Toilet Brains may earn compensation through affiliate links on this page.
There is a growing trend of people turning to low flow toilets to make savings on their water bills each year. And there is good reason for this. WaterSense labelled products are noted as saving as much as twenty percent compared to the 1.6 gallon variants. It may not seem like much, but when you consider that your average bathroom consumes almost thirty percent of a households annual water usage, it's quite a significant figure.
But how do you find a good match for your home? I can help you get the ball rolling. We aim to provide our readers with helpful toilet ratings based on a set criteria and in depth research. This research involves looking at a units numerous features and specifications, whilst comparing them with several other leaders in this industry.
| Image | Product | Rating |
|---|---|---|
  |
American Standard 221DA.104.020 Colony | 89% |
  |
KOHLER 3810-0-Santa-Rosa | 89% |
  |
TOTO MS614114CEFG#12 Carlyle II | 88% |
  |
Niagara 22001WHCO1 EcoLogic | 86% |
There are plenty of features to be scrutinized in water saving toilets, several of which can tell you a lot about the overall quality of a product. So, after several hours of research, we found the 221DA.104.020 from the Colony range of AS, and from what we've gathered to date, it could be a excellent investment for those among you with a low budget.
Externally, it's got what can only be described as a basic design. Not to say that's a bad thing, but it doesn't stand out in my opinion. It's two piece, finished in white, and as the manufacturer states, built to be durable.
However, for an affordable option, a 1.28 gallon flush, operated via a left hand trip lever, may be a suitable choice for your average family household.
It may not be the most powerful available, but the combination of a power wash rim, plus a two inch trapway and flush valve, and you're left with a loo that gets the waste removal job done effectively.
Picking the top KOHLER loos was a difficult and time consuming task. But the 3810-0 from the Santa Rosa collection is a low flush toilet that we believe has the quality to take the runner up slot for several reasons.
Firstly, the one piece design ensures cleaning is simpler because there is no longer small gaps between the tank and bowl because they come joined together, rather than two separate parts. Not only that, but they tend to be a more compact option, with several leading products offering a low footprint. To give readers an idea of installation space required, the dimensions given by the manufacturer are as follows: 18.8 inches by 27.8 inches by 28.2 inches.
The trip lever is located on the side of its tank and will send 1.28 gallons through its bowl. All this whilst utilizing an AquaPiston mechanism to great effect in clearing the bowl of waste.
It could be a favorable choice for those wanting easy access in seating. It fits comfort height criteria, which makes its bowl that little bit taller than your standard loo. This in itself can be beneficial to a variety of different people with a wide range of accessibility requirements.
The lid and seat comes as part of the package, which knocks off much of the extra expenses you find in other models that don't include them.
After looking through our sources online, we find that this could be a decent mid range option for a residential setting.
As someone who appreciates many of the current ranges that TOTO toilets produce, it comes as no surprise that I find myself putting the MS614114CEFG#12 at number 3.
This is yet another example of a one piece loo that comes with a contemporary style, hiding the trapway well with its skirted base. Perhaps made more unique by its sedona beige finish. However, if beige isn't your style, you'll find plenty of alternatives if you shop around, with bone, colonial white, and cotton potential options.
The elongated bowl is noted as being 'universal height', pretty much the same term as comfort height, meaning a taller seating height, similar to that of a chair. This gets labelled different things across brands, but they are mostly interchangeable.
Specially designed SanaGloss glazing will help stop the build up of unwanted bugs and bacteria, keeping it clean and hygienic.
The flush mechanism being utilized is known as Tornado Flush, which uses two nozzles to siphon water, creating a powerful, yet effective flush, whilst still only consuming 1.28 gallons.
Something worth considering however, is that this is quite expensive compared to some of its competitors, so it's not well suited for people wanting to find a bargain.
I see the EcoLogic as a cheaper low water toilet for those working with a smaller budget. Niagara are a brand known for designing water conservation fixtures for the bathroom. And this is another that fits the bill, using 1.28 GPF.
