Best Compact Toilets for Small Bathrooms – Making the Right Purchase
As a professional plumber in the third generation, I have seen my fair share of toilets for small space models. The difference in design and how it impacts toilet efficiency never ceases to amaze me.
From convenient height to slow-close designs, there is no shortage of inventions that increase the comfort one experiences while using the toilet. However, it is not always easy to choose the right product when shopping online for toilets.
Today, I have reviewed 7 compact toilets for small spaces. As a plumber, I understand the need to save on space while ensuring functionality. Each of these toilets has a modern design and great capabilities. I have included a list of pros and cons for each toilet model to help you make an informed choice.
Top 7 Best Compact Toilet Reviews
- Galba Dual Flush Space Saving Toilet – My Top Pick
- Kohler 3810-0 Compact Toilet – Runner Up
- Horow HWMT-8733 Dual Flush – Great Value
- TOTO MS853113#01 Toilet
- Saniflo Sanicompact 023 Toilet
- American Standard 2403.128.020 One-Piece
- Swiss Madison 1T112 Modern
A good compact toilet is easy to install and operate. It minimizes space while maximizing efficiency. There are many good brands on the market, but some of them stand out more than others. Here are my top choices for small space toilets that save up on space:
1. Galba Dual Flush Space Saving Toilet – My Top Pick
- Dimensions: 24.5 x 14 x 27 inches
- Flush type: Dual
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12 Inches
This is by far the smallest toilet you can find to fit in a compact space. It is about 4 inches shorter than most compact toilets. Despite its small size, the model looks stylish and offers a fair amount of comfort in terms of height and seat shape.
The toilet bowl has a unique shape, along with a water line that ensures each flush leaves the bowl clean. Skid marks are a less common occurrence, thanks to this bowl`s shape. It is possible to keep it clean for a long time by flushing alone.
The flushing power is adequate, despite the toilet’s small p-trap. This item allows you to save on water. However, I highly recommend using the full flush often to avoid clogs due to the small p-trap.
The Galba toilet’s winning quality is its glazed exterior. The shiny surface is not only safe for cleaning but also resistant to scratching, rust, and discoloration caused by age and fading. It is easy to clean by wiping it down with water. This quality makes it a great dual flush toilet to have in a busy home as it reduces the burden of cleaning.
On the other hand, there are a few qualities I would change about this small space toilet to make it one of the best small toilets. The spring mechanism for the flush button is not as strong as it should be. As a result, it can pop out and require repair.
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2. Kohler 3810-0 Compact Elongated Toilet – Runner Up
- Dimensions: 31 x 20.75 x 29 inches
- Flush type: Gravity Flush Toilets
- Water consumption: 1.28 Gallons per Flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: China
- Certification: WaterSense
- Warranty: One-year limited warranty
The Kohler Santa Rosa is one of the best toilets for a small bathroom due to its outstanding features. It is produced for maximum comfort while taking up little space and using less water to flush.
It owns a one-piece design that has the tank and bowl fitted together. This saves on plenty of space that would have been used up by a regular toilet seat. Its elongated bowl complements the compact build as it is narrow enough to save a considerable amount of space. Even with the narrow bowl, the toilet seat remains quite comfortable.
The flush design relies on gravity, which in turn reduces the amount of water used up as well as instances when you need a plunger to unblock the toilet. This technology ensures everything goes down the drain in a single flush, with the tank and trapway built to create a strong siphon and aid flushing. This technology ensures you use less water each time you visit the toilet.
Kohler is known for innovation when it comes to comfort, and the model 3810-0 is no exception. The toilet seat is designed with quiet close technology. There is nothing worse than creeping to the toilet late at night, relieving yourself as quietly as possible only for the toilet seat to slam shut and wake the entire house. Thanks to quiet close technology, this toilet seat shuts slowly and quietly, saving you from embarrassment.
The comfortable design by Kohler does not end there. The toilet seat is adjusted to a comfortable height to cater to adults who might have a challenge getting to and from lower levels. Straining your back and knees and getting off the toilet will be an issue of the past if you use this Kohler toilet.
The last, but certainly not the least quality that I love about this toilet is the ease of installation. Unlike other compact toilets that take hours to set up, forcing you to call the plumber and get it over with, the Kohler 3810-0 can be assembled and set up in 2 hours.
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3. Horow HWMT-8733 Dual Flush Compact Toilet – Great Value
- Dimensions: 25 x 13.4 x 28.4 inches
- Toilet style: Modern Design
- Flush type: Dual
- Bowl shape: Round
- Rough-in: 12 Inches
- Material: Ceramic
- Certification: CEC, Energy Star, CUPC, WaterSense
- Warranty: 5-Year Limited Warranty
I always recommend this Horow HWMT-8733 toilet to anyone looking for an easy-to-fix toilet that comes with simple DIY instructions. It has a rough-in length of fewer than 26 inches to fit in the most cramped spaces. The model also has a sleek appearance and is quite comfortable, with several features that make it a must-have.
