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Intelligent toilets typically have a mixture of smart functionality combined with other traditional features. This means that you get the best of both worlds. Innovative technology and solid flush performance.
We're going to be looking into the various ways these luxury toilets can benefit you by providing in depth reviews of the most popular products. We will be hand pick several of our favorites and analyze their specifications and capabilities below.
The Karing collection is made by Kohler, a well known, reputable company that we've reviewed here. The exterior of the K-4026 features a elongated shape bowl, and a concealed trapway. It's finished in white, and the seat / lid come with it.
Internally, there is a number of different pieces of tech that will improve user comfort. The bidet spray is one example of this, seat heating another.
There are some really clever settings like the seat and lid automatically opening thanks to motion detectors. You'll also get a LED light that lights up the bowl in the evenings.
The level of detail in these types of toilets goes far beyond your average product. However, the more technology included, the higher the price in comparsion to standard units.
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| Kohler Karing | Toto Neorest | Kohler Veil | Ove Smart | |
| Model number | K-4026-0 | MS992CUMFG#01 | K-5401-0 | 735H |
| Flush type | Power Lite | Dual | Dual | HET |
| Touchless | . | |||
| Trip lever | ||||
| Button | ||||
| GPF | 1.28 | 0.8 / 1.0 | 0.8 / 1.28 | 1.28 |
Rim height
Height without seat
|
15-1/2" | 15 9/16" | 15-5/8" | N/A |
| Elongated | . | |||
| Round | ||||
| Square | ||||
| Dimensions | 25 x 22 x 32" | 32.5 x 15.5 x 21.5" | 26.4 x 17.2 x 21.4" | 31.3 x 16.8 x 23.8" |
| Weight | 110 lbs | 120 lbs | 110 lbs | 88 lbs |
| Concealed trap | . | |||
| Skirted | . | |||
| One piece | . | |||
| Two piece | ||||
| Intelligent | . | |||
| Colors | White | White | White | White |
| Seat | . | |||
| Rating | 85% | 85% | 84% | 84% |
What makes a toilet smart? It's not their ability to save water or even how powerful their flush is. While these two things make up a very important part of our rating criteria, it isn't what sets them apart as these features are found in standard toilets too. So what exactly is it that gives them an edge? We explore some of their innovations below.
Automatic flushing - By having sensors in place, manufacturers can build their products to sense when a user has finished doing their business and automatically flush. This is done without needing to touch any buttons or levers. By removing the need to physically touch shared trip levers, you also reduce the amount of germs and bacteria being spread, protecting users health.
Automatic seat - Similarly to the above, many of these units can detect when you're approaching or walking away and lift or close the seat/lid accordingly. A convenient and hygienic improvement for bathroom visits.
Self cleaning - It doesn't matter if its cleaning the bidets wand every so often, or rinsing out the bowl thoroughly, these are things you can expect them to do on there own without any interaction from you. In the event that you forget to wash the bowl for a while, at least you can have peace of mind that it does a bit of maintenance itself.
Premist - When conducting your own research, you may come across the term premist. This is simply a name given to a setting that mists up the inside of the bowl so that the surface is smoother and slicker, stopping waste from sticking or streaking.
Bidet spray - A bidet wand is a prominent feature of this type of product. It's certainly something you want included as it helps you clean up after. Some would argue it does so more thoroughly than paper too. These wands shoot sprays of water at a position of your choice (usually front and back options). They can also have adjustable water temperature and pressure settings too.
Dryer- You may be thinking what's the point of having a bidet if you're going to be left wet afterwards anyway. You would still need paper. However, there many of them now come with dryers that take care of this.
Heated seats - Sitting down on a cold seat isn't the nicest of experiences. Yet that's something we've come to deal with in standard seats. However, there are now options to warm it up to a temperature of your choosing. You can now sit down in comfort. Warm and relaxed.
Deodrizer - Having a good air freshener and a larger water surface area used to be peoples defence against bad odors. However, deodrizers can now do this for you, leaving the washroom smelling fresher.
Nightlight - If you've ever woken up in the dead of night to go to the toilet, you'll know how turning on the lights can wake you up more than you'd like. Getting back to sleep can prove difficult afterwards. The solution these products offer is a nightlight that illuminates the bowl and removes the necessity of switching on the main lights.
Remote - While some models don't come with remote controls, generally, most do. These controls are usually a pad full of buttons that can be either detachable and wireless, or simply located on the side of the bowl. Whichever it is, these controls will put you in charge of all the temperatures, water pressure, and dryers at the click of a button.
The K-4026 has almost everything you'll even want for conducting your bathroom duties. Comfort, hygiene, efficiency, and convenience are all terms we'd use to describe it. You could also say that it's fully immersive.
