Is there anything worse than needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and knowing that the sound of the flush will be loud enough to rouse the whole block? I don’t think so. What starts as a simple enough quest quickly turns into something that completely knocks any notion of sleep out of your system. Fortunately, you won’t have to put up with it for much longer — not when you could easily get one of the best quiet flush toilets from my list.
And having one of these around wouldn’t
only solve the problem of night flushing. There are other reasons you might want to get a quiet toilet:
- They’re a great choice for office spaces, restaurants, and other public places.
If you have to do your business outside of your home, you might as well be
stealthy about it. - They’re a great way to conserve water, whether it’s to lower cost or for
ecological reasons.
However, quiet flush toilets aren’t without their flaws. Depending
on the shape of the toilet and the flushing technology it uses, you may end up with a product that’s unable
to dislodge waste. But don’t worry: that won’t happen on my watch.
After seeing my top picks for the best quiet flush toilets on the market,
you’ll also learn how to find others like them. And before we wrap up, I’ll
also share some quick and easy ways to make your toilet a bit quieter.
List of the Best Quiet Flush Toilets
When it comes down to it, there’s only a handful of companies that are making quiet
flush toilets. I’ve decided to select one product to represent each of
those brands. However, the ones with a stronger lineup will get a few more
recommendations following the main review. With that being said, let’s start
with a product from Swiss Madison.
1. Swiss Madison Well Made Forever SM-1t803 Chateau One-Piece Toilet
Can a toilet be cute? I think the first
product on my list proves that the answer to that is a definite yes. At least,
it’s cute while it remains clean. And, according to Swiss Madison, the glaze in the trapway should ensure that
none of your waste makes a permanent stamp on the inside of the bowl.
The thing that immediately drew me to this unit is the fact that it’s only 23.5 inches tall. That’s only slightly taller than the bowl, which is 15.5 inches. Suffice it to say, that height isn’t ADA compliant, but it’s going to save space, especially since the toilet is only 16.5 inches wide. But despite the compact size, this toilet is exceedingly comfortable thanks to the elongated shape of the bowl.
Aside from being incredibly easy to clean, one-piece toilets also tend to have a more sleek look. That much is
certainly true here. This product also happens to come with a soft-closing seat that has a Quick-Release
feature which enables you to take it off while cleaning the toilet.
Now, it’s important to remember that some toilets don’t come with seats, so you may have to procure them yourself. But if you like the idea of having a soft-closing seat, specifically, you can check out my list of recommendations.
Features:
- One-piece toilet with
Quick-Release soft-closing seat - 15.5 inches tall elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — 0.8/1.28
gallons per flush - High-performance gravity flush
2. Niagara Stealth 0.8 Gpf Toilet With Elongated Bowl and Tank Combo
The Niagara Stealth two-piece toilet is the perfect choice for those who want to keep their bathroom business private. The elongated bowl should be exceedingly comfortable. Even though the bowl is 17 inches tall, it’s not ADA compliant. So some people with disabilities may not be able to use it.
The total footprint of the toilet is about 22.5 inches deep and 18.25 inches wide.
Furthermore, the height of the bowl and the tank together comes in at 31 inches. The rough-in is the standard 12 inches from the wall.
As a two-piece toilet, this product has all the pros
and cons of being a bowl and tank combo. On the one hand, replacing these components will be much
easier, should one of them conk out. On the other hand, you may find it
difficult to clean in the space between the bowl and the tank. If the latter
starts leaking, the water and potential odors would be tough to get rid of.
Despite the epic name of the brand, this
toilet actually has one of the lowest water outputs of any of the toilets on my
list. It releases only 0.8 gallons of
water per flush, so it carries the WaterSense stamp of approval. Even with the low output, the gravity flush will get rid
of waste without an issue. And the glazed
2-inch trapway is wide enough to dispose of any waste.
Overall, this toilet is capable of both flushing and refilling its tank quickly and
quietly. But let’s see what else is on offer before you make any decisions.
Features:
- Two-piece toilet
- 17 inches tall elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — 0.8 gallons
per flush - Stealth gravity flush
3. WoodBridge T-0001 Dual-Flush Elongated One-Piece Toilet With Soft-Closing Seat
Unlike the previous product, the WoodBridge T-0001 toilet is a one-piece unit, which means that the tank and the bowl are both inside a single, seamless structure. That gives this toilet a unique, modern look that should also make it easier to clean, at least on the outside. Even though the inside of the bowl is fully glazed, you can still fall back on the company’s warranty in case the porcelain stains.
