7 Best Flushing Toilets in 2024 – Complete Review & Buyer’s Guide (THEY CAN FLUSH ANYTHING)
Whether you are completely remodeling and renovating your bathroom or just need a new toilet to replace the old unit that has stopped working properly, this article will provide you with extensive information on the best flushing toilet options available in the market today and help you make an informed choice.
Here, you will learn all about how different flushing mechanisms work and which essential features good flushing toilets must have. Also, feel free to check the Buyer’s Guide and FAQ section, where you will have some of the most pressing questions answered by experts in this field of knowledge.
Before we move on to the list of the Top-7 best flushing toilet models to buy, let us see what flushing mechanisms today’s most advanced bathroom fixtures use and how they affect the flushing efficiency of a toilet.
Types of Flushing Systems
While the type of flushing mechanism might not be the very first thing that we think about when choosing a new toilet, it is of prime importance as it determines the overall efficiency of this bathroom fixture. Here are several flushing systems that are the most often used in modern toilet designs:
Gravity Flush
In these toilets, gravity powers the flush, utilizing the weight of water to produce the pressure needed to force the waste into the trapway and further down the drain.
Pressure-Assisted Flush
Similar to gravity flush toilets, pressure-assisted flush exploits this natural force too. Additionally, it has a mechanism that utilizes pressurized air to make the water run into the bowl even harder, removing the waste more efficiently and contributing to a cleaner environment.
Dual Flush
Due to their eco-conscious design that allows you to use only as much water as you need to flush down a particular waste, this type of flushing mechanism is quickly gaining popularity. Operated by two buttons, the unit lets you opt for full or partial flush and thus consume water more responsibly.
Double Cyclone Flush
Instead of the conventional rim holes, this mechanism uses large nozzles on both sides of the bowl to release water and create a powerful cyclonic flushing action. The design was created and patented by the famous Toto company.
Top-7 Best Flushing Toilet Models to Buy in 2024
- Toto UltraMax II – Top Pick
- Toto Drake CST744SL – Runner Up
- Kohler 3810-0 Santa Rosa – est Compact
- American Standard 2004314.020 Champion 4
- GALBA Small Toilet – The Best Flushing Toilet for Small Bathrooms
- American Standard H2Option
- Signature Hardware 413995 Stalnaker
Below, you will find the top flush toilet of the most popular models from the world’s leading manufacturers that we handpicked, reviewed, and tested.
1. Toto UltraMax II – Most Powerful Flushing Toilet for Bathrooms of Every Size
- Dimensions: 28 x 16 x 28 inches
- Water consumption: 1. 28 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
The Toto UltraMax II is our top pick today not only for its elegant look and highly ergonomic design that will make it blend in nicely with any modern bathroom decor but also because this is one of the most advanced flushing toilets on the market, packed with a number of outstanding features.
The Toto UltraMax II is a one-piece model, which combines a slim tank and a bowl into a single unit. Its well-considered height of 17.25 inches and the elongated shape of the bowl ensure comfortable use for children, adults, and elderly people alike. The toilet is complete with a soft close seat for improved sanitation, but also to prevent it from slamming and making unnecessary noises.
The UltraMax II model offers standard measurements for a household toilet. Its dimensions are 28.3*16.6*28.8 inches, and its weight is 99 pounds. Such a solid yet slim construction means that this toilet is easy to care for and will be an excellent fit for any bathroom, however small.
The choice of colors here is extensive, featuring colonial white, ebony, bone, cotton white, and Sedona beige. Whatever the color is, each UltraMax II unit is covered with a CEFIONTECT glaze, which gives it lubricious properties and ensures that the waste is effectively removed with a single flush.
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2. Toto Drake CST744SL: Best Two-Piece Turbo Flush Toilet for Clog-Free Operation
- Dimensions: 28 x 19.5 x 30.5 inches
- Toilet style: No Seat
- Flush type: Gravity Flush
- Water consumption: 1. 6 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
- Certification: ADA
- Warranty: One-Year Limited
The Toto Drake CST744SL models boast a sleek and contemporary design coupled with robust functionality.
