Best Pressure Assist Toilet Models to Get in 2024 – Plumber’s Picks
Most people have few expectations when it comes to a toilet. However, struggling with solid waste that just won’t go down the drain can be extremely frustrating, which is more common than we wish it was with traditional gravity models.
One way of solving the problem is by installing a pressure-assist toilet. The term refers to units that look very much like the typical gravity-flush ones with a bowl and a water tank but work differently under the hood, or, rather, inside the tank.
Table could not be displayed.The best pressure assist toilet will combine improved flushing efficiency with a water-saving feature. This is because the technology uses compressed air that’s pushed out of a mini-tank inside the main tank as it fills with air, giving more power and intensity to the water stream which is generated.
Like all good things, however, the extra cleanness comes at a cost. Power flush toilets, which is the other name for pressure assist, tend to be noisier than average and often fall on the pricey side. Read my pressure assist toilet reviews below to find out why I recommend Kohler K-3493-96 as the best option (and what alternatives there are)!
Top 5 Best Pressure Assist Toilet Models
1. Kohler K-3493-96 Highline Classic – Top Pick
2. American Standard Cadet – Great Value
3. TOTO CST744SL#01 Drake – Premium Choice
4. Zurn Dual Flush
5. Kohler Wellworth Classic
Here is my personal top-of-power flush toilets that truly make the best of the compressed air technology. The models make a fairly broad spectrum, so feel free to choose the optimum quality-to-price ratio for your setting.
1. Kohler K-3493-96 Highline Classic – My Top Pick
No products found.
- Flush type: Single
- Water consumption: 1.6 gpf
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous china
- Warranty: 1-year limited
Made by a US-based company that has been in the market for nearly 150 years now, the Highline range offers improved comfort, in particular by complying with Chapter 6 of the ADA standards, which define spaces friendly to people with disabilities.
Another enhanced comfort feature that this toilet uses is the elongated bowl, offering a lot of sitting space. The model comes with a standard twelve-inch rough-in. A flush lever is installed on the left-hand side.
With the very common two-piece design, K-3493-96 is reasonably easy to install. There is no seat, supply line, or wax ring included in the kit.
The 3.2-ounce unit measures 30-1/8 x 21-1/4 x 31-1/4 inches with a 12 x 10 inches water surface area, which testifies to clean flushing as compared to small water spots.
This Kohler toilet combines efficient modern technology with a classic look that makes it a highly versatile model. Made of vitreous china, a ceramic material covered with high-gloss enamel that increases its durability and makes it less vulnerable to stains, this Highline comes in the classic white and biscuit beige colors as well as black.
Although this is an upmarket option, no special features such as a bidet or seat heating are included, so what you invest in is essentially powerful flushing. Kohler offers a year’s warranty for this product.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
2. American Standard Cadet: A Budget-Friendlier Excellent Air Assist Toilet (Runner Up)
No products found.
- Dimensions: 30.25 x 20.5 x 30.75 inches
- Water consumption: 1.6 gpf
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
Founded in 2008, American Standard is a plumbing fixture manufacturer based in New Jersey that can be traced back to the well-renowned American Standard Companies, which broke up in 2007.
Just like my absolute favorite, this model boasts a number of improved comfort features such as an elongated bowl and relatively tall seat that makes it another ADA-compliant toilet on the market. The 93-pound unit measures 30.25 x 20.5 x 30.75 inches when shipped and has the standard two-piece design.
Installation is very easy because it uses the Speed Connect coupling system which saves time in joining the two parts. Unlike the previous model, this one comes with a more space-saving rough-in of 10 inches.
This pressure assists toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush with a siphon jet technology, which is reasonably efficient but generates a lot of noise compared to gravity models and our Top 1. A fully glazed 2-1/8-inch trap way helps prevent clogging.
Remember that the seat and wax ring is not included. A limited warranty applies for one year.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
3. TOTO CST744SL#01 Drake: The Best Power Flush Toilet in Clog-Prone Settings
No products found.
