Mar 4, 2025 6:33 AM

The Best Bidets for Every Bathroom and Budget

We plonked our butts on these electric and nonelectric toilet seats to see which cleaned best.

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Toto Washlet S7A bidet on a toilet surrounded by water

Tushy Aura electric bidet shown closed beside a narrow white remote

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the best Bidet seats are one of those luxuries you can live without until you realize what you're missing. My first encounter came at a ramen spot on the West Coast of the US that had imported a high-end Toto washlet from Japan, where they've been around for decades. I might have been an early adopter, but bidets are getting more common in the US as more people are starting to realize that American bathroom habits are … gross. Think about it: When you get something on you that smells foul and is full of germs, do you want to wash it off or smear it off with a piece of paper?

OK, I convinced you. So what should you buy? The WIRED team has swapped out plenty of toilet seats in search of the best bidets. We spent at least one week testing each model—some for far longer—and managed the installations ourselves without the help of a professional plumber. We've got budget bidets, bidets with heated seats, and ones that automatically open up, happily inviting you to empty your bowels. We've got your bum covered.

Updated March 2025: We've added the new Tushy Aura as our pick for a budget-friendly electric bidet and a new super premium model from Toto. We've removed the Bidetmega 400, which is no longer widely available, and moved the SmartBidet's SB-3000 to also recommended since we don't like it as well as the Tushy Aura. We have also updated pricing throughout.

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What Kind of Bidet Should You Buy?

Pick the right shape. Most American home toilets come in one of two standard sizes: round or elongated. A round toilet bowl is 16.5 inches long while an elongated bowl is about 18.5. Bidets on this list will fit one but not the other. Measure twice, buy once. All bidets we reviewed are attachments that take the place of the seats on existing toilets, but there are also toilets with built-in bidet seats.

Electric or just a sprayer? The bidets on this list are seats that you attach to the top of your toilet and connect to the tank and an AC outlet—except for the Tushy, a sprayer that mounts below your existing seat and taps into your water lines. You must have a shock-blocking GFCI-protected outlet within a few feet of the toilet to use them safely. The Tushy does not require electricity but also doesn't heat the water, which will be at room temperature. The cheaper electric bidets we've used typically start with a quick burst of room-temperature water that quickly gives way to warm water. The best bidets—typically with a price to match—start by spraying warm water and will allow you to control the temperature within a few degrees. Most electric bidets also have fans that will help dry you off, but you'll probably still want to have a few squares of toilet paper handy for drying.

What's your budget? You can get an attachment that fits on your current seat and taps into the cold water line filling your toilet for about $100. Some high-end bidet attachments can cost $2,000. The sweet spot tends to be at a price point between $500 and $1,000, where you get a sturdy seat with nice features but without over-the-top extras like voice commands (yes, really) and a backup battery.

How to Install a Bidet Seat

If you’re handy and your toilet is a few inches from the wall, a bidet installation can be done in less than 15 minutes. Follow your model's instructions, but you're essentially disconnecting the water hose that feeds your toilet tank and attaching a splitter that sends some of the water to the seat and the rest to the tank. In the case of Toto and our other top picks, the seat heats that water. If your toilet sits snugly against the wall, it will be a tougher job. (This short YouTube video takes you through the complete process on a Toto.) Then, it’s a matter of removing the bolts that attach the seat to the toilet and affixing the new plastic mounting plate. The bidet will click on and off this plate. That's it!

Installing these toilet-top bidets is a job anyone can do, but most people would probably prefer to do it only once, given that there are toilet water and bath towels involved. That just means you want to choose wisely. You can also hire a plumber or TaskRabbit to install these seats, but it will cost more.

If you're worried about your electricity bill, you can always plug your bidet into a smart plug and shut off power to the whole thing when it's not in use. This might eliminate certain features though, like a heated seat right when you plop down.

Photograph: Kohler
Best Bidet for Most People
Kohler PureWash E820
After a decade of happily using Toto washlets, I was surprised to find that in testing my favorite bidet came from Wisconsin-based Kohler. The PureWash E820 (formerly known as the C3 455) looks sleek and is several hundred bucks cheaper than Totos, and it has the same extra features, including backup buttons on the seat itself and a UV sanitization light. The sprayer and dryer work well and will leave you feeling fresh and clean after use. The blue UV nightlight is a game changer for using the bathroom in the wee hours too. The seat is comfortable and sturdy, and the minimalist design with almost no branding allows it to blend in anywhere. Installation is easy, and some may find the included stainless steel splitter you use to attach the bidet and toilet to your water supply more trustworthy than the plastic splitters included with the Toto.
There are some negatives. For starters, the controls aren't intuitive. There are five water settings controlled by one button—I could never tell whether I was making the water hotter or cooler. The placement of the hose and power plug in the middle of the right side of the seat instead of the back is also awkward, and the magnet on the remote isn't strong, so you may worry about it falling off.
$470 at Amazon
$679 at The Home Depot
$487 at Kohler
Photograph: Toto
Best High-End Bidet
Toto S7A
The S7A is the new flagship model from Toto, the Japanese bidet maker that invented the bidet seat attachment. The S7A takes over the mantle from the S550e and bears a strong resemblance to its predecessor, which we have also tested, offering most of the same features at a similar price. Toto has upgraded the remote and slimmed the profile down to an impressive 4 inches of height. You could easily mistake the S7A for a regular toilet seat—at least until the lid lifts and the nightlight clicks on, when the device senses your presence in the bathroom.
The controls work in the same intuitive way as other Toto washlets, with buttons to adjust the position, intensity, and angle of the sprayer. There is also a button to make the spray oscillate. The controller now allows pre-programming for four people instead of two. If there's any weak point on the S7A—and this bidet is nearly perfect—it's that the drying fan seems a little weaker than on the previous model, perhaps due to design compromises made when shaving down the height.
Toto has also improved what was already a great system for pre-misting the bowl to lessen the required cleaning. The S7A uses the company's system for making electrolyzed water, which uses a mild electrical charge to turn the chloride in municipal tapwater into a slightly alkaline substance that is an effective cleaner. It's a wildly effective tool—when I swap a Toto with EWATER+ for another bidet in my testing I'm always amazed at the difference over a week. You could likely get away with not scrubbing this bowl for months at a time.
If you've got the money for the best bidet on the market right now, the S7A is a great buy. Given Toto's impressive track record of reliability (I had my previous Washlet for a decade), it's a solid investment.
~~$1,420~~ $1,296 at Amazon
$1,165 at Home Depot
$1,250 at Lowe's
$1,826 at Toto

