What good toilet should I get??

[Dennis Peacock]

I'm needing to replace my old toilets in my house. My in-laws have a elongated, siphon-action, jetted (pressure assist?) chair height toilet in their house and we all really like it. No clogs, uses less water, and all around nice.

What are your thoughts?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dennis,

I just replaced the toilet in our upstairs bath. I bought an American Standard. Some of the earlier low volume flush toilets wouldn't get a clean flush everytime. They have come a long ways in recent years. If you buy a name brand and look for the largest outlet available, you won't have a problem. IIRC..my newest purchase is an American Standard Champion 4. We also got the taller model as we both have knee problems. I have been pleased with it's performance.

[Gary Max]

Dennis I really beleive you get what you pay for------stay away from the $89.00 Borg bargains. I just bought a Gerber just over $200.00 complete.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Dennis, last year we replaced old American Standard toilet with Kohler, it has two buttons for low volume and high volume flush. very quite and work 100% times. Model - Persuade ® two-piece elongated toilet - K-3654. I would recommend it to consider.
Ed.

[Bruce Page]

I put in Kohler toilets a few years ago when we had the floors tiled and have been happy with them. We've never had a plug up, can't say that with the old ones. Kohler also has a soft close lid that is the cat's meow.

[David Weaver]

Toto Drake.

Don't like that kohler toilets sometimes (always, rarely?) don't use standard internals, so they're your only source for repair down the road.

I have two toilets to replace in the house, and will be putting in two drakes toward the end of the summer, replacing two fantastic 50+ year old "flush a whale in one flush" american standards that are just using too much water - sad to see them go.

[David G Baker]

Ken,
The Champion 4 is the one I am going to use when I remodel my bath. From the research I have done it rates very high in all areas.

[John Lanciani]

Another vote for the Champion 4, in 3 years it has never let me down.

[Prashun Patel]

I have a friend who works @ American Standard.

He says the Toto Drake has long been the benchmark for a good, standard toilet. But recently, other makers have improved, notably his own American Standard. He views the Kohler as the BMW of toilets: not necessarily more reliable, just sexier.

I was a member of TerryLove.com (Terry Love is to plumbing what SMC is to woodworking) and those guys regarded the Totos very well.

I also agree that when it comes to man's greatest invention ever (the toilet) you get what you pay for. Although, I think THIS is a bit over the top:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1849241,00.html

"netherlands", "gentler stream for tough days"! I'm dyin!

[Jay Runde]

I replaced one of ours about 5 years ago with an American Standard Cadet 3. I have been very pleased with it. I don't remember it clogging once in that time where the Crane toilets the builder put in would clog a few times a year.

[dennis thompson]

I no longer replace my own toilets but my plumber recommended Toto & it works fine.
Dennis
PS We also have a Kohler with a Flushmaster in it, works fine but sounds like a jet plane whenever you flush it

[Mike Henderson]

Toto

Mike

[Dennis Peacock]

That's the first time I have EVER seen a toilet priced over $400..!!!!! All their toilets are expensive.!!!! Toto is out of my price range.

[Myk Rian]

Manufacturers use standardized plugs, shaped like, (well, you know) to test toilet flushing. Kohler wins the contests, if they really have contests. That's what we bought.

[Robert Newton]

I would say Kohler!

[Von Bickley]

Dennis,
When we built our house, I went with American Standard Cadet 3. Good height, low water usage, and will flush everything on the first flush. Been in our house 2.5 years and zero clogs.
I bought 3 of these toilets from Lowe's and asked the manager for a discount. He knocked off 10% just for asking.

[Jim Becker]

I'm very pleased with the Kohler elongated units we put in the addition. In fact, I want to replace the old low-profile (and very mauve) toilet in the girls' bathroom with one in the not too distant future. And yes, they are the "comfort height" which I really like. But above and beyond the good performance...I happen to also like the seats with the "soft" lowering feature. No more banging seats and lids when they are put down (as I require in this house). :)

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Btw. You can buy those great soft close seats as an add on to existing toilets at the Borg. My only complaint is I get so used to them and then visit someone and drop the seat--crash bang!

[Jim Becker]

Btw. You can buy those great soft close seats as an add on to existing toilets at the Borg. My only complaint is I get so used to them and then visit someone and drop the seat--crash bang!

Yea, I have that problem in our powder room...I haven't retrofitted that one yet as it's a special order color. Just today someone left the lid open (my house rule is always closed, both due to safety for our birds as well as I hate the look of an open toilet) and I inadvertently forgot it was a regular seat when I let go. Woke me up, that's for sure!

[Lee Schierer]

We've had a Kohler for 10+l years on our septic system. Only rarely do we need to use the full tank flush, one flip of the handle is usually all it takes. Only my grandson was able to clog it once with 3/4 of a roll of toilet paper and one plunge fixed that. I installed the same type at my mothers house and it has also worked fine.

[John Aspinall]

Another vote for Toto. Put in two of them about five years ago.

[Greg Portland]

That's the first time I have EVER seen a toilet priced over $400..!!!!! All their toilets are expensive.!!!! Toto is out of my price range.A Toto Drake is ~$200-$250 locally and an excellent bare-bones toilet.

[Tim Janssen]

Toto Drake, comfort height!

Tim

[Belinda Barfield]

Kohler, elongated bowl, comfort height.

[Joel Goodman]

I have an American Standard with a pressure type flush (a sort of cartridge inside the tank that does the work) that makes a loud noise on flushing (like a commercial office toilet with a flush valve) that never clogs and sort of self cleans. I've had for years and if the noise isn't an issue I would highly recommend it. Also a Toto that's fine but not uncloggable -- don't ask me how I know that!