Just for your information. I cleaned up the testing site this morning and the American Standard toilet failed to evacuate 1 sausage link and it was left in the trap. The pro source from Lowes failed to remove any toilet paper from the trap. Looks like the best option here is the Kohler. BTW the tank on the toilet has 3 bolts so it doesn't move. Cheers!
Is the depth measurement of toilets measured from the wall (as installed on the flange) to the outermost front tangent point of the toilet or is it measured from the back of the toilet unit to the front tangent point of the toilet? What I'm asking is if the Glacier bay toilet that sits against the wall sticks out in the bathroom less far than a seemingly identical toilet that has 1 inch or more space from the wall as designed?
Hey Jeff... As a retired kitchen/bath remodeler of 40 yrs, I found your 'toilet demo' hilarious... The Italian sausage was a perfect sub for the real thing. I use Toto!😂
Thanks for joining everyone, what a fun show! See you next Tuesday at 5pm EST. The toilets are linked in the video description. Watch the faucet comparison next 👉🏼 ua-cam.com/users/livevXIyzvaokko?si=Fpu34u_w40F5PB3b
ohhhh...cant wait for faucets! My indecisiveness is delaying my replumb, which delays my drywall & vanity selections and so on... Big box stores vs same brands in specialty showrooms/ plumbing stores look the same-ish.. but insides are different? Warranties & ease of parts, Oh My- I cant decide! :)
We had old toilets with 5 gal tanks from when we first bought this house 28 years ago. Last year I changed both (after some research) with Toto Drake toilets. My water bill has become noticeably less and these toilets have had zero issues! I would recommend Toto Drake any time. I can't say it's "the best" but these toilets are darned good in my humble opinion.
@@AvinashArora0 Yeah I've been very impressed with the Toto Drake. I initially replaced our Master Bathroom toilet and was so happy with it that I replaced the guest bathroom toilet soon after. They are a little pricy compared to other options, but well worth it. These toilets have probably already paid for themselves in water costs.
The American Standard Cadet 3 model is a 100% knockoff of the Toto Drake and costs about 1/3 what the Drake costs. They have the same silver base antibacterial glaze, identical refill valve, and identical 3-inch flush valve. When I bought my first AS Cadet 3 I was commuting every week to a hotel that had Toto Drakes. They are IDENTICAL!
I have been a general contractor for 33 years. 100% Toto! In California 1.2 gpf is required. Prices start under $300 with seat. Installed over 500 toilets without a problem. (Both floor mount and wall mount.)
I'm giving a thumbs up just for the Throne cover art. Hilarious. I love the channel and everything I can learn from Jeff. Thanks for all the help with taking care of my home.
Thank you so much for this video. Came right on time as we are in the process of purchasing a new toilet. You are just who I needed at the right time - how often does that happen in life. You are a gem - appreciate you more than you know. Take care -Joy & Peace.
I had to replace 2 toilets in the house my mom lives in after some under toilet floor repairs. I chose 2 identical ones from Lowe's. Forget the brand but they were cheaper models. I discovered after installing them that one sometimes needed to hold the handle a little longer to help ensure a full flush. Hitting the handle then immediately releasing didn't always work as good.
11:15 - interesting point about the wax rings. I never buy the premium toilets (currently have a couple of American standard toilets similar to the one tested here) but I always buy an upgraded diaphragm style seal and throw the wax ring that comes with the toilet away. I have never once had a leak since switching to that style (I switched to that style when a wax ring started to leak at my first house). I think the one that I've purchased is between $15 and $20 and it's worth every penny because you can remove the toilet at any point and set it back down and get a seal again without any fuss.
I always recommend rubber rings to DIYers that I encounter because with wax you don't get a second chance. You drop that toilet on there and need to re-set it or shim it up for some reason and you need a new wax ring. The rubber you don't have to worry about repositioning ruining the seal.
Not sure if he mentions it in here but the size of the base is a factor in quality. Kohler’s often will have a very large base and they sit down nicely whereas the glacier bays feel like they want to fall over.
It was the glacier bay toilet that has the lozenge shaped drain hole you cant buy parts for. (Cistern section that cannot take round cistern plugs, home depot dont sell them anymore. If i wasnt good at modding things id have had to buy a whole new toilet instead of a flapper. Dont trust home Depot, no matter how much they force their staff to smile and say hello. Conmen. They also prey on old people. They convinced my mother in law to buy 4 $150 drill batteries to power her new fan she bought there. Those batteries will be dead through lack of use, before she uses em. And she only needed the 1. Conmen at home depot.
@@mycaddigo The last two places I rented had Glacier Bays, as did the house I bought last year. Never had a clog with any of them. I did notice that they have larger bottom holes than most other toilets I've seen (the hole in the bottom of the bowl to push the bowl contents into the trap), while the under-rim holes seem to get less water, and don't clean the sides of the bowl as well as other toilets. I think this is a water-delivery bias I can live with.
Hello Reno This show gave a clean flush on the differences between toilets, Thank you. My son and my father kept over flowing the toilets. So I bought new ones. Still continued to happen. Finally figured it out, besides a 5 sausage flush, they were adding half a roll of paper. When I told them to flush in sequence, sausage first, then paper, the overflow problem stopped. Although they used more water, I hated redoing the floors and considered feeding them soups. No flush toilet, Outhouse.
Yes, paper at the same time wraps around the solids and the added friction and bulk tend to impede the outflow. So two flushes being necessary negates the water saving regulations.
The toilet in my kids bathroom was leaking slightly into the basement. I discovered that the toilet was slightly off the wax ring - the entire oval base had a layer of brown sludge (use your imagination for what that was). I cleaned it up and bought a very tall foam-type ring from Home Depot and it seems to do the trick.
I remodeled our bathroom on our 1st floor recently. Our plumber recommended purchasing a 1.6 flush toilet instead of the 1.2 flush. He said the reason was because you have less of a chance of your toilet clogging. Most places I went to, including the big box stores, only had a 1.2 flush toilet. I called American Standard and ask them where I could purchase a 1.6 toilet. I had to drive 1 hour to a Menards and found a 1.6 skirted toilet. Sorry, if there’s one thing I hate to do when cleaning a toilet, is to clean where the bolts attach the toilet to the floor. The skirted toilet not only looks better, it’s easier to clean. I have not had a clogged toilet yet, even when the toilet bowl was filled with a lot of sausages. Purchase a 1.6 flush if possible. Call the toilet company to find where to purchase one. You’ll be glad you did.
From what he said in the video, all of these toilets (except maybe the glacier bay) can be adjusted to use more or less water, and they all came adjusted to use more water than they were rated for.
Most toilets can be adjusted to flush more than the 1.2 they are rated for. You just have to raise the float so it fills up with more water. The 1.2 on the label usually doesn’t mean that is the maximum fill of the tank. And like Jeff said, they usually come preset to use more water than that. If you want them to only use 1.2 you have to lower the float to limit them. That being said, your 1.6 tank probably goes higher than 1.6 and came adjusted for more than that as well. So perhaps what you really mean is you recommend whatever your toilet is actually using (assuming you didn’t adjust it to 1.6) and perhaps a “1.2 toilet” can’t fill that much. It almost certainly can get to 1.6 though. Rule of thumb is if you’re having clogging or flushing issues, raise your float until the water overflows and then dial it back so it doesn’t overflow. That’s the most water your tank can handle. If that doesn’t work, make sure you hold the handle/button as long as possible to get all the water to dump (some toilets don’t dump it after you release. If that still doesn’t work it’s either your pipes or the toilet design (super low profile) or perhaps the toilet just doesn’t have enough tank capacity, as you’re suggesting.
you confirmed my experience, if you want style go Kohler, if you want performance go American Standard. My Kohler is a little old with the square flapper (will never buy another one) American Standard 1 year old, The Kohler cost like $400 and the American Standard under 200, both were elongated with soft close.
