Sunrise Specialty » Comfort Height Vs. Chair Height Vs. Standard Height Toilet

Comfort Height Vs. Chair Height Vs. Standard Height Toilet

You may have come across different terms like “Chair Height,” “Comfort Height,” “Standard Height,” “ADA Height,” or “Right Height Toilet” while looking for a new toilet for your house.

If like us, you’re confused by all the words when it comes to choosing a different toilet for your bathroom, this article will help you grasp them.

We want to leave a guide on which of these options is best suited to your needs, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each of these models, not only to clarify concepts when buying a toilet but also to leave a guide on which of these options is best suited to your needs and the advantages and disadvantages of each of these models.

That way, you’ll be able to make smarter decisions and get more value from your purchase.

Chair and Comfort Height Toilets

Comfort Height Toilets and Chair Toilets are two distinct terms for the same thing. Traditionally, the term “Chair Height” refers to toilets that are 17 inches tall.

However,  the “Comfort Height” toilet is a brand-specific term for solely commercial purposes.

Kohler Co. is an American corporation best recognized for its high-quality, cutting-edge toilets. To describe their 17- to 19-inch toilets, they coined the term “Comfort Height.”

The product is identical, but due to Kohler’s renown, the term “Comfort Height” is commonly used in the market, leading to the misconception that it is a different sort of toilet. The only difference is that when you hear “Comfort Height,” you know it’s a Kohler toilet, and it’s 17 inches or more depending on the model.

Because of the wide range of heights among their customers, toilet manufacturers are encouraged to design toilets with diverse heights.

People are no longer happy with ordinary models and are searching for models that are fitted to their own demands. As a result, the offer expands and the names proliferate to cover a wider range of possibilities.

What about Standard Height Toilets?

Standard Height vs. Comfort Height Toilets
Image Credit: henryplumbingco

The term “standard height toilets” refers to toilets with a height of 15 to 16 inches. They are smaller than a conventional chair, although “Chair Height” refers to the standard measurement established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is why it is also known as “ADA Height.” The ADA height toilet requires a raised toilet seat for people with disabilities.

If you have little children or adults who are low in stature, standard height toilets are more commonly utilized. They’re especially tough to use if you have a disabled person in the house or if you have to transfer from a wheelchair to the toilet. Toilets with a Standard Height are somewhat more costly than those with a Comfort Height.

If you believe that a variation of one or two inches does not warrant a new classification, you will be interested to learn why it is critical to have a suitable toilet size for your physiognomy.

Why is the height of your toilet important?

Did you know that we spend an average of one-and-a-half years of our lives on the toilet? In the process, we eliminate over four tons of feces throughout the course of our lifetimes.

Isn’t it impressive? However, studies on our toilet habits and how they may be linked to certain health issues are far more fascinating.

A group of European scientists conducted investigations on intestinal and digestive disorders in various parts of Africa in the mid-twentieth century.

They were startled to learn that stomach disorders were uncommon in Africa. Aside from the diet of each location, they discovered that it was linked to the amount of time one spends and the sitting position one adopts when it comes to pooping.

There are numerous rural locations in Africa where regular height toilets are not always available. As a result, they must squat to relieve themselves.

And this is healthier for our bodies. The angle of our anal canal shifts to a 90-degree angle when we sit on the toilet.

As a result, the colon is constricted by the pelvic floor muscles, and we have to push harder. But if we allow our hips to be lower than the knees, that will give us a better position that favors the cleansing bowels.

The Evolution of the Toilet Bowl

If the chair-like position we adopt to go to the bathroom is bad for us in many cases, how is it that we evolved from squatting on the floor to sitting on the toilet?

There are records that the concept of a toilet was already known in the ancient world. However, it was not a private space in many cultures.

The Romans, for example, had public baths and there are records of archaeological sites with more than 50 holes next to each other.

The Romans covered these holes with wooden planks that in turn had a hole in which one sat and made his bowels.

The concept of the toilet as we know it was not invented until the end of the 16th century.

John Harrington was a courtier in the time of Queen Elizabeth who designed the first toilet with a flush system. The name that John chose for his invention was “Ajax”.

But in 1861, another Englishman patented a toilet model for the first time.

This time it was the turn of Thomas Crapper, a plumber who developed the U-shaped pipe.

This pipe design created a kind of water plug that was responsible for preventing bad odors, and the return of gases or waste from passing through.

Finally, this design became a tremendous success, and thanks to that U-shaped pipe, the toilets began to be made in the shape of a chair and raised from the ground.

In this way, the installation was much easier and it did not take up space, since the U system is placed in the free space that a chair would naturally have.

Dangers to your Health

We’ve all experienced how difficult and inconvenient it is to go to the restroom during spells of constipation.

