Which toilet is better one piece or two?

When it comes to choosing between a one-piece or two-piece toilet, there are several factors to consider before deciding which is the better option for your bathroom. Both one-piece and two-piece toilets have their own sets of pros and cons when it comes to ease of installation, maintenance, aesthetics, and performance. In this comprehensive guide, we will compare one-piece vs two-piece toilets across these key categories to help you determine the right toilet for your needs.

Ease of Installation

One of the main differences between one and two piece toilets is the installation process. One-piece toilets tend to be easier to install since they come pre-assembled as a single unit. With a two-piece toilet, you have to install the tank and bowl separately which involves more steps.

Here is a comparison of the installation steps for each type of toilet:

One-Piece Toilet Installation	Two-Piece Toilet Installation
Remove old toilet Install new wax ring Lower one-piece toilet onto flange Secure toilet to floor Connect water supply line	Remove old toilet Install new wax ring Install toilet bowl onto flange Secure bowl to floor Install tank onto bowl Connect water supply line from wall to tank

As you can see, installing a one-piece toilet involves fewer steps since you don’t have to worry about mounting the tank and bowl together. Many homeowners opt for one-piece toilets for this added convenience during installation. However, two-piece toilets allow you to replace just the tank or bowl if one component fails rather than having to replace the entire unit.

Ease of Maintenance

When it comes to ongoing maintenance, one-piece toilets tend to require less upkeep than two-piece models. With a one-piece toilet, there is no risk of leaks occurring between the tank and bowl since it is a single molded unit. You also only have to clean one unified surface when scrubbing the toilet.

Two-piece toilets have a separate tank and bowl which creates a small gap where debris, mold, and bacteria can build up over time. This area must be cleaned regularly to prevent leaks and cracks from forming. The exposed bolts and gaskets between the tank and bowl can also corrode and lead to potential leakage issues down the road.

Overall, one-piece toilets are slightly more maintenance friendly long-term since there are fewer joints and connections to inspect and clean. But two-piece toilets allow you to isolate leaks between tank components vs the bowl.

Aesthetics

Shoppers looking for a sleek, seamless look tend to prefer one-piece toilets. Their unified design creates a smooth, contemporary appearance. One-piece toilets come in a range of stylish high-gloss, colored, and wood grain finishes to match modern bathrooms.

Two-piece toilets have a more traditional style with their separate tank and bowl. However, two-piece toilet tanks and bowls can be purchased separately which allows for more customization and mix-and-match options. You may be able to find a two-piece toilet with a bowl and tank combination that fits your specific bathroom’s aesthetic.

One-piece toilets generally provide a more minimalist, spa-like look. But two-piece models allow more room for personalization in terms of color and design. Choose based on the visual style you are aiming for.

Flushing Power

When it comes to flushing performance, there is little difference between most one-piece and two-piece toilets. Flushing power is more dependent on the flushing mechanism and water pressure than the design of the toilet.

Both one and two piece toilets are available with a wide range of flushing technologies including gravity flush, pressure assisted, double flush, and low flow flush systems. The flushing mechanism you choose will impact the force of the flush more than whether the toilet is one or two pieces.

It is a myth that two-piece toilets flush more powerfully. Many modern one-piece toilets offer innovative flush systems that outperform standard flushing two-piece toilets. Focus more on the stated GPF (gallons per flush) and user reviews for flushing effectiveness rather than the toilet style.

Seat Height

The seat height is another factor to consider when choosing between one and two-piece toilets. Standard toilet seat heights range between 14-15 inches for most two-piece models. One-piece toilets commonly have slightly lower seat heights around 12-14 inches on average.

The lower profile of one-piece toilets can be beneficial for smaller bathrooms with restricted space. But the lower seats may be less comfortable for some adults. If seat height is a concern, measure the distance from your floor to the bowl rim on your existing toilet and compare it to prospective new one or two-piece models. Select the toilet with a seat height closest to your current toilet.

You can also purchase a comfort height seat with any two-piece toilet to increase the height to 16-18 inches. This brings the seating position closer to a standard chair. One-piece toilets will have a fixed lower seat height.

