SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
alicehasleftthebuilding

Just installed Toto Aquia dual flush - great toilet

I know, I know, a toilet is just a goofy thing to get excited about. We had an old, ancient Kohler, at least 30 years old with a gargantuan flush. It started leaking so I tried to repair it and ended up breaking it when a bolt wouldn't come loose. Anyway, that was a week ago. New toilet is in now. For those of you who have heard they are difficult to install, they really aren't. Took DH and I a total of 2 hours, including a trip to Home Depot and relocating the supply valve which had always been in a bad spot. The actual toilet install probably took 30 minutes. The instructions were good, although they did manage to confuse my DH (I think that's only because of an innate aversion to reading directions). The flush is surprisingly powerful, much better than the old 6-gallon flush toilet we had. This should help with the septic system and electricity too (we are on a private well).

Comments (27)

  • jakkom
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is good to hear -- I've loved the styling of the Aquia toilet ever since I first saw it! Glad to hear that it seems to be working well for you and that the install was easy.

    Their customer service is very good too. The valve on our Ultimate started leaking and they shipped us out a new one, got it in two days and my DH (who is NOT handy!) popped it right in. No problems since.

  • ekoreilly
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    what toilet offers a quiet flush, say for a bath on main floor off kitchen?

  • Related Discussions

    Toto Aquia dual flush regrets?

    Q

    Comments (6)
    I have to agree. I am a journeyman plumber and additionally have a great working knowledge of hydrodynamics. The height of the water level in the bowl is determined by the height of the bottom of the "throat" or "neck" tube at its highest- after the bowl. The bowl water when flushed, enters a tube. The tube curves upward above the waterline in bowl, and then back down and eventually to drain line. When water is still it rests up to the "floor" of the tube at its highest point. Any more water flows over the "tube floor" and down the drain. The only way to raise the bowl water is to somehow raise this tube - which is cast in the porcelain just as the rest of the toilet. I'm thinking - maybe - somehow place a block on this floor (now restricting water flow) and adding a tube at the "roof" of the tube, feeding up through and above the bowl to compensate for the loss of volume. We have two of these in our home, and as gorgeous as a toilet can be, they are full of sh*t.
    ...See More

    Small toilet: A.S. Compact Cadet III or Toto Aquia dual flush

    Q

    Comments (7)
    Moccasinlanding, you are so sweet to have run around your house with your tank lid for me! You gave me an idea to do the same, as I realized I have both a Toto and an American Standard toilet elsewhere in the house. I am assuming that they would use the same white across models; of course that may not be the case, but I will take any data points I can in my obsessive bathroom frenzy. I lined up my tile, my vessel sink, and the two toilet tank lids. It turns out that the A.S. lid is a slightly creamier white than the Toto, but I think it is a better match for the sink and tile. The Toto is whiter than my other elements. So now I am back to thinking that the A.S. is the way to go. I do like the cleaner lines of the skirted Toto, but I'm not sure I like it $200 more, when this is a bath for a teenage boy. Plus I think that the skirting may make it look even whiter, since there will be more flat surfaces to reflect light. And it is not a one-piece. I think I'm reaching a decision here.... The next big thing I need to look at is seat size and "target" area. Have to say that toilet research has been enlightening, and has made me laugh a few times. Thanks so much for your help.
    ...See More

    toto aquia vs. kohler saile toilet

    Q

    Comments (1)
    My experience has been that the TOTO toilets are hard to beat. I dont have experience with that TOTO model but with the TOTO Drake and it is wonderful. I did some quick internet price search and actually found to TOTO for less money than the Kohler which surprises me because TOTO is known to be expensive.
    ...See More

    Kohler Saile vs Toto Aquia Toilet

    Q

    Comments (7)
    kmcg: "I am a big fan of Toto products, but I was not happy with the Aquia we had installed for a few months. I didn't like the small water spot, and I had trouble knowing when the flush activator button had reached the right point. I swapped it out for an Inax Cedar, which is single flush but only 1.28 gallons. Love it!" Inax makes a dual-flush version of the Cedar, I am pretty sure. The Inax "Rio Grande" is a dual flush, but I am not familiar with the styling of the Cedar; is it similar to the Rio Grande?
    ...See More
  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If you're looking for a quiet flush, avoid any toilet which uses a pressure tank. These are often called "pressure assist" or "flushmate/flushometer tank" toilets. Toto doesn't make any toilets which use this technology.

