Throughout the 18th century, only the wealthiest European homes had bidets, which were often decorated with fancy adornments such as rosewood veneer, gilded bronze and crystal flakes.
Hundreds of years later, the electronic bidet hit the market in 1960, combining the bidet with the toilet, and it slowly began to make its way into global culture.
There are now a variety of shower toilets available on the market to suit all budgets.Manufactures such as Geberit, TOTO and Duravit are leading the way bringing new designs and advanced technology to market.
Below we've compared 4 of our favourites, all of which are on display at our Kuche & Bagno showroom in Rugby.
1. Geberit AquaClean Tuma Classic - We rate this best for value for money
Shower toilet - Warm water (34 degrees), WhirlSpray technology, extendable nozzle, adjustable spray intensity, oscillating spray, self-cleaning nozzle after each use
Descaling programme
Rimless pan easy cleaning
Dirt repellent ceramic surface
Soft closing lid
Compatible with AquaClean app
Economy mode (low energy consumption in standby mode) Price approx: £1,800
2. Duravit SensoWash (Happy D.2) - We rate this best for comfort & elegance. Good range of features and stylish without breaking the bank.
Shower toilet functions – Comfort wash, lady wash, rear wash, adjustable temperature and position
Self-cleaning spray wand
Rimless
Automatic soft closure
Easily removable seat
Remote control operated
Night light
Can be personalised to users
Lockable
Scratch resistant surface
Automatic drainage in prolonged periods of disuse Price approx: £1,855
3. Geberit AquaClean Mera Comfort - We rate this best for sophisticated design and long lasting durability
Odour extractor (ceramic honeycomb filter)
TurboFlush technology
WhirlSpray technology
Spray arm with oscillating motion
Lady shower function integrated in spray nozzle
Automatic shower arm self-clean before and after each use
Dryer function
Descaling programme
When approached: Lid opens and closes using a proximity sensor, Orientation light switches on, Shower water heats up (34-40 degrees), WC seat heats up
Spray intensity can be selected
Soft closing seat
Individual user profiles can be stored Price approx: £5,770
4. TOTO Neorest Washlet AC - We rate this best for revolutionary technology
Self-cleaning properties
It fights bacteria, waste and limescale by spraying the bowl with electrolysed water. The bowl is also coatedwith zirconium, so when the UV light is on, it reacts and starts a decomposition process
CeFiONtect glaze makes it easy to clean
Proximity sensor so the seat lifts up when approached
Heated seat where the toilet has memory technology so it’s only heated when most likely to be used
Deodoriser
Dryer function
Remote control operated
Shower toilet function – comfort spray, oscillating spray, massage spray, adjustable water intensity, self-cleaning spray jet
Rimless
Tornado flush so it flushes 41% quieter
Nightlight and light inside the pan
Hydrophilic ceramic surface - easier to wash away dirt
PreMist on the ceramic surface - difficult for dirt to accumulate
Registers user habits and switches automatically to energy-saving mode Price approx: £11,690