Cost

On average, one-piece toilets tend to be more expensive than two-piece toilets often ranging from $300-$700 depending on features. Standard two-piece models usually cost $150-$400. The higher price tag of one-piece toilets is often due to the greater complexity of molding the tank and bowl as one unit.

However, high-end designer two-piece toilets can still cost upwards of $700-$1000. The material, flushing system, brand name, and features included impact the price for both one and two-piece toilet types. But on a basic feature level, one-piece toilets will generally be pricier.

Availability of Parts

When it comes to part availability, two-piece toilets tend to have an advantage. Since the tank and bowl components are separated, you can easily source replacements parts for internal flush valve parts, gaskets, tank lids and handles. One-piece toilet parts are harder to find if a internal part breaks because the components are not designed to be serviced.

Entire one-piece toilet bowls often need complete replacement if a part inside the flushing mechanism fails. The benefit of two-piece toilets is you can replace just the broken component, whether it is in the tank or bowl separately. So availability of replacement parts is usually better with two-piece toilets.

Weight and Size

Due to their compact unified design, one-piece toilets tend to have a smaller footprint and weigh less than two-piece toilets. Here is an overview of typical toilet weights based on their style:

Toilet Style	Average Weight
One-piece	65 – 95 pounds
Two-piece	90 – 120 pounds

The lighter weight and more compact size of one-piece models make them ideal for small bathrooms where fitting and moving a toilet into place may be challenging. Their smaller tank dimensions also leave more usable counter space.

However, two-piece toilets allow more flexibility if you need to angle the tank in a certain direction to work with your existing plumbing. Overall one-piece toilets win when it comes to size and manageable weight.

Installation Space Requirements

Here is a comparison of the rough-in bathroom space needed to install each type of toilet:

Toilet Type	Typical Rough-In
One-piece	10-14 inches
Two-piece	12-14 inches

One-piece toilets can work with slightly smaller rough-in dimensions (the distance between the wall and toilet flange) since their tank and bowl are fused together. This makes them well-suited for minimal bathrooms. Two-piece toilets require a rough-in of 12 inches or greater to allow space for the tank to be mounted on the bowl.

Water Efficiency

When comparing water efficiency between one and two-piece toilets, there are High-Efficiency (HET) models available for both designs. HET toilets require 1.28 GPF (gallons per flush) or less which can lead to significant water savings versus older 3-5 GPF toilet models.

Here are some general guidelines for the water efficiency of each toilet type:

Toilet Type	Average Water Usage
One-piece Standard	1.6 GPF
One-piece HET	1.28 GPF or less
Two-piece Standard	1.6 GPF
Two-piece HET	1.28 GPF or less

The water consumption depends much more on whether you choose an HET model or not rather than whether the toilet is one or two pieces. Both one and two-piece toilets are available with high-efficiency 1.28 GPF flushing to conserve water.

Noise Level

Some shoppers looking for a quiet toilet may wonder whether one or two-piece toilets have less operational noise. In general, there is little sound difference between most one and two-piece toilets when flushed. The flushing mechanism and water flow make the most noise, not the toilet style.

However, two-piece toilets can sometimes develop minor leaks between the tank and bowl gaskets over time. This can lead to extra running water sounds. The sealed design of one-piece toilets prevents this potential leak issue. But overall, both toilet types operate quietly when in good working order.

Ease of Cleaning

One-piece toilets provide slightly easier cleaning since their smooth continuous surface is simple to wipe down. With two-piece toilets, you have to maneuver around the tank and bowl to clean all surfaces. Grime and calcium deposits also build up readily in the small gap between the tank and bowl on two-piece models.

On the other hand, two-piece toilets allow you to fully scrub the interior toilet bowl without obstruction since the tank is detached. Deep cleaning a one-piece toilet bowl can be more challenging. For routine cleaning, one-piece toilets are quicker. But for thorough sanitizing, two-piece models allow better access.

Resale Value

Homeowners looking for the best return on investment when selling may want to install a one-piece toilet. Their sleek contemporary look and ease of cleaning appeal to prospective home buyers. Real estate agents also tend to recommend one-piece toilets over two-piece units, especially in master bathrooms, due to their upscale appearance.

