Toilet recommendation please.

[Disappointed]

After 20 years, both of my Kohler Rialto toilets are leaking water from the fill valves. Parts are hard to come by and my reasearch shows that Rialto is one of the worst models out there, though I have used them for the last twenty years.

Has anyone replaced their toilet lately and which brand or model has worked out for you? The Rialto is a one piece type. I have no experience with toilet replacement.

mP

 

[REWahoo]

Has anyone replaced their toilet lately...

Unfortunately, just three weeks ago: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/what-did-you-do-today-37868-505.html

I went with this Kohler due to good ratings: Kohler Highline Classic

It's a two piece model - one piece toilets are significantly more expensive and too heavy for an old guy like me to wrestle without help.

Note: You can probably buy a kit to replace/upgrade the 'guts' of the flush/fill mechanism far cheaper than replacing the entire toilet. Check out something like this: Toilet repair kit

 

[eytonxav]

We replaced the toilet in our master bath a while back with a Toto one piece. Its a good flusher

 

[Dimsumkid]

I put in an Eljer Madison unit in a house we sold that works fairly well, current price is $96 @ Menards. I replaced all 3 in my house with Jacuzzi Perfecta 1.6 gal toilets (not the 1.2 gal version) that are ADA chair height (17"), got them for $70/each, but sell for $127 @ Lowes. The reviews on these are pretty good, I thought it was a nice price/performance unit. A friend bought a Toto for $400+, but the Toto still gets clogged, if you have kids, they will always find a way to clog ANY toilet. Biggest complaint is the seat is a cheaper plastic, but we upgraded to heavier wood seats and they work much better with these. The chair height units are better as you age, when you go back to the standard height, you feel like you're falling to the floor.

Shop Jacuzzi Perfecta White Round 2-Piece Toilet at Lowes.com

 

[CitizenK]

We replaced our three original "crappy" Gerber toilets with the Toto Drake and have been totally satisfied.

If you want to over obsess about your decision like I did, check out the Terry Love toilet forum and his toilet report.

Yes, there is an internet forum for everything.

 

[MichaelB]

We installed this Shop American Standard Champion 4 White Elongated 2-Piece Toilet at Lowes.com which was the #1 Consumer Reports ranked. It was an improvement and works perfectly.

 

[Goonie]

We have an Elger, and it has served it's purpose very well for just over a decade now. We replaced the tank guts about a year ago, so it continues to work like new! Replacement parts are easy to find and easy to replace.....Menards carries a pretty good selection of parts.

 

[powerplay]

I replaced a toilet 2-3 years ago and chose a Toto Drake. It works and that's what matters most and has been trouble free.

Here is a link to ASME standard testing of toilets. Probably more info than you want to see!
All About Toilets - Toilet Performance
and this just the table of results
http://www.toiletabcs.com/pdf/MaP-Toilet-Test-Results-9th-Edition.pdf

If you want to explore repairing your existing fixtures, this guy has a plumbing forum where you could ask your questions. He owns a plumbing business in Wa state and is a big fan of Toto products.
Terry Love's Plumbing & Remodel DIY forum

 

[W2R]

The chair height units are better as you age, when you go back to the standard height, you feel like you're falling to the floor.

+1 Also, the higher ones are a whole lot better for tall people. It is possible that shorter people prefer the lower ones, but I have no way of knowing since I am tall. My house has one of each, and I almost always use the taller one.

 

[FinanceDude]

Eljer................they work great!

 

[Disappointed]

We replaced our three original "crappy" Gerber toilets with the Toto Drake and have been totally satisfied.

If you want to over obsess about your decision like I did, check out the Terry Love toilet forum and his toilet report.

Yes, there is an internet forum for everything.

Thanks CitizenK, I looked up Terry Love toilet report and I am interested in the Toto Drake as well. My current ones are Rond Front. I believe the Drake model comes with round front, model CST743S. Is yours a round front or elongate?

mP

 

[ChiliPepr]

We replaced our three original "crappy" Gerber toilets with the Toto Drake and have been totally satisfied.

Speaking of "crappy", when I think of toilets, I always think of Thomas Crapper.

We installed the Kohler Sterling High Efficiency toilets about three years ago and have no issues. We also got the "ADA" ones that are about an inch higher and we really like that feature. Also got the "no-slam" option on the seat... great option, but then you forget when you are at someone else's house!