This two-piece elongated unit utilizes the innovative G-Max flushing system to provide thorough and powerful, yet superbly quiet, waste removal in a single rinse. The variety of colors available for this model is impressive and can easily match any bathroom scheme. The Toto Drake CST744SL toilets can be colonial white, cotton white, Sedona beige, bone, and ebony.
Its fully glazed trap combined with a 3-inch flush valve and further reinforced with a robust siphon jet ensures that clogging is never a problem. Although there is no dual-flush option here, the Toto Drake CST744SL model is built to use just 1.6 gallons of water per flush, and, thus, can be considered a very water-efficient solution.
Standing at 16.5 inches floor-to-lid, the toilet is in full compliance with ADA height requirements. The toilet rim is located about 2-2.5 inches higher than in conventional fixtures. Such added height makes using the toilet more comfortable and effortless for people of all ages and physical abilities.
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3. Kohler Santa Rosa: Best Mid-Priced High-Flush Toilet for Small Bathrooms
- Dimensions: 31 x 20.75 x 29 inches
- Flush type: Gravity Flush
- Water consumption: 1.28 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: China
- Certification: WaterSense
- Warranty: One-Year Limited
The Kohler Santa Rosa is a one-piece toilet whose design effectively combines a bowl and a tank into one compact, easy-to-care-for unit. Molded from vitreous china, this fast-flush toilet boasts a very modern-looking, glossy appearance that will agree with almost any bathroom décor.
Its elongated seat is located at a comfortable height from the floor, making the Santa Rosa model perfectly suited to the needs of users across all age groups. Its overall dimensions are 31*20.8*29 inches, which is a compact enough model to fit neatly into the smallest bathrooms. The bowl is rounded to prevent dirt, mold, and bacteria from being trapped in the tight corners and make cleaning super-easy.
The Kohler Santa Rosa is a high flush performance with a tank capacity of only 1.28 gallons. The novel AquaPiston engine employed here ensures that water enters the bowl from all sides, shooting out under pressure and completely removing even large waste in one quick and powerful flush. It not only helps keep the toilet sparkling clean for a longer time but also gives you significant water consumption savings at the end of the day.
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4. American Standard Champion 4: Super Flushing Toilet with the Capacity to Handle Extra-Large Waste
- Dimensions: 17.75 x 29.75 x 28.5 inches
- Toilet style: Elongated
- Water consumption: 1. 6 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated/Round
- Material: Vitreous China
- Certification: Watersense, Certified frustration-free
- Warranty: Limited 10-Year Warranty
The American Standard Champion 4 model is an aesthetically pleasing and sturdily built one-piece toilet that offers top-notch performance and impressive durability. The rim height of this elongated toilet is 16.5 inches, which is enough to sit taller adults and elderly users with every possible comfort. The overall measurements here are 17.75*29.75*29.5 inches.
One distinct advantage of the Champion 4 model is that its accelerator flush valve measures 4 inches. That is twice the size of the usual valve used in most other toilets. This feature and the 2-3/8 inch fully glazed trapway ensure high-efficiency, clog-free performance. The toilet is also known for its ability to efficiently cope with up to 70% more waste than other standard units.
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5. GALBA Small Toilet – The Best Flushing Toilet for Small Bathrooms
- Dimensions: 24.5 x 14 x 27 inches
- Flush type: Dual
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12 Inches
The GALBA toilet is one of the most compact and ergonomic models designed to fit in smaller bathrooms. Measuring just 24.5*14*27 inches and weighing 90 pounds in total, this one-piece unit is a dream when it comes to cleaning and installation. With only 12 inches of the rough-in area required, the toilet will not make your bathroom feel small even if the space is limited.
The GALBA model is among the highest-rated toilets built to cater to the needs of the whole family. Its design is well-planned as far as water consumption is concerned. With only 1.6 gallons of water wasted with each flush, the savings will be significant.
The toilet boasts a dual flush system, meaning there are two available flushing options here: half flush with under 1 gallon of water used each time and the full flush feature designed for removing larger waste.