However, you can also choose a stylish two-piece toilet with designer bowl and tank finishes to create an appealing high-end look. As long as you avoid basic white builder-grade units, either toilet style can boost home value when installed properly before listing. The condition and visual appeal of the toilet matters most for resale.

Eco-Friendliness

Both one and two-piece toilets can provide eco-friendly benefits depending on the specific model. Here are some examples of the green features available for each toilet type:

One-Piece Eco-Friendly Options:

– Dual flush toilets use 0.8 GPF for liquid waste and 1.28 GPF for solid waste
– Self-contained water recycling flushing systems
– Toilets made from recycled materials
– Glaze and color free of VOCs

Two-Piece Eco-Friendly Options:

– Dual flush technology
– Low flow 1.28 GPF or less flushing
– Toilets with eco-friendly WaterSense certification
– Tanks and bowls made from recycled content
– Low VOC finishes and glazes

So both one and two-piece toilets can offer green attributes to conserve water, reduce waste, and provide environmentally-friendly operation. The specific model capabilities are more important than whether the toilet is one or two pieces when determining the eco-impact.

Comfort Height Seating

When it comes to comfort height seating, two-piece toilets have an advantage. Comfort height toilets position the seat 17-19 inches above the floor which replicates the height of a standard chair. This makes sitting down and standing up easier for those with mobility challenges.

Adding a comfort height seat to a two-piece toilet simply requires picking a taller bowl and longer tank. For one-piece toilets, the seating height is fixed based on the design of the model. You would need to specifically seek out a comfort height one-piece toilet rather than adjusting it yourself.

If ease of sitting is a priority, two-piece toilets provide more options to create a chair-level seat height through choosing compatible tank and bowl combinations.

Bowl Shape

There are a few differences when it comes to toilet bowl shape options between one and two-piece toilets:

One-Piece Toilets:
– Elongated bowl only
– Limited availability of 10-12 inch rough-in compact elongated bowls

Two-Piece Toilets:
– Round front or elongated bowls available
– Larger range of rough-in distances like 10-inch, 12-inch and 14-inch
– More choice of compact space-saving bowl shapes

Two-piece toilets provide greater flexibility in terms of bowl shape for fitting different bathroom footprints. One-piece bowls only come in elongated format. So two-piece models open up more possibilities like round-front bowls or compact elongated bowls to work with tight spaces.

Concealed Trapway

A concealed trapway hides the curved pipe behind the bowl which connects the toilet drain line to the waste line in the floor. This creates a sleeker look. One-piece toilets more commonly feature a concealed trapway versus exposed for two-piece models.

The seamless design of one-piece toilets lends itself to having a hidden integrated trapway. But you can find two-piece toilets with concealed trapways also for a streamlined appearance. Overall, one-piece toilets provide more options for a smooth skirted trapway built into the design.

ADA Compliant Height

For bathrooms requiring ADA compliant fixtures, two-piece toilets can make it easier to meet accessibility guidelines. ADA standards require a toilet seat height between 17-19 inches measured from the floor to the top of the seat.

With two-piece toilets, you can use a comfort height elongated bowl paired with an ADA compliant taller tank to achieve the right seat height. One-piece toilet heights are fixed, so you would need to source a model designed specifically for ADA compliance.

Conclusion

In summary, one-piece and two-piece toilets both have advantages and disadvantages across different performance categories:

One-Piece Toilet Pros:

– Sleek contemporary appearance
– Easier installation
– Fewer leaks and crevices
– Smaller footprint fit for tight spaces
– Concealed trapway options

Two-Piece Toilet Pros:

– Customizable style and height
– Availability of replacement parts
– Round or elongated bowl options
– Easier to meet ADA height standards
– Lower cost

For shoppers looking for a stylish, low maintenance toilet with easier cleaning, one-piece models are typically the best choice. Homeowners who want more economical pricing, part availability, and total customization are better served by a two-piece toilet.

Take the time to carefully assess your bathroom space, plumbing, user needs, personal style, and budget when deciding between these two toilet configurations. This will help determine which type of toilet is right for your home. With information on the pros and cons of each design, you can make an informed decision on whether a sleek one-piece toilet or flexible two-piece toilet is the superior choice for your needs.