The manufacturers' own documents differ mainly in flush design, bowl surface and warranty. TOTO describes a dual-nozzle Tornado Flush and CEFIONTECT glaze. American Standard describes VorMax's single jet and an EverClean surface. TOTO's warranty page states one year, while American Standard lists lifetime coverage on china for the original owner.
How do the flush designs differ?
TOTO's flagship design is the Tornado Flush. American Standard's is VorMax. Both are described by their makers as rimless or hole-free, but the water path is different on paper.
### What does TOTO say about Tornado Flush?
TOTO's Tornado Flush page describes two powerful nozzles that create a centrifugal, cyclonic rinsing action. The page adds that the modern hole-free rim design performs more consistently and is easy to clean. Its bullet list says dual-nozzle water propulsion system, more powerful flush, and cleaner bowl and less cleaning.
A TOTO press release on the Drake toilets adds detail. It says the system merges two streams of water for 360 degrees of bowl cleansing and directs significantly more water to the siphon jet. It lists flush volumes of 1.28 or 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) for the Drake line.
### What does American Standard say about VorMax?
American Standard's VorMax page says the design eliminates the conventional rim holes around the inside of the bowl. Instead, it delivers one powerful jet of water that scrubs the entire surface of the bowl. The same page says American Standard's engineers sent twice as much jetted water to the rim, using 1.28 gallons per flush. It also names a CleanCurve rim, which it says removes hidden, hard-to-reach surfaces.
Not every American Standard toilet is a VorMax. The Cadet PRO, for example, lists a PowerWash rim on its product page instead. Its spec table lists the flush technology as gravity fed and the flushing type as single flush.
### How do the two designs compare on paper?
TOTO describes two nozzles feeding a spinning action. American Standard describes one jet plus a shaped rim. American Standard says VorMax uses 1.28 gallons per flush, and TOTO lists 1.28 or 1.6 for Drake. That is a design description, not a test result. For the test results, see the MaP and WaterSense section below.
How do the glaze and the WaterSense and MaP listings differ?
### How do the glaze and bowl surface differ?
Here the two companies use different systems, and they describe them differently.
- TOTO CEFIONTECT. TOTO says its extraordinarily smooth CEFIONTECT glaze prevents particulates from adhering to porous ceramic surfaces, and that the ion-barrier keeps things cleaner, longer. The Drake spec sheet says the glaze minimizes waste from sticking to porous ceramic surfaces.
- American Standard EverClean. American Standard's VorMax page says EverClean protects against mold, mildew, odor and stain causing bacteria on the toilet. The Cadet PRO product page describes it as an antimicrobial surface that protects against bacteria.
Notice what each claim is about. TOTO's glaze claim is about waste sticking to the ceramic. American Standard's surface claim is about bacteria, mold and mildew. They are not the same claim, so this page does not treat them as a head-to-head result. Neither company's page we opened gives a cleaning test against the other brand.
TOTO's own warranty adds a care note that matters for either glaze. It says normal wear such as gloss reduction, scratching or fading can come from cleaning practices, including the use of bleach, alkali, acid cleaners, dry (powder) cleaners or other abrasive cleaners, or metal or nylon scrubbers. Read the care instructions that came with your toilet and follow the label on any cleaner you use. If you are dealing with marks in the bowl, our pages on why a toilet bowl turns yellow and black stains in the toilet bowl walk through the causes.
### What do the two labels mean?
Two labels come up in almost every toilet comparison. One is the EPA's WaterSense label. The other is the Maximum Performance (MaP) test, which reports how many grams of solid waste a toilet clears in one flush.
### What does WaterSense mean?
EPA's WaterSense page says design improvements allow toilets to use 1.28 gallons per flush or less, which it calls 20 percent less water than the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons per flush. It also says WaterSense labeled toilets are independently certified to meet EPA's criteria for both performance and efficiency, and only toilets that complete the third-party certification process can earn the label.
So the label is a certification, not a marketing phrase. It is also model by model. The American Standard Cadet PRO page we opened lists the toilet as WaterSense certified at 1.28 gpf. The TOTO Drake spec sheet we opened is for a 1.6 gpf model, and the sheet says nothing about WaterSense. TOTO's press release says the Drake line comes in 1.28 or 1.6 gpf. We did not find a TOTO page we could open that states a WaterSense listing, so check the exact model before you assume one. The EPA site has a searchable list of labeled toilets.
### What does MaP mean here?
TOTO's Drake press release says the Drake and Drake Transitional earned a Highly Recommended rating on the MaP test for removing 1,000 grams of solid waste with a single flush, which it calls the highest flushing performance score a toilet can earn in the industry. That is TOTO's statement about those two models, dated June 2021.
For American Standard, we could not open a page that states a MaP score for a specific model. So this page makes no MaP comparison. If a score matters to you, look for it on the exact model's spec sheet, and be wary of any comparison that mixes scores from different models or years.
