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Dual Flush vs Single Flush – What Type of Toilet is Better for You?

dual flush vs single flush
Written by Elizabeth Fincher
Last Update: August 10, 2023

Most of the toilets around the world use single flush technology as the dual flush mechanism is a relatively new innovation. But the one you’ll end up choosing will depend on factors like your preference, budget, durability, and ease of use.

If you are confused about whether to choose a dual flush or a single flush toilet, look no further. We’ve prepared an in-depth comparison that can solve your dual flush vs single flush toilet dilemma.

We’ll compare the basic features of single flush and dual flush toilets to help simplify your decision making process!

Dual Flush vs Single Flush Toilets: What Separates Them

Dual Flush vs Single Flush

1. Use of Water

A single flush toilet will consume about 12 liters of water per flush. It is among the largest users of water in your home. A single flush toilet is lagging when it comes to water efficiency.

But there are ways you can enhance its water efficiency. The first method of reducing its rate of water consumption is to introduce an object like a plastic bottle or PVC bag into the cistern.

This will help by reducing the volume of water that goes into the cistern as well as the quantity of water that is used. Besides, you can use a cistern converter to reduce the volume of water used per flush.

Yet, dual flush toilets can flush in two ways which include full and half flush modes. The full mode eliminates the solid wastes while the half mode is for urine or liquid waste. It is possible for a dual flush toilet to use only 3-4.5 liters of water during half flush and 6-9 liters of water in full flush.

In this matter, the dual flash wins the battle. For example, in a year, a dual flush toilet can help you to save over 25,000 liters of water. The dual flush toilet is very useful in the home or office with few users.

Note that single flush toilets are more suitable for bathrooms with multiple users.

2. Flushing System

About the system of flushing between dual and single flush toilets, single toilets lead. This is because most users experience some difficulties using dual flushing toilets.

Sometimes, you’ll need to press the button on the top of the dual flush toilet tanks with force. This is unsuitable for the elderly and persons with arthritic hands. So, single flush toilets are the best when it comes to ease of flushing.

3. Aesthetics

You can modify a single flush toilet to suit your bathroom décor. Thus, you can change the lever of the single flush toilet to one that blends with your environment. The wall hung ones give an elegant look to your bathroom.

The option for modification is not available with the dual flush toilets. This is because of the difficulty in changing the buttons on the tanks.

Talking about tanks, a tankless toilet offers both single and dual flush options and still looks super sleek in your bathroom.

4. Price

Another important aspect to consider is the cost. The truth is, the single flush toilet is less expensive to buy than the dual flush toilet.

Also, you’ll spend more to maintain a dual flush toilet than you will in a single flush toilet. But, a dual flush toilet offers the advantage of consuming less water.

With this, you’ll spend less on water bills making dual flush toilets cheaper to keep.

5. Ease of Cleaning & Maintenance

So, what is the difference between single and dual toilets in terms of ease of cleaning? The truth is either model are easy to clean.

This depends on the design of the toilet’s rim, tank, and bowl. The material and flushing power of the toilet also have a role to play here.

Yet, dual flush one piece toilets are costlier to maintain. One of the reasons is the scarcity of its parts during maintenance. Yet, single flush toilets are very popular in the home and public places making their parts readily available in the market.

With this, you can easily replace the flush valve or lever parts of a single flush toilet.

6. Eco-friendly

About eco-friendly feature in single flush vs dual flush toilets, the latter is the winner. This is because dual flush toilets are very efficient and do not waste water.

You can save up to 25,000 liters of water in a year with a single dual flush toilet. Besides, you’ll likely get rebates if you’re replacing your old toilet with a new dual flush toilet.

Dual Flush vs Single Flush Toilet: Which One Is Perfect for You?

There are many things to consider if you want to know which toilet is right for you. There is no perfect flush toilet since each has its pros and cons.

Single flush toilets are cheap and easier to maintain but waste water. On the other hand, dual flush toilets are expensive but you’ll spend less on water bills. So, knowing the differences between these types of toilets will help you to choose the one that suits your preference.

Besides, you should adhere to the regulations in your state while searching for the best toilet to buy.

Conclusion

By now, you have a pretty good idea about who is the winner of our “dual flush vs single flush toilet” comparison. However, The answer will be different for everyone depending on their preference and budget.

We tried to provide facts and insights to help you choose better and if you can choose the right one for you, our efforts will become successful. Thanks for reading this far and I wish you all a very happy weekend.

About the author

Elizabeth Fincher

Elizabeth started her career as an interior design artist at a multinational interior design farm. She completed her masters degree from the University of North Texas back in 2010. She was also a Spelling Bee runner-up when she was 14. She took interest in bathroom interior designing after joining her first job. Later she started her own firm as an independent artist. She’s been one of the founding members of Toiletsguide. She examines the design and ergonomics of the units we review and directs the interior decoration team of our in-house research facility. Elizabeth plays piano masterfully and always finds time to entertain us in between our busy schedules.

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