no need to experiment with metal or wood. Of course, there are different compounds and types of finishes and brands, but all of these depend directly on the brand.
There are also specific, and small toilets made for children (and for day-care centers). However, these should not concern you that much, since your child needs to know how to use a regular one as soon as he or she is able. Unless, of course, you are willing to build another bathroom just for them.
Final thoughts
Flush toilets have existed for more than 400 years (since 1596). They have evolved since then, but are as useful as ever, maybe even more. We sincerely hope we have answered any questions and cleared up any ambiguities concerning buying a toilet. You are now, hopefully, able to choose the one that fits your needs entirely, and that you are not dissuaded by all the products that are out there. Choosing is difficult, and paralysis by analysis is a real phenomenon, so we hope this will help you. Finally, you will have also learned just why toilets are so important, and to not underestimate the benefits you can get from an excellent, quality commode.
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