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enduring

Has anyone installed one of these next to toilet?

enduring
10 years ago

I was looking for "windows over toilets" on Houzz, and this picture popped up. I believe it is a design from Germany. It looks like a hand shower used as a bidet. Has anyone seen these before? It might be a little unhandy to use. I thought I'd explore this option a little and compare it with an advanced toilet seat.

Contemporary Bathroom by Other Metro Architect Annis Lender

Comments (29)

  • Tmnca
    10 years ago

    It seems like it would make a huge mess, you could end up with water sprayed ll over. I have a hand shower in the shower so why would I want one next to the toilet?

  • cat_mom
    10 years ago

    Is it me, or do the legs on the vanity look like something from a Tim Burton movie? Like the vanity could just up a walk across the room on those legs! LOL

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    looks iike water could spray back onto my hand - definitey not what I want. Don't like.

    And is that a toilet brush to the left?

  • annemouse
    10 years ago

    Are you sure this is a German toilet? I have never seen it anywhere in Germany, but of course the manufacturer could be from Germany. I have seen it everywhere in the Arab Emirates. It is the arabic version of a Western Style Toilet with an extra cleaning "hose" for use instead of toilet paper.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Annemouse, thanks for your info. The link on house states Dusseldorf, Germany as the location of the design firm. When I go to the link and onto this particular designer the text looks like Russian.

    Catmom, The vanity is weird to me. I like your image of an animated vanity.

    Lee676, yes it does look messy. I also thought about the spray all over the floor and the hard reach around to fetch the thing. Then the time it would take for the hot water to reach the pipe would be another issue for me.

    Tinan, I know I would spray the handshower all over too! I think this feature is to function as a bidet.

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    With the size of that sink, I think it's a dog-washing station. There's even a linen towel to blot Foo-Foo dry.

  • dianne47
    10 years ago

    This arrangement is very common in parts of Asia, especially Bali. It works there because the water coming out of the tap is not very cold. But in many other parts of the world tap cold is really really cold, I certainly wouldn't use this arrangement in my climate.

    For an alternative check out the many brands of bidet toilet seats that are available. You do need a GFCI outlet nearby to provide power for heating the water.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    May-flowers, lol, you may be right about Foo Foo :)

    Dianne47, yes it would be cold and waiting for the water to heat up would be intolerable. Your input is very helpful, and interesting. BTW, I have an Inax advanced toilet seat. When I remodeled I was sure to have the GFCI outlet placed nearby. I really like the seat.

    I wanted to get some thoughts from others about the setup pictured above. I believe this setup is a no-go for me.

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    A point-of-use water heater, either a small tank or a tankless on-demand type, would solve the instant warm water requirement, and could be used for the nearby sink as well.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Lee676, yes that would be a great solution for the water temp.

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    Something like this: (link below)

    Insinkerator makes these too (i'm noting that as our UK readers haven't had good things to say about Ariston's rep, where the brand is far more popular than in the US where i live).

    Very convenient - no waiting for hot water at the sink, no having freezing cold water in the winter time when you first turn on the water, then having it get too hot as the hot water makes its way to the faucet and having to readjust the temperature. Not very expensive either; though you will likely need to run a dedicated 120v/15a circuit for the device to plug into.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ariston 120v 2-1/2 galon water heater

  • Tmnca
    10 years ago

    Oh, I do realize it's meant as a bidet, but since it is handheld... imagine not knowing exactly what angle the water will come out, and really I just can't visualize how you could use this without ending up with water everywhere but in the toilet!

  • Babka NorCal 9b
    10 years ago

    It is a toilet with combo bidet. When we bought our tract house here in California back in 1976, the bathroom had a bidet. I just stuck a potted fern in it. Wasn't sure about what it was for!!!! After traveling in Europe I saw a lot of them. Ours had hot/cold handles on it, just like a bathroom sink. The water pressure is such that you won't spray across the room. Regarding linen towels...They are more prevalent in Europe than terry ones. The bathrooms we encountered in Bali and other parts of Indonesia mostly had a hole with ceramic footprints. The showers were a plastic bowl "mandi" arrangement. Heated water was for foreigners. VERY quick showers, pouring water over your head with a plastic bowl. Unheated water, even 90 degree water is NOT good on private parts. I'm guessing that on that bar with the hose, there is a temperature selector. The photo looks like a very high end bathroom to me.

    -Babka

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ok Tinan, I missed the jest, but I'm with you exactly on the handle and spraying the wrong directions. I don't know if I mentioned it earlier but the mounted position behind the toilet is a terrible location ergonomically.

