Best Space Saving Toilets for Small Bathrooms

Bathrooms can be the size of a large closet or bigger than a bedroom. That comes down to the floor plan, but it’s safe to say that nobody likes to have a cramped bathroom, whether it’s your master or one that guests rarely use. Today, we will show you the best toilets for small bathrooms.

The best space-saving toilet for small bathrooms will be a matter of taste for some consumers, but the Swiss Madison Sublime II is our top choice overall.

With a design geared towards small spaces, it certainly won’t take up much space. That’s just one option, as we chose commodes in the budget range along with tankless designs as well.

7 Best Compact Toilets for Small Bathrooms Reviewed

It’s easy for a manufacturer to label their toilet as “compact” or small. When you actually begin to compare measurements, things aren’t always what they seem.

While there are dozens of toilets technically in this category, below, you’ll find seven models we felt were the best.

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1. Swiss Madison Sublime II Compact Toilet

Swiss Madison commodes are known as stylish and affordable options for homeowners. They also have several smaller toilets, but there’s only one option when you want the best.

That’s the Swiss Madison Sublime II, a compact commode with flagship features.

With a length of 24 inches from back to front, this Sublime II leaves a small footprint behind. The toilet is one-piece with a full-skirted trapway and a trip lever on top. 

While that chrome-accented lever adds a touch of class, it also gives you options when it’s time to flush. This toilet uses 1.28 gallons for a full flush or 0.8 GPF for a half flush.

It’s water efficient but not the most powerful commode with a 2-inch flush valve and MaP score of 600. 

The Sublime II is standard height at 15 inches without the seat and toilet lid attached. It has a round bowl and comes with a soft-closing toilet seat.

You can find cheaper small toilets and ones with a more powerful flush, but you won’t find a better deal overall than the Sublime II.

This dual-flush toilet provides a fantastic value for the price. Homeowners had some difficulty installing it, so be prepared for a trip to the hardware store.

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2. KOHLER Santa Rosa Compact Comfort Height Toilet

One thing most compact toilets have in common is flushing power. The smaller the toilet, the harder it can be to clear the bowl.

That’s not a problem with the Santa Rosa Compact from KOHLER, thanks to AquaPiston technology.

As one of the larger toilets on our list, the Santa Rosa is an elongated one-piece toilet.

The modern design will look stunning in any bathroom while still remaining relatively compact. The extra size allows for a 3-inch flush valve, which produces a MaP score of 1,000.

Dirty bowls won’t be a problem with this commode, and it has an efficient flushing system at 1.28 on a full flush.

It’s also chair height at 16.5 inches. Homeowners found the KOHLER Santa Rosa comfortable to use, and the design makes it easy to install or maintain as well.

This well-built toilet has an attractive price tag, and we appreciate the 360-degree rinse from the AquaPiston canister.

It’s a bit taller than other toilets in this class and sports the Brevia slow-close seat. Although some consumers felt it flushed a little loudly, there are no significant drawbacks.

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3. American Standard Studio S Toilet

Floor-mounted toilets all take up a certain amount of space as there’s only so much you can do with the tank.

American Standard hid the water tank on the Studio S low-profile toilet, and the result is a sleek system that’s both attractive and unobtrusive.

The Studio S takes advantage of several technologies from American Standard. Dual waterways ensure the bowl stays clean and clears quickly.

That’s impressive given the toilet’s flush rating of only 1.0 gallons per flush – especially with a MaP performance rating of 1,000.

This ultra high-efficiency toilet achieves that score in part through the PowerFlo system. The commode has an elongated toilet bowl and is comfort height. The tankless design is skirted, which converses space and eliminates tedious cleaning.

Tankless designs grow more popular each year, but you have to be cautious with the quality of these streamlined toilets.

The Studio S lets you rest easy with a 5-year guarantee on mechanical parts and a lifetime warranty on the china. While pricey, homeowners found it comfortable and easy to install.

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4. Swiss Madison St. Tropez Back-to-Wall Toilet

One way to save space in a small bathroom is by choosing a different toilet style. Wall-hung models can free up foot space, but so can back-to-wall toilets like the St. Tropez from Swiss Madison Well Made Forever.

The St. Tropez looks like a wall-mounted toilet, but this bowl sits on the bathroom floor like a standard toilet. It’s half the size of a one-piece model and still has a smooth skirted trapway making it easy to clean.

Swiss Madison used an elongated bowl for the St. Tropez. It’s still compact at a little over 22 inches from the back wall to the front of the bowl.