- Dimensions: 28 x 19.5 x 30.5 inches
- Water consumption: 1.6 gpf
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12-inch
- Material: Vitreous China
Based in the Japanese city of Kitakyushu, TOTO is no less than the world’s largest toilet manufacturer that is known for inventing the Washlet cleansing technology.
With the seat placed 18 inches above the floor, this toilet is compatible with ADA standards in terms of comfort height. It has a full height of 30.5 inches and measures 28 inches from back to front, the tank included.
The 14-inch-wide bowl has a comfortable elongated design that offers enough room for most body shapes. It also provides for a big enough water spot.
Being a standard two-piece model with a 12-inch rough-in, Drake is relatively easy to install provided that you get a water supply hose, bolts for attaching it to the ring, and a wax ring. No seat is included.
This model boasts a G-Max Flushing System that combines air assist with a bigger-than-average plug for efficient clog-free waste removal at 1.6 GPF with not-so-loud flushing sounds.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
4. Zurn Dual Flush: An Excellent High-Pressure Toilet
No products found.
- Dimensions: 30 x 27 x 17 inches; 93.95 Pounds
- Flush type: Ultra quiet flush
- Water consumption: 1.6 gpf
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Material: Vitreous China
Yet another US-based company with over a hundred years of experience, Zurn offers a wide variety of water solutions with an emphasis on human health and environmental protection.
Unlike the leader and the runner-up, this model is not considered fit for people with disabilities according to the ADA standard as it doesn’t feature comfort height. It does have a roomy elongated bowl, though, which makes it quite comfortable to sit on.
This is a standard two-piece unit with the classic rough-in of 12 inches. With a shipment weight of 95 lbs, it has a tank height of 30-3/8 inches and a bowl width of 14-3/4 inches at the widest point.
Installation is pretty straightforward as with most two-piece models. As usual, you’ll need to purchase a number of accessories such as a bolt and wax ring kit and a fitting seat. The model has a large water surface area, which aids cleanness.
Zurn Z5572 is made of white vitreous china that’s both durable and stain-resistant compared to regular porcelain. Both right- and left-hand lever options are available.
This is a commercial pressure assist toilet that boasts a number of heavy user-friendly features such as leakage protection as well as a vandal-proof lid. An operating pressure range of 20 to 125 psi makes it a highly reliable and efficient water-efficient high-pressure toilet.
This Zurn model is a great choice for people who like to help the environment by keeping their water consumption to a minimum as it enables you to choose a flush capacity of 1.0 or 1.6 gallons depending on your needs by pulling the handle up or down from the middle position respectively.
The pressure-assisted siphon jet flush action is moderately noisy. A full-glazed trapway prevents clogging.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
5. Kohler Wellworth Classic: Great Quality to Cost Ratio Among Compressed Air Toilets
No products found.
- Water consumption: 1.6 gpf
- Bowl shape: Elongated
- Rough-in: 12-inch
- Material: Vitreous China
- Warranty: One-year limited warranty
This model won’t hurt your budget as much as my top pick, which is also by the US-based Kohler and is similar to it in many ways.
A standard 12-inch rough-in two-piece unit, Wellworth has a comfortable elongated bowl. It is fairly easy to install like most models of the same design.
The water surfaces measure 12 inches by 10 inches, leaving the bowl wet and clean. The vitreous china body comes with a left-hand trip lever and is available in three color options, including black.
The Sloan FLUSHMATE® system installed in the tank delivers good flushing efficiency at 1.4 GPF. It is can splash at times, so it’s best to close the lid before you flush, though. Clogging is very unlikely.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|
|
Buyer’s Guide
Recommendations are great, but it’s informed decision-making that makes you a smart shopper. In this section, I share general information about pressure assistance toilets as well as some tips for choosing one.
What Is a Pressure Assist Toilet?
A pressure-assist toilet – sometimes referred to alternatively as a power flush toilet – is a toilet where pressurized air is used to increase the speed at which water flows into the bowl when flushed. This is achieved by using an additional tank inside the main one.
How Does a Pressure Assist Toilet Work?
In power flush toilets, the tank contains a so-called air bladder. That is a container that has air in it, which gets compressed as water fills the tank and, consequently, the bladder. This kind of compression generates pressure inside the bladder, which helps deliver water to the bowl at a higher speed or flow rate, increasing solid waste removal efficiency.
