Kohler Cimarron toilet review, Owner comments and pictures

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Sat, 8 Jul 2006

I installed the Kohler Cimarron 3 weeks ago. I bought the complete set, only took me 15 minutes to install. My Nephew had been clogging up our last one in every use and prior one at other home. So, we thought it was time for HP toilet. I have used 2 of the American Standard HP toilets at 2 different shopping malls, they don't seem to have the powerful flushing as to Kohler ( Had to flush twice). This one works great! powerful flush and and larger waste drain!. If anyone has this problem with clogging with standard toilets, this is the toilet for you!

David
Lake Forest,Ca.


Grading the best toilets, the ones that work!
 
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I had a Kohler Cimmeron installed one week ago. The first time I flushed it
I loved it. However, that was without any waste materials to flush with it.
After using the toilet repeatedly it is extremely clear that it has a poor
design regarding cleaning out the bowl. I concur with others that we can now
trade in a plunger for a toilet bowl brush. Better yet-I called the folks
at Kohler to complain-AT least they were honest when they told me that they
have received complaints from others regarding this same issue. GET
THIS-they suggested that I may try using a car wax product on the inside of
the bowl-I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EARS-I suggested that they address the
problem! Next-I called my local Lowes store where I purchased the toilet
last week and told them of my problem and what Kohler suggested to remedy
the situation. They informed me that it would be no problem to return the
Kohler Cimmeron and that they would help me find a replacement. This is
great but I will now have to pay some one to switch out the toilets. To
Kohler I say - Why don't you look at your design if there are consumers
complaining ???
Ellen-Chicago, IL 9/18/2006
 

Abikerboy

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I have a Cimmarron, and a Toto, and I love them both! Flushing...no prob with either! I believe that I could almost flush a basketball through either one if I tried. As for cleaning and bowl wash, Im a compulsive clean freak, so this I cant answer. Both bathrooms get a thorough cleaning twice a week, and if there's a skid mark in any toilet (which there often is, in both the Kohler and the Toto), it immedietly gets the brush and bleach routine! Lol! I am sold on both the Kohler brand (I have several Kohler fixtures), and on the Toto brand.
 

Jeff1

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I have 2 Cimmarons that I purchased this summer (before I saw this site). So far, neither has plugged up although the side walls do not get as good of a flushing as the center. Overall, I'm very happy and no one is complaining. My girlfriend is happy as can be and my teenage sons haven't had any issues. I may replace my downstairs toilet when it fails with a Toto just to get a comparison.
 

Riker1384

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I just installed one. It works well, but the water spot is small. It starts out as advertised, big and round and 5 7/8" down from the rim. Then the water trickles out until it's 6 1/4" down and the water spot is small and narrow. I don't know if this is standard or it's a defect but I don't want to have to install a new one again.
 

Jadnashua

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The bowl is generally overfilled, and after the water stops, most toilets drain a little until equilibrium is attained. This normally only takes a few seconds.
 

Riker1384

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jadnashua said:
The bowl is generally overfilled, and after the water stops, most toilets drain a little until equilibrium is attained. This normally only takes a few seconds.
In that case the advertising is deceptive. One would assume that when they say it's 8.5x11 that that is how much water is normally resting in the bowl.
 

Terry

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Either the bowl and floor is not level, so the water siphons out,

or you have a porous Kohler bowl.
Water leaking out is not a good sign.

Just another reason I avoid Kohler.
 

Jim Herbst

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Kohler Cimarron Toilets

Had two Kohler Cimarron toilets installed in April 2006. A few weeks ago one toilet started leaking water so slow it could not be seen leaking into the bowl. Checked the reddish rubber seal and could neither see nor feel any items or spots allowing the leak. There is a time gap of approximately tow minutes after the tank refills the half inch or so of water before the water level drops down and has to refill. Now the second toilet is doing this. Does the Cimarron have a history of bad seals? Is the problem easy to fix?
 

