Choosing the Right Toilet
Over the course of your life, you’ll spend on average, 1.5 years in the bathroom. With that statistic in mind, choosing a toilet for your home can seem like a daunting task. After all, the toilet market is saturated with an array of styles, features and colors. How do you ever begin to differentiate them? Never fear; we’re here to give you the 411 on what you need to know about selecting your next commode.
Height-Believe it or not toilet height can make a major difference. While the industry height standard is 14 inches, many companies are beginning to offer greater heights. This is helpful in accommodating taller individuals, as well as those with limited mobility.
Shape-Toilets come in two basic shapes—round and elongated. Round is much more common and this option makes changing out the toilet seat a breeze. That being said, elongated bowls are thought to be a more relaxing option because leg circulation is less likely to be disturbed.
Style-The most common style is a two piece toilet. This means that the toilet tank is bolted to the top of the bowl. As a general rule, this is the most budget friendly model. One piece toilets can also be found on the market and find favor with homeowners because they are seamless, making them easier to clean. If you seek a more modern look, a wall-mounted toilet may be just the ticket. An added perk is that it’s quite easy to clean the floor underneath them. Bear in mind that future upkeep could result in having to tear open the wall.
Optional Bells & Whistles-When it comes to add-on features, consumers have more options than ever. For those that hate the shock of turning on the bathroom light in the middle of the night, toilets are now available with an LED nightlight. These models can even include a heated seat if you so desire. If the thought of touching a germ infested toilet handle to flush makes you queasy, there’s also the option to purchase a toilet that flushes simply by waving your hand over a built-in sensor. If you’re feeling really fancy there are also toilets in the marketplace where the seat opens as you approach. However, these all come with an additional price tag and only the homeowner can determine whether the price and the benefits properly align.
Water Usage-Nearly 30 percent of your home’s water use stems directly from your toilet, so this feature is one worth paying attention to. Older models can use up to 7 gallons of water per flush. However, these days federal plumbing mandates require that the most water a toilet can flush at a time is 1.6 gallons. High efficiency models are available that use even less water. If keeping your water bill in check is your top priority, consider a dual flushing toilet. This technology allows the user to only release the needed amount of water into the toilet with each flush by choosing either a low or heavy water flow option.
Color- Even though we made it through the avocado green toilet fad of the 1970’s if you still want a funky colored toilet, most manufacturers can give you exactly the shade you covet. However, we’re willing to bet that the toilet itself will outlive the popularity of the color you choose. Do yourself a favor and stick to a white or beige color scheme or be prepared to swap out the toilet before ever putting your home on the market. Bold colors also ensure that your toilet will be a topic of discussion at every gathering you host.
The Most Expensive Toilet on the Market-Kohler has always been an innovator in the plumbing industry. If want the best toilet that money can buy, seek out their Numi toilet. The toilet comes equipped a number or high-end features such as: a Bluetooth receiver that allows the user to stream music from their smartphone, a LCD touch screen, the ability to program a personalized greeting upon approach to the toilet, a battery back-up that will support 100 flushes during a power outage and seat & foot warmers. All toilet settings can be customized to the user.
