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Most flushing toilets on the market send waste through an outlet located on the floor. However, in some situations, people may require a rear outlet to send waste through the back, usually through a wall. This may be done for several reasons, the most common of which is simply making the best decision based on where your bathroom and plumbing pipes are located.
Some may opt for a full upflushing system that macerates waste and allows it to pump it through pipes that don't rely on gravity. Others will simply go for something more customized that meets their needs.
We highlight some of our favorites below and give you a better understanding of their functionality, GPF rates, and general pros and cons.
The Kennard 393188 is a two piece toilet that includes a skirted, elongated bowl which smoothes over its outer edges. The elongated shape ensures that users get the appropiate body support when sitting down.
The flushing mechanism gives consumers two options. A strong 1.6 gallon flush, or a lighter 0.8 gallon flush. This is known as a dual flush system, and gives buyers the opportunity to reduce the amount of water they use daily.
It's floor mounted, finished in white, and it has a limited lifetime warranty.
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| Signature Hardware Kennard |
American Standard Yorkville |
Kohler Barrington | |
| Model number | 393188 | 2876100.020 | K-3578-0 |
| Flush type | Dual | Pressure | Pressure |
| Touchless | |||
| Trip lever | |||
| Button | |||
| GPF | 0.8 / 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| ADA | |||
Rim height
Height without seat
|
16.25" | 15" | 17" |
| Elongated | . | ||
| Round | |||
| Square | |||
| Dimensions | 16-1/2 x 28-1/4 x 31-3/4" | 29.8 x 20.5 x 29.2" | 31.5 x 31.2 x 21.2" |
| Weight | 81.2 lbs | N/A | N/A |
| Concealed trap | |||
| Skirted | |||
| One piece | |||
| Two piece | . | ||
| Intelligent | |||
| Floor mount | . | ||
| Wall mounted | |||
| Colors | White | White | White |
| Seat | |||
| Rating | 82% | 82% | 81% |
For most bathrooms, a floor outlet will be the sensible route forward. The plumbing will typically be in place already and the pipes will allow gravity to handle the waste effectively. Then there is the fact that most manufacturers design their toilets in this way, meaning more choice in design and functionality.
However, a back outlet may be the only option in certain scenarios, plus they are not limited to floor mount models. You'll find plenty of wall hung units that feature a in-wall carrier system. There are two main advantages of installing such a system, the first being that there will be more space available, and the second is that it's easier to clean. Of course there are some disadvantages too. They are generally more expensive, and they are more complicated to install.
Something else to consider is that the rough in measurments are completely different to floor mounted toilets. Instead of measuring from the wall, along the floor to the center of the outlet pipe, it's measured from the floor up the wall.
The Kennard features a basic two piece design which separates the tank and bowl in the installation process. While this may take a bit of extra work and time, it does allow you a bit more space to the areas surrounding the bowl.
It's finished in white which gives it a bright, european theme, and it's mounted to the floor for stability and strength. The external shape isn't that impressive. If anything that could be described as basic rather than aesthetic. However, keeping things affordable is important to manufacturers, so you can't have it all.
The bowl is elongated which has several advantages over its round shape counterparts. The first being that it adds extra support for the legs, and the second is relating to user comfort and space while seated.
It's also comfort height, measuring 17" inches with the seat and 16-1/4" from the base to its rim. This is slightly taller than standard bowls and can benefit people with disabilities.
To operate the flush, users will need to press the buttons on top of the tanks lid. This is a dual flushing system that will utilize 1.6 gallons at most, and slightly less than this for a partial flush aimed at handling liquid waste.
It measures 16-1/2" in length, 31-3/4" in height, and 28-1/4" in depth. As you would expect, the hardware connects to the plumbing pipes through the wall.
The Yorkville is made by American Standard, who are a reputable brand that have been around for quite some time. As a company known for their efficient and effective sanitary ware, the 2876100.020 doesn't dissapoint us.
It operates on a pressure assist flushing mechanism, utilizing far less water than the average toilet does. At 1.1 gallons per flush, this saves large quantities of water over time, even up to 31% in comparison to standard units.
By achieving this level of efficiency, consumers can expect to pay less on their water utility bills and protect the environment. This is why it has the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense label.
The bowl is elongated, which is a smart choice for those of you looking to get a natural seated position, with maximum support for your legs. It's also coated with EverClean glazing which protects the ceramic surface from bacteria. The whole idea behind this feature is to prevent waste from sticking and lingering after visiting the bathroom, creating a cleaner and hygienic and odor free environment for the next person.
However, it's worth noting that it's two piece design may make the installation process a bit more time consuming than one piece products.
The dimensions listed are 29.8 by 20.5 by 29.2 inches, with a 2-1/8 inch trapway, and generous 10 by 12 inch water surface area.
The Barrington Pressure Lite is from another well known company called Kohler. You can read our thoughts about this brand here. Looking at the K-3578-0's features, it appears to have many of the specs we look for in our research. The stand out ones among these is efficiency and performance. For that reason, it makes the list in 3rd place.
Unlike gravity based systems, this will use compressed air to its advantage, with water forcefully being pushed through the bowl as a result of air jets. This creates strong flushing performance and reduces the likelihood of blockages.
Similarly to the Yorkville above, this will consume very little water in comparison to older 1.6 GPF models. The GPF flow rate listed here is even more impressive at 1.0 gallons. Over the course of a year, this can save you thousands of gallons of water, especially if you've got a large family.
The bowl is right height, adding some extra inches for accessibility while meeting ADA standards at the same time. It also has an elongated shape, known to be more comfortable than its round counterparts.
It measures 31.5 by 31.2 by 21.2 inches, with a 12 by 10 inch water spot to help keep bad odors down in the trap.
The seat and supply lines will need to be purchased separately. The K-4652 Lustra, K-4636 Cachet Quiet-Close, and K-5588 Purefresh are all options here.
Strong flush power - A powerful flushing mechanism is absolutely one of the features that help set apart the good toilets from the bad ones. Manufacturers test their own products through the Maximum Performance program, which enables consumers to compare toilets on a side by side basis.
The underlying scoring system used is a simple scale that ranks products from 0-1000 grams based on the amount of waste they can push through the trapway and waste outlet. Most modern toilets will score above 500 grams on this scale. However, readers need to be aware that the further down the scale you go, the increased likelihood of blockages, due to poor performance. For that reason, it's in your best interest to stick to units that are above 500 grams. The wide majority of models we come across meet this criteria.
But power isn't everything, the direction the water flows from tank to bowl, be it whirpool, or simple wash down, has an effect on removing the smaller traces of waste that tend to stick to the bowl. For example, Toto's tornado flush system will clean the areas surrounding the rim more effectively, something that standard mechanisms don't achieve. This plays an important role in minimizing odors and keeping the bathroom hygienic for longer. Some toilets will even have a built in self cleaning solution.
No matter how effective you feel the flush is on the product you're researching, it's only as good as the overall efficiency. With stricter guidelines being called for on water waste around the world, it's no wonder that toilets using a lot of water are being phased out, and their low flow counterparts are becoming increasingly popular. We think the reasoning behind this is that consumers appreciate that they are playing their part in protecting the environment as well as saving some money on utility bills at the end of every month.
The bowl - The shape and size of your toilet bowl needs to be taken intom account. You can start by deciding on what shape best fits your households requirements. As a general rule, we believe that elongated shape bowls are the sensible route because they provide adequate comfort, support, and are best suited to male users. However, the cases where this isn't an option is usually down to the amount of space available in the consumers bathroom. A round bowl can help save floor space in small bathrooms.
So you've got an understanding of the bowl shapes available to you, but you'll also need to carefully consider the size too. This is in relation to how far it protrudes from the wall and the overall height from floor to rim. Get yourself a measuring tape and get to know the absolute maximum product dimensions you can work with. This will help you filter out many toilets and enable you to focus on the ones you can use.
Then there is the bowl height. Typically, users will need to choose between comfort height (which adds an additionally couple of inches) and standard height. Comfort height will provide better access for the elderly due to the seating height being raised. They are usually ADA compliant too, taking into account the needs of everyone, able bodied or otherwise.
You will also be able to choose various styles and design features that can improve the aesthetics, and your ability to keep it clean. Smooth sided toilets with skirting can remove many areas from the exterior of the bowl where bacterior thrives on standard designs. That's because it gets rid of any cracks around the outline of the otherwise exposed trapway. Hiding the trapway in this manner can add a modern touch to your bathroom.
Brands - Differentiating between industry leaders and the smaller, but perfectly adequate companies can be quite a time consuming task. It's often said that you're paying for the name and brand recognition when buying a toilet from Kohler, TOTO, American Standard, Mansfield, and other household names. Which is true to a certain extent. However, plumbing professionals will argue there is a certain reliability you get from these that can be hit and miss with the lesser known names like Woodbridge, Ove Decors, Niagara, Swiss Madison, and Sterling. However, don't just take our word for it, check out our detailed guides on each of them, and make sure you check out the customer reviews too.
Size and shape - There is no excuse for a poorly fitted toilet in this day and age. There are excellent work arounds on the market for every scenario, be it something that fits neatly into the corner, or specific outlet locations. You also get plenty of options for different rough in sizes. It don't matter if yours measures 10 inches, 12 inches, or 14 inches, most of the big manufacturers have a suitable product to match it. There are also some flexible solutions available in the form of UniFit adapters.
The options listed above are just a few examples of floor mounted, rear discharge toilets. They are suitable for residential usage and are built to handle more than the average users daily waste. Even though we cover the specifications in depth, it's important to do your own due dilligence. This should include looking at what customers are saying about the product online, whether or not it's accessible for people with disabilities, or even how much water it uses, and how much you can save.