Overall, the product is 14.5 inches wide, 28.5 inches deep and 27.5
inches tall. The bowl itself is 16.5 inches tall, though the
soft-closing seat that’s included with the purchase adds another inch and a
half to that total. In addition to the high-quality
seat with stainless steel hinges, this toilet also comes with a pre-installed wax ring. You’ll also get
some floor bolts, a special wrench tool, and the setup manual.
This toilet has a dual-flush push button on top, which can release a 1-gallon partial flush or a 1.6-gallon full
flush. Thanks to this water-conserving feature, this product is also WaterSense certified. The siphon flushing system will swiftly and
quietly expel the waste.
Features:
- 1-piece toilet with a
soft-closing seat - 16.5 inches tall elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — dual-flush
1/1.6 gallons per flush - Quiet and powerful siphon
flushing
4. American Standard 2887.216.020 h2option 2-Piece Dual-Flush Elongated Toilet
Say what you want about people who even
have favorite toilet brands, but you have to admit, there’s something about
having a toilet that is all yours. When you go on vacation, you may find
yourself longing for the familiarity of
your own bathroom. Well, American Standard seems to have cornered the market on giving their
customers that homecoming feeling.
Their two-piece H2Option toilet is a dual-flush masterpiece that utilizes jet-powered siphonic action to get rid of waste quickly and efficiently. The partial flush floods the bowl with about a gallon of water, while the full flush utilizes the full 1.6-gallon capacity of the tank. Due to these features, this toilet meets the EPA’s WaterSense label criteria.
Despite these water-saving properties, the
flush will still be strong enough to push waste and dirt away. Apparently, it’s
strong enough to scrub the bowl with every flush. According to the company, the EverClean surface inside the bowl is
incredibly difficult to sully, anyway. And, if you’re wondering exactly what
that feature entails, I’m just going to assume it means that the company has
added a sanitary gloss over the vitreous
china.
Even though the toilet has an elongated
shape, it’s fairly compact. The tank is only about 29.5 inches tall, so you’ll be able to put it in any 30-inch nook
in your bathroom. It’s also just under 30
inches deep, half as wide, and the bowl itself is 16.5 inches tall. So you
can count on it being at least 17 inches tall when you install a seat.
Features:
- Two-piece toilet
- 16.5-inch tall elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — 1.1/1.6
gallons per flush - Siphonic dual-flush
5. Kohler 3810-0 Santa Rosa Comfort Height Elongated Toilet With Aquapiston Flush Technology
Kohler has always been known for turning the plumbing industry on its head with its products. So it’s no wonder I found several excellent quiet flush toilets in their lineup — which I will showcase after this review.
To begin with, let’s go over this product’s dimensions. Like most toilets you’ll find on the market, the Santa Rosa units have a regular 12-inch rough-in. They have a uniform one-piece design that’s less minimalistic than the previous product, but still easier to clean than most two-piece toilets. The tank is 18.75 inches wide, and the total height of the product comes in at just over 28 inches. As a comfort height model, the elongated bowl is as tall as the average chair — 17 inches or more.
The toilet has a single-flush trip lever on the left-hand side of the tank, though a
right-handed design is available for purchase as well. When you flush, the AquaPiston tank will release 1.28 gallons of water from all sides of the
bowl simultaneously. That feature will certainly enhance the gravity
flushing system of the toilet.
Like the previous product I’ve reviewed,
this toilet also comes with a soft-closing seat — Kohler’s Brevia Quiet-Close. The seat you get will perfectly match the color
of the toilet, which comes in black as well as several off-white shades.
Features:
- 1-piece toilet with Brevia
Quiet-Close seat - Comfort height elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — 1.28 gallons
per flush - Single-flush gravity flushing
More Quiet Flush Toilets From
KOHLER
On the other hand, if you’d rather be able to replace a broken component than clean the toilet in one swipe, maybe you’d prefer to have a two-piece toilet. The Kohler Wellworth toilets are incredibly quiet and pretty stylish — if I may say so. Both can have elongated or round seats and have both single and dual-flush systems.
