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There are 3 typical concerns that our readers have before installing dual flush toilets: are they any good? Do dual flush toilets really work? What are the best-rated models?
Yes, dual flush toilets work and they have a couple of benefits to them. If installed and used properly, these models could offer you the best of both worlds, that is, water efficiency and excellent performance.
If you are torn between getting a dual-flush commode and the conventional easy-to-use single flush system, we’ll help you solve that plumbing debate later in this article.
For now, here are some of the best-rated dual-flush toilets today.
Top Dual Flush Toilets
- Toto CST416M#01 Aquia II
- Our Rating: 9/10
-  Water Consumption & Flush:
0.9 and 1.6 GPF
Dual Flush -  Dimensions:
27.5x15.2x30.2" -   Features:
Regular Height Bowl, Dual Max Tank - Price: 
- American Standard 2886218.020
- Our Rating: 9/10
-  Water Consumption & Flush:
0.9 and 1.28 GPF
H2Option Dual Flush -  Dimensions:
15x29.8x31.5" -   Features:
High Efficiency, EverClean Surface, PowerWash Rim - Price: 
- Kohler K-3987-0 Wellworth
- Our Rating: 8/10
-  Water Consumption & Flush:
1.6 GPF
Gravity Flush Toilet -  Dimensions:
39x34.5x24.5" -   Features:
Easy To Install, Extraordinary Bulk-Flushing Performance - Price: 
- Toto MS604114CEFG#01 Ultramax II
- Our Rating: 8/10
-  Water Consumption & Flush:
1.28 GPF
Tornado Flush -  Dimensions:
28.3x16.6x28.8" -   Features:
CeFiONtect™ Ceramic Glaze, Universal Height, SoftClose® Seat - Price: 
- Toto CST744SL#01 Drake
- Our Rating: 8/10
-  Water Consumption & Flush:
1.6 GPF
Gravity Flush Toilet -  Dimensions:
28x19.5x30.5" -   Features:
Chrome Trip Lever, G-Max Flushing System, Fully Glazed Trapway - Price: 
1. Toto CST416M-01 Aquia II – Editor’s Choice
Ideal For Short People
The Toto CST416M-01 Aquia II is among a few other models from Toto that come at its price tag. It has a sleek and compact design that might go very well with a bathroom with a modern theme.
Comes In 6 Colors
For those who like options, this Toto Aquia comes in 6 other colors other than white cotton. You could choose between bone, colonial white, ebony, gray, Sedona beige, and white.
This toilet flaunts 2 chrome buttons at the top of the tank that operate the flush action. One button offers a heavy 1.6 gallon flush for solid wastes. The second button gives you a 0.9 gallon flush for light waste.
Although the manufacturer does not offer much information about its flushing mechanism, most people rave about this unbeatable bowl cleaning action.
In fact, we didn’t come across any negative report about clogging or poor flushes when writing this. The major query that most homeowners had, however, was the need to hold the flush button down several seconds for a full flush.
Small Footprint
If this is no biggie to you, the Toto dual flush toilet brings you several other impressive features including a small footprint thanks to its round bowl design and a skirted trapway for easy cleaning.
Worth noting, this throne does not come with the seat. Again, it is of regular height and it’s, therefore, ideal for short people and anyone else who doesn’t mind squatting too low.
Otherwise, if a 15-inch tall toilet hurts your back, then you might want to consider the next model in this list.
Affordable Dual Flush Toilet
I bet this is the model that you need to go for if you are looking for an affordable dual flush toilet that gets things done without compromising your comfort.
Elongated Bowl and ‘Right Height’
The American Standard 2886218.020 H2Option boasts 2 features that top most people’s must-have lists: an elongated bowl and ‘right height’ (American Standard’s name for comfort height).
Although the elongated bowl does not add to the toilet’s overall performance, most adults appreciate the comfort that the 2 extra inches bring. Most men also highlight that these bowls have a better-sloped angle that helps in reducing splashbacks.
The comfort height, on the other hand, brings the bowl closer to you. This makes the American Standard H2Option friendlier to the senior citizens and people with spine-related problems.
Great Flushing Performance
Most people are also thrilled by this toilet’s flushing performance. It is fitted with siphon jet flushing and powerwash rim and bowl cleaning technology that pushes everything down the drain on the higher-volume setting.
The H20ption has not received a negative feedback related to performance so far. Most buyers including this one report that all waste goes down every time.
The EverClean surface coupled with the jet powered streams helps in keeping the bowl clean. This eliminates the need for cleaning the bowl of debris after each flush.