You won’t get the same height as you would with a wall-mount toilet, so you will need a tall seat to bring this one up to ADA standards.

If you already have a concealed tank system and need a new commode or are just looking for something different, consider the St. Tropez back-to-wall toilet.

It’s a perfect pairing with other fixtures from the Sublime Collection and comes with a quick-release seat that closes quietly.

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5. TOTO Aimes Washlet One-Piece Toilet

Consumers looking for compact toilets for small bathrooms may have ruled out certain features commonly missing from smaller commodes.

If you’re considering a bidet seat, you’ll definitely appreciate what the TOTO Aimes Washlet brings to the table.

TOTO engineered this toilet to work seamlessly with their popular T40 WASHLET bidet seat lineup. That means lines and cords will remain hidden if you upgrade.

Even without that seat, the Aimes is still an amazing commode with a depth of only 28.4 inches despite the compact elongated toilet design.

A large 3-inch flush valve powers the Tornado flush system inside the tank of this toilet. It’s rated at 1.28 GPF so it’s efficient and has a large 2.1-inch trapway. The toilet is coated in CeFiONtect glaze to prevent buildup and comes with a sturdy, soft-closing toilet seat.

TOTO doesn’t have many compact designs compared to other brands, but the Aimes caught our eye because of its size, performance rating, and the fact it’s optimized for bidets.

There are several versions of this toilet pre-packed with a seat as well, including this model with the high-end S500e.

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6. Troyt Compact Corner Two-Piece Toilet

There is more than one way to save space in a bathroom when choosing a toilet design. If you have a waterline near a corner, we have the perfect toilet for you.

The Troyt compact toilet is engineered for these awkward spots and has an excellent array of features.

When properly installed snugly in a corner, this toilet protrudes around 30 inches. It has a traditional round bowl and is standard height at 14 inches.

That’s shorter than comparable models, although this toilet does have dual-flush capabilities.

A light flush at 0.8 GPF will conserve water, and the 1.6 GPF full flush button provides a stronger flush.

The reno-Gloss finish helps keep the bowl in great shape, while a 2.5-inch flush valve powers the commode. The Troyt comes with a slow-close seat but no ring, cap, or floor bolts to complete the installation.

Two-piece toilets aren’t nearly as compact as one-piece toilets but offer several advantages. The Troyt is one of the only models in this range with a modern design built for small spaces.

Just remember to keep measurements in mind, along with the location of the waterline.

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7. HOROW Compact One-Piece Commode

When you’re shopping for tiny toilets, you’ll encounter some unfamiliar brands. HOROW may not measure up to KOHLER with branding, but you’d be remiss to overlook the HOROW HWMT-3833U compact commode.

This one-piece toilet may not look like much at first glance, but looks can be deceiving.

It’s a dual-flush system that’s efficient at 1.28 gallons per flush for solids or 0.8 GPF for a light flush. The curvy design also helps keep crevices to a minimum.

Because of its size, there is only a 2-inch flush valve inside the tank of this siphonic toilet. The trapway is the same size but coated to help prevent stains.

While it only has a depth of 25 inches from the wall, the MaP score is half of a standard commode at 500 grams. 

This compact toilet is an interesting option when you need something small for the bathroom. Dual-flush toilet capabilities are a significant bonus, and we like the sturdy UF toilet seat.

On the downside, the warranty isn’t as good as you’ll find from more prominent brands, and it could be challenging to install.

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How To Find the Best Compact Toilet

Looking for a compact or small commode requires a different approach than shopping for a standard toilet. Style may have to take a backseat to performance, but these factors have the most dramatic impact on toilet size.

Compact Toilet Measurements

There are more than a dozen specifications for a modern commode regardless of flushing power or size. Some are more important than others in the compact class, although the first place you’ll need to start is with depth and width.

Our research found that depth is the most important factor to homeowners interested in compact toilets for small bathrooms.

This refers to the length of a toilet from the front of the bowl to the back of the tank. Depending on the toilet style, you may still have a gap between the wall and tank.

You also need to account for width and check the rough-in measurements for the drain pipe.

The distance between the back wall and waste pipe is called the rough-in. The hole on the bottom of the toilet has to line up with that pipe, and the standard is 12 inches. It can also be 10 or 12 inches in some homes

Do you have a bathroom vanity already in place, or are you remodeling a small bathroom? In either case, consider the bowl width. Most fall between 15.5 to 17 inches, depending on the style.

One vs. Two-Piece Toilets

Toilets come in different shapes, sizes, and colors, including elongated smart toilets and traditional styles in bone white or gray. All are either constructed as a one or two-piece toilet, however.

