top of page
Writer's pictureElla S

Toilet Technologies: A Breakdown

Toilets have been around for centuries, but the modern-day toilets we use now are a far cry away from the first-ever flush toilet. The first toilet required over 34 litres of water to flush away any waste, toilets today have a multitude of advantageous design properties that help them with saving water and creating a more hygienic environment. To help you in deciding which you would like within your new toilet, we have outlined them in the guide below.

 

Dual Flush Toilets

Possibly the most important of the toilet, the flushing mechanism of toilets is constantly being developed. Dual flush functioning is found within the majority of modern-day toilets. The name explains the process, with the toilet being able to carry out two separate flushing quantities.

These are in most standard toilets 6 and 4l flushing cycles. The larger 6l is used for more solid waste and the smaller 4l quantity for liquid waste. The principle of the design is that it helps with saving water. Old lever-operated flush toilets only carry out a single flush quantity meaning you are sometimes using an excess amount of water when flushing. Dual flush allows you to select the quantity you feel is more appropriate. The modern push button is usually situated on top of the cistern and are unevenly divided to help identify the separate flushing quantities.

For those that are conscious of water usage within their home or in new builds which are aiming to meet building regulations around water efficiency, ultra-water saving versions have been produced. These have dual flush volumes of 4 and 2l pre-set within them. They are able to perform the same high standard of flush just at a lower water level and can often be reset back to 6 and 4l if you feel you prefer that flush volume.


Rimless Toilets

Looking for ultimate minimalism and hygienic innovation within the design of your toilet, then a rimless toilet could be for you. On the outside, rimless toilets look the same as all standard box rim toilets, it’s inside the bowl where everything changes. Standard toilets have a rim around the top of the toilet bowl in which there are holes all around where the water enters the pan. This can be somewhat difficult to fully clean under and over time lead to a build-up of grime and bacteria.

Rimless toilets aim to eliminate this problem. Instead of water cascading down from the rim, it enters from an outlet towards the back of the toilet and is pushed around the edge of the bowl ensuring the whole pan is clean; they call this direct. While you may think this may use up more water, a direct flush is able to produce a more powerful flush while using slightly less water than a standard flush. So not only are rimless toilets more hygienic they could help in saving some money on your water bills.

Shower Toilets

The modern alternative to the bidet, shower toilets stem from the self-cleaning toilets of Japan. Shower toilets add the hygiene elements of a bidet to your toilet, saving you space in the bathroom and allowing you to always feel refreshingly clean. Available from brands such as Duravit and Laufen, they require special toilet pans and seats but still have an overall modern look.

The advantages of shower toilets are extensive. First and foremost, they help the user with keeping better personal hygiene. In many countries, it is seen as dirty to only clean yourself with toilet paper and this makes sense when you think of how we clean our bodies and other items. Washing with water provides a more thorough and long-lasting feeling of cleanliness. This personal benefit may be useful to those who have sensitive skin or are prone to irritation.

While you may think this is increasing water consumption and not at all in keeping with being more sustainable, the entire opposite is true. Creating toilet paper requires a substantial amount of water. The small amount used by a shower toilet will nowhere near meet the amount required to make one toilet roll.

 

Sensor Flush Toilet Flush Plates

More often seen within commercial settings, sensor flush technology is slowly making its way into the home. Sensors are becoming an ever more attractive option for the bathroom; they remove any touching of flush buttons directly after using the toilet and so are seen to be more hygienic.

Activated by passing the hand in front of the sensor, singular flush capacity versions can commonly be found on bathroom furniture such as Roper Rhodes. The overall look is very attractive due to the flat design of the sensor, making it almost blend in with the furniture. For concealed wall cisterns, attractive sensor flush plates are available. This can be found with dual flush capabilities that are activated when the hand passes over a certain part of the plate.

 

For more information regarding the design and styles of toilets available, please see our toilet buying guide.

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page