You should get one. They are really nice to use, very clean feeling. The dryer is over rated IMHO, I just use a bit of TP instead of turning the dryer on. Takes too long otherwise. The night light feature is helpful. Constant hot water feature is nice but even a seat with a reservoir is just fine. I don't have a Toto seat. I have the INAX which is wonderful, but not distributed in the US any longer. I bought another brand for my second remodel called Novita with a lot of features. I'll never go back :)

We put an outlet in, jic.

Why not? I can only think of one reason to not install a bidet seat...MONEY. But if that's not holding you back, there is absolutely no reason to not have a bidet seat! I've had the Toto S300 since Dec of 07. It now seems barbaric to clean any other way. I don't clean my grandson with a paper towel when he comes in from playing in the mud. It takes water. There are way too many websites that can fill you in on all the reasons to use one without me either 1) embarrassing myself or 2) trying to explain without embarrassing my genteel southern self :o

My mother was about to have shoulder surgery when I bought mine and asked me to order her one as well. She was sooooo happy to have it. She's had a carpal tunnel surgery too as well has suffers 100% of the time with a debilitating spinal injury. There is no way she'll ever be without her Washlet (me either).

My husband's bathroom has been out of commission for a few months due to remodel. He's not looking forward to the plumber setting his toilet since it means no more Washlet for him. I asked him if he'd like me to order one but he won't let me spend that kind of money on him, so, I found a much cheaper alternative. It gets very high ratings but I'm not sure after having a "real" bidet seat, he'll be happy with it. I'm hoping it will convince him to let me order a Washlet for his bathroom.

I just wish it looked nicer...
Brondell FreshSpa Easy Bidet

Monica, can you put electrical in anyway, just in case?

Someone mentioned that to him while the walls were still open but someone didn't do it. I won't name names (g) To be fair, he was recuperating from open heart surgery. Since he won't spend that kind of money on himself I'm wondering if he would buy me a new one and he could have my old one... win-win

Enduring, which Washlet model do you have that has a night light?

Oops, that's right, you have an INAX

INAX=no night light. Novita=night light :) I got the Novita at Bidet King, on line.

So based on the comments from those that have one, the washlets do a great job of "cleaning", but how much trouble is it to clean the washlet? Seems like lots of nooks and crannies. And based on my experience with my bidet - which is actually used now only as a drinking fountain for my dog - the water coming out is COLD. AND I'm not inclined to sit there and wait for it to get warm. I do understand the benefit of having one in case medical issues make the alternative difficult. So maybe I will have an outlet installed just to give us the option.

The S300 has a water adjustment. No cold H2o back there! Also has a cleaning function....not to say an occasional "wipe down" is a bad idea...

Cleaning isn't a big deal. You periodically take a q-tip or something and swab around the housing that holds the "wands". The wands themselves, as Stonetech states are self cleaning each time they are used. Water washes over them be for and during the retracting into the housing depending on your model. I specifically looked for units that had the self cleaning for both of mine. I don't know if they all have that or not. I also like having 2 wands, one for the front and one for the back. It does take getting used to sitting in a new way. I used to sit much more forward, now with the advanced toilet seat, I have to sit back, basically sealing the seat opening. Otherwise I imagine spray will fly, lol. By sitting back on the opening you are in the spray range too.

You can also just attach a sprayer. Easy and cheap.

But then you're back to cold water ;)

Ok, so these things provide warm water. Energy costs?

My outlet is tied to the light switch. Don't cost 'nothin when the switch is off.

My Novita has a tankless heater, so only heats what is used at the time. Like a hot tea water tap I suppose, but don't know for sure, as I don't have one of those. My INAX does have a small tank that keeps the water warm all the time, I think about a liter. Cost is something I know nothing about, sorry.

The Washlet S300 uses flash/on demand heating technology. There is no tank where warm water is housed. It also has a "power saving" mode where you can program some of the functions to use power only during a specified time. As for cleaning, it needs a little extra care from time to time. No big deal. And with the press of a button on one side, the entire thing slides right for easy cleaning. No tools necessary. To put it back on, just push it back onto the catch-plate. I think all of the bidet seats connect to the toilet the same way.

Benjesbride, I'm not surprised about the phone charging comment: So many people these days are literally addicted to their phones.

I'm sold on the general idea of a washlet; however, I have two questions:

Did you install a washlet ONLY in your master bath for your own use, or did you put them in other bathrooms too? I'm wondering if guests would know how to use it, and I'm wondering if it could be damaged by people who used it improperly? Would you maybe put a little sign next to the toilet explaining its use?

Second, what's the lifespan of a typical washlet? I mean, it has moving parts. Would you expect to replace it in two years? five years? never?

My INAX had a 1 or 2 year warranty, but is such good build quality, I wasn't concerned. I have used it daily for 4 years. I ended up putting one in both my bathrooms ultimately, because I wasn't expecting to remodel the second bathroom near the bedrooms. So when I did remodel I had to have an advanced seat there too. That is when I found out INAX wasn't distributing in the US any more. That is when I bought the Novita for the second bathroom. The installation of the INAX was a snap, not so much for the Novita.

