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Not everyone has the luxury of having a large bathroom with plenty of floor space available. Many of us have to make the best of what they've got, and more often than not, that involves looking for sanitary ware that is compact. This is where shorter, 24-25 inch and 26 inch depth toilets could excel. They don't protrude as far from the wall, leaving more space for the installation of other hardware such as sinks.
We've looked at a number of brands and what they can offer for such measurements below. Putting aside dimensions, it's also important to understand the specifications, pros and cons too. So, to help our readers, we have researched many of the toilets features including flushing mechanisms, design, and water usage.
The K-4007 is from the San Souci product range. It tops our list thanks to its low profile design, visual appeal, and overall functionality.
It operates on Kohler's highly efficient flushing mechanism, which utilizes gravity and 1.28 gallons of water to achieve a powerful and effective flushing action that clears waste from the bowl.
KOHLER San Souci | Toto Ultimate | Swiss Madison St. Tropez |
|
Model number | K-4007-0 | MS853113#01 | SM-1T254 |
Rough in | 12" | 12" | 12" |
Flush type | HET | Gravity | Dual |
Touchless | |||
Trip lever | |||
Button | |||
GPF | 1.28 | 1.6 | 0.8 / 1.28 |
WaterSense | |||
Rim height
Height without seat
|
15-1/4" | 14-9/16" | 15.5" |
Elongated | |||
Round | |||
Square | |||
WSA
Water surface area
|
9-1/4 x 6-3/4" | 10-1/4 x 8-1/4" | |
Water level
Rim to surface |
6-5/16" | 5-7/8" | |
Dimensions | 25.6 x 16.8 x 24.2" | 26.5 x 17 x 28" | 26.6 x 15 x 31" |
Weight | 92 lbs | 89 lbs | 130 lbs |
Concealed trap | |||
Skirted | |||
One piece | . | ||
Two piece | |||
Intelligent | |||
Floor mount | . | ||
Wall mounted | |||
Colors | White, Black, Almond | White, Beige, Cotton | White |
Seat | . | ||
Soft close | . | ||
Bidet | |||
Supply | |||
Rating | 84% | 83% | 84% |
The K-4007 has several noteworthy features that allow it to stand out from many of its competitors. Not only will it fit into a more compact bathroom, but it also has the mechanisms built in which can really make a difference in your bathroom visits.
The gravity fed flush system uses AquaPiston technology to wash down the bowl. AquaPiston allows water to get through the bowl from all angles, rinsing parts of the bowl surface that are often missed by other toilets. This helps keep bad odors at bay, and creates a hygienic environment for everyone in the house.
As you would expect from such a design, the bowl is has a rounded front that ensures it doesn't extend too far from the wall. There are many differences between round and elongated bowls, but for the purpose of saving floor space, rounded shapes come out on top. The full dimensions given are 25.6 by 16.8 by 24.2 inches.
If you're quite picky when it comes to aesthetics, we think you'll find the seamless one piece exterior to your liking. It's also available in a wide range of colors from the standard white, through to more unusual ones like black, almond, and biscuit. What you can take away from this is whatever your current interior design is, you'll be able to find a color theme to match it.
It's floor mounted, comes with a quiet close seat, and will fit a standard twelve inch rough in size. It also uses a trip lever instead of buttons to activate the flush, which can be found on the side of its tank.
The ultimate collection is quite similar to the K-4007 in many ways. It's made by a well known brand, and gravity fed. However, there are some important differences.
Once again, it uses a round shape bowl to its advantage. They are simply the better choice for minimizing overall footprint. This works well with the one piece style which seamlessly pieces the tank and bowl together.
It's finished in white, but you can find it in beige and cotton if you shop around. We recommend sticking to brighter colors. However, despite the contemporary exterior, there are ways in which it could be improved. concealing the trapway is one example.
The flush uses 1.6 GPF, not the most efficient available, but one that saves a lot in comparison to 5.0 and 3.5 gallon models. The mechanism in use is gravity based and siphonic jet actioned. It's doesn't offer the highest performance in terms of power though, with MaP ratings showing it scored 400g on the scale.
The height to the rim from the base is 14-1/2 inches, meaning this isn't ADA compliant or chair height. This is a standard height bowl with none of the fancy extras. Some people prefer it like that, and find chair height to be too tall for their liking.
You won't need to go shopping for a new seat either as it comes with a soft close seat. These are great and will gently lower the lid when you've finished, protecting the rim.
Swiss Madison produce some very aesthetic hardware. The St. Tropez collection is no exception. Unlike the two picks above, this offers something extra visually. The skirting around the bowl gives it a modernistic style, mainly because you no longer see the trapway.
And staying on the subject of being different, it still manages to be low profile with an elongated shape bowl. Elongated bowls are advantageous from a comfort viewpoint as well as offering a bit more leg support when sitting down.
Instead of using a basic single flush mechanism, the SM-1T254 has a dual flush system that can use either 0.8 gallons or 1.28 gallons. This lands well within the efficient WaterSense territory, and is likely to save you thousands of gallons over its lifetime.
