Consumer Reports: “If you haven’t updated your commode lately, you may be surprised to find that today’s toilets are, ahem, flush with improvements.  New toilets use less water than ever, yet we’ve found in our tests that they tend to work better than previous generations of low-flow thrones. Recent improvements include optimized bowl shapes, stronger flushing mechanisms, and sometimes even nonstick coatings, which can all add up to better flushing and cleaner bowls. We’ve tested dozens of toilets to help you find the best one for your bathroom. In our labs, we connect each toilet to a specially built plumbing system that measures the volume and flow of water into and out of the toilet. In the crucial solid waste removal test, our tester uses a 5-gallon bucket filled about a quarter full with simulated waste: 160 solid polyethylene balls, seven sponges studded with #10 screws for realistic weight, and nonlubricated latex condoms filled with water. If that sounds a bit extreme, it’s meant to be: Because very few toilets can remove the simulated waste in just one flush, we’re able to get differentiating data to score each toilet. Our tester notes how many flushes each toilet requires to finish the job. The best in our tests can do it all in one go; the worst clog with the first flush. We also test each toilet’s self-cleaning skills, noise level, and ability to carry a load through your drain line, out of your home, and into a sewer or septic system. All this data allows us to separate the good toilets from, well, the crappy ones. You can see some clips of CR’s toilet tests here. New toilets use less water than ever, yet we’ve found in our tests that they tend to work better than previous generations of low-flow thrones. Recent improvements include optimized bowl shapes, stronger flushing mechanisms, and sometimes even nonstick coatings, which can all add up to better flushing and cleaner bowls…” [h/t Pete Weiss]

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