After Trying the Best Bidets, Toilet Paper Alone Will Never Be Enough

Important moments can separate our lives into a “before” and an “after”. For me, such an example is life before I brought a bidet into my home, and then every moment that has passed since. Now I can’t imagine life without a bidet toilet seat, and I mourn the lack of innovation on every business trip I take or any other reason that keeps me from going to my personal bathroom. (When you get to the point where you install a bidet in the guest bathroom at your in-laws’ house, you know something existential has changed.) These devices have changed my life, and for the better.

Although bidets date back to 18th century Franceand the bidet seat fixings have been popular for decades in Japanthe fixture may still be new to many Americans. However, bidets are finally gaining popularity in the United States, as a growing number of people realize that our standard bathroom habits are somehow disgusting. Pressurized water from a bidet is far preferable to simply slathering yourself over and over with pieces of cotton wool.

I had the honor, seriously, of testing the latest innovations in the bidet industry, including a simple toilet seat add-on and a brand new modern masterpiece of all-in-one toilet technology. Call it a modern marvel, call it “buttmaxxing” – whatever you call it, count me in (especially if the bidet in question includes advanced features like a heated seat and precision oscillation).

Looking for more ideas to improve the performance of your bathroom? Check out our guides on best shower water filters, best electric toothbrushesAnd best eco-friendly cleaning products.

Updated July 2026: We’ve added the Kohler Veil One-Piece and PureWash E930 Bundle and guaranteed up-to-date links and pricing.

The best bidet for most people

In terms of functionality, simplicity and efficiency, the Brondell Swash 1400 is best in class, offering everything a beginner bidet enthusiast could want, and at an attractive price, no less.

I found the Swash fulfilled its functions perfectly: a heated seat, an adjustable nozzle, a persistent but non-invasive flow, and an effective deodorizing option. The simple design is accessible and the included remote control is intuitive to use right out of the box. You can program two users, which is good for those with special preferences. The drying capacity of the Swash is also fast and efficient.

Simply put, the Swash is so comfortable and inviting that after testing bidets for this feature, it’s the one I reinstalled for personal use.

Best high-end bidet seat

The S7A is the flagship model from Toto, the Japanese bidet manufacturer that invented the bidet seat attachment. You could easily mistake the S7A for a regular toilet seat, at least until the lid lifts and the night light turns on, when the device detects your presence in the bathroom.

The controls work in the same intuitive way as other Toto washlets, with buttons to adjust the position, intensity and angle of the sprayer. There is also a button to oscillate the spray. The slim 4-inch remote control allows preprogramming for four people. If there’s a weak point on the S7A – and this bidet is almost perfect – it’s that the drying fan seems a little weaker than on the previous model (the S550e), perhaps due to design compromises made when shaving up high.

With the S7A, Toto has also improved what was already an excellent bowl pre-misting system to reduce the cleaning required. The bidet uses the company’s electrolyzed water production system (called Water+), which uses a slight electrical charge to transform the chloride found in municipal tap water into a slightly alkaline substance that is an effective cleaner. It is an extremely effective tool; When I swapped a Toto that uses Ewater+ for another bidet during my testing, I was amazed at the difference. You could probably get away with not scrubbing this bowl for months, which is not the case with other manufacturers.

If you currently have the money to buy the best bidet on the market, the S7A is a great buy. Considering Toto’s impressive reliability record (I had my previous washlet for a decade), it’s a solid investment. —Martin Cordonnier

Best bidet for water pressure enthusiasts

While some want a comfortable, gentle clean of their bidet, others prefer a more strident approach. A friend suggested me the Bio Bidet BB-2000, which is the highest ranked in terms of… sip…”enema function”, or the ability of the bidet to essentially rinse one’s back through the force of water pressure.

The BB-2000 seat features Bio Bidet’s patented vortex wash technology, which projects a corkscrew-shaped jet of hot water with sniper precision onto the target in question. Engaged at full pressure, the BB-2000 delivers quite astonishing deep cleaning capability – and may even help with constipation.

Besides offering unmatched water pressure, the BB-2000 doesn’t leave any luxury features behind: you’ll get a heater, dryer, adjustable nozzle, night light, air freshener, and auto-lift seat cover. It’s a comfortable seat, although there was a slight learning curve with the remote. Is BB-2000 for everyone? No, but if you want thoroughness and intensity from your bidet, you’ve found your match.

Best Fully Installed Bidet Toilet (If Money Is No Issue)

Until I encountered the Toto Aurora Washlet+ S7A with Integration System, I thought of toilets as nodes of function: reliable, sure, but unexciting, and not the sort of thing you consider a valuable commodity. Everything has changed since then.

The Aurora is sleek, stylish, quiet and fully integrated with technological capabilities. It integrates seamlessly with Toto’s S7A bidet, offering automatic seat lifting and lowering and automatic flushing. When combined, these features allow you to use your toilet without ever touching a button. I found the nozzle, heated seat, air drying, and oscillation capabilities to be exceptional. You can also combine oscillation with a pulse action on the S7A for a noticeably more in-depth experience.