  • ekoreilly
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thanks. I HATE I repeat HATE this FORUM! Kept me up for 3 hours lastnight reading about the Toto Toilets,; never heard of them before because I live in Syracuse NY and they never have "neat stuff"

    Anyway, I do love the forum and most likely will be trying a Tot for one bathroom and possibly for the other two.

  • dmlove
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Toto is the only toilet I've ever heard of that is good dinner party conversation! (We have 4 of the Ultramax model and think they're great. They aren't exactly quiet, but the flush lasts such a short time that it doesn't matter)

  • ekoreilly
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    is the drake quieter than the ultimate?

  • arlinek
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good to hear about this from me, also. We've got our new black Toto Aquia sitting in the garage now for almost two months, waiting for DH to install. We have thick, thick travertine tile with bevelled edges on the floor, yet!, so I've warned him that six holes will need to be drilled into this and through the concrete underlayment, I'm sure, so he's not looking forward to the installation. It's unusual for a toilet to need SIX holes - it's usually two, I believe. Also, I read on Terry Love's forum that they should be drilled either not quite as large as stated or they should be a fraction larger than what the instructions stated, as supposedly it is wrong in the size of hole required on the written work. I think the holes have to be a fraction larger than specified if I'm recalling correctly. I can't wait for this toilet, either!

  • mqmoi
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Re: Ultramax They aren't exactly quiet, but the flush lasts such a short time that it doesn't matter.

    That's funny because I said the same thing to dh today. :)

  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ekoreilly: If worse comes to worse, buy one and see if you like it. You can always replace the others later.

    As far as the noisiness of the Toto toilets, they really don't make any real noise when the water enters the bowl (mainly because most of the water is sent down the trapway to push waste efficiently) and the only real noise is the "gurgling" which happens when air is sucked into the trapway at the end of the flush. This is actually a good thing, as it indicates that the waste has been cleared.

    With the terribly-performing washdown American Standard toilets I have at my newest place, there's plenty of noise when the water is entering the bowl...but rarely/barely any air goes into the trapway. Then again, these 2 AS toilets (2 different models) often require 3-5 flushes when someone decides to "sit & think."

  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    oops, pressed the Submit rather than Preview button...
    ------

    ekoreilly: If worse comes to worse, buy one and see if you like it. You can always replace the others later.

    As far as the noisiness of the Toto toilets, they really don't make any real noise when the water enters the bowl (mainly because most of the water is sent down the trapway to push waste efficiently) and the only real noise is the "gurgling" which happens when air is sucked into the trapway at the end of the flush. This is actually a good thing, as it indicates that the waste has been cleared.

    With the terribly-performing washdown American Standard toilets I have at my newest place, there's plenty of noise when the water is entering the bowl...but rarely/barely any air goes into the trapway. Then again, these 2 AS toilets (2 different models) often require 3-5 flushes when someone decides to "sit & think."

  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ugh... it still did it... let's try it one more time. (Sorry folks!)
    ---------------
    ekoreilly: If worse comes to worse, buy one and see if you like it. You can always replace the others later.

    As far as the noisiness of the Toto toilets, they really don't make any real noise when the water enters the bowl (mainly because most of the water is sent down the trapway to push waste efficiently) and the only real noise is the "gurgling" which happens when air is sucked into the trapway at the end of the flush. This is actually a good thing, as it indicates that the waste has been cleared. Total flush time on these tends to be about 4 seconds, with the noisy part being about 1 second.

    With the terribly-performing washdown American Standard toilets I have at my newest place, there's plenty of noise when the water is entering the bowl...but rarely/barely any air goes into the trapway. Then again, these 2 AS toilets (2 different models) often require 3-5 flushes when someone decides to "sit & think." Assuming everything "goes" well, these take about 8-12 seconds to flush, with there being plenty of noise from water entering the bowl during the first 5 seconds.

