The loo, water closet, head, can, john, throne–we’ve got a lot of nicknames for the toilet. And turns out, we’ve also got a lot of toilet types, too. They may all look relatively the same, but technological advances and conservation techniques have expanded toilet options–here, we’re sharing a few of the most popular and practical.
Round: Round bowls are wider and shorter, making them a good choice for powder rooms or water closets that don’t have much space between the door and the toilet.
Elongated: Longer and more narrow–good for tight spaces between a shower and sink cabinet, for instance.
Measured from the floor to the rim of the bowl–the seat height is the most important vertical measurement when it comes to toilets. Most seat heights are 14-16 inches from the ground, though there are ADA-compliant toilets that have a rim height of up to 17 inches.
The most common type of toilet; we know it, we love it
Pros: easy to find, affordable, easy to fix
Cons: not the most energy or water efficient
Gives you two water usage options, so you can opt for less water per flush
Pros: water efficient, designed to resist clogging
Cons: can be a bit harder to fix, may get dirtier more quickly
As the name suggests, gravity gets an assist from a jet action that provides a super strong flush
Pros: Powerful enough to endure high-trafficked bathrooms
Cons: Expensive
AKA up-flush toilets, or toilets that can be flushed below a sewer line
Pros: perfect for basement bathrooms
Cons: can be hard to fix
Sleek silhouette with less curves which makes it easy to clean and saves space.
A separate tank and bowl; the most common silhouette.
Can be installed at any height, making it a great choice for those who have special considerations, saves space, looks modern.
Signed into law in 1992, The Energy Policy Act requires all toilets to use less than 1.6 gallons per flush (before that, some used up to 3.6 gallons per flush). So, if your toilet was installed prior to that, it’s time for an upgrade.
Gallons Per Flush: While the current GPF limit tops out at 1.6, some toilets on the market use as little as 1.28 GPF. You’ll find an EPA “WaterSense” seal on these models.
Low Flow: Even better, a “low flow” toilet only uses between 0.8 and 1 gallon per flush.
Dual Flush: As we mentioned above, the dual flush gives you two GPF options Centrifugal Washing Action: A powerful, thorough flushing system that cuts down on the necessity for re-flushing.
