Best Toilets 2020 (Updated May ’20)

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Best Toilet Overall

Toto

5/5 Product Rating

The Drake line of Toto toilets are great. However, this model is our top choice for best toilet overall. The holistic design principles of Toto toilets has translated into a quality, functional, and long-lasting toilet. The Drake is a high profile, comfortable, quiet, easy-to-clean, ADA compliant toilet. Toto designed the toilet with low consumption siphon jet flushing action. This toilet is a two-piece toilet with a chrome plated trip lover, tank with lid, fittings, and a uniquely engineered design that only Toto can accomplish.
The attention to detail that Toto put into this model has resulted in unmatched performance, reliability, durability, and does not require frequent cleaning. Simply stated, the engineering and resulting execution of the design that produced a superior toilet. Other toilets leave stains after a single flush, not so with this model; the effect is less frequent cleaning and a more clean toilet bowl. If you have children or guests that use a lot of toilet paper, then this is the model for you as is it avoids embarrassing clogs. We have found this to be the best overall toilet and a delightful find that is a must-have for every home.- Julie Foster

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Best Dual Flushing Toilet

WoodBridge

4.9/5 Product Rating

The Woodbridge dual flush elongated one-piece toilet is the best eco-friendly toilet on the market. The toilet design has no corners or grooves and a skirted trapway making for easy cleaning. The design of the toilet is modern, luxurious, sleek, and fully functional as a dual flush system design; one flush flushes a 1 gallon the other is at 1.6 gallons per flush-averaging 1.28 gallons per flush.The Woodbridge is an all in one package design. We received a pre-installed soft closing toilet seat, a high-quality wax ring, floor bolts, and easy to follow installation instructions. The toilet is a WaterSense Certified toilet and meets the strict EPA flushing guidelines resulting in 16,500 gallons of water savings per year as compared to a 3.5-gallon toilet. The fully glazed flush system is both quiet and powerful making for fewer clogs, no leaks, and fewer problems than other toilets.

– Julie Foster

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Best Budget Toilet

Niagra

4.7/5 Product Rating

The Niagra Stealth is our choice for the best budget toilet. This toilet has a white elongated bowl and tank and flushes at 0.8 gallons. The Stealth toilet is also EPA WaterSense labeled and is a great choice for those on a strict budget. Keep in mind this is a review for best budget toilet and not for the cheapest toilet; this toilet is a great budget-friendly model that uses half as much water as standard toilets. Thus keeping your water bill lower than what a standard toilet would.Niagra aptly named this toilet Stealth, as we have found it to be quiet and we are sure that you will too. Upon reading the manufacture description, we were skeptical about the water savings. However, we are pleased to report that it not only saves water but refills quickly. If you’re looking for the best budget toilet, then the Niagra Stealth is the model you’ll want to purchase. We have found the dual benefits of this toilet to be savings on water and that it is the best budget toilet available.

– Julie Foster

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Best Budget Toilet

Camco

4.8/5 Product Rating

This portable toilet by Camco is both lightweight and compact yet supports up to 330 pounds of weight. The flush tank is located on the top and holds 2.5 gallons of water. This is a complete toilet with a seat, lid, bowl, and carrying handles. Made for those of us that are not fond of walking in tress in the dark to heavily used campsite restrooms, the Camco is a great portable toilet.The sturdy construction of the base coupled with a caped flush tank that can be removed to fill it with clean water. There is also a pump that flushes water into the tank for waste removal. For easy cleanup, we have found it useful to prime the tank before use for solid waste. The waste tank is latch secured and there is a well-constructed sliding gate valve that opens for waste and seals in both water and odor.

– Julie Foster

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Best Camping Toilet

Playberg

4.8/5 Product Rating

While we have this listed as best camping toilet, we should make it clear this is best for hiked camping areas or where you must pack out waste. This toilet not only holds up to 300 pounds but is portable and travels easily. The folding toilet is great for backpacking, hiking, river-trips, boating, and camping.The Playberg folding toilet clicks into place when unfolded. The waste bags are easy to use and can interchangeable with bags that are between 8 and 13 gallons. Moreover, it weighs around three pounds and easily strapped to the back of hiking pack with a carabiner or cam strap.

– Julie Foster

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Best Marine Toilet

Thetford

4.8/5 Product Rating

The Thetford Porta Potti Toilet is a great unit that we have found to be leak and spill free. It is compact enough to fit in most marine situations as well as for trucking and vans. The sealed vale has proven to keep odors from escaping from the holding tank of this head.We have found that this is easy to carry and clean. It also has a level indicator that lets you know when it is time to be emptied. It is very easy to dump, clean, and flushes nicely; making this the best marine toilet.