This is not to be confused with a vacuum assist toilet system, a relatively new technology where a vacuum tank is connected to the trapway to such waste out of the bowl when flushed.
This might sound like pressure-assist toilets are a waste of water. In fact, however, they are just the opposite as it’s not how much water you use but how quickly it flows.
While older gravity toilets could use up to 7 gallons per flush, 1.4 to 1.6 is generally enough to remove solid waste with pressure assist systems. Given that an average household uses about 5 flushes a day, switching from 7 to 1.6 GPF can save you 8,559 gallons of water per year.
Pressure assist toilets are not prone to sweating. They might save you time and money cleaning the bowl as power flushing leaves it in a much better state than the gravity system, too.
Power flush toilets do have their downsides. They cost more than most traditional models, which can be made up for by reduced bills over time. It’s also a noisier option compared to the gravity system.
Pressure assist toilets are very popular in industrial settings where there’s more background noise, but in residential bathrooms, with sensitive sleepers across the wall, it can be a problem.
How to Choose the Best Pressure Assist Toilet?
Water consumption is key when choosing a power flush toilet. As a rule of thumb, 1.6 GPF is a good value that saves a lot of water while also leaving the bowl really clean. As a premium option, you might want a model where you can choose between different amounts depending on waste types, such as 1.0 GPF for liquids or 1.6 GPF for solids.
A siphon jet is another way of increasing efficiency as it holds extra water right at the entrance of the trapway, ejecting it to increase flushing pressure when needed. This is a common yet not omnipresent feature.
Size and shape matter, too. It’s generally advisable to choose standard rough-ins such as 12 inches or, less commonly, 10 inches for smaller spaces that will fit in most residential bathrooms. Elongated bowls are more ergonomic than round and compact oblong ones as they offer more sitting room. Finally, a lot of models appear to be a little too low above the ground, so I suggest that you look for a comfort height toilet depending on your body shape.
When it comes to one-piece versus two-piece toilets, I generally recommend the latter, the less sleek-looking option where the tank and the bowl are two separate parts. It does take time to bolt them together during installation, but it also gives you more flexibility in the future and is cheaper than a one-piece pressure-assist toilet.
Finally, a long-term warranty is always a plus with costly fixtures. While one year seems to be the standard term, some brands offer as many as ten.
FAQ
Here are the answers to some common questions that people ask about pressure-assist toilets.
Is a pressure-assist better than a gravity toilet?
It is cleaner, less prone to clogging, and eco-friendlier in that it saves water by increasing its velocity as it hits the bowl. However, it also tends to be more expensive and noisier.
How to unclog a high-pressure assist toilet?
The procedure is the same as with gravity toilets. Minor clogs can be resolved with a plunger, while more stubborn problems will need a tool known commonly as a toilet snake, or a toilet auger.
What does a pressure-assist toilet resolve?
A power flush toilet will solve the problem of flushing many times before your solid waste is finally gone. The likelihood of clogging is reduced when using pressure assist, too.
Can I install a pressure-assist on my toilet?
No, unless you are already using a pressure-assist model. The reason is that gravity and pressure-assist toilets mostly use different passageways that bring water into the bowl and different tank designs.
Save Time and Water with a Pressure Assist Toilet
A power flush toilet is a cleaner and more responsible approach to dealing with human waste compared to old-fashioned gravity systems. The pressure-assist technology makes it easier to remove solid waste in a single flush, using less water than you would with a traditional toilet.
If the prospect of saving the planet’s resources and your money appeals to you, go ahead and get one that has the right size, noise level, and design for you.
Speaking about the design, what do you think of black toilets? I know that this has sparked a lot of controversies, so you’re welcome to share your opinion!
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.
I am here to give advice to others. If you want to find the perfect high-pressure flush toilet, pay attention to Kohler Highline Classic. It is not big and fits well even in a small bathroom like mine. It does not get dirty, which is a huge plus for me, with two kids around the house. And it is easy to unclog if one of the kids throws lots of paper inside.