Toto Ultramax product review, comments & pictures

[gusherb94]

The way that clogged it looks like it stopped at the end of the trapway. If you used a wax ring with a plastic horn it could have been pushed off center when the toilet was set, that would cause it to clog like that. Even if it were installed centered properly, those wax rings with the plastic horn seem to make the toilet more clog prone anyway. That's my guess.

[schipperke]

I used a thin wax ring, no plastic horn on it. Was kind of strange how it waited a few seconds.

[Moshe]

Hi Terry,
First off, this site is a lifesaver when planning a modular home!

My architect has specified the Eco Ultramax because we decided we wanted the larger 3" valve. However, it doesn't have the double cyclone flushing.

Do you have any insight as to whether the Ultramax II would be a better bet? Would the MaP rating make a difference here?

Thanks so much!

[Terry]

I have the MS6041414CEFG Ultramax II upstairs. It cleans the bowl well.
Tall bowl, Sanagloss, double cyclone rinse.
I've been selling a lot of them.

The MaP rating is no help with bowl rinse. The guy that runs that test put in a Caroma and then complained that the bowl is dirty. Everyone knows that the Caroma is harder to keep clean.
It does have it's good points, but bowl rinse is not one of them.

The TOTO Ultramax II with 1.28 has been working fine.

[Moshe]

Thanks, Terry. But does the Ultramax II also have a 3" flush valve? Does the Eco version really not clean well due to the lack of the cyclone flushing?

[Terry]

Most all Toto have the 3" flush valve in the tank.
Only the Aquia and the Carusoe don't.

The Eco works fine too, you can order the MS854114EG or MS854114ELG with Sanagloss.
Or get the Eco without Sanagloss. It's just that the CEFG is so well priced, at least if you like the taller bowls. But I have the non-cyclone downstairs and it works fine too. You can't really go wrong with these.

[GeorgeCT]

I'm a TOTO fan!
I agonized on this decision (what toilet brand and model) for a long while and made the decision to go with TOTO with all the great feedback I hear about them. Then I had to decide which model...TOTO makes so many toilets you kind of get overwhelmed with information overload when you do your homework. I wasn't sure about the rough in size either but Terry helped me out with that in another post...THANKS TERRY! The 12" rough in worked perfectly.

Well I went with the Ultramax ADA height 1.6/GPF G-Max flush system.
This thing is awesome. I haven't double flushed yet. It's stayed clean with no skid marks or anything gross like that. Unlike my old Sterling toilet that didn't always rinse good enough or get rid of everything all the way.

My parents just bought a new toilet from Home Depot (can't remember the brand name). I'm sure it was a cheap toilet...my dad won't spend money for higher quality.
That toilet sucks...it doesn't get rid of all solid waste all the time and you have to double flush. He saved a buck on the toilet but will spend more money on water and sewer taxes.

Anyway...it is a great toilet and I made the right decision to go with TOTO.
It is a bit louder (than Sterling toilet)...more of a gurgle toward the end of the flush. Boy, it has great suction...it's that suction that makes the gurgle.
But it's quick and thorough. Refill is quick and has a bit of a kick when the water starts and stops. Love the no slam seat...though it shuts slowly.

Good thing I read on another site (that I bought it from) that the wax ring is NOT supplied. Everything else was pre-installed like the handle, chain, flapper, and fill valve.
I used small hack saw to cut off excess of the flange bolts.

Here's the end result...
Thanks again for the help guys.
I'm happily impressed.

[SteveW]

Congratulations! People that don't know about this site think it's a little weird to get excited about a toilet, but it is such a basic part of your home, that you use several times a day, and it's really nice just to have one that works well, every time.

I have a Gwyneth/Ultramax II (if memory serves) and it too has that fantastic suction effect followed by the gurgle. Toto engineers really did their homework and designed the flush system well.

[jadnashua]

FWIW, today, you couldn't build a bathroom with the toilet located like that...current code (not sure when it applied) requires 15" either side of center (i.e., at least a 30" wide space) to install a toilet.

[GeorgeCT]

FWIW, today, you couldn't build a bathroom with the toilet located like that...current code (not sure when it applied) requires 15" either side of center (i.e., at least a 30" wide space) to install a toilet.

Yep jadnashua...I hear ya. Obviously code was not followed when the bathroom was built. That's why I didn't go with the Drake. The Drake tank is wider and would have been even closer on each side and a way tighter fit.

[jadnashua]

other than service, the width of the toilet is irrelevant (if it will fit)...it is the total width of the space, and any toilet made today should fit in there if the minimum of 30" is available.

[gentlewindwest]

This is the toilet for those who are afraid to switch to low-flow models because they perceive them as inefficient. They don't have to be. They just have to be well designed. Yet, I, too, was skeptical about changing, until one of our 20-year old toilets started leaking and the other required constant babying of the pull chain mechanism.

I came across the TOTO Ultramax toilet. I loved the sleek look and the soft-close cover, so I took the plunge and bought two - had them installed - and was so thrilled at the efficiency of their G-Max flush performance with low water usage, that I immediately went out and bought two more (for installation at my father's house). He's thrilled, too. They are worth the money. They're quiet, efficient, attractive, and comfortable. And they're only one piece, so cleaning is easy. This toilet flushes so well that residue is not building up from tainted bowl water. The bowl empties on every flush. Hard to get excited about toilets, but they are probably the most important fixture in your house when you think about it. Model is: MS854114S Color: 01 (White)

[Gary Swart]

Low flow toilets got off to a bad start years ago when many of the old, well known manufacturers tried to meet the low flow requirements by modifying the flush system on their old 3.5 gpf toilets. Some are still at it and some are still trying other gimmicks to make their old designs work. What it took to make low flow toilets work without clogging was a redesign of the basic toilet, and not so much the flushing mechanics. Toto understood this and the result was toilets that a nearly clog free. It appears to me that the toilet is one of the least understood appliances in our homes. Most of us do not realize there are real differences in toilets and just assume the old, well known brands are still the best there is. We are more likely to discuss pros and cons of various automobiles than we are to talk about toilets.

[DCkitty]

Just finished (well, survived) a whole-house remodel, including installation of 3 Toto toilets, based largely on this site's recommendation (1-Ultramax, 2-Carlyle - 1.6 gpf, same flush mechanism). I am satisfied overall, but there is an annoying, screeching noise in all 3 of them during the flush cycle. After popping the lid to observe, I note that it happens as the tank starts to refill (the fill valve moves down and screeches) and then again when it's filled (the valve moves up and more screeches). We're talking LOUD - very audible outside the bathroom even with the fan turned on. Any suggestions for taming this noise would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[jadnashua]

First, make sure that the shutoff at the wall is fully opened. Then, check you're water pressure. If it exceeds 80psi, you need a pressure reduction valve, and that may resolve it.