How To Choose The Perfect Toilet For Your Home

Also known as the "loo", "john", "commode" and "throne" the toilet very often becomes the centerpiece of most bathrooms. Whatever style bathroom you have you'll want a toilet that matches and compliments your interior design plan for that entire room. You definitely don't want a pokey looking, cheap toilets anywhere in the bathroom - it would totally take away from the look of the room itself. A contemporary porcelain toilet would be ideal in a typical bathroom. An important point is to never simply assume that all toilets are created equal - they most definitely are not. Finding the perfect toilet is almost an art.

Up to recently 5.5 and 3.5 litre flush toilets were standard but there's now a move towards what are called "low flow" toilets which help converse water. They do this by only using 1.6 litres of water to achieve the same flushing performance as the other high water usage toilets. This reduced water usage will obviously save you money on both your waste and water bills each year. An additional, and obvious, benefit is that you're also helping the environment by reducing the amount of waste water being produced.

The single issue with these new water conserving toilets is that you truly will get what you pay for. If you buy an unbranded low flow toilet then you'll probably spend more time having it fixed than you ever saved on the initial cost price. DO NOT skimp on the cost of installing a high quality low flow toilet - you'll regret it for longer than you can imagine.

So what should be your checklist for buying a toilet?

1. Make sure it conforms to any local standards - for example the US standard of 1.6 liter low flow/flush toilets.

2. Stick with recognized brand names like American Standard, Kohler and Toto.

3. Do you want a one piece or two piece toilet? Two piece toilets are cheaper but tend not to look as well in the finished bathroom.

4. Do you want a pressure assisted flush (can be noisy) or a traditional gravity flush system?

5. Do you want a round or elongated toilet bowl? The round models fit better in tight spaces where the elongated types offer far more comfort.

6. Make sure the toilet fits in with your decorating theme or style - be that rustic, Asian or Roman for example.

7. Take exactly measurements for the final fitting - most toilets need to be mounted 12 - 14 inches away from the actual wall itself.

So now you have more information than you had before on what to look for in the perfect toilet for your home. Just make sure that you choose a toilet that provides both form and function - it will, afterall, be the centerpiece of that oh so private room.

American Standard toilets
One of the most popular types of toilets in the nation is the American Standard toilet.

Pegasus toilets
The Pegasus toilet comes in a wide variety of styles to appeal to a wide range of shoppers.

Kohler toilets
Over the years, the Kohler toilet has become a well known name for both households and businesses.