Costco Water Ridge Dual Flush Toilet Review & pictures

**Terry** · 10-13-2010, 10:41 AM

Drips,
Until Costco starts providing tech support for the product, or carries parts on the shelf, don't expect the expert plumbers to waste a lot of time worrying about a disposable product.
An expert knows when to cut their loses. Time is money, and there is no reason that we should stay awake nights trouble shooting an orphan product without parts and tech support.
Do you offer tech support for your competitors? Do you run a forum and a question and answer for products you don't sell and can't get parts for?
Do you consider yourself and expert at what you do for a living?

Where do you get replacement parts?

Where can I call for questions and tech support?

**dripdripdrip** · 10-13-2010, 12:10 PM

Sorry you feel that way but then as I said, you really should relabel these forums as "TOTO Forum discussions" if you're only willing to discuss ONE particular brand otherwise you are being disingenuous (I thought Truth in Advertising was a big thing down in the US). You are the one that is purportedly offering assistance to folks who have questions about their toilet issues.

Where I work, we don't offer a Forum where we discuss competitor's products or their deficiencies but if we did, we wouldn't be doing so just to crap on their products - but maybe that's a Canadian thing?

**jadnashua** · 10-13-2010, 12:42 PM

Drip, Terry sells and supports a bunch of toilet brands. He also has real-world feedback on numerous models from all-over. Based on feedback and experience, of the brands he sells, he has the lowest trouble with Toto, either as defective out of the box or on other factors. Something sold without local parts support is problematic, and costly to repair because of the time. The product might work great out of the box, but when it breaks, then you have your problems. How would you feel if your car manufacturer required you to call a central location to get a repair part, and your car was sidelined until it showed up. Own a Deloran, Yugo, Fiat, or Alpha and want to get it fixed today? Good luck. With some brands, you can pick up parts easily, cheaply, and readily. Not true with others. Kohler might make a decent toilet, but try to get parts...on some of their older ones, according to people that have posted here, they told them sorry, can't get the parts, buy a new toilet. Lots of people have tried to buy an American Standard toilet at a big box store, and found them defective. Then, the parts, while they may come free, had to be sent, and then still failed rapidly.

So, you pay your money, take your chances. If you misplace the manual that came with the toilet, good luck, as Costco doesn't carry parts, and the manufacturer might be a contract job, and the brand a front name, not a corporation name - might get one batch from company x, the next from company y because the price was better, but the parts are slightly different.

A toilet is a once in a long time purchase...best not to go entry level, and amortizing it over the life, the difference is slight, especially if you can repair it rather than replace it.

**Terry** · 10-13-2010, 01:05 PM

Big Drip,
Maybe you can put together a Costco WaterRidge Forum Here.
Oh wait, there is already a disscussion of the WaterRidge toilet here.

If you know where parts can be found for this orphan, then please inform us.

I do sell brands that are sold through plumbing supply stores.
American Standard
Caroma
Crane
Duravit
Eljer
Gerber
Kohler
Mansfield
Sterling
Western

But I'm not Costco. If Costco wants to sell plumbing, then Costco should provide parts.
Is that too much to ask, or is that just an American thing, wanting tech support and parts?

In the real world, a plumber needs to deal with a company that has a web site, tech support with a real person anwering the phone, and gettable parts.

Why are you mad at the facts?
The facts are, that Costco isn't supporting the products you bought.
You should be angry at them, they are the importer, not me. I'm not selling orphans, Costco is.
I'm amazed that nobody even cares that the Costco toilet is disposable. When I sell products, you can get replacement parts. Plumbers can't service a product if Costco isn't supporting the product.

If you have a Costco WaterRidge toilet, please call Costco for parts and tech support.

I don't have a manual, or parts for them.
I have never bought or installed one.

**dripdripdrip** · 10-13-2010, 01:37 PM

jadnashua,

I agree with the statement that Totos are great but like I said this toilet forum was supposed to be a way for folks to figure a helpful tool for readers to try and assist them with issues they might have with their current toilets (regardless of brand or so I thought) and I have had the opportunity to benefit from this forum. The experts here have definitely seen similar issues and probably already know what might have been the cause but refused to help those individuals simply because they didn't buy a Toto/Kohler whatever (heck if I was able to rattle off that suggestion for trying to diagnose what the poster described based on a suggestion I once read and am not a plumber, then it's definitely a common trick/technique and not something you'd lose sleep over trying to suggest).

