Heated toilet seats, bidet toilet seats, and electric toilet seats are just a few of the latest upgrades you can add to your toilet
Few household implements have changed less in the last century than the reliable toilet. Specifics may have improved, but the basic principles of a tank, toilet seat, flush, and follow-up with dry paper have remained largely intact. Of all components, the humble toilet seat has changed the least, even in an era of advanced toilets.
And yet, some modern toilet seats have emerged, and you may be surprised to find they have less in common with outhouses and more in common with smartphones or wearable tech. Before you decide to scope out a new toilet near you, check out these eight smart toilet seats worthy of replacing your old commode.
Let’s talk about a trendy (albeit crazy) toilet seat that has gained popularity over the years: the bidet. A bidet provides cleaning after you’ve done your business with a stream of fresh water. Bidet toilet seats install their state-of-the-art mechanisms directly into the toilet (meaning they require a water source, so a certain amount of plumbing skills are needed to install them).
Bidets are already common around the world—in fact, many Japanese and European households have them. Other nations, and even Americans who adopted this type of toilet seat, can’t believe that those in the U.S. are still using dry paper to clean themselves—you wouldn’t use dry paper to clean yourself for a shower, so why for bathroom usage?
More advanced bidet seats have high-tech features, such as remote-control settings for water pressure and water temperature and electronic nozzles for different types of rinses. Some bidet toilets also come with an air-drying feature; you can even choose between cool and warm air dryer settings. This greatly reduces the amount of toilet paper, allowing you to air dry after using the water spraying system.
When it comes to standard toilet seats, you might have a choice between circular or elongated, padded, or solid. However, modern technology has sought to change that by creating customizable toilet seats that change up the angle of your toilet for added comfort.
There are features for multiple users to customize their toilet seat settings as needed for some bidet toilets. Want a different angle, lower water pressure, or different temperature than your family members? It’s as easy as changing the settings.4
For homeowners looking to upgrade their bathrooms, one way you can eliminate odors is to invest in a deodorizing toilet seat. While these toilets aren’t so much as practical as comforting, odor control is a modest way to elevate your bathroom.
These seats tend to turn on automatically when you, a family member, or a guest, takes a seat. When this happens, a fan works to omit the odor. These fans are usually battery-powered, and they work together with a carbon air filter and soothing air freshener to prevent unwanted smells.
A smart electric toilet seat combines several functions into one unit, packed with as much tech as your phone and probably costing as much, if not more. Smart toilet seats start at $600, and the price can go to infinity and beyond for the really advanced ones, not including the cost of installing a new toilet.
The main things that differentiate an electric toilet seat from older models are programmability and multiple functions. An electric seat usually includes a bidet and a heated seat element, along with the ability to customize each to your preferences. Some spray cleaner into the toilet bowl before and after each use, raise and lower at the touch of a button, spray warm air to comfort your bottom, and/or release air fresheners to comfort your nose.
Smart toilet seats vary by brand, but many include additional features you’re probably already using your phone for in the bathroom anyway. We’re talking music playing, environmental control (if you have a smart home), and features you probably never even thought of, such as white noise generation to mask certain biological sounds.
Another way to elevate your bathroom is to upgrade your toilet seat to one that is energy efficient. You can find smart toilets that also tout energy-efficient ratings and designs by searching for a WaterSense label. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues the certification, and it has a rigorous standard that toilets must meet to qualify for the energy-efficient status.
These eco-friendly toilet seats help keep your toilet from wasting water. As a result, they can save you as much as 20% on your water bills.
There are many types of flushing systems available on the market. Still, for a simple yet convenient way to reduce germs and simplify your bathroom experiences, a touchless toilet seat is yet another option that might be worth your while. Touchless seats usually have a motion-detecting button on the side of the toilet that allows you to flush without touching a germ-ridden flusher.
Not only can you have a touchless flushing system, but some smart toilet lids come with touchless, automatic lids that detect when you’re walking to the bathroom. These lids both lift and shut automatically.
When winter comes around, most homeowners unanimously agree that taking a trip to the bathroom at night only to sit on an icy toilet seat is no fun.
Introducing heated toilet seats. These seats pretty much do exactly what it says on the label: heated toilet seats take away that cold shock, providing you with an altogether more comfortable bathroom experience. The most basic models warm at just one setting, but you fine-tune the more expensive ones to match your preference.
As a bonus, many models provide a warm glow that acts as a night light or just adds a cool sci-fi effect to your bathroom. Nothing improves that midnight run more than feeling like your darkened bathroom is a spaceship!
Although heated toilet seats install with ease, and you can do it yourself in minutes, you need a power outlet near the toilet to provide electricity, so you may need to talk to an electrician near you to get the job done.
Cleaning the bathroom is a dreaded experience for many homeowners and is worthy of putting off until the last minute. If you have a strong disdain for cleaning toilets, one smart toilet seat feature worth adding to your wish list is a self-cleaning seat.
These toilets tend to operate via the push of a button, though some more advanced toilets come with hands-free options like a remote-control panel or app to do the job.
