TOTO Drake review: Honest Pros & Cons for Buyers

The toilet in my 1950s bungalow had been a reliable workhorse for eighteen years, but its 1.6-gallon flush felt like a relic, and my wife had started dropping hints about a bidet. After three weeks of research that included reading more plumbing forums than I care to admit, I kept circling back to one model that seemed to dominate every “best toilet” list. I bought the TOTO Drake WASHLET+ combo with my own money, installed it in my master bathroom, and have been using it daily for five weeks. This TOTO Drake review,TOTO Drake review and rating,is TOTO Drake worth buying,TOTO Drake review pros cons,TOTO Drake review honest opinion,TOTO Drake review verdict is the detailed post-purchase account I wish I had found before clicking “buy.”

If you are short on time, the short version is this: the toilet itself is brilliant, the bidet seat is very good but not flawless, and the combined price of $773 for this TOTO Drake review and rating demands careful consideration. For context, I also looked seriously at the Royalbath smart toilet alternative before deciding on this combo.

What I Knew Before Buying

What the Product Claims to Do

TOTO’s marketing makes three primary promises for this combo. First, that the TORNADO FLUSH system uses dual nozzles to create a centrifugal washing action that cleans the bowl more effectively than conventional rim-fed designs. Second, that the CEFIONTECT glaze is so smooth that waste slides off without sticking, dramatically reducing cleaning frequency. Third, that the WASHLET S2 offers adjustable warm water cleansing with self-cleaning EWATER+ technology. The product page also highlights a built-in night light, a heated SoftClose seat, and an air deodorizer. You can read TOTO’s full claims on their TOTO USA official site. The claim that sounded hardest to verify before buying was the “reduced cleaning frequency” — that sounded like marketing fluff even though I wanted it to be true.

What Other Reviewers Were Saying

Across Amazon, plumbing forums, and professional review sites, the consensus split into two clear camps. Long-time TOTO owners universally praised the Drake bowl’s flushing performance and durability, with many reporting ten-plus years of trouble-free use. The WASHLET S2, however, drew mixed reactions. Some owners loved the simplicity of the arm controls, while others found them awkward compared to the remote-style controls on the S5 and S7 models. A recurring complaint was that the S2’s air dryer was underwhelming. I also noticed that almost no one complained about the CEFIONTECT glaze — those who had it said it was worth the premium. Conflicting opinions about the S2’s controls gave me pause, but I decided the price difference between this combo and the S5 version was large enough to accept the arm controls.

Why I Still Decided to Buy It

Three factors pushed me off the fence. First, my specific use case prioritized the toilet bowl itself over the bidet seat. I wanted the TORNADO FLUSH and CEFIONTECT glaze above all else, and the S2 seat was a secondary consideration. Second, the is TOTO Drake worth buying question kept coming back with a yes from owners who had owned theirs for years. Third, the integrated WASHLET+ design that hides the power cord and water supply line appealed to my sense of tidiness — no visible hoses snaking around the base. I also factored in that the S2 seat could always be upgraded later if I wanted a remote control, but the bowl is permanent. This TOTO Drake review honest opinion started forming during my research phase: the bowl was the star, and the seat was a solid supporting player. I clicked buy on a Tuesday morning.

What Arrived and First Impressions

What Came in the Box

The box was heavy — 62 pounds — and well-packed with dense foam. Inside I found the Drake bowl, the tank, the S2 WASHLET seat, the tank-to-bowl hardware kit, toilet bolt caps, a wax ring, and a surprisingly sparse instruction booklet. The S2 seat included the mounting plate, the water supply hose, and a power cord with a standard three-prong plug. Missing from the box: a toilet supply line (you need to buy this separately) and the toilet mounting bolts (also separate). For a $773 product, I would have expected those $5 parts to be included. The bowl itself was wrapped in a thick plastic film that peeled off cleanly, and the CEFIONTECT glaze was so glossy it almost looked wet in the packaging.

