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How to judge a toilet’s real-world clearing performance
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Advertised gallons per flush don’t tell the whole story. How much do bowl shape, trapway design, and the flush system affect whether a toilet clears well on one flush, and how much can the existing drain conditions change the result?
I’d like to know what’s useful to compare beyond the spec sheet when choosing a replacement. Are independent performance tests a good guide, or do they miss factors that matter in an actual bathroom? If a lower-flush model needs repeat flushes, the water savings and convenience both take a hit.
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Independent performance tests are useful for ranking models tested under the same conditions, but they can’t predict how one will behave on a particular home’s drain. I’d use them to shortlist toilets, not as a guarantee that a replacement will clear an existing drain well or avoid repeat flushes.
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