Corner Toilets: A Buying Guide

A corner toilet is a space saving solution ideal for smaller bathrooms. They are perfect for older homes and apartments where space is at a premium. In some cases, installing a corner toilet can make the difference between being able to fit a full sized shower or tub into the bathroom or not having enough space to do so.

The reason a corner toilet takes up a lot less space is down to the shape of the tank. On a traditional toilet the tank is box shaped, while corner toilets have triangular shaped tanks designed to fit squarely in the corner of a bathroom or powder-room.

Not every toilet manufacturer offers corner toilet designs but several of the larger ones do. Walk into most decent sized toilet showroom and you should see at least a few options.  American Standard does make an excellent corner toilet for its Titon Pro line but not for its popular Champion Toilet lines. Regent, Barnum and Toto also manufacture corner toilets, including a number of dual flush options which are great for water conservation.

Something to consider when purchasing one of these units is the flushing performance. A toilet with less flushing power is more likely to clog and require the use of a toilet plunger or closet auger to get things moving again.  Look out for larger than average flush valves, over-sized flappers and frictionless coatings.  These features are all present in high performance toilets.

If you are unable to find a corner toilet with all the features you are looking for, remember that you can generally mix and match a corner toilet tank with a standard toilet bowl on two piece models.  Check with you plumber before you purchase to ensure that the two parts of the toilet (the bowl and the tank) are compatible.  In most cases they will be, especially if you stick to the same brand.