A fully glazed bowl ensures complete cleaning, with a siphon flushing mechanism that increases water efficiency. This toilet has a powerful flush that cleans in one go. The seat is soft closing to avoid slamming. The quiet flush is another great quality for your peaceful state of mind.
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4. TOTO MS853113#01 Compact One Piece Toilet
- Toilet style: Traditional
- Flush type: Power Flush Toilets
- Water consumption: 1.6 Gallons per Flush
- Bowl shape: Round
- Rough-in: 12 Inches
- Material: Plastic, Vitreous China
- Warranty: Manufacturer One Year Limited
If you are remodeling your bathroom and need a small toilet matching your sinks and tiles – TOTO should be your go-to brand. It is made of cotton-white porcelain that will match your bathroom fixtures quite well. Also, this model has several great qualities that make it one of the best compact toilets you can buy.
It is small enough to fit in unconventional bathroom spaces. It leaves enough space to give the room a neat look and get rid of overcrowding. It is also quite lightweight, which makes it easy for one person to maneuver when doing a DIY installation. I should mention that this TOTO toilet is also a one-piece item – like the others I have reviewed.
The toilet seat is small and enhances the overall appearance of the construction. The seat has soft-close technology to ensure it never slams shut. The toilet is of standard height, which means you will not have any inconveniences sitting and getting off it. It does not have any Sanagloss covering and cleans easily like an ordinary porcelain toilet.
I am impressed by how quietly this toilet flushes. This is a huge plus in my book. I would attribute the quiet flush to the system behind it. It relies on gravity and a wide flush valve to ensure everything goes down the drain fast and easily. This is the cherry on top of the TOTO MS853113 toilet.
At the same time, several features draw a fair amount of criticism. While the toilet flushes quietly, it does not always get clean at the first flush. You would have to flush twice to get a spotless bowl. This forces you to use more water each time.
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5. Saniflo Sanicompact 023 Toilet for Small Bathrooms
- Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 16.5 inches
- Toilet style: Sanicompact
- Flush type: Gravity Flush Toilets
- Water consumption: 1.6 Gallons per Flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Porcelain, Plastic, Metal
- Warranty: 2 Year warranty
If you are looking to add a ½ bath to any area of your house that has no preexisting plumbing, I highly recommend the Saniflo 023 Sanicompact. This space saver toilet will be an inexpensive addition that takes up very little space due to its compact, tankless design.
The Saniflo does not have a traditional tank. This feature makes it look much smaller than other toilets. The pump and grinder are concealed under the base of the toilet, increasing the ability of its hood to fit in a small, closet-like space. When you flush, the item produces a sump-pump-like sound as it has plenty of power. It is an up-flush design that pumps up to 9 feet vertically, which is another advantage.
This Saniflo toilet allows for sink installation. The sink also drains into the pump, so you should expect the pump to kick in whenever you run the water. However, having the sink installed is optional, and the toilet still works well without it.
The toilet is not easy to mount without the help of a plumber. However, if you are handy with tools, have the installation manual as well as both tapcon bit and screws, and you might stand a chance. You will also need to drill into the concrete floor to secure the fasteners. I often advise my clients to change the outlet that the toilet plugs into – a standard outlet to a GFCI. This protects the pump motor for as long as possible.
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6. American Standard 2403.128.020 One-Piece Toilet
- Dimensions: 30 x 30 x 46 inches
- Toilet style: Left Hand
- Water consumption: 1.28 Gallons per Flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
- Certification: WaterSense
- Warranty: Limited 5-Year Warranty
If you prefer buying from brands that have been around for ages, I highly recommend the American Standard toilet. This company is associated with all the things you would need to remodel your bathroom – from faucets to bidets, bathtubs, showerheads, and toilets. The 2403.128.020 toilet model is a compact and efficient choice that is more affordable than most products I have reviewed.
This toilet has an elongated seat that takes up less space than a rounded one. If your bathroom is cramped, you will find that this toilet leaves more space between the walls and the vanity. It has a left-hand trip lever, which eliminates the leakage that can happen with dual flush buttons. The soft-close design is an added advantage that ensures your toilet seat will not slam shut after every use.
The small water tank holds only 1.28 gallons of water and is great for reducing water consumption. American Standard is EPA certified, meaning it prioritizes minimal water usage to conserve the environment. The small tank size also fills up quickly after flushing. The toilet bowl features an EverClean surface to prevent molding and accumulation of bacteria. It helps everything go down smoothly by the first flush. This is also easy to clean.
