These two bidet seats were recently in a face-off as candidates for one of our projects, which all started because of a conflict between the framing and where we wanted to place the outlet.
When we opened the walls, we discovered that there was framing in the way of the outlet we planned to place to the right side of the toilet (the right side being the side that is on the right as you are seated on the toilet, not as you are looking at the toilet while standing in front of it) for the TOTO S500E bidet seat we planned to install.
Although the cord on the Toto S500E is long enough to reach around the base of the toilet to an outlet on the left side, we wondered if there was an equivalent option to the TOTO with the cord on the left side. This led us to a side-by-side feature comparison of the TOTO S500E vs. the Brondell Swash 1000.
SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF BRONDELL SWASH 1000 vs TOTO S500e
DECISION FACTORS
When it came down to it, we liked the idea of a stainless steel nozzle. It just seemed more… sterilizable… and durable. The longer warranty seemed to support this thought as well.
We discovered that although the TOTO bidet seats are super popular, they apparently fall short in the “can sit on seat when closed” category. This seemed a silly thing to have to worry about, so that was another check in favor of the Brondell.
The one feature that would have been nice would have been user presets. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for our clients, but I think Brondell would be wise to add that feature to this model in order to solidly tip the scales. That tends to be a VERY important item for some buyers.
Although it was not a big factor in this decision, it is worth noting that the Brondell Swash 1000 is several hundred dollars less expensive than the TOTO S500E.
WHAT IS TOILET BOWL MISTING AND eWATER TECHNOLOGY?
Exclusive to TOTO, this is a toilet bowl cleaning feature that sprays a mist of electrolyzed water onto the bowl surface after each use and periodically (every 8 hours of non-use). There is also a pre-mist function that helps prevent waste from sticking to the bowl.
LESSONS LEARNED
The “typical” side for bidet seat cords is actually the LEFT side (as you are seated on the toilet). The TOTO models and two models of the Brondell Swash (1200 and 1400) are exceptions to that rule.
The lesson here: Decide which bidet seat you want and to verify which side the cord is on before your electrician wires the outlet for you.
FINAL DECISION
In the end, they chose the Brondell Swash 1000. Although the TOTO S500E’s pre-mist function seemed like a useful feature (all of today’s water-efficient toilets suffer from more frequent skid marks in the bowl), they weren’t convinced it would truly reduce the frequency of cleaning.
Have you had any experience with the eWater feature? If so, please tell us below in the comments.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate if you click through and make a purchase. All opinions are my own.
