Toto toilet bought through Home Depot

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DanMcD

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Is a Toto toilet bought through Home Depot the same quality as all Toto toilets bought elswhere?
 

WJcandee

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Is a Toto toilet bought through Home Depot the same quality as all Toto toilets bought elswhere?

well, they sell the Carusoe, which is a POS, But the other two, Drake and Aquia, would be good quality, but the Drake is vastly over priced at HD, except for the CST744EL elongated 1.28gpf toilet.
 
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Jadnashua

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Didn't realize HD sold any Toto stuff...is this only special order? FWIW, the Carusoe is Toto's entry level, builder's quality toilet. It's not a particularly great toilet when compared to the rest of their line, but is better than many of the other entry level builder's grade toilets.
 

WJcandee

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Didn't realize HD sold any Toto stuff...is this only special order? FWIW, the Carusoe is Toto's entry level, builder's quality toilet. It's not a particularly great toilet when compared to the rest of their line, but is better than many of the other entry level builder's grade toilets.

Meh. The whole thing's a cluster.

At least where I am, you order it online for delivery to the store. I assume that you can also order it from the Aprons. Goodness knows what they are advising people. Feh.

It's sort of the end of civilization as we know it.

They sell the Carusoe, which is largely-unworthy of the Toto brand given the brand's reputation these days. They sell it for a lot less than even the cheapest dealers. So that's unfortunately the Toto people will be drawn to. And it won't help the Toto brand. Bad idea.

They sell the 1.6gpf Drake ADA CST744SL for like $60 more than the usual street price. They don't sell the CST744S just straight up. I guess they like "chair height" toilets at HD. So, you look at the loss-leader price on the Carusoe, but you can't get a good bargain on a 1.6 Drake.

They do have a fair price on the CST744EL Drake. But no CST744E.

Then, you go to the Drake II. They only sell the Drake II 1G (CST454CUFG); they have tagged the regular Drake II as "discontinued" which, of course it isn't (but I guess it's discontinued at HD -- the single most popular toilet at some dealers, HD discontinues). They sell the CUFG at a breathtaking price almost $200 higher than you can find it elsewhere.

Finally, the Aquia 416M they sell at a loss-leader price, but it's currently-unavailable.

Weird: it's as if Toto let their competitors choose the pricing and model-availability, with an eye towards damaging their brand and their perception of higher-value.

My 2 cents anyway.

EDIT: The only positive thing is that the HD customers who review the better Toto toilets all love, love, love them. And I guess that's good.
 
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DanMcD

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Home Depot does not have Toto in the store but the do order them. So it may be considered a special order.

My contractor was able to order it through Home Depot the Drake II Model CST454CEFG with CEFIONTECT and Cyclone rinse; Cotton White.

Thus, I wanted to know if the quality is the same as if I ordered it from Terry Love or some other distributer.
 

golem

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I was anticipating replies to the OP's question as just prior to ordering online a Drake I decided to check HD for seats, low-n-behold I noted they sold TOTO toilets. My first thought was also the possibility of their stock being seconds (not likely but possible). Good to hear you guys are doubting it also.

What I wanted to add is there's a good possibility TOTO model selection at HD may be regional. My HD does have the CST743S01 listed and for a very reasonable $194.
 
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martyd

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First post. Enjoy the forum and hope to do an install myself based on the knowledge I have received from you generous folks. Here's where I'm at. I'll let you know how it goes.

I went looking for a Toto Drake 1.6 in my area, CT. My first stop only had a Drake II for about $350. When I asked about a 1.6 Drake. I was told the tanks were backordered with a 12 week wait. Next supply house had the 1.6 Drake for about $380, Drake II over 400. I don't know how much Toto's run, but I had to stop and think. I'm replacing a 20 year old 1.6 American standard, and I truly believe at that time a regular toilet was shipped using less water. No new design just change the label.

I have since found the Toto Eco Drake at HD. Elongated, higher seat, (it's time) 1.28. There on line price is $256. I read somewhere on the forum a Corky adjustable flapper could turn this into a 1.6 gal if needed.

