Toto Aquia dual flush toilet product review, comments and posts.

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Jeff K

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Warranty

Who knew that there were so many variations on toilets?

We are doing some bathroom remodeling and are interested in installing dual flush toilets to save water. I noticed that the Aquia has a 1-year limited warranty while other Toto toilets have a 5-year warranty. Are there durability problems with the Aquia?

Thanks for all the great information.

Jeff
 

Terry

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I've been selling the Aquia for years now. It has been one the most trouble free toilets I have ever sold, even better then the Drake.
 

Campbell914

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We have just had installed three Aquia dual flush toilets as part of a whole house remodel. We love the toilets and have the Terry Love website to thank for helping us select them. However, we have one problem, all three wobble when you get up from sitting. Our contractor claims this is how this toilet is, I can't believe it's true! I called Toto and they say they haven't had this issue and recommended shims. My contractor doesn't want to deal with it and I'm not excited about shims on the floor as it would seem a cleaning issue over time. I'm just wondering if there is anyone with experience with this and what their solution was and how I could go about fixing it. (It's disconcerting to have the whole toilet move everytime you get up.)

Thank you!
Marcie
 

Terry

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We always give our customers shims with our install kits.
You can't guarantee that the floor will be flat.
A bowl should be shimmed if needed, and then caulked to the floor using something like polyseamseal.
We like to use the clear that can be cleaned up with water.

If the bowl has movement, you slip a shim under the bowl near the back, pinning the front of the bowl down.
Score and snap the shim, and then caulk.

We pick up our shims in the door department, made from plastic about six inches long with a nice gradual taper to them.
When we or our customers install toilets, there is no movement in the bowl when done.
I'm sure you will be able to do a better job in 30 seconds then your "handyman" could.

shimming.jpg



loctite-tub-tile.jpg
 
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Jadnashua

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Also note that you probably should reset the toilet with new wax. The wax isn't a spring, and once compressed, then rocked back the other direction, it will leave a gap. IF the line ever clogs up, it will leak waste out that gap, and sewer gas could always come out. It is likely small, but it is there.
 

MojitoGirl

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Rough - in distance from wall for TOTO Aquia

We are installing the Toto Aquia II this weekend in a lower level that we are finishing. Fo some reason our plumber installed the rough-in at 15 inches from the wall behind it (probably because code for space on each side is 15). Since the manual reads 12 inches, are we going to have an issue with installing this toilet and do you have any suggestions?

Thanks.
 

Jadnashua

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The toilet will sit 3" further from the wall than 'ideal' design. If that isn't an issue for you, the toilet will work fine.
 

MojitoGirl

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Aesthetically, I am thinking this won't be that great? Anything else to consider functionally - other than the obvious?
 

Jadnashua

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Toilets are designed to 'stand-alone'. So they could be in the middle of the floor and it would have no effect on how well they work (assuming the waste lines are installed to spec). They aren't designed, or need, to have any other support than to sit flat on the floor.
 

Terry

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Your "plumber" roughing in at 15" may have to do with floor joists.
There is no code that says a the toilet is 15" to the back wall, most stanard rough-in's are 12"

Code calls for 15" from center line to the side, not the back.

Toto does make the Vespin, which can be installed with a 14" Unifit, that would pull the bowl back 2"
 

Chillpill

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Never thought I'd say this about a toilet.

I'm in love with this Aquia. The lines on it are amazing. The fact it's so well reviewed and loved for it's quality and reliability makes me want one for our renovation if I can find a supplier close enough (we love out in the sticks in BC, Canada). Hopefully be able to line one up at a realistic price somehow.

Big thanks to Terry and everyone's posts, I have learned a lot reading this thread ... and learned a lot in two days on this forum.
 

Athuddriver

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Aquia Install Question

First,

Like a lot of folks, I NEVER thought I would spend so much time researching a toilet. However, your site has some of the best information I could find anywhere! NICE WORK!

I've done a lot of research and like a lot of folks transitioning from what I know to what is better is a bit of an adjustment. The feedback from all the users has been an immense help. So...

My limitation is that my home has 2 bathrooms with 10" rough-in. I have found that it seems to have reduced my options quite a bit, especially in dual flush. I've read enough to rule out the Caroma. So, I think after all my research that the Aquia CST412MF.10 is my best choice.

