Toilets. They’re everywhere until you really need one, right? At least at home, you can make sure that you have the most comfortable toilet for when you just quickly have to hop on or need a quiet break from the rest of the household.

Whether you’re looking to buy a toilet for a second bathroom or want to replace your old toilet with a new toilet, or if you’re looking for the toilets that flush the best, this toilet buying guide will help you decide what is the best toilet for you depending on your preferences.

BestToiletInfo.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that gives sites a way to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com.

Can’t wait?

Contents

Types of toilets

There are so many different flushing toilet types: one flush toilets vs dual flush toilets, toilets with round toilet bowls vs toilets with elongated bowls, normal height toilets vs comfort height toilets, wall-hung toilets vs standing toilets and so on.

Because most toilets have several characteristics (a toilet can both have a dual flush and an elongated seat, for example), my reviews below will each time focus on the best-rated toilets for each characteristic. That way, you can scroll to the toilet feature that’s most important to you to easily make your selection.

For each toilet discussed, we’ll look at different features, such as whether the toilet seat is included, how powerful the toilet flush is and how big the toilet valve and whether the toilet parts are easy to install yourself.

Alternatively, you can check out reviews for the 10 highest-rated flushing toilets in general or skip right to the best toilet to buy, taking into account a wide range of factors and features.

ModelImageFlushConsumptionADA?WarrantyPriceRating
Toto Ultramax IIDouble Cyclone1.28 GPFyes1-year$$4.9
American Standard Championsiphon jet1.6 GPFyes10-year$$$4.7
Toto Entradasiphon jet1.28 GPFyes3-year$4
American Standard H2Optiondual
siphon jet
1. GPF or 1.6 GPFyes2-year$4.5
Toto Vespin IIDouble Cyclone1.28 GPFno1-year$$4.2
Galbadual
gravity fed
0.8 GPF or 1.6 GPFyes1-year$$$3.7
Saniflo 023 Sanicompact 48N/A1 GPFno3-year$$$3.5

Best Flushing Toilets

Overall Best Toilet For 2023

Toto MS604114CEFG#01 Ultramax II

While it’s never easy to determine which toilet will be best for your setup, an excellent all-round option is the Toto Ultramax II. Toto has a reputation for making some of the best toilet designs with impressive specifications. If you’re after a new twist to the old school look, then you can’t go wrong here.

The Toto Ultramax II offers an outstanding array of 21st-century features plus a design that channels old-world charm. You get the best of both worlds in one package.

The design is elongated but still streamlined, which means it has a smooth and curvy look that is classy.

The best thing about this Toto is that it’s comfortable! The last thing you want is a toilet that you can’t wait to get off! It’s perfect for people who can suffer from back problems as the design distributes your body weight comfortably.

The most impressive feature is the flushing system, which stands out when compared to other toilets. The reason the Toto Ultramax II is one of the best toilets for flushing is because it uses only 1.28 gallons per flush, which is impressive considering the force used and not a single drop of water is wasted.

Product details:

Weight:99 pounds
Dimensions: 32 x 20 x 17.75 inches
Flush type: Tornado Flush
Bowl shape: elongated
Rough in: 12″
Material: vitreous china
Color: white
Seat included? Yes
Water consumption: 1.6 GPF
ADA compliant? Yes
WaterSense Certified? Yes
Warranty: one-year limited warranty

Pros:

  • powerful flush
  • refills quickly and quietly
  • easy to install
  • super quiet
  • easy to clean

Cons:

  • plastic covers to cover the bolts often not included in package

Best corner toilet

AMERICAN STANDARD 270BD001.020 CADET 3

When you’re tight on space or stuck with a weirdly shaped room, a corner toilet might just be the answer. This American Standard corner toilet is made from easy-to-clean vitreous china and finished off with an EverClean® antimicrobial surface. This trademarked surface material prevents bacteria, mold, and mildew from growing on the surface of the toilet. Aside from just being a bit nasty, these things can cause unpleasant odors so you better avoid them.

It comes as an ADA-compliant two-piece toilet of which the top of the round bowl reaches more than 16.5 inches above the ground. Toilets of this height are easier to use by taller and physically challenged people.

The pressure-assist flush gets rid of all your waste effortlessly and while it does use 1.6 gallons per flush, you can also push the flush only halfway down to use less water.

As is often the case when buying a toilet, the seat isn’t included and can be ordered online separately. It’s just a small extra cost for this great value corner toilet.