Constipation is a fairly frequent ailment that affects the whole population and is caused by poor digestion and other intestinal issues. However, there is an external reason, which is the posture you take when you relieve yourself.

According to health experts, the seat-shaped design of most ordinary toilets does not encourage deposition, and pushing too hard might result in hemorrhoids, fainting, and even strokes in rare situations.

Surely you must be thinking, now what to do? Is it necessary for me to change my toilet before I have a stroke? No, that is not the case. Despite the fact that toilets are almost always designed to resemble a chair, you may adjust to the situation.

Doctors advocate just putting a little seat where you may rest your feet to add a few inches of height and a better angle for bowel movements.

Chair-height Toilet vs Standard Height Toilet

Now that we’ve defined the principles behind all of these toilet nomenclatures, let’s look at the variations between those that actually differ in size.

Since the introduction of the toilet over two hundred years ago, the Standard Height Toilet has remained the standard toilet size. Its height ranges from 14 to 16 inches, but the Chair Height measurement is considerably more recent and was developed in response to client requests.

These toilets, which range in size from 17 to 19 inches, are ideal for restrooms where persons with mobility issues or who use a wheelchair must shift from chair to toilet.

As you can see, each height serves a distinct purpose, but they are also constructed differently, and not only do they differ in terms of height and position, but they also differ in price, maintenance, and other factors that must be considered before purchasing the suggested one.

Toilet Height

The fundamental distinction between a Standard Toilet and a Chair Toilet is that the Standard Toilet is 14 to 16 inches in height, but the Chair Toilet is 17 to 19 inches tall. (Including the top of the seat)

Standard toilets are appropriate for short persons or families with little kids. The Chair toilets, on the other hand, are advised for tall persons and people with mobility issues.

Other names

Remember that these two sizes are the most popular on the market and it is very likely that you will find changed nomenclatures only for commercial reasons.

American Standard toilets are also known as Regular Height, and Traditional Height.

While Chair toilets are also called ADA Compliant Height, Universal Height, Right Height (Toto Design), Comfort Height, and Right height.

Price

Price is another important factor to consider when deciding on a toilet. Chair toilets are always slightly cheaper than Standard toilets.

So if the decisive factor is the economic one, you already know which one will be friendlier to your pocket.

The Right Place

Standard toilets are only for use in the home. Chair toilets are utilized in the household as well as in commercial settings where public restrooms are not available.

Businesses and commercial establishments always use Chair toilets because they are higher and simpler to sit on.

Many families, however, have adopted this design of toilet for their own bathrooms throughout time. Because of its versatility, the Chair model is the most desirable on the market.

Advantages

If you have tall people, elderly or physically disabled family members, chair toilets are ideal. They will always be less expensive, and due to their widespread use, manufacturers create them in large quantities and update them with new technology year after year.

While the Standard model has long been popular, it has fallen out of favor in recent years. They’re ideal if you have small children who haven’t yet reached the age when their feet can touch the ground.

They are, nevertheless, highly useful in teaching proper posture when performing bowel motions. If you have bowel difficulties and are always constipated, it is advised that you utilize the Standard toilets since they provide a more suitable posture.

Weak Points

The main flaw of chair toilets is that they can cause constipation and make it difficult for people to perform a bowel movement. It also creates circulation problems if you are a short person and are adapting to a chair-like posture. In order to make an informed choice, you must first choose which sort of toilet you are most comfortable with.

If you made the error of not paying attention to the height of the toilet and now find yourself at an inconvenient angle when using it, you should figure it out and find a solution to adapt the toilet to your needs.

But it’s critical to be conscious of whether the toilet’s posture benefits or hurts you; remember, we spend a lot of time in the bathroom every day, and a slight issue can lead to something more serious over time.

If you don’t have a bench to put your feet up on, you can support yourself with a few books or phone books.

Standard toilets improve posture, although they might be exceedingly unpleasant for those of tall stature. Furthermore, they are always slightly more expensive than Chair toilets and are less versatile in their use.

Installation

The two types of toilets are installed in the same way, and the installation process is identical. It may be completed by any qualified technician without difficulty. However, if you have a small bathroom, a Standard model will always be easier to get and will provide you with more area to install it.

Final Words

Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all toilet. You should thoroughly examine your demands before acquiring one. You must consider who will use the restroom and where it will be used.

Keep in mind that taller toilets are preferred in business and public areas. They’ll also be more valuable if you’re planning on upgrading and then selling your home. Home purchasers are usually looking for ADA-compliant toilets.

But, above all, consider what is best for your health and how you might feel more at ease. Going to the bathroom in a healthy posture prevents a variety of gastrointestinal problems, and it’s best if your toilet assists you rather than hinders you.