To bidet or not to bidet

December 12, 2023 7:28 PM

What should we consider in deciding between a bidet vs a washlet?

We are creating a new bathroom in our house, so are starting from scratch. We would like to have the function of a bidet in the toilet. We have never had or used a bidet.

For those of you who do have such experience, would it be better to get an integrated bidet/toilet, or to install a normal toilet with a "washlet" seat?

Relative cost between the two options is not the primary concern. The main things I am concerned about are longevity, maintenance/repair, cleaning, and of course any unknown-unknowns for a bidet virgin!

posted by tentacle to Home & Garden (27 answers total)

I have a Kohler manual bidet seat because I don’t have electricity near my toilet for a washlet. I like how the manual bidet seat works. There’s just one knob for on/off and pressure control. It’s super easy in the middle of the night when I’m not wearing glasses. But I don’t like disassembling and cleaning it.

If I was building up the restroom from the start, I would go with a kitchen sprayer mounted next to the toilet, as found in Malaysia and elsewhere, along with a hard-wired dryer. This gives you maximum control, ease of fixture cleaning, and you can pick any toilet. This would probably be considered a very weird option in the USA, though.

If you’re going to go for an electric washlet, go all the way. Get a self-cleaning unit with a UV sterilizer, etc. to cut down on cleaning. Go for the electric dryer, it will save money on toilet paper (I still have to dry with a manual bidet). Make sure the controls are something you’re comfortable using in the dark, or when groggy.

Also, consider a wall-mounted toilet and a floor drain in your bathroom. It’ll make cleaning your bathroom super easy.
posted by Headfullofair at 7:56 PM on December 12, 2023 [6 favorites]

I used to think I wanted a washlet/Toto bidet, but I installed a shattaf-style bidet for price and expediency--it didn't require a new circuit, electric outlet or toilet (we weren't sure a washlet would fit on the existing '64 Kohler). Now that it's been in use for a while, I'm very glad I decided to try it, plan to keep it permanentl and a washlet seems overcomplicated and unnecessary.

A few thoughts:

It's essentially the same plumbing technology as a kitchen sink with a sprayer. It's made of brass and uses a standard, replaceable faucet cartridge. It seems obvious that there are fewer things that can go wrong with it vs. a moderately complicated electronic device sitting on your toilet, and if it does break parts are available (many at the local hardware store) and the repair is something that I can do myself.

I wondered if cold water only would be a problem. It isn't, and I actually might prefer it. There's also some evidence that warm-water bidets can host pathogenic bacteria.

Because it hangs on a bracket on the wall, no part of it "hangs out" in or near the toilet bowl when it's not in active use, so it doesn't require cleaning as frequently or extensively as a washlet-style bidet.

This may sound cranky but the more I thought about a bidet having a control panel/remote and an extensive feature set the less it interested me. Spraying water on your butt is a plumbing question and is most appropriately addressed by a plumbing fixture, not, like, an electrical appliance.
posted by pullayup at 8:04 PM on December 12, 2023 [7 favorites]

If you just want the best option, get electricity near toilet, get an insta heat constant temp option. Especially in your area where groundwater temp varies through the year, this will be the most expensive happiest option. Choice of product and setup then goes to do you want to sit or stand on the lid and figure from there. But setting up a new bathroom, before you worry about this, just get electricity and hot and cold piped to toilet area.
posted by ixipkcams at 8:09 PM on December 12, 2023

Just to be super clear a "shattaf-style bidet" is the "kitchen sprayer mounted next to the toilet." Lots of them are purpose-built, though, and not literally a kitchen sprayer! I also saw this style of bidet in Malaysia, and that's why I gave it a try. The train stations had them in public restrooms.
posted by pullayup at 8:09 PM on December 12, 2023 [3 favorites]

I didn’t know the term shattaf, thanks pullayup, that’s what I want!

I also prefer cooler water to a warmed up bidet spray, and agree that a simple fixture is preferable to a bunch of buttons.
posted by Headfullofair at 8:26 PM on December 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

I'm gonna go against everyone and just say that I vacationed at a place with a fancy Japanese electronic toilet situation and I freaking adored it. Toilet seat pops up when it senses you approaching, delightfully warm seat, the choice of warm or cool water, a little bit of fresh air afterward...utterly delightful. If I was redoing my bathroom I'd do that for sure.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:48 PM on December 12, 2023 [7 favorites]

I'm with BlahLaLa. I fell in love with washlets in Japan. During the pandemic, with all the toilet paper supply chain stress, Lord Oscar installed a Toto washlet seat on our upstairs toilet. It was great, and he enjoyed it so much he got another one for the downstairs bathroom. We don't have the seat-opening thing or heated seat (since we live in the tropics), but it is, seriously, delightful. I can get spray in both relevant areas with choices for strength, heat, and pattern. I miss it when I'm at work.