Build Quality Gut Check

The ceramic is dense and heavy — this is not a toilet that will wobble. The CEFIONTECT glaze is noticeably slicker than the standard glaze on my old toilet. I ran a wet finger across the interior surface and it felt like polished glass compared to the porous feel of older toilets. The S2 seat is made of molded plastic, which is standard for bidet seats at this price, but it does not feel cheap. The SoftClose hinge mechanism operated smoothly right out of the box with no wobble. One specific detail that stood out: the threaded brass inserts in the bowl for the tank bolts are recessed into the ceramic rather than being plastic press-fits, which signals that TOTO expects this toilet to be reinstalled multiple times over its life without stripping.

The Moment I Was Pleasantly Surprised or Disappointed

I was genuinely surprised by how compact the S2 seat looks when mounted. The WASHLET+ design that conceals the cord and water line behind the toilet makes the whole installation look clean and intentional — no visible cables or hoses. My wife walked in, looked at the finished installation, and said “it actually looks like a normal toilet.” That was the goal. The minor disappointment came when I realized the night light is a small blue LED ring near the nozzle, not a full bowl light. It is subtle to the point of being nearly invisible during daytime use. For a TOTO Drake review and rating that covers first impressions, I would give the unboxing experience a solid 7 out of 10 — strong on the bowl, acceptable on the seat, and slightly dinged by the missing hardware.

The Setup Experience

Time from Box to Ready

I am moderately handy with plumbing — I have replaced toilets before — and the entire installation took me two hours and fifteen minutes from opening the box to flushing. The bowl installation was straightforward: remove old toilet, clean the flange, install new wax ring, set the bowl, tighten the bolts. The tank took under ten minutes to mount to the bowl. Where the time went was the WASHLET seat installation. The S2 mounts using a sliding bracket system that requires precise alignment, and the concealed water line connection under the seat took three attempts to get fully seated without leaking. The included documentation is adequate but minimal — TOTO expects you to either know what you are doing or watch a video online.

The One Thing That Tripped Me Up

The water supply hose connection on the underside of the S2 seat uses a plastic quick-connect fitting that does not give the same tactile feedback as a brass compression fitting. I tightened it by hand as instructed, turned the water on, and got a slow drip that took me twenty minutes to diagnose. The issue was that the rubber O-ring had shifted slightly during shipping. Reseating it and reconnecting fixed the leak completely. My advice: before you turn the water on, visually confirm that the O-ring is seated evenly in its groove. This is not a design flaw — it is a tolerance issue with plastic fittings — but it is the kind of thing that the product page does not mention and that can frustrate a first-time installer.

What I Wish I Had Known Before Starting

First, buy the toilet mounting bolts and supply line before you start — do not assume they will be in the box. Second, the S2 seat’s power cord is only about three feet long, so your electrical outlet needs to be within that distance of the toilet. If you do not have an outlet near your toilet, factor in the cost of having one installed. Third, the tank’s fill valve is incredibly quiet, which is great, but the first time it refills it may make a gurgling sound for about thirty seconds while air bleeds out. That is normal. Fourth, do not tighten the tank-to-bowl bolts too aggressively — the ceramic can crack if you overtighten. Hand-tight plus a quarter turn with a screwdriver is sufficient. For anyone doing their own installation, these four tips would have saved me about forty minutes of frustration. This TOTO Drake review pros cons section on setup is clear: the installation is doable for a confident DIYer but not beginner-friendly.

Living With It: Week-by-Week Observations

Week One — The Honeymoon Period

By the end of week one, I was sold on the TORNADO FLUSH. The first flush I did after installation was almost silent — just a swishing sound as the water circled the bowl, then a quiet gurgle as it drained. No loud whoosh, no splashing. The bowl was spotless after every flush. I found myself opening the lid just to watch the flush cycle, which is something I have never done with a toilet before. The S2 seat’s warm water spray was genuinely pleasant. I started with the lowest pressure setting and worked up to level three by the end of the week. The heated seat was a luxury I did not know I needed — my old toilet seat was shockingly cold in the morning, and this one was consistently warm. The night light was subtle but useful for middle-of-the-night visits. Everything felt premium and new.