The Novita is rather new to the market in the US, I think. Its a Korean brand. The INAX is Japanese and INAX actually was the inventor of the advanced toilet seat in the 70's, according to Herringmaven (who used to post frequently but very little since the Houzz transfer). I have been using the Novita for about 1.5 years without problems. It has a 3 year warranty. It has a lot more going on electronically than the INAX, but its a lot of fluff. The heated seat on both are great for the winter.

By the way I "Washlet" is the name Toto uses. These seats generically called "advanced toilet seats" or "electronic bidets".

I have not seen anyone complain of their seats on GW, and there are several kinds mentioned in the various threads.

I can answer some questions, or offer another perspective. We started with an S300 in our master, then a few years later we bought a BB1000 for the kids' bath. We preferred the BB1000, so we swapped them around.

I wish I could tell you how many years we've had them...it's been quite a while. No problems, no repairs. Honestly, there's no need to be fearful of an additional burden from cleaning. They're "just there".

Bells and whistles? I like the basic cleaning function. I like the enema function. For the units with a charcoal air filter, that can help minimize odors if you use the drying fan. We used the hot water and the air dryer, we really don't anymore. Maybe occasionally. When we used the warm water function, going from using it to not using it? I guess I can say there was a bit of "thermal shock" at first. The thing is, using non-heated water really isn't a factor for us anymore. The warmed seat? You know, it was nice when we used it in winter. Then we stopped using it and really haven't noticed it not being nice.

So the bells and whistles? It's really what you make of them.

We use it pretty much just for the spray functions in warmer weather. In colder weather, it's nice to have the option of warm water, of a warm seat, etc, etc...again, we use them occasionally but not full-time.

I really like the handheld remote instead of having a wall-mounted control panel, or using controls located back near the user's hip.

My wife and I use our master bathroom with the BB1000. Out kids, their friends, and some guests use the kids' bathroom with the S300. We've had some questions, some comments, some "can you show me how to use this" but no mishaps. We don't have washlets on the powder room toilets on the first floor of the house.

Some people think they're frivolous. Some people love them. Washlets are one of those things that I thought would be nice to have. After having them, I found out they truly are nice to have. They'll be more valuable as we age.

Hi Mongo, so glad to hear from you! :)

When people come to my house, and see them, the first reaction is nervous laughter, and silly comments. Especially men. Women usually see the benefit. I sing the seats praises.

Thanks Enduring. I've been off-line for a few weeks, hiking the national parks out west.

Nothing says "home" like a toasty toilet seat on a cold winter morning :) We only turn up the temp on the seat in the colder months.

I've been reading and watching videos of the various brands and models. If he won't let me spend the money on a Toto (for his bathroom) and I can find something comparable but less spendy, I think the BioBidet BB2000 Bliss is the one I'd buy. Found it for $570. It has constant hot water like our Toto. A night light. Need to find out how long it will stay on. It has a wall mounted controller...don't understand why some find that not desirable. If it's mounted on a wall (provided one is in easy access), it's certainly not going to sprout legs and be out of arm's reach when you need it. I also don't know how long the water will run on the BB Bliss 2000. On the Toto, it will run up to 5 minutes before automatically turning off.

I wonder if you can download the instruction manual? It should explain everything. On the Novita I have the controller has a holder that is wall mounted and controller can be removed if wanted. All the LCD background lighting can be hard to see. This seat is complicated. My INAX is simple and intuitive.

I'm sure I can enduring. It's just not to that point yet. He's going to have to see how much he misses mine and how much he likes (or dislikes) the Brondell Fresh Spa.

We were adding a sprayer which would require running the hot water line to the toilet. We got the idea after staying at a hotel that had the sprayer (pictured).

The Washlet S300 has a temp control for the built-in sprayer. I think a separate wand would be cumbersome....

Monica, here is a link to the manual for the BB Bliss 2000.

BB-2000-MANUAL.pdf

We have the Brondell Swash 1000 and echo everyone else. We would never turn back. Just something to note for your electrician, you need an outlet that is a dedicated one.

I have one similar to the wall-mount and operated one, except mine has a low-voltage little tank that sits on the floor next to the toilet to give me warm water for about 10 seconds per use. If I had known how short the warm water lasted I never would have gotten this set-up. I believed that my medical condition required the bigger spray, plus I do not yet have an electric outlet near the toilet (nor one left on my panel!). This has a very long skinny little cord that we snaked through our old vanity base cabinet and to an outlet six feet away.

It is American made and from a company called Biffy Bidet. It is called the Bun Warmer and now they offer it with the Butler attached, so you can have the toilet paper/towel holder, and phone or tablet holder all coming from the top of your Bun Warmer. I did get the Butler separately, as I thought that the set-up in my bathroom would not work so well with just what was pictured below. I was wrong and now I have a huge tangle of tubes and hoses and a stanchion that holds the sprayer and which could also hold a roll of toilet paper if I needed it to, and where I could put a towel, but when it falls, it falls into this dusty, swirled mess of hoses and needs to go into the wash! What a disaster! And I do NOT bring my phone or tablet to the bathroom with me, nor would I add it to this mess! You can see the new Bun Warmer with Butler below.

