Go Back to Topics

Toilets

New toilets are made to use less water; 1.6 gallons or less per flush. An old toilet can use up to 5 gallons per flush and that's reason alone to justify replacing it.

You may spend about $200 on a new toilet. Some "royal thrones" cost up to $800, but a good quality toilet can run less than $100.

Most toilets operate by "gravity-flush." Water that's held in the tank above the bowl empties down to remove waste. They're quiet, affordable and popular.

However, "pressure-flush" toilets are gaining ground. These "turbo" toilets inject pressurized water into the bowl and only take a few seconds to flush.

Some models even feature two handles to select either a moderate 1 gallon or a stronger 1.6 gallon flush.

Pressure-flushers have a lot of power, but do have drawbacks. They're noisy, some need electricity to run, more splashing in some cases, and they average up to 50% more than a comparable gravity toilet.