by Pennie Packard

Created on: October 09, 2008   Last Updated: October 20, 2008

Many people consider the toilet as one of the world's greatest inventions and a fixture that would be one of the last they would be willing to give up. While most people living in the United States may take a working toilet for granted, worldwide only 60% of the population has flushable toilets.

Although the American Standard toilet people are the largest manufacturer of toilets today, TOTO and Kohler are also leaders in the toilet market. All three brands have many different styles and colors of commodes from which to choose. TOTO touts the best performance, ease of installation and overall satisfaction among users, however, while a Kohler toilet is adept at flushing power, saving water and reducing noise.

In 1992, the EPA set the maximum water usage allowed to be 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF) so any toilet purchased today will use 1.6 gallons or less thus saving the homeowner on water costs..

There are four types of toilets: gravity, vacuum, pressure-assisted and dual-flush. Each type has its own pros and cons as outlined below:

Gravity: A quiet type making it good for smaller living areas, gravity toilets are less expensive than other types. They will perform well in low water pressure areas (10 psi), although they're generally not as powerful as pressure-assisted toilets.

Vacuum: Also quiet but more expensive than gravity toilets, vacuum toilets are similar in price to the pressure-assisted types but with less power.

Pressure-Assisted: Best for heavy users, pressure-assisted toilets have the most effective flushing power and therefore have fewer clogs. They are louder, however, and more expensive than gravity styles and require water pressure of 25 pounds per square inch (psi). Water pressure can be verified by checking the pressure at your outdoor water spigot using a guage that will cost approximately $10.

Dual-Flush: With their two button system allowing users to choose whether their flush can be accomplished with either 0.8 gallons or will need 1.6 gallons, dual-flush toilets are a great way to save water. However, they are more expensive and use a lower water level in the stool, which can cause odors and add to cleaning time.

There are also two distinct models, the one-piece and the two-piece. Although the one-piece is considered more stylish and easier to clean, two-piece models are usually much less expensive and have more styles from which to choose. Both models are generally made of china and some even have special stay-clean surfaces to keep them looking

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