But like a cosmic star or a great work of art, the birth of the Aurora was not without chaos. To install this toilet in my house, which has old pipes, I had to hire a plumber, source specific parts (I needed a 10-inch rough-in, not the standard 12-inch), and install a new electrical outlet (to be honest, I should have done this for any electric bidet in my upstairs bathroom). But it was worth it.

My plumber called this the widest toilet he’s ever seen, but it’s also contoured to fit into tight spaces. The bowl seems small at first glance, but it’s all you need thanks to the innovative Integravity system, which cleans and refreshes the toilet every time you flush. Toto calls this a “dual-phase cleanse,” which uses time between rinsing and rinsing to ensure the bowl shines after each use. It also uses only one gallon of water per flush, which is well below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard of 1.6 gallons per flush. Ultimately, the price of these toilets is high and you will probably need professional help to install them, but I would still say that it is worth the cost and effort.

A bidet that no one will ever notice

The Kohler PureWash E930 is a very direct competitor to the Toto S7a above. I have used both and both are excellent. There are two reasons to prefer Kohler’s all-in-one option, which is attached to the base of the Veil toilet and uses an extra-tall tank to fit a modern elongated bowl in the same space an older standard toilet would occupy.

The first is that by using a small cutout in the toilet, Kohler was able to make room to completely hide the cord and water pipe from the top of the tank. The second is the wand’s UV disinfection, which adds peace of mind, especially for women. This bidet is ultra thin and barely noticeable. There is an effective night light for nighttime trips to the bathroom. The controls are intuitive and have all the adjustments you’d expect, plus the crucial automatic seat cover and seat opening.

This feature could end many domestic disputes and is important for people like me who, after a decade of owning a bidet, have developed a borderline phobia of touching toilet seats with their bare hands. There’s also an app, and while it duplicates the commands you have on the standard remote, it can be quicker to set up the two available user profiles. —Martin Cizmar

Best value for money bidet

After a decade of happily using Toto sinks, I was pleasantly surprised to love this Kohler bidet. The PureWash E820 (formerly known as the C3455) looks sleek and is several hundred dollars cheaper than the Totos, and it has many of the same additional features, including save buttons on the seat itself and a UV disinfection lightwhich is also a game-changer for using the bathroom in the early hours. The sprayer and dryer work well and will leave you feeling fresh and clean after use. The seat is comfortable and sturdy, and the minimalist, almost brand-free design allows it to blend in anywhere. Installation is easy, and some may find the included stainless steel divider that you use to attach the bidet and toilet to your water supply more reliable than the plastic dividers included with the Toto.

There are some negative points. For start, the controls are not intuitive. There are five water settings controlled by a single button. I could never tell if I made the water hotter or colder. Placing the hose and power plug in the middle of the right side of the seat instead of the backrest is also tricky, and the remote’s magnet isn’t strong, so you may worry about it falling off. —Martin Cizmar

A must-have bidet accessory for tight spaces

Former WIRED sales manager Martin Cizmar replaced the old-fashioned round toilet in his 80-year-old home with modern elongated toilets when he began testing bidets. In order to fit a longer seat in the same space, he ended up with a taller tank, fitting snugly against the wall. If you’re installing an elongated toilet in an older home, you’ll likely make the same decision. And if so, save yourself hours of headaches by purchasing this short hose extension from Anjoes.

You’ll probably have to order it from Amazon, because if your local hardware stores are anything like this, they don’t have this simple hose the right size for a bidet. The THU9090R hose has the same size male and female ends. It screws onto the inlet valve coming out of the bottom of your toilet tank and offers the same connection 8 inches apart, giving you a little wiggle room when connecting the T-shaped splitter that will divert water to your bidet seat.

Other bidets we like

I’ll continue to test other bidets as they find their way into my bathroom, but not all of them deserve a spot above. Given the current competition, these aren’t really up to par.

Brondell Swash SE400 for $280: I liked but didn’t like the Brondell Swash SE400, which is Brondell’s entry level unit. The side arm control felt awkward, and compared to the recommended Brondell Swash 1400, this unit didn’t feel as luxurious or intuitive to use. It was, however, easy to install and the hot water jet did the trick. If you’re looking for an option in the $200 range, this would be a good choice.

Brondell Swash Thinline T22 for $650: This is Brondell’s thinnest product and was designed for light commercial or public use. If you’re looking to add a bidet to your office, bar or restaurant (a good choice that suggests care and luxury), this is a great option. But for home, I didn’t feel like it resulted in a better or more subdued experience.

