How to Choose the Best Toilet for your Bathroom: A Comprehensive Toilet Buying Guide

Toilets are generally a long-term investment for any household. With that in mind, it is best to know certain important features and designations to ensure you choose the right toilet for your bathroom. This article consists of the most important points to consider before heading out to shop for your new toilet.

Design of the Toilet

Along with their functional use, toilets also enhance the overall look and feel of your bathroom. Listed below are the most common types of toilets available to help you pick the right one for your home based on your bathroom needs and design aesthetics.

Two-Piece Toilet: These are one of the most used toilets in American households. As evident from the name, a two-piece toilet has two separate parts- a toilet bowl and a toilet tank. The benefit of this type of toilet is that if one of the pieces gets damaged, you only need to replace that part instead of buying the whole new toilet. Also, they are durable, economical, and quite easy to install.

One-Piece Toilet: This a single piece toilet that encompasses the toilet bowl and the toilet tank. They are heavier and more expensive than their two-piece counterparts, but they are also easier to clean and install. This is the most recommended type of toilet for contemporary and modern bathrooms if you have the extra budget. Models with an attached tank that sits higher can also easily suit a traditional bathroom style.

Wall Mounted Toilet: This type of toilet has the tank hidden inside the wall and only the bowl protruding outside the wall. Their sleek look gives a contemporary appearance to your bathroom. Also, they take up less space, making your bathroom look clean and airy. Unlike standard floor mounted toilets, you can fix these toilets at various heights, ranging from 15 inches to 19 inches. You can find a variety of models of wall mounted toilets with different shapes and design. They are on the more expensive end of the toilet spectrum and may require a professional plumber for installation.

Flush Type of the Toilet

The second factor to consider while making your purchase is the flushing mechanism of the toilet. There are two types of flushing mechanisms in a toilet tank- single and dual flush.

Single Flush: This type of flush uses the same amount of water to flush all types of waste. As they are most common flush type, it is easier to find replacement parts and less expensive to repair. As single flush toilets use almost 5 gallons of water in every single flush, they increase your water footprint and add to your water bills.

Dual Flush: Dual flush toilets have two buttons on the top to choose the amount of water for flushing waste. One button uses about 0.8 gallons of water to clear liquid waste, while the other button consumes approx. 1.6 gallons to flush solid waste. This makes them an environment friendly and a budget friendly alternative.

Automatic Flush: It is quite probable that you have encountered automatic flush toilets at many commercial places such as airports and shopping malls. These toilets do not require any physical contact to flush waste from the toilet bowl. An automatic toilet with a sensor flush captures the heat waves from the body of the user and senses the loss of heat once the uses move away from the toilet. Thus, the sensor automatically flushes the toilet. They use the minimum amount of water required to flush waste, making it another environment friendly alternative. This type of flush is a great option for commercial spaces in the given its contactless flushing ability. These toilets are also finding their way into homes of people who prefer to have a modern and high technology bathroom.

Toilet Bowl Shapes

Toilet bowls come in two different shapes- round and elongated. Depending on the available space, you can pick the desired shape of your toilet bowl.

Round Bowls: Round bowls are typically the standard bowl shape. These are most suitable for small bathrooms. Round bowls are usually 16-17 inches long when measured from the front edge of the toilet bowl to the bolts attaching the toilet seat. If you or any member of your family use a walker or wheelchair, a circular bowl is a good consideration as it gives maximum clear floor space.

Elongated Bowls: These bowls are two inches longer than the round bowls. An elongated-style toilet bowl is more comfortable to sit on than a round toilet bowl because its longer seat gives support to a larger part of the thigh. Moreover, it has a larger opening, giving the entire toilet experience an upgrade.

Types of Toilet Seats

Most toilets come in separate pieces, and they usually do not include the toilet seat. You will find a variety of toilet seats that differ based on shape, material, and closure function. Check out our detailed buying guide on toilet seats to make the right choice for the personal needs and design of your bathroom.

Dimensions of your Toilet Space

Now that you know the various aspects of toilet options, you should also know your bathroom’s rough-in before going out to shop for a new toilet. This space is measured from the wall behind the toilet to the middle of the bolts on the base of the toilet. The standard rough-in dimensions for toilets is 12-inches, but you can also find a 10- inch or 14 inch space in some smaller and older homes.

Explore the different types of toilets at Supply Online to find the one that is comfortable, easy to clean, conserves water, and fits well with the décor your bathroom.