Something that can often confuse consumers is the idea that the lower down the price scale you go, the lower the quality. This does hold true in several cases, but hidden in the market, are options that are still equipped with good designs, and decent functionality that will still handle day to day use in your average family household. In my opinion the 22001WHCO1 is one of those.
The bowl is ADA compliant, which is criteria loos follow to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act. This involves ensuring it's of an appropriate height for people to sit on. What's more, the bowl is round, which is generally more compact than its elongated counterpart.
And because it operates without a flapper, the noises levels are greatly reduced too.
On the whole, the exterior is quite basic, finished in white, two piece, and made of vitreous china. However, despite the price point, there are some positives to be found.
| American Standard 221DA.104.020 | KOHLER 3810-0 | TOTO MS614114CEFG#12 | Niagara 22001WHCO1 | |
| Type | Two piece | One piece | One piece | Two piece |
| Flush | HET | HET | HET | HET |
| GPF | 1.28 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 1.28 |
| Bowl | Round | Elongated | Elongated | Round |
| Comfort height | ||||
| Color | White | White | Beige | White |
| Dimensions | 25.8 x 19.2 x 29.9" | 18.8 x 27.8 x 28.2" | 28.2 x 28.2 x 16.5" | 28 x 17.8 x 28.5" |
| Weight | 61 lbs | 102 lbs | 110 lbs | 105 lbs |
| Rating | 89% | 89% | 88% | 86% |
Water efficient toilets can be advantageous in more ways than one. Despite there being so much choice on the market, this type of loo is becoming more and more popular, featuring in many stores as best sellers. We highlight a few ways these can be beneficial to the modern home owner.
Save money - These products will help people make savings on their water energy bills each month. When you combine this with other efficient products in your household, you will see a noticeable difference in how much you spend over a year.
Environmental protection - Choosing to install one of them over traditional options with a heavier flush will play its part in conservation. If many people followed suit, there would be far less wasted water yearly.
Compact - Because they are not required to carry as much water as their 1.6 GPF counterparts, they don't tend to need a big, bulky tank. Which means, manufacturers produce products that have a smaller overall footprint, making them suitable for smaller sized bathrooms.
Rebates - Some municipalities offer incentives to buyers of such models. A little extra cash to upgrade never hurt anyone!
Something that will no doubt be seen as a disadvantage is that Watersense toilets don't always come equipped with good bulk flushing performance. That doesn't mean to say they are useless in this respect, just that there are models out there that come with class five ratings that will handle waste removal from the bowl better. However, they normally use far more water.
Some of you will need questions answered before you spend any cash. Which is perfectly understandable, especially if you're not experienced with any aspect of plumbing or home improvement. For that reason, we've set up a FAQ page. Other common problems consumers tend to run into are listed below. With any luck, it will help prevent a few headaches in the near future.
Flush type - High efficiency toilets come in various shapes and sizes, and there is also a fair amount of choice when it comes to the flushing mechanism too. You're not limited to single flush options either. If you look around, you'll also see some great dual flush loos that offer users a choice between two differing levels of water power through the bowl.
WaterSense labelled - The Environmental Protection Agecny (EPA), puts this label on loos that meet a specific water usage criteria. In this case, anything at 1.28 gallons per flush and below.
Bowl surface - Try to get an understanding of what sort of finish or glazing has been applied. You will certainly come across several options that have special glazed bowls that are designed to fight bacteria, mold and mildew. In doing so, making maintenance easy. The build up of these things can result in a unhygienic bathroom, with foul smelling odors.
Rough in - You should be aware of your rough in size. Without knowing, you could end up purchasing a product that doesn't quite fit the waste outlet. Typically, they are 12 inches, but there are numerous households scattered around the US that need a fourteen or ten inch unit fitted.
We have covered several of the main things you should be looking for when browsing through the most efficient toilets online. By sticking to the buying guide and tips above, you will be on the right path to finding a suitable option for your bathrooms needs. Just keep an eye out for that WaterSense label, and ensure you get the right size rough in. The advantages are clear, I've provided several recommendations based on functionality and design, now it's up to you. Good luck.