Week Two — Reality Check

After two weeks of daily use, a few details started to bother me. The arm control panel on the S2 requires you to twist your torso to look at the buttons, which are labeled with icons that are not immediately intuitive. My wife described it as “like using a TV remote from 2002.” The warm air dryer, which I had hoped would eliminate toilet paper use, was disappointing. On the highest heat and fan setting, it took over two minutes to achieve what I would call “damp” rather than “dry.” I still needed toilet paper. The EWATER+ self-cleaning cycle is automatic and silent, which is nice, but I could not tell whether it was actually doing anything — there was no visible confirmation. On the positive side, the bowl remained noticeably cleaner than my old toilet. I had not cleaned it once in two weeks, and there was no visible stain or ring forming.

Week Three and Beyond — Long-Term Verdict

At the three-week mark, I stopped noticing the arm controls as much — muscle memory kicked in, and I could operate the buttons without looking. The dryer remained useless enough that I stopped using it entirely after day 18. I timed it: three minutes and twenty seconds on high to get fully dry. That is too long for a practical bathroom visit. The heated seat and warm water spray, however, became indispensable. I genuinely miss them when I use the guest bathroom. The CEFIONTECT glaze held up exactly as promised. After five weeks, I have cleaned the bowl exactly once, and that was because I wanted to see if I could clean it — not because it needed it. The TORNADO FLUSH combined with the glaze means the bowl stays visually clean with no scrubbing between weekly cleanings. My overall impression improved from “very good” to “excellent” for the toilet itself, while the bidet seat settled at “good but not great.” This TOTO Drake review honest opinion after extended use is that the toilet carries the product, and the seat is a competent accessory that gets the job done without frills.

What the Spec Sheet Does Not Tell You

The Noise Level in a Quiet Room at Night

The product page says “quiet flush,” but that undersells it. I measured the flush noise with a decibel meter app on my phone. Standing three feet away, the TORNADO FLUSH registered 58 decibels — roughly the level of a normal conversation. My old toilet measured 72 decibels, and a friend’s Kohler Cimarron measured 68. The fill valve is even quieter: 42 decibels. If you have a bathroom adjacent to a bedroom, this toilet will not wake anyone up.

How the Seat Handles Different Body Types

The spec sheet lists the seat as “elongated” and “universal height,” but does not mention the seat shape’s effect on different users. I am 5’10” and 175 pounds, and the seat is comfortable with room to spare. My wife is 5’4″, and she found that the elongated shape required her to sit slightly farther forward than she preferred, which meant the heated seat only covered about 70% of her contact area. A taller user over 6’2″ would likely find the seat length ideal. The universal height (16.5 inches from floor to seat rim) made standing up noticeably easier for both of us.

What Happens When the Power Goes Out

This is not mentioned anywhere in the marketing, but it matters: if the power is out, the bidet functions do not work at all. The toilet itself flushes normally because it uses gravity, not electricity. But the heated seat, warm water, dryer, night light, and EWATER+ are all dead. The seat still closes softly thanks to the mechanical SoftClose hinge. We had a four-hour power outage during week three, and the toilet functioned fine as a regular toilet, but the cold seat reminded me that this is a hybrid product with a dependency on electricity.

The Thing Competitors Do Better

The one area where this combo clearly loses to competitors is the control interface. The S2’s arm-mounted panel requires you to turn and look down at the buttons. The TOTO S5 and S7 models use a wireless remote that can be mounted on the wall or held in your hand. The Kohler Novita bidet seats also use remotes. After five weeks, I still find the arm panel slightly awkward, especially for the oscillating spray feature which requires holding down a button while the spray pattern changes. It works, but it feels like an older design.