Obviously, some folks are not fans of the WaterRidge products and that's their perogative and right to have that opinion (some have had problems, others none whatsoever) but that's the situation they're in and parts can be obtained for them through some method (phone - maybe delivery is overnight since it's pretty cheap within the US, but might be a week for folks up here in Canada?). Personally, I've heard terrible things about their faucets and choose not to buy them.

Anyone else could have just said, "Perhaps you have a leaky seal/valve/mechanism between the tank and bowl and should try ordering a spare part from the manufacturer but if you're unable to get that part then you're probably out of luck and should replace the toilet with something that has readily available parts." But that wasn't/isn't the case so why not say that as Moderator/Expert Plumber you're not willing to offer advice on toilet brands that you don't buy/resell instead of acting like the @$%# (self-censored since I'm not a @$%#) Terry just showed himself to be in the previous post by posting my personal email address?

All this does is give a bad reputation for oneself whereas assisting someone with what they already have can pay back dividends later (say the poster was a customer in your neighbourhood, you could advise them to try and get that replacement part and then offer to install it for them at your labour rate and if that doesn't work then you can always suggest the Toto solution and explain why)!

Originally Posted by jadnashua

Drip, Terry sells and supports a bunch of toilet brands. He also has real-world feedback on numerous models from all-over. Based on feedback and experience, of the brands he sells, he has the lowest trouble with Toto, either as defective out of the box or on other factors. Something sold without local parts support is problematic, and costly to repair because of the time. The product might work great out of the box, but when it breaks, then you have your problems. How would you feel if your car manufacturer required you to call a central location to get a repair part, and your car was sidelined until it showed up. Own a Deloran, Yugo, Fiat, or Alpha and want to get it fixed today? Good luck. With some brands, you can pick up parts easily, cheaply, and readily. Not true with others. Kohler might make a decent toilet, but try to get parts...on some of their older ones, according to people that have posted here, they told them sorry, can't get the parts, buy a new toilet. Lots of people have tried to buy an American Standard toilet at a big box store, and found them defective. Then, the parts, while they may come free, had to be sent, and then still failed rapidly.

So, you pay your money, take your chances. If you misplace the manual that came with the toilet, good luck, as Costco doesn't carry parts, and the manufacturer might be a contract job, and the brand a front name, not a corporation name - might get one batch from company x, the next from company y because the price was better, but the parts are slightly different.

A toilet is a once in a long time purchase...best not to go entry level, and amortizing it over the life, the difference is slight, especially if you can repair it rather than replace it.

**Redwood** · 10-13-2010, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by dripdripdrip

Umm no offence but that's why if I have such issues after 10 years of the toilet working, I'll just buy a new toilet (with updated styling) if things get that complicated rather than paying a plumber 2 hrs labour @ $80/hr to try and fix something that's "overly" complicated.

You have substantially underestimated what I charge for labor to either repair or install a toilet....
Hence the advice to spend your money wisely...

**Terry** · 10-13-2010, 01:52 PM

Drips,
I would think you would want your email posted because you have the time, and the inclination for working on the WaterRidge toilet and you are very helpful.

I will freely admit, that you are the expert on them.

I have never had a call to work on one, and I have never seen one, except while shopping at Costco.
The first thing I notice is the poorly designed trapway. I do have one customer that bought both the Toto Drake and the Costco dual flush.
He wound up having trouble with the Costco dual flush, but he returned it to Costco.
Isn't that what Costco is for? They will take back anything. Maybe that's why the plumbers haven't been "asked" to work on them yet.
Redwood, Have you "ever" worked on one?

If your Costco WaterRidge quits working, return it.
Save your receipt and bring it to the return counter when you are done with it.

**Redwood** · 10-13-2010, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Terry

Redwood, Have you "ever" worked on one?

No, I replace them.

**dripdripdrip** · 10-13-2010, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the compliment but like I said I'm no expert and only offered suggestions that I've seen offered by others before (suggestions which may lead to the poster identifying the part that needs to be ordered or to realize that he/she may indeed be fighting a losing battle which may result in them returning/junking that toilet) so I'm formally requesting that you edit the post to remove the email address. (<-Much appreciated)

And your explanation of one of the advantages of the Toto over the WaterRidge is an excellent example of one of the reasons why it might end up being better in the long run to choose the Toto if they have to replace the toilet (who wants to pay for a damaged ceiling from a backed up toilet?).

