Well it took me about an hour of installation. Easy. It took this long because I am a real dedicated instruction reader:) I had to go over every thing while I ate my lunch. The instructions were, for the most part, well written. I did undo the wrong nut, on the toilet, to unhook the water line. That bit could have been clearer. Thankfully, either the plumber or the toto manufacturer marked with a sharpy, the lineup for the nut relative to the tank. As I tightened it back up, I inched closer and closer to the mark. It took the whole installation period before I got the nut actually lined up. I was chicken to tighten it that much. But as I was doing the installation with the rest of the seat, I periodically gave the nut a little more turn. I probably would have not tightened it that tight (and had a leak) but trusted it would be ok since the mark was there, and it was.

New toilet seat:

Oh, and you should have seen the look on DH face when he came home to this. He couldn't stop laughing and exclaiming disbelief. I made a serious attempt at reading him the usage instructions - as he was laughing. He wanted to know how much it cost - I lied. I don't have many faults but I am a tiny bit ashamed that this is one of them - when it comes to money and the cost of my purchases. Please don't hold that against me :/

Anyway, I used it. At first I was underwhelmed. Then a while later, all of a sudden, out of the blue, I thought "I feel so clean".

Quote: Anyway, I used it. At first I was underwhelmed. Then a while later, all of a sudden, out of the blue, I thought "I feel so clean".

Omg, that made me laugh! Best line I've ever read in a toilet seat review. ...and you can file that realization under "things I never expected to say"...lol!

Oh thank you Williamsem! I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get ANY response to my posts. BTW, have your tried one?

edit to comment that I just noticed the typo in my title. I can't spell "Thanks" in "texting" lingo. Is it Thx?

This post was edited by enduring on Sat, Mar 9, 13 at 0:20

I do believe "thx" is correct text lingo, or at least lolcats lingo.

I have not tried one. But I have been looking at them since reading about them here. When my IBS is bad, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom. TP is surprisingly irritating after a while!

I don't think I'm ready to invest in one yet. I have a kitchen to pay for at the moment! Demo in 7 weeks. Plus it would have made more sense to put one upstairs, but we remodeled that last year and I didn't have this on the radar to get an outlet. Maybe if I end up liking our new downstairs toilet I might eventually take the plunge. We had to upgrade our electric box ahead of the kitchen, I might ask for the outlet if its not a lot to add it.

DH is skeptical, even though he's been having some issues too. But like adult moist wipes, he would probably like it once he got used to it.

Oh Yeah, this toilet seat would be so helpful for situations like yours and your DH. The dryer feature is nice but doesn't dry like a hair dryer ;) It is a gentle dry, so for me it has been working best to use one section of TP, blot dry once, then turn the dryer on to the med or low temp to finish.

If I remember correctly the electrician put this outlet on its own 20amp service because the unit heats the water. Another thing is that the outlet is low, I wonder if it would be better to have it up some. The electrical cord is on the right at you face the Inax unit. the H2O intake connection is on the left near the main H2O supply line.

One feature that I insisted upon when choosing this unit was that there was a wand cleaning feature. I don't know if all Inax's clean before and after use or not, but mine does. And with the additional feature of wand cleaning on demand. There are 2 wands, one for #1 and one for #2.

You may have read post by Herring_Maven but this member has a lot to say about seats. I used their advice.

Enduring, it looks great especially against your awesome tile. When we do our remodel we will either put in an Inax or a Toto, will look carefully at Herring_Maven's post. I also want an air tub which he was fighting until a recent visit to the doctor who recommended some "relax" time - he doesn't want to do yoga so the tub might get added after all!

This post was edited by divotdiva on Sun, Mar 10, 13 at 20:22

enduring, As it happened, we were in Japan when you posted about your Inax advanced toilet seat; I am just getting caught up this evening.

Due to what might be called "extenuating circumstances" (on our way to the airport for our return to the U.S., there were -- not one, but TWO -- "platform incidents" -- that is, someone jumping off a station platform as a train -- in this case, the train on the tracks just ahead of our airport train -- is coming into a station, thereby committing seppuku by train), our ride to the airport for our return flight to North America took three hours rather than the scheduled 75 minutes, and we missed our flight home.

So we spent two unplanned nights in two 5-star hotels (one in Kyoto, one in Wakayama), which (this was Japan, after all) had the latest and best models of Toto Washlet in the guest rooms. That allowed us to compare the performance of recent model Washlets to our Inax Clessence at home.

We would not trade our Inax Clessence for either of the Washlets that we used in the Japanese hotels; no way. We have loved our Clessence at home; we now have "field tests" that affirm that we made the right decision.

As to the drying function: pardon me if you find this too explicit. Get yourself a toilet paper that promotes itself as "strong" -- Charmin "strong" works well -- and simply blot with two panels (folded over to make two-ply) after the toilet seat's water rinse, but before turning on the air dry. The blot will absorb 90% of the moisture, so that just a few seconds of air dry will suffice.

