TOTO SW554-01 Washlet S300 Elongated Front Toilet Seat (Cotton White)

I got the Toto washlet S300 a few weeks ago. I spent a little over $1100 on the toilet, and another $500 or so to get a three prong GFCI grounded outlet installed next to my toilet and to get the Toto installed. It's a lot of money for someone like me. I spent weeks researching bidet-type toilet seats, and wished that I had more information than I could get over the Internet. That's why I'm writing this review. I apologize for how long this is... I'm just trying to be as thorough as possible, so you can be as educated as possible about it, before spending that much money for yourself.

The first time I saw the toilet, I was disappointed by how cheap-looking and flimsy the lid appeared to be. I thought that a toilet seat that cost that much shouldn't *look* cheap. However, now that I've gotten used to it, I actually like the lid. I wouldn't sit on it for fear of warping it, but it's actually very comfortable to lean back on, during extended visits. And I like the fact that when you want to put the seat down, it closes slowly and doesn't slam.

Buttons:

Rear: This is one direct stream of water, and it's very powerful. Even when I turn the water pressure down quite a bit, it still feels a bit like a laser beam. It's so powerful, it feels like my toilet is trying to give me an enema.

Rear (soft): This is my favorite. It's like a shower for your butt.

Front: This is also a shower, but it's very soft (even turned all the way up). I practically have to sit on the lid in order to get it pointed in the right direction. This model of bidet toilet seat only has one wand. I wish it had 2 wands instead (who wants to think of their butt germs getting sprayed on their girlie bits?)

Dry: Warm air blows on you, but it doesn't really get you dry. I still use toilet tissue to get dry. I guess if I sat there for 5 minutes it *might* get me dry... not that I've ever tested it, since I just don't have that kind of patience.

Oscillating: Pushing this will cause the wand to move in a forward/backward spraying motion. It doesn't move very much. Since I always use it, I wish that it would automatically assume I want it on Oscillating, so I don't have to press it every time.

Pulsating: Pushing this will cause the water to slowly go from soft pressure to normal pressure. (It's so slow that I'm not really even sure why this is a feature.)

Position: This will allow you to point the wand more forward or backward, but the most forward position is not much different from the furthest back position.

Pressure and heat buttons are fairly self explanatory.

Pros: Ahhh... the joys of a warm toilet seat! And soft closing lid, so no more slamming. It cleans the wand between every use, so it's always clean. I use less toilet tissue, although I still use a couple of wads to dry myself. And the tissue is clean, so I know the bidet works. The water is warm and comfortable, no matter how long I have it on.

Cons: It only has one wand, the "dry" function blows too softly to get you dry, and I have to scoot alllllll the way to the very back of the toilet seat to get the wand to hit anything but the crack of my butt, (even when the wand position is set all the way to "forward"). And apparently the space between my girlie bits and back parts are further away than it's designed for, since the "front" button only hits the area between the two (which means scooting even further back!)

I won't ever be without a bidet type toilet seat again. I never had a second of buyer's remorse after buying this item.

I hope this was helpful.

****UPDATE: I have had the toilet for several months now. I have to say that I am STILL thrilled with it. It's definitely one of the best things I've ever spent money on. There are just a couple of things that I forgot to mention in my original review.

One thing I forgot to mention is the deodorizer. This little fan is amazing. You can turn this feature off, but why would you? You can completely throw away the air fresheners you keep on the back of the toilet, because you will never need them again. This is a wonderful feature when you have guests... they never need to know what you're doing in there. The sound of the fan is not loud enough to be annoying... it's just loud enough to camouflage any unfortunate noises that might occur. It comes on as soon as you sit down, and automatically turns off about a minute after you get off.

The other thing I forgot to mention was cleaning the toilet. The instructions say not to use harsh products around it, because it will mess up the mechanisms. So I've just been using regular dawn hand/dish soap, which seems to work fine. The plastic of the seat is supposedly made up of an anti-bacterial material that kills germs, which is pretty cool.

I posted a picture of how it looks, with the seat up. (Please ignore the dirty floor, I have a dog that likes to run around in the mud, and then lay down beside the toilet to cool off.) The reason I posted the picture is so that you could see that it over-hangs the rim of the toilet a bit, so it's kind of tricky to clean under that. However, you can press two levers (one on each side, at the back), to completely remove the seat, and wash everything down.

Anyway, sorry that I made a very long review even longer. I just wanted ya'll to know that I'm still happy with this purchase. (Although I'm kind of mad to see how much cheaper it is now, than it was when I bought it!!!)***

I have wanted one of these Washlets since I visited Japan in 2001 and stayed in a hotel where all the toilets were equipped with this device. I must say I was a little apprehensive at first, but a warm seat, cleaning your bottom without repeated wiping and chafing, and a deodorizer and dryer was an awesome idea!

Then I needed to wait to 1. Buy the house 2. Remodel the bathroom (with dedicated GFCI outlet installed for this purpose!) 3. Convince everyone that I REALLY WANTED THIS WASHLET for my 40th Birthday, which is next Tuesday, the 27th.

