Best Toilet - The Ultimate Buying Guide
Reviews of over 12 different toilet models.
Summary of our top picks across different types of toilets:
Best Flushing Toilet: Toto Drake II
Best Composting Toilet: Nature's Head Composting Toilet
Best Portable Toilet: Thetford 92360 Porta Potti 550E
Having a neat and clean loo at your home leaves a great impression of anyone who visits your home. It’s an importance asset for any homeowner who wants to ensure good health for his family members. Our bathrooms account for more than 30% of the daily water usage of a family. The modern, technically advanced models are blessed with features that facilitate excellent water efficiency without compromising on the performance. When you’ve finally decided to buy a brand new toilet, you need to put a few essential aspects under scrutiny such as flush type, bowl shape, seat height and price.
The current market for bathroom fittings for toilets is highly competitive. Apart from the premium toilet manufacturers like Toto, Kohler, there are many other brands who are devoted to bring innovative technologies and improved designs to satiate the demand of gen-next customers. The easy availability of internet has leveled the platform for everyone. People’s decision now-a-days are highly influenced by what they read over the web. So, it is highly critical to enrich the web with authentic information and reviews. I don’t claim myself to be a loo expert but I’m certainly good at collecting expert suggestions on how to become one.
Best Toilets for the Money - Our Top Picks
Picture | Toilet | Brand | Class | Review | Editor Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Toto | Mid Range | |||
 | Toto | Mid Range | |||
 | Kohler | Mid Range | |||
 | American Standard | Mid Range | |||
 | Toto | Mid Range | |||
 | American Standard | Mid Range | |||
 | American Standard | Mid Range | |||
 | Kohler | Mid Range | |||
 | Matter of Time | Low End | |||
 | Separett | High End | |||
 | Nature's Head | High End | |||
 | Sun Mar | High End |
Reviews of the Best Toilets of 2017
Toto
Toto is an abbreviation for Toyo Toki. The private limited company’s headquarter is situated in Kitakyusu, Japan. Toto manufactured plumbing fixtures were the first of their kinds to transform the toilet scenario of Western World. Today, Toto is the largest manufacturer of premium bathroom fittings. Every Toto model is carefully chiseled from a premium grade ceramic china for ultimate sturdiness and longevity. The strong technical specs offer great flushing impact without going overboard with the usage of water. The majority of Toto models are WaterSense certified, meaning they stick to the U.S state regulation of using maximum 1.6 gallon per flush.
Best Toto Toilet Reviews
Toto Drake II
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Presently, the Toto Drake II leads the pack. The Japan based brand always had a huge fan following, thanks to their brilliant manufacturing quality and customer support. Toto Drake II is a single-flush toilet with monstrous power.
Being a certified High Efficiency Toilet (HET), it consumes only 1.28 gallons of water per flush to erase solid waste material completely from the bowl with a flush rate power of 800 grams, the best in its class.
The Double Cyclone Flushing System commands the entire action here. It activates a massive centrifugal action in the rim and bowl, thrusting the water through the rim nozzles and spinning in at a blazing speed to clear up the surface. The flush valve is almost 125% wide (3 inches) than the standard flush valves used in flushing toilets. The rim is without any hole, which adds to the seamless appearance of the bowl.
Another big plus is the larger, fully glazed 2-1/8 inch Computer-designed trapway that directs large mass of waste material straight down to the drain hole, leaving no scope for clogging the tube. Drake II proudly adorns a WaterSense label, testifying its ability to save up to 20% water per flush than the traditional 1.6 GPF toilets. On top of that, it also carries an approval from ADA, which means these toilets are tall enough to provide great leg support to people of all ages, especially elders with knee issues.
Highlights:
- Overall sleek design, the elongated bowl shape offers ample support to the hips and thighs. Left-oriented, chrome-plated trip lever makes flushing easier.
- The double cyclone flushing system cancels maximum noise, so that you can get done with the toilet without disturbing anyone in the house at night.
- Easy to install and faster tank refilling.
- High water efficiency and larger flush valve and trapway.
Toto Ultramax II Double Cyclone Elongated One Piece Toilet
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Low-water consumption and unbeatable performance packed in one toilet, that’s Ultramax II in a nutshell for you. The sleek one-piece design makes washing the toilet very easy.
