The 10 Best Toilet Seats
Editor's Notes
April 30, 2020:
During this round of updates, the Toto Washlet, Brondell Swash EcoSeat, BioBidet Bliss and GenieBidet Hybrid T were all removed due to availability issues, and we replaced the Bernis Elijer Emblem – which was previously ranked as a budget-friendly option, before its price shot up – with the Mayfair 843, which is offered at a much more affordable price.
A few things to keep in mind for this category:
Compatibility: First and foremost, you’re going to want to make sure that your new seat matches up nicely with your existing toilet. Fortunately, most modern toilets are designed to be one of two shapes: round or elongated. While we always recommend doing your due diligence and making sure measurements match up, it’s also important to recognize that many models – including the Vovo Electronic Bidet VB4000SE, and Mayfair 843 – are offered in both round and elongated versions, so don’t be too quick to count an option out if it appears to be the wrong shape.
Installation: As far as basic units go, it’s tough to come up with a do-it-yourself project that’s more basic than changing a toilet seat – a task that can usually be accomplished with a screwdriver. But once you start dealing with high-end options, you’ll likely need to hook your seat up to your water line, and a 120-volt outlet. Hooking up the water isn’t too difficult, since it’s normally no problem to tap into the same water line your toilet uses, but the electrical connection can be a bit tricky. Unless you don’t mind constantly tripping over a power cord draped over your bathroom vanity – a nuisance that can really detract from the luxury offered by your new throne – there’s a good chance that you’ll need to have a plug fished in behind your toilet. So, be sure to factor in the cost of calling in an electrician to do a small installation, when you’re working out your budget for this project.
Bells & Whistles: For our basic selections – like the Mayfair 843 and Bath Royale Premium – the biggest bragging point is likely their soft-closing, slam-proof hinges. A little further up the line, the Topseat Art of Acryl offers multiple options for flashy designs on top of its lid, and the Big John 3W features a notably heavy 1,2000-pound weight capacity, for large users.
Our premium selections start with the Brondell L60-EW LumaWarm, which features a heated seat and LED nightlight, then move up to the Brondell Swash 300, which doesn’t include a nightlight, but still comes with a heated seat and the ability to administer warm-water washes. Top-end models like the BioBidet Bliss BB2000 are quite expensive, but they also come loaded with desirable features like charcoal-filter deodorizers, bubble-infused aerated spray cleaners with variable pressure, and on-board water heaters.
Don't Leave The Seat Up
They are a necessary location to go when answering that call of nature.
Doing one's business in the privacy of a bathroom is not often a topic of casual conversation at parties between friends. Still, the fact remains that lavatory facilities are a way of life. They are a necessary location to go when answering that call of nature. On that same note, it would make sense that each visit to that porcelain throne should be as comfortable and accommodating as possible for both men and women.
Where you put your backside and how comfortable you are when relieving yourself are still important considerations when doing your business. For that reason, toilet seats are just as important to personal preference as most any other object you would ordinarily use on a regular basis.
In its most basic form, a toilet seat is a hinged unit that features a contoured seat for the buttocks and a lid, both of which are typically bolted to a toilet bowl. In an ideal world, a man will lift the toilet seat to urinate, while the seat will be down for use by both men and women when having a bowel movement.
It's considered part of common knowledge and etiquette that a person will flush the toilet after having used it. A vast majority of public restrooms have stalls that also dispense paper toilet seat protectors for additional convenience.
A toilet seat can have either an open or closed front. Open-front seats make it easy for women to wipe their private areas without having to make contact with the seat itself. By contrast, closed-front toilet seats are common in homes where the same people use them over and over.
Toilet seats are often constructed from various types of wood, such as oak and are available in many different colors or styles. Some toilet seats are also built to fit the shape and to match the color of the toilet with which they are included. Depending on the style, a toilet seat can also be adorned with decorative patterns, making the seat more inviting (i.e. for a kid's bathroom).
If you think the age of high-tech invention hasn't reached something as simple as a toilet seat, think again. Many modern toilet seats offer additional features of convenience, including built-in electric heaters and bidets, which are quite common in Japan.
A Brief History Of Toilet Seats
The concept of sanitation and lavatory usage (including toilets and toilet seats) dates back to ancient times. Ancient civilizations using early toilet systems attached to flowing water sewage systems included those of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
The ancient Romans also built sewers to collect rainwater and sewage with public lavatories featuring stone seats.
In ancient Egypt, for example, lavish toilet seats for the rich were made from limestone, while the poor would use wooden stools. The ancient Romans also built sewers to collect rainwater and sewage with public lavatories featuring stone seats.
During the Middle Ages, the majority of toilets consisted of simple pits in the ground with wooden seats. Monks of the time constructed lavatories made from either wood or stone directly over rivers and with stone chutes designed to carry the sewage out to sea. In medieval castles, a toilet was often referred to as a garderobe, which was a simple hole with a vertical shaft leading to a pit or moat.
In 1596, John Harrington invented the first flushing toilet system and installed the first practical flushing toilet as a gift for his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Sewage systems continued to improve in the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s, affording the middle class of both Europe and the United States the ability to benefit from indoor flushing toilets.
The hinged toilet seat, similar to those used in modern times, didn't become common until the Victorian era.
Comfort For The Backside
The type of toilet seat chosen really depends on preference and practicality. Many modern hinged toilet seats are made from heavy-duty plastics, which are easy to keep clean. Plastic seats also have built-in features of convenience that can include automatic, slow-closing lids, which come in handy when an entire family uses them.
Wood is also warmer, more durable, and thicker than plastic in many cases.
If interior decor, design, and elegance matter to you, then going with a wooden toilet seat is a good idea. Wood is also warmer, more durable, and thicker than plastic in many cases. When choosing a wooden toilet seat, one must be certain the wood is of superior quality and possibly treated to prevent staining or discoloration over time.
If you're the type who's into high-tech luxury, then there are definitely options for you that include seats with built-in massage functions, deodorizers, adjustable temperature controls, and even illuminated remotes for handling those controls. Some seats even offer pre-misting options for the toilet bowl before each use.
For those who feel that cleanliness is close to godliness, many seat options also offer built-in bidet functionality and are made with antibacterial materials.
Finally, if multiple family members will be sharing a toilet seat, finding one with a contoured and open front will make it easy for everyone to use, including women.