  • niineta
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We put in 4 new Totos -3 Drakes and 1 Dartmouth- in our remodel. They are incredible. They are so much better than anything we have had. They are louder for a couple of seconds while flushing than our other toilets were. Then you can barely hear the fill. They are one of the best things we did in the remodel.

  • claybabe
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Is the washout good? No bits left hanging?

  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The bowl wash on the Totos is very good, but does vary with model, and a higher prices doesn't guarantee better cleaning. The Toto Pacifica toilets I have don't wash the bowl anywhere near as well as the Toto Drake toilets. Not to be disgusting, but one's diet and intestinal flora also determine how adhesive one's excretia is. That said, the toilet's design plays a huge role in how much soil is left inside the bowl after a flush. The larger the "water spot," the more likely a toilet is to not have soil stick to it. Also, the water is what helps keep the odor level down, by keeping the poo submerged and not exposed to the air.

    Make no mistake, these are fixtures used for collecting human excretia -- they will need to be cleaned periodically.

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Aquia bowl wash is very powerful so no worries there. Also, the Toto seat is designed to get you aimed at the water. The water spot is small, but deep so no problems with odor. At the risk of being indelicate, with old toilet (with HUGE water spot) DH always left streaks in the toilet above the water line. With the Aquia, no streaking ever above the water line so my daily cleaning routine no longer includes the unpleasant toilet task. Yay!

  • dchall_san_antonio
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'd like to offer an alternative to the Toto. American Standard has done their homework and just about completely copied the Toto Drake, but with improvements. If you look at the standardized tests run by the Canadians, the new American Standard Cadet "3" line of toilets beats the Toto Drake by a significant margin in the amount of stuff flushed. The "3" line also comes with a ceramic glaze that prevents mold and bacteria from growing on it. With the Drake, only a few models have that glaze. The big news is that the "3" is half the price of the Drake.

    I lived in a hotel for 6 months with a Drake and thought I had found my next toilet. But when I went to buy it, they showed me a Cadet "3." For the price I could not tell the difference in either noise or flushability (the plumber had one set up with some toy things in it to flush). I've had a "3" for several months now and am glad I saved the money over the Toto. The "3" is as quiet and, I would say it rinses better than the Toto at the hotel.

    Flush time for the "3" is 2 seconds from start to finish. The most noise comes as a gurgle when the vacuum is broken at the end of the flush. Refill time is 30 seconds, but that will depend on your water pressure. Refill noise depends on the valve. The Flushmaster valve on the "3" might be louder than the Toto but I can't tell. Toto uses a Korky QuietFill valve.

    On my old toilet the flush time was 12 seconds of noisy swirling with a noisy Flushmaster refill for the next 50 seconds.

    Don't forget to get a soft-close seat no matter which toilet you buy.

  • jakkom
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There has been a posting on the AS Cadet 3 with a comparison of the replacement parts vs a Toto Drake, in another thread here. Interested parties doing their research may want to take a look at it while gathering their data:

    Here is a link that might be useful: See Sean_M's post near bottom

  • dchall_san_antonio
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Uh, respectfully, Sean M is incorrect in everything he said about the Cadet "3." Has he seen a Cadet "3?" The toilet he described is some other toilet. The Toto Drake and Cadet "3" take exactly the same replacement parts - they are clones of each other - well the "3" is a clone of the Drake because the Drake came first. I've used both and I bought the "3" because, for all intents and purposes, they are the same. By some tests, the "3" apparently does out perform the Drake in standardized testing, but from my perspective, I don't challenge a toilet that much.

    You can see the "3" at any HD or Lowe's. You have to visit a $pecialty plumber like Sean's father to see a Toto. And that's crap about having the buyer sign a waiver. I'd be outta his store in a New York Minute. Sean needs to get out and see what he's talking about.

    My AS Cadet "3" cost $159 including the expensive, soft-close seat, so Sean must be thinking of another toilet.