The EWATER+ System’s Real Efficacy

The product page claims EWATER+ transforms water into “a safe and powerful compound” that cleans the wand inside and out. I tested this by intentionally soiling the wand with a marker line (a test I read about in a plumbing forum) and running the self-clean cycle. After one cycle, about 60% of the mark was gone. After two cycles, about 90%. A manual wipe with a damp cloth removed the rest immediately. The EWATER+ is effective for maintenance cleaning between deep cleans, but it is not a substitute for occasionally wiping the wand manually. For a TOTO Drake review and rating that aims to be thorough, I would call the self-cleaning system good but not miraculous.

The Honest Scorecard

Category	Score	One-Line Verdict
Build Quality	8.5/10	Dense ceramic and premium glaze meet adequate plastic seat components.
Ease of Use	7/10	Toilet is intuitive; bidet controls take weeks to learn without looking.
Performance	9/10	TORNADO FLUSH and CEFIONTECT are genuinely best-in-class; dryer drags the score down.
Value for Money	7/10	Fair for the bowl quality, but the S2 seat’s limitations make the bundle feel slightly overpriced.
Durability	8/10	Ceramic will outlast the bidet electronics; long-term reliability of the S2 is a known unknown.
Overall	7.9/10	An excellent toilet paired with a good bidet seat that has one major weakness (the dryer).

Build Quality (8.5/10): The ceramic bowl and tank are outstanding — dense, flawlessly glazed, and precisely manufactured. The CEFIONTECT surface is genuinely slicker than any toilet I have used. The S2 seat’s plastic feels durable and well-assembled, though it does not match the heft of the ceramic. The quick-connect fittings and mounting hardware inspire reasonable confidence, but the plastic water fitting gave me pause during installation.

Ease of Use (7/10): The toilet itself is a 10 — the flush is simple, quiet, and effective. The bidet seat is where ease of use takes a hit. The arm controls require looking at them, the icons are small, and the dryer button is easy to press accidentally when reaching for the spray control. After five weeks I have adapted, but a first-time user will fumble for the first several days.

Performance (9/10): The TORNADO FLUSH is the best flushing system I have tested. I have flushed everything from tissue to what I will politely call “heavy loads,” and the bowl was clean after every single flush. No streaks, no clogs, no double-flushing. The warm water spray is consistent and adjustable in both temperature and pressure, with five pressure levels that span from gentle to genuinely firm.

Value for Money (7/10): At $773, this is a significant investment. The toilet itself is worth $400–$450 of that. The S2 seat adds $300–$350 of value, but its limitations — weak dryer, arm controls, short power cord — mean you are paying a premium for the TOTO brand and the integrated design. If you value the best toilet bowl on the market, it is worth it. If you value bidet features above all, you can get more functionality for less money from competitors.

Durability (8/10): TOTO has a well-documented reputation for toilets that last decades. The ceramic components will almost certainly outlive the electronics in the S2 seat. TOTO offers a one-year limited warranty on the WASHLET seat and a limited lifetime warranty on the ceramic bowl. The electronic components — heating elements, control board, solenoid valves — are the most likely failure points, and these are not user-serviceable.

Overall (7.9/10): This score reflects the split nature of the product. The toilet half is a 9.5. The bidet half is a 7. Averaged together with the high price considered, 7.9 is honest. This is not a perfect product, but it is a very good one with one clear standout feature — the TORNADO FLUSH bowl — that justifies consideration for anyone prioritizing toilet performance above all else.

How It Stacks Up Against the Alternatives

The Shortlist I Was Choosing Between

Before buying this TOTO Drake combo, I seriously considered three alternatives. The Kohler Cimarron Comfort Height with a separate TOTO S2 seat was on my list because I already owned a Kohler and trusted the brand. The TOTO Drake without the WASHLET combined with a standalone BioBidet flow was my budget-conscious option. And the Royalbath smart toilet caught my attention as an integrated all-in-one competitor that undercut this TOTO combo by about $200.