If you have a small bathroom, a one-piece toilet will save up a lot of room. Ultramax II is one of the best HET models in the market. The seamless bowl design helps inhibiting the growth of moulds and fungus, due to the absence of holes in the rim.
The double Cyclone Flushing mechanism creates tremendous water pressure in the bowl, spinning away all of the dirt at once, using only 1.28 gallons of water. The entire operation is done silently, unlike those cheap products that produce growling noises while flushing.
The seat surface is coated with a unique glazing, formulated by the company itself. It’s called SanaGloss. It not only gives the seat a mirror-like shine but also prevents the build up of odor-causing germs and bacteria around the toilet. That just makes Ultramax II a perfect fit for a hygienic bathroom. To make sure nobody has a hard time sitting on the toilet seat, the height of the model meets the ADA regulation, making it a comfortable choice for everyone, especially senior citizens.
Highlights:
- The package includes a SoftClose toilet seat so you don’t need to buy one separately. This kind of seats shut down slowly, instead of slamming shut.
- Minimal water consumption saves a lot of money on your monthly water bill.
- The elongated one-piece toilet has a sleek, sophisticated profile to match the decor of every bathroom, big and small.
- Easy to clean, includes self-cleaning features like seamless rim design and SanaGloss glaze coating to resist the growth of germs, mildew, mould, bacteria and similar particles.
Toto CST494CEMFG Connelly Two-Piece Dual Flush Toilet
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If I you’re particularly searching for a dual-flush type toilet, here is an outstanding option from Toto. Connelly is a two-piece toilet, means with a separate tank and an elongated bowl.
The unit is a WaterSense certified high efficiency model, requiring just a little more than 1 gallon of water to do the job. Among the bundle of attractive features, the Dual-Max Cyclone Flushing System has grabbed quite a lot of eyeballs.
It is a lethal combination of double cyclone and dual flush technology, combining the best of both worlds to deliver extraordinary performance every single time. The mechanism works in this way: the two nozzles located on either sides of the rim, housed with a 3rd nozzle at the bottom of the bowl play pivotal role in forming the 3-D tornado flush. The dual flushing method includes a partial-flushing mode for liquid waste removal, using 0.9 GPF.
The concealed trapway design makes maintaining the toilet hygiene convenient of the users. Elongated bowl has an added advantage over round bowls for providing extra support to the butt and thighs. The ADA approved seat height is a relief for people with poor physical condition and senior citizens. Pulling chrome trip lever with dual flushing option is all you need to activate forceful flushing action.
Highlights:
- Dual-Max Flushing technology combines the two most powerful methods of flushing, double cyclone and dual flush for maximum impact.
- Elongated bowl and ADA compliant seat height makes it a comfortable experience for individuals of every age, especially elders.
- The concealed trapway gives the toilet a neat profile.
American Standard
American Standard was a joint venture of Henry Ott and Theodor Ahrens that began in the 1800s. From just another manufacturer of plumbing equipments, they gradually went on to become one of the most widely recognised names in the toilet industry, due to their sheer dedication and knack towards innovation. Their modern toilet designs have set a benchmark for other companies to follow their lead. The best part about American Standard is the massive variety of models. From small, regular-sized loos to deluxe, finely decorated spacious bathrooms, there is an American Standard toilet fit for every type.
Best American Standard Toilet
American Standard ‘Champion-4’ One-Piece Elongated Toilet
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Champion-4 from the American Standard is one of those unique of models that are capable of giving a tough contest to Toto toilets. Construction-wise, it is a one-piece toilet which means washing the toilet won’t be the nastiest household chore anymore.
Considering the price, this one falls into the category of the luxurious toilets, suitable for spacious bathrooms in big houses and expensive hotels.
Coming to the product specs, it has a lot of attractions hidden in its kitty. It holds the capability to evacuate 70% more waste material than any other toilet in its league. It features a 4 inch accelerator flush valve, 2 times wider than what we find in standard toilets, pushing a large amount of through the nozzles, raking up cyclonic speed to clear up the surface in less than a few seconds.