– Julie Foster

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Best Composting Toilet

Nature’s Head

4.8/5 Product Rating

The Thetford Porta Potti Toilet is a great unit that we have found to be leak and spill free. It is compact enough to fit in most marine situations as well as for trucking and vans. The sealed vale has proven to keep odors from escaping from the holding tank of this head.We have found that this is easy to carry and clean. It also has a level indicator that lets you know when it is time to be emptied. It is very easy to dump, clean, and flushes nicely; making this the best marine toilet.

– Julie Foster

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Best Flushing Toilet

Kohler

4.8/5 Product Rating

The Kohler Cimarron, fitted with an AquaPiston Universal Gasket is great for those that require lower gallons per flush. This toilet is a two-piece model made with an elongated bowel; offering you added room and comfort. The 360-degree water entry valve creates a smooth and consistent water flow to the bowl, which increases the power and effectiveness of the flush. This is a one and done flusher!The AquaPiston canister flush has a design that gives it the ability to have a lower actuation force than that of a standard flapper. The effect is a toilet that has less chance for a short flush coupled with a powerful and a plug-free flush. For easy use, seating for the Cimarron is at the height of a standard chair. This toilet has what Kohler describes as Class Five flushing technology which we have found to be powerful and effective for disposing of solid waste. The design, power and effectiveness of the flush, and AquaPiston canister make the Cimarron the best flushing toilet.

– Julie Foster

Toilet Buying Guide

Toilet Options: One Piece Toilet, Two Piece Toilet, or Wall Mount Toilet

There are several different options that you will want to decide before you purchase a new toilet. We’ve outlined many of the choices you will have below so you are familiar with the different kinds of toilets and what they offer.

• 1 or 2 piece – Toilets come in one or two pieces. The two-piece variety has a separate tank that is installed separately from the bowl. They are the less expensive choice even though there isn’t really a difference in the way they work or in the parts that each has.

The main distinguishable difference between a 1 and 2 piece toilet is that the 1 piece models are much easier to clean and keep clean. One feature to look for in a 2 piece toilet is a high-quality sanitary bar.

The purpose of the sanitary bar is to prevent any liquid from collecting underneath the tank at the back of the toilet bowl itself. If liquid is allowed to collect there, it can negatively affect the fixtures due to the acidic nature of the liquid.

• Wall Toilet – Another choice that you have is the wall toilet. Most wall toilets are found in commercial businesses but due to the easy cleaning and maintenance they offer, they are starting to gain some popularity for home bathrooms as well. The drawback to wall toilets is that they require different plumbing and waste disposal which makes them better choices for brand new home builds and not necessarily remodels unless you don’t mind re-plumbing everything from scratch and handling a totally different waste disposal system.

When you are looking at the different types of toilets, be sure to look at the type of trap it has, regardless of whether it is a 1 or 2 piece unit. The majority of toilets on the market have a 2” trap that is glazed but a much better option and one that has fewer backups and clogs is a trap that is 2 3/8” size. In general, the bigger the trap, the fewer problems you will have with clogging and backups.

Round and Elongated Toilet Bowl Options

There are two basic types of toilet bowls to choose from.

• Round
• Elongated

The elongated toilet bowl is more popular with homeowners due to the extra 2” of space. They are a lot more comfortable to sit down on. They are more expensive than the standard round bowls and are not very good choices if space is at a premium. Most very small bathrooms have round toilets in them since they take up less space. Thus, choosing the best toilet can be space contingent.

Toilet Height Choices

Another factor that you will need to consider and decide on is the height of your toilet. The regular, standard toilet is 14” to 15” high. This measurement is taken from the floor to the top of the bowl (keep the seat up to measure)

Toilets can go as high as 19” which many people prefer. The taller height is much more comfortable for tall people and it is also very beneficial for anyone with a physical disability that prevents them from sitting down and bending at the knee as far as a 14’15” toilet would require.

For a toilet to be compliant with the ADA it must be a height of at least 16.5”. This height may not be easy for young children just learning to use the toilet, but there are plenty of step stools that are designed for the bathroom that can help a child climb up safely.

Flushing Options

Next on the list of options to look at and choose is the type of flushing mechanism you prefer for your toilet. There are several different types of flushing options available. This is one of the best-kept secrets about toilets because most consumers don’t realize that there are different flushing options that they can choose from.

• Gravity-Fed – This type of flushing mechanism uses natural gravity to dump water from the tank into the bowl. This process creates a siphon that then rids the bowl of the waste by drawing it down into the sewer line. This type of flushing option generally works just fine in most all conditions.
• Power Assisted – Power assisted flushing mechanisms use an electric motor that brings air pressure into the sealed tank to rid the bowl of the waste. The tank of a power-assisted flushing toilet holds water in the tank that is released under pressure. Power assisted flushing toilets are very common in commercial settings.
• Pressure-Assisted – A pressure assisted flushing mechanism has an internally sealed tank that fills with water as air pressure builds up. The force behind this pressure produces water that comes out in a blast and removes waste from the bowl.

