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What makes a toilet stand out from the rest? There is no easy answer when it comes to sanitary ware as there are so many specs to think about. However, we believe our research criteria covers the most important points, enabling us to give an opinion on what we consider to be the best one piece toilets on the market.
The above criteria involves a closer look at various flushing mechanisms, MaP ratings, consumer reports, water usage, and several smaller, but important details. All of which is designed to help our readers make a smarter, more informed decision in finding the top toilet for their home.
The MS854114ELG#01 has a beautifully crafted elongated bowl design, with a economically friendly flush. It's also taller in height for improved comfort and access.
It meets EPA standards too, operating on a E-Max system which uses just 1.28 GPF (4.8 LPF). Effectively saving your household thousands of gallons of water each year.
Use the table below to make comparisons between leading brands and their specifications. We believe one of the best ways to see how much value one product is offering compared to another, is to look at them side by side. We use this method to better assess the pros and cons of each.
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| TOTO Eco Ultramax | WoodBridge | American Standard Champion 4 |
Kohler Santa Rosa | TOTO Carlyle II | |
| Model number | MS854114ELG#01 | T-0001 | 2034.014.020 | 3810-96 | MS614114CUFG#01 |
| Rough in | 12" | 12" | 12" | 12" | 12" |
| Flush type | HET | Dual | Siphonic | HET | HET |
| Touchless | |||||
| Trip lever | |||||
| Button | |||||
| GPF | 1.28 | 1.0 / 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.28 | 1.0 |
| WaterSense | |||||
| CalGreen | |||||
| MaP | 500g | N/A | 1000g | 1000g | 800g |
| ADA | . | ||||
Rim height
Height without seat
|
16-9/16" | 16-1/2" | 15" | 16-1/2" | 16-1/8" |
| Elongated | . | ||||
| Round | |||||
| Square | |||||
WSA
Water surface area
|
10-1/4 x 8-1/4" | N/A | N/A | 11 x 8-1/8" | 6-7/8 x 9-3/4" |
Water level
Rim to surface |
5-15/16" | N/A | N/A | 6-1/4" | 5-1/2" |
| Dimensions | 31.8 x 28.9 x 19.3" | 28.5 x 14.5 x 27.5" | 29.8 x 17.8 x 29.5" | 31 x 20.8 x 29" | 28.2 x 16.5 x 28.8" |
| Weight | 98.5 lbs | 119 lbs | 119 lbs | 102 lbs | 110 lbs |
| Trap size | 2-1/8" | N/A | 2-3/8" | 2-1/8" | 2-1/8" |
| Flush valve | 3" | 3" | 4" | 3" | 3" |
| Concealed trap | |||||
| Skirted | |||||
| One piece | . | ||||
| Two piece | |||||
| Intelligent | |||||
| Floor mount | . | ||||
| Wall mounted | |||||
| Colors | Cotton white | White | White, Linen | Biscuit | Cotton White |
| Seat | |||||
| Soft close | |||||
| Bidet | |||||
| Supply | |||||
| Rating | 85% | 85% | 85% | 84% | 84% |
There is undoubtedly cases to be made for using both of these styles. From our point of view, one piece products have improved aesthetics, are less prone to leaking, require less maintenance work, and are better suited for people with a compact bathroom.
However, they are quite heavy to lift as they are made from one bit of ceramic material rather than two. So the initial steps of moving it into position could be a two man job.
Two piece units usually have a more affordable price tag, but they are time consuming to set up as the tank and bowl need to be attached together. Then you could argue that because they are generally larger on average, they aren't as versatile to use in smaller spaces.
Both of these styles have their place in the home, but it will ultimately come down to individual preference and the current household situation.
The aim of our reviews is to provide our readers with more detailed information that some online shops tend to leave out. By covering as many as the specs as we can, you will be able to see the bigger picture in terms of overall quality, and where a certain product is lacking.
Coming from a reputable brand name, the Ultramax has all the makings of a top toilet. It's environmentally friendly, with a low water flush potentially saving buyers money on their water bills. Some may even qualify for tax rebates depending on the state they live in.
The design team that worked on this clearly focused on user comfort and experience. The combination of an elongated bowl that is comfort height, ensures users get seated in a more natural position that doesn't put pressure on their joints when getting seated.
The flush valve is quite a bit bigger than two inch options, offering 125% more width for water to flow through. Achieves a 500g flush, which is a recommended score by MaP.
A look at multiple online shopping sources online show that it has been rated quite highly around the web by customers. Passing one of the important tests on our list.
Overall, we believe this could be a excellent upgrade for a residential setting. It looks great, and has the performance to handle regular bathroom usage.
If you found this information helpful, you can read more Toto toilet reviews here. They offer several alternative designs, mechanisms, and styles, serving buyers with different bathroom design preferences.
The T-0001 separates itself from its competition in a number of ways, the first being a dual flushing mechanism, and the second being an inexpensive alternative to market leading companies.
People can choose between light and heavy water usage to deal with waste. One button will send 1.0 gallons through the bowl, the other 1.6 gallons. The idea is, you save water by ensuring you pick the lighter one for liquid waste, and heavier one for solid waste. Combining both together, it meets WaterSense criteria. The activation buttons are on the tank lid.
The bowl is taller than your average bowl. Whilst standard bowls measure from base to rim around the fifteen inches mark, this model will be above seventeen inches, depending on what seat you are pairing it with. These higher bowls go by many names, but are usually known as comfort height, right height, and universal height toilets.
Comes with a no slam seat, which uses soft close hinges that help prevent damage to the surface of the bowl.