The upstairs toilet was a Toto model; the downstairs is American Standard, and the add-on unit worked great on both. The washlets aren't cheap, but compared to the cost of other things in a renovation, I would consider them cheap at the price.
posted by LadyOscar at 9:38 PM on December 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

Just to be super clear a "shattaf-style bidet" is the "kitchen sprayer mounted next to the toilet."
Got to admit, I'd need to see an instructional video how to... do that. While seated? How do you get your hand down there, without... maybe it's more obvious when you try it.

I like a washlet, the up-front price was well worth it.

If you're really doing the bathroom from scratch, totally consider the japanese-style shower too. As in, the bathroom floor has a drain, and the whole room is the shower. You shower outside the tub. Seems weird at first but so, so much nicer. No more shower curtains.
posted by ctmf at 11:19 PM on December 12, 2023

Another vote for the washlet. I have tried the shattaf style when travelling, and it is fine. The washlet is more luxurious since you can go as complex as you want, including heated seats, temperature setting the water, self-cleaning, blow dryer, etc. It was great during lockdown, not fearing any toilet paper shortages. The washlet I've used usually has a safety feature where it does not engage unless there is weight on the seat.

If there is no issue with getting a water line and electricity power point in the toilet area, then definitely the washlet.

The only thing I caution people about the washlet is ensuring you get one that fits your toilet. It is easy if you are going with a Toto toilet and washlet, but retrofitting to a different make of toilet can be a bit tricky.
posted by jadepearl at 12:53 AM on December 13, 2023

I'm a big fan of the shattaf-style sprayers, which I used daily when I lived in Singapore and extensively while traveling elsewhere in Asia over the past dozen years. I haven't had the opportunity to use a Toto Washlet or equivalent more than every so often (usually while peeing in public restrooms, which is kinda a different use-case than pooping at home I guess — so I can't quite compare the two directly). While I've found the Washlet-type bidets fine for occasional use, I'm still a lot more confident that the sprayers "do the job" well. Admittedly, I would like a built-in dryer.
posted by knucklebones at 1:06 AM on December 13, 2023

Another vote for washlet. I’ve had one model or another of a Toto Washlet since I was introduced to them in Japan 35 years ago and miss it whenever I am away from home. Well worth the price, considering the utility!
posted by nandaro at 5:38 AM on December 13, 2023

Bought a Toto Washlet. It's awesome.

If you go the washlet route, consider the shape of your toilet. We have an older house with round toilets that we replaced just prior to getting the washlet. While you can get Toto washlets for round toilets, they're a little cramped and had we known we probably would've gotten elongated toilets.

(Also, the elongated Toto washlets sometimes appear online with crazy discounts. The round ones not so much. And when we ordered a round one, they still shipped us an elongated one, which we had to return)
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:55 AM on December 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: (Just to redirect to the main question, it is about integrated bidet versus toilet + washlet cover -- not so much shattaf vs anything else. I would especially appreciate hearing from people who have a bidet in their home rather than experience during vacations, to get some insight into maintenance and long-term pitfalls.

But do appreciate learning about the shattaf-style option and its benefits! One hesitation with the other options is all the electronics, so for instance, if people have experience where those elements break down or don't last would love to hear it!)
posted by tentacle at 6:04 AM on December 13, 2023

I would buy a toilet with a bidet integrated. At least, I don't love the compromises in the design of my Toto C5 Washlet. The seat looks and feels weird because it has to be so big to contain everything. RonButNotStupid is right: the round design has even less space to work with. My C5 has a water tank for hot water, which both takes up a lot of space and yet also isn't really enough hot water. (Strongly recommend an instant hot water heater but they usually cost extra.) The washlet seat just feels like an add-on or retrofit, having the toilet itself be the bidet makes much more sense to me.

(If I were designing a new bathroom with plenty of space I'd install a European style separate bidet, the thing that's like a sink you sit on.)
posted by Nelson at 6:35 AM on December 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

I have a Toto washlet and I absolutely love it. The heated seat and blow dryer feel so luxurious, and it has a self cleaning function, although I do clean it myself every time I clean the toilet.

Mine is the kind you install on an existing toilet, not the kind that comes built in on a Toto toilet. One drawback is you have to make sure the washlet will fit the toilet you want to install it on; I just moved, for example, and both of the toilets in my house are “French curve” style, which does not work for washlets, so I am going to have to replace one of the toilets to fit it. Worth it imo
posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:58 AM on December 13, 2023

I agree with Nelson. I can't speak to the downsides of having an integrated bidet because I don't have one, but the aftermarket washlet (ours is a Tushy brand) is big and clunky and ugly and doesn't exactly fit our toilet. If I were building a bathroom from scratch, I'd get a toilet with an integrated bidet for sure.