Product details:
Weight: 59 pounds
Dimensions: 32 x 19.2 x 31.5 inches
Flush type: pressure-assisted
Bowl shape: round
Rough in: 12″
Material: vitreous china
Color: white
Seat included? no
Water consumption: 1.6 GPF
ADA compliant? Yes
WaterSense Certified? No
Warranty: 5-year limited warranty on mechanical parts, lifetime on china

Pros:

  • perfect for small spaces
  • great waste disposal
  • easy installation
  • antimicrobial surface

Cons:

  • small

Best 1-piece toilet

AMERICAN STANDARD 2034.014.020 CHAMPION 4

One-piece toilets are easy to keep clean and this American Standard Champion one-piece toilet is a beauty on top of that. But of course, its looks aren’t the only thing that makes this the best one-piece toilet.

Thanks to its elongated Right Height bowl, this is a comfortable ADA-compliant toilet suited for practically all adults – even those who face some physical challenges.

It comes with the trademarked American Standard EverClean surface finishing which keeps stains, bacteria, mold, and mildew away, making it even easier for you to keep this toilet clean.

What also helps is that the Champion 4 is able to flush through 70% more waste at once than what’s the industry standard, meaning it’s a great no clog toilet and one of the best flushing toilets to choose.

This is possible thanks to its 4-inch piston action accelerator flush valve which pushes 360 degrees of water down into the bowl in less than a second and its 2-3/8-inch trapway, which is the largest in the industry.

The one downside to this powerful toilet flush is that it uses 1.6 GPF. This is still environmental-friendly, but if you live in a state where toilets can only use 1.28 GPF, the above-mentioned Toto Ultramax is a better option for you. Read the full review here.

Product details:
Weight: 119 pounds
Dimensions: 32.1 x 20.9 x 30.5 inches
Flush type: siphon jet
Bowl shape: elongated
Rough in: 12″
Material: vitreous china
Color: white, bone or linen
Seat included? no
Water consumption: 1.6 GPF
ADA compliant? yes
WaterSense Certified? no
Warranty: limited 10-year warranty

Pros:

  • quiet
  • powerful flush
  • refills quickly and quietly
  • stylish design
  • easy to install

Cons:

  • a few customers have had issues with the toilet not being level at the base
  • low water level means the bowl isn’t always clean after #2

Best cheap toilet

TOTO CST244EF#01 ENTRADA

If toilet cost is an issue for you, this two-piece Toto Entrada is the best value toilet you can get. It has a powerful siphon jet E-max flush which clears the bowl in no time without using more than 1.28 GPF. The automatic fill valve makes sure that this happens quietly. The Toto Entrada is a non-clogging toilet and a quiet toilet.

It’s ADA-compliant in terms of height and comes with an elongated bowl for added comfort. You do have to order the seat separately, as is the case with most toilets and Toto does have a SoftClose seat specifically for this toilet: the SS114#01.

While the Entrada doesn’t have the Toto SanaGloss finishing that prevents stuff from sticking to the bowl, it’s quite easy to clean and benefits from the powerful flush to get rid of waste.

There are quite a few cheap toilets for sale, but none of them beat the Toto Entrada in terms of features and performance, making it the best low-cost toilet out there.

Product details:
Weight: 77 pounds
Dimensions: 24.4 x 14.4 x 30 inches
Flush type: gravity-fed jet siphon
Bowl shape: elongated
Material: vitreous china
Rough in: 12″
Color: cotton white
Seat included? no
Water consumption: 1.28 GPF
ADA compliant? yes
WaterSense Certified? yes
Warranty: 3-year limited warranty

Pros:

  • super quiet
  • powerful flush
  • easy to install
  • easy to clean

Cons:

  • no special inner bowl coating

Best elongated toilet and best dual flush toilet

AMERICAN STANDARD 2886.216.020 H2OPTION

We’ve already seen a couple of top toilets with elongated bowls, now it’s time to find out what’s the best elongated toilet. Keep in mind that we’re talking about elongated toilet bowls here, as toilet seats often need to be purchased separately.

For those looking for a great functioning toilet with an elongated bowl, at a reasonable price and still including all the necessary features, the American Standard H2Option is one of the best toilets to buy.

Its powerful dual flush leaves you the option to choose between using 1.6 GPF or a mere 1 GPF to clean out the bowl. This makes it a high-efficiency solution for those who’re still unsure whether flushing less water can get the job done. With 1 GPF as the lowest option, this elongated toilet is able to use less water than most water-efficient toilets for the same kind of work.

The H2Option is also one of the better flushing toilets when it comes to cleaning out the bowl. It’s equipped with a pressurized rim chamber that blows water through strategically placed holes in the rim so that it can clean the entire bowl.