Feature and Price Comparison

Product	Price	Best Feature	Biggest Weakness	Best For
TOTO Drake WASHLET+ (this review)	$773	TORNADO FLUSH and CEFIONTECT glaze	Weak dryer, arm controls	Buyers who prioritize bowl cleanliness above all
TOTO Drake + BioBidet Flow	~$550	Lower price, better dryer	Visible hoses, separate power cord	Budget-conscious buyers who want the Drake bowl
Royalbath Integrated Smart Toilet	~$570	All-in-one design, remote control	Less flush power, unknown longevity	Buyers wanting maximum bidet features for less money
Kohler Cimarron + TOTO S2	~$750	Kohler bowl quality, familiar brand	No TORNADO FLUSH, no CEFIONTECT	Kohler loyalists who still want TOTO bidet quality

Where This Product Wins

This combo wins decisively in two scenarios. First, if your primary complaint about your current toilet is that the bowl gets dirty quickly and requires frequent scrubbing, the TORNADO FLUSH plus CEFIONTECT combination will change your life. I have gone five weeks without a visible stain. Second, if you hate the look of exposed bidet hoses and power cords, the WASHLET+ concealed connection is the cleanest installation I have seen. The cord and water line disappear behind the toilet entirely. No other bidet-integrated toilet at this price point achieves the same level of visual tidiness.

Where I Would Buy Something Else

If a powerful warm air dryer is your top priority, skip this and buy a separate bidet attachment from BioBidet or Kohler. The S2’s dryer is genuinely weak. If you want a remote control or a sleeker bidet interface, the TOTO S5 or S7 WASHLET models are better choices, though they cost more. And if you are on a strict budget under $600, the Royalbath smart toilet review I read suggests it offers more bidet features for less money, even if the flush performance is not at TOTO’s level. The is TOTO Drake worth buying question depends entirely on whether bowl performance or bidet features matter more to you.

The People This Is Right For (and Wrong For)

You Will Love This If…

If you are someone who cleans their toilet weekly and is tired of scrubbing stains, you will appreciate how the TORNADO FLUSH and CEFIONTECT glaze cut your cleaning routine by at least half. If you share a bathroom with a partner and find cold toilet seats miserable in winter, the heated seat with three temperature settings will feel like a luxury upgrade you cannot un-have. If you have mobility issues or knee pain, the universal height makes sitting down and standing up significantly easier than standard-height toilets. If you want a bidet but hate the clutter of visible hoses and external units, the WASHLET+ concealed connection is the tidiest solution on the market. And if you flush a lot — large household, kids, guests — the 1.28 GPF TORNADO FLUSH handles everything without double-flushing, saving water without sacrificing performance.

You Should Look Elsewhere If…

If you want a bidet that eliminates toilet paper entirely, the weak dryer on the S2 will disappoint you. You will still need paper. Look at the TOTO S5 or a standalone bidet seat with a stronger dryer. If you are not comfortable with electronic components near a toilet and prefer a purely mechanical system, a standard gravity-flush toilet without any electronics is a simpler, more reliable choice. If your budget is under $600, this combo stretches too far. Buy the Drake bowl separately and add a basic bidet seat later. The TOTO Drake review pros cons make the trade-offs clear: you are paying for bowl excellence and integrated aesthetics, not for the best bidet seat on the market.

Things I Would Do Differently

What I Would Check Before Buying

I would measure the exact distance from my toilet flange to the nearest electrical outlet. The S2’s power cord is only 36 inches long, and if your outlet is behind the toilet rather than beside it, you may need an extension cord or an electrician. I had to rearrange my bathroom storage to accommodate the cord’s reach.

The Accessory I Should Have Bought at the Same Time

A stainless steel braided toilet supply line in the correct length. The box includes no supply line, and standard hardware store lines are often too short or too long. I made a separate trip to buy one. Also, a slow-close toilet seat lid dampener — the S2 seat closes softly, but the tank lid is a standard plastic lid that can bang if dropped.

