I worry about needing double flushes (which kind of defeats the purpose).
That’s a legit concern. I’ve specified a few of these for clients, and honestly, flush power varies a lot by brand and model. Some of the early low-flow toilets were pretty underwhelming, but the newer ones (especially pressure-assisted types) seem to handle the job in one go. As for water bills, I did track mine after swapping out two old 3.5-gallon units at home—noticed about a 15% drop over a year. Not earth-shattering, but it adds up. Comfort-wise, yeah, some of those “sleek” models are basically perches... test-sit if you can.
I get the hesitation about double flushing, but honestly, I haven’t run into that much with the newer gravity models either. Maybe I just got lucky with my pick, but it’s been fine for a family of four. The water bill savings were more noticeable for us—maybe because we’re home a lot? Either way, I’d still say it’s worth it, especially if you’re on a tight budget. The comfort thing is real though... some of those modern designs are just weirdly shaped.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
I’ve swapped out dozens of toilets in projects, and I’ll admit—some of those “ergonomic” seats feel like they were designed by someone who never actually sat down. But yeah, the new gravity models are way better than the early low-flow ones. Haven’t had double flush issues in years, even in high-traffic rentals. Water savings add up fast, especially with multiple units. Only real gripe is when the flush valves get finicky... but that’s rare if you stick to decent brands.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
I hear you on the seat design—some of them are just... weirdly shaped? I swapped mine out a couple years ago and honestly, the water bill dropped more than I expected. Only thing is, my teenage son managed to clog it twice in the first month. Maybe user error, maybe just bad luck. Either way, I’d still do it again.
MAKING THE SWITCH TO WATER-SAVING TOILETS: WORTH IT?
Funny you mention the clogging—I've seen that a lot, especially with the ultra-low flow models. Sometimes it’s just a learning curve (or, let’s be honest, teenage boys and their “techniques”). Did you notice any difference in flush power or noise? I’ve had clients complain about the “splash factor” too, depending on the bowl shape. Still, hard to argue with a lower water bill. Just wish they’d standardize the seat shapes... some of them are downright bizarre.