  • sean_m
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, I called down to the plumbing office... and sure enough, I'm wrong! I was thinking of the original AS Cadet, thus everything I said about it is about the original AS Cadet, not the "3" version, which is apparently a totally different animal. Siphon-jet, gravity-based, no expensive/failure-prone/noisy pressure-assist tank. They're still not real hot on American Standard 'though, but that comes from many in-field failures and lack of good quality control on others like the AS Champion toilet and some of their other plumbing fixtures, such as tubs & sinks. From what I'm told, AS has claimed several times that a toilet model was "Better than a Toto Drake", like their Champion toilet, but what they've seen in the field, especially with the leaking tanks, proves otherwise.

    I do find dchall's comments interesting and plan on doing a little excursion to the local home improvement store to take a look at this Cadet 3 toilet. AS switching to a gravity-based system with standard parts is a huge step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned, BUT, my AS Compact Elongated & AS Rennaisance toilets are gravity-fed and use standard parts and don't work worth a damn, BUT both of my AS toilets are washdowns and not siphon-jets, so I'm willing to give them a chance... BUT not in my bathroom -- both of my AS toilets will be replaced with Toto toilets. I'd rather pay more and get the real thing rather than skimp and get a knock-off of unknown quality. The Cadet 3 has been on the market for less than a year and their Champion toilets became rather problematic after the first 6 or so months. The one thing I'd be really curious about is the distance the AS Cadet 3 can move the waste down the waste pipe. I donated a few Toto Drake toilets to my church after they were calling Roto-Rooter every 3-4 months to unclog the lines. Previous toilets were 6 gallon models. Since the Drakes were installed in Feb, no clogs/backups have occured.

    Commercial-grade products and standards/codes *ARE* of higher quality/standards than residential. Electrical codes, structural engineering design, ventilation codes, and plumbing codes are all more strict and demanding for commercial applications than residential. In the case of toilets, this would be performance, durability, and weight-handling capacity. There's a reason that both AS & Toto list far fewer toilets for commercial applications than residential. This isn't dissimilar from being able to use 15-amp receptacles & Romex wire in houses whereas you must use 20-amp receptacles and hard-pipe conduit in commercial buildings.

    As far as the disclaimers go, they came about from homeowners buying $50-75 toilets @ Lowe's/HD and expecting the plumber to install them, then calling & complaining that the toilet was installed wrong b/c it didn't work like their old 6-gallon toilets did. This requiring a call-back, which ate more time & money, and of course, customers who were buying $50 toilets are going to complain even louder when you come out a 2nd time and have to charge them for the 2nd trip when there's nothing wrong with the install. Their $50 toilets are junk and there's nothing the plumber can do to make it work better. The disclaimer simply states, "I have been informed that not all low-flow toilets perform equally and wish to install something other than what ________ Plumbing has advised me of and that ________ Plumbing does not guarantee the performance of this toilet." Ever since coming up with that, the # of false callbacks have dropped to almost zero.

    As far as wanting to sell toilets (as I have been accused in the aforementioned link), my degree's in EE and do electronics design/engineering and currently going back to school to study medicine, my father's is in law, the plumbing business is simply an investment, not an occupation. My specific plumbing knowledge was taught to me by one of the plumbers and consists of "hot on left, cold on right, gas goes up, s**t goes down", said like a true plumber.

    The plumbing business really don't make THAT much on parts, however labor is billed at actual cost (~$100/hr) rather than a more appealing rate other plumbers charge ($65-75/hr) and 50% markup on parts. So, they sell a Drake for ~$220, Carusoe goes for ~$120. I doubt you'll be able to find them for much less than that. The high labor rate also tends to weed out the less-desirable clientelle who are most concerned about price and not quality or performance. They've worked on numerous repairs and renovations for the local 5-star resorts (I won't say which, but one of the resorts selected Toto Drake toilets and Speakman dual-head showerheads; most road-warriors probably know which chain this is), numerous 4-5 star restaurants, and plenty of high-end houses. At this level, performance is your reputation, NOT price.

    As a last parting shot :), the AS toilets are made in Central & South America, whereas most of the Toto toilets sold in the US are made in the US. Like I've said, I've had Totos in my other residence for 5 years now, used a plunger 0 times, no leaks/quality control issues. For my money and posterior, there shall be a Toto beneath it. I'll gladly pay more for a product I know will work the first time, every time.