Moreover, it is geared with the largest trapway in the entire industry, arming it the exceptional power of flushing the waste down. The innovative EverClean Surface of the bowl stunts the growth of bacteria and moulds that leads to stink and yellow stain build-up around the edge of the toilet seat. If all these weren’t enough to satiate your requirements, let me inform you that the Champion-4 is covered by the company’s universal 10 years warranty. You can purchase the repair of replacement parts, if needed, straight from the manufacturer’s house online.
Highlights:
- Great water efficiency, removes 70% more waste material than any regular toilet at a water intake of 1.6 gallon.
- The EverClean Surface keeps the toilet seat sanitized on its own. No need of using expensive chemicals or cleaning agents to rinse the toilet.
- Widest trapway and flushing valve in the toilet industry.
American Standard Cadet 3 FloWise
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There’s nothing uglier than skid marks on your toilet seats. Ordinary flushing toilets aren’t powerful enough to deliver the flushing speed required to rinse tough stains in one flush. But we are talking of no ordinary toilet.
The next model on my list is American Standard Cadet-3 FloWise, known for its specialisation in wiping off every trace of skid marks from the toilet, leaving you with a hygienic, pleasantly clean bathroom.
Its one-of-a-kind Cadet-3 flushing system consists of a chemical and distort-resistant 3 inch flush valve for accelerated water volume flow per flush, by that, I meant almost 80% faster than regular 2 inch valves. The fully glazed 2-1/8 inch trapway zeroes down the occurrence of clogging and evacuates 1000 grams of solid waste with every flush.
FloWise is an ADA compliant toilet, which is indicative of the optimum level of comfort it provides to the users. With a rim height of only 16.5 inch, people of any age can avail maximum knee support for satisfactory experience. The toilet bowl surface is made from the best quality vitreous china for long lasting performance, add to that, it is glazed with silver-ion additives to create anti-bacterial EverClean surface for improved hygiene.
Highlights:
- The large trapway and extra wide flush valve plays the key role in initiating blazing flushing action for maximum efficiency.
- The ADA approved toilet design provides comfortable toilet experience for everyone.
- The bowl, made of a highly durable vitreous china is fully glazed inside out with ion additives for bacteria prevention and shiny surface.
- Works faster than most other toilets in its category.
American Standard H2Option Toilet
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H2Option is engineered for maximum water saving. According to a study, 30% of an average U.S family’s daily water consumption is used for flushing down the faeces. Water is the most essential natural resource required for the sustenance of human life.
In 1994, the Energy Conservation department of the state imposed a limit on the maximum gallon per flush. Almost all American Standard toilets meet with this regulation, H20ption is no exception.
This high-ranked toilet from the trusted bran utilises PowerWash Rim technology. When the water is forced into the rim chamber, the PowerWash system activates and creates huge water pressure and then releases it using siphonic action technology through the trapway for super-effective cleaning. The incorporation of two mighty flushing methods results complete dirt removal, erasing every tiny trace of poop from the bowl.
H2Option secures its position as the least water consuming mode, taking only 1 gallon of water to engineer such forceful flushing action. The dual flush option is be availed using the top-mounted push-button dual flush actuator. It uses a partial-flush mode to sweeping away urine and the full-flush mode for solid waste. The small-volume cleaning has received a 400MaP rating whereas the second mode has the MaP rating of 1000. Thus, this model is one the best toilets money can buy.
Highlights:
- Use of PowerWash technology along with siphonic action for spinning away most of the dirt in one go.
- Dual flush type allows different flushing models for solid and liquid waste.
- Takes only 1 gallon of water to force the waste material down the main drain hole.
Kohler
The toilet designs of Kohler draw their inspiration heavily from the Victorian style home furnishings. If artistically crafted toilet seats, adorned with floral motifs interests you, then Kohler is your go-to brand. With that being said, Kohler toilets are more just a delight to the eye. They are also known for rolling in technologies far ahead of its time in their finely designed toilet models. Kohler started its journey in 1873 holding the hands of David Kohler and Herbert Kohler Jr. Their products have found a niche customer base for themselves, especially in the hotel industry.
Best Kohler Toilet Reviews
Kohler K-3810 Santa Rosa Toilet
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Kohler toilets are adored for their aesthetically pleasing designs and logical features and the use of the latest flushing technology, all rolled in one toilet. The Santa Rosa series is one of the most successful projects of Kohler.