And if you’re not a handy Harry or want to save costs by installing your new toilet yourself, you’ll love that this toilet comes with pre-installed bolts and grommets. That way you just have to hook it up without trying to figure out which bolt goes where.

Because of all these qualities and after reading a ton of dual flush toilet reviews, I believe this American Standard H2Option isn’t just the best elongated toilet but also the best double flush toilet on the market right now. Read the full review here.

Product details:
Weight: 92 pounds
Dimensions: 15 x 29.5 inches
Flush type: dual siphonic flush and PowerWash
Bowl shape: elongated
Color: white, linen or bone
Material: vitreous china
Rough in: 12″
Seat included? no
Water consumption: choice between 1 GPF and 1.6 GPF
ADA compliant? yes
WaterSense Certified? yes
Warranty: limited 2-year warranty

Pros:

  • powerful flush
  • easy to install

Cons:

  • needs to be cleaned frequently

Best low flow water saving toilet

TOTO CST474CEFG#1 VESPIN II

If you’re looking for a green toilet, you can either go with a dual flush toilet that leaves you the choice between flushing 1.6 GPF and 1.28 GPF or you can decide to go for a true low flow toilet so that you save water each time you flush.

We’ve already seen a couple of great eco-friendly toilets and I honestly feel like I could make a top ten of the best water-efficient toilets, but that would take things too far. Instead, I’d like to give you one more option that really stood out when I was checking high-efficiency toilet reviews online.

The Toto Vespin II comes equipped with the Double Cyclone gravity flushing system we talked about earlier and only uses 1.28 GPF, earning it a WaterSense certificate.

It also has the SanaGloss inner bowl protective glaze which wards off bacteria, waste, and mold, making it easy to clean. The skirted design hiding the trapway makes the outside easy to wash off as well.

Product details:
Weight: 106.5 pounds
Dimensions: 28.5 x 16.5 x 30 inches
Flush type: Double Cyclone gravity flush
Bowl shape: elongated
Material: vitreous china
Rough in: 12″
Color: cotton white
Seat included? no
Water consumption: 1.28 PF
ADA compliant? no
WaterSense Certified? yes
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty

Pros:

  • powerful flush
  • easy to clean

Cons:

  • bit harder to install is two new holes need to be drilled for the skirted design

Best compact toilet

Galba Small Toilet

We’ve seen some great toilets already, but sometimes you just need a really compact toilet to go in your small bathroom. We’ve already seen what the best corner toilet around is, but if you have a small space without a free corner to put that toilet in, a corner toilet isn’t the solution. This one-piece Galba SMALL toilet is.

It comes equipped with a powerful yet quiet siphon jet dual flush which allows you to flush at the very economical 0.8 GPF or at 1.6 GPF. The water usage can even be adapted for the low flush if you find 0.8 GPF isn’t enough.

At 16.5″, the elongated toilet bowl and included soft closing seat are just ADA-compliant, allowing for a comfortable sit.

The smooth skirted design of this space-saving toilet doesn’t only make it the best toilets for small spaces, it also makes it super easy to clean. Especially if you take into account that the surface wards off dirt and doesn’t scratch, fade, rust or discolor as you continue to use the toilet.

Product details:
Weight: 90 pounds
Dimensions: 24.5 x 14 x 27 inches
Flush type: dual
Bowl shape: elongated
Material: vitreous china
Rough in: 11.5″
Color: white
Seat included? yes (plastic)
Water consumption: choice between 0.8 or 1.6 GPF
ADA compliant? yes
WaterSense Certified? yes
Warranty: 1-year warranty on manufacturer parts

Pros:

  • reliable flush
  • stylish look
  • comfortable seat
  • easy to clean

Cons:

  • pricey for what it is
  • it’s a bit hard to attach the seat properly
  • Galba logo on top of the toilet

Best upflush toilet

SANIFLO 23 SANICOMPACT 48

If you’re looking for tanklet toilets, Saniflo is the brand to go to. They specialize in crating the best macerating toilet a.k.a. rear discharge toilet a.k.a. backflush toilet a.k.a. upflush toilet.

I honestly have no idea where all these different names come from, but I bet it has to do with the features of these kinds of toilets that people focus on.

Macerating toilets can be tankless, but aren’t always, and get rid of waste not by flushing it down with water as standard toilets do, but by grinding it to a mash before sending it away through another pipe. As the waste isn’t pulled down by gravity but rather sent back into the wall, or even upward, a macerating toilet is also known as an upflush or a rear outlet toilet.

