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COPYRIGHT 2005 Consumers Union of the United States, Inc.
Even the utilitarian commode is getting a revamp as toilet manufacturers strive to make this most basic of bathroom elements more accommodating.
Trends include more comfort-height models, which raise the rim from the usual 14 inches to as much as 17 inches above the floor. The added height makes getting on and off easier, especially for aging boomers, who have helped boost sales to roughly twice what they were in 2001. But their added comfort is likely to appeal to younger buyers, too.
Some of the most capable models blend their higher style with high performance at a moderate price. Two, from Eljer and Kohler, cost less than $300.
Added efficiency is another selling point as major brands attempt to improve upon the 1.6 gallons per flush that has been the legal threshold since 1994. A growing number of models with dual-flush technology use a mere 0.8 gallons.
Flushing an array of baby wipes, sponges, plastic balls, and tubes designed to uniformly simulate a toilet's worst nightmare revealed that some toilets still can't handle the tough stuff. We also found that many top performers share a common annoyance. Here are the details:
Pressure has the power. Pressure-assisted toilets dispatched our simulated solid waste with the fewest clogs, thanks to their powerful thrust. For sheer flushing power, none of the vacuum-assisted toilets we tested and only a few of the gravity models came close.
Better is usually noisier. The loudest of our pressure-assisted toilets emitted an emphatic "whoosh" as they worked. Gravity and vacuum models were much quieter. While that typically means less-effective flushing, two gravity toilets, by Eljer and American Standard, worked nearly as well as the pressure-assisted models with far less fanfare.
Dual-flush requires discretion. Both dual-flush models we tested did a fine job of thoroughly removing liquid waste when we used their optional water-saving, 0.8-gallon mode. But none of these toilets are meant for solid waste in that mode. One model we tested, the Sterling Rockton Dual Force, barely coped with the tougher stuff in its 1.6-gallon mode.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Many toilets are replaced as part of a bathroom makeover. But if you're simply replacing a broken gravity toilet, consider having it fixed, especially if you bought it after 1994. A new flapper valve (about $5) or new fill valve (about $15) solves most problems and is easy to install.
Once you've decided to buy a new toilet, begin by considering the bathroom's location. If it's near a kitchen or other living area, or your home is small, you're likelier to prefer a quieter toilet.
See First Things First, on page 33, for an overview of the three major toilet types. After you've chosen the type...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
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