I have 2 American Standard Champion toilets. I usually flush the dog turds down the toilet instead of putting them in the garbage. In the winter they are hard or frozen and I think it has only plugged up once in over 10 years of doing this. Highly recommend.
I think what was missed is that toilet design often uses water pressure. So your toilet can be totally filled with water but only a portion of it gets used. The high water level in the tank gives pressure that makes the toilet function using a small amount of water. Daniel
Hey Jeff, something that wasn't covered; Would you choose a toilet differently for a basement installation as apposed to a first floor or second floor installation? I've had a few occasions where the cheap "Toilet in a Box" toilets performed well on a second floor installation, but had nothing but problems for a basement installation. The greater vertical drop seems to aid the flush considerably.
Apartment maintenance said; no flushable wipes do not break down & will cause clogs. You will be billed if there are wet wipes when we snake the clog! St Peters, MO, Vanderbilt Apartments.
We installed a Koehler toilet from Lowe’s. We paid close to $600 and a rubber seal. We absolutely love the new toilet and is powerful and quiet. We watched your video beforehand which was a great help. Thanks Jeff 💝
I paid $150 for a glacier bay power flush toilet that claims it can flush 7 billiard balls with vacuum assisted flushing. Never tested this theory, but the marketing they put on the box is what made me choose that toilet over the budget $99 option. Worth the extra $50 in my opinion. I don't see it ever getting plugged up. I never thought I would be so excited about a toilet.
We evolved while squatting to crap. The closer we get to standing, the harder it is to push out a turd. If you're short, young, or strong and healthy you may want to forgo the chair height toilet for one that's easier to poop on.
Very truth but very few of us know that. I absolutely hate the elongated toilets for that reason and the restrictive narrow seat, and yet most maufacturers make them that shape and high.
I enjoyed your presentation. We built our house in 1994, The first floor has a powder room. From the time we move in, that toilet would clog so bad we had to hire a plumber to clear it. No matter what we tried it wouldn't clear. Had the plumber on speed dial. Reason he told us was because the pipe left the toilet through the floor and immediately made a 90 degree turn so there wasn't enough pressure to clear the pipe to the septic tank. It ruined the floor, we had to replace the subfloor and the linoleum. We ended getting what they called a power flush. Haven't had any problems since. So glad we spent the extra money for it. It will be the only type of toilet I will ever use on a 1st floor bathroom. The only problem with it is you must have a certain amount of pressure to flush it. That's ok as long as it does its job.
I installed the Lowes Project Source toilet about 3 years ago. It has the elongated seat with higher stance and came with soft close cover - flush and float has worked without flaw since the date of install. Never measured how much water it uses.
Thank you Jeff! I recently ordered a 3 pack of the Glacier Bay toilets for my home in CA. The toilets ship from FLORIDA! By the time the first two arrived (nope, they didn't even ship together!) the tank was actually broken, the porcelain was in pieces! I refused the one, but that (fortunately) cancelled the entire order, and HD was very helpful in assuring my PayPal payment was promptly credited back. Still however, I have the 1979 toilets that are extremely thirsty. This video really helped me a lot!
Five years ago I moved into my 1939 house and there were toilets from 1958 and 1962 installed. They still worked, but they were behemoths. I put in American Standard Cadets from Home Depot, and I couldn't be happier.
@@ginacirelli1581 I think that most of us in the USA really aren't worried about water use, BUT... I'm about to move to a new location, and may need to replace one toilet there. How good is/are the Cadets you mentioned? I see them listed at Costco for $200 (IIRC). Are they just fine? Great? Thank you!
@@workingguy-OU812 I've had them for almost 6 years now and I think they're great. They are easy to clean and I've only ever had one blockage. Not fancy and on the small side, but my house is small so they fit nicely.
@@ginacirelli1581 Thank you a ton. Not looking to invest $350 into a toilet for this next place as it will hopefully be a new-area stepping stone on a nicer place.
Have really liked your DIY videos for years. Re Toilets: Perhaps you could consider commenting on 2 issues: 1) when I asked my plumber ablout any recomendations on getting a new toilet, he advised just make sure it has a porcelain coated drain. 2) Some toilets do not have a good water height in bowl adjustment. Some mens fruit hangs lower than others. My toilet couldn't adjust the water level in the bowl without greatly reducing the water tank level to be inadequate to properly flush.
I am very glad you did this , my comments are if your on septic and not sewer using little water as possible gets more important! I just spent $30 bucks on a seat and it was so worth the 10 extra bucks to close slow also doesn't shift when doing your paperwork. last if i had no money worries I would buy the smooth easy clean one because dust and other always builds up back there and cleaning it off isa nasty job!!!
Also have toto, flushes strong but not enough water to push out to septic, have to flush 2-3 times, and I can not adjust the water level in tank to use more water, so higher water bill is my only solution.
@@yakkiebush5671 Yes, shorter bowls are closer to recreating how our bodies are designed to evacuate. Some people from other cultures actually put their feet on the toilet in America and squat over it. But given the physical condition of most Americans, the taller bowls might be a better solution because of lower back and weight issues, and weaker/tighter muscles from a lifetime of never squatting.
About 4 months ago we installed the Glacier Bay Power Flush (the taller of the two options). Three months after install, our drain plugged up. Usually when that happens it plugs right after the joint, where the two bathrooms join underground. That's about 15 ft. from the roof (that's where we send the cable down). But after the new toilet was installed, not only did it plug up after 3 months....but the plugged area ended up over 50 ft. down the line. Usually at 15 ft we could just push it and it would break through. At 50 ft with the new toilet, we actually had to plug in the machine and spin the cable. Our house originally had 5 gal. toilets, never had a plugging issue. The toilet we replaced I believe was a 3 gal. toilet, not sure. But with that toilet it would plug up after 2 years. This new 1.28 gallon toilet plugged up in 3 months. The 3 gal sometimes I would flush twice. This 1.28 I HAVE TO flush twice...full flushes. Sometimes I flush 3 times for good measure. I dont know how this saves water if it creates a plugging issue and you have to flush multiple times. Luckily we can unplug our own. But what about the people that cant, and have to call a plumber? I'm on the hunt for an old used 5 gal toilet. Sometimes new and improved, makes things worse.
Excellent questions and observations. I have a ‘water saver’ washing machine and there are times my clothes don’t even seem wet when the cycles are finished. And of course, I never overfill the machine with clothes. So now, to be sure my clothes are actually cleaned well, I add about one gallon of water to each load of wash.
Which shape is your problematic Glacier Bay Power toilet do you like them being higher, I prefer hips a lower than knees. We have an american standard elongated which is low flush that part works very well, my issue is I hate that shape. So I'm on the hunt for a round toilet any round ones now are round like the one I left behind when we moved, had I known I would of taken ours, I don't get along w/ elongated toilets.
@@Magund1 is your water saver washer a front loader? I have a front loader Kenmore, I agree mine certainly hardly feel wet at the end of a cycle. I so miss my old top loader Whirlpool, I use to love that I could load it fill it add my soap with a bit of borax, stop it let the clothes soak for as long I needed to remove stubborn stains. With this washer clothes are hardly clean in the awful water saver front loader Additional my front loader always hold some water so the door must be left open for it to attempt to dry and not smell of stagnate water, and there's massive gasket which needs to be wiped with a bit of water and bleach and there's a cleaning cycle one must do every so often where washing clothes use to wash the washer.