So, what makes Santa Rosa more than just an eye-candy? For aggressive flushing, it uses a Class Five Flushing technology that is aided by a 3-1/4 inch canister flush valve. Through the tank, the water jets out to the bowl in a high volume to generate high velocity siphonic action to push large mass of waste through the trapway, leaving behind zero traces of stain on the bowl.
After each flushing, the tank is refilled quickly to get ready for the next flush. The inside out glazed 2-1/8 inch trapway is specifically designed to handle large volumes of waste, reducing the risk of clogging, a very common problem with standard toilets. The High efficiency model boasts of a Comfort Height feature, in common terms, it means the height of the toilet seat is equal to a normal hair height, making it more convenient to sit upon for everyone.
Highlights:
- Comfort Seat design for satisfying toilet experience, especially for aged people and folks with serious physical condition.
- Beautifuls, sleek exterior that’ll act as a fine decorative piece for any toilet.
- Use of powerful Class Five Flushing Action for an incredible after-effect.
Kohler K-3609 Cimarron
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This model from the den of Kohler is another very popular toilet. The primary feature of an ideal flushing toilet is the removal of the waste from every inch of the bowl surface with one flush, in that regard, Cimarron Toilet qualifies itself as an ideal toilet.
The extremely high water volume flow per unit time to the bowl, combined with a canister flush valve initiates thunderous flushing action using Kohler’s proprietary Class Five Flushing technology.
The optimal water usage of 1.28 gallon is compliant with the California standard. Installing the fixture calls for no rigorous sweat shedding, the credit goes to the Exclusive DryLock System that eliminates the need for calling a professional plumber if you have a few basic tools in your toolbox. The chair-seat height of the toilet provides an enjoyable experience for every user. The two-piece construction comes with an elongated bowl with a standard 12” rough-in dimension, suitable for mediums to large toilets.
Highlights:
- A complete flushing solution, incorporating the premium Class Five Flushing method to eradicate the faeces, forcing it down straight to the main sewage system, wiping off the skid marks for a fully sanitised, clean toilet.
- The Exclusive DryLock System makes setting up the fixture a DIY affair. If you have a little experience with plumbing methods, you won’t need calling for a professional help.
- Elongated bowl design and ADA approved seat height makes up for relaxing sitting on the toilet seat.
Best Portable Toilet
There is nothing more frustrating than walking miles in search for a loo when you’re camping in a location people hardly set foot in. For the adventure-thirsty travelers, owning a strong portable toilet is absolutely necessary. Doing it in the open field, in the bush can trigger skin infection in the groin area. Untreated human waste is the dug-out for disease-causing germs and bacteria. Portable toilets collect the feces in a special plastic bag and discharge it in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.
Strong building quality and comfortable seat height are the two other vital features to take into account while shopping for one. Don’t fall prey to the gimmicks of those cheap foldable toilets with extremely questionable stability. On-the-go toilets provide great toilet experience when you’re in places where finding a loo is harder than understanding quantum physics overnight.
The Travel Toilet
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The idea behind the design of this portable loo was keep it as simple as it gets. Ease of portability comes from two things: compact design and lightweight. The Travel Toilet is blessed with both.
It has received some great responses from its userbase who have used it for outdoor travelling. The fragile appearance is deceptive. The construction is sturdy enough to bear the weight of a healthy adult, the stands on the bottom packs the model with an extra dose of stability.
The portable toilet comes with 8 special bio-bags, specially designed to accumulate human waste and dispose in a hygienic manner. The waste is collected in the bag and securely held on by the double layered seat. The standard size and height of the on-the-go loo is at par with the regular toilets, offering a comfortable toilet experience even when there is no typical toilet around you.
The price is definitely on the higher side but the tough construction and quality performance makes it far ahead from the regular collapsible camping loos available at a cheaper rate. If you’re planning to extend your trip, you can easily purchase extra bio-bags online to keep an extra stock in case you run out of the existing one.
Highlights:
- Solid design, great stability yet as lightweight as any other foldable camping toilet. The Travel Toilet can seamlessly take care of a large person without collapsing.
- The standard chair-size height delivers optimal comfort just like a quality toilet made for brick and mortar bathrooms.