But what’s more appealing is that besides being an excellent flusher, the H2Option is also notably quieter than most toilets in its category.
3. Kohler K-3987-0 Wellworth – Budget Buy
Good Choice For Families With Small Kids
The Kohler K-3987-0 Wellworth [link to a more in depth review] is another highly recommendable dual flush toilet. The most notable difference between it and the previous recommendations is the left-hand nested trip lever.
This makes it partly ADA-complaint only that its bowl has the standard height. This lever lets out 1.1 gallons for a light flush and 1.6 gallons of water for number 2.
14.5 Inches From The Floor
Measuring around 14.5 inches from the floor to the rim of the round bowl, this Kohler dual flush toilet seems a pretty good choice for a family with small kids who might not be able to climb up a 17-inch throne.
Most homeowners reveal that its flushing performance is pretty much reliable. This toilet uses Kohler’s Class Five flushing technology which the manufacturer claims is designed for extraordinary flush performance.
It features a wide flush valve that lets out water in a 360-degree simulation and a direct-fed jet whose task is to dislodge any debris along the walls for an effective bowl cleaning action.
Installation is also meant to be quite easy and fool-proof. The cistern installs bolt-free thanks to the drylock fast install system and it’s designed to be leak-free.
Great Toilet For Small Bathrooms
The K-3987-0 Wellworth’s round bowl comes as a solution for people struggling with small bathrooms. The left-handed trip lever leaves the top of the cistern free for your bathroom accessories such as tissue paper, candles, and potpourri.
This is a great deal if you are fixing a bathroom in tight spaces, for example under stairs, where installing shelves is close to impossible.
Editor’s Choice
You already know our pick of the best dual flush toilet by now: the Toto CST416M#01 Aquia II.
We like that this toilet has a sleek and compact design. It’s a really good flusher, it uses 0.9 gallon flush for light waste and 1.6 gallon flush for solid wastes. No reports about clogging or poor flushes.
Best Dual Flush Toilets Comparison Chart
Rank: | Model: | Our Verdict: | Price: | Our Rating: | Water Consumption: | Flush Type: | Dimensions: | Type: | Special Features: | Rough In: | Shape: | Material: | Color: | Finish: | Weight: | Installation Method: | Certification: | Warranty: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Toto CST416M#01 Aquia II | Best Overall (Our Pick) | $$ | 9/10 | 0.9 and 1.6 GPF | Dual Flush | 27.5x15.2x30.2" | Two Piece | Regular Height Bowl, Dual Max Tank | 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | Cotton White | Cotton White | 96.5 pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | 1 Year Warranty |
#2 | American Standard 2886218.020 H2Option | Premium | $$$ | 9/10 | 0.92/1.28 GPF | H2Option Siphonic Dual Flush | 15x29.8x31.5" | Two Piece | High Efficiency, EverClean Surface, PowerWash Rim | 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | White | White | 72.3 pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | Limited 5-year warranty on all mechanical parts |
#3 | Kohler K-3987-0 Wellworth | Budget | $ | 8/10 | 1.1 and 1.6 GPF | Gravity Flush | 39x34.5x24.5" | Two Piece | Easy To Install, Extraordinary Bulk-Flushing Performance | 12" | Round | Vitreous China | White | White | 45 pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | 1 Year Warranty |
#4 | Toto MS604114CEFG#01 Ultramax II | $$$ | 8/10 | 1.28 GPF | Tornado Flush | 28.3x16.6x28.8" | One Piece | CeFiONtect™ Ceramic Glaze, Universal Height, SoftClose® Seat | 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | Cotton White | Chrome | 99 pounds | Floor Mounted | EPA WaterSense | 1 Year Limited Warranty | |
#5 | Toto CST744SL#01 Drake | $ | 8/10 | 1.6 GPF | Gravity Flush | 28x19.5x30.5" | Two Piece | Chrome Trip Lever, G-Max Flushing System, Fully Glazed Trapway | 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | Cotton White | Chrome | 92 pounds | Floor Mounted | IAPMO(cUPC) | 1 Year Warranty | |
#6 | Galba Small Toilet | $$$ | 8/10 | 1.6 GPF | Dual Flush | 24.5x14x27" | One Piece | Self-Cleaning Glazed Surface | 12" | Elongated | Ceramic | White | White | 90 pounds | Floor Mounted | UPC/MAP (USA), cUPC | 1 Year Warranty On Parts | |
#7 | Toto CST412MF.01 Aquia | $$ | 7/10 | 0.9 and 1.6 GPF | Dual-Max Flush | 27.5x14.2x31.2" | Two Piece | Dual Flush Option, Universal Height, Chrome Push-Button, | 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | Cotton | Cotton White | 120 Pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | 1 Year Warranty | |
