If your home has a small bathroom, there’s a good chance it doesn’t have a standard 12-inch rough-in. Instead, many old homes with small bathrooms were built with 10-inch rough-ins. These can save some space, but they also require a toilet that’s designed specifically for a 10-inch rough-in.
In this guide, we’ll help you find the best 10-inch rough-in toilet for your home. We considered many of the same key features that you’d look for on a standard-sized toilet, such as the dimensions and shape of the toilet and seat. We also considered the type of bowl, since this impacts the price, ease of cleaning, and size of your toilet. Water savings was also a key part of the equation in our analysis, since no one wants to see their water bill go up after installing a new toilet. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the six best 10-inch rough-in toilets.
More features: Dynamax Tornado flush, Cefiontect ceramic glaze; 40% water savings
This modern, sleek toilet from Toto comes jam-packed with features. To start, the toilet uses a dual flush system that draws either 1.28 gallons or 0.8 gallons per fill. The Dynamax Tornado flush creates a whirlpool inside the bowl that cleans the sides as it flushes and powerfully sucks any waste away. All together, this flushing system means less water used, effective flushing, and less frequent need to clean the bowl.
The toilet also comes with a SoftClose seat, which prevents the sound of slamming after you use the toilet. You can upgrade the seat with a bidet system, although this is sold and installed separately.
Notably, Toto offers the Aquia IV in two different heights. The Standard height is 15.5” in height, which can feel low for some people. The Universal height toilet adds more than half an inch – although that might not sounds like much, it can be enough to relieve pressure on your knees and make it easier to get on and off the seat.
Users found that the elongated seat shape is very comfortable, although it could make the toilet slightly too long for smaller bathrooms with limited space. The toilet itself is a two-piece unit made with an antimicrobial Cefiontech ceramic glaze.
The only thing to bear in mind about this toilet is that it’s not designed for 10-inch rough-ins. You’ll need to buy a 10-inch adapter from Toto, which is sold separately.
More features: comfort height; water-saving technology; three-bolt installation
If you’re looking to limit the amount you spend on a new toilet but still want a quality unit for your bathroom, the Kohler Highline provides an excellent value. This two-piece toilet is made from glazed china and offers a classic, clean aesthetic. It’s designed specifically for 10-inch rough-ins, so you don’t need an adapter and installation is easy with just three bolts that go into the floor.
The toilet is designed for comfort from the ground up. The elongated seat is more than a foot long to ensure you don’t feel cramped while sitting on the toilet. In addition, Kohler raised the rim of the toilet 16.5” above the floor – meaning that the seat is more than 17” off the ground. That’s about the same height as a standard chair, so it’s extremely easy to get on and off of this toilet.
The toilet’s flush is also fairly powerful. The Highline has a canister flush system inside, which allows it to vacuum up 1.28 gallons of water in a matter of seconds. Users noted that the bowl doesn’t have the same self-cleaning action as a vortex-style flush, but that the suction is powerful enough that there’s very rarely residue left on the sides of the bowl.
Just note that the seat and supply lines are not included with this toilet. So, expect to spend an additional $50 or more to complete your bathroom setup.
More features: G-Max flushing system; universal height
The Toto Drake uses slightly more water than any of the other 10-inch rough-in toilets on our list. However, there’s a good reason for that – it also has by far the most powerful flush we’ve seen in a toilet this size. The GMAX flushing system includes a 3”-wide flush valve, an extra-large siphon jet, and a large trapway to eliminate any amount of waste. Better yet, the extra water that the flush uses is forced down the sides of the bowl, helping to remove any residue from inside the toilet and eliminate the need for frequent cleaning.
This two-piece toilet is built from glazed ceramic and uses a comfortable elongated seat. It also features a comfortable seat height of 16 1/8”, which is comparable to Kohler’s Comfort Height design. One minor flaw that users noted, however, is that the inside of the bowl isn’t perfectly rounded. That leaves some corners where residue can build up and that are difficult to clean with a standard toilet brush.