So I ordered one, ship to store. Since then a toilet was received at the store but they refused it. I was told probably due to damage. So I'm trying one more time. I think ship to store saves a lot of headaches. I'll also be able to do my own inspection at the store, which may help avoid problems.

So that's where I'm at. Another week or so to go. HD guy on phone was very helpful. No problems there.
Marty
 

WJcandee

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Thanks for the update! Definitely inspect the thing in the store because individual shipments of toilets appear to be damaged somewhere between 5% and 20% of the time, depending upon whose stats you look at. It still means that odds are that it will be fine, but it's not so rare an occurrence that one should assume that it will be fine. If you get it at HD or a plumbing supply, it really is a good idea to inspect it with them so everyone is on the same page, at least as to visible damage or defects.

Your shopping experience is typical, in that the prices at supply houses and dealers vary to an enormous degree. We usually recommend opening the yellow pages and calling around to 5 or 6 plumbing supply places -- regardless of whether their ad says they carry Toto -- with one or two exact model numbers in mind, so they will understand that you are ready to buy today if the price is right. Even so, we always see wide swings in price. If HD gets its house in order as a Toto channel, it may rationalize the prices a bit in the market, albeit more-so for the most popular colors. So I am quite curious about the experience of customers like you. It won't make much difference in places that have a highly-regarded plumber like Terry, who sells the product at a fair price and installs it for a great price, particularly given that the install is done by a licensed plumber rather than a handi-hack, and includes a few little extras others would charge more for. But in other places, it will make a difference.
 

martyd

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My second Eco Drake arrived at my HD. Both boxes looked fine. I asked to inspect both pieces and their guy opened them up. All was well. What I received was a tank ST743E#01 and bowl C744EL#01. Both pieces were made in Mexico.

I did the install slowly and worried about the wax ring, but it turned out all right. I had a front to back rock which I fixed with shims. I am not comfortable with plumbing, so time will tell.

Testing: It seemed to me the flapper closed much to fast. The bowl didn't completely fill every time. Holding the handle helped but I don't think that's the answer. The flapper is gray, if that means anything. I felt there was too much slack in the flapper chain so I shortened it and I believe things are better. Any comments on chain slack? So now the testing. I like the height and so do my tired knees.

So that's where I'm at. Right now I have no problems with a Toto Home Depot purchase.
Marty
 

Gary Swart

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Toto toilets do not use the entire tank of water for a normal flush; about half Holding the handle will drain the tank which of course defeats the low flow feature and is rarely, if ever, needed. The flapper does close very quickly, but there is very little slack in the chain. It sounds like you did the right think but shortening yours. The fast open and close is by design. The full amount for flush water is released fast so as to create the flush power with a relatively small amount of water. As long as the shims stopped the rocking, you should be just fine.
 

Terry

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So I ordered one, ship to store. Since then a toilet was received at the store but they refused it. I was told probably due to damage. So I'm trying one more time.

You must have nothing but time on your hands if you can wait that long to "finally" get one that wasn't broken.
 

SteveW

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My second Eco Drake arrived at my HD. Both boxes looked fine. I asked to inspect both pieces and their guy opened them up. All was well. What I received was a tank ST743E#01 and bowl C744EL#01. Both pieces were made in Mexico.

I did the install slowly and worried about the wax ring, but it turned out all right. I had a front to back rock which I fixed with shims. I am not comfortable with plumbing, so time will tell.

Testing: It seemed to me the flapper closed much to fast. The bowl didn't completely fill every time. Holding the handle helped but I don't think that's the answer. The flapper is gray, if that means anything. I felt there was too much slack in the flapper chain so I shortened it and I believe things are better. Any comments on chain slack? So now the testing. I like the height and so do my tired knees.

So that's where I'm at. Right now I have no problems with a Toto Home Depot purchase.
Marty


If the problem is the bowl not filling all the way at the end of the flush, this is a problem with the fill tube -- it's the small flexible line that directs water down the overflow tube in the toilet tank. Make sure it is attached properly and sending its water down the overflow tube. That's what tops off the bowl.
 