While we talked about the pros and cons of one and two-piece toilets at length, here’s the thing to remember. A one-piece small toilet is “usually” more compact but a bit more expensive.

Tanks designed to flow into the bowl will reduce space while increasing durability. When limited on space in a bathroom, a one-piece toilet is also the best choice if you prefer a compact elongated bowl to round bowls.

Toilet Efficiency

Installing a compact toilet may give you extra bathroom space, but it could also impact efficiency. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your household’s needs and the area of the country where you live.

Do you live in a city with water conservation requirements? If so, you’ll appreciate a small toilet and its diminutive design.

Smaller tanks and streamlined toilet designs leave less room for large flush valves and flappers. That means you’ll find plenty of tiny toilets with a rating of 1.2 gallons per flush or less. 

It’s not uncommon to find a small toilet with a dual-flushing system in this class as well. A dual-flush toilet has a full flush for maximum power and a half flush for lighter loads or liquids. 

Unfortunately, traditional or dual-flush small toilets can also have a smaller trapway, which leads us to one downside of a small commode.

Flushing Systems

Whenever you hear us refer to the term flushing power, we’re talking about the flushing mechanism that lies inside every toilet tank. It’s not only responsible for removing solid and liquid waste from a bowl but also helps keep it clean.

If you’ve ever had a toilet that left streaks behind in the bowl, it could have been underpowered in the flushing department. Poor quality glazing in the bowl and trapway can result in this as well.

A streaky bowl should never be an issue if a small toilet has a reasonably sized water spot and enough power.

The size of the flushing mechanism in compact toilets can limit their strength. You won’t find many models with 3 or 4-inch flush valves. Pressure-assisted options also require a larger tank. 

That doesn’t mean you can’t find a small toilet with a strong flush – you’ll just have to look a little harder. You also need to know the MaP score when you’re concerned about clogged bowls or are a heavy flusher.

Toilet Bowl MaP Scores

You’ll have no problem finding measurements of a toilet on a box when shopping locally. There are a number of specifications listed through online retailers as well.

One that tends to go under the radar is the MaP score, and it’s critical if you’re buying compact toilets for small bathrooms.

MaP testing has been around since 2003 and is something toilet manufacturers can do to see how their toilets fare against solid waste. It’s a test designed for toilets to fail, allowing companies to find their maximum flush score.

The maximum performance score tells you how much solid waste and toilet paper commode can deal with before bogging down. They use soybean paste with toilet paper in these tests, and the best compact toilets will have scores of around 1,000.

Any toilet with a score of below 250 has inadequate flushing power, while a “standard” range is around 350 to 600 grams for most consumers.

If you need a small toilet that is both efficient and powerful, look for one that is MaP Premium certified.

Toilet Bowl Height

Does the height of the bowl affect the size of a commode? That’s a question many homeowners ponder when looking for a toilet that doesn’t take up much space in tiny bathrooms. You also might be surprised by the answer.  

It all depends on the style in our experience, so the height shouldn’t significantly impact the overall size of a toilet.

We found chair height models that were compact along with standard size toilets, but certain styles may increase depth. A comfort height toilet with a large 4-inch valve or pressure-assisted system could certainly take up a few more inches.

Unless you have shelving in the area that may be a concern, choose a comfortable toilet with the right height for your frame.

Quality Control

Many fear the worst when they hear the term “quality control” with toilets. It brings to mind the thought of leaky tanks or water damage to the bathroom floor. 

While both of those things can be true with a poorly installed toilet, it’s not the only concern when looking for a narrow toilet for a small bathroom space.

Small toilets can work just as well as larger ones, but you have to pay attention to the brand and warranty.

KOHLER toilets are known as high-quality commodes. While affordable, a Swiss Madison toilet is also reputable, but have you heard of the Galba small toilet? It’s a popular choice online, along with dozens of other off-brand small commodes.

You’ll find plenty of unfamiliar names in other classes of toilets as well, but more so with ones designed for smaller spaces. 

Our Verdict

Whether you need something simple for a half-bath or want a powerful commode, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice floor space for comfort or style.

As you can see from the choices on our list of the best compact toilets  – you don’t have to.

The Swiss Madison Sublime II Compact toilet provides the most bang for your buck, and the fact it’s an efficient dual-flush system gives it an advantage over similar models. 

If you’re concerned about a streaky bowl or leftovers in the tank, consider the Santa Rosa or American Standard Studio S.

Compact Toilet FAQ