 |
 |
 |
 |
Too Many Toilets by Craig Sawyer of Craig Sawyer Designs |
 Like everything else today the choices one has for a new toilet are mind boggling. Yes, your basic under $100 white toilet is still available, but may I interest you in Kohler’s Hat Box model for only $2,877.15 from Amazon.com (apparently the pricing guy never heard of rounding)? That’s for the white version too. Add about another $900 or so if you want a color. My point is that the prices and options for your basic WC are there for every budget and taste imaginable. So how do you decide? Let’s start with function….
All toilets sold in the US these days are standard with a 1.6 gallon flush (gpf). If you want to use even less water, models are being introduced by just about every manufacturer that use 1.28 gpf. American Standard is now even offering the first truly siphonic dual flush toilet. This toilet can use as little as 1 gpf on the low setting. The good news is that these lower flush rates don’t compromise waste removal. Gerberit’s most powerful single flush gravity fed toilet uses only 1.28 gpf. Other companies are putting major efforts into improving the performance of their toilets with great results. Other functional aspects to consider are the height of the toilet seat and the length of the bowl. Comfort height toilets are 17-18” high at the seat, putting them on the same level as a dining chair. This is great for taller people and older people who have trouble getting up. Men love the elongated bowl and the price difference is minimal. Finally, you can now get good residential toilets that are wall hung with the tank usually mounted inside the wall. This not only takes less space in your bathroom, but it allows for easy cleaning, and it you can select your own toilet seat height! The next big issue is style. From a purely functional, how much does it flush standpoint, toilets that cost a small fortune don’t flush any better than their more basic brethren. Like faucets, expensive toilets are usually costly because they are harder to produce, and more limited in production quantity. The one exception to this rule are toilets with heated seats, bidet functions, deodorizers and other technological gizmos. In this case you definitely are paying more for more technology. Toto makes models like these. That said, toilets are available in just about every style you can imagine. If you are building a traditional home you can have a traditional looking toilet, and if you are building something that would look comfortable in Dwell magazine there are very nice contemporary toilets. As a designer, all I ask is don’t select toilets, or any other bathroom fixture for that matter, that are obviously the wrong style for your home. And yes, pull chain toilets with oak tanks up by the ceiling are still available. So which brands are best? Right now I can’t think of any bad toilets out there, but I do have some suggestions.
Craig Sawyer Designs For more information on Craig Sawyer Designs Click Here |
