More home bathrooms are getting fancy toilets and bidets. Here’s what to look for.

Samaya Brown doesn’t use toilet paper in her home, though she keeps a roll around for guests who may not be familiar or comfortable with her bidet seat’s wash feature.

“I like to feel clean and I really enjoy the fact that I’m not using toilet paper and affecting the environment,” said Brown, who lives in Brewerytown.

She bought her first TUSHY bidet seat after having surgery about seven years ago, and had difficulty twisting. She got the second one — an upgrade with more bells and whistles — after her mom, Stephanie, suffered a stroke a couple of years ago and lost mobility, especially in the left side of her body.

The $400 attachment replaced the seat on her existing toilet and hooks up to her water line. It offers seat and water temperature control, front and back washing, drying directed where you want, a manual self-cleaning function, and an oscillating power wash.

“It was one of a few innovative gadgets that let her keep some of her independence as she recovered,” Brown said. “I continue to buy and use TUSHY because it is a company that helps those with disabilities and mobility issues keep their independence and dignity.”

Toilet paper may become a thing of the past for more people, as smart toilets offer to do the cleaning. Toilets with tech can also play music, light up the bathroom, lift and lower the lid, flush at the right time, and let the user talk to Alexa — for the requests that just can’t wait.

More than two in five homeowners install toilets that are powered by specialty features, according to the 2024 Houzz Bathroom Trend Report. Bidet toilet seats (23%) and bidet toilet seats with water pressure (21%) top the list.

The pandemic caused people to shift to tech-savvy toilets amid toilet paper shortages and a concern for cleanliness. The North America smart toilet market is expected to grow from $1.79 billion in 2022 to $3.46 billion by 2028, according to Business Market Insights.

“The toilet plays a big role when you think about how many times a day you use it,” said Chelsea Whiteside, a showroom consultant at Ferguson in King of Prussia.

Cost, functionality, ease in cleaning, and design are the main factors when selecting a toilet. Also consider how much space you have and the type of bathroom where the toilet will go.

You may want to splurge in your primary bathroom, for instance, but giving your child access to a water sprayer could spell disaster.

Understand your bathroom space, including the rough-in size — the distance from the wall to the center of the floor flange, and the location of the wall water supply, said Luke Bartel, a senior product manager for Kohler and Sterling Toilets, based in Kohler, Wis.

For a list price of $13,250, a black one-piece Kohler Numi 2.0 offers all the bells and whistles.

But even at a price point like $500, there are plenty of options, Whiteside said. The most common feature is a washlet or bidet seat that replaces a standard toilet seat, and typically comes with cleaning options including wash, dry, positioning, pressure, and temperature.

Newer, high-end toilets offer a sleek design made from materials that are easier to clean. Features include hidden tank designs, low-profile silhouettes, and specialized ceramic coatings that repel dirt and stains.

One-piece toilets are easier to clean than two pieces because they don’t have a space between the tank and bowl where dirt and grime can gather. A one-piece will generally have a smaller footprint allowing it to fit into more spaces.

Skirted toilets, which are smooth in the back portion of the bowl, are also easier to clean compared to an exposed trapway design.

Many higher-end toilets offer a mist feature to help keep the bowl clean, said Cheri Privor, interior designer at Archer & Buchanan Architecture based in West Chester. If you are sharing the toilet with a partner, she recommends a unit that allows customized user preferences.

Comfort height, at 17 to 19 inches from the ground, is about two inches higher than standard height, and offers ease in getting up and down. Elongated seats are also more popular than rounded seats.

“Look for a slow-close feature,” said Whiteside. “Hearing toilet seats slam is a thing of the past.”

Colors are returning to the bathroom as a way to add some flair to the space. For example, Kohler introduced Teal and Aspen Green this year and has some models that offer nine color options, Bartel said.

While 1.6 gallons per flush is the industry standard, 1.28-gpf toilets are more powerful and efficient.

In a 2023 study by Ferguson, 59% of respondents were comfortable with toilets with minimal bells and whistles, while 40% preferred high-tech options. Whiteside’s clients spend an average of $2,500 on a toilet, which typically includes a heated washlet seat, auto open and close, customized preferences, front and rear washing, and a night-light.

Bidets, which allow users to cleanse themselves with water instead of toilet paper, are much more common in other countries but are gaining popularity in the U.S.

Stand-alone bidets can complement the traditional toilet, often sitting side-by-side. Most smart toilets incorporate bidet features into a single unit with added technology.

“It’s a global habit to use water to clean your dirtiest parts,” said Justin Allen, cofounder and CEO of TUSHY, based in Brooklyn. The company specializes in bidet seats that attach to existing toilets.

Electricity is required for some features, including a heated seat, a remote that controls the spray direction and pressure, and a dryer. More expensive models also include a deodorizing function, pre-sprays, and softening the water or adding bubbles. Nonelectric bidet seats use internal valves to control the water pressure from within your home just like your shower or faucet.

You can get a lower-fi bidet seat for under $100, while high-end electric bidet seat attachments, or stand-alone bidets, can cost thousands of dollars.

TUSHY has sold about 2.5 million bidets since their 2015 inception. Allen projects bidet sales along all categories to grow 15% year over year, while low-fi attachments continue to grow at over 10% year over year.

“The toilet has been an afterthought in the American home as the rest of our home has evolved,” said Allen. “We have smartphones, but when you go into the bathroom it’s like the 1800s. It’s high time technology has reached the toilet.”