Toto Washlet G5A for $2,699: The Toto Washlet G5 is undeniably luxurious. The seat is nice and warm, I’ve never had to press the flush button as it does the job automatically (and never when I’m still seated) and it opens automatically when I walk past it. You can adjust the strength of the water jet, move its position and even customize the temperature. Better yet, you can set user profiles so you don’t have to make all those adjustments every time you use it (I had to ask Toto for clarification on how to assign them because the manual wasn’t very clear: choose your settings, then press and hold the User icon for five seconds.) It’s easy to clean (no gross gaps like on traditional toilets) and I like the night light for those nighttime bathroom trips. It’s a beautiful, if not very expensive, addition to any space, but it lacks the new integration system that the Aurora Washlet+ S7A offers for next-level bowl cleaning. —Julien Chokkattu

SmartBidet SB-3000 for $483: The SmartBidet SB-3000 does not have an auto-lift seat, is the noisiest bidet I have tested, and, despite the noise, has the least efficient fan. I love the design of the controller that hooks on using a magnetic pad, and having quick controls on the side is always nice, but the controller prompts aren’t particularly intuitive, and something about a “turbo” mode for a bidet sprayer is disconcerting. —Martin Cizmar

Toto C5 for $368: It is the successor to the C200, which I used with pleasure for a decade. The C5 has an excellent reputation – other sites have named it the best bidet – with a solid history of reliability. But after testing the new class of bidet seats on the market, I was disappointed. For $400 or more, you get only the most basic features. The pre-mist feature was not effective and my toilet required a lot more cleaning. Without a night light, I had to turn my bathroom lights on full blast to pee in the middle of the night. The C5 is a great classic bidet, but you can do better these days. —Martin Cizmar

Alpha UX Pearl for $599: This bidet will allow you to clean yourself, but you may want to reduce the pressure. The default spray on the Alpha UX Pearl was so intense that WIRED reviewer Parker Hall thought it might actually be a colon machine. Lowered, however, the bidet seat works wonderfully. It features multiple heat settings, front and back wash, and adjustable nozzle position. It has a night light and comes with a wireless remote and wall mount, rather than a side controller, for a sleeker setup. —Martin Cizmar

Moen Series 5 Electronic Bidet Seat for $717: This Moen electric bidet came with a thick manual, but after looking at a YouTube videothe installation was quite simple and took less than 20 minutes. The seat doesn’t automatically flip up, but that’s the only feature it’s missing. It has it all: temperature controls for the seat, water and dryer, allowing you to opt for a cool, warm or hot experience. There’s also a night light, as well as different water pressures and nozzle positions. And if your remote fails at the worst possible moment, emergency buttons on the side of the seat have you covered. The highest water pressure setting is a little unstable, and my wife and I both wish we could adjust the nozzle a little more, but we’re very happy to no longer rely on toilet paper. You can wall mount the remote control case, which holds the remote with a bit of magnetism to keep it in place. The remote is very intuitive to use, with beeps that change the tone to indicate when you reach the highest or lowest setting. It is worth mentioning that the bidet beeps when you sit down. I’ve seen some customers complain about it, but I’ve been using it for a year now and barely record any sound. —Julien Chokkattu

Tushy Aura for $599: Tushy made its name with the inexpensive non-electric bidet shown below, but has since launched a collection of traditional electric bidets. The aura is the top of the Tushy range and includes instant heating so you never run out of hot water. It also has a night light and a lid that automatically lifts as soon as you detect your presence in the room and closes after you leave. The remote control is intuitive to use and the seat also has emergency controls, as well as a clearly visible digital display that shows the water temperature. The biggest differences between the Aura and more expensive electric models are the lack of spray settings (you can move it back and forth and make it louder or weaker) and the very noisy, but not powerful, drying fan. —Martin Cizmar

Tushy Classic 3.0 for $129: The Tushy is minimal in both its configuration and its functionality. It requires no hot water or electrical connection, so it’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t have a socket in the bathroom. Even with simple controls (it has a single button for water pressure), this is a great bidet that packs a lot of hydraulic power. It comes with a few different colors and button finishes to best suit your bathroom (although I’d be shocked if anyone found the blue or pink to match their toilet perfectly). As it is not electric, there is no hot air dryer. After a year of use, WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell says the Tushy has cracks on the rotating flanges inside the case (which you’d only see if you took it off), and the foam cushion surrounding those flanges is falling off. But it still works very well. —Martin Cizmar

Bidets to avoid

Not all bidets are winners. Stick to our recommendations above.

Duravit SensoWash Arcova for $456: I found the Duravit SensoWash disappointing. The seat itself was uncomfortable and there was a noticeable delay in producing a full stream of hot water, leading to an initial burst of uncomfortable cold. Additionally, the SensoWash’s hot air feature seemed to primarily result in floating air movement from the bottom of the bowl up to my nose, so the less said about it the better.

Brondell Swash BL97 for $300: When WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell tried this entry-level electric model from Brondell, she wasn’t a fan. The seat is tiny and the water is weak and slow reacting compared to bidets like the Tushy. The BL97 pipe also fit poorly on his toilet and caused a leak. It does, however, have a warm seat and the controls work well, albeit slowly. —Martin Cizmar

Brondell Thinline T44 for $500: Nena also tried this bidet, which she initially recommended for its slim profile and ease of installation, but the hardware is thin and broken after just a few months of use. You can get our top-rated Brondell Swash 1400 for a lower price, or the Tushy for something almost as discreet and easy to install. —Martin Cizmar

FAQs

Power up with unlimited access to CABLE. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe today.