TOTO Eco Drake 1.28 GPF Elongated Two Piece Toilet

[gvladybug]

We recently moved. Our previous house we installed two TOTO: Drake II Two Piece High Efficiency Toilet (HET) CEFIONTECT - CST454CEFG toilets. We had one other toilet from another maker that I hated, loud, handle hard to push down, and supposedly would suck anything down - only good thing was it never clogged.

Our new to us home is a gut remodel of a 1970 ranch original owner. Let's just say everything is original!

So now we need 3 new toilets. I loved our Toto that we had mainly because it would never get clogged and was quiet when flushing. My husband didn't like the CEFIONTECT as he didn't think it really kept the bowl clean, and my maid would not listen and used all kinds of cleaners on it.
The only thing we both didn't like was the two holes where the water came out into the bowl would accumulate water stains (hard water deposits maybe). I tried to clean them to no avail. We only had the toilets 3 years so they were not bad at all but was concerned over the long haul it would become unsightly. I think the design we had was the Double Cyclone Flushing System.

I am looking at the TOTO Eco Drake 1.28 GPF Elongated Two Piece Toilet which uses the E-Max Flushing System.

Will I be just as happy?
Will it function as well as the Double Cyclone Flushing system?
Does the E-Max Flushing system have the same two bowl holes?

Thanks in advance!
Di

 

[Jadnashua]

Only the II designation of Toto toilets use the dual cyclone, everything else has holes under the rim to wash the sides. Because the II method is likely to cover the sides better, it does clean the bowl better, but that's all relative and very dependent on your diet and personal body function. Any abrasive cleaner will degrade ANY glaze on a surface, but it will defeat the benefit of CEFIONTECT (recently renamed) probably faster. IMHO, having had 'regular' glaze and CEFIONTECT on toilets, those with CEFIONTECT DO stay cleaner, longer. That does not mean that you never have to clean them, though!

 

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[johncall]

I am a big fan of the double cyclone and CEFIONTECT found on the drake CST454CEFG. It is a solid performer. It may be advisable to stick with what you know and are familiar with despite the negatives you encountered with staining.

 

[WJcandee]

Did you like the height of the Drake II? Because the (Original) Drake you are asking about has a lower bowl.

The Drake II comes standard with (now-renamed) CEFIONTECT, the 1.28 gpf flush, the Universal Height (taller) bowl, and the (now-renamed) Double Cyclone flush.

Most people don't get the staining you describe, so maybe you won't in this new location.

The Original Drake's bowl-rinse is like any standard toilet, through teeny holes under the rim, that can accumulate schmutz and should be cleaned but most people don't, because they can't see them. The Original Drake's flush is superb. It doesn't have CEFIONTECT, and it has the lower (regular-height) bowl.

Most people these days prefer the higher bowl.

We have both types of Totos, and love them both.

You might also look at the Toto Entrada elongated, which has the EMax flush, and is a little less expensive than the Original Drake. It works great. Slightly-different appearance. Comes with the higher bowl. CST244EF.

To answer your questions:

Will I be just as happy? Hard to answer a question this subjective. We love our Double Cyclone, CEFIONTECT, Universal Height toilet and wouldn't have had the complaints that you do. The EMax is going to have a little less bowl rinse, but we find it more than adequate. If you like the bowl height of the Drake II, then get the Entrada, which has the higher bowl.

Will it function as well as the Double Cyclone Flushing system? In terms of getting the stuff down the drain? Absolutely.

Does the E-Max Flushing system have the same two bowl holes? No.

Here's what it flushes like, more or less (this is a 1.6gpf, but the 1.28 is for most people indistinguishable).

 

[gvladybug]

wjcandee THANK YOU for pointing out that the model I mentioned was NOT ADA.
I had ordered this one already when I saw your reply and thankfully the tanks and bowls are still all wrapped in the box -- I will be returning these!
I am going to go with the CST744EL as it will fit the same tank and it is ADA. That way I don't have to return both the tank and the bowl.

Again thank you.

 

[SamC]

The holes under the rim of the Drake are not all that small, especially the ones at the front. They can accumulate the black scuz just like the two outlets in the Drake II. The Drake flushes straight down with no swirling, so if you let it go long between cleaning, you may see the trail of black scuz under each hole. The area under the rim on my Drake is not glazed, so I always use a mirror to check and make sure I did a thorough cleaning job.

 

[Wallijonn]

...a gut remodel of a 1970 ranch original owner.

Will I be just as happy?

So long as it has 4" PVC sewer pipes and the house isn't level with the street.