We researched the best toilets on the market, evaluating ease of installation and maintenance, efficiency, and added features. Our best overall pick, the Kohler Corbelle Comfort Height Toilet, has a chair height bowl, powerful flushing action, and is easy to clean. Here are the best toilets on the market. What do buyers say? 100+ Wayfair reviewers rated this product 5 stars. If you want a toilet from a trusted brand, the Kohler Corbelle Comfort Height Toilet is powerful, well-designed, and pleasing to the eye. It stands tall and has modern accents like a vertical brushed nickel handle. It’s also available in numerous neutral colors, such as white, gray, and beige, to match almost any bathroom decor. As for functionality, this two-piece toilet offers robust flushing action with its unique single-flush gravity and swirl flushing technology, which Kohler claims keeps the bowl cleaner for longer. The comfort-height seat is chair level, so this toilet is more accommodating and comfortable. The taller chair and elongated bowl simplify routine cleaning, and so does the CleanCoat surface treatment and skirted trapway.  While this toilet is capable and well built, it’s pricier than other options. It doesn’t include a toilet seat, which means an added expense. Some homeowners have also reported malfunctions. However, the Corbelle comes with a one-year limited warranty to protect against cracks, leaks, and other potential issues, if you run into them. Price at time of publish: $486 Sitting 16.5 inches off the ground, the ADA-compliant chair height makes it easier to sit on and stand up from. You have the option to choose between a round or elongated seat; the price difference is minimal. The only caveat to this otherwise superb toilet is the flush handle, which is small and a bit flimsy, but it still operates effectively. Price at time of publish: $159 With the seat attached, the rim is over 17 inches off the ground. The comfort height, combined with the elongated seat, allows for maximum comfort—making it a great choice for older homeowners or anyone with mobility issues. One feature this toilet lacks is a slow-close lid, which is important to note if noise is a concern. Price at time of publish: $379 In general, the downside to a two-piece design is that there are more cracks and crevices to clean. There are a few drawbacks to note about this particular model: The small handle can be finicky and the flushing power is a little weak. You may have to hold the handle down for a while to properly flush, or flush it twice. Price at time of publish: $518 The one-piece design and tank-to-bowl construction make it sleeker, more space-efficient, and easier to clean. It’s available in four colors—white, bone, black, and biscuit. There are some reports of toilets being defective right out of the box, so be sure to utilize the manufacturer’s lifetime warranty. Price at time of publish: $149 With all these high-end features, it’s no surprise that it comes with a relatively high price tag, but it’s still one of the more affordable bidet toilets from TOTO. However, the low water use (1 gallon per flush) should cut down on utility costs in the long run. Price at time of publish: $2,798 With this composting toilet, you won’t have to worry about unpleasant smells. It’s equipped with an electric fan to eliminate odors. The fan runs on 12-volt power, but you can purchase a 110-volt conversion kit from the manufacturer. Price at time of publish: $1,030 It’s no surprise that a toilet this advanced comes with a steep price tag. However, you can’t beat all the luxury that it offers. At 140 pounds, this toilet is extremely heavy, which means installation will likely be more complicated. Price at time of publish: $980 On the whole, this all-in-one unit does a great job of containing waste in a mess-free manner. The seat might be a little small for larger-sized people, and the plastic parts may crack over time, leading to potential leaks. Price at time of publish: $73 The St. Tropez toilet by Swiss Madison has a dual-flush system, with an elongated and distinct buttons. It also has an elongated seat with a 16-inch bowl height, so it sits slightly higher than the traditional height. The seat is quick-release with chrome hinges for easy cleaning (or replacing) and has a soft-close lid that won’t slam in the middle of the night. The two flushes (1.1 and 1.6 gallons) use a “Vortex” system of dual nozzles, which employ more water pressure against the interior of the rim, which helps keep the bowl cleaner. The bowl also has a glazed, glossy interior for easy cleaning. The Swiss Madison St. Tropez is available in a variety of finishes, including matte black, matte white, glossy white, and an off-white color called “Bisque.” Price at time of publish: $304
Anyone considering a wall-mounted toilet should be aware that some components are installed behind the wall. The Kohler Veil does not include an in-wall tank or flush actuator plate. The Kohler Veil Wall-Hung Toilet comes with a quiet-close seat and is available in four colors: white, Biscuit, Dune, and “Black Black.” It’s ADA compliant and meets EPA water efficiency standards. Price at time of publish: $565

One-piece: The toilet bowl and toilet tank are all one piece. is made of one seamless piece where the bowl is separate from the tank and must be bolted on during installation. Because they don’t have gaps between the bowl and tank, one-piece toilets are typically easier to clean. However, they are also heavier, which can make them trickier to install, since the entire toilet has to be lifted into place as one unit.Two-piece: This is the traditional toilet design, with a water tank bolted on top of a lower bowl. Two-piece tanks are often more affordable, with a wide variety of options. You can even mix and match toilet bowls and tanks, for a little more customization.Wall-Mount: Toilets that are mounted directly to the wall not only look sleek, but can save a lot of space in your bathroom. However, they are complex to install, requiring additional bracing, as well as plumbing modifications if you’re switching from a standard toilet. 