We consider this to be a excellent choice for low to medium budget buyers. It has all the important functionality we prioritize, without needing to break the bank.
You can learn more about the WoodBridge brand here. They produce a number top quality products that are a viable option for people with a medium to lower budget. Luxury extras such as bidets are also available.
If you're in the market for a model with a strong flush, the Champion 4 doesn't dissapoint. When tested by Maximum Performance (MaP), it achieved a score of 1000g, which is the highest result you can get in how well a product handles waste. However, this does come with a downside too. It uses 1.6 gallons of water to achieve this, meaning it isn't as efficient as low flow models, and can end up using excessive amounts of water in comparison.
Includes EverClean surface glazing, which is designed to reduce the amount of time needed scrubbing it clean. In effect, it's stain resistent, and will stop things like mold and bacteria from growing. Both of which are prime culprits in causing bad odors.
The bowl is right height, which they describe as a design which takes the human form into account. In layman terms, they add a few inches in height, ensuring everyone is able to sit and stand without problems.
However, be prepared to spend a little extra on a seat as unlike several of its competitors, it isn't included.
The 2034.014.020 should excel in any modern bathroom. It has the power to handle high usage, and has some great innovative features that help with the upkeep and maintenance too.
Find our more about the top American Standard toilets here. See how this model ranks among the various product ranges on offer.
The Santa Rosa is from the Kohler brand. A big brand that's built a reputation based on years of mostly reliable products. The 3810 model, has some terrific features of its own too.
But for me, the main selling point is how it retains a powerful flush whilst remaining environmentally friendly. It uses just 1.28 gallons to get a 1000g score.
It's also comfort height, measuring between seventeen and nineteen inches with the seat attached. These extra inches can be an important difference to someone with a disability. Which is why they are generally seen as ADA compliant. But they are also growing in popularity for the masses too, thanks to the comfort and ease of use.
The water level from the rim is 6-1/4 inches away which helps prevent splashing, and it has a reasonably wide water surface area measuring 11 by 8-1/8 inches. A good spec to have in fighting odors.
A grear alternative to the usual suspects, holding its own in flushing performance, and with a beautiful design finished in biscuit.
The MS614114CUFG#01 is made by one of our favorite brands, and certainly a popular choice among consumers. This model features flush technology that rivals many of the top eco friendly toilets on the market. Whilst WaterSense standards require a gallons per flush rate of 1.28, this mechanism goes beyond that with 1.0 GPF. It also meets CalGreen criteria.
The Tornado mechanism utilizes dual nozzles to swirl water quickly around the bowl, working with the CEFIONTECT surface coating to rinse it more effectively.
Externally, the design will look at home in a modern bathroom thanks to its skirted, elongated shape bowl. It will also meet ADA standards, by offering a slightly taller bowl than average.
A great option for the home if you want to minimize the amount of water you're using each year. What's more, it's powerful, includes a seat, and easier to maintain and clean thanks to its smoother surface.
Rough in measurement - Most readers will undoubtedly require a twelve inch model. However, fourteen inch and ten inch toilets are there for a reason. Users will need to get the measuring tape out and learn what there rough in is. This step is very important and shouldn't be overlooked as it determines how well yours will fit. Don't want to go through the refund process? Take time to get this right.
Height of bowl - If you're a fan of tall toilets, look out for products labelled universal or right height. These are categorized like this to enable consumers to identify the bowls which meet Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for accessible design in the bathroom. They start at seventeen inches but some can be as tall as nineteen inches.
Efficiency - It doesn't matter what style or brand you're a fan of, if it lacks basic water conservation features, it loses points in our view. To determine whether or not the productyou've got your eyes on is efficient, look for the WaterSense label. This identifies the low flow units more clearly. WaterSense is really a set of water saving guidelines a product has to meet. In this case, Anything 1,28 GPF and under can be categorized as such.
Brands - You may be familiar with top brands like Toto, American Standard, and Kohler, but there are also some great alternatives like WoodBridge, Swiss Madison, Mansfield, Icera, Delta, Mirabelle, Duravit, and Gerber that have several of their own innovative advantages over the competition. The point is, don't think too narrow whilst researching.
Rim to water - This is the measurement of distance from rim to the water surface. Most modern lavatories are above five inches in this regard. Too far away from the rim and it will effect water surface area and aim, and too close you risk the dreaded splashing effect.
Water spot size - How big is the water spot? You want something fairly large as its a good feature to have to keep bad odors down for longer. American Standard are known for having products offering large water surface areas.
Activation - You have a choice of touchless flush activation, standard trip lever, or buttons. Think about which will be the most advantageous for users in your household, both in terms of hygiene and conveniece. Touchless is the newer innovation out of the three as it enables consumers to be completely hands free, which means you will be in contact with less germs. However, they do require batteries, and have been known to be defective too. Sometimes it's best to keep it simple to avoid dealing with the return of items.
Seat included? - Check the small print, does it come with a seat? You would think that would be something that comes part of the package. Unfortunately not, there are many companies that require seats to be purchased separately by the consumer, often a hidden extra cost, that can end up exceeding your set budget. This same rule applies to the water supply fixtures too.
The products we've chosen above are among the top rated one piece toilets in our opinion. Our guide should shed some light on what the important qualities they have and how they can benefit you. Whilst aesthetics is undoubtedly a important talking point, you need to look a little deeper, and gauge flushing performance, how eco friendly it is, and what customers are saying about it around the web. Don't limit yourself to the positives, see what the one star ratings are saying too.