Designer Toilets

Designer toilets may be a reasonable indulgence

Do you think it's ridiculous to spend several thousand dollars for a toilet? It may seem like a lot of money compared to standard toilets, but if you think about it, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers, and other home appliances that may not be used as much as the toilet often cost as much as these high-end models. So why not indulge?

There aren't many recommendations for fancy designer toilets in expert review sources, but one model that stands out is the Roca W+W (Est. $4,000) . This combination sink-and-toilet unit attaches to the wall rather than sitting on the floor, so it takes up less valuable real estate in small spaces. It's also one of the most water-efficient toilets available, using about 25 percent less water than the majority of standard dual-flush toilets.

The Roca W+W recycles water used in the sink for use in the toilet portion of the unit, and a built-in cleaning function disinfects the water in between to cut down on odors. Users simply set the flow to go either directly to main waste or to the built-in cistern.

The primary downside to the Roca W+W is its price. Sure, you get an innovative product that has won numerous design awards, but it's not cost-effective for most families. There's also no owner feedback on how well the toilet flushes and removes waste, and it's not included in any third-party independent testing such as ConsumerReports.org or MaP. There is a review in Which? magazine, where editors say, "One exit leads to the waste pipe, which you could select if you've been using the basin to shave in or brush your teeth, and the other exit takes the waste water to be recycled for use in the toilet." The water is filtered and chemically treated before filling the cistern, they add.

If cost isn't a concern and you want the ultimate toileting experience, the Kohler Numi (Est. $5,000) is the Rolls-Royce of toilets. It's packed with a variety of advanced capabilities and technology features, including ambient lighting that automatically detects when the room darkens; an automatic lid with motion sensor that opens when it senses your approach; a built-in bidet with a drying feature and automatic positioning; bum and foot warmers; and a touch-screen remote control to operate it all.

The Kohler Numi also boasts a built-in speaker system that streams music directly from a user's smartphone. The touch-screen remote can be used to create individual user preferences such as flushing, warming and lighting options. This technologically advanced toilet is also eco-friendly, with dual-flush options using just 0.6 gallons per flush (gpf) for liquid waste and 1.28 gpf for solid waste, as well as a built-in sensor that automatically detects the necessary flush.

All that technology may not be so great, however. At Amazon.com, owners post a number of complaints about poor sound quality from the speakers, and malfunctioning lids that open and close randomly, sometimes slamming shut in the middle of the night. The Kohler Numi is WaterSense-certified and earns a MaP score of 600, but there's no user feedback that indicates how well it cleans the bowl with flushing action.

If an extra thousand dollars for a water-efficient toilet that packs a slew of technology features appeals to you, the Kohler Numi may be worthwhile. But the Roca W+W costs about 20 percent less and makes a design statement, even in smaller bathrooms, thanks to its wall attachment that reduces its footprint.