How Do Toto Toilets Compare to Kohler Toilets?

toto vs kohler toilet comparison

Like me, you must be confused about whether to choose a Kohler toilet or a Toto toilet. This continuous debate never ends. Due to their numerous advancements in the toilet industry, consumers are always on the lookout for the best choice!

Being two of the most popular toilet brands in the world, Toto and Kohler both aim for perfection, which is why consumers are always stumped when trying to choose between the two.

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While buying a toilet, I learned from a salesperson who sells both Kohler and Toto toilets that Toto’s G-Max flushing system patent has expired, and now other companies have copied their technology and are trying to improve it.

That’s why we’re bringing you a thorough review of both of these leading toilet manufacturers along with their features, benefits, and disadvantages to help you purchase the toilet that will best suit your needs!

We hope this detailed comparison on Toto vs Kohler toilets helps you make an informed choice.

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TOTO Ultramax II vs Kohler Santa Rosa Comparison

FeatureToto Ultramax IIKohler Santa Rosa
MaP Score8001000
Water Usage1.28 GPF1.28 GPF
Toilet TypeOne-Piece ElongatedOne-Piece Elongated
Flush TypeGravity-FedGravity-Fed
MaterialChinaVitreous China
HeightADA-CompliantUniversal Height

Toto vs Kohler Toilets Features Comparison


Material and Durability

Being two of the best toilet brands, Kohler and Toto are extremely popular for their maintenance and durability among both commercial and residential establishments. Kohler manufactures their toilets using materials like vitreous china, china, ceramic, and porcelain, while Toto mostly uses ceramic and vitreous china. Toto also tops off their toilets with their signature SanaGloss finish, which prevents mold or bacteria from growing on the surface.

Being an American brand, it is easier to order spare parts for Kohler toilets whereas it is a little difficult to get spare parts for Toto commodes since it is a Japanese brand.

However, as Toto toilets don’t cause leaks, they are much easier to maintain than a Kohler toilet. Therefore, Toto wins in the durability department.

Flushing Technology

The flushing system of a toilet is the most important feature to keep in mind before buying a toilet. It is necessary to make sure that your toilet will rinse out all the waste contents with one quick flush.

Kohler toilets have very powerful flushing systems that include the flushometer tank system, Class Five technology, and Ingenium flushing system. These signature Kohler systems have always satisfied customers in every way. 

Toto toilets have numerous advanced flushing technologies that include E-Max, G-Max, Cyclone, Tornado, Dual-Max, and Double-Cyclone flushing systems. These trademark flushing systems have been known to provide superior eco-friendly and water-efficient results.

Both toilets provide single and dual flushes that conserve water and are free of noise. They offer toilets equipped with 1.28 GPF to 1.6 GPF flushes that ensure water efficiency.

Most of the toilets of from these two companies have good MaP scores. This score is determined by a company called Maximum Performance where all the toilet manufacturers send their products for testing the flush power of toilets.

We find that Toto has a much more advanced flushing mechanism than Kohler considering noise levels, water usage, and leakages.

Cleaning

Both Toto and Kohler toilet models are very easy to clean and maintain. However, if you’re thinking of buying a two-piece toilet, it will be a little difficult to clean it because of the gaps between the tank and bowl.

Also, remember that Toto asks you not to use acidic products or harsh cleaners to clean the toilet as they can damage the material. Use a soft-bristled brush instead. 

Toto also outfits their toilets with an excellent SanaGloss surface finish, which prevents dirt particles from sticking to the surface of the toilet.

For cleaning Kohler toilets, the company recommends using soft abrasive cleaners for their vitreous china products. Make sure you don’t use strong abrasive cleaners, or they will scratch and dull the surface.   

Toilet and Bowl Types

Toto and Kohler provide us with a variety of toilet types and bowls. Toto offers a selection of one-piece, two-piece, wall-hung, and wall-faced toilets with round-fronted and elongated bowl types.

Kohler offers a range of one-piece and two-piece toilets, urinals, and wall-hung toilets with bowl types that include round-fronted and elongated bowl designs. You can find a huge selection on the official sites of both toilet brands.

Design and Colors

These two toilet manufacturers offer very sleek, computer-designed toilets to choose from with round-fronted and elongated bowl designs

They also offer toilet models that are ADA compliant with Comfort Heights to accommodate many people, including the elderly and differently-abled. They also offer rough-ins of 10, 12, & 14-inches.

Toto offers a variety of colors that include cotton, matte silver, colonial white, Sedona beige, bone, ebony, and white.

Kohler offers colors like almond, biscuit, dune, black, and white.

Price Difference

A toilet should be invested in carefully so that it lasts for years — without having to pay the plumber for multiple repairs. 

Toto offers this durability along with many other advantages. For this reason, Toto toilets are a tad bit more expensive than Kohler. For example, the Toto Ultramax II is priced at $575, while the Kohler Stately Memoir is sold at the lower price of $448. 

If you have a tight budget and can’t afford a Toto toilet model, Kohler will provide you with exceptional service for years as well.

Certifications

Kohler and Toto toilets both come with several certifications. 

Toto toilets are ADA compliant with models meeting WaterSense, California Proposition 65, Beyond Green, Declare, CalGreen, and Universal Height guidelines.

Kohler toilets are certified with all of the above certifications as well. These certifications make sure that the toilets are environmentally friendly, compatible with people of all ages, and provide water savings every year.

Toto and Kohler provide a one-year limited warranty with every purchase.

Advance Feature Comparison


Kohler

  1. Quiet-Close Seat: Some Kohler toilets come equipped with the Quiet-Close seat feature that causes the toilet lid to close gently without slamming.
  2. Class Five Technology: This flushing mechanism by Kohler facilitates power flushing with the help of a 3¼-inch flush valve and glazed trapway.
  3. Comfort Height: This feature provides more than 16½ inches of height, making the toilet ADA compliant and suitable for people of all ages.
  4. Quick-Release: With the help of this feature, the back hinges of the toilet seat can be removed, allowing convenient cleaning to be possible.

Toto

  1. SoftClose Seat and Lid: Much like the Quiet-Close feature from Kohler, the SoftClose system by Toto prevents slamming of the toilet seat and makes closing the lid and seat quiet.
  2. Double Cyclone System: This flushing technology by Toto pushes the water into a 360-degree swirling motion when released from the canisters into the toilet bowl. This helps rinse off the waste effectively until nothing remains in the bowl.
  3. SanaGloss/CEFIONTECT: This advanced layer of glaze is called SanaGloss and helps in preventing mold and bacteria from growing on the toilet’s surface.
  4. Universal Height: This feature makes the toilet ADA compatible, easy to use for everyone, and facilitates comfort.

Top Picks for Toto Toilets

Being the largest manufacturer of toilets in the world, Toto has made themselves a name in the marketplace with their outstanding flushing technologies and water-efficient toilets.

My Choice: TOTO MS604114CEFRG#01 UltraMax II

Equipped with the 1.28 GPF Tornado Flush technology, this toilet, with its sleek and contemporary design, delivers an exceptional performance with every flush. It features the advanced CEFIONTECT surface finish and includes a SoftClose seat. It is also ADA compliant and WaterSense certified, which makes it comfortable and water-efficient at the same time.

Value For Money: TOTO CST746CSMG#11 Drake 2

This highly efficient toilet provides the user with multiple features and functions at an affordable price. With a Dynamax Tornado Flush mechanism and a 1.6/0.8 GPF dual flush, this toilet model never disappoints. Intact with a 1-year warranty and CEFIONTECT finish, it facilitates durability and makes cleaning easier.

Top Picks for Kohler Toilets

With innovative and efficient computer-designed toilets, this toilet brand is incredibly famous among both commercial and residential establishments. 

My Choice: Kohler 3810-0 Santa Rosa

This incredible one-piece toilet has a sleek and modern appearance with advanced features to satisfy your toilet needs. Using the power of gravity, it comes equipped with a 1.28 GPF single flush, making it WaterSense certified and providing 16,500 gallons in water savings per year. It features Comfort Height while being compact, which makes it very suitable for bathrooms with limited space as well. It features the Brevia Quiet-Close seat, which prevents abrupt slamming of the toilet seat.

Value for Money: Kohler K-3658-0 Highline

At an affordable price, this beautifully designed two-piece toilet has been known to be a crowd favorite. Featuring an elongated bowl design and a 1.6 GPF single flush, the Kohler Highline provides comfort and water efficiency. It also offers Comfort Height, making it ADA compliant, and promises durability with a one-year warranty.

Toto vs. Kohler Toilets – Which Is Better for You?

After a thorough analysis of both these toilet brands, we conclude that Toto provides superior features and better durability, making them the better choice. Even though Kohler toilets are less expensive than Toto toilet models, they don’t match up to Toto’s exceptional performance and water-efficient technologies.

However, if you have a tight budget, Kohler toilets are very promising and last for years with proper care.

We hope this Toto vs. Kohler guide helped you choose the right toilet brand for you.

2 thoughts on “How Do Toto Toilets Compare to Kohler Toilets?”

  1. HELP , I cannot decide which wall hung toilet I should buy, a Kohler veil, or a toto wall hung toilet. I want a toilet that flushes good. I am on a budget, the toto wall hung toilet that gets the best reviews is no longer available. If I should buy a toto toilet is the d shape toilet better than the other toto toilet. I want it to be an elongated bowl. I want to spend no more than $800 for the toilet.

    Reply
    • Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for the comment, apologies for the late response.

      We’re big fans of the wall hung version of the Veil, and Kohler in general. It has good options when it comes to the variations (color, etc), is within your price point, and comes in an elongated bowl. Here’s a link to a version that’s within that budget: https://amzn.to/3gRpo9W Hope that helps!

      Reply

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