Flush Type

There are two choices to consider for your toilet’s flush:

Single-flush: This type of toilet uses the same amount of water for each flush and has a single mechanism for flushing. Single-flush toilets often have handles or levers, rather than buttons. Since they are more common and have standardized components, it’s often easier to buy replacement parts for single-flush toilets, and repair costs are typically cheaper. However, single-flush toilets can be more water wasteful. Dual-flush: A dual-flush toilet uses two buttons, typically located on top of the tank, for two different types of flushing. One flush uses less water—typically less than a gallon per flush—and is meant for removing liquid waste. A second, larger flush is reserved for solid waste disposal.

Height

While the distance from the floor to the rim of your toilet bowl—often called the seat or bowl height—varies from model to model, there are two primary ranges into which bowl heights are grouped:

Standard Height: A standard height toilet has a rim that’s 14.5 to 16 inches from the floor. Shorter toilet seats may benefit bowel movements, since it puts people closer to a crouching position, straightening the colon. This may reduce the need for straining, and is the reason behind the popularity of position-adjusting products like the Squatty Potty. Comfort Height (also known as Chair Height): Comfort height toilets are taller—typically 17 to 19 inches—making it so you don’t have to crouch as much to sit on them. While 16.125 and 16.5-inch toilet rim heights are sometimes described as comfort height, the standard is most often associated with models approved by the Americans with Disabilities Act, with rims at least 16.5 inches off the ground.

Bowl Shape

Toilets and toilet seats are designed for two different bowl shapes:

Round: Round bowls are common to older toilets and are still available today. They are typically 16.5 inches from the tip of the bowl to the seat bolts. They provide a smaller opening, but can save two inches of space compared to an elongated bowl. If your bathroom is especially cramped, a round bowl might be worth your consideration.Elongated: In most bathrooms people prefer elongated bowls, which are typically 18.5 inches long. They provide both a larger opening and a broader space for the toilet seat, making them more comfortable to sit on for most people. The only real downside to an elongated bowl is that it takes up more space, and may not fit in a smaller bathroom.

Flushing Technology

Modern toilets typically use one of two different flushing technologies:

Gravity-Flush: These toilets hold water in a raised tank, then let gravity pull the volume of water down through the toilet bowl when you flush. It’s a simple, reliable mechanism that requires no additional assistance to operate. Most residential homes use gravity-flush toilets. Pressure-Assisted: Pressure-assisted toilets store water for flushing inside of an airtight tank, then uses air pressure to push out the water through the bowl. This allows for a more powerful flush with less water used, since it can force the water through the bowl at a higher speed than gravity. They’re much less likely to clog and can generate a powerful flush without wasting water. However, pressure-assisted flush toilets are typically more expensive and louder.

The majority of toilets use a gravity-flush system to force water and its contents out of the bowl. This type of flushing system is quiet and requires little maintenance, which is why it’s such a popular option. However, there are newer styles of flushing systems, as well. For instance, you may come across pressure-assisted flushing technology, where pressurized air forces water into the bowl.

Water Usage

Today, laws dictate that toilets can’t use more than 1.6 gallons of water with each flush, so you won’t need to worry that your new toilet will waste water. However, there are also high-efficiency toilets that only use around 1.1 or 1.2 gallons per flush, conserving even more water. These high-efficiency products are often identified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s “WaterSense” label.

Noise Level

If your new toilet is going to be installed somewhere that noise is a problem—such as next to your bedroom or your baby’s nursery—you’ll definitely want to consider how loud it is. In general, gravity-flush systems are the quietest, and some toilets have special fill valves that are designed to be quieter. Additionally, if noise is a concern, it’s helpful to opt for a soft-close lid that prevents it from slamming shut. 

Appearance

Once you’ve figured out the technical aspects, you can consider the appearance of your new toilet and how it will fit into your bathroom. The most common toilet color is white, but you can also find models that are black, gray, tan, or even bold colors like pink or yellow. Additionally, you have options when it comes to the trapways of a toilet, or the pipe bends behind the toilet bowl. If you choose a model with visible trapways, you’ll be able to see the bends and have to clean them. To save yourself a little bit of effort with cleaning and create a sleeker look, you may want to consider a toilet with concealed or skirted trapways, where these bends are covered up. 

Size

If you’re replacing an existing toilet, you’ll want to figure out its “rough-in” measurement, or the distance from the wall to the floor drain. The standard distance is 12 inches, but you may have 10 inches or 14 inches rough-in if you live in an older home. This measurement will help you choose an appropriately sized toilet that can easily be installed with your existing plumbing. 

Special Features

As with many household fixtures, you can find toilets with special features—for an additional cost. For instance, there are models with touchless flushing, where you simply wave your hand to activate the flush. Other advanced features include heated seats, overflow protection, night lights, bidet capabilities, self-cleaning, and more. However, these options will not only increase the initial cost of your toilet, but they may require increased maintenance over the life of the fixture. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

This piece was written by Sage McHugh, a lifestyle writer who has been researching home products for The Spruce for more than two years. Before writing this article, Sage considered dozens of toilets, carefully evaluating each model’s flushing technology, water usage, and special features. To find the top-rated products on the market, she consulted hundreds of customer reviews, as well as write-ups from third-party websites. Of course, there are situations where it might be better to have a plumber help with the install of your new toilet. If you are installing a specialty design, like a wall-mounted toilet, then installation can quickly get too complicated for the average DIY-er. People with old homes might also want to consider a plumber, since they may encounter plumbing or old installation methods that don’t match with contemporary toilet install instructions.