  • clg7067
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can confirm that the AS Cadet is a great toilet. I had one in a brand new apartment in Seattle. That was when I memorized the model for future reference.

  • MariposaTraicionera
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm so glad to hear good things about the AS Cadet 3.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    sean: thanks for the information. That was very helpful. As to the quality of American Standard toilets, I have not heard any great reviews of the quality of the ceramic. What I have heard is that you STILL have to make sure the bottom is flat to the floor and does not need excessive shimming to keep it from rocking. So if you watch out for that at the start, American Standard might get the message and improve it.

    Regarding the American made aspect, I would much rather have the overall profit going to American ownership than going to Japan. That's my gripe about chain stores that come to my community - I'd rather buy from local owners and keep the profit in MY community rather than sending it to Seattle, New York, or other distant corporate headquarters. Hopefully my neighbors would buy from me for the same reason.

    To comment on clg7067's comment: it is NOT the American Standard Cadet model that I'm bragging on; it is the American Standard Cadet "3" model.

    Still I will never say anything bad about a Toto. I'm just trying to get the alternative out there for those who like Toto but don't want to spend the money.

  • carolinakid
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I installed a AS Cadet 3" a while back and posted my results.

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumbing/msg1022391821493.html

    In summary - I had to go back to HD a few times to get a bowl that wasn't defective (wasn't flat on the bottom or wasn't fully glazed).

    I have had the toilet installed for about 5 months and have put it through some severe "stress" tests and admit that it has never clogged. Relative to the previous toilet that was installed - I'm impressed. Very strong and efficient flush. Not extra ordinarily noisey.

    I am still a little concerned about overall quality of the unit based on the initial quality problems I had finding one that wasn't defective. I'm wondering if the unit is going to start developing leaks or parts failing. Only more time will tell.

    I'm impressed enough with the toilet that I'm going to replace the other two in my house with the same AS Cadet 3. I fully expect to have to go to HD or Lowes and open every box and inspect the bowl before purshasing to avoid 3 separate trips.

    I was initially going to use Toto Drake until the only local dealer quoted me a very high price and long delivery time. At the time the new report came out on toilets that showed the Cadet 3 performing very well relative to the Toto's (you can find it on the internet if you do some searching).

    I really don't care where the toilet is made as long as its the best unit for the $$$.

  • remodeling
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    anyone have pics of a bone colored Aquia installed?

  • bosun2
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Regarding the American made aspect, I would much rather have the overall profit going to American ownership than going to Japan. That's my gripe about chain stores that come to my community - I'd rather buy from local owners and keep the profit in MY community rather than sending it to Seattle, New York, or other distant corporate headquarters. Hopefully my neighbors would buy from me for the same reason."

    I'm not sure I understand the post. You want to buy the AS, because it is an American company? While the US made Toto is a Japanese company?

    Don't buy anything based on where the company is headquartered. Buy from companies that take care of their people and the environment; companies that use responsible business practices vs. what is legal. Responsible and Legal are often far apart. Many American companies have deserted the average American, yet expect patronage because they are "American." Makes me sick.

  • downtowner
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's a radical idea. Just buy the product that is best for you at the price and level of service that best fits *your* needs.

    The house I am renovating was built in 1820. Probably everything used in building it was made locally. And as we take apart each area, boy does it suck. Every single structural element has required reinforcement. I'm sure the knowledge and level of craftsmanship were "local" too.

    The whole idea of our economy is voluntary trade based and comparative advantage. This has been well understood for over 200 years. There is no need for nails to be made in every locality --and today no need to buy them locally either. And you have no idea where what you buy was manufactured --your local cabinetmaker almost certainly does not make his own doors, for instance.

    If everyone in your locality followed your advice and bought everything locally, you would impoverish them. They would be so busy selling you inappropriate items at ridiculous prices that they would lose the profits from doing other more efficient economic activities that might benefit broader communities.

    Being an idealistic economic dictator does not work either on an individual, or on a national level.