Toilet recommendations, please. Seriously.

[bbernardini]

I've had it with the toilets in this house. They came with the house when we had it built several years ago, and we're sick of them. Two squares of toilet paper clog the damn things. We need something that WON'T CLOG, or at least not with the frequency the current ones do.

I assure you, we try very carefully to make sure we're not the cause of the clogs. (I had to put some kind of disclaimer, right?)

Any recommendations? Brands, models? Although I don't want to break the bank, I'm willing to pay a bit more to make sure they won't clog.

[SmileyBoy]

1. Your pipes might be too narrow.

My family had the same problem with one of our toilets some years ago. Turned out we had to install new plumbing into the main system. It cleared it right up.

[GOPisEvil]

2. Get in touch with jmowreader.

He works for one of the major home stores. Maybe he can give you a suggestion.

[rug]

3. Yeah but then he'll just blab about it.

[Jamastiene]

4. I knew you were full of it.

Nah, just kidding. Mine are like that too. For now, we flush on large loads in between ahem, well you know, more than once.

Home Depot, Lowe's, whichever store in your area that sells shitters should be able to help you. Give them a call and tell them you want something that won't clog. If you still want to do something for the environment, put a medium sized to brick sized rock in the back part that holds the water. It'll save some water and you can adjust the size of the rock if you have any problems with cleanliness.

Hope this helps. I am a kind of expert when it comes to the john. Some call me a "Queen on my Throne" because I have developed a bathroom heavy sense of humor stemming from problems with nausea and other digestion problems I won't discuss in detail.

[yurbud]

11. I recommend the laser bidet--it gently burns off bunghole hair

while it vaporizes you loaf.

[ornotna]

5. Toto. Best toilet ever

They're Japanese, well worth the few extra dollars.

http://www.totousa.com/residentialtoiletsearch.asp

[Redstone]

6. Good Lord, who knew there was such variety in crappers?

I followed your link...I'd not have the faintest idea where to start in the decision-making process, there are so many choices.

Redstone

[ornotna]

8. The toilet seats are cool too

When you close them, they drop in slow motion. No seat slam, or kids getting hurt if you have little ones.

[NuttyFluffers]

12. i second Toto. utter heaven.

you haven't lived until after waking up in the middle of the night in an absolutely frigid monestary and going to the freezing bathroom and sitting on a nice, toasty, heated toilet seat.

and there's often a built-in bidet! often with heated water! with optional oscillating action! oh la la!

[purr]

13. OMG $5300???? HOLY COW

wowowowow..

[seemunkee]

14. I know one plumber who will not install anything else but Toto

[ET Awful]

15. I want a Neorest 600

:P

[ragin_acadian]

17. and the mid to upper end models are manufactured in Morrow, GA

apparently, the Japanese are the only people that trust American workers, and are willing to pay them.

[hfojvt]

7. it could be the pipes or the amount of water

also, is it clogging, or just not flushing? With mine I have to hold the handle down for about three seconds or it won't complete the flush. I have been too lazy to see if I can fix that. It could also be the slope of the pipe. Usually they go straight down, but not always. I had one that went at a gradual angle and it did not flush worth a tanj.

[Porcupine]

9. Ahem, I boss a maintenace crew. Most mid-priced toilets are fine.

Actually most cheap toilets are fine. We usually buy the cheapest or one up toilet at Lowes. They are all low flush toilets and they almost always work. Even cheap toilets are better than average toilets were just a few years ago. My average tenant is a college student so they get abused. Just don't get one with a low back. They are a pain to repair.

The advice about checking your pipes is good. You should be able to put a hose in your toilet and let it run for several minutes. Occasionally the blockage is downstream and takes a few flushes to show it's ugly head. If the pipe is truly the problem then it usually shows up as water seeping from where the toilet meets the floor.

Oh, and get a pro or at least an experienced handyman to install. Mistakes on installation can result in icky messes or worse a shattered toilet. And remember to always put the tank lid FLAT on the floor if you ever take it off so it won't break.

[jobycom]

10. Some older cheap toilets were designed poorly.

I mean like eight to ten years ago, or longer. Some brands used to cut corners by not coating the entire pipes with porcelain, or whatever the shiny, smooth stuff was. They just coated the part you see. So stuff clogged easily. Others had bends that were too sharp.

I've had to replace five toilets in the last few years, and I've bought the lower priced ones from Lowes and Home Depot, and had no problems with either. One salesman warned me of one brand to stay away from (don't remember the name, but it was the one that was ridiculously cheaper than the others.) Also, some of the cheapest aren't as good for northern climes, because they are so thin they can crack in a mild freeze. I've heard. I live in Texas, and have no experience with ice in toilets.

That's the extent of my knowledge. In the two houses where I had to replace toilets, one house turned out to have septic tank problems, so the new toilets didn't help, and the other had the older five gallon tanks that people always claim flushed better. These didn't-- the bottom of the line Lowes toilets worked better. So you might want to check for clogs or slow pipes, as has been said. A plumber can probably tell you in a lot less time and cost than it would take you to become an expert.

Oh yeah, and if you really want a rush, they make power assisted jet-flush toilets that can practically suck you down the pipe if you flush while seated. They are a bit pricey.

[LynneSin]

16. I'm going to say two words!!

MORE FIBER

It always helps!

[Throckmorton]

18. I just installed a Kohler

with flushtower technology. I put it in last summer,no problems yet, and I have two pre-teen kids.