 

[CitizenK]

Thanks CitizenK, I looked up Terry Love toilet report and I am interested in the Toto Drake as well. My current ones are Rond Front. I believe the Drake model comes with round front, model CST743S. Is yours a round front or elongate?

mP

Our old toilets were round front, and we replaced them with elongated bowls. I'm happy with the change. In my opinion, the only reason to go with the round bowl would be if you have space restrictions, like a door swing or minimum clearance.

As you've discovered, the Toto Drake is a range, not a single model. I think they have the two bowl options, two height options, an optional "Sani-Gloss" finish, and an "Eco" option which uses less water per flush. I have the elongated bowl, regular lower height, non Sani-Gloss, and non-Eco which uses 1.6 gallons per flush.

And though I was a skeptic before getting it, I really like the soft-close seat/lid. I actually miss this when traveling.

 

[Life_is_Good]

Another satisfied customer of the Toto Drake - just put in two of them.

I found the best prices on Amazon.com along with free shipping to my door. Saved $100 a piece by ordering from Amazon rather than my brick and mortar local hardware store. Don't forget you need to order the seat as a separate item.

 

[CitizenK]

Another point with the Toto that I learned... there are two "whites." Cotton White is the whiter white. Colonial White is still white, but a little cooler. It's a very subtle difference. You might want to check which better matches your other fixtures.

 

[braumeister]

Installed Eljers (from Home Depot) when we bought this house eight years ago, and have been very happy with them.

 

[Nords]

I believe the Drake model comes with round front, model CST743S. Is yours a round front or elongate?

Our old toilets were round front, and we replaced them with elongated bowls. I'm happy with the change. In my opinion, the only reason to go with the round bowl would be if you have space restrictions, like a door swing or minimum clearance.

Like CitizenK says, make sure you check the swing of the door across the front of the elongated toilet bowl, or you could be... disappointed.

 

[REWahoo]

Like CitizenK says, make sure you check the swing of the door across the front of the elongated toilet bowl, or you could be... disappointed.

+1

And while you are at it, be sure to check the footprint of the bowl as well. My replacement was an inch deeper and I had to remove a small section of shoe molding and shave the baseboard to fit.

 

[M Paquette]

Like CitizenK says, make sure you check the swing of the door across the front of the elongated toilet bowl, or you could be... disappointed.

Fortunately the home handyman can easily correct such problems.

 

[Lsbcal]

After 20 years, both of my Kohler Rialto toilets are leaking water from the fill valves. Parts are hard to come by and my reasearch shows that Rialto is one of the worst models out there, though I have used them for the last twenty years.

Has anyone replaced their toilet lately and which brand or model has worked out for you? The Rialto is a one piece type. I have no experience with toilet replacement.

mP

We replaced with a low flow Kohler. It uses 1.6 gal to do a flush I think. Holding the handle down longer gives a stronger flush.

Things to check out:
(1) There is a figure-of-merit called something like the "mass flush" (cannot recall the exact name) that allows you to compare the low flush toilets. Our city had a special rebate if you bought a low flow and they posted a nice table to compare models.

(2) You might want to check the "footprint" to make sure it covers the old toilet footprint, assuming there is some staining or other stuff under the base of the old toilet that you do not want showing when the new one is installed.

 

[Meadbh]

I hope you don't need one of these:

Most Appalling of Show: The Zurn Bariatric Toilet : TreeHugger

 

[PaddyMac]

Just replaced two with Toto dual-flush. The handyman almost freaked when he realized we'd already bought them, as he had had a horrible experience with one model where the fittings were non-standard. Fortunately ours seemed to fit the existing fittings quite nicely and it was an easy install. But if you are having someone install them, get their opinion first and do research on how the back of the toilet matches up with what you have now. We'd no idea it could be an issue.

 

[obgyn65]

I like Toto also.

 

[JPatrick]

I did this research several months ago wanting something that tested well and was available at the home stores.
HD-Kohler Cimaron, comfort height, round front.

 

[ronocnikral]

+1 Also, the higher ones are a whole lot better for tall people. It is possible that shorter people prefer the lower ones, but I have no way of knowing since I am tall. My house has one of each, and I almost always use the taller one.

I am 6'2" and I enjoy the high toilets. My mother is 5'3" and enjoys the high toilets.

I bought this one @ home depot years ago. We have never needed a plunger with this toilet. And the price is pretty good! we sold our old and fully functional toilets on craigslist for $35 each.

2-Piece High-Efficiency Elongated All in One Toilet in White with Left Tank Lever in Chrome-TL-7600HC-HET at The Home Depot