The Kohler toilet was the last 12 get paper in it and the first 12 flush so the paper was the driest out of the 4 toilets that's probably why it had a hard time flushing while the other ones the paper got to soak and get wet and lubricated they had more time.
One of our low flush toilets built up a clog that created huge issues clearing. The plumber said clogs from low-flush toilets were common because there wasn't enough water to fully flush solids down the line. So to mitigate future clogs we had to hold down the handle to fully empty the tank and flush twice.
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches. The evils that be tell us how to live, how to act, what to wear, what to eat and yet they do the opposite and live in their manson's which producing many times over more waste that a hundred average homes put together and meanwhile they are acting the way they want to with no fear of restrictions and wear what they want and eat real food and never recycle and on and on they cause more emissions and pollution than a thousand families put together. So the moral of the story is that we are living in a up side down world and what the evils that be tell us is all a bunch of garbage but soon enough their turn will come as the flames go up their rear ...🤪
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches.
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches.
We had a Kohler for a few years, but it kept clogging up. Replaced with American standard toilets, problem solved, flushes great. If you have hard water, be sure to keep the low jet hole and rear bowl portion free of calcium deposits, so flow is not restricted during flush. Vinegar every month works well.
And when adjusting the water level, make sure that you have the flapper cylinder - - as in the Kohl’s toilet -with his much slack in the pull chain as possible otherwise, it will not seal on the bottom and you will find your toilet filling up and then running every once in a while as it leaks through. You you can always check the seal easily by using some food color dye when the tank has stopped filling to see if it seals properly - - you’ll see dye leaking into the bowl if it’s not sealing-- but if you have that chain as loose as possible from the beginning, you won’t have any problems at all.😂
Your show was more informative than most and you have the best delivery, the best personality of any host on any subject I've watched. Are you always this chipper? Damn, I wish you were my plumber. Now I gotta pour 1.3 gal. of water in my toilet tank!
Bought 2 Totos from a plumbing supply store that was closing .Both are expensive but the price for both was right so it was hard to resist.The owner threw in 2 soft close seats.Great.
Hi there. Me too I left a comment earlier on the Toto. The Japanese have it on spot when it comes to toilets. Stay safe out there. Take care and God bless
I just joined your subscription recently and I didn't even know you did something like this this was freaking awesome always have a problem trying to find the right toilet I'm 6'9 315 lb and I've got one of those 15-in toilets in my home now that I'm going to quickly get out of my home so that like you explained and demonstrated my knees are in my face while I'm sitting down. Thank you again for doing this continue to make videos like this for us folks that really don't know about homes and my home is 22 years old as old as my youngest child and you think everything is built right but as you all know or as you know things get old I'm in a four season area and you got to fix stuff so it's great to know that you're putting out videos that people can just go to and make the decision whether they want to hire a plumber or do it yourself thanks again say truth to yourself Peace!!!!
one thing that is never mentioned is that if you plunge a toilet with a wax ring ... you can easily blow out a spot on the wax ring and now your toilet will rot the flooring ! the new rubber rings RULE
I put a plastic urinal in my garage. I put a five gallon plastic bucket under the urinal with a lid. Cut a hole in the the lid. I use a combination of vinegar and Fabuloso in a spray bottle to clean and deodorize the urinal.
I have the project source toilet from Lowes like the one here. It doesn't fill up all the way inside the bowl. This is an issue because any staining or poop left on the toilet walls that wasn't washed off by the flush just sits there now instead of being soaked in water. AKA it will not come off unless you clean it literally every day.
I have the Kohler and it actually functions like a dual flush. A quick push down gives a partial flush for liquids. Hold down for solid full flush. Saves a lot of water that way.
"At the end of the day they're all porcelain." Well, yes, but they have different glazes. The modern American Standard, Toto, and I believe, Kohler, have a silver component in the glaze which is antibacterial. This was Toto's idea back in the 90s when they reinvented low flow toilets. Toto also introduced the 3" flush valve which doubles the flow, and speed, of the flush. Prior to about 2009 they were the only ones on the market with a 3" valve. Those toilets were clearly superior to the rest of the market. Then American Standard came out with the Cadet 3 model which had the silver glaze and 3" valve for $300 less than Toto's Drake model. I've bought 7 Cadet 3 toilets since 2009 to replace toilets as I've moved around and never had to call a plumber for any of them. In fact I had one installed by a plumber who cut me a deal on his normal installation charge, because it only took him 15 minutes to install.
Dual level flush option. It may use more water when you need to flush solids, but people urinate a lot more than they poop so in the long run you will save more water than you use. Nothing wrong with using a little more water to flush solids to make certain it all actually gets flushed out. Not everybody's bowel movements are created equal.
I have the Glacier Bay. Just got it to replace a round bowl toilet (which I can't stand) in a bathroom I'll eventually gut remodel in a neglected home. Plan is to put it in an ADU later anyway. Surprisingly, it works great. The flush doesn't have the sort of "exact same every time" swirl flush as the Delta toilets I usually get, but it does the job every time. The issue with the Glacier Bay is the white finish has an imperfection on the rim, but whatever -- thing cost me like $100 and it has powerful flushing system.
Thank for the video. We don’t have a Lowe’s nearby. I have installed two Glacier Bay for $94 each. We are in California so water use is important. Neither flush mechanisms have failed and rarely had an issue with incomplete flush. BTW on HD website states Glacier Bay is 16.6” high.
Wow, I learned so much about toilets. Never thought about it much and I’ve installed many of them throughout the years. Very informative video. Thanks for making this.
Followed you channel for while. We bought and DIY installed 3 Lowes Project Source toilets on June 2022 in our 1991 home. They work fine. They are alittle loud. They work fine. We had a water leak in March 2023 and the plumber thought it was the toilet but no. It was the water line which is polyethylene. It was a pin hole leak. All our sewer system is pvc.
I work for one of the stores that you mentioned selling toilets. I sell 3 of the brands that you tested. You failed to mention one factor that significantly impacts the price difference. The two cheaper models are significantly lighter. They are made with less material and will be more prone to developing cracks, requiring earlier replacement. Also, elongated bowls will weigh more than round bowls because of the extra material in the design. I appreciate your comments on rings and always recommend an after market ring either wax or rubber as they are more forgiving than the standard wax ring supplied by the manufacturer. You commented on the difference in color. In your video they all look the same. Did you notice the color difference on your set or in the store. In our store we have separate bays for each brand that we sell. One bay has lights with a different color balance that makes that brand's toilets look white while the other 4 look more creamy. I will shine a flashlight on the floor models to demonstrate that they are actually the same color. We sell and stock both 12" and 10" rough in models. The vast majority of homes today are built for 12" toilets, and most older homes as well. However especially for older homes I recommend the customer verify this measurement before buying, or at least before opening the box.
Your the man! Please come to America and be my family’s plumber. I’ve learned so much from this video. I own a hundred year old home in Pennsylvania. Have the problem you mentioned with floor, then kitchen ceiling destruction. Ouch!
HAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaa!!! Okay, okay, this is the best home improvement/construction channel on the interwebs, hands down, the BEST! But the sausages, and not eating them afterwards, hahahahahahhahaa, I am crying tears down my face! Totally caught me off guard!!!
Thanks so much for your honest and humorous tests on toilets. I needed to research it, and wasn't looking forward to it. Now, I know I'm going to laugh on and off all day.
We've had two Glacier Bay toilets in our home for several years and they've worked fine. I can't remember if one of them has ever clogged. We've also had an American Standard toilet in a vacation home for several years and it's no better than the Glacier Bays. The only downside to the less expensive toilets is the cheap plastic seat which comes with them, but even the "better" brands cheap out in that regard. I just immediately purchased a better wood enameled, slow-drop seat when I installed the Glacier Bays.