These toilets are also pretty short in comparison to the standard bowl height, at only 14.5
inches. Depending on the product listing you find, they may come with or
without a seat. So I recommend educating yourself by reading the fine print,
user reviews, and asking the company representatives to clarify what is
included in the purchase.
The Wellworth series units all feature a
powerful gravity flushing system that
releases 1.6 gallons of water per flush. In the case of the dual-flush toilet, you’ll also be able
to use the partial flush option,
which only uses 1.1 gallons of water.
So the dual-flush version has the WaterSense certificate, while the regular one
doesn’t.
6. Toto Ultramax II One-Piece Elongated Toilet With Cefiontect
Toto is debatably one of the most industrious manufacturers of quiet flush toilets on the market. When I was looking for products to review, I came across so many Toto units that I decided to mention some of them after the main review. But first, let’s talk about my Toto frontrunner.
The Toto UltraMax II is a one-piece toilet with an elongated bowl. At 17 inches wide and just over 28 inches deep and high, it’s a fairly bulky piece for any bathroom. However, the 17.25-inch bowl is just tall enough to be ADA approved — especially with the addition of a thick seat. As it happens, the toilet does come with Toto’s SoftClose seat in a color that matches the rest of the unit.
The one-flush system releases 1.28 gallons of
water per flush, so it is WaterSense certified. Toto products actually feature the proprietary Tornado Flush, which uses two nozzles to essentially create a centrifuge inside your toilet.
This flushing system should be strong and quick enough to make toilet cleaning
almost unnecessary.
The manufacturer even advises against using
harsh chemicals and bleach because the toilet also includes CeFiONtect, a dirt-repellent glaze. It may be worth noting that this glaze is only available in the off-white colors.
The black model comes without it.
Features:
- One-piece toilet with a
SoftClose seat - 17.25-inch tall elongated bowl
- WaterSense label — 1.28 gallons
per flush - Tornado Flush
More Quiet Flush Toilets From
Toto
This company is famous for constantly working to improve on their earlier designs. Take, for example, the predecessor of the product I have just reviewed — the original UltraMax model. While it is undoubtedly quiet and available in both elongated and round shapes, its glazed trapway may not be enough to ward off the dirt. Still, since it’s an older model, you may find it at a discount — you’ll just have to make sure it doesn’t develop those unsightly stains.
Alternatively, if you’re not a huge fan of those one-piece models, I could suggest several two-piece units from Toto. The Eco Drake and Drake II toilets are two excellent choices. Both are great if you want to conserve water while still having a powerful and quick flush. They’re also a bit short, so that’s something you ought to take into consideration.
Features to Look out for When Shopping for the Best Quiet Flush Toilets
So now that you’ve seen the results of my
search for the best quiet flush toilets, let’s talk about how I found the
products in my reviews. If you want to go looking for options outside of my
list, these tips will help you do it.
Obviously, my primary goal was to find toilets that would expel water and refill the tank quickly and quietly. You’d think that the quantity of the water is all that matters in this equation. However, the flushing system affects the amount of noise a toilet makes much more than the amount of water it expels. So let’s start there.
Type of Flushing System
Over the years, toilets have used different methods of expelling the water from
the tank. There’s the traditional valve
flush system which essentially consists of a ball and a rod floating in the
tank. Eventually, the valve system evolved with the invention of a plastic and
rubber flapper which was connected to a chain hanging from the flush handle
lever.
But when you go shopping for quiet flush
toilets today, you’re mostly going to run into two systems:
- Gravity flush toilets are by far the
quietest ones on the market, even though the technology they use is pretty old.
As the name suggests, these toilets use both water and gravity to empty the
toilet bowl. - Siphon flush systems add pressure to the
flushing action by pointing a jet of water directly toward the trapway from the
front of the bowl. This makes the waste flush faster, which means that the
noise will go away faster as well. However, these pressure-assisted flush
systems tend to be significantly louder than non-pressurized toilets.
While you’re at it, you should also think
about whether you want your toilet to have a single flush button or dual flushing functionality. Depending on
the amount of water they expel for partial or full flushes, both options may
help you reduce water cost.
Water Conservation Features
Traditional
single flush toilets use anywhere between 1.5–2 gallons per flush. That’s why toilets account for about 30% of the average home’s
total water consumption.
Dual-flush
toilets have two buttons that can release different amounts of water, so they’re a great choice for households that are looking to
conserve it. The basic idea behind these products is that you’d use a partial
flush, releasing only 0.8–1.1 gallons of
water, to get rid of liquid waste.