This toilet doesn’t come with a seat, so you can choose whether to add a bidet, a SoftClose seat, or a more budget-friendly seat option. It’s available in five different colors, which is nice if you want to match your toilet to your bathroom’s aesthetic.
Most users found installation to be easy on a 10-inch rough-in, but note that the Drake doesn’t necessarily fit as well as other 10-inch toilets. Some users found that it fits 9-inch rough-ins, but won’t fit any old rough-ins that are slightly greater than 10 inches.
More features: Ever Clean antimicrobial surface; comfort height; ADA compliant
This simple, classic toilet from American Standard is extraordinarily comfortable. The toilet is built with an elongated seat that sits fully out in front of the tank, so you have a bit more room to sit than on similar toilets. On top of that, the toilet has a rim height of more than 17 inches that makes it easy to get on and off of. In fact, the toilet is designed to be ADA compliant, so it’s ideal for households with mobility-impaired residents.
The toilet is made from vitreous china and finished with an Ever Clean antimicrobial surface that helps keek it sanitary. The 1.28 GPF gravity flush does a decent job of removing waste from the bowl, although it’s not as powerful as some of the other toilets we reviewed. Notably, one flaw in this toilet is that the flush doesn’t do much to clean the sides of the bowl, so it does require a somewhat frequent pass over with a toilet brush.
The Cadet 3 comes complete with a SoftClose seat, which helps justify the otherwise high price. However, keep in mind that unlike some of the Toto models, you cannot add a bidet aftermarket. Users also appreciated the five-year warranty, which is one of the best we’ve seen in the industry.
More features: comfort height; water-saving gravity flush
If you live in an older home with a small bathroom, consider this round-front toilet from Kohler. The Cimarron is just over 27” long, which can help you save space compared to most elongated 10-inch rough-in toilets. Of course, it’s still a two-piece design, so the space savings only go so far.
Despite being somewhat compact, the Cimarron doesn’t compromise on comfort. It features Kohler’s Comfort Height seat design with a rim that’s more than 16 inches off the ground. In fact, the toilet is ADA-approved despite not having an elongated seat
This toilet uses the same powerful canister flushing system as Kohler’s Highline toilet. As on that toilet, the flush doesn’t do a ton to clean the sides of the bowl. But the fully glazed trapway ensures that all waste is swiftly removed and the suction is enough to keep the bottom half of the bowl pretty clean. The toilet only uses 1.28 GPF, which keeps your water costs to a minimum.
The seat and supply line aren’t included with this toilet, which makes the sticker price a little bit lower than what you’ll actually pay. But you do gain flexibility to choose a SoftClose seat or bidet if you want to splurge.
More features: comfort height; PowerWash rim; antimicrobial surface
The Edgemere from American Standard is the perfect 10-inch rough-in toilet if you want to renovate your bathroom on a budget. This two-piece toilet comes in at just under $240, not including the seat (sold separately). The toilet has a round front and a narrow base design that also makes it suitable for relatively small bathroom spaces. The toilet is made from vitreous china and finished with an antimicrobial glaze for sanitation.
The Edgemere is outfitted with American Standard’s PowerWash rim, which shoots water down the sides of the bowl to keep it clean. It’s not the most powerful flushing system that we’ve seen, however, so you’ll still want to brush the bowl clean with some frequency. The good news is that the PowerWash flushing system is very effective at removing waste, and it only uses 1.28 GPF so you can save quite a bit of water compared to a more traditional compact toilet.
This toilet doesn’t necessarily stand out and it’s only available in a single, clean white color. However, for the price, you get a reliable and long-lasting toilet that can fit in just about any bathroom.
Now that you know more about our six favorite 10-inch rough-in toilets, how do you decide which one is right for your bathroom? In our buying guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know – from why choose a 10-inch rough-in toilet to how to pick the best model.
