Gerber Maxwell 21-418 - any good? bowl: 21-728 tank: 28-490

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redcoat

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Hi,

Having new home built, and unfortunately aren't given many options. We did upgrade to the comfort height toilets, and have been told that we're getting this one, I think http://www.gerberonline.com/item.aspx?itemid=133 ("bowl: 21-728 and the tank: 28-490").

Can anyone tell me if it's any good? If not, can you provide ammunition for me to try and change the builder's mind?

thanks!

Red

maxwell_inside_tank.jpg


28-490 tank

maxwell_trapway.jpg


The trapway of the Gerber Maxwell 21-728.
 
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My family of five recently moved to a new construction home near the Issaquah Highlands. I would like to have new toilets installed as the "builder quality" toilets in this house have been prone to clogging over the past few weeks.


The builder, put in Gerber Maxwells -- two 21-412 Elongated 2 pc 1.6gpf and a 21-402 Round Front 2pc 1.6gpf. All of them appear to have 12" rough-ins.

Chris in Sammamish
 

redcoat

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These are different part #s - mine is 21-418, which is the comfort height Maxwell. Will this make a difference?
 

Terry

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Hi Jamie,
Thanks for the new Drake II install. It's working like a champ.
Chris in Sammamish

These are different part #s - mine is 21-418, which is the comfort height Maxwell. Will this make a difference?
Redcoat


I don't think it wil change much. Jamie has the Maxwell that he took out in the van now. Though I think he's making a dump run so I won't get a chance to look at it.

maxwell_trapway.jpg


Updated 3/9/2014
Here's the bowl headed to the dump.
 
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redcoat

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Thanks...

On their website it lists a MaP of 600, and they confirmed that when I called. However, I then checked here: http://www.allianceforwaterefficien...ucts/MaP/2013-08-05-MaP-Tank-type-Toilets.pdf and it's listed at 300!!

I called Gerber back, and they eventually came back and said..."ah, yes, that's a mistake - it should show 300"!!

I called the builder and told him to not upgrade the toilets ($200 a pop), and I will upgrade them when the house closes.

What would be the best bang for my buck for a relatively quiet comfort-height? Or put another way, the cheapest well-performing toilet? :D

Thanks for the help.
 

WJcandee

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I called the builder and told him to not upgrade the toilets ($200 a pop), and I will upgrade them when the house closes.

What would be the best bang for my buck for a relatively quiet comfort-height? Or put another way, the cheapest well-performing toilet? :D

Thanks for the help.

That's the right move. You can put that $200 towards a good toilet. Call around to various plumbing supply places and ask about the one Terry recommended, Toto Drake II, Model CST454CEFG. I would try 4 or 5 places, because prices vary widely. You can do some research, look at pictures of the toilet, etc. In a brand-new house, self-installation should be very simple. You will love that toilet.
 

Gary Swart

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For heavens sake! You live almost in walking distance from Terry. Well, that's a bit of a stretch, but you're close. He's got the best prices anywhere on Toto which are a superb toilet. (Any of their models)
 

Nukeman

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The "reader review" is, but redcoat is in NC.

I'll put in another vote for the Drake II. That is what I went with. It's nice and made in the USA too.

If you want to spend a bit less, the original Drake is a good choice.
 

WJcandee

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Here's the thing. Why do builders even bother installing garbage like this? If they aren't going to install something good, why install something affirmatively-mediocre? Worse, why call this an "upgrade"? There are $99 toilets that are a lot better-designed than this 2" flush valve, garbage trapway, ballcock thing.

A friend just had her hack install a new toilet in her dive bar. He put in a Glacier Bay, less than $100 at HD. (Love the guys who do the whole job out of HD.) Rolling my eyes, I looked at it last night. It flushes okay, has a 3" flush valve and 400A fill valve. I'm sure it isn't going to be sufficiently-durable, but it performs better than I would have expected. Not so the thing above. So why wouldn't a builder just buy a cheaply-made, reasonably-well-performing toilet rather than a better-looking, poorly-performing toilet? Just makes no sense.
 

Gusherb94

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I would hope a builder would know better (and most probably do), but the majority go for whatever's cheapest. Also, believe it or not there's still ALOT of people still in the school of thought that "a toilets a toilet" which hasn't applied for the better part of 22 years now, since the 1.6 GPF mandate took effect. Before that, most 3.5 GPF toilets performed fairly well with the exception of a few brands at the time. Now you have the choice of "Good, Better, and Best" from every manufacturer.
 

Terry

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Builders may be only making 5% profit on their homes. It's hard to upgrade much and not lose your shirt.
I don't blame them.

It does create an aftermarket for us though. :)
 

WJcandee

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I think my point is more "If you're going to install something cheap, at least install something cheap that works."
 

Terry

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I think my point is more "If you're going to install something cheap, at least install something cheap that works."

Then what would I do?

But seriously, when I polled the plumbers in 98 about what toilets they were installing, and which ones worked, most of them said they didn't work well, and they had been using the same brand for thirty years. That's how much they cared.
They knew they were installing junk, and so what.

Me on the other hand, I like the repeat business I get from selling the good stuff.
 

glazer1972

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A good flushing cheap toilet is a Western Pottery B872 ADA Elongated Bowl with a T8ULFHET Tank.
Rated 1000 on the MAF. I can sell one over the counter for around a hundred bucks. I have one in my house along with a 10" rough which is the same bowl with a T8ULFHET10 Tank. These are 1.28 gpf models. Haven't clogged either one yet. Used to clog my Am. Std. Cadet Els weekly.
 
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