**cabazon** · 11-03-2010, 08:03 AM

I Have read all the threads on many toilet forums. I decided to install the Costco WR single dual despite all the bashing by the so called expert Plumbers. So far I can safely say I have flushed down all the bad S*** quietly and quickly down this wonderful toilet. Totally impressive. I checked out Costco's proven return policy and the easily reached 1-866- 789-2273. ( Number printed on the box was wrong (886)) Provide all free parts and replacement for 5 years and Standard Fluidmaster are available most stores on emergency. Just proves to me ... Don't believe all you read especially from the so called experts.

**Terry** · 11-03-2010, 09:17 AM

Cabazon,
I guess your next step is to install the Costco Titan disposer on your kitchen sink. That's a real winner too.
It's nice and light weight, heck, you could play football with it. What wonders they do with plastic.
Other disposers use metal, but not this lightweight disposer. If you like things made of plastic with motors that spin, then this is it. Plastic................Wow!

http://reviews.costco.com/2070/11257100/reviews.htm

**jonjonbear** · 12-20-2010, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by cabazon

I Have read all the threads on many toilet forums. I decided to install the Costco WR single dual despite all the bashing by the so called expert Plumbers. So far I can safely say I have flushed down all the bad S*** quietly and quickly down this wonderful toilet. Totally impressive. I checked out Costco's proven return policy and the easily reached 1-866- 789-2273. ( Number printed on the box was wrong (886)) Provide all free parts and replacement for 5 years and Standard Fluidmaster are available most stores on emergency. Just proves to me ... Don't believe all you read especially from the so called experts.

I posted here two years ago regarding my first purchase of the Costco Water Ridge dual flush. I had also just installed the Toto Aquia III (400.00) in my master bath. I HATE the toto. Looks beautiful, horrible design. It's like crapping in a coffee cup. water spot is tiny, so every time you use it, get the brush out. They could have at least put that super slick stuff in the china like some of their others. It wasn't too bad when you could get that teflon toilet spray.
I bought a second WR for the other bath, so far only one of them required a new flush tower, which I called the toll free number and they quickly sent me a new one free of charge, 1.5 years later. It did the same as others have mentioned, it hangs up and keeps running. I tried to figure out the problem but couldn't.
I would replace the dang toto and kick it to the curb, except I had to drill holes in the floor to mount it..Terrible.. Only thing it's good at is looking good. None of them (Toto or WR) have stopped up, so that isn't an issue with any of them for me.
John

**jadnashua** · 12-20-2010, 11:32 AM

Dual-flush toilets CAN'T have a large water spot, because, when you use the small flush, it must still evacuate the entire bowl. If the bowl was the same size as a 'normal' toilet, and you used that small amount of water, you'd be leaving a diluted, but still nasty bit there. This is true for ANY dual-flush toilet. Diet and where you sit on a toilet somewhat determine how many, if any, skid marks you get in a toilet.

**jonjonbear** · 12-20-2010, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by jadnashua

Dual-flush toilets CAN'T have a large water spot, because, when you use the small flush, it must still evacuate the entire bowl. If the bowl was the same size as a 'normal' toilet, and you used that small amount of water, you'd be leaving a diluted, but still nasty bit there. This is true for ANY dual-flush toilet. Diet and where you sit on a toilet somewhat determine how many, if any, skid marks you get in a toilet.

Well, hate to tell you but the WR DUAL FLUSH toilet has a full size water spot. Works great even on the half flush.

**MTGuy** · 01-09-2011, 05:47 PM

I just purchased one of these push-button dual flush models from Costco to replace a 20 year old higher end toilet that has been having continual problems for some time. I have a fair amount of past experience in plumbing so I did not expect too much from this toilet ($90 for everything needed), but since it was going in our least used bathroom, I thought I would give it a try. It installed easier than any other 2-piece I have ever installed. Absolutely no problems, not even any adjustments, although I did use brass closet bolts & nuts rather than those provided. I didn't particularly like the seat, it initially seemed somewhat flimsy and I planned to replace it, but it went on solidly without problem so I'll give it a try as well. The flushing seems very good so far, but time will tell as to how reliable it is. I can say this, it is easily the finest "cheap" toilet I have ever bought or installed. I am a bit worried that replacement parts will be hard to come by, if available at all, when they are inevitably needed. Hopefully I can "duct tape or wire" anything that breaks and I remain happy with this apparent "steal" of a deal. Oh, BTW, the water spot or at least the bowl water level, is indeed higher than any other low volume toilets I have seen. I think this would be an advantage.