Comfort or Standard Height toilet?

[Ivor Windybottom]

We're only middle-aged, but planning on living here forever. Currently planning a bathroom re-fit, hopefully the last!

I'm thinking I might plan ahead and get a taller "Comfort Height" toilet instead of a standard one.

Are there any downsides? I realise that children might struggle with them, not relevant to us. Would a smaller adult be OK though?

 

[Mottie]

It’s only a toilet. Get what one suits you now, change it in the future if you need to.

Are there any downsides?

Healthiest way to go to the toilet is squatting so the higher up your knees are, the better. With a 'comfort height' your knees won’t be as high as with a standard one.

 

[Rodders53]

Go sit on a few to test and measure the height you need / want. SWMBO decided a "comfort" one was too high cf the normal one next to it in a showroom when we were looking for a bidet toilet height choice.

Our son's downstairs loo is always catching us both out as it is super-low so the 'standard height' seems anything but .

Old age you can buy toilet seat raiser solutions without changing the pan. Planning for the grab rails needed in future is a wise move!

 

[Mottie]

Don’t forget to get your stair lift and rising armchair……

 

[Madrab]

Comfort height pan's are great. I installed a rimless comfort height in the en-suite as SHMBO has bionic knees and finds it much easier to use.

They can make a huge difference, especially the older one gets. It's not as if they like 200mm higher or anything, I think ours is about 60mm above regular but the fact that she notices and mentions that it make a big difference then it's a no brainer IMO.

 

[robinbanks]

I've both, prefer the standard right now but as knees get knackered that will probably change. Had a sore back recently and preferred the tall one as it wasn't as far to bend before I could reach the seat with my hand to provide support as I sat.
The higher one comes via it being a wall mount and you can hence (within reason) choose the height at install time. Easy to clean under a wall mounted one too

If you aren't prepared to pee in the sink or sit, maybe also consider a urinal. Much more hygienic as the males in the house (or elderly visitors) age and are even more likely to splash more pee all over the place

 

[Alec_t]

consider a urinal

Judging by the ones in public conveniences, more pee goes on the floor than in the urinal .

 

[ETAF]

we have 3 comfort height toilets - one actually is also on a plynth because of the waste - long story
I installed a rimless comfort height in the cloakroom

we have 2 grand children who have been coming since babies (now 6&5) and we have a platic stool thing they can stand on to get onto the toilet - they manage OK

One of the issues my other half is struggling on 1 of the toilets (ensuite) has a bellows system for flush) difficult to push in now
the cloakroom i used a standard twist flush handle - BUT the other toilets came with comfort height cisterns - which are a bit of a pain .....

 

[Madrab]

Judging by the ones in public conveniences, more pee goes on the floor than in the urinal .

Yup, not sure it's to do with being hygienic I don't think, it's purely down to some of the guys simply just can't take the time to feckin pee properly and that's relative to all ages groups.

The worst in my house right now is my 16yr old, he's so bad at it he's always getting told to get down on his hands and knees and get scrubbing. Manky little pup.

 

[Rodders53]

Trouble is there is no standard height and there's bound to be a variation. More if a floor surface is installed around one in situ. It's why I suggest people try them out in showrooms and / or measure ones you like in hotels etc.,. to find the best height for you.

One of the issues my other half is struggling on 1 of the toilets (ensuite) has a bellows system for flush) difficult to push in now

Pneumatic flush valves!! Got one with the new ensuite Roper Rhodes cistern. Hate. Hate. Hate. With a vengeance. The Siamp cabled ones we have elsewhere are so easy to press in comparison.
One can replace them with a contactless battery operated device. Not cheap though. https://www.roperrhodes.co.uk/contactless-flushing
SWMBO wants one. So I'm off to google where to buy it for retrofitting at a good price.