Gone is the time when one had to build the toilet outhouse with their own hands. Now there are brands, models, types, and fashion. So choosing your perfect toilet is challenging now. There is more to them than just brands: as great as, say, Toto toilets are, they are different within the line, so one may be great for you, and another uncomfortable. The same is with American Standard, Kohler, Mansfield – all of them. 

Round or Elongated?

Elongated toilets have their undeniable pros: the shape of the elongated bowl is more precise anatomically, so the weight is distributed more naturally.

There are pro arguments in choosing a round-shaped toilet, too. It takes less space, so it’s easier to approach. Kids will feel better because their smaller bodies are easier to balance on a smaller area. If there is not much place in your bathroom, a round toilet will save you precious inches. Finally, a person with motion issues will require more space to get on and off comfortably.

To cut the long article short, an elongated toilet is preferable for an adult person with no health issues. Disabled persons, elders, or kids may feel better with a round toilet that takes less space, is easier to approach, and gives no feeling of falling in.

ADA Compliance

If you know for sure you need an ADA-compliant toilet, there is little less to think about: take one. Anyone overweight would also agree that ADA-compliant toilets are in general more comfortable, not making your legs fall asleep while you’re sitting on it.

Otherwise, we would recommend normal height ones, especially, again, if there are little children in your family or among your frequent guests. What’s great for an adult because of size can cause troubles to someone smaller and lower. Feet hanging in the air may be a pleasure, but only if you’re not doing that delicate job at the moment.

Water-Saving Features

It’s hard now to find a toilet that’s not EPA-compliant. Since 1994, all the new toilets should take no more than 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF), though there are still older toilets with much higher consumption installed before 1992. Still, it’s not the limit: WaterSense-marked toilets require up to 1.28 GPF. Unlike the first low-flow toilet generation, the ones available now have little to no problems with clogging and do the flushing easily.

The difference of 0.32 GPF can seriously affect your water bills, so it matters. Another useful feature is partial flush that you may find useful. Its presence is a reason to prefer this particular model, other parameters being equal. As for clogging, don’t worry: this issue belongs to the 1990s.

One-Piece or Two-Piece?

If you want your bathroom to look modern and always tidy, one-piece toilets are the greatest idea. Not only do they look cuter and fresher: they are also way easier to clean, especially ones with skirted design. In addition, they are more durable, which matters even more if you don’t plan the next renovation any time soon. Finally, they are easier to install (a one-time advantage, but still a great one) and less likely to leak.

Two-piece toilets also have their pros. First of all, they are significantly cheaper. Second, there are more models to choose from, covering all the options you can find among one-piece designs. What may also matter is that they are easier to replace in parts – especially if you do plan the next renovation in the next few years.

Hang ‘Em High

One-piece, two-piece, three-shmiece… Maybe you better pursue the hanging toilet fashion? Why not, if you do the renovation in 2021 and want to enjoy that feeling of freshness. They may be harder to mount, but this job is only done once. They are more expensive, but comfort will probably pay for that. So consider a wall-hung toilet as your choice for 2021. They are manufactured by the same vendors that make regular floor-mounted toilets up to the same high-quality standards.

There is just one reason to keep from getting a wall-hung toilet: if it will be used by at least one overweight person whose weight exceeds 500 lbs.  That’s the national standard for these constructions. In fact, even a 350-pound person would feel uncomfortable on such a toilet. Maybe if you or someone living with you qualifies, maybe you better choose a specialized heavy-duty toilet instead? If not, though, a wall-hung one is quite a choice. In addition, the space under it is great if you plan to use a robot vacuum in the bathroom.

And by the way, about robots and stuff…

Hey Siri, Flush

Smart toilet? Not that it’s such a distant future. The toilets available now that are marketed as “smart” are, though, indeed expensive. But if money isn’t an issue, and you’re all about impressing your guests – why not? We already have smart hydroponic systems, guess bathrooms are next.

Another way to make your toilet hi-tech is by buying a smart seat. Today’s smart seats are made by third-party vendors and compatible with most popular models by Toto, Kohler, American Standard, and other brands. The features of such a smart seat include heating, LED light, automatic opening, and closing. If you opt for a bidet seat, it has a built-in heater that makes the water comfortably warm in real-time.

By the way, in 2021, there is no toilet that you can flush with a Siri (Alexa, Google Assistant, whatever) command. But don’t lose hope. Smart things get more and more ubiquitous. Just a phone stand near the toilet (got one, I suppose?) is not enough anymore.

Con-FLUSH-ion

You probably noticed that we did not mention things like color or materials. The reason is there are almost no bad materials now on the market. And if you definitely want, say, a black toilet, you will choose among the black models, considering the same factors. So excuse us for leaving aesthetical preferences undiscussed as too personal. And don’t forget about small details: soft toilet paper or lemon tree aroma (you can even put a tree in your bathroom if there’s a window) can bring comfort too.

Liked this article? Share it on your Facebook or Twitter page for your friends to read it too. Leave a comment if there is another reason we have missed. Or just enjoy reading it where you are, but don’t forget to flush when you’re done.