Kohler Company

Keeping toilets in the family

While a leading provider of bathroom products, Kohler is also one of those traditional family companies: the current president, Herbert V. Kohler, is the grandson of the company’s founder, John Michael Kohler, an Austrian immigrant who launched the company in 1873.

The operation started out manufacturing cast iron farm implements, castings for furniture factories and iron pieces for cemetery crosses. But with its development of the enamel bathtub in 1883, Kohler Company was well on its way to becoming a leader in providing plumbing and bathroom fixtures. In 1888, it trademarked its “Bubbler” invention, which was a precursor to the modern-day drinking fountain.

Today, most of the company’s toilets fall into the mid price range, with the exception of its new (and extremely stylish) Purist Hatbox Toilet. This unit has to be seen to be believed. It has an incredible minimalist design with no toilet tank and actually looks like a hatbox. It also boasts electronic soft touch activation, a 12-inch rough in and elongated bowl. Kohler says this toilet will open new doors of possibility with commode design, but the aesthetic charm of the Hatbox does not come cheap. Units are priced at $3015.10 and up!

Don’t worry, though: for the more price-conscious customer, Kohler offers a good selection of more standard (if not as funky) styles. These include:

• The Cimarron Comfort Height two-piece round-front toilet with right-hand trip lever. ($266.65 and up.)
• The Escale two-piece elongated with seat. This one is a bit pricier (about $900) but it has a unique European design and comes with a dual flush option.
• The Rialto one-piece round front toilet ($391.15 and up). One of the smallest toilets on the market (25-1/4" x 21-1/8" x 22-3/4"), it also boasts a very quiet 1.6-gallon flush.

Kohler’s toilet products are also known for their durability. Every model comes with chloramine-resistant flappers and corrosion-resistant metal trip levers. Such features should extend the life of your toilet.

Like many of its competitors, Kohler also manufactures a variety of bidets with prices ranging from $400 to $600. These bidets have been specifically designed to complement other Kohler toilet and bathroom products.