- The bio-bags hold the collected waste material securely and empty it in an appropriate manner to ensure maximum sanitation.
Best Composting Toilet
Composting toilet is a great option for those who care for the environment. The composting method helps transforming the goo-for-nothing shit into an excellent fertilizer which can be used for gardening. The best composting models feature a self-contained design and require no electricity to activate the process. Having a good seal is a matter of utter importance if you don’t wish your olfactory nerves to commit suicide out of the disgusting smell. Next critical feature to look forward is the existence of proper air vents to exhaust the fumes. You will also need a cranking handle for stirring the compost properly. Peat moss is the most commonly used agent in the basin to activate the composite process.
Separett Villa 9200
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This Swedish model from the house of Separett applies different mechanisms for liquid and solid waste individually. The fan attached to the composite toilet vents the moisture from the solid waste in order to reduce the mass and gradually dry it out completely.
The same feature increases the containing capacity of the loo. The self-contained waterless toilet model is compact and highly portable. Many seem not be very convinced by the waterless option, worrying about the odour. In well engineered composting loos like Separett, the built-in fan that runs 24/7 shushing away the remaining smell from the toilet. The urine separating design makes processing the urine a less complex affair, eliminating the use of any electric heater or rotating mechanism.
The faeces are accumulated in a sturdy compostable plastic bag. When the bag gets full, you have to discharge the waste into the compost bin. Since the waste never comes in direct contact with the inner chamber of the toilet, the surface remains dry and clean all the time. The model is ETL certified, enduring optimum sanitation and cleanliness for a healthy environment.
Highlights:
- Innovative design, separate chamber for urine and solid waste promotes effective composting than old-school composting toilets with complex mechanism.
- Easy to clean up, empty and install. The powerful in-built fan helps exhausting the odour completely through the vents.
Nature’s Head Self-Contained Composting Toilet
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As far as durability is concerned, very few composting toilets can match the high standard set by Nature’s Head Self-Contained Toilets. Primarily designed for marine use, the sturdy stainless steel construction is capable of withstanding the savage of time. The best feature of the product is the quality of composting.
The unit is completely odor-free, plus, there is a cranking handle to shift the compost properly to its place for maximum effectiveness.
The self-contained design has a separate chamber for the liquid waste, making the composting process faster. Portable composting loos like this can be used simply anywhere, at condominiums, RVs, cabins, trucks and campsites where proper bathroom facility is scarce. The low volume air circulation built-in fan recycles and purifies the air to facilitate a healthy environment for everyone.
Best Expensive Toilet
Sun Mar Excel Self Contained Composting Toilet
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If you are not constrained by budget, the eco-friendly Sun-Mar Excel Non-Electric Self-Contained Composting Toilet would be a long-time investment.
People who care about the environment can use the composting method (the process of converting human waste into natural fertilizer) to save the usage of water.
Well-suited for houses that can spare a separate space for venting the odor. For regular campers and outdoorsmen, a portable, powerful waterless toilet is a saving grace. The composting process is quickened and simplified by the inclusion of a variable diameter bio-drum. Emptying the waste is as easy as emptying a trash can and the secure storage of the waste aids hassle-free maintenance.
How to Choose the Best Toilet
Flush Type
Flushing mechanism is the heart and soul of any flushing toilet. If the system fails to perform in its designated way, you are going to end up with some real shit to deal with. Toilet flushes can be divided into the following categories:
Gravity Fed
As the name implies, this kind of mechanism uses the force of gravity to push the waste material down the flushing channel or drainage pipe. Gravity-fed toilets can operate on the standard domestic water pressure of 10 psi. These are the quietest type of toilet, it doesn’t produce grunting noises while forcing the water through the rim holes using siphonic action. Ideal for removing large mass of waste in an efficient manner.
Pressure Assisted
Toilets with internal sealed tanks are capable of creating extreme water pressure in the bowl to help jetting the dirt down the trapway. The pressurized water tank thrusts high volume of water into the bowl with great velocity for super-quick cleaning. According to most plumbers, pressure-assisted toilets are highly water efficient, making it an excellent bargain for money. The flushing system is way more effective than gravity-fed toilets, however, there will be a good deal of noise to deal with during each flush.
