Kohler Cimarron toilet review, Owner comments and pictures

[drewc]

Has anyone here used the new, Class Six version of the Cimarron?

According to this Consumer Reports blog entry, the Class Six flush system can be configured as a HET (1.28 gpf) or for 1.6-gpf flushes. The wording in the blog entry suggests that it's a dual-flush design, but I don't believe that's the case; the Kohler web site doesn't say anything about dual-flush in the features for this model.

More interesting is the claim of better bowl cleaning:

And older Class Five toilets, for example, fell short when it came to cleaning the bowl after bulk flushes, explains a Kohler spokesperson. But according to Kohler, the rim-jet flow on the company's Class Six toilets has been redirected in an effort to improve bowl cleaning.

That sounds good, but is it true? I won't be the first to test it. We've already replaced all the toilets in our house.

[Terry]

I believe the Tulalip Casino in Marysville has the Kohler Class 6 in the rooms.
The rinse is now 360 in the bowl, no longer missing the back.
Still very little rinse, and what I considered a loud flush.
But the rooms there are very nice.
The shower has three shower heads, nice.

The trapway design has bends that are too tight.
In real use, they will clog more then a toilet with a good trapway.

It is not a dual flush. I don't know why they would think that.

The last time I went there, the Cimarron was leaking and refilling all night long.
It needed a replacement flapper after one year of use.

[Crapper]

We had the original 1992-1993 Kohler Wellworth Lite No-Flush toilets when we built our house (what was I thinking! I had a duplex and had used the Wellworth in those 2 bathrooms but that pre-1992 standards). Anyways these would plug 9 out 10 times when you took a dump. Ended up keeping a toilet plunger next to each toilet. I complained to the local dealer and they sent out a Kohler rep who insisted everything was "fine". I invited him over for dinner so that he could take a test drive himself but he refused. I wonder why? I wrote a letter to Kohler directly and they finally admitted that "Yes, they do have a slight problem" and that gave me the OK to change out the toilet bowls that have a larger opening. So I spent the better part of day taking apart 3 toilets and putting them back together again. Now they only plug 8 out of 10 times! They used to plug so bad that on 3 occassions I had to remove the toilets and use a coat hanger to unclog it from the bottom!! Gross !!! After 15 years of this crap my wife and I decided to upgade to the Cimarron (kept with Kohler because of the Biscuit color and we had sinks that matched). The Cimarron flushes well but it does have a tendency to leave "skid marks". We traded the plungers for brushes! The whole flushing process takes about 2 seconds. It got plugged once and they don't work very well with a plunger due to the way the drain is designed (the plunger cannot cover the opening). Ended up using a plastic coated coat hanger to retrieve the toilet paper that was causing the problem.

I will never ever consider a Kohler product again! Stay clear of this one.

[dlroseberry]

I installed a cimarron two days ago. It is already apparent that it's not going to plug as often as our circa 1994 Crane. But the complex shape of the bowl may make it harder to get a seal if plunging is necessary; I don't know yet on that. The bowl is designed to hold very little water and still has a decent water surface. To do this the slope of the bowl is pretty shallow below the waterline. Bowl cleaning may be a problem but we haven't seen it and frankly, plugging is is the more serious issue as far as we're concerned.

I suspect there will always be tradeoffs with low flow toilets because larger traps take more water, more water in the bowl keeps it cleaner, better rinsing takes more water or more water velocity. More water velocity is noisier, complicated and expensive. But on the whole, I think the large diameter valve between the tank and the bowl is the best way to go.

[pfs53]

I am remodeling both bathrooms and let the contractor recommend which stool to install. My only caveat to him was that it must work (that plus I requested the comfort height and the elongated bowl). He and the gentleman who installed it assured me that this particular toilet works very well.
Well, it's less than 2 weeks since the first one was installed and it has now clogged up. I went out to Bed, Bath and Beyond and purchased the best plunger they had in stock, but it will not work with these toilets. Because of the shape of the bowl, I cannot get a good seal. Consequently, instead of the air being forced down the drain and clearing the clog, it is forced back into the bowl splashing water out of the bowl - and on me.
I asked my contractor what plunger works with this toilet and he had no idea. He claims it had never come up. He seems like an honest enough guy, but I'm wishing now I had done my own homework. I'm afraid I'm now stuck with a couple of toilets that clog easily.

[Probedude]

For what it's worth, when looking at my friend's Cimarron, the bowl shape is darn near identical to the Toto Drake - rectangular'ish.

What TP are you using when you're clogging your Cimarron? We had some Charmin Ultra soft and that was clogging even our Toto Eco Drake. Put that TP in, do your duty on top of it, then add more TP and you've now clogged a Drake, and I'm sure a Cimarron too.

Grading the best toilets, the ones that work!

[Terry]

I had the Cimarron and the Drake in the same bathroom.
The Cimarron does clog much easier then the Drake.

[Jetta Whirlpool Baths]

Just quoted a customer a Kohler Elongated Comfort Height Cimmaron. (K-3496-33) And when I called my supplier for a shipping quote, she told me that that model has been discontinued and is requiring an upgrade to the 3489, one piece with class 6 flush, quite the upgrade.

Can anyone confirm?

[SewerRatz]

Just quoted a customer a Kohler Elongated Comfort Height Cimmaron. (K-3496-33) And when I called my supplier for a shipping quote, she told me that that model has been discontinued and is requiring an upgrade to the 3489, one piece with class 6 flush, quite the upgrade.

Can anyone confirm?

I can confirm Monday morning for you. I sold one about three weeks ago, but in this industry anything can happen in three weeks.

[Redwood]

Kohler constantly reengineers it's stuff...
Part of the reason why Kohler parts are such a PITA to get...

I hate Kohler!



Link about the chain tangling on the new canister flush valve
__________________

[gusherb94]

Kohler constantly reengineers it's stuff...
Part of the reason why Kohler parts are such a PITA to get...

I hate Kohler!

There wild contraptions certainly are fun and challenging to study though!

[Redwood]

There wild contraptions certainly are fun and challenging to study though!

Sometimes pricy too!
http://www.kohlerserviceparts.kohler...=0&PageSize=12

Somehow $469 seems to be a bit steep to fix a toilet...
I'd consider it to be a throwaway toilet....

[gusherb94]

Campbells soup company was low on sales and Kohler was feeling bad so they bought a million cans of soup from them, but then Kohler didn't know what to do with all those cans of soup, so then Kohler fed the soup to the wild dogs in back of the factory and made flush valves out of the soup cans.

[Jetta Whirlpool Baths]

OK did a little research from yet another supplier and have found:

1.) Kohler is upgrading the Cimmaron to the Class 6 flushing system.
2.) In this upgrade, they are discontinuing a majority of their fashion and full line colors. (killing the only reason ever to buy a Kohler IMHO.)
3.) This requires you to upgrade to the 1 piece Cimmaron, which for whatever reason hasnt been upgraded/discontinued or move over to a completely different toilet that does have Mexican Sand as a color option, like the Kelston? Which is still more money I believe.

Nice to see that Kohler still lists discontinued models on its website as if you can still order them like usual... *sigh*

[Terry]

Video of the Kohler Class Five Flush