I totally agree with your statement about soft close toilet seats, they are great. We had a tough time finding one that matched our Kohler elongated comfort height toilet but finally did. KOHLER 4636-RL-0 Cachet ReadyLatch Elongated Toilet Seat, Quiet-Close Lid and Seat, Countoured Seat, Grip-Tight Bumpers and Installation Hardware, White
Your video is great, had me laughing repeatedly! I completely agree about the slow close lids & seats, great invention. I've installed a lot of toilets but no a plumber, just cheap. Years back just after they made the old 3 gallon toilets illegal in the USA, I was remodeling our house and didn't want the new 1.6 gal toilets because they didn't work, they hadn't figured them out yet. So I went over the border to Canada, bought two old style Kohler toilets duty free (made in Wisconsin) and installed them in my house, worked great. When I was remodeling another house, I had to use an offset flange adapter. The original toilet flange was only 10 inches from the wall and had a really odd toilet that was no longer available so to make a new 12" toilet work, luckily I found an offset flange adapter and installed a conventional 12" from the wall toilet. I've used all types of flange seals and never had any leak so no preference there. Wife made me replace one toilet (perfectly good) because it was too low, can't imagine why anyone would install that in the first place. Love the Toto equipment and bidets. Of course nobody puts outlets near toilets when they build a house so had to do quite of bit of work the run 120v lines with GFCI outlets to the toilet areas of the bathrooms. Also really good at patching/painting drywall. Thanks for your video and plan to watch some of the others soon.
We have two bathrooms, thus two toilets. When we bought the house a while back there were cheap toilets installed. One of them was light blue! Of course we got rid of that when we remodeled that bathroom it was tossed. I installed a Kohler based on research and reviews. When I replaced the other toilet I went with Koehler again because the first one works so well.
I have a CA low flow toilet in one bath room. Flushing once uses about 1.4 gall. But if you flush and hold the handle down an additional 3 or 4 seconds, it flushes almost like an old non-low flow toilet.
This is why I never get a Kohler's and I use to work for the big box store and always recommended American Standards or the cheaper options, based on my experience and customers experience when they had to buy new ones.
On those Kohler toilets with the tower flush valve they always have problems. I extend the overflow pipe about 1 1/2" and bring the water level up to about a 1/2" under the flush handle hole. Then they work. All I use now and for the last 10 years is American Standard, They also have great service if you need it. They will send you FREE parts if they break.
This is fantastic Jeff I love it my mom renovated her house four years later I’ve already changed the toilet twice and then the bathroom downstairs. I haven’t changed that toilet yet, but my hand was in the toilet today removing rust stains, and it kept taking forever to fill up to flush again so I’m like this is not a low flow toilet I can’t wait to replace it so this video came in just in time.❤❤❤❤
Last time I bought a toilet (10+ yrs ago), they all had gpf (grams/flush) ratings. I just made sure to pick one at the higher end of the range. All was fine. There have been good 6 LITRE toilets for well over 10yrs!
So far this is the best I've seen from this channel. Fun, educational and just a blast to watch. I have a different opinion on soft close seats. I hate it. I'm a older adult that's been married for over 33 years and when I have to go, I have to go. I often just barely make it before the seat finally comes down. I often find myself forcing it down to get it down faster. Next time I'm going to just put rubber on the front bumpers of the seat.
@@sjohnson65456, I didn't phrase that very well. We have a 30+ adult son with autism and I have digestive issues. When the seat is up I sometimes find it difficult to wait for it to go down before I 'have' to sit and take care of business. With 2 males in the house 24/7 it's usually in the up position. Seriously, if I'd known about how long it takes to go down I wouldn't have spent the extra $ when I had a new fixture put in.
I buy an extra set of brass hardware and replace the plated brass hardware , and also install the hardware onto the tank with the extra nuts then bolt the tank onto the bowl , great video by the way , you add a great sense of humor to your videos 👍👊
Just for your information. I cleaned up the testing site this morning and the American Standard toilet failed to evacuate 1 sausage link and it was left in the trap. The pro source from Lowes failed to remove any toilet paper from the trap. Looks like the best option here is the Kohler. BTW the tank on the toilet has 3 bolts so it doesn't move. Cheers!
Is the depth measurement of toilets measured from the wall (as installed on the flange) to the outermost front tangent point of the toilet or is it measured from the back of the toilet unit to the front tangent point of the toilet? What I'm asking is if the Glacier bay toilet that sits against the wall sticks out in the bathroom less far than a seemingly identical toilet that has 1 inch or more space from the wall as designed?
Suggest an EDIT on the video?? If I hadn't seen this..I wudnt know
Waving from Key West! 😮
Dont they have a MAP rating anymore? Which rates the flushabiliy between 0.. 1000
My toilet has a power flush.seems like air and water mix?
Hey Jeff... As a retired kitchen/bath remodeler of 40 yrs, I found your 'toilet demo' hilarious... The Italian sausage was a perfect sub for the real thing. I use Toto!😂
This guy is a National Treasure. Toilets should come with a hot italian sausage rating.
This made my night
😂😂😂
LOVE THIS. I just canceled my regular television viewing tonight just to watch this! @@HomeRenoVisionDIY
I'd shop for toilets by Jeff's H.I.S. rating system exclusively. 😅
Nice!😂
Thanks for joining everyone, what a fun show! See you next Tuesday at 5pm EST. The toilets are linked in the video description. Watch the faucet comparison next 👉🏼 ua-cam.com/users/livevXIyzvaokko?si=Fpu34u_w40F5PB3b
ohhhh...cant wait for faucets! My indecisiveness is delaying my replumb, which delays my drywall & vanity selections and so on... Big box stores vs same brands in specialty showrooms/ plumbing stores look the same-ish.. but insides are different? Warranties & ease of parts, Oh My- I cant decide! :)
Thank you for actually putting out useful info: 2in hole, 3inch pipe, down to 4in pipe to the street. At 1/4 in fall/slope.
We had old toilets with 5 gal tanks from when we first bought this house 28 years ago. Last year I changed both (after some research) with Toto Drake toilets. My water bill has become noticeably less and these toilets have had zero issues! I would recommend Toto Drake any time. I can't say it's "the best" but these toilets are darned good in my humble opinion.
great choice!
the drake is the best, we just replaced one troublesome bowl with a drake and now I'm getting ready to replace the rest with them too.
@@AvinashArora0 Yeah I've been very impressed with the Toto Drake. I initially replaced our Master Bathroom toilet and was so happy with it that I replaced the guest bathroom toilet soon after. They are a little pricy compared to other options, but well worth it. These toilets have probably already paid for themselves in water costs.
The American Standard Cadet 3 model is a 100% knockoff of the Toto Drake and costs about 1/3 what the Drake costs. They have the same silver base antibacterial glaze, identical refill valve, and identical 3-inch flush valve. When I bought my first AS Cadet 3 I was commuting every week to a hotel that had Toto Drakes. They are IDENTICAL!
Love Toto!
First time home owner for about 3 years now and this dude has saved me thousands of dollars
I have been a general contractor for 33 years. 100% Toto! In California 1.2 gpf is required. Prices start under $300 with seat. Installed over 500 toilets without a problem. (Both floor mount and wall mount.)
Exactly! Toto Drake ftw (with a Washlet even better)!
Agree 100percent
I'm giving a thumbs up just for the Throne cover art. Hilarious. I love the channel and everything I can learn from Jeff. Thanks for all the help with taking care of my home.
