Hello All,
We just installed a Toto Aquia toilet and I thought that I would give y’all a review. The Aquia is a dual flush toilet (half flush and full flush) with the push buttons on the top of the tank. It has a cool (we think anyways) sorta deco look and a smooth outer skirt that drops to the floor with no ledge (easy to clean). I better dig up a picture I think. Here’s a link to toto’s website with the specs. http://www.totousa.com/productpage.asp?PID=803
Its got a funky three piece design with a PVC waste trap thing that gets bolted-screwed to the floor. Then the china part of the toilet slides into a socket on the PVC trap and you screw that down separately. It went together okay and we excitedly gave it a first flush…….
Dang, the water spot on this toilet is REALLY small. So small that we thought we had screwed up the install. After a call to their tech support (who were nice and helpful) we figured out that it was normal.
In practice it has a really nice strong washdown flush and it does work despite the small water spot. One weird thing about the toilet is that its um… loud in use. The toilet is a shell not solid china like a regular toilet so you hear all the ‘water’ flowing thru the trap. It also makes a super disquieting leaking water noise every once in a while after a flush and after the fill valve has shut off. Tech support says that yes this is normal-its even got a name ‘after-flow’ and all toilets do it you just don’t hear it usually.
So in summary seems to be a good toilet, works well just has some quirks that you should know before you spend ~$300 on one. I’m a little annoyed that we bought it at a ‘real’ lumber yard that has a ‘real’ plumbing showroom from the manager (who should know what’s what I think) and he didn’t bother mentioning these quirks to us and they sell enough of these that they keep a ton in stock….he’d have to know right? Would of cut out a lot of stressing on our part.
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Replies
Hi, I don't normally post here, but was just browsing and saw your post about your new Toto toilet, and have to add my two cents.
About two years ago, we replaced 3 toilets in our house with Totos. I have been totally thrilled with them, and convinced some friends who were building a house that they should use Totos too. They are also thrilled. I can't say enough good things about them, and I'm sorry that the model you chose is a little less than perfect. They are so far superior to any of the american brands, I don't know why anybody would buy anything else.
Sandy
Hi Beebs,
I don't think that the Toto Aquia is less than perfect. It works great and we have been really happy with it so far. I just wish that I would of known about its peculiarities before I bought it. It would of saved me a couple of worry lines.
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
good to hear such positive reveiws on a great idea. I'm completely renovating a house in upstate n.y., so i'll be in the toilet market soon. I'd seen them advertised before, and was a little concerned with the "push" a small amount of water could afford. Thanks, you've helped a decision to be made.
You won't regret it. I think I have the G-max flushing mechanism, so you might want to look for that, but I suspect that all Totos are the same high quality. What's wonderful is that the toilet doesn't frighten you when you flush it, like the pressure assist models do. It's just a nice, calm, but very efficient flush. Good luck, and whatever you do, don't let anyone talk you into a Kohler.By the way, I was educated about toilets at this website: http://www.terrylove.com/crtoilet.htm
Edited 1/5/2006 8:46 pm ET by Beebs