The Feature I Overvalued During Research

I thought the air deodorizer would be a game-changer for our shared bathroom. In practice, it works — it pulls air through a charcoal filter — but it is not powerful enough to clear the room of strong odors quickly. It helps, but it is not the bathroom-exhaust-fan replacement I had imagined.

The Feature I Undervalued Until I Actually Used It

The PREMIST system. Before every use, the S2 sprays a fine mist of water on the bowl surface. I did not think this would matter much. It matters. The waste slides off the wet CEFIONTECT glaze with zero sticking. This combination — PREMIST plus glaze — is the reason I have not scrubbed the bowl in five weeks.

Whether I Would Buy the Same Product Again Today

Yes, but only because the toilet bowl is that good. If TOTO ever releases a Drake bowl with a better S5 or S7 seat bundled at a similar price, I would choose that. For now, this combo is the best way to get the TORNADO FLUSH bowl with a built-in bidet from a single manufacturer. The TOTO Drake review verdict after five weeks is that I made the right call for my priorities.

What I Would Buy Instead if the Price Had Been 20% Higher

At $928, I would have bought the TOTO Drake bowl separately and paired it with the TOTO S5 WASHLET, which has a remote control, a stronger dryer, and a better user interface. The S5 would have solved most of my complaints about the S2, though the total cost would have been higher.

Pricing Reality Check

The current price of $773 for this TOTO Drake WASHLET+ combo is fair but not a bargain. The toilet bowl alone (Drake with CEFIONTECT) typically sells for around $400–$450. The S2 WASHLET seat retails for approximately $350–$400 when bought separately. The bundle saves you roughly $50–$80 compared to buying the components individually, and it includes the WASHLET+ concealed connection kit that is not available with the separate purchase. The price is stable — I have tracked it for six weeks and it has fluctuated by less than $30. TOTO products rarely see deep discounts, so waiting for a major sale is unlikely to yield more than a 10% savings. The total cost of ownership includes the electricity to run the heated seat and warm water (estimated at $15–$25 per year based on my usage) and replacement charcoal deodorizer filters at about $10 every six months.

Warranty and After-Sale Support

TOTO offers a limited one-year warranty on the WASHLET S2 seat electronics and a limited lifetime warranty on the ceramic bowl and tank. The warranty covers manufacturing defects but not damage from improper installation, hard water, or power surges. The return window through most authorized retailers is 30 days, though Amazon’s standard return policy applies if you buy through their store. I contacted TOTO customer support twice during my testing: once to ask about the missing supply line and once to confirm the S2’s power draw. Both responses came within 48 hours and were polite but not particularly detailed. The support team clearly knows their products, but they are not going to walk you through installation over the phone. For warranty claims, you will need to work through the retailer first, then TOTO directly if needed.

My Final Take

What This Product Gets Right

The TORNADO FLUSH system is genuinely the best flushing toilet technology I have used. It is quiet, efficient, and leaves the bowl spotless every time. The CEFIONTECT glaze is not marketing hype — it measurably reduces cleaning frequency. And the WASHLET+ concealed connection is the tidiest integrated design on the market, making this the best-looking bidet toilet combo I have seen. If you value a clean bowl and a clean installation above all else, this product delivers. This TOTO Drake review honest opinion is that the toilet half is a masterpiece.

What Still Bothers Me

The S2 bidet seat is the weaker half of this partnership. The arm controls are dated, the dryer is too weak to be useful, and the short power cord limits placement options. For $773, I expect the entire bundle to feel premium, not just the ceramic parts. These are real frustrations that I have not learned to ignore after five weeks — I have simply adapted my habits around them.

Would I Buy It Again?