Thank you so much for this video. Came right on time as we are in the process of purchasing a new toilet. You are just who I needed at the right time - how often does that happen in life. You are a gem - appreciate you more than you know. Take care -Joy & Peace.
Happy to be of help. Cheers!
I had to replace 2 toilets in the house my mom lives in after some under toilet floor repairs. I chose 2 identical ones from Lowe's. Forget the brand but they were cheaper models. I discovered after installing them that one sometimes needed to hold the handle a little longer to help ensure a full flush. Hitting the handle then immediately releasing didn't always work as good.
He makes home renovation fun. Great Guy
Cheers David!
11:15 - interesting point about the wax rings. I never buy the premium toilets (currently have a couple of American standard toilets similar to the one tested here) but I always buy an upgraded diaphragm style seal and throw the wax ring that comes with the toilet away. I have never once had a leak since switching to that style (I switched to that style when a wax ring started to leak at my first house). I think the one that I've purchased is between $15 and $20 and it's worth every penny because you can remove the toilet at any point and set it back down and get a seal again without any fuss.
There is another consideration. To prevent condensation on the cistern you need to buy one with a liner. Like a Laufenpro, here in UK Europe.
By any chance, do you have a link to diaphragm seal you used or the manufacturer and model number?
I always recommend rubber rings to DIYers that I encounter because with wax you don't get a second chance. You drop that toilet on there and need to re-set it or shim it up for some reason and you need a new wax ring. The rubber you don't have to worry about repositioning ruining the seal.
I love your videos so much! I’ve never done any renovation on my own, but when I finally tackle it, I’m going to be prepared. Thanks to you.
Not sure if he mentions it in here but the size of the base is a factor in quality. Kohler’s often will have a very large base and they sit down nicely whereas the glacier bays feel like they want to fall over.
It was the glacier bay toilet that has the lozenge shaped drain hole you cant buy parts for. (Cistern section that cannot take round cistern plugs, home depot dont sell them anymore. If i wasnt good at modding things id have had to buy a whole new toilet instead of a flapper.
Dont trust home Depot, no matter how much they force their staff to smile and say hello. Conmen.
They also prey on old people.
They convinced my mother in law to buy 4 $150 drill batteries to power her new fan she bought there. Those batteries will be dead through lack of use, before she uses em. And she only needed the 1. Conmen at home depot.
I got a
Glacier bay I bought 15 years ago …
It dose a good job but does clog easily .
@@mycaddigo I believe the Glacier Bay toilets have a 2-1/2" exit trap and all the others are 3".
@@mycaddigo The last two places I rented had Glacier Bays, as did the house I bought last year. Never had a clog with any of them. I did notice that they have larger bottom holes than most other toilets I've seen (the hole in the bottom of the bowl to push the bowl contents into the trap), while the under-rim holes seem to get less water, and don't clean the sides of the bowl as well as other toilets. I think this is a water-delivery bias I can live with.
@@grizzlygrizzle larger hole is a sign.!! If they work keep using them!! Price is right.
Hello Reno
This show gave a clean flush on the differences between toilets, Thank you.
My son and my father kept over flowing the toilets. So I bought new ones. Still continued to happen. Finally figured it out, besides a 5 sausage flush, they were adding half a roll of paper.
When I told them to flush in sequence, sausage first, then paper, the overflow problem stopped. Although they used more water, I hated redoing the floors and considered feeding them soups. No flush toilet, Outhouse.
Yes, paper at the same time wraps around the solids and the added friction and bulk tend to impede the outflow. So two flushes being necessary negates the water saving regulations.
I think a jar of peanut butter would've been a better representation of how it can flush (and clean) 😉
I'm on a well, water usage doesn't bother me....but a turd getting clogged does....
The toilet in my kids bathroom was leaking slightly into the basement. I discovered that the toilet was slightly off the wax ring - the entire oval base had a layer of brown sludge (use your imagination for what that was). I cleaned it up and bought a very tall foam-type ring from Home Depot and it seems to do the trick.
I remodeled our bathroom on our 1st floor recently. Our plumber recommended purchasing a 1.6 flush toilet instead of the 1.2 flush. He said the reason was because you have less of a chance of your toilet clogging. Most places I went to, including the big box stores, only had a 1.2 flush toilet. I called American Standard and ask them where I could purchase a 1.6 toilet. I had to drive 1 hour to a Menards and found a 1.6 skirted toilet. Sorry, if there’s one thing I hate to do when cleaning a toilet, is to clean where the bolts attach the toilet to the floor. The skirted toilet not only looks better, it’s easier to clean. I have not had a clogged toilet yet, even when the toilet bowl was filled with a lot of sausages. Purchase a 1.6 flush if possible. Call the toilet company to find where to purchase one. You’ll be glad you did.
Government standards for ANYTHING are NEVER for the convenience or the well-being of the citizen, but for the "control" of them.
I’ll say it again, don’t purchase a 1.2 gallon flush. Go for the 1.6 flush.
From what he said in the video, all of these toilets (except maybe the glacier bay) can be adjusted to use more or less water, and they all came adjusted to use more water than they were rated for.
Enjoyed your presentation and laughed while listening.
Most toilets can be adjusted to flush more than the 1.2 they are rated for. You just have to raise the float so it fills up with more water. The 1.2 on the label usually doesn’t mean that is the maximum fill of the tank. And like Jeff said, they usually come preset to use more water than that. If you want them to only use 1.2 you have to lower the float to limit them.
That being said, your 1.6 tank probably goes higher than 1.6 and came adjusted for more than that as well. So perhaps what you really mean is you recommend whatever your toilet is actually using (assuming you didn’t adjust it to 1.6) and perhaps a “1.2 toilet” can’t fill that much. It almost certainly can get to 1.6 though.
Rule of thumb is if you’re having clogging or flushing issues, raise your float until the water overflows and then dial it back so it doesn’t overflow. That’s the most water your tank can handle. If that doesn’t work, make sure you hold the handle/button as long as possible to get all the water to dump (some toilets don’t dump it after you release. If that still doesn’t work it’s either your pipes or the toilet design (super low profile) or perhaps the toilet just doesn’t have enough tank capacity, as you’re suggesting.
you confirmed my experience, if you want style go Kohler, if you want performance go American Standard. My Kohler is a little old with the square flapper (will never buy another one) American Standard 1 year old, The Kohler cost like $400 and the American Standard under 200, both were elongated with soft close.
I have 2 American Standard Champion toilets. I usually flush the dog turds down the toilet instead of putting them in the garbage. In the winter they are hard or frozen and I think it has only plugged up once in over 10 years of doing this. Highly recommend.
Those are my favorite toilets. Put in my home and investment properties. Only had one plugged up in 8 years.
Bro… What? You bring dog turds inside from being outside?
This man should be awarded the kimg of trade hes has so much knowledge and is a pleaure to watch and learn from thank you so much Jeff 😊
I think what was missed is that toilet design often uses water pressure. So your toilet can be totally filled with water but only a portion of it gets used. The high water level in the tank gives pressure that makes the toilet function using a small amount of water.
Daniel
Hey Jeff, something that wasn't covered; Would you choose a toilet differently for a basement installation as apposed to a first floor or second floor installation? I've had a few occasions where the cheap "Toilet in a Box" toilets performed well on a second floor installation, but had nothing but problems for a basement installation. The greater vertical drop seems to aid the flush considerably.
Apartment maintenance said; no flushable wipes do not break down & will cause clogs. You will be billed if there are wet wipes when we snake the clog! St Peters, MO, Vanderbilt Apartments.
This was the exact video I needed! Thank you for your continued hard work!
We installed a Koehler toilet from Lowe’s. We paid close to $600 and a rubber seal. We absolutely love the new toilet and is powerful and quiet. We watched your video beforehand which was a great help. Thanks Jeff 💝
That is awesome!
