One Piece vs. Two Piece Toilet – What’s the Difference?

When buying a toilet for your home, one of the critical decisions you will need to make is whether to buy a one-piece or two-piece toilet.

Although one-piece toilets are trendy and their popularity has been growing immensely over the years, this does not make the obvious pick.

To make sure you make the right choice between the two types, you need to understand how they differ or what sets them apart.

One-Piece vs. Two-Piece Toilets

1. Construction and Appearance: Single Unit Looks Sleeker

For one-piece toilets, you get a single unit with a seamless connection between the tank and bowl. With the two-piece toilets, the bowl and tank are two different units that are not connected. When installing the two-piece toilets, you place the tank on the bowl, and there is a support structure that will hold them together.

The single-unit design of the one-piece toilet gives it a sleeker and more modern look that will ensure it looks fantastic in your bathroom. With the two-piece toilets, on the other hand, you get a more traditional toilet appearance with a clear separation between bowl and tank.

2. Size: Compact and Space-Saving

Overall, the one-piece toilets tend to be more compact as they have a relatively shorter tank that makes them look smaller. Because the tank and bowl are joined, these toilets will be more space-saving as they do not take up a lot of room.

Given the separate tank and bowl, and the fact that the two-piece toilets have a support structure, they will look relatively larger. Also, they tend to use up more of your bathroom space.

Note: The actual size of the toilet, whether it is a one-piece or two-piece, will depend on the specific model. Hence, there are still some modern two-piece toilets that will come in a more compact design to ensure they can fit toilets with limited space.

3. Installation: Two-Piece is Always More DIY Friendly

While the installation for the two toilet types is quite similar, the ease of doing it and the time it takes to install them tend to differ.

The one-piece toilet is often weightier than the two-piece given the single unit style. This extra weight makes lifting and maneuvering it harder. In many instances, you need additional help during installation. Other than this, the setup takes less time as there is not much work to do.

With the two-piece toilets, the pieces are easy to move around as you can carry them separately. But while this will give you an easier time, there are more pieces to install and more work to do, meaning it takes more time than installing a one-piece toilet.

4. Cleaning and Maintenance: One-Piece Means Fewer Places for Germs to Hide

One of the main reasons many people will choose the one-piece toilet is that it is relatively easier to clean and maintain when compared to a two-piece type.

There are no joints or hidden corners on a one-piece toilet, which means it will be easier to clean. These toilets also have a molded design with no grooves or nooks that can act as a hiding ground for bacteria and germs. This makes it even easier to wipe clean and prevent the growth or spread of bacteria or mold.

Because two-piece toilets have more hard-to-reach places such as the joints, they can be harder to clean. Worst yet, these nooks and crannies will provide a suitable habitat for germs and dirt to grow. Hence, if not taken care of properly, the two-piece toilets can be a health hazard.

5. Replacement Factor: Two-Piece Is More Convenient and Cheaper to Use

Like any other fixture, the toilet will not last infinitely and is prone to accidental damages. Therefore, you need to think about the replacement factor when choosing between these two types.

Here, the two-piece toilets have an edge as they offer more convenience and are cost-effective when you need to do a replacement. With these toilets, it is possible to replace the bowl or tank only. Besides this being cheaper, it also makes the job easier and faster.

With the single-unit design of the one-piece toilet, any damage to the bowl, tank, or other components often means you have to replace the entire unit. This will be both expensive and more time-consuming for you.

6. Price: Sleek Design Comes at a Cost

The sleek design of the one-piece toilets comes at a cost as it is more expensive than the two-piece toilet. Single-piece design takes more resources to produce, and the process is also more intricate, resulting in a pricier toilet.

Since the one-piece is a newer design that is not as common as the two-piece, it will be more expensive. While there are still some cheaper models, prices for one-piece toilets will start at around $500 to about $1,500, but some premium models cost thousands of dollars.

With the two-piece toilets, you can get something for as little as $200 or even less while prices for the higher end models will rarely exceed the $700 mark.

Conclusion

The choice between one-piece and two-piece toilets largely depends on your preferences as most homeowners often have a clear idea of what they like.

However, the one-piece toilets work best for those who want a sleek and modern looking toilet. Also, this is the best choice if you want a more space-saving toilet for a small bathroom.

If you are more interested in affordability, replacement factor and prefer DIY installation, a two-piece is a better choice.