I don't know how much those models are that you have to grab the sprayer and use it manually, but for a mere $50 (cold water) and $60 for warm and cold water,) you can get a Brondell FreshSpa (NON electric) seat. No reaching around and getting your hand wet.

We installed DH's Brondell FreshSpa (and there are many other brands of manual bidet seats) and let me tell you...basic as it is, it gets the (basic) job done well and dare I say better than my $700 S300 Toto Washlet! :o Do I want to trade bidets with DH? No, but I'm so very glad now to know that when my Washlet bites the dust and I can't afford to spend nearly $1000 on an new one, there ARE uber inexpensive alternatives that get the basic job done...and done well! He doesn't have warm water, heated seat, deodorizer (but he does have a Panasonic Whisper Warm vent) and no water oscillation. He only has one wash but the nozzle offers three positions. The two things it does do, frankly it does better than my "advanced" toilet system. The water pressure that shoots out of that thing is at least 5x harder than my Washlet (and it's no slouch). Of course the water pressure is adjustable. The nozzle wash/rinse is also more powerful. With our bathroom configuration, the toilet is right next to the vanity and the bidet control is between the two. Not visible most of the time. I asked my husband if he would rather have the option of warm water. He would have to drill a hole in the side of the vanity. He doesn't want to do that and even tho he's the closest to the hot water heater, there would still be a waiting time for warm water. He's happy with it and I'm happy that he's happy (and I'm happy with my Toto Washlet :) ) So no handheld sprayer and nothing on the floor to take up space and/or topple over. 10-15 minutes to install.

The one in the last picture is selling for $180 now. You don't get your hand wet at all. The little lever on the handle of the sprayer is where you depress to make it spray. You spray once you have it aimed, stop spraying when you are done. Occasionally, you have a drip from the nozzle after you return it to the holder - which is why I think the tablet holder is such a strange addition.

That being said, it is not worth having to dust and clean it and the hose leading to it. I have POTS, a disorder that makes me nauseous and dizzy when I bend over and stand up. I don't do cleaning on the floor level too well and will be retiring my set-up when I remodel. I will have to look into the Brondell Fresh Spa. The extra strong spray sounds like it may meet my needs. I do need to get an advanced toilet seat. Between the Brondell and the BioBidet, I will figure something out!

I miss"spoke" above and called this bidet a bidet "seat". Of course it's not. It's an attachment but I felt I needed to clarify.

I'm planning to install the BioBidet BB2000 when I remodel my mother's bathroom. The elongated white version happens to be on sale today only (Sept. 20, 2015) on woot.com for only $449.99 plus $5 shipping. Woot is owned by Amazon so it's a valid online retailer. Here's a link: http://tools.woot.com/offers/bio-bidet-bb2000-elongated?ref=gh_tg_5_s_txt

That's a good price! The lowest I could find it for was $570. That's the one I would want to get DH if he decided the FreshSpa wasn't enough but he's happy with what he has.

I discovered something on the Bio Bidet site last night that I KNEW was going to come out sooner or later, I just couldn't believe it wasn't on the market already. Well now it is and in a manual bidet attachment. I've owned my Toto Washlet for 8 years. All along I've said the only way to make this better is if it had some kind of cleanser that would spray one's private parts for extra cleansing. Introducing the Bio Bidet Premium BB 3000 (non electrical). Only thing I don't like about this model is the black "joy stick" affair.

BB3000

monicakm_gw, just because your DH is happy with the FreshSpa doesn't mean you should be deprived of a more luxurious experience. I think you should order the BB2000 before the deal expires at midnight Central time and explain that it was such a good price you couldn't resist. Remember, it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. ;-)

Also, I agree about the black "joy stick" handle on the BB3000. Must have been designed by a man.

Ann, I'm not deprived, have a toto s300 washlet n my bathroom. If anyone is deprived it would be him. I wanted to buy him the bb2000 bidet but he didn't want me spending that kind of money on him and frankly we're still recuperating from his bathroom remodel! If he ever decides to upgrade I'm sure there will be another good deal... Maybe not that good though.

I'm bringing this thread back to life since I was out looking at toilets and Totos today. I hadn't thought much about the cord and water supply having to snake out around the side of the toilet (unless you get a Toto with the hole for them, but then it seems that the seats themselves are really big?). I'm worried that it'd make a big arc if the porcelain part of the toilet doesn't narrow where the hose is. I'm considering this Kohler. Any thoughts on the hose/cord situation if a washlet were put on that?

I'd like to chime in and say that if you try it you'll see what's so great about it. Recently some of the nicer plumbing supply showrooms have them installed in the customer restrooms. But you have to ask. It's now become the main reason I'm so eager to do the bathroom renovations. That and the yellow tile, bathtub and sink that's got to go. ;-)

My Toto Washlet is one of the best decisions I made in our reno. You control everything. Warm water: direction and pressure and temperature. Warm seat. Dryer. Deodorizing fan afterward. I call it the princess toilet. Love it!