Which Kohler toilet model did you buy and does it have an insulated tank?
Yes it has an insulated tank.
@@gerrymcintosh4477 - do you happen to recall the model name?
I paid $150 for a glacier bay power flush toilet that claims it can flush 7 billiard balls with vacuum assisted flushing. Never tested this theory, but the marketing they put on the box is what made me choose that toilet over the budget $99 option. Worth the extra $50 in my opinion. I don't see it ever getting plugged up. I never thought I would be so excited about a toilet.
I just replaced the same one too, it's work great because the old one keep clogged.
We evolved while squatting to crap. The closer we get to standing, the harder it is to push out a turd. If you're short, young, or strong and healthy you may want to forgo the chair height toilet for one that's easier to poop on.
Very truth but very few of us know that. I absolutely hate the elongated toilets for that reason and the restrictive narrow seat, and yet most maufacturers make them that shape and high.
I enjoyed your presentation. We built our house in 1994, The first floor has a powder room. From the time we move in, that toilet would clog so bad we had to hire a plumber to clear it. No matter what we tried it wouldn't clear. Had the plumber on speed dial. Reason he told us was because the pipe left the toilet through the floor and immediately made a 90 degree turn so there wasn't enough pressure to clear the pipe to the septic tank. It ruined the floor, we had to replace the subfloor and the linoleum. We ended getting what they called a power flush. Haven't had any problems since. So glad we spent the extra money for it. It will be the only type of toilet I will ever use on a 1st floor bathroom. The only problem with it is you must have a certain amount of pressure to flush it. That's ok as long as it does its job.
I installed the Lowes Project Source toilet about 3 years ago. It has the elongated seat with higher stance and came with soft close cover - flush and float has worked without flaw since the date of install. Never measured how much water it uses.
Thank you Jeff! I recently ordered a 3 pack of the Glacier Bay toilets for my home in CA. The toilets ship from FLORIDA! By the time the first two arrived (nope, they didn't even ship together!) the tank was actually broken, the porcelain was in pieces! I refused the one, but that (fortunately) cancelled the entire order, and HD was very helpful in assuring my PayPal payment was promptly credited back. Still however, I have the 1979 toilets that are extremely thirsty. This video really helped me a lot!
Keep those 1979 toilets because they will last and they will work
Five years ago I moved into my 1939 house and there were toilets from 1958 and 1962 installed. They still worked, but they were behemoths. I put in American Standard Cadets from Home Depot, and I couldn't be happier.
Mine is a 1955 toilet, and I just change the seals and guts on it when it needs it. It's just better than most toilets as it is.
@@workingguy-OU812 Yeah, but I'm also concerned about water usage.
@@ginacirelli1581 I think that most of us in the USA really aren't worried about water use, BUT... I'm about to move to a new location, and may need to replace one toilet there. How good is/are the Cadets you mentioned? I see them listed at Costco for $200 (IIRC). Are they just fine? Great? Thank you!
@@workingguy-OU812 I've had them for almost 6 years now and I think they're great. They are easy to clean and I've only ever had one blockage. Not fancy and on the small side, but my house is small so they fit nicely.
@@ginacirelli1581 Thank you a ton. Not looking to invest $350 into a toilet for this next place as it will hopefully be a new-area stepping stone on a nicer place.
Have really liked your DIY videos for years. Re Toilets: Perhaps you could consider commenting on 2 issues: 1) when I asked my plumber ablout any recomendations on getting a new toilet, he advised just make sure it has a porcelain coated drain. 2) Some toilets do not have a good water height in bowl adjustment. Some mens fruit hangs lower than others. My toilet couldn't adjust the water level in the bowl without greatly reducing the water tank level to be inadequate to properly flush.
I’m sitting on the Home Depot Glacier Bay right now as I watch 😅
LOL. Cheers!
Did you have to flush a 2nd or third time?
I am very glad you did this , my comments are if your on septic and not sewer using little water as possible gets more important! I just spent $30 bucks on a seat and it was so worth the 10 extra bucks to close slow also doesn't shift when doing your paperwork. last if i had no money worries I would buy the smooth easy clean one because dust and other always builds up back there and cleaning it off isa nasty job!!!
We have a Toto, bought from Lowes but they special ordered it. Low flush and hard to clog. Cost more that all the others but well worth the extra.
Also have toto, flushes strong but not enough water to push out to septic, have to flush 2-3 times, and I can not adjust the water level in tank to use more water, so higher water bill is my only solution.
@@bojack9462aye in the meantime you water your lawn for two hrs lol
Just hold the handle down every time you do number Two.problem solved
Smaller toilets let’s you squat more meaning better bowel movements,fact
@@yakkiebush5671 Yes, shorter bowls are closer to recreating how our bodies are designed to evacuate. Some people from other cultures actually put their feet on the toilet in America and squat over it. But given the physical condition of most Americans, the taller bowls might be a better solution because of lower back and weight issues, and weaker/tighter muscles from a lifetime of never squatting.
As a plumber, we use a ton of Gerber toilets. They flush great and are great to assemble. Never have a problem and it's competitively priced.
About 4 months ago we installed the Glacier Bay Power Flush (the taller of the two options). Three months after install, our drain plugged up. Usually when that happens it plugs right after the joint, where the two bathrooms join underground. That's about 15 ft. from the roof (that's where we send the cable down). But after the new toilet was installed, not only did it plug up after 3 months....but the plugged area ended up over 50 ft. down the line. Usually at 15 ft we could just push it and it would break through. At 50 ft with the new toilet, we actually had to plug in the machine and spin the cable. Our house originally had 5 gal. toilets, never had a plugging issue. The toilet we replaced I believe was a 3 gal. toilet, not sure. But with that toilet it would plug up after 2 years. This new 1.28 gallon toilet plugged up in 3 months. The 3 gal sometimes I would flush twice. This 1.28 I HAVE TO flush twice...full flushes. Sometimes I flush 3 times for good measure. I dont know how this saves water if it creates a plugging issue and you have to flush multiple times. Luckily we can unplug our own. But what about the people that cant, and have to call a plumber? I'm on the hunt for an old used 5 gal toilet. Sometimes new and improved, makes things worse.
Excellent questions and observations. I have a ‘water saver’ washing machine and there are times my clothes don’t even seem wet when the cycles are finished. And of course, I never overfill the machine with clothes. So now, to be sure my clothes are actually cleaned well, I add about one gallon of water to each load of wash.
Which shape is your problematic Glacier Bay Power toilet do you like them being higher, I prefer hips a lower than knees. We have an american standard elongated which is low flush that part works very well, my issue is I hate that shape.
So I'm on the hunt for a round toilet any round ones now are round like the one I left behind when we moved, had I known I would of taken ours, I don't get along w/ elongated toilets.
@@Magund1 is your water saver washer a front loader?
I have a front loader Kenmore, I agree mine certainly hardly feel wet at the end of a cycle.
I so miss my old top loader Whirlpool, I use to love that I could load it fill it add my soap with a bit of borax, stop it let the clothes soak for as long I needed to remove stubborn stains.
With this washer clothes are hardly clean in the awful water saver front loader Additional my front loader always hold some water so the door must be left open for it to attempt to dry and not smell of stagnate water, and there's massive gasket which needs to be wiped with a bit of water and bleach and there's a cleaning cycle one must do every so often where washing clothes use to wash the washer.
The Kohler toilet was the last 12 get paper in it and the first 12 flush so the paper was the driest out of the 4 toilets that's probably why it had a hard time flushing while the other ones the paper got to soak and get wet and lubricated they had more time.
