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I have a slow/weak flushing toilet and it's not the tank or flapper, etc. Shirlock says in an answer to a related question, that it's "time to spring and spend 200 bucks for a new Class 5 toilet. Which toilet to buy is a whole new topic."

Well, then this is it: A whole new topic.

When looking at toilets, they range in price from $100 to $300 at the hardware store, and I'm sure I could find some fancy $10K units if I looked long enough. Obviously there are "round" and "oval" shapes, different heights, different water usage amounts, one vs two pieces, etc.

I am mostly confused by what a "Class 5" or "Class 6" toilet is. Attempting to search for this I wound up with an awful lot of "potty training" results!

I want to replace the faulty toilet with one that will freaking work. I am not opposed to spending a little more for quality and longevity, but I am tired of flushing 2-3 times, period. What do I need to look for to get a dependable, powerful one, without necessarily wasting a ton of water?

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  • Home depot has a handy tool for this, it provides a very visible, easy to read Flush Power value on every toilet. – Tester101 Dec 13 '12 at 13:28
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There are some articles that speak to the minor differences between a class 5 and 6 toilet. The most important thing to know is that a class 5 toilet has a larger diameter trapway and the interior of the trapway is polished like the inside of the bowl is. They also use a faster low water volume flush system. The common complaint is that solids can leave 'skid marks" on the bowl as there is not a large volume of water in the bowl after flushing. the class 6 uses the same flush technology, but has more rim water action to wash the sides of the bowl better. Most reviews I've read say there really isn't much difference at all.

The better units are the Toto Drake series, the Kohler Cimmeron and American Standard Cadet series. They all can be purchased for between 200 to 300 dollars. Round bowl standard height is cheapest, elongated bowl comfort height being about 30 to 40 dollars more.

Even though we aren't suppose to endorse brand names, I will say, I have installed a couple dozen Kohler Cimmerons in private homes and in my apartment buildings. I have had a few complaints about the "skid marks", lol, but have never had a call about a clogged toilet. These things flush like a tidal wave.

The other feature I really like is that the tank always is at least half full. With average use, the water comes up to room temp and a flush only introduces 1.3 gals of new colder water. The result is no condensation on the tank during the hot humid months of summer or when the bathroom becomes a sauna after a long hot shower.

I have also installed the more expensive (under $400) Kohler Cimmeron one piece, elongated, comfort height in my own home. Looks good and works great if your looking for that low tank modern style.

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  • For my bathroom remodel, I got an American Standard Cadet (oval bowl, two piece, 10" rough-in) and have no complaints about the flushing. The seat/lid it came with was super cheap and flimsy plastic so I replaced it with an enameled wood one. – auujay Dec 13 '12 at 15:55
  • The Kohler Cimmerons come in a kit from the box stores, Lowes, HD etc. include wax rings, hardware and a very nice soft close molded seat. – shirlock homes Dec 13 '12 at 19:38
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I personally found that the quality of the cheaper toilets these days have improved to the point where the differences are minor to me. Class 5 is the way to go and low water usage tends to be better. I just replaced a crappy one-piece with this and couldn't be happier.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_98923-70476-AT1203-00_0__?productId=3126281&Ntt=toilet&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dtoilet&facetInfo=

For only $100 it is an impressive feat of engineering, and it flushes like its on the suck end of a jet engine. The only complaint I have is that the lid is a bit flimsy and you really can't just use it as a chair when your trimming your nails or what not.

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  • If the cheaper ones do a good job, but are flimsy, then I'm ok spending another 50 or 100% to get one that's sturdy also. – JYelton Dec 13 '12 at 15:39
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    It is easy to replace the cheap seat/lid with a better one (you can even spring for those "no slam" seats). – auujay Dec 13 '12 at 15:57
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    Your link shows that model is no longer available at Lowes. – MatthewD Feb 18 '17 at 20:42
  • I have installed those "cheap" 100CAD toilets from Costco in my house. They are high efficiency, and have worked great since installed about 7 months ago now. – J Crosby Jun 7 at 17:45

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