Pros and Cons of a Smart Toilet: Is It Worth Buying?

Smart toilet pros and cons: in brief

The pros and cons of a smart toilet are easier to weigh if you remember that it is a toilet and a bidet in one unit, with heating, drying and automation. It is noticeably more convenient than a regular toilet, but takes a bit more preparation when buying and a little attention in maintenance.

Smart toilet disadvantages and how to solve them

Needs an outlet

Seat heating, the bidet wash, the dryer and the sensors run on 220 V mains power, so you need an outlet next to the toilet. If you are renovating, plan for it in advance; if the renovation is already finished, you will need an electrician.

What if the power goes out? Without electricity, the electronic functions don't work. The D88–D93 series models have a battery: up to 50 flushes during a power outage.

Costs more than a regular toilet

A smart toilet costs more than a regular one; current prices are in our catalog. But for that price, every model gives you a toilet, a bidet, seat and water heating, a dryer, an auto lid, auto flush, nozzle UV sterilization and a night light all at once.

Tankless models need pressure

The floor-standing O92, O93, O92F, O93F and O24 flush with an impulse valve: they have no tank and need good flow pressure. Pressure in bar is not a reliable indicator here. Check the flow with a bottle: water from the hose that will feed the toilet should fill an empty 5-liter bottle to 4.5 liters in 15 seconds.

If the pressure is low or unstable, choose a model with a built-in tank: any wall-hung D series model (5.3 L tank) or the floor-standing O92B and O93B. Pressure doesn't matter for them — see the collection of smart toilets with a tank.

Electronics need service

A smart toilet has electronics, and like any appliance, it can break. So when buying, what matters is not only the model but also who will repair it and how quickly.

We give a 1-year warranty on all models — electronics, ceramics and mechanisms — and warranty repairs are free. 100% of spare parts for our models are in stock at our Moscow warehouse. In other regions we help over video: diagnosis takes about 15 minutes, the part ships via CDEK on the day you contact us, and replacement with a technician guiding you usually takes about 20 minutes. Learn more on the warranty and returns page.

Needs consumables

Foam for the foam shield (a 680 ml bottle), a carbon filter every 6–12 months and a UV lamp that lasts about 8,000 hours, or 3–4 years. The costs are small but regular — learn more in our article on foam and consumables.

Takes some getting used to

At first, there may seem to be a lot of buttons and modes. In practice, the toilet handles everyday actions — opening the lid, flushing — by itself, and you only need to set the temperature and wash mode to your liking once. We explain how in the article how to use a smart toilet.

Smart toilet benefits

• Hygiene. A bidet with nozzle self-cleaning, and ultraviolet light treats the nozzle, destroying up to 99.9% of bacteria without chemicals. Warm water and massage are gentler on the skin than toilet paper.
• Comfort. Seat and water heating, warm air drying. On D92, D93 and D94 you can set the water and seat temperature precisely: 34, 37 or 40 °C.
• Hands-free. The proximity sensor lifts the lid when you approach and starts the flush when you leave. Voice control in Russian and the foot sensor (if the model has one) take care of everything else.
• A cleaner bathroom. The foam shield covers the water in the bowl: no splashes and no odor. The bowl is rimless, and the flush is a Tornado swirl flush.
• Convenient at night. The bowl light means you don't have to turn on the overhead light.
• Compact. Most models are about 59 cm deep instead of the usual 70 cm.

How it all works inside is covered in our article how a smart toilet works.

Are smart toilets reliable?

The reliability of a smart toilet comes down to two things: the quality of the device itself and how quickly it gets repaired if something goes wrong.

We show our checks in videos on the website: a bidet function test, a lid opening and closing endurance test, functional testing of the control board, and strength checks of components before the toilet reaches the customer.

The second thing is service: a 1-year warranty, a warranty of up to 6 months on completed repairs, a spare parts warehouse in Moscow and remote diagnostics for other regions. If you are considering ordering from an overseas seller, find out in advance how this works with them — see the article “Smart toilet from China or from a store in Russia”.

Is a smart toilet worth buying: who it suits and who it doesn't

A smart toilet is worth buying if:

• you are renovating and can plan for an outlet next to the toilet;
• hygiene and comfort matter to you — a bidet, warm water and drying;
• there are elderly people or children in the family: the lid opens by itself, the flush starts automatically, and you can control it by voice in Russian;
• your bathroom is small and every centimeter counts.

It's worth waiting or thinking it over if:

• an outlet cannot be installed next to the toilet;
• the water pressure is low but you want a floor-standing model without a tank — in that case, choose a model with a tank;
• your budget is planned for a regular toilet.

How to choose without making a mistake

1. Check whether there is a 220 V outlet next to the installation spot.
2. Decide between wall-hung and floor-standing: a wall-hung model needs an in-wall frame, while a floor-standing one is installed like a regular toilet, without drilling.
3. See where the waste pipe exits: into the wall or the floor. For a floor outlet, there are the O92F and O93F models.
4. If you choose a tankless model, check the pressure with a bottle.
5. Choose the features you want: for example, women's wash is available on D93 and O93, and cold-hot massage on D92 and O92.
6. Visit the showroom at 49 Arbat Street (daily from 12:00 to 21:00) — you can try all models there.

A detailed guide is in the article how to choose a smart toilet, and all models with prices are in the catalog.