UPFRONT/LIVE
Flush With Features
Technology inevitably comes to toilets
FRESH OFF a 14-hour flight from New York, I arrived in Tokyo in a jet-lagged brain fog. I found a surprise in my hotel room that night—a toilet that illuminated itself and had a warm seat.
But then came the hard part: flushing. The toilet was outfitted with buttons next to the seat, offering myriad functions. Luckily, there were pictographs, like tiny cartoons. I discovered the warm-water bidet spray.
Upon returning to the U.S., I found myself missing this high-tech throne.
Many Americans agree. A 2024 National Kitchen and Bath Association trend report says U.S. buyers are interested in toilets that self-clean after every flush, warm the seat, and open and close the lid automatically.
Part of this can be attributed to the aging of America. Andrew Van Gorden, a Kohler senior product manager, says such functions can be beneficial in a household with someone dealing with mobility issues.
But how much are technological advancements in toileting worth? A seat with bidet functions can go for about $285 to $350. Full-on smart toilets start at about $1,100 but can exceed $8,000.
All this advanced technology is moving beyond pampering. A company called Casana expects to bring a toilet seat to market next year that will monitor your blood pressure. (Full disclosure: Casana is a participant in the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP.)
I wasn’t thinking about anything that tech-forward when my gas furnace recently went out and nature called at 2 a.m. Groggy and shivering, I decided life’s too short not to have a warm bum. —Michael Frank