What Makes a Smart Toilet Modern
A modern smart toilet is a toilet with the washing and comfort technology built into the fixture: a bidet wash, a heated seat, a warm air dryer, a deodorizer, an automatic lid and an automatic flush, all run from one remote. The difference from a bidet toilet seat is that nothing sits on top of a bowl you already own — the ceramic and the electronics are designed together, so the profile stays low and the seams disappear.
Every toilet in this collection is a TOTO, and they come in three shapes. The NEOREST range — NX1, NX2, RS, AS and LS — are floor-mounted one-piece fixtures; TOTO describes the RS silhouette as "soft curves without sharp corners." The wall-mounted smart toilets, NEOREST WX1 and WX2, run on TOTO's WT175MA in-wall tank system, so the ceramic mounts off the wall and the floor beneath it stays clear. The WASHLET G5A, G5A Lite and RP WASHLET RW are integrated smart toilets built around a WASHLET+ seat rather than a NEOREST body.
Where the flush volumes land
TOTO rates the NEOREST NX1, NX2, RS, AS and LS at 1.0 GPF / 0.8 GPF dual flush. The wall-hung WX1 and WX2 use an "ultra high-efficiency TORNADO FLUSH system" at 1.2 GPF / 0.8 GPF. The WASHLET G5A and G5A Lite flush at 1.2 or 1.0 GPF, and the RP WASHLET RW uses a dual-flush tank inside the wall at 1.28 GPF / 0.9 GPF. TOTO lists the NX2, WX1, WX2 and G5A Lite as meeting EPA WaterSense specifications for water efficiency and performance.
The Latest Technology in Toilets
The latest technology in toilets is aimed at two things: keeping the bowl clean without you scrubbing it, and letting you use the toilet without touching it. These are the named TOTO systems on the fixtures in this collection, in TOTO's own words.
- TORNADO FLUSH — "features two powerful nozzles that create a centrifugal, cyclonic rinsing action which reduces waste buildup and keeps the bowl cleaner," paired with a hole-free rim design.
- CEFIONTECT — an ion-barrier glaze. TOTO's "extraordinarily smooth CEFIONTECT glaze prevents particulates from adhering to porous, ceramic surfaces."
- PREMIST — wets the bowl before you use it. On the NEOREST bowl, TOTO states this "aids in waste elimination approximately 80% better than a dry bowl."
- EWATER+ — "Electrolyzing water produces a sterilizing agent (hypochlorous acid) that is used to keep the wand and toilet bowl hygienic." On the NEOREST it auto-cleans the wand, bowl and under-seat after every use.
- ACTILIGHT — on the NEOREST NX2 and WX2, it "harnesses its CLEAN LIGHT technology and innovative hydrophilic glaze to easily wash away waste, dirt, and grime on the toilet bowl's surface."
- Touchless operation — an auto open/close lid that opens as you approach, and auto flush that TOTO backs with a manual flush for power outages.
Comfort features run alongside the cleaning ones: a heated seat that starts warming as you approach, a warm air dryer that TOTO lists with five variable temperature settings on the NEOREST NX2, an automatic air deodorizer that works during and after use, a night light, and a remote that stores wash preferences for multiple users.
What to Know Before Buying a Smart Toilet
Before buying a smart toilet, settle four things: your rough-in, your outlet, floor-mounted versus wall-hung, and which features you will use daily. The first two decide whether the fixture can go in at all, so start there rather than with the feature list.
1. Measure your rough-in first
Rough-in is the distance from the finished wall to the center of the closet bolts at the base of your toilet. Measure to the wall, not the baseboard, and use the back pair of bolts if there are four. TOTO's NEOREST range is built for a 12-inch rough-in and uses a modular rough-in with no smaller adapter offered, which our rough-in size guide confirms model by model. If you measure 10 inches, start with 10-inch rough-in smart toilets instead of trying to force a NEOREST into the space.
2. Plan the outlet before the fixture
Every toilet in this collection needs power for the seat heater, water heater, dryer and sensors, which means a GFCI outlet near the toilet. Newer bathrooms usually have one; older ones frequently do not, and the wall behind a toilet is not a convenient place to discover that. Adding an outlet is an electrician's job, and it is cheaper scheduled alongside the install than after it.
3. Decide floor-mounted or wall-hung
Floor-mounted models — the NEOREST NX1, NX2, RS, AS, LS and the WASHLET G5A pair — replace an existing toilet on the existing flange. Wall-hung models are a different job. The NEOREST WX1 and WX2 need TOTO's WT175MA in-wall tank system, and the RP WASHLET RW requires double wall studs and a double header capable of supporting a minimum load of 880 lbs, with the discharge line centered 1-3/4 inches forward of the framing. That is a decision you make while the wall is open, and the payoff is floor space: TOTO credits the RP WASHLET RW with freeing up to 9 inches of it.
4. Check seat height and reach
TOTO lists the NEOREST NX2, WX1, WX2 and the WASHLET G5A Lite as Universal Height and ADA compliant, and sets the RP WASHLET RW rim at a 17-inch chair height. Universal Height puts the seat roughly two inches above a standard bowl, which most adults find easier to stand up from.
5. Pick the features you will use every day
Wash, heated seat and dryer are the three you notice daily. The auto open/close lid, deodorizer, night light and multi-user memory settings matter more in a shared or nighttime bathroom than a guest one. Our explainer on what a smart toilet actually does covers each function.
The Downsides of a Smart Toilet
The main downsides of a smart toilet are cost, the electrical requirement, more involved repairs, a short learning curve, and dependence on power for the electronic functions.
- Cost. Full smart toilets run from around $1,000 to $5,000 or more depending on brand and technology, against $80 to $800 for a smart seat.
- Electricity. A GFCI outlet near the toilet is required, and retrofitting one adds to the job.
- Repairs. Electronic components can need specialized parts or service rather than a hardware-store fix.
- Learning curve. New users typically need a few days to get comfortable with the controls.
- Power dependency. In an outage the wash, heated seat and dryer stop working until power returns.
If the cost or the wiring is the sticking point, a bidet toilet seat gives you the wash, the heated seat and the dryer on the toilet you already own, and you can move it with you.