Gone are the days when the toilet was strictly utilitarian. Today's toilet becomes a throne in the true sense of the word - from playing music to tracking your hormones, luxury toilet features offer a lot more than a place to sit.
Seven Features Seen in Luxury Toilets
Heated and lit toilet seats only begin to scratch the surface of what's available today. Check out these features to decide if they're worth getting for your home.
Music and Stereo Speakers
If you feel the need to disguise the sounds of your toilet's natural functions, consider getting a commode with built-in speakers. Stereo speakers allow you to connect your own music player, or use a toilet like the Inax Satis, which plays Bach and Mozart on command. The Satsis also has an SD slot so you can load up your own tunes any time you'd like. Toilet's containing music and speakers start their pricing around $4,000.
Air Purifier
Many luxury toilets are coming equipped with air purification systems as well. These systems are operated by sensor; as soon as the lid is lifted, or a user is detected, the system kicks on, cleaning the air and eliminating odors. Models with this system installed include TOTO's Neorest, which purifies the air whenever the seat is in the lifted or upright position. Air purification is built in to several different toilets and isn't an option on its own. A toilet that is equipped with this feature will typically cost just under $10,000.
Health Measurement
If you travel to Japan to purchase your new toilet, you have the option of getting a model that keeps track of your health. The Toto Intelligence II can measure your BMI, blood sugar, blood pressure, temperature and keep track of a woman's menstrual cycles by measuring the amount of hormones found in her urine. Expect this kind of service to set you back around $10,000 for the more basic models.
Heat
Heated toilet seats have been around for decades, but a toilet that not only heats your bottom, but your feet as well, is a novelty. Kohler's innovative new Numi toilet, with its fold out design includes a foot warming option that keeps your toes toasty on cold mornings. Expect these toilet options to begin around $6000.
Bidet
Most luxury toilet seats offer bidet and drying features. Wands extend from beneath the seat at a touch of a button, and spray warm water to help keep you clean. Warm air finishes the job, drying better than any toilet paper. All of this takes place on a heated seat.
Many models, like the Brondell Swash, also allow you to save your settings. Use the sensors or the remote control to let it know who you are and bring up your personal spa settings. Built-in bidets are one of the least expensive options in luxury toilets; it's possible to retro-fit your existing toilet with a bidet seat for around $600.
Sensors
Toilets like Kohler's Numi and Inax's Satis have built-in sensors as well. As you approach the toilet, the seat lifts on its own. As you rise, the toilet flushes itself, lowers the lid and extends its air purification system.
Self-Cleaning
Nearly all luxury toilets feature some degree of self-cleaning. From Toto's Sani-Gloss, which keeps debris from sticking to the bowl, to Inax's Hyper Clean, which helps scrub the bowl with every flush, you won't have a problem keeping these bowls sanitary. These features come standard on most luxury toilets.
Luxury Toilet Style
In addition to the many high-tech features luxury toilets offer today, the style these toilets offer cannot be overlooked. In addition to the sleek designs and clean lines many of these toilets offer, there are several other points to look for including:
- Finishes made of stainless steel or leather, like those available from Neo Metro
- Artist renderings like the Waza Miyabi from Toto
- Toilets completely encrusted with Swarovski crystals, like the Isis toilet from Jemal Wright
Bring Some Luxury to Your Bathroom
Using a toilet with these features is a little like having your own personal spa. Whether you opt for a full-featured model, or you invest in a heated, washing toilet seat, bring a little extra luxury to your bathrooms with a luxury toilet.