I got a really great price through Amazon.com from Buy [...], it was less than $700 delivered, which was the best price I could find anywhere. I installed the Washlet shortly after it arrived. It was easy to do..the only thing is to make sure the alignment of the two anchor bolts is where you want the seat to be situated...not too far forward, or it will look weird over the lip of your toilet (I installed it on a TOTO Drake Elongated Toilet)

Since I have just started to use it, here are my initial thoughts:

1. The warm seat is very inviting and comfortable, and can be set to turn on and off by an Auto timer that "learns" your habits or a set timer for 3/6/9 hours every day at the same time (like when you go to bed). This saves energy by turning off the heater when it's not needed. If you sit down and use the Washlet during this Energy Saver Cycle, it immediately powers up and warms the seat in about 3 minutes.

2. The warm spray is very powerful and adjustable. I can get clean and feel refreshed in very little time. The softer setting is like a shower, but for heavy duty "cleaning", the regular rear setting is very effective. It's best to take your time and relax while the washlet is doing it's job; don't rush it, or you will be negating its benefits.

3. The dryer doesn't work very quickly. It's great if you're reading the paper or a book and would like to relax after you've done your business and don't mind waiting. But if you're in a hurry, let it run for a minute and just pat your bottom dry.

4. The deodorizer not only masks the sounds but nearly all the odors. It is a great feature to have, and well worth the step up from the lower models. No need for artificial smelling sprays or other crude ways to mask odors any more.

Don't let the stigma of this product keep you from purchasing it. Yes, it is an expensive addition to your toilet, but if you have "problems" back there, or your wife would like a bidet, here is the best compromise I have ever seen.

I'm glad I got to "test drive" it while I was in Japan 9 years ago. Nearly every well established hotel (and most homes too!) have Washlets. It's just Americans and their issues with talking about going to the bathroom and the fact that it's about twice the price here in the USA than in Japan. Oh yes, the product is actually MADE IN JAPAN...and has the markings to prove it!

Update, I had a party this 1st weekend in May for my 40th Birthday...and EVERYONE who came had to see the Washlet! I activated the Wand Cleaning button on the remote to show guests how the Wand works, and was greated with some very surprised looks! Some people totally didn't get it, others thought it was an amazing, wonderful product that leaves you fresh and clean. I just couldn't believe the big draw of the party was my WASHLET and not the guy having the birthday!

Meanwhile, the experience has been wonderful. No issues with operation, it just takes some experience to learn the proper amount of water pressure, wand position, and time to get everything cleaned. It's true if you run the dryer, the deodorizer function is negated, so it's best to not hit the dryer until you are thoroughly clean and any offensive odors are neutralized. I've gotten so spoiled that I dread having to "do my business" in another bathroom!

So what are you waiting for? If you have the issues, you should make the purchase. Just have that GFCI outlet installed near your toilet (the power cord is less than 3 ft). You don't need to change your water line or do any sort of plumbing. All that is needed to connect your toilet to the Washlet is included and can be easily assembled by most anyone with basic mechanical abilities.

Update, January 2013. I have had the Washlet for nearly 3 years now and it is still working just as it did when new. A couple of suggestions for best performance: Clean the filter for the deodorizer MONTHLY or sooner since dust and dirt clogs the screen and minimizes the effect. This is easily done by removing the seat, turning it on its side, and taking out the filter. Brush it with an old toothbrush and run it under warm water and dry it before replacing. While you have the seat off, clean under, around and inside the areas you can't get when it's on the toilet. Mold can accumulate around the washer wand, so moisten a cotton swab with water (not harsh chemicals!) and clean around there. When you are on vacation or away for a long time, save on your bills by turning off the washlet with the master switch on the side. My uncle read this review and purchased the same washlet and loves it too...so it's become a family thing! When I remodel my daughter's bathroom, she has requested a washlet to be installed on her toilet...I told her to save her pennies NOW as the price has gone up slightly since 2010. If you want the best, this is it....I still go into withdrawl symptoms (psychologically and physically) when I travel and am without my washlet!!

This toilet seat is awesome. I would recommend this to anyone! It is kind of an odd thing to have purchased, and not something you'd tell just anyone about. But if you think about it, if you got poop on your hand you certainly would not just wipe it off with dry tissue! But more than the sanitary perks of this item, I appreciate the comfort and soothing aspects of the Washlet. I had cancer with radiation several years ago that left me with what I call "radiation syndrome"; extremely over-active intestines, which flares up every so often, resulting in a very raw, sore bottom. I have suffered with this problem for several years. For Christmas my husband and kids gave me a Toto Washlet. I thought I died and went to heaven!! After a week we decided to buy another one for our other bathroom!! Total decadence!! Happy! Happy! Happy! :)
My friend recently had cancer with chemo and radiation. She was telling me how often she uses the bathroom; sometimes 15-20 times a day. Her story sounded SOOO familiar!! I don't have an extra $600+ sitting in an account, but I HAD to get her a Toto Washlet too! I felt her pain. When it arrived at her house she called and said she couldn't accept it. It was too expensive. I told her to hook it up and if she didn't want it after using it for a week, then I would return it. Guess what? She LOVES it! She even printed out information about the Toto Washlet to take to her doctor so he can let his patients know there is something out there that can make life a little easier to deal with cancer and radiation!!
Just do it! You will not regret buying a Toto Washlet!