The installation instructions are made for a couple model variations and think I understand the difference but just to make sure...Does the model that I am planning on buying still mount conventionally straight down onto the socket? With the exception of adding the mounting blocks, it seems rather straight forward.

Also, my water outlet is about 5" above floor (6" recommended) and 6 3/4 to the side of the center of the outlet (7 3/4" recommended). Do you see that as being a major issue?

Hey, I work for the government...measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a grease pencil, cut it with a chain saw. :D

Is there another model you think I should look closer at?

TANX!!!

Don
 

Terry

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The CST412MF.10 and the CST412MF mount straight down on the adapter and use the two blocks at the back.
Your water supply will be fine.
 

Moshe

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frequent clogger / consumer reports ratings

Hi Terry,
I'm currently planning a new house and we're trying to choose the best toilets for our needs. I've really appreciated your forum and website. I have two questions:

1. Our current, very old gravity toilet often clogs with large solids. Based on what I've seen, it would seem that a larger valve opening would be good for this (3" vs 2"). However, we would also like dual-flush, but the Toto Aquia has the smaller diameter opening. Any suggestions?

2. I'm a Consumer Reports junkie. Their 2009 ratings seem to show the Kohler and American Standard ahead of Toto by quite a margin, although they don't review the Aquia. Any thoughts on this?

Thank you so much.
 

Terry

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Consumer Reports?
The guys that flip the handle a few times and then give their "expert" recommendation?

CR's top choice for a dual flush
I was in Detroit with Flushmate this Fall, and they were laughing at how bad the Gerber dual flush was too. The dual flush unit in the Gerber is made in China. And yet CR gives this piece of junk their best buy.

CR gives the Kohler Cimarron five listings on their report, why? It's just one model.
The rinse isn't that good, and it plugs more then others. The handle is hard to push down for older people. Quality control could be better.

CR also like the Cadet 3
Quality control is an issue here too. I guess CR doesn't care about those things though.
For someone looking to spend less, it's an option though.

CR list the Flushmate Gerber about four times, again same toilet, four listings. Why?

CR does show a video of the toilet I have in my main bath, the Ultramax II, but they plug the outlet of the bowl and then take the video. It's the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Why is CR cheating on their testing?
Are they taking paybacks?
I have the same model in my main bathroom, and mine works great, in fact for someone with an ileostomy bag, it's my first choice. That and the Drake II. The CEFIONTECT coating in the bowl is a big plus.


I've sold about 300 of the TOTO Aquia. It's been trouble free. Not something that CR would care about.
They don't have to live with the product after they flip the lever, or service the product for customers. Plumbers do have to deal with the product years after installation.
They don't have an ileostomy bag to deal with either, but others do. One person in twenty will develop colon cancer in their lifetime.
That in itself changes the whole ball game. Any of the TOTO products with CEFIONTECT will be a big difference maker for that.

The Aquia has a good flush, but the Aquia II and the III have the 2-1/8" trapway like the others. For 99.5% of the population, that works fine. There is a tiny percentage of people with a medical condition that requires a larger trapway for large hard stools. For those people, I like the Caroma dual flush with the 3" trapway.
For the average (majority of the population) user, a trapway of 2-1/8" works very well.

The TOTO Drake has been working very well for customers too.
I've been selling those for $239.99 in the Seattle area.
 
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Firemark

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Hi Terry,
1. Our current, very old gravity toilet often clogs with large solids.

I installed two Aquia III's over a year ago after ditching old Mansfield 3.5GPFs that clogged up at least once per week. Your reference to "Large" was my concern at the time as well. However, I was concerned about volume not bunker buster size. I also looked at the Caroma but a nasty video posted online with lots of splashback made the Aquia my choice.

I'm happy to say the plunger has been retired to the garage for storage and never used since the Toto's were installed.

Terry mentions CEFIONTECT as a good option to help keep the bowl clean but the Aqiua's don't come in CEFIONTECT unless that's a recent change.

No CEFIONTECT on the Aquia
Terry
 

Skychief

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Can someone summarize for me the feature differences and/or advantages of the various Aquia toilet models CST 412MF , CST 464MF, CST 416M-01 and CST 414M-51. I really appreciate any help. This is a very good forum. Thanks and best regards.
 
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