Pressure-assisted toilets are louder than other types which can be an annoyance but there is some work that is being done to correct this problem. To work correctly, a pressure assisted flushing toilet takes 25 pounds of water pressure per square inch.

• Dual – A dual flush toilet has the option of a low water flush for liquid only waste and a full flush, at 1.6 gallons of water, for solid waste removal. The problem with the dual flush toilets is that many people would not normally take the time to choose the proper flush for the situation which could result in incomplete waste removal from the toilet or a waste of water.

High Efficiency – A high-efficiency toilet is a great way to save water. They typically use 1.28 gallons of water per flush rather than the 1.6 that is normally used. High-efficiency options are available with many different flushing types. What makes a toilet high efficiency is the amount of water that is used per flush and not how the toilet flushes. If you want to save water, especially if you have a large family, opt for high-efficiency toilets. Every little bit of savings adds up. Purchasing a high-efficiency toilet can save quite a bit of money when it comes to your water bill over the course of a year. You’d be shocked to know just how much water is being wasted with every flush.

Toilet Seat Options

The majority of toilets that are sold are sold without toilet seats. This is an item that will need to be purchased separately. You will start by choosing either a round or elongated seat depending on which toilet bowl you chose. You cannot use a round seat on an elongated bowl and vice versa so be sure you know which type you purchased so you get the right seat.

The next factor in choosing a toilet seat is the material that the seat is made from. You can get toilet seats that are made from plastic, from solid wood, and from pressed wood. They can be covered with vinyl and have a ring of cushioned foam or just be solid hardwood.

Other types of toilet seat features include slow closing seats, bidet seats and warm, air drying seats too. Many of these fancier choices cost more but the consumers who purchase them really feel the cost is worth it for these special touches. Be sure to think about the features you will truly use before buying what sounds the “coolest”.

Toilet Color Options

This is a strictly cosmetic aspect of choosing the right toilet, but it is one that is still important among consumers that are looking for a new toilet. The colors that toilets are available in can range from white only to something as striking and unusual as red, black or even other bright colors.

If you’re willing to put out the money, you can get a toilet in whatever color you really want. Most people go with the same color toilet that their bathtub and sink are. If you are working with a brand new build, you have the opportunity to choose different colors that will go with specific décor or tile colors. Whatever you choose, your bathroom will look much better and more elegant when the toilet matches the other pieces in your bathroom.

For additional facelift effects, repaint the walls, get a new shower curtain and new towels too which will give your whole bathroom a great new look without costing an arm and a leg. Bathrooms can look completely different without a lot of money being spent, so many take advantage of this chance to do some upgrades while they are replacing their toilets.

How To Measure For A New Toilet

One of the most important aspects of getting the right toilet is making sure that you know exactly how much room you have for the new one. You will accomplish that by measuring the area that you will be putting the toilet. Many people think that they can just eyeball the space but this had led to plenty of frustrating return trips to the home improvement store to return the new toilet for another one that IS the right size.

You will be measuring the rough in size in your bathroom where the old toilet was. Measuring properly is fairly simple but must be followed to ensure that you get the right size toilet for the allotted space and not end up with one too large.

To get the right sized toilet for your bathroom, measure from the center of the pipe that carries the waste out of the bowl, to the baseboard of the wall behind the toilet. Do not include the trim or baseboards in the measurement or it will not be accurate.

Another way to measure is to measure from the center of one of the closest bolts that hold the toilet in place. If there are 4 bolts that hold the toilet down, measure from the ones in the back.

You also want to measure side to side if the toilet space you are working with is exceptionally small. There is a standard rough-in measurement that is common with bathrooms and that is 12”. You may find that the older toilets have rough-ins of anywhere from 10” to 14”.

When you are replacing the toilet, make sure you get a new wax ring as well as those can’t be reused in any way and they are important for preventing any leaks from the bottom of the tank where it meets the pipe to go out of the house.

Conclusion

Now that you have all of the information you need to choose the best toilet, flushing action, height, color, and water usage, you are ready to start shopping. It is much better to be prepared and have everything figured out ahead of time, rather than sorting through a bunch of toilets without knowing if they are the right kind for your needs and bathroom size as well as your budget.

Toilets can cost anywhere from around a hundred or so dollars for a very basic one, to hundreds of dollars for the more advanced, feature-filled models. Decide on your budget ahead of time as well so you don’t waste time looking at toilets you can’t afford.

Not only will getting a new toilet help you save water, it can be a way to give your bathroom a facelift as well, especially if you choose to get a new sink and repaint the walls as well. With all of the choices available, there is no question as to whether you will find something you like.

Not only are you going to make your bathroom look nicer with an upgraded toilet, you will save money and water with the new efficient designs that are available and the whole bathroom experience will be much more enjoyable for you.

Best Rated Toilets Comparison Chart