Replacement toilet recommendations?

I decided not to hijack eastside Tim's bathroom repair thread, but I've been meaning to ask this for a while.

One of the toilets in our house clogs almost daily. It's been snaked by a plumber, the vent is not blocked, the septic tank and drain field are only a few years old.

We've addressed concerns about any excess quantity of toilet paper with the kids. We don't put paper towels or wipes down the toilet.

I really don't think that's the problem. I am hoping that a replacement toilet with work better. We're about two miles from a Lowe's, I pass by Home Depot on the way to work. 

Any suggestions?

The toilet in the bathroom my 11 and 14 y/o daughters use kept clogging up so I bought a replacement but I haven’t installed it yet as I’ve been traveling an insane amount for work.

Anyway, I noticed that the old toilet introduced water from the reservoir into the bowl through a duct near the drain making it impossible to get useful pressure while plunging the toilet (i.e., the plunger covers the duct so pressure just gets directed up into the reservoir).

Of course, the goal is to avoid clogs in the first place but I suggest avoiding toilets with a duct near the drain so plunging will be effective if it's needed.

I can't find a model number or name, but when I rebuilt the downstairs bathroom, I found a Gerber at home depot. 1.6 gallons per flush, but the demo video showed them flushing a dozen golf balls at once.

I think it's a "king flush".

Edit: not called the king flush, but it's Gerbers copy of the American standard champion 4

Ferguson: "the king of bowls" and "the Stradivarius of toilets"

I put a 99$ one in from (deland) lowes. “Comfort height” and elongated bowl. No probs with clogging and beats the heck out of the 1992 build low tiny bowl we had. Actually still have one old tiny bowl and the new one is in the guest bathroom. So much more comfortable on the tall one. 

https://www.map-testing.com/

Independent lab that tests and rates toilets for performance.

I have two Kohler tall extended bowl E36 M3ters.  The tall part probably isn't ideal for a kids toilet, but as a 58 year old, it makes me happy to not dip my nuts in the water.

They flush really well, too.

American standard champion. Had for maybe five years now. I’m full of crap and it’s never failed me.

It's ridiculous how much better new toilets are. 

I've replaced 2 out of the 3 in my house. The only remaining one I've used the plunger on is the old toilet. The new ones never get clogged. Props to toilet design engineers, they did well.  

Costco is not a bad place to look either.  They have higher end for less.  $100 gets a lot more toilet there than national hardware stores.  

Go to one of the big box stores and pick up an American Standard Champion with the 4 Max flush system.  Comfort height, elongated or round bowl.  I have installed at least 200 of them since they came out.  You can practically flush a dead guinea pig down the drain with one of these.  They run $200 to $220 depending on what weekend you walk in there.  Comes with everything you need in the box; seat, wax, bolts, plastic tool to put it all together.

tr8todd said:

Go to one of the big box stores and pick up an American Standard Champion with the 4 Max flush system.  Comfort height, elongated or round bowl.  I have installed at least 200 of them since they came out.  You can practically flush a dead guinea pig down the drain with one of these.  They run $200 to $220 depending on what weekend you walk in there.  Comes with everything you need in the box; seat, wax, bolts, plastic tool to put it all together.

I'm continually amazed at the diversity of knowledge and experience available on this site. Thanks so much for you answer!

In reply to tr8todd :

Better than a Drake Toto? 

The only Toto toilets I have ever installed were ones the customer bought.  I want simple, easy to get, cheap, reliable, etc.  Whats easier than hitting the depot and grabbing a toilet that works great?  I get stuck installing some crazy e36m3 that the homeowners buy.  Got one kitchen and bath contractor down the Cape that never picks out anything simple.  Floating vanities, toilets where the tank sits in the wall and the toilet hangs from a carrier in the wall, multi head and sprayer shower systems.  When I give him estimates, I make sure to point out what the job would cost with normal fixtures and what it will cost with the crazy stuff he sells.  A tub and shower valve replacement should take an hour and a half.  His routinely take 6 hours.  He sells this stuff and doesn't even realize the installation parameters to put this stuff in.  Those wall hung toilets are the biggest pain in the neck.  Instead of the drain coming up thru the floor 12 inches from a wall, the drain has to extend to the wall and then up above the sill plate.  Drilling a 3 1/2 inch hole in floor joist, especially the doubles under a wall, is pretty much a no no.  Last one he sold, we had no option other than build another 2X6 wall inside of the old wall.  Customer wasn't too happy when their bath shrunk 6 inches.  Looked at one of his jobs the other day where he sold a 4'X3' one piece handicapped shower stall.  You should have seen the look on his face when I pointed out that the doors getting into both the bedroom and then the master bath were only 30".  Now he is on the hook for cutting a hole in the wall of the bathroom to the outside just so he can get the shower stall into the bathroom.

Floating Doc said:

tr8todd said:

Go to one of the big box stores and pick up an American Standard Champion with the 4 Max flush system.  Comfort height, elongated or round bowl.  I have installed at least 200 of them since they came out.  You can practically flush a dead guinea pig down the drain with one of these.  They run $200 to $220 depending on what weekend you walk in there.  Comes with everything you need in the box; seat, wax, bolts, plastic tool to put it all together.

I'm continually amazed at the diversity of knowledge and experience available on this site. Thanks so much for you answer!

Same here! We had to remove the toilet in the creekhouse to put in floors, and I’d been asking myself why we didn’t just replace the toilet. Had planned on asking here for a recommendation. Good to know on the “comfort height” thing too. Never knew that was an option.

Toto Drake...hands down best I've ever bought, and I've bought more than a few

In reply to Floating Doc :

What size is the drain pipes?  I use 4 inch and never have a problem with any toilet. 

Comfort height may make easier to get on/off the toilet, but it's worse for actually doing the business your sitting down for.

It forces you to strain against you internal muscles making constipation and 'roids more likely.

Following up on this discussion, does American Standard make a standard height elongated bowl Champion 4? Everything I can find locally is the chair/comfort height and I'm perfectly fine with standard height.  Looking to replace tiny round bowls with elongated so I can more easily get the "Cookie Monster" aimed properly when #2 induces the need for #1.  If not is there a standard height equivalent with a different model name?

Another recommendation for the Champion 4. The "4" means it's a 4" diameter flush valve, which is much more area and therefore force (pressure = force/area) than a standard 3" or worse. The larger valve means a larger seal though, which means more area to leak from. I had some annoying experiences with generic flush valve seals that would leak after only a few months. So make sure to buy the real ones and be careful with installation. Worth it though for that powerful flush.

I've got two Eljer Diplomat standard height elongated bowl that has a claimed round bowl projection for tight bathroom placements bought at Menards. It's 3" tank flap works great and they never back up. 

I just noticed that I had started this thread. Bought the American Standard, it's been fine. 

Y'all are not helping. Looking for a standard height toilet. Us short MFrs don't need to feel like 5 year olds with our legs dangling. 

I've never had a low flow toilet. I'd like one with a standard height and elongated bowl that won't give issues with clogging. Looking for recommendations to that effect. From what I see online The American Standard Champion 4 and Elmer Diplomat seem to be chair/comfort height only. Is there an equivalent standard height toilet?

In reply to secretariata (Forum Supporter) :

Eljer from Menards evidently no longer offers a standard height elongated bowl toilet which should be 1.6 gpf. Only a round bowl in standard height which is pretty dumb since we are all growing shorter (I have already lost 1.5").