Lost - Need help choosing toilet

[Lchap]

Please, I need help. My 20-year toilet went kaput. My husband passed, so just me & taking several weeks to choose - my head is spinning.

Stats: toilet room is 38” W x 66” L, rough 12”. Toilet sits 2” from wall, lid 1”. My main concern is price. Complete under $200-230, max 250-275, with seat & if I can find a sale. Elongated a must, 1.6, large trapway & flush valve, high water in bowl (low scares me). I have hard water, so if possible, rimless. I’m petite, 5’4”, but any height fine.

You guys are always pushing the Drake. It’s kind of expensive when you add seat. Plus, someone mentioned the water level in bowl is low. There’s no way it will handle my offering. I’m thinking of the Cadet 3 Powerwash, Champion 4, Cimarron, Valiant (HD-looks interesting), maybe Drake? And then so many types of each, which one? I don’t like dual flush on the top.

I realize I can't have every extra, but any idea would be something. Please advise - thank you.

 

[gjax57]

We just purchased the American Standard cadet and it was perfect for us....good luck!

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

All bowls since 1992 have less water in the bowl. If yours was a twenty YO toilet, you already know what I mean.
Unless you need a trapway larger than 2", then there are a lot to choose from. Any of the Kohler bowls, or the A/S Cadet and Vormax would be fine.
TOTO has their entry level Entrada model that flushes with 1.28 which works great. Everything is working better now.

 

[Lchap]

Thank you.

 

[Lchap]

Appreciate your help. Thank you.

 

[WorthFlorida]

...someone mentioned the water level in bowl is low....

As Terry stated all bowles now have lower water levels. When some do complaint it can be the fill tube inside the tank is not positioned correctly to refill the bowl from the overflow tube. This will cause low water levels. ToTo Drake series list the Water Surface at 7-7/8" x 10-5/16". The Drake II list the Water Surface 7-1/8" x 9-1/8". Both are 1.28 gallon per flush. You will not find this type of specification in most brands.

My wife and I had a very experienced kitchen and bathroom designer do our master bath remodel and did our kitchen years ago. When it came to toilet selection, he stated the the number one concern asked by clients was the bowl water level.

 

[Lchap]

Thank you WorthFL. I'm in my late 40's, so yes, lived with low water much of my life, but don't want any less than what I hate now.

I'm sorry for the confusion, but my main concern is price. It's not like a kitchen appliance, where I understand what I want. Look up price, review, buy. Toilet shopping is harder for me with 1 item with several choices (adding large price differences). Plus, unless I'm on seller's site, it's harder to find a review for exact same toilet and features I want. It's frustrating.
Want total price under $200-230, max 250, with seat. Elongated, 1.6, large trapway & flush valve, rimless if possible.
Thx.

 

[SteveW]

I looked at one of the "big box" store's websites, and you can buy a Toto Entrada for $194.04 (no seat).

 

[Lchap]

Wow Steve! That's a great price! I got all excited when I saw below on Wayfair, but shipping 65 more. But it could come in damaged.

 

[SAS]

Wow Steve! That's a great price! I got all excited when I saw below on Wayfair, but shipping 65 more. But it could come in damaged.

That's the round front, not the elongated. The elongated at Wayfair is $253, but does ship for free.
https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/toto-drake-16-gpf-elongated-two-piece-toilet-seat-not-included-tot4733.html?piid[0]=10482832
Lowe's has it for the same price (also with free shipping), and sometimes you can find discount coupons for Lowe's. Also, if it does arrived damaged, you can bring it back to the store. I would guess that Home Depot has a similar price. We recently bought a Drake 1.6 gallon round front toilet from Lowe's and installed it in our basement bathroom. We have the elongated Drake 1.6 gallon in our bedroom bath and the Drake 1.28 in the hallway bathroom. My wife and I prefer the 1.6 because of the larger water spot, but there is nothing wrong the 1.28.

I know the Drake's are at the high end of your price range, but over the years I have installed 7 or 8 of them in the 3 houses we have owned and they have all worked flawlessly. It may well be that you can get something just as good or better for less, but we have just stuck with what has worked for us.

Good luck!

 

[Lchap]

Hi SAS, thanks for your info. When I tried to find out shipping from Wayfair, it was $60+. I would buy from a local plumbing supply store, but from where I live, the closest one is in Southeast Orlando, which is over 30 miles away.
I probably will do as you say and get regular 1.6 Drake. The customer service at my Lowe's is fantastic! When I've made large purchases before, they have called a couple of days later to see how I liked the product. Thank again!

 

[Jadnashua]

It probably doesn't cost you a dollar a mile to travel 30-miles to the store and back, and you could inspect the thing for damage prior to accepting it. Sometimes, their prices are better than the big box stores and often online, once you add in shipping costs. Shipping a single toilet is risky. They're much more secure when strapped to a pallet and handled by a place that uses a forklift and deals with porcelain products than some general shipping company or a big-box store. That's one reason why Terry stopped shipping toilets...too many of them got broken along the way.

 

[Lchap]

Hi all, I called some metro Orlando. plumbing supply stores. Either went out of business or were designer showrooms The showrooms didn't have Drake but high end Echo, Drake II & other really expensive models & other brands. Nothing 1.6. Prices started at 400+. Plus, open 7 to 5, when I work an hour away.
Back-ups (npi). I have HD 10% coupon & gift card. But HD stores & online out of Drakes.

Prefer hard to find 1.6. Don't care about looks. I like AS Everclean, kohler so-so to me.
*Below prices totals include seat, gasket, connector, tall & Elongated:
*Optum VorMax, rimless 1.28 GPF have hard water& holes clog $269
*Champion 4 Max reviews negative cracks 1.28. large trapway 2 3/8$ 212
*Cadet 3s- *like Dual 1.1/1.6 sanitary bar $188. *FloWise 1.28 $201. *Powerwash 1.28 $206.
*Cimarron 1.28 $199
*Highlines: dual 1.1/1.6 GPF $249

Sorry to be a pain. I have to rush, family coming tonight & rest Thurs. I waited last minute, even for searching 6 weeks.

Thank you.

 

[SAS]

Hi all, I called some metro Orlando. plumbing supply stores. Either went out of business or were designer showrooms The showrooms didn't have Drake but high end Echo, Drake II & other really expensive models & other brands. Nothing 1.6. Prices started at 400+. Plus, open 7 to 5, when I work an hour away.
Back-ups (npi). I have HD 10% coupon & gift card. But HD stores & online out of Drakes.

Prefer hard to find 1.6. Don't care about looks. I like AS Everclean, kohler so-so to me.
*Below prices totals include seat, gasket, connector, tall & Elongated:
*Optum VorMax, rimless 1.28 GPF have hard water& holes clog $269
*Champion 4 Max reviews negative cracks 1.28. large trapway 2 3/8$ 212
*Cadet 3s- *like Dual 1.1/1.6 sanitary bar $188. *FloWise 1.28 $201. *Powerwash 1.28 $206.
*Cimarron 1.28 $199
*Highlines: dual 1.1/1.6 GPF $249

Sorry to be a pain. I have to rush, family coming tonight & rest Thurs. I waited last minute, even for searching 6 weeks.

Thank you.

Have you tried Lowes?