# Toilet of choice



## Cal

Let's go again ..... 

I am a BIG Gerber fan !! My standard toilet is the Gerber Viper . Great price , GREAT flush !!! Happy customers !

For comfort height ,,, Gerber Avalanche !!! Ranked # 1 over all the others.


Who's up to bat on this topic ??

Cal


----------



## service guy

I put in one gerber avalanche and it gets stopped up by the customer sometimes, I should have went with a pressure-assisted Gerber.
I usually sell Kohler wellworths or cimmarons and like them.


----------



## smellslike$tome

I have been installing Toto w/g-max for several years. I don't know how many I have installed but it's been a lot. About 6 -8 weeks ago I had my first call back on one. It was on a toilet that had been installed for a couple (maybe 3) months. The fill valve wouldn't shut off. House pressure was fine so I swapped out the fill valve and that was that. I have never found any toilet that performs as well. I get calls on Kohlers not flushing right all the time. Don't see many newer Gerbers. Toto all the way for me.


----------



## Cal

It's absolutely possible that you got a bum Avalanche . Yet these are some AWESOME toilets ! Might be a bad spot in that avalanche . 

Toto s are truly great too . IMO the toto is too expensive , also we have a difficult time getting them around my location . I've installed toto s and I'm STILL a Gerber fan .

Kohler , A/S , Crane etc just do NOT compare anymore to the really good toilets . Sorry but that has been my experience.

Cal


----------



## smellslike$tome

What type of flush mechanism does Gerber use? Is it their version of Toto's G-Max? Everyone else is trying to play catch up to Toto by producing their versions of the Toto G-Max. Do they have fully glazed trapways? How much are you paying for a standard height elongated bowl and tank?


----------



## user4

I don't get to choose, but I install a lot of concealed tank Duravit's, and rear outlet tank type Duravits. We install a good number of Toto's as well.


----------



## Cal

smellslike$tome said:


> What type of flush mechanism does Gerber use? Is it their version of Toto's G-Max? Everyone else is trying to play catch up to Toto by producing their versions of the Toto G-Max. Do they have fully glazed trapways? How much are you paying for a standard height elongated bowl and tank?


-

-Simple flush valve w/ 1.6 flapper & 400A Ballcock.

-Fully glazed trap

-Elong. White standard height with a seat about $ 125 . Supply house available ONLY !! Which is nice !

Cal


----------



## 3KP

*Toto*

I install Toto as well I usually install the Drake model :thumbup:
I been thinking of trying Vitra toilet but not 100% sold on them yet! anyone ever used or heard of that brand?


----------



## Cal

3Kings,

I used Vitra for a couple of years . The biggest problem is not the flush ,,, it is the fact that the flushing action just " Obliterates" everything in it's path , thus leaving a lot of small chunks in the bowl after a flush . Almost like a firecracker or M-80 ,,,, BOOM ! Customers were not overly fond of that trait.

Try the Gerber line ,,,, you'll like it !

Cal


----------



## Plumberman

I dont get to choose either. but when I re plumbed my parents house my mother picked an elongated Kolher. Not sure what model it was. But the flapper is huge. Its got that new quick lock tank to bowl feature, not bolts running through the tank. It flushes like a champ! Loggerheads dont stand a chance!


----------



## Song Dog

In the last month I installed 4-5 Gerber Vipers,which is great and today I put in the ADA Avalanche for the 1st time. The Avalanche is awesome. 

If they hit retail, which I hope they don't, I will not use them. As far as I know TOTO is only supplied to contractors(?).

In Christ,

Song Dog


----------



## service guy

Plumberman said:


> I dont get to choose either. but when I re plumbed my parents house my mother picked an elongated Kolher. Not sure what model it was. But the flapper is huge. Its got that new quick lock tank to bowl feature, not bolts running through the tank. It flushes like a champ! Loggerheads dont stand a chance!


Kohler Cimmaron, I install them quite a bit and I like them, never had a callback....only praise so far.


----------



## WestCoastPlumber

I second that, Kohler Cimmaron!! by far the best mid range price toilet on the market.


