I know I’ll need to replace my toilet when I remodel my bathroom because of water usage requirements. Is there any reason not to just purchase the cheapest model, assuming I’m not overly concerned with aesthetics?
The only thing that could be a drawback is the inside parts. If it is cheaper just to buy a better quality replacement inside parts and put it in before you set your toilet, then you have no worries of having to replace them at a later date. Just have your plumber do it before setting the toilet.
I have found that toilets that are less in price often require more time to install and offer less value by not offering any sort of warranty. The mid range for a toilet that doesn’t require a lot of experience to install is about $150.00. More expensive doesn’t mean less work involved but will often provide better value and last longer due to the quality of parts and engineering that has gone into them. I have installed many toilets and have seen $150.00 toilets outlast $1500.00 ones.
My first recommendation is that you are going to get what you pay for. Some contractors can tell you that the difference between toilets are the inside parts. But, toilets consist basically of two factors: water usage and flush potency.
These two factors play together in a very tricky way because if you get the one that uses less water, then you may face cleaning issues. And the other factor is flushing power; usually found in high end toilets like Kohler/American Standard, Toto, etc.
One other point is the aesthetic, but this is a factor that depends only on the customer preference. But if you have one rule of thumb, pay at least $200 for a toilet and you’ll be covered.
That is what I can say after 15 years of experience in this business.
If you don’t mind clogs and scars no. If you prefer one flush and more self cleaning yes. The cost difference between a great and cheap toilet is $125 at most.