Audrey,

The toilets have a few more integrated functions like the auto flushers and integrated water tanks which take up less physical space for the toilet (The G Series toilet). If you don't need those features, the washlet allow you the flexibility to place it on most toilets of your choice. If your toilet is damaged, you can remove the washlet and place it on the new toilet. With the integrated units, if the toilet porcelain bowl is damaged, you can replace this unit from Toto and put the washlet portion of the G series back on it. The difference is that you a stuck with a Toto replacement only and the style is limited.

IMHO, If you get the whole fancy toilet, the Toto, which I've seen, looks HUGE but sleek. It's very expensive, but the larger issue is that if something goes wrong, how will it be repaired. Does a guy come to the house?

With the washlet seats, on the other hand, it's two separate units. It does look less one-piece, neat, But if it comes to it, and you need to switch the washlet, you can return or exchange it a lot more easily with a lot less disruption.

If cost is a big factor, the all-in-one integrated toilet washlet seems to me to be more expensive than getting a toilet and high end washlet. I haven't really done a careful price comparison, but that's my sense.

I'm going to be buying washlet seats for both my bathrooms.

.

Correct. The specific washlet activities, apart from the regular toilet, are in the seat.

Many thanks!

Ok, months later, making decisions. Tossing old bathroom fixtures so, going with a Toto washlet seat, is it better to pick a Toto toilet or does it really not matter? Looks fine/fits on a Kohler just as well?

Toto has a list of toilets that fits their washlet on their website. You may want to confirm the best fit. I think one of the problems people experience is the color mismatch between the toilet and seat when they use different brand toilets. I have Toto toilets and wash let's in Cotton White.

Good luck!

If I recall correctly, some Toto toilets come with a hole at the base of the tank that allows the water line (and power cord?) from the washlet seat to feed through, making for a sleeker installation.

Great info, thanks. Toto website is not intuitive. If AvatarWalt's comment that there are versions with hole at base of tank to snake power cord through, how does one tell which ones? It would have to be a skirted version I guess.

I tried to figure that out yesterday too. I think it's the Connect+ toilets, but the website only shows them WITH the washlets, not separately. The photos don't seem to show the hole at all, plus they've photoshopped the power cord and water line out entirely. They should be at the back left of the washlet seat. I don't know how it works in skirted models (or even if the hole is an option), but in the traditional ones the hole doesn't conceal the cords entirely, just lets them go straight down instead of arcing out around the outside of the toilet itself. Here's a photo of ours arcing around the outside with a Toto Aquia (must not have had a Connect+ version). You'd think you could at least get a shorter waterline, but it's pretty well hidden with our bathroom layout so I haven't worried about it. Until now anyway. :)

I can at least say that I long ago bookmarked a Toto Vespin II with the hole, and sure enough, it's a Connect+ model. This is a diagram from its spec sheet.

Also, I couldn't find an Aquia offering any sort of "stealth" routing (thought a sleeker look would work especially well with the wall-hung unit), and yeah . . . there aren't any Connect+ Aquias.

The Brondell people who make washlets that have gotten some good reviews (I bought one at Costco, but haven't installed yet) and they have a large compatibilty chart you can view. I was also very happy with the customer service guy I spoke to on the phone. Of course, I've changed my mind about which toilet to buy about 5 or 6 times since then, but that's me. :-(

I rented a house that had the actual toilet and now that I have purchased a house I miss it dearly. I did buy a washlet in the new house and I love it, but it's not the same. The toilet opened the lid for me, flushed for me, cleaned itself, deodorized itself, dried me, heated my rear, and seemed to have an endless supply of warm water. The washlet just washes me and heats my rear. It has a limited supply of warm water before it gets cold, but that toilet seat stays warm. Oh well, it guess it's better in the larger scheme of things because I spend less time in the bathroom now! haha.