Congratulations on your new installation. You now will find that you have a new burden: when you stay somewhere that lacks an advanced toilet seat, you will be conscious that (compared to home) you are "dirty." The burden is akin to the one identified back when in a Peanuts comic strip where Linus became aware of his tongue: once you know your tongue is there, pressing against the back of your teeth, it is hard to ignore its presence.

Oh Herring-Maven I am so sorry for your experiences, and all the other travelers; and of course my heart goes out to the loved ones these sad souls left behind. Suicide is such a tragic and violent event.

I am so glad you found my post. I am really happy that your "field test" has confirmed for you that your Inax Clessence is the best. I have followed your posts over the past year or so and have gained a lot of information.

Poor DH has yet to take the plunge. Now that I have the bathroom door refinished and installed maybe this week he will try it out. Of course this will happen when I'm at work. He is so modest about these topics. I will be sure to leave the handy, easy to read, laminated instructions nearby.

As I re-read my secondary posts above, I noticed I mentioned I use "one section" of TP. I meant one standard length (multiple squares) that one might use under typical conditions. I have been continuing this practice of blotting and find it perfect in conjunction with the dryer. I think with this new bathroom fixture I will get some extra strength Charmin to use, as you suggest. Otherwise I try to use the wimpier TP for ease of flushing and our septic system. Haven't ever had problems but have heard that others have, so I stopped using the strong soft TP last year.

Overall this seat/shower has been a foreign concept to me and my family, but I am really glad that I installed it.

Again, thanks so much for your reports over the year/s.

They take a little while to grow accustomed to. After a while you realize you can use it for "this" and "that" and "the other thing too" and you'll find it was money well spent.

I do prefer the BB1000 over the Inax, Toto, etc, mainly due to the one of the functions available on the BB1000 that is not on the others.

Other than that, they are all pretty darn good.

This post was edited by mongoct on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 11:56

Thanks Mongoct. I should ask, what is "this and that and the other thing too" but I won't. It will be something for me to discover. Oh I have an idea, I could dry my nails on the blower.

How do you like the picture of my floor and toilet together ?

This post was edited by enduring on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 12:00

I've been considering one of these, but now I don't know. I have to ask: do they all look so institutional? It reminds me of my 95-year-old handicapped great-grandmother's toilet, of 40 years ago. Maybe it's the side view, and it looks less obtrusive from the front?

Here is a link to an integrated seat and toilet. All in one. They look very nice but have a very hefty price tag!

Here is a link that might be useful: the economy model:)

"How do you like the picture of my floor and toilet together ?"

I think you've done a wonderful job. It looks fresh and clean. And it looks like it's been there forever. The best of both worlds!

"I should ask, what is "this and that and the other thing too" but I won't."

It's funny how we dance around these things. If you want to see my "secret", click and drag your mouse over the white space below as if you're trying to cut and paste. For those afraid of poopy-speak, go no further. lol

On the BB1000, it's the "enema" function. Not a true enema, but a tight stream of well-aimed water that does the trick. The strength of the spray can be adjusted to one of five levels, as can the direction. It sounds absurdly silly to describe. But it is amazingly effective in producing results.

Thanks Mongo, it does sound like people would benefit from that feature.

Once I get my curtain fabric, and make the roman shade, I plan to post my end product. I have to caulk a bit of chair rail too.

Enduring- thanks to your post, I asked our electrician to add an outlet in our master bath just in time before the drywall went up. I am reading reviews to decide which seat I will order. (Maven, you are such a big help) My children are teasing me about it but I will have the last laugh; I think it's going to be one of my favorite features in our new home!

So glad to have been of help. Isn't Herring Maven great, with the detailed and learned information they post? Keep us informed of your progress.

Oh, and check out the Terry Love forum. He sells a variety of seats and the price seems very competitive for the one I bought, though I forgot he sold them and got mine from another company. But had I remembered I would have bought from him.

This post was edited by enduring on Sat, Apr 6, 13 at 23:38

I'll throw in a good word for the higher-end UCI seats, which are less expensive than the other brands mentioned here. Only one I've used so can't compare it to other brands, but it does its job well. Only one wand, but it self-cleans after every use, and has the aforementioned #3 function (that's, uh, not what I was thinking the third use was, but whatevs...). When faced with a regular seat when I want more than dry TP, before entering the stall you can take a few squares and dab them with water in the sink (or reach over as needed in a private room) and use dry paper, the damp blotted paper, then dry paper again and you'll feel clean.

Lee,

when you say UCI, do you mean BioBidet? Cuz that's what comes up when I do a search. I think that's the one I will be going with, and I've found a Canadian online source with an excellent price, have spoken to the owner and he sounds like a good person to deal with...

I do have a question for all you 'washlet' owners. I went to a plumbing supply place and they had the Kohler seat on display, just dry not working, and the opening looked very tiny. The salesperson there basically showed it to me as 'a reason not to buy' feature. I did use a Duravit model in another showroom, though didn't use any of the features, as was too afraid of pushing the wrong button on the controls, and don't remember thinking it was a tiny hole.

So, my question is, does the opening feel restrictive? Is it perhaps just the Kohler that is quite small?

