People have strong opinions about washing their butts, but one thing is for sure: The Toto Washlet C5 is better than any other bidet seat at dialing in your exact preferences—pulsating or oscillating stream, warm or cool water, high or low pressure.
Thanks to the C5’s unique, intuitive controls, you’ll find it’s just as easy to disable the bells and whistles if you’re in it only for the heated seat.
And if you’re new to bidets, don’t assume you need to dive in with a feature-rich model like the Toto. We’ve found that many people are perfectly happy with a simpler, less expensive cold-water model, and we have recommendations for those, too.
Our pick
The C5 has all of the features you’d want in a bidet seat. And this model’s intuitive controls make it easier to dial in or disable those features, according to your preferences.
Since 2016 we’ve tested nearly 30 bidet seats—in a four-person Brooklyn apartment, with a family of six in New Hampshire, and with another family of five in Los Angeles—and we’re sure Toto’s Washlet C5 strikes just the right balance of features, price, and usability. Most people say their experience with this seat has been excellent, whether they’ve used a bidet for years or are totally new to it. Other bidets have similar features, but those models aren’t as easy to get the hang of as the C5—even guests find it easy to use. That’s because of the simple layout of the C5’s remote control, which predictably activates or adjusts your preferences. Some bidet features can be annoying or unnecessary, and it’s easier to disable those features on the C5 than it is on other models.
Runner-up
If you’re willing to give up the remote and programmable user settings, the C2 saves you a few bucks while retaining Toto’s other key features.
If the Toto C5 is unavailable, we like the Toto Washlet C2. The main difference is that the C2’s controls are on a side panel attached to the seat, whereas the C5’s controls are located on its exceptional (and stylish) remote. If you’re worried about kids losing or destroying the remote, this can be a positive (but we prefer the remote’s flexibility). Compared with the C5, the C2 also has two fewer options for water temperature and no programmable user settings. This model typically costs anywhere from $50 to $150 less, and yet the C2 is nice where it counts—a heated seat, warm water, and pressure controls that (like the C5’s) go up and down on a +/- scale. (A lot of competitors’ pressure controls cycle through all of the levels—including a Waterpik-like beam—before you can get to the one you want.)
Also great
The Brondell Swash LE99 is another great option. It costs less than our top pick, but there is a slight delay to the water spray. The cord also sticks out the side.
We think the Toto C5 offers the best balance of features, aesthetics, and ease of control, but the Brondell Swash LE99 Advanced Bidet Toilet Seat offers a couple more features, with some minor compromises overall. We really like the intuitive, single-sided remote, and there’s a nice auto feature for children. The water spray is fully customizable, and there are two user presets. The downsides are that the cord draws attention to itself by sticking out of the side, instead of the back. Also, the nozzle self-cleans before each wash, so there’s a little delay between pressing the button and feeling the water. These minor flaws were evident in side-by-side testing; you might not even notice.
Also great
The USPA 6800 is loaded with features at an excellent price. But the remote is very busy, and the water supply line looks awkward.
Another nice option is the Bio Bidet USPA 6800U Luxury Bidet Toilet Seat. This one offers a lot of features and comes with a laminated sheet of basic instructions (making it an ideal option for a rental or guest bath). For both children and adults, we liked the one-button option that starts an automatic cycle of washing and drying. The USPA 6800 has almost no delay before the start of a wash, and it’s a very quiet model. The downside is that all of these features and options result in a two-sided remote, so you have to flip it around while you’re using it.
Upgrade pick
The slimmest bidet we recommend looks great and supplies an endless amount of hot water. And its ample features are easy to use.
If you want sharp aesthetics as well as top performance, we recommend the Brondell Swash Thinline T44 Luxury Bidet Toilet Seat. It’s the thinnest electric bidet available, sitting less than 4 inches high at the rear (our other electric recommendations are all in the 5½-inch range). This thinness is partly achieved because of the bidet’s instant hot-water system, which provides endless warm water. The power cord and water inlet are both tucked at the rear of the bidet, where they are virtually out of sight. This bidet has all of the important features, as well as some nice additional ones—like a gentle cycle (ideal for kids) and a night-light with three color options.
Budget pick
This discreet bidet is easy to install and control. It combines a toilet seat and a sprayer, and it has better aim than less-expensive cold-water models we tried.
We found that some people love cold-water bidets while others recoil from them in fear. Emotions aside, these bidets are much simpler to use, have almost no additional features, and don’t require an outlet. If you don’t mind a slight chill on your bum, or you want to try out a bidet with minimal investment, the Brondell EcoSeat S101 Non-Electric Bidet Seat is a great option. This bidet combines a toilet seat and a sprayer. The controls are quietly tucked to the side and call almost no attention to themselves, so this bidet looks like a normal toilet seat. Because the seat and sprayer are integrated, the spray is more accurate than that of less-expensive cold-water attachments, so there’s a little less wriggling on your part.
Budget pick
With basic pressure controls but no heated water (or seat), this low-cost cold-water option is easy to install, but the aim might be a bit off.
The Bio Bidet SlimEdge Attachment doesn’t heat up your water or seat, and it has no features other than a rudimentary pressure control. The good news? You don’t even need to swap out your toilet seat. The SlimEdge looks nicer than other models in its price range, and it’s simple to install and use. An attachment like this can’t adjust its spray position, so plan to wiggle a bit. This model is a good place to start if you’re new to bidets and are unsure about investing in a full-featured model.