One of our low flush toilets built up a clog that created huge issues clearing. The plumber said clogs from low-flush toilets were common because there wasn't enough water to fully flush solids down the line. So to mitigate future clogs we had to hold down the handle to fully empty the tank and flush twice.
Yep, same here. Government standards are garbage and never benefit anybody.
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches.
The evils that be tell us how to live, how to act, what to wear, what to eat and yet they do the opposite and live in their manson's which producing many times over more waste that a hundred average homes put together and meanwhile they are acting the way they want to with no fear of restrictions and wear what they want and eat real food and never recycle and on and on they cause more emissions and pollution than a thousand families put together.
So the moral of the story is that we are living in a up side down world and what the evils that be tell us is all a bunch of garbage but soon enough their turn will come as the flames go up their rear ...🤪
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches.
Yea, the higher ups are making all these stupid water saving rules while they are laughing all the way to the bank. What they set on us is all these "save the environment" garbage mumbo jumbo talk while our homes are having multiple issues with their crap items they pawn on us and yet in their homes they have toilets that flush water like the good ol days and leaves them with no worries on their mind cause things work for them like they should while we the consumers have to deal with aches.
We had a Kohler for a few years, but it kept clogging up. Replaced with American standard toilets, problem solved, flushes great. If you have hard water, be sure to keep the low jet hole and rear bowl portion free of calcium deposits, so flow is not restricted during flush. Vinegar every month works well.
And when adjusting the water level, make sure that you have the flapper cylinder - - as in the Kohl’s toilet -with his much slack in the pull chain as possible otherwise, it will not seal on the bottom and you will find your toilet filling up and then running every once in a while as it leaks through. You you can always check the seal easily by using some food color dye when the tank has stopped filling to see if it seals properly - - you’ll see dye leaking into the bowl if it’s not sealing-- but if you have that chain as loose as possible from the beginning, you won’t have any problems at all.😂
Your show was more informative than most and you have the best delivery, the best personality of any host on any subject I've watched. Are you always this chipper? Damn, I wish you were my plumber. Now I gotta pour 1.3 gal. of water in my toilet tank!
Bought 2 Totos from a plumbing supply store that was closing .Both are expensive but the price for both was right so it was hard to resist.The owner threw in 2 soft close seats.Great.
I'm a total TOTO fan. They just work great and clog less.
Hi there. Me too I left a comment earlier on the Toto. The Japanese have it on spot when it comes to toilets. Stay safe out there. Take care and God bless
That was awesome man! So much great info you put out off the top of your head in such a great entertaining way. You're a master all the way around.
Another great video. So much help to those in the DIY community. 👍
I just joined your subscription recently and I didn't even know you did something like this this was freaking awesome always have a problem trying to find the right toilet I'm 6'9 315 lb and I've got one of those 15-in toilets in my home now that I'm going to quickly get out of my home so that like you explained and demonstrated my knees are in my face while I'm sitting down. Thank you again for doing this continue to make videos like this for us folks that really don't know about homes and my home is 22 years old as old as my youngest child and you think everything is built right but as you all know or as you know things get old I'm in a four season area and you got to fix stuff so it's great to know that you're putting out videos that people can just go to and make the decision whether they want to hire a plumber or do it yourself thanks again say truth to yourself Peace!!!!
one thing that is never mentioned is that if you plunge a toilet with a wax ring ... you can easily blow out a spot on the wax ring and now your toilet will rot the flooring ! the new rubber rings RULE
Pouring hot water down the toilet will kill a wax ring in no time. Avoid Kohler like the plague.
I haven't watched the video. Just wanted to comment on the thumbnail. Whoever did up the thumb deserves a raise. It is magnificent!
Thanks for that. My son Matt is doing he thumbs for the live shows now. I will let him know! Cheers!
This was so great - and entertaining! Love your channel!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I put a plastic urinal in my garage. I put a five gallon plastic bucket under the urinal with a lid. Cut a hole in the the lid. I use a combination of vinegar and Fabuloso in a spray bottle to clean and deodorize the urinal.
Plumbers say wipes do not dissolve but cause many blockages
You are a Hoot!!
I enjoyed the content and now I have a check list so I know what to purchase for my bathroom remodel project. Thanks!
I have the project source toilet from Lowes like the one here. It doesn't fill up all the way inside the bowl. This is an issue because any staining or poop left on the toilet walls that wasn't washed off by the flush just sits there now instead of being soaked in water. AKA it will not come off unless you clean it literally every day.
Flush it first, then use it. Get the walls wet.
Adjust the float so more water fills the tank.
I have the Kohler and it actually functions like a dual flush. A quick push down gives a partial flush for liquids. Hold down for solid full flush. Saves a lot of water that way.
You will not go wrong with Toto. I believe nobody likes to work on toilets until have to. Toto toilets are pricy but they worth every penny
"At the end of the day they're all porcelain." Well, yes, but they have different glazes. The modern American Standard, Toto, and I believe, Kohler, have a silver component in the glaze which is antibacterial. This was Toto's idea back in the 90s when they reinvented low flow toilets. Toto also introduced the 3" flush valve which doubles the flow, and speed, of the flush. Prior to about 2009 they were the only ones on the market with a 3" valve. Those toilets were clearly superior to the rest of the market. Then American Standard came out with the Cadet 3 model which had the silver glaze and 3" valve for $300 less than Toto's Drake model. I've bought 7 Cadet 3 toilets since 2009 to replace toilets as I've moved around and never had to call a plumber for any of them. In fact I had one installed by a plumber who cut me a deal on his normal installation charge, because it only took him 15 minutes to install.
Dual level flush option.
It may use more water when you need to flush solids, but people urinate a lot more than they poop so in the long run you will save more water than you use. Nothing wrong with using a little more water to flush solids to make certain it all actually gets flushed out. Not everybody's bowel movements are created equal.
Its not worth the trivial amount saved not to flush out your pipes, replacing those is really expensive.
Government is going to make smaller tanks so you can only get the lesser amount of water to use.
I have the Glacier Bay. Just got it to replace a round bowl toilet (which I can't stand) in a bathroom I'll eventually gut remodel in a neglected home. Plan is to put it in an ADU later anyway. Surprisingly, it works great. The flush doesn't have the sort of "exact same every time" swirl flush as the Delta toilets I usually get, but it does the job every time. The issue with the Glacier Bay is the white finish has an imperfection on the rim, but whatever -- thing cost me like $100 and it has powerful flushing system.
The ease of cleaning should also be taken into consideration. My $99 Glacier Bay 's surface paint wore off, and stuff get stuck on it all the time.
yep two glacier bays installed, neither flushed well and stained on inside permanently too easy good porcelain should not
Stuff? Don't you mean hot Italian sausage and toilet paper?
Never buy glacier bay. American Standardmuch better.
Thank for the video. We don’t have a Lowe’s nearby.
I have installed two Glacier Bay for $94 each. We are in California so water use is important. Neither flush mechanisms have failed and rarely had an issue with incomplete flush.
BTW on HD website states Glacier Bay is 16.6” high.
All toilet seats should be soft-close toilet seats....
Agree should not even be an option
I love my Toto! Flushes the whole thing every time. We've never needed to plunge.
I'm sick of flushing twice. You'd think my Colin is the problem.
Too bad it can't be adjusted anymore. You naled this one great entertainment ❤
Too much unnecessary talk. I'm busy!
It's a live stream, that's normal. Maybe he should repost an edited version.
Great idea!
Not busy enough to comment 😂 if you’re so busy you shouldn’t be on UA-cam doofus
This was your funniest, and most information filled video ever! ...and extremely useful!