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7. Swiss Madison 1T112 Modern Small Toilet
- Dimensions: 26 x 14 x 29 inches
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12 Inches
- Material: Ceramic
- Warranty: 1-Year Limited Warranty
Swiss Madison 1T112 has a sleek and compact design. Its winning quality results in the comfort height, which makes the toilet great for people with back and knee problems to use. Sitting on and getting up from this toilet is easy, regardless of physical limitations. The bowl is elongated, which not only makes the item more compact but also increases the comfort level.
It also meets EPA requirements for water efficiency and is sure to cut your water bills down by a considerable amount. This is despite the dual flush mechanism which can easily cause water to run continuously; hence wastage occurs. However, the toilet flushes well with the bowl getting clean the first time you flush. This is a time-saver, as you do not have to clean it as often as you would if it did not cope with this function well.
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6 Things to Consider When Looking for Small Toilet Solutions
It is important to choose the right toilet for your needs. The proper decision will ensure you use it for years without needing a replacement. There are 6 main considerations you should make when shopping for a compact toilet:
What Size Dimensions to Look At?
The fact that you are shopping for a small toilet means you have little room to spare for it. Ensure you double-check the compact toilet dimensions before your purchase to avoid buying a big toilet that you will have to return. The most important measurement you should have is the rough-in size. It refers to the length from the center of the toilet to the wall.
Another important consideration for small toilet sizes is the shape of the bowl. Elongated and round bowls take up different amounts of space.
Does Water Consumption Matter?
Unless you live under a rock, you already know how important it is to consider your carbon imprint. Wasting water is neither good for the environment nor for your wallet.
Older toilet models use up to four times more water to flush than new ones. You need to consider buying efficient items that use as little water as possible. Even if a new model is more expensive than an old one, you should bear in mind the savings you will make in the long run via your water bills.
Flush Efficiency
This factor refers to how much water the toilet needs to clean the bowl after use. Different toilets use various flushing systems that determine their efficiency. Federal law requires that residential toilets should meet EPA criteria for water saving.
Ideally, you will have to choose between toilets with trap ways to prevent clogging or those with valves that flush more powerfully. Be sure to choose the best of the two, depending on the size and needs of your household.
Ease of Cleaning
Keeping your toilet clean as a permanent matter is very important. Depending on your daily schedule, you may not always have the time to clean it every day.
When choosing a shallow toilet, go for models that are easy to clean. The material and design of the toilet bowl and tank are indicators of the ease of cleaning.
What Height Should Toilet Be?
Consider the seat height that will cause little or no strain on adults’ backs and knees. The latest space-saving toilets have a convenient height, which ensures the seat is comfortable enough to reach without straining.
If you have children, you will also have to consider their comfort. Studies have proven that children can have irregular toilet habits if they perceive toilets to be uncomfortable. The size and height of the toilet should be moderate for their use.
Style
Although toilets are functional additions to any household, they may add an element of style depending on existing décor. Take your color, material, and shape preferences into consideration while making a purchase.
Final Remarks on Small Toilets for Small Spaces
Small toilet seats are a great addition to your home, especially when you have little space. However, choosing the right brand is not easy. With so many alternatives on the market, how do you settle on the best compact toilet for your home?
You have to make a few important considerations while shopping. Ensure that the toilet you choose fits into your bathroom space, leaving enough room to maneuver. You should also check on water consumption and buy only efficient models that use less water. Comfort is a priority, and so is the style of the low-profile toilet you choose. With these features in mind, you will surely buy a good compact toilet.
I hope you have received some new insights from this review and buying guide. Are there any good compact toilets I have left out of this list? What experience did you have with the most compact toilet you have bought online? Please share your story in the comment section below. I’m looking forward to reading it and responding to your questions.
Gerald Carpenter
My name is Gerald Carpenter and I am a professional plumber in the third generation. My father was a plumber, my grandfather was a plumber. I wish I had records on my other ancestors.
You omit throughout telling us if standard toilet seats fit and work. Standard seats seem to come in round or elongated with many choices of those specific two types, at box stores like Lowes and Home Depot. However, I tend to worry, unless told otherwise, that no standard seats work with any of these compact toilets as most appear to be specially fitted or shaped to the odd shape of these bowls and I worry that the shorter distance between the bowl and the tank (to make them compact) might not allow the space needed for mounting of standard seats or that they may not have the standard mounting holes.
If you are looking for a small space toilet, I can say that Galba is just the one. I believe it is totally worth being named as a top choice here. Since I don’t have lots of space in my bathroom, I ordered this model several years ago. It was easy to install, and it still runs smoothly.