One of the toughest questions I get when helping customers select products for their new home or remodel is "What kind of toilet should I choose?" When it comes to functionality, Kohler has the “Revolution 360” flush, Toto has the “Tornado” flush, American Standard has the “VorMax” flush, and Mansfield has the “Summit 3” flush. Which is the best? Which is the most reliable? Which will flush consistently without needing a plunger or a bowl brush?
In addition to function, you also have to consider the aesthetics. Do you want a standard height toilet, handicap height, or even taller? How about a one-piece or a two-piece toilet? A model with a skirted bottom? Maybe a particular design such as a square traditional style or a sleek contemporary look? What sort of toilet seat – one that closes slowly or has bidet functions built in? The entire process of selecting a toilet can get extremely confusing. I want to tell you what I think is important and what I put in my master bathroom and why.
A good toilet is extremely important to me because the one task I absolutely hate as a homeowner is plunging a toilet. Even worse, what if I have a guest and they clog the toilet? They are embarrassed, I am embarrassed, and I still get the fun of plunging the toilet. It’s not only that I want to save my guests embarrassment and keep them comfortable, but I do not want to plunge my master bath toilet either. I want to completely retire my trusty plunger.
I ended up putting a Kohler Cimarron in my master bath which flushes amazingly. My model is one of the 1st generation ones and I purchased it 20 years ago. The Cimarron was the first Kohler toilet to incorporate a larger (3”) opening from the tank to the bowl to give it a more powerful flush. It also has a 2” glazed trap-way to help prevent stoppages.
I opted for the 16 ½” handicap height and also installed a slow closing seat. The main reason I love my Kohler toilet is that it never gets clogged. I do not even keep a plunger in the master bath. You do not want to have to plunge your toilet, your kids’ toilet, your guests’ toilet, or if you have rental property, your renters’ toilets.
I would like to expound on a few of these things to help you in your toilet selection process. First, take a look under the hood of your prospective toilet – pull the tank lid off and inspect the flushing components in the toilet. This is one of the good things about visiting a showroom like Falk Plumbing Supply because you can easily do this with any of our toilets.
You are looking at two things – the fill valve on the left and the flush valve in the middle. The fill valve will be a small tower. Kohler and Mansfield toilets use a Fluidmaster fill valve, the most recognized and respected in the industry. You can find this by looking for their name on the top of the fill valve. A good one is essential for filling the tank with water quietly (instead of whistling or roaring) and swiftly.
The flush valve is the bigger piece of hardware and generally looks like a tower. Some still use the more conventional flapper and I’m personally ok with either type. My own 20-year-old toilet has the flapper setup and works great. The main thing you want to know about the flush valve is what size opening it has. Some are 2” but the more reliable and state of the art toilets are 3”. This allows a more forceful rush of water to enter the bowl and easily eliminate all solid waste from it.
The glazed trap-way I mentioned earlier is another key component of a good flush. Normally a trap is just plain, unfinished porcelain which has a rough surface and is great at grabbing onto things like toilet paper and creating a clog. If it is totally glazed, it creates a smooth surface that allows waste to pass through it easily.
These three parts are the key to a good flush. They are the things that will let you retire your plunger and bowl brush. All other things are non-essential features that may enhance the functionality of the toilet. A primary one will be the seat. We use a slow close heavy duty plastic seat most often. Some toilets have features like built in cleaning systems, bidet type seats that assist in personal cleansing, different styles to accommodate your décor and even grab bars attached to the toilet seat.
If I had to compress it down to the best advice I would say buy Kohler, either a Highline or Cimarron model. Both have been thoroughly tested and been on the market over 20 years. You will not be disappointed.
Written by Alan Donahue, Showroom Manager