Plumbing is pivotal for modern society, but changes in how we live are also pushing us into smaller homes with limited space. Whether you’re creating a tiny home, converting a space into a bathroom, or looking to trade bathroom space for more livable space, there are ways you can still get the essential features of a bathroom while accomplishing your goal.
Best Compact Toilets
- American Standard Compact Cadet 3
- Kohler Karing 1.08 GPF One-Piece Elongated Toilet
- Woodbridge T-0019
- Troyt Corner 2-Piece Toilet
- Swiss Madison Sublime II
- American Standard Cadet 3 Corner
- SaniFlo SaniCompact
- TOTO Commercial Urinal UT104E-01
- TOTO Commercial UT105UV#01
- HOROW HR-T05S Integrated Smart Toilet
- Nameeks Cerastyle Wall Mounted Toilet
- American Standard H2Option
- OGO Composting Toilet
American Standard Compact Cadet 3
This no-frills toilet gets the job done. The purchase price is higher than the basic model of the Cadet 3, but it’s still on the cheap end for toilets. A generic look and no extra features keep the cost low, which is why you’ve likely seen the brand or have a full-sized version in your own home already. The compact version has a depth of 28.5″ when installed against the wall, and the width is a narrow 15.5″. The smaller tank keeps the vertical height lower, but the bowl height is still at a comfortable sitting level.
Kohler Karing 1.08 GPF One-Piece Elongated Toilet
It’ll be easy to think that the bathroom is missing a toilet with a Kohler Karing since the elongated throne looks more like a trash bin than a toilet with the lid closed. That lasts until you use it for the first time. Motion sensors automate lifting and closing the self-warming seat, and it mists the bowl with water for easier cleaning and flushing. When you’re finished, you can freshen up with an adjustable water wand and comforting air dryer. Just make sure to wash your hands before you use the touchscreen to adjust your settings.
The bowl height is standard at 15.375″, so it’s not the most comfortable seat for taller folks or those with disabilities. The toilet is also extraordinarily expensive, but it packs a ton of modern features into a compact frame.
Woodbridge T-0019
A streamlined design fits into narrow spaces with minimal hassle and no sacrifice in comfort. As long as you make sure everyone uses the dual flush options, the smaller 1.0 GPF mode is highly efficient for a tank model toilet, while the larger 1.6 GPF mode makes light work of solid matter. The skirted design limits the number of grooves and small spaces for mess to collect and makes it easier to clean around the toilet.
Troyt Corner 2-Piece Toilet
Setting a normal toilet into a kitty-corner arrangement takes up more space overall, but the special tank design on this Troyt model settles perfectly into the spot. The lower flow option with its dual-flush feature is more efficient than the Woodbridge at just 0.8 GPF, though they have the same usage for the high flow option. The Troyt has a traditional toilet design that fits well with any decorating scheme. It’s on the larger end of compact toilets with a 30″ projection, but the space saved from the corner tank makes it capable of fitting oddly shaped bathrooms.
Swiss Madison Sublime II
The Sublime II from Swiss Madison hits a number of key metrics for an overall solid compact toilet option. It’s not the greatest in any area with scores like an average 1.28 GPF and a 24″ depth, but those are acceptable numbers when you consider the price is lower than most other models on this list. It doesn’t have the fancy features of a smart toilet, but it’s more than capable of doing what a toilet needs to do. For the average person looking to furnish a small bathroom, the Sublime II should be on the short list.
American Standard Cadet 3 Corner
The overall dimensions of this toilet are larger than the Troyt model, but the corner tank still lets you scavenge extra inches from the bathroom’s overall space. For about 25% off the cost, it’s a more budget-friendly option if the 2 extra inches of length fit into the confined space. On the plus side, the bowl sits at a more comfortable level thanks to the extra height.
The single flush lever uses 1.6 gallons each bathroom trip, which is a standard amount for solids but more than dual-flush and eco-friendly models will use for disposing of liquids. Otherwise, it performs much the same as the Compact Cadet 3.
SaniFlo SaniCompact
The SaniCompact’s depth is a miniscule 21.5″, making it one of the smallest compact toilets on the list. Its macerator turns waste material into a more fluid-like consistency, reducing the buildup of gunk in the pipes that contributes to clogs. The motor and maceration allow for installations far away from the soil stack or deep below the sewer line. The only requirement that might hinder a far-away bathroom installation is needing to plug it into an outlet to power the motor. A 50″ cord provides enough length for small bathrooms that have outlets, but be sure to use a GFCI outlet since the running water will be within the 6′ safety guideline.