Having the option to reduce the amount of
water you’re using can make the flush exponentially quieter. And the full-flush button allows you to keep the
functionality of a single-flush toilet.
As we have seen, there are plenty of single
flush toilets that were made with water conservation in mind. Look for the WaterSense label if you want to spot
toilets that meet the water consumption criteria set by the Environmental
Protection Agency. Those products use only 1.28 gallons per flush while still
being powerful enough to effectively dispose of waste.
Rough-In Size
One of the most important things you should
consider is whether the toilets you’re looking at will fit in your bathroom.
But more than the dimensions of the seat itself, you should think of the rough-in
size.
A toilet rough-in is the distance from the wall to the center of the waste
outlet in the floor. Most bathrooms have 12-inch rough-ins, but some older homes have 10 or even 14-inch
ones. If you need a toilet with a rough-in that’s smaller or larger than 12
inches, you may have to be even more determined to find a quietly flushing
system.
Toilet Design and Size
Lastly, when you’re looking for any kind of
toilet, you should pay attention to its dimensions and overall appearance.
First of all, you should focus on the shape and height of the bowl. Elongated seats tend to be more comfortable,
but they’re also more space-consuming. On the other hand, rounder bowls are more compact, so they’re great for smaller
bathrooms.
Next, you’ll want to look at the height of the bowl. Figure out the
height you’re most comfortable with by considering whether you’d like your
current toilet to be taller or shorter, and go from there. Most bowls are 15
inches tall or more, which is the standard height.
However, in most public restrooms, toilet bowls are about 17–19 inches tall,
to comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act. These kinds of toilets may feel awkward to some people,
but there’s a reason for those extra inches. Namely, they’re supposed to help the user sit and stand more easily.
Of course, if you’re not shopping for a
public restroom, there’s no need to limit yourself to that height. Instead, you
might want to prioritize finding a toilet color that matches the rest of your
bathroom. Moreover, when it comes to toilet bowls, there is really only one crucial element of design.
If you’re going to be the one who’ll clean
it, you’ll want to know whether the manufacturer added a final glaze over the ceramic. On its own, vitreous china is durable enough to last
for years. But the gloss gives it a protective layer that will make it
easier to clean. Without it, the material would become irreparably stained
within a few uses.
How to Quiet Your Toilet
Alright, but what if your toilet started out quiet and became progressively noisier?
Buying a new one may not be something you’d be ready to do, not before
exhausting all other options. So what
exactly can you do to make your toilet quieter? As always, you can start by tightening all of the screws and
bolts that hold everything in place.
Usually, you’ll only have to check if the
bolts that are holding the bowl to the floor are fully tightened. And if you have a two-piece unit, you’ll also
want to focus on the area between the bowl and the tank. If these bolts
aren’t as tight as they can be, you may hear the sound of rushing water through
the pipes or tank.
Next, if the flush lasts way too long for no real reason, you may want to decrease the water flow a bit. You’ll just have to find that sweet spot to make your toilet quieter without taking away its ability to flush waste.
Lastly, you can also use soundproofing tricks like:
- Closing the gaps in between the tank and its lid by attaching a strip of rubber or weatherstripping foam along the inside of the lid. It should fall over the crack then the lid is closed, thereby preventing some of the noise from getting out.
- Closing the toilet seat lid before flushing. If there are still big gaps between the seat and the bowl, or the lid and the seat, you can use rubber to close those, too. It may not be particularly pretty, but it would work.
Ultimately, you’ll probably be able to
figure out where the sound is coming from better than I am. I don’t doubt that
you’ll be able to MacGyver it into silence.
“Go” Without Fear of Detection!
Finally, you’ll be able to “go” in peace, no matter the time of day or the location of the toilet. But, you may find yourself facing a new problem — now that the flush is quiet, what will cover the other awkward noises that may occur in the bathroom?
Well, there’s no need to backtrack now. Instead, you can ensure total privacy by soundproofing your bathroom, and enjoy your quiet flush toilet in peace.
OTHER RELATED POSTS:
A lawyer never retires. So I would just say that I am not as active as I used to be. Now I simply dedicate myself to fishing, my hobby, and my grandchildren. For Business Finance News I write about legal aspects of mortgage policies, mostly regarding the rights of policyholders. I also have articles about personal injuries.
