Smart toilets aren’t a new concept, but while they’ve been enjoying popularity abroad, they haven’t made a splash — no pun intended — stateside until more recently. “The majority of Americans just haven’t grown up using smart toilets and bidets like in Japan, where 78 percent of households have them,” explains Jeannette Long, vice president of brand marketing at plumbing giant American Standard. Within the last few years, however, more and more manufacturers have been introducing smart models of varying capabilities to the U.S. audience. “Although it still remains a very niche market, there’s an uptick in demand. Particularly interested are U.S. residents who previously lived in countries where this type of toilet is standard, global travelers, and those who appreciate new technologies.”
With features such as automatic or remote-controlled (and, therefore, touch-free) seats and lids, what’s not to like about smart models? The price points and, to those who are squeamish, the bidet function might be deterrents. With regards to the latter, the warm cleansing water followed by air for drying isn’t terribly different from, say, showering. If you or your client are willing to take the plunge, consider these attractive products available in the United States.
Duravit’s SensoWash Slim and its remote.
Launched in late 2015, Duravit’s SensoWash Slim is a slender, sleeker version of its SensoWash model. It sports a flat seat with a scratch-resistant, pore-free surface. Because the seat is separate from the cleansing mechanism, it can be removed for easier, quicker cleaning. A remote control activates and adjusts the intensity or spray position of three wash cycles — ComfortWash, RearWash, and LadyWash. Other pros: child-safety lock, nightlight, and soft-close lid.
From left: DXV by American Standard’s bidet-integrated AT200 toilet; the company’s AT100 electronic bidet seat.
DXV by American Standard’s most recent offerings include the AT200 and AT100. AT200 is a complete smart toilet with an automatic lid and seat, sensor-activated wash and warm-air dryer, adjustable heating, and auto flush. Additionally, its nightlight function illuminates the inside of the bowl as well as around the base. At a much more affordable price point, the AT100 is a bidet seat only that can be installed on many standard elongated bowls. It features three heated-seat temperatures, front and rear cleansing, warm air dryer, and remote control.
TOTO’s Neorest 750H features patented technologies that keep organic waste from sticking, which means less bowl-cleaning duties.
TOTO was a pioneer in bidet-style toilets, introducing them to the U.S. market as early as 1993. What distinguishes its most recent model, the Neorest 750H, are the patented technologies used to keep waste — whether visible or not — from “sticking.” First, its eWater+ uses the incoming water supply to pre-wet the surface with a mist, helping prevent sticking 80 percent better than a dry bowl would.
Post-flush, eWater+ releases a mist of a slightly more acidic electrolyzed water. And, finally, the bowl’s Hydrotect glaze also keeps waste from adhering: an integrated UV light in the seat lid triggers a photocatalytic process on the Hydrotect coating to break down organic substances. This model also offers the smart-toilet basics: cleansing system, auto-open and -close, and hands-free flush.
Kohler’s Veil Intelligent Toilet.
Last but not least, Kohler follows up its beautiful Veil toilet — which offers a truly clean look thanks to a tankless, hatbox-like design — with the Veil Intelligent Toilet. A remote control activates and adjusts touch-free opening and closing of the lid and seat and dual flush, heated seat, and bidet functions.