The Best Toilet for Your Home

Before you shop for the best toilets for your family, determine how much space you have to install it. The most important of these measurements is the distance between the floor drain and the wall, called the rough-in. The standard rough-in dimensions for toilets is 12-inches. A distance of 10-inches or 14-inches is occasionally found in small bathrooms or older homes.

Determine your bathroom’s rough-in by measuring from the wall behind the toilet to the middle of the bolts on the base of the toilet.

You can also measure from the rear wall to help determine the best toilet bowl shape for your space, since the dimensions of a toilet bowl will differ based on their shape.

Consider an elongated vs round toilet:

• Elongated toilet bowls measure up to 31-inches from the wall behind the toilet to the front of the bowl. Elongated bowls provide greater comfort while seated.
• Round toilet bowls extend up to 28-inches from the wall.

Round bowls require less space, making them a good toilet for small bathrooms.Round bowls require less space, making them a good toilet for small bathrooms.

Toilet seats are made to fit both toilet bowl shapes, so you’ll find two main toilet seat types: elongated toilet seats and round toilet seats. The first step to choosing a seat is finding one that matches the shape and size of your toilet. However, both types of toilet seats can have special features.

Toilet seat features include:

• Bidet seat: Brings the cleaning power of a bidet to your standard toilet. A targeted stream of water helps you clean yourself better than just using toilet paper alone. Plus, it can help you use less toilet paper overall. Bidet seats can offer warm water, a heated seat, an air dryer, a massage mode and a nightlight.
• Soft close: Has a controlled, slow close so that the toilet seat never slams shut.
• Easy release: Allows you to remove the seat completely for easy and thorough cleaning.
• Heated seat: Keeps the seat warm and cozy, so it’s comfortable even in the coldest months.
• Children’s seat: Has a detachable inner seat designed for children who are potty training. Once your child is old enough, the inner seat can be removed so that the toilet seat can be used as a standard adult seat.
• Lighted seat: Adds a built-in nightlight so you can find the toilet at night without turning on your bathroom lights.

Toilets are part of a bathroom’s overall design, so consider its profile along with other features.

• A visible trap is the most common style found in homes and shows the outline of the curving trapways on the toilet base.
• Toilets with a concealed trap have a smooth surface at the base that provide a more modern look and can be easier to clean.
• Skirted toilets give a contemporary profile with a sleek design that conceals trapways and eliminates the rounded outline of the bowl.

Toilet height is measured from the floor to the top of the rim. Whether it’s marketed as “chair height,” “comfort height,” or “tall height,” the best toilets to buy for your bathroom should have a rim height that makes it easy to sit down and stand up.

Standard-height rims are 14- to 15-inches from the floor and should work well for shorter people. If you’re taller, consider chair height toilets that have a toilet seat height of 17-inches or more.

Tip: ADA compliant toilets meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and have a rim height of 15- to 17-inches.

Two-piece toilets:

• Have a separate tank and bowl
• Are the most common types of toilets
• Are generally more affordable
• Have easy-to-find replacement parts, including individual toilet tanks and toilet bowls

One-piece toilets:

• Do not have a separate tank and bowl
• May require a larger upfront investment
• Save space in small bathrooms
• Are easy to clean with no tight crevices
• Create a sleek, stylish design

Wall-mounted toilets:

• Mount to the wall and eliminate the need for a toilet foot or base
• Are easy to clean, as is the floor underneath
• Are ideal for transfers from a wheelchair or walker
• Can be installed at a specific height
• Require a sturdy wall for mounting
• Require a wall drain rather than a floor drain
• May cost more to purchase and install

Urinals are commonplace in public men’s rooms. Residential urinals aren’t as common but can be a convenient feature in a man cave, garage workshop or wherever guys spend a lot of time.

Urinals are wall-mounted, so they don’t require much space. They typically use less than a gallon of water per flush. Ultra-low consumption – and even waterless – models are available.

The hallmark of a quality toilet is having enough flushing power for waste and toilet paper. A flush performance rating system classifies toilets from low to high based on their ability to remove solid waste and resist clogging. Look for these scores displayed on product packaging and on signs in your local store. Higher ratings mean better waste removal and clog resistance.

Here are some types of toilet flushing systems:

Single-Flush Toilets

• Standard single-flush toilets use the force of gravity to create a strong siphon during flushing
• These gravity fed toilets are easy to repair
• Most common type of toilet
• Often cost less than other models

Dual-Flush Toilets

• Dual-flush toilets have separate flushes for solid and liquid waste
• Uses a larger diameter trapway design to resist clogging
• Needs less water to flush efficiently
• May require more frequent cleaning

Pressure-Assisted Toilets

• Pressure-assisted toilets have a special flushing mechanism within the tank that creates a siphon jet action
• Produces more forceful flushes than standard gravity fed toilets
• Flushing action is boosted by air pressure and is less likely to clog
• Good choice for families because it uses less water per flush

Power-Assisted Toilets

• Also known as macerating toilets or upflush toilets
• Best toilets to buy for new bathrooms in basements
• Pump permits flushing from below the sewer line
• Macerating pump liquifies waste during flush to reduce clogging and promote flow in lengthy waste lines
• Some models designed for boats or RV use

Toilets account for nearly 30-percent of an average home’s indoor water use. Toilets made in the United States after 1992 use 1.6-gallons of water per flush. Toilets made before 1992 may use as much as 7-gallons per flush. An efficient toilet can greatly reduce your home’s water consumption and water bills.

We have developed our own Eco Options program to encourage earth-friendly living and are a partner of the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. WaterSense labeled toilets use 1.28-gallons per flush, which can be up to 60-percent less water per flush than other toilets. This can help you save money on your water and sewage bill.

Use our local utility rebate finder to help you find out if your eco-friendly toilet purchase qualifies for a rebate from your local water district.

Tip: New flushing technology enables water conservation without sacrificing flush power. We recommend replacing any toilets installed before 1994.