If any of you are taller than your average person, you'll appreciate that this is comfort height, adding much needed inches to the bowls height for the purpose of user comfort and accessibility. While the two above are standard size, this is a good alternative with a bit more height.
The seating is also included, along with the soft close feature that has become common place in most modern homes these days.
Comfort or standard bowl? - If you've landed on this guide, it's likely you can't do much about the length or depth of the bowl. However, you do get to choose how tall it is. Where standard size bowls typically measure around 15-16 inches in height, a comfort height bowl will give you a few extra inches, measuring between 17-19 inches. These are slightly taller than average toilets, which manufacturers have designed to improve overall accessibility and user comfort. You'll also find that the majority of them meet the standards included in Americans with Disabilities Act.
We can't suggest one over the other as this really comes down to a users own mobility or body requirements. A good example of this is a tall person will usually prefer comfort height, and a shorter person will probably feel more at ease on a standard height.
Rough in - So you've decided to make changes to the bathroom, but in particular, you want to buy a new toilet. What are the first steps you take? Many consumers will make the mistake of heading down to their local hardware store and purchase one without taking time to see what measurements you require. One of the most important measurements to have knowledge of is the rough in. This is simply how far the waste outlet is from the wall, you can learn more about specific sizes in our guides here and here.
Floor or wall mount - The majority of products you look at online will be floor mounted. This is because they are easy to install and most households already have the plumbing system in place to set it on the outlet easily. However, for those of you starting from scratch, or wanting something a bit different to the standard bathroom themes out there, you should consider what a wall mounted unit brings to the table. They have some clear advantages over there floor mount counterparts, the first being that they are easy to clean, and secondly they are generally more aesthetically pleasing. But with any advantages, there are disadvantages. They often require expensive rennovation work to fit a tank inside the walls, and installing them is time consuming and difficult for the inexperienced.
Trip lever - Think about how you want to activate the flush. What would be easier and more conveneint, the traditional trip lever? A button? Or perhaps something touchless? Touchless units are the most hygienic of the three and certainly convenient, but they can sometimes have issues that require replacement parts. Unless you're feeling adventurous, we recommend sticking to either a trip lever or buttons.
Gravity or pressure? - The type of flush system you choose to get is very important. It determines the overall performance and how much waste it can get rid of in one go. Gravity fed systems are effective enough for most households, but for those of you wanting a bit more power, there are pressure assist mechanisms. They offer top of the line performance, often scoring the highest score on the MaP rating scale. However, if you're wanting your mechanism to be fairly quiet, you may want to stick with gravity based products. The majority of them are strong enough to handle day to day usage in a residential environment.
Gallons per flush - The volume of water used or GPF should certainly be looked into. This is an important part of our criteria, and one that has an impact on the environment. If you have a looks at our water savings calculator, you can see how it plays a role economically too.
There are two real options here. You can either get yourself a 1.6 GPF unit, these save quite a lot in comparison to 3.5 gallon tanks, or you can go the eco friendly route and choose something WaterSense labelled. Both can reduce the amount of money your spending on your water bills as your bathroom is one of the places in the home that wastes a lot of water.
Consumer feedback - Always read what other buyers are saying about it. Their own personal experiences can really hit home and help you decide whether the product you're researching is really as good as the manufacturers descriptions. Use public forums to your advantage for this, as well as online shops themselves. Look for weaknesses in the one and two star reviews, as well as the strengths in five star. Give yourself time to digest the facts and only then come to a decision. You'll be happier for it and less likely to be dissapointed with your product.
Brands - As someone who has used multiple brands in my lifetime, we've got our favorites, Toto, Kohler, Mansfield, and American Standard among them. However, you shouldn't overlook some of the alternative names in the industry. You can often find value there, with great features that are inexpensive in comparison. Swiss Madison, Ove, and WoodBridge are examples of this.
Bowl gloss - A layer of gloss can really help fight off the bacteria and germs that cause bad odors. The dirt , left over waste, and mold will be less likely to stick when the surface is coated with this gloss. Look for products with the CeFiONtect, SanaGloss, EverClean, CleanCoat, and WonderGliss labels. They're all made to do the same thing, the only difference between them is brands have given them their own titles. This is a feature that can also simplify the cleaning process, so you spend less time scrubbing.
Seat - Readers should be aware that not all options will comes with a toilet seat. If this is the case, you'll need to budget for this. Getting yourself a seat with slow close hinges is a smart choice, but you should also consider the more luxurious options such as bidets. A bidet seat can really improve users bathroom experience, many of them come with advanced spray settings to clean you up more thoroughly than paper can. They also have some great extras like the ability to heat up the seat. We think they're worth it if you're not on a tight budget.
We hope our research above has helped you find a suitable toilet that is 26 inches deep. We believe the products chosen stand out from their competitors by also having a great spec list. These specs ensures waste is handled effectively and efficiently. While they may not be the most spacious or comfortable option on the market, they are a sensible option for smaller spaces.