Toilet Buying Guide

Ready to go toilet shopping? With this brief informational toilet buying guide, we here at HFH hope we can help you to make the right purchase for your needs.

O.K., it's certainly not the most glamorous of subjects, but hey, it's still a necessity :)

The 'Skinny' on Toilets

Toilets can be purchased in either a one-piece, or two-piece sets.

The one piece unit comes complete with a tank, lid, bowl, seat, wax ring (with sleeve), (2) flange bolts, and (2) bolt caps. Ideal for easy clean up.

As you would imagine, the two-piece comes with the tank and bowl purchased separately. What makes this type more attractive (especially from an investor standpoint) is the fact that this toilet is generally cheaper to buy than the one piece.

Round
This type of bowl is designed to essentially save space. An added attribute is the many different seat colors and styles of the round type bowl. Prices start at $60 with an average cost being about $100 to $150. (16.5" front to back)

Elongated
These bowls are styled for comfort and are 2 inches bigger than the round bowl style. Prices generally start at $80 with an average cost usually around $135 to $175 (18.5" front to back)

Something to Consider When Purchasing a Toilet

There are two basic flushing system designs you should know about before buying. They are:

a pressure-assisted flushing system. This is when, after lever is depressed, water is forced (by pressurized air) into the bowl, which reduces the chance for clogs. There are, however, many critics of this type of flushing system because it is considered to be excessively noisy, expensive, and might require continual (expensive) maintenance.

The gravity-flush system is probably the more common of the two. This system simply uses the weight of the water in the tank to generate it's own flushing pressure forcing everything in the bowl down through the S-shaped trapway. Of the two systems, this by far the more preferred (just ask your plumber!) because it is quieter, and requires less overall maintenance.

And Finally ...

This toilet buying guide just wouldn't be complete without mentioning the toilet seat. Look for seats that a.) fit the bowl design (round or elongated), and b.) match or complement the color and style of the fixture you're installing. There are many styles and colors to choose from, and can even come contoured for a more comfortable fit.