Sustainability made simple

5 Affordable Water-Efficient Toilets for 2023

Water-efficient toilets
Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Giorgio Trovato

Though modern toilets are designed to be more eco-friendly, toilets still consume a huge amount of water. Here are five affordable water-efficient toilets we recommend.

According to a 2016 study, 24 percent of the average American household’s water use is for toilet flushing — that’s more than doing the laundry or taking a shower. The amount of water used for flushing depends on the age of the toilet (newer models tend to use less water) and how frequently you flush it. The Energy Policy Act of 1994 made it law for new toilets to have a maximum flush volume of 1.6 gallons of water. But, considering that the average American uses the toilet five times a day, that’s still a whole lot of water going down the drain.

We’re going to focus on water-efficient toilets; however, you may also want to consider how much you flush your toilet and learn more about the environmental impact of flushing. Let’s take a look at the best affordable water-efficient toilets.

1. Kohler Highline Arc Toilet

The height of the seat of the Kohler Highline Arc is the same as the standard chair height, so it is designed for maximum comfort. This toilet uses gravity and only 1.28 gallons of water per flush, saving 16,500 gallons of water compared to an older toilet. The Kohler Highline Arc toilet meets EPA WaterSense criteria, allowing consumers to verify products’ water efficiency. It flushes quietly and is available in biscuit or white colors. It’s also the most affordable toilet on the list, coming in at $249.

2. Water-efficient Toilets: American Standard H2Option Toilet

The American Standard H2Option has two flushing options.
The American Standard H2Option has two flushing options. (Foto: CC0 Public Domain / Unsplash / Hello I'm Nik)

This American Standard toilet has two flushing options, full flush or half flush, hence the name H2Option. It is an ultra-high-efficiency toilet and meets EPA WaterSense criteria and MaP PREMIUM criteria, meaning its flush volume is no more than 1.10 gallons. The American Standard H20ption toilet is available in white, linen or bone colors, and the price is reasonable at around $328.

3. TOTO Drake II Toilet

One of the most water-efficient toilets on the list, this toilet only uses 1 gallon of water per flush and also meets EPA WaterSense criteria. The TOTO Drake II has dual nozzles enabling the toilet bowl to stay clean with each flush, compared to older toilets that may need more than one. Available in cotton white, its price is at the high end of the market, coming in at around $729.

4. Water-efficient Toilets: Niagara Stealth Single Flush Toilet

The Niagra Stealth Single Flush is the most water-efficient toilet on our list. It uses less than a gallon of water per flush and is very quiet. It’s available in white and meets EPA WaterSense criteria and MaP PREMIUM criteria. The price is around $255 — check out the Niagra website to find stockists in your area.

5. American Standard Studio S One-Piece Toilet

The water-efficient American Standard Studio S toilet looks like this (bidet not included).
The water-efficient American Standard Studio S toilet looks like this (bidet not included). (Foto: CC0 / Pixabay / sferrario1968)

The American Standard Studio S One-Piece toilet looks different from traditional toilets as it only has one piece — it comes without a tank at the back. It is a water-efficient toilet choice, as it only uses one gallon of water per flush. It is available in white and meets EPA WaterSense criteria and MaP PREMIUM criteria. However, it is the most expensive on our list. You can find one for about $1000.

Read more:

** Links to retailers marked with ** or underlined orange are partially partner links: If you buy here, you actively support Utopia.org, because we will receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More info.

Do you like this post?

Thank you very much for voting!

Tags: