How to choose the right toilet for your bathroom
Posted by ilker Duymaz on
A toilet's a toilet right? It has one very important job to do, and as long as it works, there's little to differentiate one from the other, apart from colour and shape.
Wrong. There is a lot more to choosing a toilet than just picking out one that looks nice. Here we list some of the factors you should consider when installing a new toilet in your bathroom.
Height
The standard height of a toilet from the floor to the top of the bowl is between 14 and 15 inches, or 35.5 and 38 cm if you don't do inches. But you can buy toilets that have a touch more height and are ideal if you are taller or suffer with back and leg problems.
Bowl shape
If you have a smaller bathroom you may wish to choose a toilet with a round bowl of a short projection so it will take up less space. However, an elongated bowl will provide more sitting room, which means better comfort, while the larger water surface area provides a more powerful flush.
Water efficiency
If your toilet has an efficient flush you'll save water every time you use it, which is good for the environment and your pocket. A dual flush is the best option as it allows you to choose a half flush for liquid waste. If you don't go for the dual option, a toilet that flushes with six litres of water or less will generally be much more efficient than one that uses more H2O.
Ease of cleaning
No one likes cleaning the toilet, and if this is a particularly loathsome chore for you, then you'll want to choose a toilet that's as easy to wipe down and keep sparkling as possible. Back to wall units are ideal, as the cistern is concealed so you'll only need to clean the bowl and the base. Wall hung toilets are even better, as they don't actually touch the floor and all that's on show is the bowl. Ease of maintenance
You might think that having a concealed cistern would make your toilet more difficult to maintain or repair, but actually accessing the cistern is fairly easy, especially if its fitted inside a piece of bathroom furniture. If it's behind a stud wall, then you'll need an access panel to get to it.
Added extras
Toilets can do fancy things these days, you know. For example, did you know that a toilet can also act as a bidet? If this appeals to you, then a combined bidet toilet may be right for you. Another little luxury you may wish to consider is a soft closing seat, which will protect your toilet from damage and prevent thoughtless family members from waking everyone up in the middle of the night with a noisy slam of the cover.