Toto, Drake-Ultimate-Ultramax, what's the difference?

[shoppin4ajohn]

We're looking to replace our toilet in our only bathroom. What we have is a Borg Warner(?), I'm guessing it's a 5 gal, don't really know. We've owned this house for 9 years & nothing in it was new when we bought it, the house itself was built in 1890 (most of it), added onto over the years, so it's really hard to tell just how old anything is, including the plumbing.

Anyway, right now, based on what we've read, we're thinking of going with a Toto but not sure which is right for us. We're trying to decide between the Drake, Ultimate & Ultramax. Again, this is our only bathroom for 2 adults & 3 small children. What are the major differences besides price? As I understand it the Drake is a 2-piece while the other two are 1-piece, is that correct? And does that make a difference? Also, I understand the Ultimate & the Ultramax to have the G-Flush where the Drake does not (again not sure if I'm correct here), but I don't really understand what that is either.

With 3 kids we need one that isn't going to plug up easily, flushes thoroughly the first time, is easy to keep clean & fairly quiet would be nice. Price is definitely a factor, so I probably wouldn't go with the Ultramax unless there's a really compelling reason to do so.

Another question about these low-flow toilets, would there be a greater distance between the seat & the bowl water level than with our current 5 gal, apparently this seems to be an issue with my husband! I've seen a lot of specs on different toilets, but seat to water distance isn't one of them, just how do you know before buying what that distance is?

 

[dc_homeplumber]

As you have noted, the Drake is a two piece, available with round or elongated bowl and also available in an ADA-height model. As for flushability, the Drake gets the highest marks in terms of the number of grams of "material" it can successfully flush. The Drake has the G-Max flush, as does the Ultramax.

The Ultramax appears to be popular due to the G-Max flush and the one-piece design. The advantage to the one piece is that they are somewhat quieter and they are much easier to clean as there is no space whatsoever between tank and bowl, and therefore no space for bacteria, etc., to hide.

The Ultimate is also a one-piece but uses a Power Gravity flush and, according to Terry Love, is a good toilet. It is less expensive than the Ultramax, I assume due to it not having G-Max. Because of that, it doesn't have the "gram flushability" that the Drake and Ultramax have.

Personally, I would go with the Ultramax because I like the one-piece and it seems that you could flush a small animal down it with no plugging issues. Same goes for the Drake. With children, I think it would be worth the extra expense to choose a G-Max model. As for choosing between the two, the issue is one- or two-piece and that's strictly a matter of preference and budget.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

I just installed a Toto Carlyle. I liked the skirted clean look; it is also a 1-piece toilet and has CEFIONTECT available. You can read all of their marketing info on their website: www.totousa.com. It makes it easier to keep clean - both the CEFIONTECT and the skirting. Note, though that the skirt means it may not fit depending on where your water supply is. It also has their G-Max flush. Not sure how it faired in the flushing ratings.