by Dan |
Last Updated: March 10, 2023 Table of Contents
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Toto puts lots of emphasis on putting its clients ahead regarding innovative products. Importantly, this manufacturer has something for everyone.
Whether all you need is a low end stylish fixture for your contemporary home or an elegant high end Smart toilet, Toto has it.
However, as good as Toto toilets are, they also have their share of challenges. You might want to understand the two sides of each unit before committing to it.
This Toto Drake II CST454CEFG 01 toilet review aims at revealing the ups and downs of this fixture and let you determine whether it’s the best choice for your bathroom or not.
What Is The Toto Drake 2 CST454CEFG-01 Toilet?
Regarding price, the CST454CEFG#01 is slightly expensive than most toilets from this brand. From a performance standpoint, the Drake II is one of the best performers in this arena.
One Of The Best Performers
Featuring a simple but beautiful design, this toilet utilizes Double Cyclone flushing technology to generate a powerful force that not only pushes heavy solids with relative ease but also does so with very little amount of water – 1.28 gallons per flush.
Uses 1.28 GPF (gallons per flush)
It’s very unlikely that you’ll require a second re-flush with the Drake II thanks to its computer designed wider trapways. However, even if you had to, you might appreciate that this toilet’s tank refills in utmost 20 seconds. This feature eliminates prolonged wait time.
Quite Easy To Install
This toilet is a revamped version of the original CST744SG-01 Drake toilet which is still very popular and a market leader regarding flushing performance. The Drake is also relatively inexpensive and might be a great option for people who want something cheaper. However, the Drake II has improved water conservation and better bowl wash.
The Toto CST454CEFG#01 is also relatively lightweight and, therefore, quite easier to install.
What’s In The Package?
- One toilet (NO seat)
- Tank cover
- Installation supply
- Polished chrome trip lever
- Installation guide
Toto Drake II CST454CEFG 01 Toilet Features And Benefits
Design Vs. Your Needs
The Toto Drake II is a 2 piece toilet featuring an elongated bowl with a uniquely thin water tank. This is, in fact, one of the most notable differences between it and several other models from this manufacturer.
This slim tank means that the Drake II consumes less space than most of its elongated siblings that use the bulky tank. This might, therefore, be somewhat easy to install in small bathrooms where other models won’t work.
Choice Of 6 Colors
The O1 in this toilet’s name means that it is a white cotton model. However, you are not restricted to this color only. The Drake II comes in several other hues including colonial white, Sedona, beige, ebony, and bone. These different colors make it easy to choose a commode that perfectly fits your home’s or office’s bathroom décor.
While the toilet’s color is a personal preference, most homeowners tend to favor white models because:
• They are easy to keep clean
• They create a psychological effect on cleanliness
• White color is easy to match with most bathroom schemes
• A white commode is easy to transfer to other homeowners since most people prefer white
2 Piece Design
The market today is showing lots of favoritism towards the one piece toilets. These units are viewed as more stylish for the contemporary home. However, single piece toilets do not beat the 2 piece commodes in all battles.
The Toto CST454CEFG, for instance, is easy to move around when installing since you move one piece at a time. Again, the 2 piece design also means that each part is replaceable independent of the other part. With a one piece unit, you might be forced to replace the entire toilet if the bowl or tank got damaged to the point of no repair.
Elongated Bowl (For Optimum Comfort And Support)
The elongated design of the Drake II makes it usable by almost all members of your household. Men tend to be favored more by the extra space in front. It also means that there will be fewer spills on your floors, a feature that boosts your bathroom’s hygienic levels.
In addition, its elongated design offers the most coveted thigh support to large people ultimately making your bathroom more comfortable rather than unwelcoming.
However, be sure to measure your bathroom and ensure that there’s enough space for this toilet since its elongated design tends to make it quite bulky.
Comfort Height
The Toto CST454CEFG meets the ADA height requirements. The seat has a universal seat height of 17.25 inches and around 16 inch bowl height. That being said, it might be a good option for adults and tall people who find it quite hard to get on and off the standard 15 inch tall toilet.
Unfortunately, this toilet’s ‘comfort height’ design isn’t always comfortable for kids and short people whose legs dangle uncomfortably. As such, it might be great for your master bathroom but not for your kid’s.
Flushing Performance Vs. Water Consumption
The Drake II has an impressive Maximum Performance (MaP) rating of 800 grams. This means that it displaces at least 800 grams of waste in a single flush. Again, as a WaterSense certified commode, it utilizes only 1.28 gallons per flush.
The CST454CEFG Drake II can utilize such a low amount of water thanks to its 3-inch valve. It also uses Toto’s Double Cyclone flushing technology and harnesses the power of gravity to create a powerful flush with excellent bowl cleaning action and efficient waste elimination.
Past reviewers say that it’s quite impressive how the Drake II removes such a hefty amount of solid waste easily with only 1.28 gallons of water. Most of them also say that it has no issues with clogging. These features make it a great option for a busy home with several toilet users.
What You Should Know
The Drake II does not ship with the seat. Fortunately, it is compatible with most standard seats. So, you might want to add it to your cart alongside the Drake II to avoid any inconveniences.
Toto Drake II CST454CEFG Pros & Cons
Pros
- Its ADA and WaterSense approved
- Has Comfort height
- Elongated bowl accommodates most adults
- Double Cyclone flushing technology is powerful, efficient, and effective
- Powerful bowl-cleaning action reduces regular scrubbing
Cons
- It’s loud
- Package does not come with the seat
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Is The Drake II The Best Toilet For Your Bathroom?
As the features above show, the Drake II might be a good option for anyone looking for a powerful flusher that also helps in saving water. Its elongated design makes it a great choice for most adults and might, therefore, be worth going for if you are looking for a toilet for your master bath.
But as I told you, its elongated design might consume much space in a small bathroom. Luckily, this toilet has a round bowl version, the CST453CEFG 01 for such instances. This model has a universal height and uses Toto’s Tornado flushing system to utilize utmost 1.28 gallons per flush.
Read This Before Buying a Toilet
Determine The Rough In
If your previous model had the standard 12’’ rough-in, you might have to go with the same measurement or go smaller, not any larger.
Decide Whether To Buy An Elongated or Round Bowl Toilet
Round models are compact and ideally fit for compact bathrooms. But they tend to be too small for large people.
Elongated toilets accommodate different users but might be too large for small bathrooms. So, factor in the two to determine what’s good for you.
Water Consumption vs Your Needs vs Your State’s Laws
Determine how much water the toilet uses per flush. Traditional toilets used up to 5 gallons per flush (GPF). Modern units use as low as 1.6 GPF. Still, some States require manufacturers to push toilets that use 1.28 GPF at the maximum. These newer models also help in cutting your water bills. You might want to look for those.
Color
Of course, you’ll want to match your toilet with your bathroom’s walls. Fortunately, the market today has toilets with all sorts of colors ranging from white to new exotic colors.
Find what fits your bathroom best.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the Toto Drake II CST454CEFG 01 is amongst the best toilets you could get from Toto. This commode has several key selling points including effective solid removal and water efficiency.
The Drake II uses Double Cyclone technology which utilizes a strong siphon action and the force of water and gravity to remove hefty waste with 1.28 gallons of water per flush.
Again, its a Toto Drake elongated which means that it’ll offer comfort to most users especially the elderly, old, and tall adults.
Its excellent bowl cleaning action and Cefiontect glaze also make keeping the toilet clean quite easy and hassle free. All these features come together to make the Drake II a toilet that won’t disappoint and, therefore, highly recommendable.