TOTO Industries

Top-of-the-line Japanese water closets

When I began this project, my editor asked me “Is TOTO really a ‘leading brand’ of toilet?”--which, after a little research, seems like asking if Cadillac is really a leading brand of car. Or, I suppose, Toyota would be a more accurate comparison. TOTO was founded in Japan in 1917 and was that country’s first manufacturer of vitreous china sanitary ware. The company has since expanded into many countries, including China, Korea and the United States. In 1993, TOTO launched a Lakewood subsidiary in Georgia and opened a research and development centre at its Chigasaki plant in Japan. In 2004, to compete more fully on the world stage, it began offering a full line of bathroom suites and accessories.

It’s probably fair to compare a TOTO toilet to a Cadillac and a Toyota--for both its elegance and reliability. Several independent reviews and customer testimonials have raved about this line of porcelain thrones. ‘Exquisite’ isn’t an adjective typically used on commodes, but users have been effusive in their praise over TOTO’s look and feel in their bathrooms. As well, customers willing to shell out big bucks for their bathrooms have praised TOTO’s lack of clogs, scant need for repairs, the quiet refills and overall sophistication and efficiency. You’d expect nothing less from Japanese workmanship.

Like its rival American Standard, TOTO offers an almost daunting range of toilets to pick from--a real tyranny of choice. If you’re in the market for the very top range of commodes, check out the Neorest 600. Aptly named, since it looks like a rejected set prop from the movie The Matrix , this one-piece toilet has a sleek, tankless (and downright otherworldly) design, as well as an automatic air dryer and deodorizer. It also brags of no refill noise and no wait time for refills. It even has an automatic sensor that flushes after the lid has been opened and closed again. Of course, if the Neorest’s futuristic design doesn’t leave you gasping, the price may. A basic unit runs for more than $6,000--though you can get it in a standard white for a mere $5,200.

The budget shopper may struggle to find a low-end TOTO toilet within her price range, but there are some options. The Carusoe Toilet SS114 can run as low as $225 and has many of the features you would expect in a higher-end unit. These include a low-flow 1.6-gallon flush and a fully glazed trap way.

Like its competitors, TOTO also offers a range of bidets and special feature toilets, which include dual flush technology.