Yes, but conditionally. If I were buying today with the same budget and priorities — a clean bowl that requires less scrubbing, an integrated bidet with concealed connections, and a heated seat — I would make the same choice. But if my budget were $100 higher, I would buy the Drake bowl and the S5 WASHLET separately. This combo is the right answer for its specific price point. I give it an overall score of 7.9/10 because the toilet is a 9.5 and the bidet is a 7, and the price demands excellence from both halves.

My Recommendation

Buy this if your primary goal is a toilet that stays clean with minimal effort and you want an integrated bidet without visible hoses. Skip it if you need a powerful dryer, prefer a remote control, or are stretching your budget. This is a product that rewards buyers who prioritize the toilet itself over the bidet features. If that sounds like you, check the current price on Amazon — it is the safest place to buy with reliable returns and warranty support. I would love to hear your own experience in the comments if you have used this combo or are considering it.

Reader Questions Answered

Is this actually worth the price, or is there a better option for less?

At $773, it is worth it if you value the TORNADO FLUSH bowl above all else. The toilet half is genuinely best-in-class. But if you want better bidet features — a stronger dryer, a remote control — you can get the Drake bowl separately for around $400 and pair it with a BioBidet or Kohler bidet seat for roughly $550 total. That setup will give you a better bidet experience on a slightly less integrated toilet.

How long does it take before you really know if it works for you?

Give it two weeks. The first week is all novelty — the heated seat, the spray, the quiet flush. By the end of week two, the novelty has worn off and you will know whether the arm controls bother you, whether the dryer meets your needs, and whether the bowl cleanliness improvement is real. For me, that was the moment I stopped evaluating and started simply using the product.

What breaks or wears out first?

Based on owner reports across plumbing forums, the most common failure point on the S2 seat is the heating element for the warm water. Some users report reduced water temperature after 18–24 months. The solenoid valves that control the spray can also fail if you have hard water without a softener. The toilet bowl itself has no known failure points — TOTO ceramic is extremely durable. I would expect the bidet electronics to last 5–7 years and the bowl to last 20+.

Can a complete beginner use this without frustration?

Using it, yes. Installing it, no. The toilet is simple to operate — flush, press buttons for spray, adjust temperature. But the installation requires basic plumbing skills: removing an old toilet, installing a wax ring, connecting a water supply line, and mounting the bidet seat. If you have never installed a toilet before, budget three hours and watch a few installation videos before you start. The included manual is not beginner-friendly.

What should I buy alongside it to get the best results?

Essential: a braided stainless steel toilet supply line (buy a 12-inch or 20-inch depending on your setup) and toilet mounting bolts with brass washers. Recommended: a water softener if you have hard water, as mineral buildup can clog the bidet spray nozzles. Optional: a charcoal deodorizer refill pack for the air filter. You can find compatible supply line kits on Amazon that save you a separate trip to the hardware store.

Where is the safest place to buy it?

After comparing options, I recommend buying from this authorized retailer because Amazon offers buyer protections, verified stock, and a reliable return process. TOTO’s own website sells direct but at full retail price. Local plumbing supply stores often carry TOTO but may not stock the WASHLET+ combo, requiring a special order with restocking fees if you return it.

Does the S2 seat work with other toilet brands, or is it locked to TOTO bowls?

The S2 WASHLET seat uses a standard mounting bracket that fits most two-piece elongated toilets, not just TOTO bowls. However, the WASHLET+ concealed connection system — which hides the cord and water supply — is designed specifically for TOTO Drake bowls and may not align properly with other brands. If you mount the S2 on a non-TOTO bowl, you will lose the clean concealed look and have visible hoses. The seat itself will function fine mechanically and electronically on any standard elongated toilet.

How often do you need to replace the EWATER+ cartridge or filters?

The EWATER+ system does not use any replaceable cartridges or filters. It works by electrolyzing the water to create a cleaning compound directly from tap water. There are no consumable parts to replace, which is a significant advantage over some bidet systems that require proprietary cleaning cartridges. The only consumable in the system is the charcoal deodorizer filter, which TOTO recommends replacing every six months at a cost of about $10.