Wow, I learned so much about toilets. Never thought about it much and I’ve installed many of them throughout the years. Very informative video. Thanks for making this.
Your videos are so amazing! I’ve been watching for a few years and they’ve gotten even better! Thank you
Followed you channel for while. We bought and DIY installed 3 Lowes Project Source toilets on June 2022 in our 1991 home. They work fine. They are alittle loud. They work fine. We had a water leak in March 2023 and the plumber thought it was the toilet but no. It was the water line which is polyethylene. It was a pin hole leak. All our sewer system is pvc.
I work for one of the stores that you mentioned selling toilets. I sell 3 of the brands that you tested. You failed to mention one factor that significantly impacts the price difference. The two cheaper models are significantly lighter. They are made with less material and will be more prone to developing cracks, requiring earlier replacement. Also, elongated bowls will weigh more than round bowls because of the extra material in the design.
I appreciate your comments on rings and always recommend an after market ring either wax or rubber as they are more forgiving than the standard wax ring supplied by the manufacturer.
You commented on the difference in color. In your video they all look the same. Did you notice the color difference on your set or in the store. In our store we have separate bays for each brand that we sell. One bay has lights with a different color balance that makes that brand's toilets look white while the other 4 look more creamy. I will shine a flashlight on the floor models to demonstrate that they are actually the same color.
We sell and stock both 12" and 10" rough in models. The vast majority of homes today are built for 12" toilets, and most older homes as well. However especially for older homes I recommend the customer verify this measurement before buying, or at least before opening the box.
When my son was five he would laugh just like you every time he flushed. What a hoot. Great entertainment value.
Best toilet American standard champion
Your the man! Please come to America and be my family’s plumber. I’ve learned so much from this video. I own a hundred year old home in Pennsylvania. Have the problem you mentioned with floor, then kitchen ceiling destruction. Ouch!
Loved every minute of this video. Thanks for sharing this with us.
HAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaa!!! Okay, okay, this is the best home improvement/construction channel on the interwebs, hands down, the BEST! But the sausages, and not eating them afterwards, hahahahahahhahaa, I am crying tears down my face! Totally caught me off guard!!!
Thanks so much for your honest and humorous tests on toilets. I needed to research it, and wasn't looking forward to it. Now, I know I'm going to laugh on and off all day.
We've had two Glacier Bay toilets in our home for several years and they've worked fine. I can't remember if one of them has ever clogged. We've also had an American Standard toilet in a vacation home for several years and it's no better than the Glacier Bays. The only downside to the less expensive toilets is the cheap plastic seat which comes with them, but even the "better" brands cheap out in that regard. I just immediately purchased a better wood enameled, slow-drop seat when I installed the Glacier Bays.
good call. Cheers!
Love these live shows. I can’t make a lot of them live. But I always watch them when I get home from work. I look forward to Tuesdays.
Glad you like them! Cheers Chris!
I totally agree with your statement about soft close toilet seats, they are great. We had a tough time finding one that matched our Kohler elongated comfort height toilet but finally did. KOHLER 4636-RL-0 Cachet ReadyLatch Elongated Toilet Seat, Quiet-Close Lid and Seat, Countoured Seat, Grip-Tight Bumpers and Installation Hardware, White
This was a great video, thank u! I didn’t think a 55 min video was useful but I was wrong bc you covered so much here! Thanks again!
I play bass for Toilet Sausage in high school. Your videos are always great!
Jeff: another great and informative video. Thanks for giving us your time and expertise.
Your video is great, had me laughing repeatedly! I completely agree about the slow close lids & seats, great invention. I've installed a lot of toilets but no a plumber, just cheap. Years back just after they made the old 3 gallon toilets illegal in the USA, I was remodeling our house and didn't want the new 1.6 gal toilets because they didn't work, they hadn't figured them out yet. So I went over the border to Canada, bought two old style Kohler toilets duty free (made in Wisconsin) and installed them in my house, worked great. When I was remodeling another house, I had to use an offset flange adapter. The original toilet flange was only 10 inches from the wall and had a really odd toilet that was no longer available so to make a new 12" toilet work, luckily I found an offset flange adapter and installed a conventional 12" from the wall toilet. I've used all types of flange seals and never had any leak so no preference there. Wife made me replace one toilet (perfectly good) because it was too low, can't imagine why anyone would install that in the first place. Love the Toto equipment and bidets. Of course nobody puts outlets near toilets when they build a house so had to do quite of bit of work the run 120v lines with GFCI outlets to the toilet areas of the bathrooms. Also really good at patching/painting drywall. Thanks for your video and plan to watch some of the others soon.
25:51 Every part of my brain and being was screaming "Don't pick up the sausage!!!!".
He went ahead and picked up the sausage.
You are one of my favorite UA-camrs. Thank you for all the great info
Cheers Russ!
We have two bathrooms, thus two toilets.
When we bought the house a while back there were cheap toilets installed. One of them was light blue! Of course we got rid of that when we remodeled that bathroom it was tossed. I installed a Kohler based on research and reviews. When I replaced the other toilet I went with Koehler again because the first one works so well.
Nicely done! Love your practical advise on the comparison of the taller, longer toilets.
I have a CA low flow toilet in one bath room. Flushing once uses about 1.4 gall. But if you flush and hold the handle down an additional 3 or 4 seconds, it flushes almost like an old non-low flow toilet.
American Standard Champion 4, best toilet ever. I've put them in 2 of my homes. Never an issue. Cheap kit at Home Depot too.
I had one of them and it was the worst toilet I ever used
Which deserve to be! ( filled with crap ) Best line today . My water bill is $20 a month, 15.99 is service charge. There are two of us in the home.
This is why I never get a Kohler's and I use to work for the big box store and always recommended American Standards or the cheaper options, based on my experience and customers experience when they had to buy new ones.
On those Kohler toilets with the tower flush valve they always have problems. I extend the overflow pipe about 1 1/2" and bring the water level up to about a 1/2" under the flush handle hole. Then they work. All I use now and for the last 10 years is American Standard, They also have great service if you need it. They will send you FREE parts if they break.
Loved the show. Hated I missed the live. Thanks for the information.
Cheers Jessie!
This is fantastic Jeff I love it my mom renovated her house four years later I’ve already changed the toilet twice and then the bathroom downstairs. I haven’t changed that toilet yet, but my hand was in the toilet today removing rust stains, and it kept taking forever to fill up to flush again so I’m like this is not a low flow toilet I can’t wait to replace it so this video came in just in time.❤❤❤❤
Last time I bought a toilet (10+ yrs ago), they all had gpf (grams/flush) ratings. I just made sure to pick one at the higher end of the range. All was fine. There have been good 6 LITRE toilets for well over 10yrs!
So far this is the best I've seen from this channel. Fun, educational and just a blast to watch.
I have a different opinion on soft close seats. I hate it. I'm a older adult that's been married for over 33 years and when I have to go, I have to go. I often just barely make it before the seat finally comes down. I often find myself forcing it down to get it down faster.
Next time I'm going to just put rubber on the front bumpers of the seat.
?? Why is the actual seat up all the time in the first place??
@@sjohnson65456, I didn't phrase that very well. We have a 30+ adult son with autism and I have digestive issues. When the seat is up I sometimes find it difficult to wait for it to go down before I 'have' to sit and take care of business.
With 2 males in the house 24/7 it's usually in the up position. Seriously, if I'd known about how long it takes to go down I wouldn't have spent the extra $ when I had a new fixture put in.
I buy an extra set of brass hardware and replace the plated brass hardware , and also install the hardware onto the tank with the extra nuts then bolt the tank onto the bowl , great video by the way , you add a great sense of humor to your videos 👍👊