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6. American Standard H2Option: Best Toilet for Flushing Large Waste of up to 1000 Grams
- Dimensions: 15 x 29.75 x 30 inches
- Toilet style: Elongated
- Water consumption: 0.92 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
- Warranty: 5-Year Limited
Backed by the sophisticated siphon dual flush technology, the American Standard H2Option offers a powerful and fast flush that guarantees to remove any amount of waste and keep your strong flush toilet spic-and-span for a long time. The efficiency and quality of this compact toilet are in no way compromised by the economical price that will match any family budget, however tight.
The dual flush mechanism employed here ensures the ultimate efficiency of water use. Consuming only 0.92/1.28 gallons per single flush, this WaterSense-certified American Standard H2Option makes it possible to reduce your water bills significantly. The pressurized PowerWash rim sprays water automatically during each flush, removing every last bit of waste in the bowl and helping maintain the toilet fresh and clean.
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7. Signature Hardware Stalnaker: Top Flushing Toilet in the Two-piece Unit Category
- Dimensions: 17 x 33 x 28 inches
- Water consumption: 1. 6 gallons per flush
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12
- Material: Vitreous China
- Certification: ADA
This compact and stylish product from Signature Hardware is a two-piece porcelain toilet with a bowl and tank engineered nicely into one functional, easy-to-care-for unit. The elongated bowl completed with a standard seat is fully compliant with the best ADA regulations, meaning people of all ages and physical abilities can use it safely and comfortably.
The Signature Hardware’s Stalnaker model features a robust 1.6-gallon siphonic flush that removes solid and liquid waste effectively with a single rinse and makes water consumption more economical. The dimensions of this unit are 17.5*33.25*28.5 inches, and the rough-in area is the usual 12 inches. Its elegant white color and graceful lines will make sure the Signature Hardware Stalnaker will blend in perfectly with the rest of your bathroom interior.
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Buyer’s Guide
Before buying a new toilet for your bathroom, it is a good idea to learn as much as you can about how different types of toilets and how work compared to one another to make sure you will not regret your decision in a few years’ time.
This buyer’s guide will steer you through the most crucial aspects of this decision-making process and help you find the bathroom fixture that meets all your requirements and keeps you entirely happy with your choice.
How does flushing the toilet work?
All flushing toilets are powered by gravity, which forces water from the tank to go into the bowl and empty it of waste, driven by its own weight. However, some good flushing toilets today use supplemental mechanisms to help gravity do its job more efficiently, for example, by adding air pressure to make the toilet flushing more powerful.
Here is what happens when you flush the toilet:
- A flush toilet uses a flush lever that, when pulled, removes a valve called a flapper and opens an outlet pipe through which water from the tank rushes into the bowl using a siphon mechanism.
- Via holes in the rim (or nozzles in Double Cyclone Flush toilets), water from the tank flows into the bowl, washing its contents away down the main drain.
- When the water level in the tank drops, a plastic float here moves towards the bottom and tilts the lever that opens the ball valve, making pressurized water refill the tank and pushing the float up again.
- As soon as the plastic float has reached the correct level, the ball valve shuts off the water supply, and the toilet is ready to be flushed once more.
How to choose the best flushing toilet?
If you are determined to buy a new toilet for your home, there are a few crucial factors to consider first. To make sure you choose well, we recommend taking the following steps:
Think about water consumption efficiency
Water conservation is important for both the environment and your family’s budget. The majority of easy toilets with powerful flush now only use 1.6 gallons of water per rinse, which is enough to remove the contents of the bowl and prevent clogs.
However, there are options that can be even more economical in terms of water consumption, such as high-efficiency toilets (HETs) and Ultra-high efficiency toilets (UHETs). The strongest flushing toilet today can require as little as one gallon of water per flush. Finally, if you are looking for the golden mean, try dual-flush toilets in which you determine the amount of water used, based on your immediate needs.
