TOTO Drake + WASHLET: Buy a Toilet and Bidet Seat Together, or Go WASHLET+?

If your toilet is old, cracked or running all the time, replacing it is the best moment to add a TOTO WASHLET. You get to choose a bowl that fits the seat perfectly, and you only call a plumber once. There are two ways to do it: put a standard WASHLET seat on a new toilet, or buy a WASHLET+ set, where TOTO designed the toilet and the seat together to hide the water hose and power cord. This guide uses TOTO's Drake, one of its best-known two-piece toilets, as the example, and covers what to measure before you order.

WASHLET or WASHLET+: what's the difference?

A standard WASHLET is a bidet seat that replaces the seat on a compatible toilet. A short hose runs from a T-valve on your water supply to the seat, and the cord plugs into a nearby outlet, so both are visible. A WASHLET+ is, in TOTO's words, a toilet and bidet seat combination that "conceals water and electrical connections" (TOTO USA). The seat and wash functions are the same; the difference is how clean the toilet looks and how easy it is to wipe around the side.

• Choose WASHLET+ if you're buying a new toilet anyway and want the cleanest look. Both the toilet and the seat must be designated WASHLET+ compatible.
• Choose a standard WASHLET if you're keeping your toilet, it's an older or discontinued model, or you want the widest choice of seats.

Check these five things before you order

Rough-in is the one people get wrong. It is the distance from the wall behind the toilet (the finished wall, not the baseboard) to the center of the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. Most US homes are 12 inches, but older homes and small bathrooms can be 10 or 14. A toilet built for the wrong rough-in either won't fit against the wall or leaves a gap, so measure before you look at product pages, and check the rough-in in the listing title. Drake is sold in more than one rough-in.

Why the Drake?

The Drake is a two-piece toilet (tank and bowl bolted together), which is usually cheaper and easier to carry upstairs than a one-piece. Current versions use TOTO's Tornado Flush, which swirls water around a rimless bowl, and a CEFIONTECT glaze that TOTO says helps keep waste from sticking. Many are Universal Height, closer to chair height than a standard toilet. TOTO notes that one-piece WASHLET+ models add features such as auto-open lids and touchless flushing, while two-piece models cost less and are easier to install.

Which Drake to buy

The drawings below are simple illustrations, not product photos. Check the bowl shape, rough-in and flush volume in each listing before you buy.

Drake toilet (WASHLET+ ready): the flexible choice. This listing is the Drake with Tornado Flush and CEFIONTECT, an elongated bowl, 1.28 gallons per flush and a SoftClose seat, and it is labeled WASHLET+ ready. You can install it now with the regular seat and add a bidet seat later, or put a WASHLET S2 on it on day one.

Drake WASHLET+ with S7: everything in one box. The toilet comes with TOTO's WASHLET S7 seat, with warm-water front and rear washing and the hose and cord hidden. The listing we found on Amazon is the 10-inch rough-in version, so buy it only if you measured 10 inches. If you have a standard 12-inch rough-in, look for the 12-inch version of the same set or use the toilet-plus-seat pairing above.

Common mistakes

• Buying a WASHLET+ seat for a toilet that isn't WASHLET+. It needs the matching toilet to hide the connections. For any other toilet, buy a standard WASHLET.
• Ignoring rough-in. Measure before you shop; a set in the wrong rough-in has to go back, and toilets are heavy to return.
• Mixing bowl shapes. An elongated seat on a round bowl overhangs; a round seat on an elongated bowl leaves the front exposed.
• No outlet nearby. Every WASHLET plugs in. If there is no outlet near the toilet, have an electrician add one (TOTO recommends GFCI) before installation day.
• Assuming an older TOTO toilet works with WASHLET+. TOTO's FAQ points owners of older or discontinued toilets to a standard WASHLET.

Installing it

Swapping a whole toilet means shutting off the water, removing the old toilet and wax ring, setting the new one on fresh bolts and a new wax ring, and reconnecting the supply. Many people hire a plumber for this part. Adding the bidet seat afterward is a DIY job; see the five steps in TOTO WASHLET vs Brondell vs Bio Bidet. Always follow the installation manual that comes with your toilet and seat.

Which setup suits you?

• Replacing the toilet and want a clean look: a Drake WASHLET+ set in your rough-in.
• Replacing the toilet but want to choose the seat yourself: Drake (WASHLET+ ready) plus a WASHLET S2.
• Keeping your toilet: a standard WASHLET; compare models in our TOTO WASHLET guide.
• Already own an older WASHLET: see C5 vs S2 vs S5 for whether to upgrade.