#8 | WoodBridge T-0001 | $$ | 8/10 | 1.0 and 1.6 GPF | Siphon Jet, Dual Flush | 28.5x14.5x27.5" | One Piece | The Easiest Toilet To Clean, Super Quiet & Powerful Flushing | 12" | Elongated | Ceramic | Pure White | White Ceramic | 119 pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | 5 Year Limited Warranty | |
#9 | Toto CST412MF.10No.01 Aquia | $$ | 8/10 | 0.9 and 1.6 GPF | Aquia Dual Flush | 30.8x17.5x20.5" | Two Piece | High Efficiency, Universal Height | 10" / 12" | Elongated | Vitreous China | Cotton | Cotton | 95 pounds | Floor Mounted | WaterSense | 1 Year Limited Warranty | |
#10 | Toto CT418F#01 Aquia | $ | 8/10 | 0.9 and 1.6 GPF | Gravity Flush | 21x14.2x15" | One Piece | Universal Height, Can Be Paired With the TOTO In-Wall Tanks System | 15 to 19" | Elongated | Vitreous China | White | Cotton | 66.5 pounds | Wall Hung | WaterSense | 1 Year Limited Warranty |
What is the difference between single and dual flush toilets?
There is a highly heated duel over the best choice between single flush and dual flush toilets. Even though there seems to be no difference at all at a glance, these 2 systems are worlds apart. Let’s explore their major advantages and drawbacks in brief.
Single Flush Toilets
These toilets feature one flush mechanism. This means that it uses the same flush rate for all types of wastes (solid and liquid).
Advantages
Easy To Use
Again, most single flush systems use a trip lever attached either to the right or left of the tank.
This is the ADA recommended design for a toilet that will be of service to most people including the physically challenged.
If you use the toilet with your small kids, this type of actuator might be quite friendlier to their small height rather than a button located in the middle of a high tank.
Since single flush systems have been around for quite some time now, you will find that they are super easy to use for everyone.
Easy To Replace
Single flush units are the most common today. So, it’s very unlikely that you’ll have to drive for long to get a replacement part for a broken piece.
Drawbacks
Not The Best Water Savers
If you were to look specifically into the amount of water that goes down the drain with each flushing system, then the single-flush system might not cut it regarding efficiency.
Even with the WaterSense-labeled commodes, using 1.28 gallons regardless of the type of waste might be somewhat inefficient especially for a busy toilet.
Dual Flush Toilets
These toilets feature two flush mechanisms. Most of them use 2 buttons located at the top of the tank. One button releases a low amount of water for liquid wastes usually .9 gallons or 1.1 gallons depending on the model and brand. The other button offers a full flush and gives out 1.6 gallons, 1.28 gallons, or even 0.8 gallons (in U-HET).
Advantages
True Water Savers
It goes without saying that a dual flush toilet is a little bit more efficient than its alternative the single flush system.
While the difference might be somewhat minimal, the amount of gallons that the low-flush mode in a dual-flush system saves you in a year is quite compelling.
Drawbacks
Learning Curve
Normally, the dual flush buttons in these models are usually a single button that has been divided into 2. Although most manufacturers take the liberty of differentiating the 2 actuators according to their role (most use a small and a big button), others will leave it to you to find out.
This can be a little bit hard to do at first without resulting in inefficiency. This can, consequently, take your bills higher than anticipated especially in a home with several people using the same toilet.
I imagine if you hit the low-flush button when you’ve actually done number 2, you might have to hit the full-flush button for a successful evacuation of your solid waste.
Hard To Use For Some
Several dual flush systems require you to hold the button down for an effective flush. Well, holding a button down for around 5 seconds won’t tire us out in any way.
However, do know that it can be pretty much inconveniencing to people with arthritis.
Notably, this is actually the common quibble that most homeowners have about the Toto CST416M-01 Aquia II.
Conclusion
Choosing between a single flush and a dual flush system can be quite confusing. However, toilet experts recommend you to choose the system in relation to where you plan to install it and how frequent the toilet is to be used.
For a master bathroom with, let’s say, two users, a dual-flush system might suffice. A single-flush model might be a reliable bet for a higher-traffic bathroom.