(That said, I do love the heated seat and different spray patterns and angles and the warm water seems to clean better/faster than when we just had a cold water only one. )
posted by misskaz at 6:59 AM on December 13, 2023

Have you heard the Good News of my Lord and Savior Toto Washlet? Seriously the best purchase I've made in the last two years. I never knew how empty was my soul until it was laved.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:51 AM on December 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Agreed that, if you have space, the best option by far is the stand-alone bidet fixture. It's standard where I live and is incredibly useful, not just for washing your bits. You can use it wash your feet, throw wet towels, all kinds of things.
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 12:09 PM on December 13, 2023

We have a cheap washlet from Costco and I love it. It doesn't have quite enough hot water for the full cycle (but who cares), it has broken once and needed to be replaced (but who cares) and it's warm and luxurious and the best thing in our home. I think you're overthinking this, and will be happy with a washlet. (And maybe an integrated bidet too but I believe they are substantially more expensive and if that gives you anxiety a washlet, even a cheap one, so long as it has hot water and an air dryer and a light and heated seat, will be fine.
posted by shadygrove at 12:09 PM on December 13, 2023

The thing about the washlet is that if you don't like it, you can switch it out for a regular toilet seat and no harm done.
posted by shadygrove at 12:11 PM on December 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

I'm team sprayer because I can't imagine the ick of cleaning an integrated one. I mean yes, the Toto Rolls-Royce at the Tokyo Four Seasons was lovely ... but I didn't have to clean it.

I can also use the sprayer for doing a high-power wash on muddy hiking boots, eleaning the cat scoop, and rinsing the shower after I suds it up.
posted by cyndigo at 2:48 PM on December 13, 2023

The separate Washlet is easy to remove for cleaning, repair, and replacement. Also, there are Washlet models (like the C5) that have tens of millions of deployments. This is what made the decision for me; I didn't want to invest in a relatively unproven integrated option that would be difficult to repair.

This very well could be overthinking things though. If there are no budgetary constraints, I don't think there's that much of a difference, and the integrated options certainly look better. I'd still go with Toto though; they're the IBM of bidets.

As for maintenance on the Washlet, there's a filter that catches sediment from the feed water. If you have hard water, this will start clogging up after a bit and decrease the pressure at the bidet sprayer. The filter is easy to access; you just pull it out and rinse it off in the sink and you're back to full pressure.

There's also an air filter that's intended to deodorize the air that the fan blows out of the system. This is supposed to be replaced regularly, but I've neglected it and not noticed any problems.

Cleaning isn't that big of a deal. The sprayer wands have a self-cleaning cycle that operates with each use. It's pretty effective. The little trap door that covers the opening for the wands can get soiled; cleaning it is no worse than any other toilet cleaning task. About once a year or so, I take the thing off and give it a thorough cleaning (this is another reason I like the modular approach).
posted by mr_roboto at 3:06 PM on December 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have a Washlet that I generally really love installed on a pre-existing toilet. My only complaint is that it has no integrated controls: it's remote control or nothing. In the 3 or so years I've had it, there have been at least two occasions where the remote had sufficient battery to send the "turn on" signal to the bidet, but not for the "turn off" signal. Those were stressful occasions.
posted by girlstyle at 3:31 PM on December 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

And one more thing about removing the Washlet: It's much easier than removing a regular toilet seat because it's set into a bracket that's bolted to the toilet. You just push a little release lever and the Washlet slides out of the bracket. You also have to unplug it and unscrew the water hook-up of course.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:28 PM on December 13, 2023

We have one of the Toto washlets (maybe an S300)(, initially installed on a Toto Carlyle II, eventually that was replaced with a Swiss Madison toilet which we like better (for reasons that may have been due to issues that weren't the toilet, maybe).

It's been in place for 13 years, sent back for repair once because I didn't tighten it down enough when I installed it, it skewed, and without the front feet landing on the rim it cracked.

It was nice to be able to send just the seat component back.

Our reason for going with the seat was mostly form-factor, our house is really tiny and the door didn't clear any of the integrated toilets. As mr_roboto notes, removal for cleaning is easy, I guess in a perfect world it'd be nice to have a seat that clips into that metal bracket for next time we send the thing in for service, but that may be another decade, and it doesn't take that long to screw a new seat on.
posted by straw at 5:06 PM on December 13, 2023

We have a couple washlets. Initially got a Toto washlet, which we installed on a preexisting American Standard toilet. It fit pretty much perfectly shape-wise; of course, there’s some bulk to it. When we redid our bathroom, we considered an integrated Toto, but it didn’t really fit the style we were going for. So we got a Toto Carolina II plus another washlet (I think Toto sells it as a package). It fits basically the same as the other washlet on the American Standard; maybe slightly better. It does have an extra hole to help hide the wire from the seat (of course, in redoing the bathroom, we put an outlet at the toilet). I really don’t think we missed anything by getting a non-integrated version as far as bidet features go. The integrated versions have auto open and close and auto flush, but other than that, the washlet that we have has all the other bidet features. So I would say get the integrated if you really want those couple high end non-bidet-related features, and you like the style. Otherwise, the washlet plus standard toilet probably gives you more options.
posted by odin53 at 8:31 PM on December 13, 2023

The only thing I caution people about the washlet is ensuring you get one that fits your toilet. It is easy if you are going with a Toto toilet and washlet, but retrofitting to a different make of toilet can be a bit tricky.

And just so you (or anyone else thinking about this) are aware: not all Toto toilets will allow for a washlet either. Our house came with one that doesn't.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:30 PM on December 13, 2023