It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time homeowner or just someone who wants to save some money in any place you can. Toilets can cost up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars but not all of us can afford that.
Luckily, cheap doesn’t always mean low quality. Certainly not when it comes to toilets: all toilets must meet certain requirements and are extensively tested. However, buying cheap doesn’t always stay cheap. Think of older toilets that don’t have water-saving features which cost you money in the long run.
Therefore you should only buy cheap toilets of high quality. But first things first:
Which type of toilet is the most common and affordable type?
The most common type of toilet in the US are two-piece toilets. Two-piece toilets have their toilet tanks separated from the bowl: it’s either bolted to the bowl or hidden inside a wall. Two-piece toilets tend to be cheaper because the tank and bowl can be bought and shipped separately, making them lighter in weight and thus reducing shipping costs.
Here you can read all about one-piece toilets vs two-piece toilets.
How much should I pay for a toilet?
Toilets can go from as little as $99 dollars to up to $600 and more. You pay for what you get: cheaper toilets will look more outdated and more expensive toilets will have a sleeker and more modern design. However, it doesn’t mean that more expensive toilets are always better.
High-end toilets have more features. These features aren’t necessary at all, but they are luxurious. Think of self-cleaning toilets and bidets. Absolutely not necessary, but great to have.
Low-cost toilets have toilets for under 100$ which we will show you in just a second.
Keep in mind the following things when shopping for a toilet:
- Do you prefer a one- or two-piece toilet?
- Are you going for a dual flush or single flush?
- Do you prefer an elongated or rounded bowl?
- How much GPF do you prefer?
- GPF stands for gallons per flush
Ultimately it all comes down to preference. Toilets last for a very long time so make sure to spend some time reading up on toilets.
Here’s a list of the top 10 cheapest toilest that still grants you quality.
1. High-Efficiency Single Flush Round Toilet in white
The High-Efficiency Single Flush Round Toilet by Glacier is the cheapest toilet we could find. It has over 4K reviews with 4.4/5 stars. Talk about high quality for a budget-friendly toilet!
- $99 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- Available colors: white, bone, black, and biscuit
- Other colors than white will drive the price up significantly
- Available bowl: round and elongated
- The elongated version will drive the price up to $109
- Single flush
2. High-Efficiency Dual Flush Complete Elongated Toilet
The High-Efficiency Dual Flush Complete Elongated Toilet by Glacier in white is a great toilet, according to over 6K reviews with 4/5 stars. This particular toilet features a WaterSense-certified design to help conserve water.
- $109 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- Available colors: white, bone, black, and biscuit
- Elongated bowl
- Dual flush: 1.1/1.6 GPF
3. Single Flush Round Toilet with Slow Close Seat
The Single Flush Round Toilet with Slow Close Seat by American Standard is a rounded bowl toilet and is a cost-effective toilet. The toilet features a slow-closed seat. Meaning that you can simply drop the seat and it will not slam onto the bowl: instead it will gently drop down.
- $119 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Round Bowl
- Single flush 1.28 GPF
- It uses 20% less water compared to a 1.6 GPF toilet
- Slow close color matching seat
4. Pro-Flush White Dual Flush Elongated Chair
The Pro-Flush White Dual Flush Elongated Chair by Project Source is a great elongated 2-piece toilet that scores 4.4/5 stars from over 523 reviews. This toilet offers a safe and comfortable alternative for people with disabilities or limited mobility.
- $119 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Elongated Bowl
- Dual Flush top center button 1.1/1.6 GPF
5. Danville White Round Chair Height 2-piece WaterSense Toilet
The Danville White Round Chair Height 2-piece WaterSense Toilet by Project source is a great toilet that offers a limited lifetime warranty. According to one of the reviews on this toilet, it can be up and running in a matter of minutes.
- $129 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Rounded bowl
- Single flush lever 1.28 GPF
6. Single Flush Elongated Toilet in White
The Reliant 2-piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Toilet in White Seat Included by American Standard is as the name suggests a reliant toilet. It features a slow closing seat which once you have it you’ll never go back to normal closing seats.