Choose the correct configuration for your bathroom
Homeowners today can choose from several toilet configurations available to them. There are one-piece toilets and those that contain a separate bowl and tank. Besides, you can opt for a round-front toilet or get a bit of extra comfort with a unit that comes with an elongated bowl.
The rim height matters too and should be taken into account when the toilet is to be used by multiple users, including the elderly, people with disabilities, taller adults, and kids. Picking the right configuration will ensure that the toilet is easy to use and care for, as well as fits nicely into your bathroom décor.
Determine the right size and rough-in area
Toilets today come in various sizes, so carefully take the measurements of your available bathroom space before you make your final pick. Remember that different toilets have different rough-in requirements. Most units that are bolted to the floor need a 12-inch rough-in area (the distance between the wall and the fixture).
Based on the size of your bathroom, you can also consider products that come with a 10-inch or 14-inch rough-in area requirement.
Pick the right flushing mechanism
While listed fourth here, this is actually one of the most crucial aspects to consider when picking a new toilet. Users have a wide variety of flushing systems available to them that differ in price based on their functionality. You can opt for cheaper gravity flush toilets or pay a little extra and get yourself a pressure-assisted flush unit if you expect some heavy-duty exploitation.
Alternatively, you can try out a sophisticated and powerful Double Cyclone Flush installed in one of Toto’s models or go green and pick a toilet that offers dual-flush functionality.
Focus on the design
When you already know what technical characteristics your future toilet should have, it is time to focus on the looks. It should work well with the rest of your bathroom fixtures and blend harmoniously with the main color scheme.
How do I make my toilet flush better?
If you aren’t yet ready to give up on your old toilet and want to do something to make it work better, here are a few things you can try:
- Use a drain snake to remove the tiny clogs in the water line. These clogs may be too small for the human eye to detect, but they are what can prevent the toilet from flushing as effectively as it used to when it was first installed.
- Check the float assembly for damage. When used for a long time, the float assembly inside the tank may go out of order and cause a slow flush. Replacing this assembly part with a new one can solve the problem.
- Check the holes around the rim. Responsible for releasing water into the bowl, these holes may sometimes get clogged, decreasing the pressure of the flush.
FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions from users looking to buy a new flush toilet:
How to fix a slow-flushing toilet?
If your toilet flushes slowly, the first thing to do is to check for clogging. Clogs may form in the water line or inside the holes located around the rim of the toilet bowl. If clogs are not the problem, check the floating assembly inside the tank, whose malfunction may cause a slow flush.
What is a siphon jet?
A siphon jet is an S-shaped pocket in the front part of the toilet directly pointed into the trapway. For hygienic reasons, it holds extra water in it until you flush the toilet. When the flush is activated, the vacuum action sucks the water from the pocket into the trapway, thus increasing the overall pressure of the flush.
How much water does a flushing toilet use?
The amount of water consumed per flush may vary depending on the type of flushing mechanism used. Toilets built before 1982 use up to 7 gallons per flush, while the majority of modern units need 1.6 gallons, and the most advanced models use only around 1-1.28 gallons of water per flush.
Why is my toilet not flushing all the way?
If you have excluded clogging and floating assembly damage as the reasons why your toilet doesn’t flush properly, the problem might be with the surface of the bowl. Its quality tends to impair over the years, with tiny cracks and chippings forming on it that hold to solid waste and make you flush repeatedly.
What Is the Best Flushing Toilet on the Market?
If, after reading every flushing toilet review presented in this post, you are still unsure about which model to choose, we recommend going for the Toto UltraMax II. Not only is it one of the most powerful and well-designed one-piece toilets available today, but it also complies with all the best quality standards and safety requirements approved in this industry. The Toto UltraMax II will become a reasonable investment of your money and will serve you well for years to come.
What flushing system do you think is the best? Which features would you look for in a new toilet? Feel free to share your opinion on this subject with us in the comments section below!
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.
Here is what I’d like to say to you: the best powerful flush system is in the Toto UltraMax II. Although this one-piece unit looks like a toy, I have never seen anything like it before. I don’t even need to clean it more than once a week. I also like the idea that I can save my money without using the second flush.