WJcandee

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This is what the flush should look like inside the tank. You probably have a different-looking fill valve (mine has the Korky 528T) and you have the new grey flapper which is made of a different material while I have the old pink flapper. The operation should be identical however, except that the 1.28 ("E") tank flapper will close just a nudge faster. Here it is:


As far as the bowl not refilling sufficiently, pour a little water in the bowl slowly from a milk jug or whatever, then let it settle for 30 seconds. You can mark that with a pencil or eyeball it. That's just where the bowl should refill to when the water shuts off.

Sounds like you did a good job! Enjoy your new Toto!!
 
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SteveW

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My second Eco Drake arrived at my HD. Both boxes looked fine. I asked to inspect both pieces and their guy opened them up. All was well. What I received was a tank ST743E#01 and bowl C744EL#01. Both pieces were made in Mexico.

I did the install slowly and worried about the wax ring, but it turned out all right. I had a front to back rock which I fixed with shims. I am not comfortable with plumbing, so time will tell.

Testing: It seemed to me the flapper closed much to fast. The bowl didn't completely fill every time. Holding the handle helped but I don't think that's the answer. The flapper is gray, if that means anything. I felt there was too much slack in the flapper chain so I shortened it and I believe things are better. Any comments on chain slack? So now the testing. I like the height and so do my tired knees.

So that's where I'm at. Right now I have no problems with a Toto Home Depot purchase.
Marty



When you say you had a front to back rock, I am hoping that you didn't let it rock when you were doing the actual install with the wax ring? If so, you may have compromised the wax ring seal. You don't want to rock the toilet when setting it on the wax ring -- just push straight down and tighten the hold-down bolts. Wax rings are not at all elastic, meaning they don't bounce back once compressed, so if you rocked the toilet on the wax ring, it may have created a "hole" in the seal.

If any doubt on this, take the toilet back up and install with a new wax ring, or better still (in my opinion) use one of the new waxless seals. That's what I did on my 3 toilets in my house. They are nice since you can remove the toilet, say to paint behind it, and then reinstall it with the same seal. No messing around with cleaning off the old wax seal.
 

martyd

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Terry, I didn't mind the wait. One of the positive things about retirement is you don't have to rush things. Thanks to your site, and your son's how to install sticky, I was able to convince myself to give this a shot.

wjcandee, thanks for the video. I think I'm OK for now. I was able to see the flapper chain slack, and mine looks like that. When shipped the slack was much more and the white tube on the chain was almost horizontal. A few days will tell.

SteveW, you caught me. I will admit the rocking only happened on my first try. Based on what I learned on this forum I decided remove the ring and
go for wax ring 2. I did buy 2 because of doubts I had about how to do things properly. Glad I had it on hand.

Thank you all for your comments. I won't be comfortable with all this until some problem free time goes by. I'll be keeping an eye out for any leaks.
Marty
 

SteveW

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My second Eco Drake arrived at my HD. Both boxes looked fine. I asked to inspect both pieces and their guy opened them up. All was well. What I received was a tank ST743E#01 and bowl C744EL#01. Both pieces were made in Mexico.

I did the install slowly and worried about the wax ring, but it turned out all right. I had a front to back rock which I fixed with shims. I am not comfortable with plumbing, so time will tell.

Testing: It seemed to me the flapper closed much to fast. The bowl didn't completely fill every time. Holding the handle helped but I don't think that's the answer. The flapper is gray, if that means anything. I felt there was too much slack in the flapper chain so I shortened it and I believe things are better. Any comments on chain slack? So now the testing. I like the height and so do my tired knees.

So that's where I'm at. Right now I have no problems with a Toto Home Depot purchase.
Marty



Marty - great job on the install! It's pretty satisfying, isn't it?

Enjoy the testing process! I too like the height - makes it much more comfortable and easier to get up. Now you can relax and appreciate having a toilet that works every time. Simple pleasures.
 
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