This Saniflo Sanicompact back outlet toilet uses just 1 GPF and manages to pump waste up to 9 feet high and 100 feet horizontally. It’s a tankless toilet as the flushing system is built-in and electrical. When “flushing”, extra water is pumped into the bowl and then sucked out again together with the waste. This built-in feature gives the Sanicompact a sleek design fitting its small size.

In terms of toilet sizes, it’s definitely one of the smallest and yet I didn’t include it as the best toilet for a small bathroom because macerating toilets aren’t really the standard and come at a much higher price.

Product details:
Weight: 62.2 pounds
Dimensions: 18.2 x 14.5 x 15.8 inches
Flush type: N/A
Bowl shape: elongated
Material: vitreous china
Rough in: N/A
Color: white
Seat included? yes
Water consumption: 1 GPF
ADA compliant? no
WaterSense Certified? yes
Warranty: 2-year warranty, 3 years after registration on the Saniflo website

Pros:

  • easy to install

  • compact without loss of comfort

  • great as an extra bathroom

Cons:

  • #2 needs a second flush for the water to be completely clear again
  • can only flush human waste and toilet paper, no wet wipes
  • louder than standard toilets

Pull chain toilets

RENOVATOR’S SUPPLY HIGH TANK TOILET

I thought it would be fun to add in something a bit special: a high tank or pull chain toilet! There aren’t a lot of companies selling these, but Renovator’s Supply has this model and it comes in a ton of color and material options.

The elongated bowl is made out of vitreous china while the tank is hardwood. The seat is sold separately and available in a bunch of colors, as is the tank. Flushing 1.6 GPF, these toilets are pretty environmentally friendly.

Installation is fairly easy, with the rough in being adjustable between 12 and 15 inches.

Things to think about when buying a toilet

best toilet reviews

1. One-piece vs two-piece toilets vs wall-mounted toilets

With one-piece toilets, the toilet bowl and toilet tank form one whole piece and cannot be separated from each other. Well, unless you break the toilet, obviously. The benefit to having a one-piece toilet is that it’s easier to clean there’s can’t be any leakage between the tank and the bowl and no dirt can get in between. Another benefit is that the installation is simple, as the bowl doesn’t need to be attached to the tank – it already is.

The downside to one-piece toilets is that they’re heavier to move as they can’t be taken apart and are usually more expensive than two-piece toilets.

With two-piece toilets, the toilet tank and toilet bowl come separately and need to be put together. This, as well as the fact that leakage can occur between the two halves, can be the downsides of owning a two-piece toilet. Benefits, however, are that the toilet is easier to move as it can be taken apart and that two-piece toilets are generally less pricey than a one-piece toilet.

If you opt for a two-piece toilet, go for one with a high-quality sanity bar that prevents stuff from leaking and gathering under the tank at the back of the toilet.

The last option is to go for a wall-mounted toilet, although often a better choice for new builds or remodelings as it requires different fixtures, plumbing and a different disposal system than standing toilets.

The benefit of wall-mounted toilets is that they’re super easy to clean and have fewer chances of gathering water and dirt in difficult to reach places.

2. Toilet design

If you’re looking for a second toilet to put in your basement or by the garage, the design may not matter that much, but if it needs to go in your remodeled bathroom, I’m sure you want it to fit the look.

When looking for a toilet, keep in mind where you want to place it and how it will look in that room. If you have future changes planned in your home, it might be a good idea to take those into account as well.

3. Water usage: high-efficiency toilets vs dual flush toilets

There are so many good efficient toilets on the market right now that it would be a bit of a shame to get one that uses a lot of water. Toilets account for around 30 to 40% of all water usage in American homes and getting a new eco flush toilet can cut your water spending back by no less than 25%.

If you live in a state like California, where toilets can’t use more than 1.28 gallons per flush, you don’t even have the choice and have to limit yourself to looking at just low flush toilets.

There are two types of low flow toilets: high-efficiency toilets and dual flush toilets.

High-efficiency toilets always use only 1.28 gallons of water per flush, while dual flush toilets give you the option to choose between flushing with 1.28 gallons of water (for little deliveries) or with 1.6 gallons of water (for big deliveries).

If you want to go hardcore or live in a state where you have to, go for the most efficient toilet. Otherwise, give yourself a little freedom and opt for a dual flush toilet.

4. Noise

Whether the noise your toilet makes is an issue, often depends on where it’s located in your home. Generally, it won’t matter that much, but if your toilet is located next to the dining room and your walls are rather thin, you might want to get a quiet flush toilet.

You don’t want to flush away the lovely ambiance of your dinner party, now do you?

5. Price

It’s important to have a budget in mind when you go toilet shopping. As we’ve seen, expensive toilets aren’t always the best toilets.