----------



## service guy

I am taking out the problem Gerber Avalanche....what a piece of crap. I'll be sticking with the superior Kohler Cimmaron or Toto. Its not a defect in the bowl, it turns out its a design flaw. I tested today with a very large ball of paper and it plugs the hole too easily. My complaining customer said the same thing, it stops up all the time because the opening is too small for an "Avalanche" named toilet...I agree. The opening is too small, its pathetic compared to a Kohler Cimmaron, Toto Drake G-max or other class 5 toilets.
To be fair though, this customer has a medical problem and very large BMs, so I won't be installing a gravity-flusher this time. I am installing a pressure-assist instead to help 'break it up'....gross, but thats the best way to describe my reasoning.:drink: I should have sold it to the customer originally, but I was trying to save her money by trying out the new gerber avalanche...mistake.


----------



## smellslike$tome

Yesterday I installed 3 Toto "Drake" comfort height water closets and 1 the day before. I'm not sure how many Drakes I have installed this month so far but I know there were at least a couple more (one of these days I'm going to get my hands on one of the Neorests). I price these where they need to be priced so what they cost me really is not even an issue. I think the Kohler may be a little less but I don't know and it really doesn't matter. I have seen brand new Kohler's that would not flush more than 3 squares of paper at at time without stopping up. The last time I installed AS "Champion" was several years ago back when I still did new construction. Out of the 4 I installed, 2 of them required about a 1/2 hour each of tweaking to get them to flush properly, one of them was fine, and the fourth would not work at all and had to be replaced. Toto is my water closet of choice and is the only thing I carry on my truck. I will install anything the ho wants but not before they receive my professional opinion on the matter.


----------



## GrumpyPlumber

*I'm a big fan of the Drake.*
*The Cimarron is great too, but I don't like the mounting bracket for the tank.*


----------



## smellslike$tome

I sold my most expensive toilet yet. $1600.00 for a Toto "Guinevere". One piece, C2 flush system, comfort height, sanigloss, bone, soft close seat. Had to order it and it won't be here for a few weeks (that sucks).

It absolutely amazes me that someone would pay this for a toilet! The lady is a client and I have previously installed a "Drake" for her (which she loves). She had lots of choices and this is what she wanted. Who am I to argue!

Can't wait to get my hands on one of those "NeoRests" !


----------



## Wiser

Congrats on the $1600.00 toilet sale!

FYI - http://www.toiletabcs.com/toilet-performance.html This is a great resource to see how all toilets compare in independent testing. The link is at the bottom of the page for the complete report.

We use the A/S Cadet III and the Toto Drake almost exclusively. Never had a callback on either toilet. Toto's cost is the only reason that we use an alternative. Both are rated high performance flush.


----------



## smellslike$tome

Plumbcrazy said:


> Congrats on the $1600.00 toilet sale!
> 
> FYI - http://www.toiletabcs.com/toilet-performance.html This is a great resource to see how all toilets compare in independent testing. The link is at the bottom of the page for the complete report.
> 
> We use the A/S Cadet III and the Toto Drake almost exclusively. Never had a callback on either toilet. Toto's cost is the only reason that we use an alternative. Both are rated high performance flush.


Thanks. It's always good to sell nicer things. Most people can't or won't afford them.

I notice you are from SC. I am writing this from the beach house at sunny Garden City, SC! Only 2 more days of vacation !


----------



## Wiser

Please see my personal message Smells Like Money


----------



## grandpa

Around here, some Toto's are sold at retail. Not at the blue or orange box, but some other hardware type stores. Naturally, they have a Drake and one or two others, but not the complete line.


----------



## Herk

I used to sell a lot of Gerber toilets. I liked them because they were strong - I didn't worry about the bolts snapping the wings off the bowl. Nice, heavy toilet. It's been a while since I installed one and I don't know how they are now.

And I installed a Gerber Power Flush in my upstairs bathroom. I was pretty impressed with how hard it was to plug. Downside is you need to close the lid when you flush to keep from getting sprayed and it's noisy.

Later, after installing Totos for customers I installed one during a bath remodel here and I far prefer it. Even harder to plug, I think, and not so noisy. It's just a Drake. I don't like the ones with the black plastic gadget underneath because their bitsy rubber seal makes me think it's going to rot and eventually make a mess.

I'd have to say that I love the Toto Drake.


----------

