Purchasing a new toilet and can’t decide between a one-piece and two-piece toilet? You’ve come to the right place.
A toilet is comprised of three main elements: the tank, the bowl, and the pedestal.
- The tank is the container that sits close to the wall that stores all the water essential for a powerful flush to rinse the toilet bowl.
- The toilet bowl collects all the waste contents and flushes them away into the drain.
- The pedestal holds the toilet bowl and provides optimal height to the toilet.
A one-piece toilet is a single unit where the tank and bowl are attached without any joints. This gives the toilet a very sleek and modern look and makes cleaning easier as well.
A two-piece toilet is designed with the tank and bowl sold separately and joined using fittings. These toilets are the most common on the market.
One-Piece Toilets
Single-piece toilets are widely known for their sleek appearance, durability, and high functionality. They certainly have some drawbacks depending on personal toilet preference, but they are highly rated in many categories.
Pros:
- Sleeker Design: One-piece toilets have a much more contemporary and modern look because of their sleek appearance.
- Fast Installation: One-piece toilets come pre-assembled, so the installation is much quicker.
- Easy to Clean: Unlike a two-piece toilet, a one-piece toilet has no gaps between the components, preventing dirt particles, microbes, and bacteria from settling in the nooks and crannies.
- Durability: As there are no joining parts to maintain, single-piece toilets are much easier to keep in good condition and have been known to provide exceptional performance.
- Compact: One-piece toilets are more compact in comparison to two-piece toilets.
- Fewer Leaks and Breakages: You don’t have to worry about the water leaking from the tank and causing damage.
Cons:
- Price: One-piece toilets are often more expensive than two-piece toilets because of the many advantages that come with them. The price can range anywhere between $400 to $1300.
- Weight: Due to the joint tank and bowl, the one-piece toilet is heavier in comparison to a two-piece. You might have to spend a little more on the shipping charges due to the difficulties in transporting the product. Additionally, if you choose to hire someone to install it, there may be increased costs because of the extra weight.
- Replacing Parts: You cannot replace toilet parts separately. If one of the two components break or incur irreparable damages, the whole toilet may have to be replaced.
- Rough-In Options: One-piece toilets don’t offer a lot of rough-in options in the market. The standard rough-in is usually 12 inches.
Two-Piece Toilets
Pros:
- Less Expensive: A two-piece toilet comes in the range of $300 to $700, which is less than one-piece models.
- More Selection: Two-piece toilets are commonly available in more design, style, and shape choices. They also come in more rough-in and height options.
- Less Bulky: The components of the toilet arrive separately, so it is easier to transport the components to the toilet location.
- Replacing Parts: As the tank and bowl are separate, you can replace them separately if one of them breaks.
Cons:
- More Difficult to Clean: Due to the many gaps and narrow opening, the toilet becomes difficult to clean as you can’t reach the small spaces.
- Prone to Leaks and Breakages: A two-piece toilet can be prone to more leaks in comparison to a one-piece toilet, as the water can leak from the tank and flood the floor.
- Less Time-Effective Installation: The components have to be assembled and installed in the process, which delays the installation.
- Less Compact: Two-piece toilets are a little less compact in comparison to one-piece toilets. They seem to be taller and take more space.
Differences Between One-Piece vs Two-Piece Toilets
Weight and Size
Two-piece and one-piece toilets come in a range of sizes and shapes. However, single-piece toilets are more compact due to the lack of space between the components. They take up less space than two-piece models, which make them very suitable for powder rooms, ensuites, and bathrooms with limited room.
Measuring the rough-in is an essential step when buying a new toilet. The ‘rough-in’ refers to the distance between the wall at the back of the toilet and the toilet flange. Two-piece toilets have more range in terms of rough-in options in the market. You can easily buy a tank separately for a different rough-in size and install it.
One-piece toilets are a little more on the bulky side in comparison to two-piece toilets. The added linked heavy components make them weigh more. The components of two-piece toilets arrive deconstructed, so they weigh less.
Appearance
A one-piece toilet has a sleek and modern design; therefore, it will complement your bathroom very well. They look better in modern-age bathrooms. However, one-piece and two-piece toilets come in both modern and traditional styles.
Installation
The installation process for both models is quite simple. A one-piece toilet will be difficult to move due to its heavy weight, but you won’t have to assemble the components since it arrives already constructed. Installing a standard one-piece costs around $190-$400, but a high-end one-piece costs $500-$1000 to install.
A two-piece toilet will be straightforward to commute due to its lightweight components; however, it doesn’t come pre-assembled, so you’ll have to attach the toilet parts.
Installing a basic two-piece costs between $230- $300, but an advanced two-piece model costs $700-$1050 to install.
Toilet Cost
Installation costs for one-piece toilets are more expensive than two-piece toilets with the same features, shape, or bowl design. For example, an American Standard One-Piece Champion is much more expensive than the American Standard Two-Piece Flowise. This is because of the sleek design of the one-piece and the many advantages that come with it.
Maintenance
The one-piece toilet is much easier to maintain since you won’t have to worry about leaks from the tank. They are also very easy to clean due to the lack of nooks and crannies where dirt particles would normally settle on a two-piece toilet. Two-piece toilets are prone to leaks and are much more challenging to clean.
Durability
Unlike one-piece toilets, two-piece models are attached together through a rubber gasket. The rubber gasket may be prone to cracks and degradation. Even though one-piece toilets are very durable, it costs more if even one component breaks. With care and caution, both the toilets can last years without damages or need for a replacement.
Flushing Power and Efficiency
Both the one-piece and two-piece toilet types are available in a variety of eco-friendly and water-efficient flushing technologies. From Double Cyclone to E-Max flush systems, these toilet types have it all.
Resale Value
The toilet design doesn’t affect the resale value. But, as one-piece toilets are not prone to leaking, this can be an added advantage when reselling the toilet.
Our Top Picks
There are so many one-piece and two-piece toilet models available in the market. We have selected our top picks from both types of toilets to help you find the right one that fits your budget and home.
One-Piece Toilets
Editor’s Choice: American Standard Town Square S Elongated Single-Piece
Inspired by American architecture, this toilet, with a sleek and contemporary design, features a PowerWash rim for an advanced flush, Right Height for better accessibility, a soft-close seat, an elongated bowl for ease of use and comfort, and an EverClean surface finish that prevents any dirt particles from sticking to the toilet surface.
Best Value for Money: Kohler 3810-0 Santa Rosa One-Piece Elongated
As one of our favorite toilet models, The Kohler Santa Rosa always delivers. With a beautiful and sleek design, this model version features a 1.28 GPF AquaPiston flushing technology, an elongated bowl design, Comfort Height, a Quiet-Close seat, and WaterSense certification, saving up to 16,500 gallons of water.
Two-Piece Toilets
Editor’s Choice: American Standard Cadet 3 FloWise Two-Piece
Being one of the leading toilet manufacturers, American Standard produces the most water-efficient and high-performance toilets and the Cadet Flowise III is no exception. With a 1.28 GFP FloWise flushing technology, soft-close seat, concealed trapway, and PowerWash rim, it provides 20% more water savings than a standard toilet.
Best Value for Money: TOTO CST454CEFG#01 Drake II
This highly efficient two-piece toilet is one of the most popular models among both residential and commercial establishments. This high-profile model features the Tornado Flush technology, which enables the water to fill the bowl in a 360-degree swirling motion from all sides. It is a universal-height toilet, which makes it ADA compliant, and it has TOTO’s signature CEFIONTECT finish that prevents stain-causing bacteria from growing on the surface.