TOTO Commercial Urinal UT104E-01
Urinals are usually marketed towards commercial bathroom installations, but they are perfect for small bathrooms with odd areas. It may take some additional plumbing work to install one, but it’s not more difficult than a standard toilet. Instead of supplementing a full-sized toilet, urinals in homes are great for work areas where you can cut down on travel time for urination throughout the day while still having a main bathroom in the house for proper release. The flush valve for the urinal is not included in the unit.
TOTO Commercial UT105UV#01
Although this urinal looks about the same as its predecessor, it’s slightly smaller in overall dimensions. More importantly, it uses a scant 1/8 gallons per flush. If water usage is a major concern, it would take 9 flushes of this urinal to match one flush from a fairly economical 1.08 GPF toilet. The higher price means it’ll take quite a few years to make up the cost difference when used residentially, but that might change as water prices continue to increase. Like the UT104E, a flush valve must be purchased separately from the urinal.
HOROW HR-T05S Integrated Smart Toilet
Like the Kohler Karing, the HOROW HR-T05S uses intelligent features to make the bathroom experience more pleasant. It extends slightly less than Karing and uses marginally less water per flush, but the real difference is in the cost. You could put one of these in every bathroom in a typical house and still spend less than you would on the Karing. There is a noticeable quality dip between the two, but it’s not so drastic that you should avoid the HR-T05S. The smart features require an AC power source to work, so keep that in mind when planning an installation.
Nameeks Cerastyle Wall Mounted Toilet
For those willing to engage with a trickier installation, a wall-mounted toilet is like a urinal that can handle a full assortment of bathroom duties. When you install the separately purchased concealed tank, the majority of the 16.6″ of exposed depth is the seat itself for an incredibly low profile. The actual price of the completed unit is on the high end, especially if you pay for professional installation.
While the installation is harder and more expensive, you can use that as an opportunity to permanently adjust the seat height to a preferred level. Since the toilet sits above the floor, it’s also much easier to clean any grime that collects underneath it.
American Standard H2Option
Although the H2Option is marketed for its ultra high efficiency dual-flush system that uses 0.92 GPF/1.28 GPF for low and high modes, it’s also incredibly compact with a depth of 27.75″. It doesn’t come with a seat, but it’s still inexpensive with the additional cost, plus you can pick a seat that you prefer. With a typical seat, it should settle users at a comfortable 16.5″. Swiss Madison’s Sublime II and the H2Option are strong competitors for the best overall option, with the former costing slightly more but having a smaller profile.
OGO Composting Toilet
Not having to run plumbing to a toilet significantly increases the arrangement options for your bathroom. This composting toilet only needs an outside vent and a power source to separate liquids and solids for easy composting. With a solar-powered generator and an outside house, you can set this toilet up in an outhouse or at a camping site. Both the liquid and solid bins need to be emptied semi-regularly, so there is more work involved in bathroom maintenance compared to a typical toilet. If you’re willing to put in the extra work and have a garden, you can cut down on fertilizer costs while reducing your water bill.
Other Ways to Maximize Bathroom Space
Reduce Your Sink Size
We mentioned combination toilet and sink units in the list. If you’d prefer a different model, you can still save space by shrinking the sink. Corner units have extremely low profiles while still having cabinets underneath for a clean look and extra storage. Floating and pedestal units keep the space underneath the sink available, and you can set them closer to the toilet.
There are also conversion kits that turn the top of an existing toilet’s tank into the sink, refilling the tank while you wash your hands to save both water and space. Of course, that doesn’t work if you select a tankless model.
Think Vertically
For a complete bathroom, it helps to have cabinetry nearby to hold toilet paper and other essentials. You might be tempted to cut the shelving from a small bathroom, but consider adding shelves to the walls when possible. The walls of a bathroom make up much of its surface space, and you can put shelves high enough in some bathrooms that they don’t limit the walking room.
Don’t Forget Aesthetics
You can cram bathroom features into a small space, but an uncozy pitstop can feel worse than a short walk. While tearing out the walls to expand the bathroom is an intense project, playing with the decorations on the remaining space might help. Pick bright colors, add artwork, and stick plants on those vertical shelves. Mirrors can potentially make the space feel more open, but it can be weird to catch a reflection of yourself mid-movement.