The bowl is skirted, compact, and elongated in shape. Because this skirting smoothes over the outside of its bowl, it improve the aesthetics and leaves fewer places for dirt to hide. That's why we prefer this style over the standard bowls. In addition to these benefits, you'll also not have to see the trapway pipes.
The bidet installation has a wand with numerous settings related to water pressure, temperature, and aim. It also rinses itself clean afterwards.
It operates on a Power Lite flushing mechanism which is highly efficient and conserves water. The flow rate listed by the manufacturer is 1.28 GPF. Users are in control of the flush itself, which can be activated through the remote or touchscreen. You'll get the choice of using this touchscreen in a handheld fashion, or by mounting it up on your wall.
It's floor mounted, constructed in vitreous china, and finished in white. The overall dimensions are 25 by 22 by 32 inches, and it comes with a handy LED lighting system that illuminates the bowl and its surrounding areas.
The Neorest is made by Toto. A big name which we've covered in more detail here. The MS992CUMFG#01 model came to our attention because of its huge variety in specs.
For the purpose of everyday bathroom usage, this could be a great choice. It has a dual flush mechanism which handles waste with either 1.0 or 0.8 gallons of water. This is excellent news for people looking to replace their current toilet with a economically friendly one. To further explore this efficiency, you only need to look as far as the WaterSense label. This label is only given to products that meet certain water standards listed by the Environmental Protection Agency. If it's environmentally friendly enough for the EPA, it's good enough for your home.
This dual system not only allows you to pick a full and half flush, but also cleans the bowl well due to its cyclone mechanism that rinses the bowl thoroughly.
Some of the most advanced features include a heated seat, a flush that's hands free, and a jetted spray that comes with different pressure settings. These include pulsating and oscillating.
The seat is soft closing which protect the rim to some extent, and themajority of the settings can be controlled via a remote.
If you're after style and performance rolled into one, the K-5401 Veil could be your perfect match. There is something simple, yet visually pleasing about the exterior. Perhaps that comes down to the sleek, seamless sides that give it an unusually modern shape.
This is a one piece unit, elongated in shape to support the legs more effectively, and unlike many of its competitors, its trip lever / buttons will be placed onto the wall. For some people, this is far more accessible.
Similar to the Neorest above, this makes use of a dual flush system to push waste through the outlet. The only differene between them is that this one will use a bit more water in its full flush (1.28 gallons). This still meets Watersense criteria though.
Users will have the ability to change up the position, shape, pressure, and temperature of the water sprays shot out of its bidet wand. Each of these functions will be controlled via remote.
After you've finished with cleaning yourself up, you can then make use of the built in dryer to dry yourself off. All the while, you'll be sitting on a nice and warm heated seat.
Its dimensions are 26.4 by 17.2 by 21.4 inches and its finished in a beautiful white. You'll also have one year limited warranty upon purchase.
Ove Decors are one of those brands that don't tend to be as recognized as the market leaders. However, you shouldn't let that put you off, or determine whether they have a product suitable for your washroom.
In fact, looking at the 735h and its spec list, there are plenty of things built in that help us determine that it holds its own against its competition.
Like the others, the elongated shape seat ensures users are comfortable while seated and have enough room. The bowl is also skirted round the edge. This seems to be something these products have in common. Visually, they have similar designs.
The great thing about the 735h and its flushing technology is that it consumes smaller quantities of water while scoring high on the Maximum Performance scale (800 grams).
There is a bidet that shoots warm water, with both air and massage washing listed as options. The seat can be warmed up and the flush is automatic.
Height - Some of you may have people living in the household with severe disabilities or mobility problems. Sometimes, small changes in the design can make the world of difference. This holds true for the height of the bowl too. You'll want to consider if a standard height is tall enough for you, or if you require something a bit taller like right height bowls. The difference in height of these two may only be a couple of inches in most cases, but it can determine whether or not something is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act or not.
Consumer feedback - Browse through customer reviews online and look for people who're complaining about their products. See what the issues are and try to get an understanding of whether the issue is isolated or something that seems to be occuring regularly. This is a great way to sort the good products from the faulty. Typical problems to watch out for include leaking, not clearing waste from the bowl, clogging up, or electrical issues.
The top smart toilets will have a number of settings to make you feel relaxed and at ease. They should also add a level of convenience and hygiene that wasn't there previously. The ones we've chosen above provide all of that and more, but it's important to remember that for all the positives, there is still a negative. And that's the price tag. They are generally a lot more expensive then your standard gravity fed models. But, if you're not working with a tight budget, they are highly recommended and worth the upgrade.