Power Assisted
Instead of a tank holding water under pressure, this type of toilet utilises an electric motor to actuate air pressure into the fully sealed compression tank. The combination of water and high air pressure sucks the waste through the flushing channel, cleaning the bowl with great precision in less than a couple of seconds.
Dual Flush
If you want to save 20% more water than a standard toilet model. The dual mechanism comprises two distinct options for removing the urine and solid waste. While the lower water flush uses minimal amount of water (around 0.8 gallon) to flush the liquid waste, switching to the full flush mode will wash away solid discharge with one sweep using 1.6 gallon or less. Dual flush toilets are available in both pressure-assisted and gravity-fed options.
Low Water Consumption
Saving the water as much as possible is a priority for people living in areas where water shortage is a huge concern. Even if you live in an apartment where water is supplied 24 hours, choosing an HET (High efficient Toilet) would be a really nice gesture towards natural resource conservation. The best toilet models from top brands are developed with 1.28-1.6 gallon flush tanks. These low flow toilets go with any type of flushing action, although the dual flush system combined with water saving technology is strongly opined as an ideal toilet for every bathroom. The low water consumption models that comply with the California standard of 1.28 GPF carry a WaterSense label.
Bowl Style
Think about what kind bowl you want while browsing through the choices. Most modern toilet bowls come in two basic shapes: elongated and round. Elongated bowls are 2” inches wider than round toilet bowls, providing a better support to your posterior. Round bowls are more compact in dimension and typically designed to fit in small bathrooms. There are several other choices to take into account.
Depending on your budget and requirement, you can make your choice based on cleaning style. Siphonic or wash down style toilets substitute air in the toilet’s water channel with water, initiating power vacuum action that spins away the dirt through the drainage pipe without clogging it. Wash out toilets, on the other hand feature a large trapway forces the water into the main bowl in high velocity and sucks the grime downwards.
Seat Height
While checking out the details, also take a glance at the seat height of the fixture. The taller, the better in this case. ADA compliant Comfort Height toilet seats measure around 16.5” in length. This is a favourable height to rest your butts on. If you have children in your house, instead of buying a small toilet, purchase a steep stool separately as smaller toilets won’t be of any service as the children grow up. ADA compliant seats are a good riddance for people suffering from adverse physical conditions and aged folks.
One Piece v/s Two Piece Toilets
There is no basic difference between the operating method of one piece and two-piece toilets. In single toilets, all the components are arranged together, therefore, there is no separate tank. This kind of toilets has a closely packaged design and is very easy to clean and maintain. On the contrary, two piece toilets feature a tank that is fixed on the top of the bowl. About 4 out of 5 toilets purchased for homes are two-piece, they cost almost 20 to 25% less than their one-piece counterparts. On the downside, two-piece toilets can be hard to clean. Look for a well-built sanitary bar if you’re determined to buy one. It prevents the collection of any liquid under the tank, thus extending the lifespan of the equipment.
Flush Valve and Trapways
Extra wide 3-4 inches flushing valves are rapidly altering the standard 2 inch valves used in the relatively older models. The more width it has, the more water will pass through the rim holes at a higher velocity to clean the bowl. Large trapways reduce the chances of clogging while concealed or skirted design makes cleaning the bottom of the toilet less messy.
Rough in Measurement
Without knowing the proper size of your bathroom, it’s almost impossible to pick the right toilet size. Measuring the rough-in size is no big deal. All you need is a measuring tape, stick one side of it at the centre of the drainpipe and drag it up to the base of the wall. If your existing toilet features 4 closet bolts, start measuring from either the centre or rear bolts. The standard rough-in dimension is 12” in modern toilets.
Summing up the Loo Story
The subject of toilet is too vast to be contained in just one article. There are numerous categories and sub-categories, technologies and designs to choose from. To an uninitiated, finding the best toilet can be a pretty complicated job. The task becomes a bit less tiring if you have your specific requirement set in mind.
When it comes to purchasing a toilet, one wrong move can result in an irreparable damage. Don’t try to rush the things up because selecting one model from so many categories is definitely going to take a while. Price tag can never be an ultimate deciding factor, as long as a product meets all your demands successfully, it deserves a spot in your wish list. Now, I have done my due diligence, the rest is totally reliant on your patience to research and ability of judgement.