    Lee676, thanks for the link

    Babka, LOL, did you ever take the fern out of the bidet? I think bidets look awkward and inconvenient to use. Thanks for your other comments. I love getting information about other parts of the world and how they do things in their day to day lives.

  • azmom
    10 years ago

    I saw this type of set up in India at various locations and cities. Once in a public place, the rest were at pricey hotels. I was told that the original idea was due to toilet paper was not widely provided.

    Someone told me the set up was being used in Middle East too, since I have never been to the region I cannot verify that.

  • Babka NorCal 9b
    10 years ago

    Many places in Asia and the Middle East don't provide or use toilet paper. Hundreds of years of tradition. You eat with your right hand, and wipe with your left hand. Never the two shall meet (!) It takes fancy sewage systems to deal with toilet paper.

    Don't worry, if you travel there most times you will be accommodated, and there is always a pocket sized kleenex pack in my pocket, just in case. ;-)

    -Babka

  • buildinva
    10 years ago

    Now all I can see is that vanity on those funny legs walking toward me... Lol!

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ...I see the faucet handles as 2 eyes, the spout as a nose, and the small overflow as a tiny little mouth saying "ooohhhh" in a tiny little voice...

  • Nancy in Mich
    10 years ago

    Actually, this is exactly what I was fantasizing about as I consider an upcoming bath remodel. Maybe not situated behind my back, but a nice warm wash for my underside (which has problems that need attention more than a daily shower). I was wondering what a small tankless system would cost. Thanks for the link! Since the bathroom is on the opposite side of the house from the water heater, a tankless system for this and the lav faucets would be great and save a LOT of water. We never get to wash our hands with warm water in this bathroom unless we just finished a shower.

    I have considered the toilet seats, but worry whether they will "hit the spot." A wand would give control that an automated seat would not. The best configuration for this wall-mounted wand would be if the holster was also connected to a drain. Ideally, a holster should drain into the toilet tank, and the wand have all the controls on the handle.

    Does anyone know the name of a company selling these wands in the US?

  • pharaoh
    10 years ago

    If you travel through asia, you will see this in all hotel bathrooms. They consider the use of toilet paper to be unhygienic. (dry clean vs wet clean). it also makes less waste and clogging...

    we plan to put one in our master bath after the experience in asia.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Nancy-in-mich, I have recently installed an Inax advanced toilet seat. It works well. I find that I can move a bit if I need to help with the aim. The seat is nice in that it is all in one. No having to fetch the wand, just push a button. You could try this question over on the Terry Love forum. He is a plumber and there are a lot of plumbers and home owners discussing bathroom fixtures.

  • suero
    10 years ago

    I've used that in the Middle East. It's very easy to aim, and you can control the amount of spray.

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    No need to traverse the globe looking for one - the local HD has over a dozen models for sale right in their store - all for $100 or less...Latex or polyurethane single-use gloves optional....

    Here is a link that might be useful: Handheld Bidets

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Wow! I never knew. Something to keep an open mind about. How did you happen to find these ad HD of all places?

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    I was just walking through an HD store yesterday whan I saw the Brondell units, prominently displayed on an endcap no less and on sale.

  • crl_
    10 years ago

    Looks like the perfect set up for cloth diaper users. Spray off the diaper into the toilet before laundering.

  • noopd
    10 years ago

    I don't know about middle east, but yes, those are common in europe. Because washing with water is cleaner than wiping with paper after a #2.

    If there is a showerhead next to the toilet, as in the picture, it's called a douche. If there is a separate toilet bowl looking thing, it's a bidet. You probably seen those before.

    I think they are just too messy, so I like the japanese way where there is a automatic water wash system build into the toilet. I have been using them for years now and love it. Toto has one called Washlet. Kohler has the Numi and Duravit has the sensowash. They are more common now and a lot more brands carry them, even costco has them.(not by toto or duravit).. If you want one, Toto is probably the best..

  • mrspete
    10 years ago

    I share the majority's concern: The water would spray everywhere and be a mess.

    IF you go with this item, I would make two suggestions:

    1. Use, as they have in this picture, tile everywhere so it won't matter if you miss. Hardwood would be ruined in no time at all.

    2. Finagle some way to shield the toilet paper from the spray, or you'll constantly be throwing away wet, unusuable half-rolls.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, I think it would be a water hazard for sure. One benefit would be for cleaning diapers as Crl_ stated above.

    I like the idea of having a sprayer at the sink like you would in the kitchen. In my recently remodeled bathroom I plumbed for one, a Kohler HighRise Sidespray. But I ended up taking the sprayer back because my area was just to small to accommodate both the regular faucet and the side sprayer. With my next bathroom plans I might just add that cute HighRise, and near the toilet!