Any Downsides to a Macerating Toilet

I'm moving a toilet as part of a bathroom remodel. The new location will be against an outside, cinder block wall. This means that I would have to cut into the foundation footer for the waste line, something I'm not comfortable with. Hence my quest for a rear exit toilet where the waste line would be run directly (horizontally) through the wall. The good thing is that the main sewer line is less than 2 ft from where the waste line would exit the house (a plant or two would cover the 6 to 8 inches of exposed pipe outside). However, I loose my vent stack this way. To this end, I was looking for: 1. The smallest functioning waste line and 2. Something that doesn't require a vent stack. It seems the macerating toilet with its 1†waste line and no vent requirement fits the bill. However, all my friends and family (none of them plumbers) tell me I'm nuts; that macerating toilets are for boats & campers, not homes. What are the downsides of a macerating toilet? Are they loud? Reliable? Easy to access? Is Saniflo the only mfg that makes a macerating toilet?

A gravity drain is preferred if at all possible. Reliability is the biggest issue.

AZeiler said:

What are the downsides of a macerating toilet?

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Just about anything placed within that had not first been eaten can cause havoc. Hence, it will possibly not take long for you to become proficient at servicing one.

Personally, I would do just about anything to avoid anything other than gravity flush.

Saniflo units are fine and have been used for decades now. Most reviews are very positive. I've had mine for over a year with zero issues. If you're concerned fork out a few hundred extra for the SaniBest which is commercially rated and used in motels and such. It's a lot noisier though.

Personally I wish I had gotten the elongated one instead but I can still switch the bowls.

Around Philly here they have at least six plumbing supply houses that stock Saniplus units. When I asked one of them about it they said they are selling them all the time, that "once plumbers realize they don't have to dig up the concrete..." they are hooked.

No power, no flush. Eventually, it will need service. Do you want to take apart a shithole? Expect it to cost. A gravity toilet's porcelain should last a lifetime, and the rebuildable parts are in the clean side of the flush, generally available anywhere and cheap. Bigger initial cost for the macerating toilet and electrical work. While it may not need service often, it will and you won't be able to buy the parts on a Sunday and do it yourself.

Now, you have more choices for toilets in gravity that could also require power (say if you want a bidet seat) and you certainly can spend more for the toilet itself - some are upwards of $4-5K; but, you can get a very servicable one for a little over $200, too.

At 12 or more inches from the finished wall, are you sure it is going to impact the footer? You could go with a 14" rough-in toilet (limits your choices some) and the toilet doesn't have to be flush with the wall which would also move the flange out from the wall a little more.

I would venture a guess that it will cost less to do the small amount of concrete cutting and vent installation to install a conventional toilet than it will to install a macerating toilet not to even mention the cost and hassle of maintaining it. There are professional concrete cutting companies than can do this if you are not comfortable with it.