Riker1384

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Terry said:
Either the bowl and floor is not level, so the water siphons out, or you have a porous Kohler bowl.
Water leaking out is not a good sign.
I called and they said it wouldn't usually develop a crack right at the top that would make it drain out just a little. They said it could be something wicking it out, which is unlikely since it's new and it's always been this way, or a vent could be making suction if it was really close. They said that vitreous china has a tolerance of 1/4" per foot, so it is about within tolerance; the water is 3/8" below where it's supposed to be. I don't think it's necessarily worth it to try and get a new one from them to install, so I'll probably leave it. The toilet is level. It just looks bad mainly.
 

Maddog

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Kohler Cimarron

We've had the elongated, comfort-height Cimarron for about a year now and are very happy with it. It was very easy to install. I especially like the bracket on the bottom of the tank - no bolt holes in the bottom of the tank to worry about.
The flush is great - have not had to plunge a single time. It re-fills quickly and quietly. It's true that the bowl wash is not as good as some others, but it really isn't that bad. A quick brush every once in a while sure beats having to plunge! And our local HD carries the replacement flapper in case that ever needs replacing. I would recommend this toilet and will probably be installing another one when we get to the next bathroom.
 

drewc

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I've been using a Cimarron (round bowl version) for about a year. This is my home's first 1.6-gpf toilet, and it has produced mixed results.

We bought it because of its availability (it was at both Home Depot and Lowe's), reasonable price (just over $200), and strong results in the most recent MaP testing (800 g of solids passed).

Positives: Its flush is powerful, quick, and hardly ever clogs -- I've had to plunge it just once, and that was within the first week of use. Other than cleaning, no maintenance has been needed so far. As I mentioned, it is inexpensive and available at national chain hardware stores.

Negatives: The flush is a bit noisy towards the end. But my biggest complaint is the flush's inadequate cleaning of the bowl: smeared remnants of solid waste are left near the trapway almost half the time. (Note: see update below.)Sometimes I can clear the residue by holding the lever down or flushing a second time, but if that doesn't work then I must use a toilet brush. Cleaning was never a problem with our old toilets, although of course they used much more water as they were ancient, 5-gpf American Standards. The cleaning issues have been significant enough that I decided not to buy another Cimarron.

After the Cimarron experience, we replaced the toilet in our master bath with an elongated Toto Drake. While not perfect, the Drake cleans better than the Cimarron, and given the closeness in price I think the Drake is the better buy.

Update (Jan. 10, 2008): It has now been about two years since we installed the Cimarron, and my opinion of the toilet has improved with time. For reasons unknown to me, the bowl-cleaning performance has been much better recently, and I rarely have had to use the brush after flushing. Perhaps the surface of the bowl was made smoother with repeated flushes.

The flush's power remains strong, as I have experienced no clogs in the past year. I still prefer the Toto Drake -- the Cimarron flushes more loudly and takes longer to refill the tank than the Drake -- but the difference between them is not as large as it once was.
 
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inspctr70

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KOHLER Cimarron

I bought a Kohler about four weeks ago to replace my Briggs. I would have to plunge the Briggs every time I used it. The Cimarron is grate. I haven't had to plunge it yet and don't think I will have to. You flush it and it's gone. It took me about an hour to install it, with no problems. The only regret I have is not replacing the Briggs a long time ago.
 

Ellison

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Kohler's Cimmaron

I've had the Cimmaron for 4 months now, and I have mixed feelings about it's performance.

The toilet's best feature is it's bulk waste disposal. Like the web site for it http://www.josplumbing.com it does not clog easily. As in "at all". My Cimmaron has to deal with the most demanding members of my family, my wife and my one year old daughter. My wife uses what I swear is enough Charmin to stuff a small pillow. Our old toilet from "Lamosa" could never cope, I'd be at it day and night with the plunger. My daughter is in Pampers, and those were a definite "forget it" for our old can. The Cimmaron has no problem swallowing the charmin or the Pampers, altho it does have a major issue with the bowl. We've traded the plunger for a brush; there is no "wash down" on several parts on the bowl as most of the water is pushing everything in the drain. If my wife put the diaper in "upside down" we're in for some streaks. We're back to double-flushing for #2 because of this - once to get everything down, another to rinse off the brush.

