Didn't even think of this. Just bought 2 new Toto's for our remodel and have 2 toddlers at home. Hope this isn't the case. Also hope most guests will realize they shouldn't force it. Interested to hear all the responses.

Will let you know how the Wolf hood goes by the way (still deciding cfm though!)

We've had our Totos for three years and occasionally they've been forced closed. No damage whatsoever. But I'd ask the dealer, just to be sure.

My problem is the opposite. When at someone else's home or in a hotel, I tend to give the cover a solid flip, expecting it to descend quietly. Instead it falls with a bang!

We have three Toto toilets with soft close seats in our house. We also have three kids; ages 9, 10 and 12. No issues yet. We love them!

Biddest problem, as sable ca states, is when you go somewhere else. We went to a hockey tournament in October and stayed at a hotel. All 5 of us were slamming toilet seats.

We have a soft-close, and it says that you should not sit on top of the closed seat. Does anyone know if this is a hard-and-fast rule, or just a protection against warranty claims?

I'm not sure I want to put one in the master bath -- if we go for the freestanding tub, my daughter (who sometimes comes in to chat if I am in the bath) wouldn't have anywhere else to sit. I don't like having too many things in the house that are too delicate for life.....

Our Toto soft close says not to sit on them, but they have been sat on. The kids and my husband all do on occassion and when we spoke to a contractor about the kids bath, he sat on the lid there for the whole time we talked. Yes, I did think about that 'do not sit on the closed lid' recommendation while he was talking. Nothing happened. And if it did, it's a toilet seat and can be replaced. The soft close feature is definately worth it. I think most lids do come with a recommendation to not sit on them while closed.

I think the pro's out way any con's if the con's do exist. I never read the don't sit on it statement but I am sure we have. I love the the soft close cover because more times then not the seat cover is down. I too have been to other locations and found out the hard way that their toilet seat is NOT a soft close! Opps! When cleaning the toilet I have always forced the cover down not real fast but I have pushed on it and it still works beautifully. I think those statements are there to protect the manufacturer from claims. I say go for it, you will be very happy with the soft close seat.

I've had Toto soft close seats for 3 years. They've been sat on and forced down many times. I don't force them down as hard as I can... I just "help" them along. No failure yet.

I concur...I have had toto soft close for 6 years and always had a toddler around. We have had no issues with the mechanism. I sit on them all the time as well, briefly mostly, but no problems.

I beg to differ on soft close seats. The seat top is there for a reason - when you flush the toilet it sprays toilet water up and out. THe seat top keeps all that yucky stuff in and keeps it from spraying around the bathroom. With the slow-close seats, you either stand there while it makes its leisurely way down, or flush when the lid is still open. Yuck.

I have never in my home had a toilet flush and spray any thing out or up from the bowl. I usually close lids just so nothing falls in.

Bruce- Those who worry about this envision an invisible toxic plume. It may exist, but so far it hasn't killed me. ;-)