It sounds like an unnecessary luxury until you need it. With these products, you'll never be shocked by an icy-cold seat.
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Buying a Heated Toilet Seat
Let’s just get right to it: A heated toilet seat can add a measure of luxury to something we all need to do every day.
Widely popular in Japan since the 1970s, the heated toilet seat eventually found its way into the global marketplace. Now it’s commonplace, and for good reason. Above all else, heated toilet seats prevent the shock to your system from sitting on an cold surface, especially on those frigid winter mornings.
“As a plumber, I get lots of questions about toilets, and toilet seats in particular,” says Tanya Klien, the CEO of Anta Plumbing. “The latest trend in toilets is the luxurious heated seat.”
Granted a United Kingdom patent in 1963, Cyril Reginald Clayton manufactured the first electrically heated toilet seat at St Leonard’s on Sea in Sussex. That simple design ran a heating element through a fiberglass ring. Lots of improvements followed, including built-in washlets (bidets), lights, slow-close lids and wireless technology.
When shopping for a heated toilet seat, Klien suggests a few important factors to consider.
- Size and shape: Most toilets are round (16-1/2-inches) or elongated (18-1/2-inches).
- Weight capacity: Choose one that supports every member of your household.
- Length of electrical cord: Be sure it’s long enough to reach the nearest outlet.
- Convenience: Pick from optional amenities like nightlights, remote control, auto-close, pulsating streams, etc.
- Cost: “I have customers who are delighted to discover that they’re surprisingly simple and affordable,” says Klien.
The best part? Though most bathroom and plumbing projects aren’t ideal DIY jobs, Klien says “replacing a conventional toilet seat with a heated one is easy as can be.”
Best All-Around Heated Toilet Seat
The main benefit of a heated toilet seat is, of course, to take the chill off. But the Brondell LumaWarm doesn’t stop there.
Along with the three adjustable heat settings and sea-blue LEDs that glow in the dark, the Brondell also features an ergonomic seat design for comfort, a side panel for easy access to the controls and top-mounted hardware (upon request). Powered by a standard wall outlet, just plug it in and go.
Easiest Heated Toilet Seat to Install
Designed to attach to most existing toilet seats in standard round and elongated styles, the Toastie Tush is super-easy to install and costs only about $60.
The lightweight heating pad fits on the underside of the lid, transferring the warmth to the ring when the lid is closed. The waterproof vinyl Toastie Tush wipes clean with a damp cloth. It’s also portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Best Heated Toilet Seat/Bidet Combo
Treat yourself to a pampering spa experience behind closed doors with the Bio Bidet Bliss BB2000 combination toilet seat and bidet.
Besides thawing you out, it washes and dries your private parts with a three-in-one cleaning system that offers customized angled streams of warm water and bursts of thermal air. If you’re the type who plans ahead, pre-heat the seat with a touch of the remote control. The Bliss further indulges by remembering your personal preferences for next time.
Most Stable Heated Toilet Seat
Feel warm, secure and grounded with the Bemis Radiance heated toilet seat. The patented fit technology delivers perfect bowl alignment, and the Grip-Tight Bumpers ensure the seat will never come loose. No more shifting, sliding and scooting around unnecessarily. The Bemis may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the other heated seats on our list do, but it guarantees you’ll stay put.
Best LED-Lit Heated Toilet Seat
Introducing the Kohler Purewarmth heated toilet seat. It features three adjustable heat settings and dual-LED adjustable lighting that spans a color spectrum from warm to cool.
You can set the brightness level to “dim” to avoid waking a sleeping family member, or crank it up brightly enough to brush your teeth. It shines whether the lid is up or down. Plusses include a hidden cord for a clean look, and a slow-close lid that shuts without slamming. To control options through your smartphone, download the Kohler PureWarmth app.
Best No-Tech Warmer Toilet Seat
Get some cushy for your tushy with no batteries or electrical cords to trip over, and no worries if the bowl overflows. The Facoyong upgraded warmer toilet seat covers put a safe and toasty barrier between you and the cold, hard seat.
Just clean and dry the seat, cut the plush warmers to size, peel off the protective backing and stick them on. Remove, wash and reuse, again and again. You’ll never sit on a cold toilet seat again.
Best Flexible Heated Toilet Seat
The UltraTouch toilet seat features a soft-to-the-touch, pliable, antimicrobial material that cradles your shape while preventing germs from growing on the surface of the seat.
Fire up the 12-volt thermal circuit heating element to a pleasant 77 F. This heated seat comes with a six-foot power cord, long enough to reach most bathroom outlets, with a UL-listed design deemed safe for the whole family.
Looking for ways to keep your bathroom warm? Learn more about radiant heat installation, bathroom heat lamps, and bathroom fireplaces. Also, check out these bathroom heaters.