- $139 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Elongated bowl
- Slow closing seat
- Single flush lever 1.28 GPF
7. Mainstream White Round Chair Height
The Mainstream White Round Chair Height 2-piece WaterSense Toilet 12-in Rough-In Size by American Standard is a Lowe’s exclusive toilet. The toilet is Water Sence certified which means that it uses 20% less water than average toilets which makes the toilet cost-effective!
- $159 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Rounded bowl
- Powerwash rim
- With every flush, the toilet gets scrubbed clean
- Single flush lever 1.28 GPF
8. High Efficiency Dual Flush Elongated Toilet
The 1-piece 1.1 GPF/1.6 GPF High Efficiency Dual Flush Elongated Toilet in White by Glacier Bay is a great one-piece toilet. Since it’s a one-piece toilet it’s easier to clean because there aren’t any nooks and crannies like with a two-piece toilet.
- $179 dollars
- 1-Piece toilet
- White
- Elongated bowl
- Slow close seat
- Dual flush 1.1/1.6 GPF
9. Champion Tall Height High-Efficiency Elongated Toilet in white
The Champion Tall Height 2-Piece High-Efficiency 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Toilet by American Standard is a tall toilet that provides effortless sitting and standing. Great for people with limited mobility and the elderly. I personally think this two-piece toilet looks modern, unlike a lot of other two-piece toilets.
- $199 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Elongated bowl
- Slow close seat
- Single flush 1.28 GPF
10. Elmbrook The Complete Solution Elongated Toilet in White
The Elmbrook The Complete Solution 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Toilet in White with Quiet-Close Seat by Kohler is a bestseller toilet for a reason: reasonably priced, 4.6/5 stars from over 3K reviews, and a comfort height feature.
- $199 dollars
- 2-Piece toilet
- White
- Elongated bowl
- Slow close seat
- Comfort height feature
- Makes sitting down and standing up easier
- Single flush 1.28 GPF
Extra costs to keep in mind (installation, shipping)
Unfortunately, the cost of the toilet alone isn’t all to keep in mind. You should also consider the costs of installation if you are unable to do it yourself. Shipping costs are also a factor to keep in mind. On average installation costs about $250 and shipping can be up to $100.
Luckily most stores offer store pick-up which is free. And you can definitely install a toilet all by yourself. Do some research first before deciding to install a toilet by yourself to avoid any mistakes.
The downside of installing a toilet yourself is that you need tools. After all, you need to assemble the toilet, cut tiles around the toilet, bolt the tank to the bowl, and perhaps open a wall… If you don’t already own tools a professional is a cheaper alternative.
Why is there such a price difference in toilets?
The way a toilet is designed is the greatest factor as to why there’s such a price difference in toilets. The curvature on toilets is actually extremely hard to make. One-piece toilets have their toilet tanks attached to the bowl which complicates the design process. That’s why these are often more expensive than two-piece toilets.
Two-piece toilets on the other hand have 2 separate units: the tank and bowl. This design process is much easier and thus cheaper.
Also, extra features like a slow-closing lid, a dual flush, a self-cleaning toilet, etc will increase the price significantly.
How much does it cost to remove an old toilet and install a new one?
It roughly costs about 500 dollars to remove and install a new toilet. It all depends on which toilet you buy and if you’re going to do everything yourself or hire a professional. A toilet itself costs about $100-$400. Shipping can cost up to $100 but you can also pick it up for free in the store.
The most expensive thing is hiring someone to do it for you. This depends on the company you hire but it’s about $250 to install a new toilet, so you do the math.
Toilet sale clearance lowes, home depot
If you’re really on a budget consider looking at clearance sales. Lowe’s and Home Depot have a section in which they offer greatly reduced toilets. You can check them out here:
Always Keep an eye out for sales and special offers elsewhere on their websites. Browse and read tons of reviews!
Disclaimer: TheToiletSpecialist.com is not responsible for any damage caused to your toilet by (wrongly) interpreting information found on this site. Please seek custom advice from a professional to evaluate your current situation.