With my Inax, I have the round seat model because I have a round toilet :) It might appear a little smaller than the original seat but it is perfectly fine. Here are some pictures:

10" front to back:

7.75" side to side:

Thanks Enduring!

Just another one of those details I never thought to worry about!

raehelen, yes the biobidet, I think the BB-400 or a predecessor model (although the same-price BB-600 looks like a better deal if you're ok with an attached control panel instead of a remote - more features including an aerated jet option that would be more comfortable than the standard narrow jet spray for normal use). Some of their bidets do have two spray wands, others only one with separate spray patterns. The mechanism at the back of the seat does shrink the size of the seat opening, but the bidet seat on an elongated bowl still feels longer than a standard round seat. These are the UCI measurements for two of their less expensive elongated-bowl models, both MSRP US$399:

BB-400:
{{gwi:1404107}}

BB-600:
{{gwi:1404108}}

For reference, the seat opening in round-bowl seat in my home is 9-1/2" long, so the elongated Biobidet seat openings are over 2" longer. Given the round-seat Inax bidet is also 1/2" longer than my plain round seat, it seems the seat opening being too small isn't an issue, at least with these two brands.

Thanks Lee,

Don't know why it didn't occur to me to look for specs online! Duh! Anyhow, am planning to order the BB1000, don't think I have the flexibility to comfortably use one without the remote panel situated forward. It seems to have an opening just a tiny bit smaller than my present seat. I did check the Kolher site, and theirs is smaller than the BB, a little less than an inch smaller, but it seemed child size when I looked down at it. Am feeling more comfortable now about my choice. Just have to wait until I confirm my toilet selection, and then the seller will let me know if the BB seat will fit. Am planning on the Toto Vespin 11,

Yeah they apparently have the BB1000 on sale in the US - $499 down from $899. Looks like a good choice. I like the remote controls better as the built-in control panels get almost as soiled as the bowl rim that's next to it.

Vespin II an excellent choice - basically it's the skirted version of the Drake II i have. Flushes clean and fast, doesn't clog, cleans the side of the bowl well, doesn't have a bunch of small water holes under the rim that get clogged and mildewy over time, uses only 1.28 gallons/4.8L per flush, slim tank makes the surrounding area look roomier. Not much they didn't get right with this one.

hey enduring..

nice job on the bathroom redo.. looks awesome. are you enjoying the new bathroom seat?/ :P
so how do you like the INAX and is there a reason you pick this one over other brands?

Noopd, I picked it because of Herring Maven's reviews :) I didn't do a bunch of research other than here and a bit on the Terry Love forum. I liked the idea of 2 wands for sanitary reasons. It may not make a difference but in my head I like to keep the 2 functions separate. But there is a prewash and a post wash of the wands. And as I've mentioned here or elsewhere, water is the universal solvent. I just really respect the writing of Herring Maven. HM is always so thoughtful and precise in explaining things. I appreciate that skill.

To address the topic of seat size that Raehelen asked above. It occurred to me this AM that the seat needs to be small so that your body can seal around it :) This way no water escapes while washing. That is how it works for me, the better the seal the better the job.

I have been using the Toto Washlet S300 for about 10 years and i like it a lot. with new place now and more toilet, i got the sensowash x duravit x gerberit x starck wall mounted toilet for my master and put the toto in the kids room. There are a lot more adjustments you can do with the toto and more fuctions (like energy saving timer, and deodorizer), but the sensowash is pretty good to , the spray feels a little better.. I am thinking of getting another one for the guest room but I dont know which one yet.

That looks like a beautiful toilet. I like the oscillating feature of the shower seat.

For my new toilet I will probably go with the Toto Drake II or the Vespin II, as my plumber advises the Toto and I have been very happy with the Toto Promenade. I may or may not get another shower type seat for this new toilet, as DH is adversed to them. It is something new and he has trouble with some new concepts.

Enduring, thanks for the thread! What made you choose the L model instead of the R?

Great question Buildinva. I think I probably thought the extra $100 would mean more features. My mind thinks like that. I have been very happy with what I have. I miss it when I am away :(

If I were to purchase again I'd go with the R model because it is not so intrusive looking. The L model is shown with a really cool toilet and looks more integrated than mine. I think the more familiar flat seat would have looked better on my old fashioned styled toilet. The only difference I can see off hand is that the dryer on mine is a bigger dryer. I don't always use that function, as I will use a small bit of TP to dry once and discard. The cord is a bit longer too, but I don't know if that would have been an issue or not. I didn't need the carbon odor filter either and thought it was just one more thing to fuss with. They both have controls that mount and I knew I didn't want a panel on the seat like the C model. The L model can have multiple combinations of spray strengths set. So one could have lowest, low, and med low set. Or lowest, med, high set, etc. I think there are a total of 4 or 5 combinations. I don't know if the R does that or not. It is a function within the battery compartment of the controller.

So style wise I'd go with the R next time with the taller toilet that I have. And the other features seem pretty much the same. But If I could afford that beautiful integrated Regio model, I'd have that. I am sure that Toto has a beautiful top end integrated toilet too :)