### What is the takeaway?
Both makers sell models with efficient flush volumes, and each has published performance claims for at least some models. Neither claim can be read as brand-wide. WaterSense and MaP results belong to a model number, not to a company name.
How do the warranties compare?
This is where the published text differs most, and it is checkable word for word. The tables below use each company's warranty document.
| Item | TOTO (warranty page) | American Standard (toilet warranty PDF) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic term | One year from date of purchase, for defects in materials and workmanship in normal use when properly installed and serviced | Home use: lifetime on chinaware for as long as the original owner owns it, plus 5 or 10 years on mechanical parts depending on the model family |
| Commercial use | One year from the date of installation when used commercially or installed outside the Americas | 1 year on chinaware and 1 year on mechanical parts |
| Who is covered | The original purchaser only, not transferable | The original purchaser, non-transferable, unless a plumber, contractor or other service provider bought it, in which case the first property owner it was bought for |
| Labor and removal | TOTO says it will not charge for labor or parts on warranty repairs or replacements, but is not responsible for the cost of removal, return or reinstallation | Excludes labor or other costs of removal or installation, including surrounding tile or marble |
| Proof of purchase | Required, and registration is voluntary | Original sales receipt included with a claim |
### What does the TOTO warranty page say about its length?
The page says TOTO warrants its plumbing products for one year from date of purchase. The Drake spec sheet we opened lists a One Year Limited Warranty. The page also says the warranty applies to select vitreous china, WASHLET, air baths and hand dryers. Other documents for other TOTO products may carry different terms, so read the paperwork for your model.
### What does American Standard say about its length?
American Standard's PDF splits toilets into model families. One family, which includes VorMax, gets lifetime on china for the original owner and 10 years on mechanical parts. Another family, which includes Cadet PRO, gets lifetime on china and 5 years on mechanical parts. Our page on the American Standard toilet warranty lists every family and the exclusions.
Compare the wording, too. American Standard ties its china term to how long the original owner owns the product. That is a limit as well as a promise, and the same sheet excludes damage from in-tank cleaners.
### What do both warranties exclude?
Both exclude damage from misuse and improper installation. TOTO's page names sediments or foreign matter in a water system, and it says damage from chloramines in the public water supply, or from cleaners containing chlorine (calcium hypochlorite), is not its responsibility. It also says product model codes allow a maximum of 80 PSI. American Standard's list includes damage from in-tank cleaners and the use of non-genuine American Standard parts.
If you want a third data point, see the Kohler toilet warranty. Terms vary a lot from brand to brand, so the length alone tells you little about a toilet you already own.
How should you choose between them?
### What about repair parts?
Parts matter more than most buyers expect, because tank parts wear out on every toilet. The fill valve, flapper and flush valve are the usual ones. Our page on replacing a toilet flush valve and the flapper and fill valve show what those jobs look like.
What each company publishes:
- TOTO. TOTO's site menu lists a TOTO Parts Store and a Service and Installation Support page under Parts and Support. The Drake spec sheet lists components and an optional trip lever by part number.
- American Standard. The Cadet PRO product page has a Repair Parts Diagram among its resources, alongside a spec sheet and an installation guide. It also lists a metal trip lever and a metal shank fill valve.
We did not find published statements from either maker about how many years they keep parts available. So this page does not compare parts availability. If that matters, ask the maker or your plumber about your exact model before you buy.
### Which one is right for your bathroom?
The documents cannot answer that, but they can narrow the list.
- 1Confirm the flush volume. Look for 1.28 gpf on the sheet. Then check the WaterSense listing for that model.
- 2Match the rough-in. The Drake spec sheet lists a 10 inch rough-in, and the Cadet PRO page lists a 12 inch rough-in. Measure from the wall to the center of your floor drain first. Rough-in size is a spec on each model, not a brand trait.
- 3Read the warranty for your model. Check the term, who is covered, and what voids it. Keep the receipt.
- 4Check the height. Both makers list chair-height models near 17 inches. Our page on comfort height versus standard toilets covers the trade-offs.
- 5Look at the bowl shape and trim. A skirted design changes how the toilet cleans and looks. See skirted toilets and cleaning.
If you are deciding whether to replace a toilet at all, signs it is time to replace a toilet is a good next read. If a toilet is flushing weakly, a toilet that will not flush all the way covers fixes that do not need a new bowl. A toilet that flushes by itself is a different problem, covered in why a toilet flushes on its own. A tank that refills too slowly has its own page: why a toilet fills so slowly.
When should you call a plumber?
Picking a toilet is a shopping decision. Setting one is a plumbing job. The warranty documents above say labor and removal costs are not covered, and both say installation problems can cancel coverage. A badly set toilet can leak at the base or rock, and that can void the warranty on a toilet you just bought.
HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates and quotes an upfront price before work starts. If a toilet is overflowing or leaking and you cannot shut it off, we offer 24/7 emergency service. Learn more about our residential plumbing services.