Which Toto?

[danshe]

I've been reading the forums and reviews trying to make sense of what would be the best option for my home. There are so many choices I'm feeling overwhelmed. I've narrowed it down a bit and have a couple of specific questions:
My house is very old as is the plumbing. The only bathroom is tiny. The water pressure is very low. I currently have a 2 piece model and will probably get another. I'd like a water sense toilet.

I've been looking at the Drake eco. Would this be a good choice given my situation? Does it have a larger trap as some of the other Toto's do? It appears to come with either cyclone flush or e flush. Is one preferable?

The other I've been considering is one of the Toto dual flush toilets. Or another dual flush.

I'm open to any suggestions- I've been looking for a few days and just get more confused about choices.

(Do you ship to Portland or just LA and Seattle)

 

[Terry]

The Toto Eco Drake would do fine.
Thanks for asking, but in Portland you can check withe Morland Plumbing.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Basement_Lurker]

While I am sure the eco models work fine, I am skeptical of them. Have you considered the Aquia? It's a dual function toilet and has a nice design.

 

[Terry]

While I am sure the eco models work fine, I am skeptical of them.

I have two of the Eco models in the house, and have been selling a ton of them.
So, what was the question?

 

[Basement_Lurker]

Just call it personal preference. I am sure the Toto eco toilets work fine, otherwise Toto wouldn't be selling them, but unless a 1.28 becomes mandated here, I will stick to 1.6 models. A little extra water helps things roll on down into the abyss; and I certainly don't like toilets with a small water spot. But I guess if you can get a rebate for installing a 1.28 model, then it's worth installing.

 

[Runs with Bison]

Just call it personal preference. I am sure the Toto eco toilets work fine, otherwise Toto wouldn't be selling them, but unless a 1.28 becomes mandated here, I will stick to 1.6 models. A little extra water helps things roll on down into the abyss; and I certainly don't like toilets with a small water spot. But I guess if you can get a rebate for installing a 1.28 model, then it's worth installing.

Same waterspot for 1.6 or 1.28 Totos. If the 1.28 gives you trouble, supposedly changing the flapper will convert it to a 1.6 gpf. The initial flush is shorter so it doesn't have quite as much time to get things moving. Rarely this can result in a small amount of backwash for solids. That's what I've seen so far. But it's still early, ours have only had about 1,000 total flushes so far. (And when I've measured the flush it is closer to 1.4 gpf than 1.3.)

 

[Basement_Lurker]

The drakes have a pretty good water spot, actually better than my dorian, but on the other hand, although the aquia is a very nice unit and does save a lot of water, I'm not sure I would install it in my own home because it does have a smaller water spot, and I always tell customers this. It's been a while since I installed a few caroma units, but I tend to remember them as having smaller water spots as well, or atleast the dual flush units I installed did, but the caravelle seemed fine (speaking of which, the method to tighten the seat bolts on that toilet is a joke).

 

[Runs with Bison]

The drakes have a pretty good water spot, actually better than my dorian, but on the other hand, although the aquia is a very nice unit and does save a lot of water, I'm not sure I would install it in my own home because it does have a smaller water spot, and I always tell customers this.

Didn't know that about the Aquia, probably almost a necessity to reduce the water spot volume to a min. for the half flush.

 

[DownSouth]

Overwhelmed is Right!

Hello Y'all,

I agree with the first post. I've been reading for days, and am starting to feel very overwhelmed.

I’m new here and actually never dreamed I’d have to be doing so much research on toilets. In fact, I’m in the market to buy a new car and a new toilet, and so far I’ve spent much more time trying to figure out which toilet to buy. Who knew this would be so difficult?!

First of all, my son has been diagnosed with both a brain tumor and Multiple Sclerosis. Thus, we now need a taller ADA toilet. In addition, he’s on so many medicines that skid marks have become a terrible issue. I started fussing at him to please flush more than once, but, alas, we seem to have super-duper skid marks that can outlast the ordinary bowl flush.

After much reading, THANKS TO THIS SITE, I have determined that I want these things in a toilet:

• ADA
• Powerful Cyclonic Bowl Flush (Turbo-charged if possible!)
• Great solid waste removal
• No clogs!
• Good Bowl Flush without having to hold the handle down (My son can’t stand up long without falling, so standing there holding the handle down for a longer flush is a bad idea.)
• Large Water Spot

Furthermore, I could care less if it sounds like a jet engine taking off, as long as it takes care of the skid marks.

So… my questions are these:

• Which toilet would be better for my needs - Do I need to buy a pressure-assist toilet? We do have over 25 psi.
(I’ve been looking at Gerber Ultra Max, American Standard Cadet-pressure assisted, and the Toto Drake or Ultra Max.)

• Does Toto make a pressure-assist model? If they do, I can’t find one.

• What would be the best toilet for approx. $500.00? I’d really like to stay in that price range, UNLESS there is some toilet out there that costs more but will give a much BETTER bowl wash.


Just as a side note, before I found this site, I promptly went down to Lowes and purchased the highly recommended (by the Sales Rep) Kohler Cimarron Class 6 ADA toilet. Pathetic! After it was installed, I walked in to flush it, and immediately asked my dad to uninstall it. There is absolutely NO cyclonic action! In fact, you stand there and see these little tiny streams trickling down toward the water, and they would be no match for our house. That is when I started researching toilets. After reading here, Consumer Reports, Consumer Research, and reading the advertisements, I’m still unable to make a decision. I don’t want to install and uninstall any more toilets. Please advise.

 

[Terry]

Kohler Cimarron Class 6 ADA toilet. Pathetic! After it was installed, I walked in to flush it, and immediately asked my dad to uninstall it. There is absolutely NO cyclonic action! In fact, you stand there and see these little tiny streams trickling down toward the water

The rinse on the Cimarron is pretty pathetic.

New toilets use 1.6 gallons or less, so it's not going to be like the old 3.5 and 5.0 gallon ponds you were used to.

TOTO has the Drake II, which swirls the water on the rinse, or the ADA Drake, which does a pretty good job too.

 

[Runs with Bison]

First of all, my son has been diagnosed with both a brain tumor and Multiple Sclerosis. Thus, we now need a taller ADA toilet. In addition, he’s on so many medicines that skid marks have become a terrible issue. I started fussing at him to please flush more than once, but, alas, we seem to have super-duper skid marks that can outlast the ordinary bowl flush.

Very sorry to hear about your son.

The best shot you've got at minimizing skid marks is with the CEFIONTECT finish (I noticed that was missing in your list.) I wasn't sure whether to get it or not, but have been pleasantly pleased at the results. Any actual skidmarks disappear on the subsequent flush. Note, however, that I don't immediately reflush on the rare occasions there are some, I just wait until the next use. The action of the water on the smooth surface seems to lift them off that way every time.

ADA height elongated bowls seem to get the best MaP flush ratings. I imagine the extra height allows for slightly less curvature at some critical point(s) in the siphon, plus the extra height should add vertical driving force to the water column above. (I wonder if Terry can confirm or debunk this?)

In your case the 1.6 gpf probably makes more sense than the 1.28 gpf HET.