This is definitely not the toilet you want for the "fresh bowl" feeling.

-E
 

Cass

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Unless there is something new about pampers that I don't know about they should never be flushed down a toilet. All the ones I delt with with my 4 kids were wrapped up and thrown in the trash.
 

OldPete

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I'll throw my own little "review" into this mix.

I bought the Cimmeron about a year ago -- as part of a bath renovation. I finally installed it about 3 weeks ago. I have used it a total of about 8 times. (8 times for "solid" waste :D) -- In a most gentle way I can say that I am the producer of a very large solid waste -- I hope that is the right way to phrase it. In addition I have purposely used a lot of paper as well.

I can also tell you that the toilet it plumber to go to a 90* closet flange and then does a 6 foot run at 1/4" slope per foot and then into another sweep 90* and then down the lower-level wall and into the crawl.

I have the toilet set to fill the tank at the point JUST BEFORE it flows into the "black tube" (if you have this toilet you know what I mean) -- so it is a bit above the intended gpf rating.

I can tell you that this toilet is a friggin' god-send!!! It flushes down everything on the first shot and cleans the bowl just fine... now, not to be too graphic, but we are talking about toilets and "solids" -- I don't know how it will clean the bowl with "wet solids" (if you get my drift) -- as I haven't had that yet. :D

I was VERY close to returning this toilet and going with a Toto since my GF has one in her place and it is very impressive.

I am happy I got the high-sitting model and I really like the elongated bowl (although I don't know exactly why) -- I also got the Bemis soft close seat cover.

All in all -- a great looking and so far, a great performing unit.

:)

MODS: My apologies if I'm too graphic.
 

skhndrsn

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Reader Review

We needed an ADA (comfort height) toilet on short notice for a family member when a flare in her rheumatoid arthritis made the standard height impossible to use. I called a local plumbing company and let them talk me into the Kohler Cimarron they had in stock to install that day. BIG MISTAKE! I knew from reading the forums that the Cimarron had bowl wash quirks, but this was horrible, unless I was willing to clean after every use (and I was SO not). And I could smell it. Immediately. Ugh. Called them back and found out they could have gotten me the Toto Drake I asked for in 24 hours, which is what they did after I insisted. What an improvement! Flushes everything, a snap to install, and no odd smells. As to cleaning, it needs no more than our old water hogs needed. For anyone with handicapped or otherwise weakened family members, both of these new low-flow toilets were too stiff for our family member to flush. We installed a foot pedal ($30. Foot Flush), which worked great but eventually caused knee problems on the flushing leg. We then went to a wireless automatic flusher (Auto-Flush for tank toilets $144.) It's just super. Anyone with kids or with toilet-trained cats will like this option too. Very easy install and wonderful hands-free flushing on our Toto Drake. We're planning to install Totos in the rest of the house. Couldn't be more pleased. Run, don't walk, AWAY from Kohler.
 

mawingo

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Either the bowl and floor is not level, so the water siphons out,

or you have a porous Kohler bowl.
Water leaking out is not a good sign.

Just another reason I avoid Kohler.

I have two of these installed and overall think they're great, but the small water spot is annoying. As soon it's done flushing, it just stays at the bottom , barely filling the hole at the bottom. It doesn't stay at one level and then come down. I can let a little water in manually to a level I like, and it stays that way until it's used again. But it starts all over again. Both toilets behave exactly the same way. Are there any other options for getting the water level up, or is it just as Terry says above?
 

wally

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Kohler Junk

I own two of these Cimmarons. They are garbage. Keep your scrub brush handy. I am embarrassed when I have company over that they may end up having to clean them. Will never trust a Kohler product again.
 
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