The number one reason to purchase a 10-inch rough-in toilet is because you have a 10-inch rough-in installed in your bathroom. For many years, 10 inches was the standard rough-in distance – that is, there was 10 inches of space between the drainpipe and the connection at the base of the toilet. However, most modern homes are built with 12-inch rough-ins, so 10-inch toilets are becoming less common and less necessary.
The main advantage to a 10-inch rough-in is that it saves space. The toilet is two inches closer to the wall, which frees up more of your bathroom to walk around in or for other furnishings.
That said, you can install a 10-inch rough-in toilet in a 12-inch rough-in space. You’ll end up with two extra inches between the tank and the wall, which isn’t a huge issue. Just keep in mind that the extra space can be hard to clean, and you may need an adapter to lengthen the shut-off valve going to the toilet’s tank
If you’ve decided that a 10-inch rough-in toilet is right for your bathroom, the next step is picking out a model. There are a number of design features to consider when choosing a toilet. Keep in mind that your choice won’t just affect the aesthetic of your bathroom – it will also affect your comfort while using the toilet!
A good place to start when choosing a 10-inch rough-in toilet is to figure out your maximum allowable dimensions. Based on your bathroom’s layout, you may be able to fit virtually any toilet or you may need one with a compact seat. Measure the distance from the wall to the furthest point the toilet can extend to, and remember to take into account any gap between the tank and wall. You obviously need room to walk around your bathroom and sit on the toilet, so leave plenty of room for error in your calculations.
The width of the toilet can also be important in some cases. Usually, the tank is the widest part of a toilet’s design. Make sure that there’s enough room to access the flush handle if it’s located on the side of the toilet.
Toilets come in two styles: one-piece and two-piece. One-piece toilets are significantly more compact and don’t have any crevices that are hard to clean between the tank and bowl. However, most people prefer two-piece toilets because they’re significantly less expensive – up to 25% less for comparable models. For this reason, we only considered two-piece toilets in our review.
Another thing to consider is whether you want a single or dual flush toilet. Single flush toilets are the traditional style – there’s a single flush lever, and the toilet uses the same amount of water for every flush no matter you need to eliminate solid or liquid waste. Dual flush toilets like the Toto Aquia IV have two buttons or levers that release two different amounts of water – more for solid waste, less for liquid waste.
While dual flush toilets are more environmentally friendly, they’re also significantly more expensive. You’ll probably come out even on cost in the long run based on your water savings.
The shape of the bowl can be either round or elongated. For most people, an elongated bowl is more comfortable to sit on than a round one. The reason to opt for a round bowl is that it typically shortens the length of the toilet by a few inches, helping save space in compact bathroom setups. Most 10-inch rough-in toilets come with elongated seats, but the American Standard Edgemere and Kohler Cimarron models are round-front toilets.
Porcelain is the classic toilet material, and it’s still in wide use today. Most of the toilets we reviewed are made from either china, vitreous china, or ceramic, all of which are various types of porcelain material. The advantage to these materials are that they’re easy to clean and extremely durable.
One thing to keep in mind is that some toilets, like the American Standard Edgemere and Cadet 3 toilets, are finished with an antimicrobial glaze. This helps prevent the growth of smelly bacteria and mildew on your toilet over time, although you’ll still want to clean the bowl and seat for sanitary reasons just as often as you would with any other toilet.
Most of the toilets we looked at are simple to install. Some, like the Kohler Highline, are specifically designed with three-bolt bases to make installation even easier. In general, two-piece toilets are less work to install than one-piece toilets because they’re less heavy (the two pieces can be separated).
One thing to consider is whether your toilet comes with a seat and supply lines. You’ll need the supply lines for installation, so make sure you purchase them at the same time you get your toilet if they aren’t included.
Toilets are built to last, but it’s nice to have peace of mind in case something goes wrong with the construction or flush system. Most toilets come with a warranty of one to two years. However, American Standard provides a whopping five-year warranty for its Cadet 3 toilet.
Taking care of your toilet shouldn’t be a lot of work. But there are some simple steps you can take to keep it running smoothly for years to come:
