Skip to main content

The Guide to Smart Toilets

Smart toilets are packed with functional and convenient features that makes using your bathroom a luxurious experience.

Carly Reynolds
Carly Reynolds
Kohler Veil Smart Wall Hung Toilet in Contemporary Bathroom

Treat yourself to a toilet of the future, today. Smart toilets are designed with the modern homeowner in mind, and if you don’t have one in your bathroom, you don’t know what you’re missing. When it comes to home renovations and designs, there’s rarely a big focus placed on choosing the right toilet, yet it’s a place in our home where we spend quite a bit of time. Smart toilets take your bathroom to the next level by combining stunning style details with all the latest technologies, creating a true treat for your tushy. 

What is a Smart Toilet? 

Smart toilets take the design you’re familiar with it and incorporate today’s advanced technologies to make your bathroom both more functional and more convenient. Originally a Japanese concept, smart toilets were designed with accessibility in mind. Many of the features were intended to make use easier for individuals with disabilities. Today, they’ve become synonymous with luxury and are featured in many homes. Smart toilets are available in one-piece, two-piece, floor-mounted, and wall-mounted designs. 

Kohler Eir Collection Minimalist Bathroom

Smart Toilet Features 

Many of today’s top brands are making smart toilets packed with functional and convenient features you’ll love. While no two designs are exactly the same, there are features that are popular across all brands. As you shop for the right smart toilet for your bathroom, make sure to take a close look at what features each toilet model offers. 

High-Efficiency Flushing 

The key is to get the most complete flushing using the least amount of water, and intelligent toilets accomplish just that. Many of them even feature dual-flush designs for peak performance. Look for models with automatic flushing or hands-free flushing for even more convenience. 

Toto SP

Heated Toilet Seats 

Beat the chill on cold winter days by choosing smart toilets with heated seats as part of the design. This is one of those added features that are all about comfort, but once you have a toilet with heated seats, you’ll never go back to a model without this feature. 

Quiet-Close Toilet Seats 

No one wants to hear the jarring slam of a toilet seat. Smart toilets showcase quiet-close toilet seats that lower silently or near silently. Many open and close with a simple wave of your hand or a motion sensor that’s activated as you approach. Imagine not having to remind others in your home to lower the seat after use.

LED Lighting 

Turning on the harsh overhead lights can be jarring to the senses, especially when you need to use the restroom late at night. Smart toilets often offer LED lighting inside the bowl, making it easy to navigate your bathroom without the need to turn on the primary lighting in the room. 

Motion Sensors & Touchless Controls 

Motion sensors and touchscreen remotes are just a few of the advanced technologies incorporated into intelligent toilet designs. There's no need to worry about a power outage because these toilets offer manual backup options for that occurrence.

Self-Cleaning Bowls 

Cleaning the toilet is one of the least-desirable household chores. Making the switch to smart toilets for your home reduces your chore list because they feature self-cleaning bowls. UV lights and electrolyzed water system clean the surfaces of the inside of the bowl. Look for a model with an automatic deodorizing system, especially when you’re outfitting a shared bathroom or powder room. 

Toto Neorest 700H One Piece Smart Toilet/Bidet with Cyclone Flush System

Benefits of a Smart Toilet 

Deciding to make the switch from your standard toilet to a smart toilet is easy once you understand all the benefits of these advanced designs. 

Eco-Friendly Design 

Water conservation is a top concern in many homes, especially if you live in a draught-prone area, such as California. Smart toilets are designed to provide the most functionality using the least amount of water possible and are always at the forefront of water conservation technologies. When you choose a smart toilet with a bidet function, you’re also drastically cutting back on toilet paper consumption, which is a treat to the planet and to your wallet. 

Kohler Karing Smart Toilet

Improved Hygiene 

Many of today’s smart toilets boast motion sensor or hands-free features, self-cleaning bowls, and bidet functionality. Those three features together improve overall hygiene and help prevent the spread of germs throughout your bathroom. 

Convenience & Comfort 

Some of the features of smart toilets are added for the sole purpose of improving comfort and user experience. Imagine waking up on a cold winter day and having heated toilet seats. If your partner wakes up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, quiet-close toilet seats help reduce noise. LED lighting even makes it easier to complete those late-night bathroom runs without turning on the harsh overhead lighting in the bathroom.  

Kohler Veil Toilet featuring LED Lighting, quiet-close, and heated seat

Additional Considerations 

When it comes to purchasing anything for your home, there are some considerations outside of benefits and features.  

Requirements 

As with any technologically advanced products or toilets, there may be requirements of the space for the product to work properly. Once you’ve chosen a model that you’ll use in your bathroom design, check the specifications for any requirements, such as a nearby GFCI outlet or a minimum static water pressure. 

Cost 

Smart toilets are packed with features, and as such, they are among the more expensive toilet options on the market. Of course, if you are not using a water-efficient toilet in your home and you make the switch to a smart toilet with water conservation as a focus, a reduction in monthly utility costs will help offset the higher cost of the toilet itself. 

Warranty 

Smart toilets are an investment in your bathroom, but many come with warranties to back up that investment. Before making your final selections, make sure to check out any manufacturer warranties offered with the product. 

The Future of Smart Toilets 

As technologies continue to advance, so will the capabilities and features of smart toilets. With so many different designs offered by a variety of brands, it’s easy to find a smart toilet that will complement the rest of your bathroom design. Coordinate your new intelligent toilet with other water-efficient fixtures to complete the space. 

Related Articles