There are plenty of cheap toilets or affordable toilets that have all the features and qualities you need.

So don’t let yourself be swayed by some extra bells and whistles or fancy descriptions but stick to the toilet cost you have in mind.

best toilets 2017

6. Rough in

Like just about anything else, toilets come in many different sizes and while differences may come down to just a few inches, they do matter.

Whether you want to place your new toilet in your bathroom or in a separate toilet room, it’s important to take measurements before you go out and buy one.

How do you do that? You need to measure the rough in from the center of the drainpipe to the wall the toilet will stand against.

The standard rough in measurement is 12″ but for older toilets, this can vary from 10″ to 14″.

If you buy a toilet that has a different rough in than the toilet you have now, you’ll need to cover up existing holes and drill new ones. Some toilet brands offer kits that help you install a new toilet with a different rough in, but they need to be purchased separately.

This only goes for standard toilets, though, as the waste disposal system of macerating toilets is different.

7. Macerating vs standard toilets

Standard toilets have an S-shaped waste pipe as they send the waste down into the sewer, a cesspit or another wastewater system.

Macerating toilets, on the other hand, first grind whatever’s being flushed into a mush, which is then being pumped into the waste disposal system.

Because macerating toilets don’t depend on gravity or a suction system, they can be placed level to the waste pipe or even below it.

This advanced system, as well as their flexible placing options, make macerating toilets more expensive than standard toilets.

8. Height

The standard toilet height is 14 to 15 inches high measured from the ground up to the top of the toilet bowl, the seat not included.

This is fine for small and average height people, but taller people, elderly people and people with physical problems often prefer a higher toilet.

To adhere to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards, toilet seats need to come 17″ to 19″ above the floor, which, for most seats, means the toilet needs to measure at least 16.3″ up to the top of the bowl.

When you need or prefer a high toilet, look for a toilet that is ADA-compliant or that as categorized as a Right Height or Comfort Height toilet.

9. Flush type

There are various types of flushing you can choose from gravity flush systems, pressure-assisted flush systems, and macerating toilets.

A gravity flush toilet depends on gravity to pull the water from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl, thus sucking whatever’s in there down.

A pressure-assist toilet has a tank that’s divided into several tanks which fill up with water in such a way that air pressure builds up.

When you flush, the pressure pushes the water down the bowl to get rid of whatever’s in there. Because of the blast created by releasing the pressure, these toilets tend to be a bit louder than the ones with other flushing systems.

10. Elongated or round toilet bowl

Toilet seats come in many sorts of materials, but the most important choice to make in regards to your toilet seat is whether you want an elongated one, or a round one.

Most manufacturers won’t include the seat in the toilet price and with some models, you have the option to choose whether you want an elongated or a round seat with your toilet.

Regardless of what kind of seat you choose, you’ll have to make sure it fits on the bowl and thus get either a round or an elongated bowl depending on your seat preference.

Elongated toilet seats are oval-shaped, being a few inches longer than round seats.

Some people find them more comfortable, but they do take up a bit more space so that’s something to take into account. An elongated seat might, for example, fit in the room but block the door from being able to open entirely.

I’ve never seen this in anyone’s home but I have in so many cafes and restaurants around the world. It’s not that great.

11. Tanked vs tankless toilets

Most toilets come with a tank, although it’s not always visible. Some wall-hung toilets, for example, have a tank system that’s tucked away in the wall.

They require a little more break work if you want to place them in an existing and not a newly built bathroom, but they can be interesting if you have limited space.

Macerating toilets can be truly tankless when they pump water directly into the bowl to then suck it out, straight into the macerator.

12. Compare toilets and read reviews of toilets

A lot of toilets will offer all or almost all of the features you’re looking for and still be different, so make sure to compare them and read reviews of toilets you’re interested in online, like the ones I’ve put together here for you.

You don’t want to get into analysis paralysis either, though, so don’t overdo it with the research.

I understand that you’ve got other things to do and reading about toilets all day might not be the best way to spend your time, which is exactly why I’ve done the work for you in here and have listed the top of the line toilets in different categories as well as what I think is the best toilet ever – okay, at least up until this very moment.

Conclusion

Taking into account all variables discussed above, such as price, flushing power, comfort and height, the Toto MS604114CEFG#01 Ultramax II comes out as the best toilet on the market right now.

If you’re looking for a specific kind of toilet, I hope the different reviews in this guide have helped you with that, as well as the overview of the top ten toilets.

Now go out there, have a sit and pick your throne.

Pin for later

the best toilet

BestToiletInfo.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that gives sites a way to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. Thanks for supporting the site!