Photograph: Moen
Runner-Up
Moen 5-Series Electronic Bidet Seat
This Moen electric bidet came with a thick manual, but after watching a YouTube video, the installation was pretty easy and took less than 20 minutes. The seat does not automatically lift up, but that's the only feature it's missing. It has it all—temperature controls for the seat, water, and dryer, where you can change it from cool, lukewarm, and warm. There's also a night light, along with varying water pressures and nozzle positions. There are even backup buttons on the side of the seat in case the remote dies at the worst time. The highest water pressure setting is a little choppy, and my wife and I both wish we could adjust the nozzle a tiny bit more, but we've been thoroughly happy not relying on toilet paper anymore.
You can mount the remote holster onto your wall, and the remote sits in the cradle, with a bit of magnetism to keep it in place. It's super intuitive to use, and there are beeps that change the tone to indicate when you're already at the highest or lowest setting. Speaking of, the bidet does beep when you sit down. I've seen some customers complain about this, but I've been using it for a year now and barely even register the sound. —Julian Chokkattu
$503 at Amazon
$565 at Moen
$565 at Wayfair
Photograph: Tushy
Best Budget Bidet (Electric)
Tushy Aura
Tushy made its name with the cheap nonelectric bidet below but just rolled out three new models of the traditional electric bidet. It's priced around $600 to compete with upstarts like SmartBidet and Eco-Nova. The Aura (7/10 WIRED review) is the top of the Tushy line and includes an instant heater so you never run out of warm water, a night light, and a lid that automatically raises upon sensing you in the room and closes after you leave. The remote is intuitive, and the seat also has backup controls along with a conspicuous digital display that shows the water temperature.
The biggest differences between this and pricier models are the lack of adjustments to the spray (you can move it back and forward and make it stronger or weaker) and the very loud but yet not powerful drying fan.
$599 at Tushy

Photograph: Amazon
For Unlimited Warm Water on a Budget
SmartBidet SB-3000
There are a few things about SmartBidet's SB-3000 that betray its status as a mid-range option from an upstart brand. This is the loudest bidet I've tested and, despite the noise, has the least effective fan. I love the design of the controller that hangs with the help of a magnetic block, and having quick controls on the side is always nice, but the controller's prompts are not especially intuitive and something about a “turbo” mode for a bidet sprayer is disconcerting. Also, an auto-lifting seat is a nice feature to have once you get into the $500 range.
The trade-off is that after a very short burst of cooler water you have an unlimited supply of warm water that's heated on demand. The sprayer works very well (turbo mode is great, as it turns out!) meaning this bidet does what bidets are meant to do as well as any, and for longer than most.
$650 at Walmart
$600 at Home Depot
$650 at Wayfair
Photograph: TUSHY
Best Budget Bidet (Nonelectric)
Tushy Classic 3.0
The Tushy is minimal in both its setup and features. It doesn’t require hot water or an electrical outlet, so it’s a great choice for anyone who doesn't have an outlet in the bathroom. Even with simple controls—it has a single knob for water pressure—it’s a great bidet that packs a lot of water power. It comes with a few different colors and knob finishes to best fit your bathroom (though we’d be shocked if anyone found the blue or pink a perfect match to their toilet).
Since it’s nonelectric, there's no warm air dryer. After a year of use, WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell says the Tushy is showing some cracks on the rotating flanges inside of the housing (which you’d only see if you removed it), and the foam cushion surrounding those flanges is falling out. But it still works great.
$129 at Amazon
~~$119~~ $96 at Tushy

Photograph: Lowes
A Fully Installed Toilet (if Money Is No Object)
Toto Washlet G5A
A bidet will serve most people well, but if you’re a homeowner and you hate the toilets your home came with (who prefers round bowls?), you may as well look into a smart toilet with all the features that come with bidet attachments and more. I’ve had this Toto Washlet G5A installed in my bathroom for a few months and I’ve genuinely missed it when I briefly went away on a trip.
The seat is nice and warm, I’ve never had to press the flush button because it automatically does the job (and never when I’m still in the seat), and it opens automatically when I walk in front of it.
The bidet functions are all here. You can adjust the strength of the water jet, move its position, and even customize the temperature. Better yet, you can set user profiles so that you don’t have to make all these adjustments each time (I did have to ask Toto for clarification on how to assign these because the manual wasn’t all that clear—choose your settings then press and hold the User icon for five seconds.) It’s easy to clean (no gross gaps like on traditional toilets), and I like the night light for those late-night bathroom trips.
It’s an expensive addition to the home but it has been working flawlessly these past few months, and it’s I like having a toilet that actually looks … nice. —Julian Chokkattu
$3,281 at Lowe's
$3,281 at Wayfair
Photograph: Amazon
A Must-Have Bidet Accessory for Tight Spaces
BIXFE THU9090R
I replaced the old-fashioned round toilet at my 80-year-old house with a modern elongated toilet when I started testing bidets for WIRED. In order to fit a longer seat in the same space, I ended up with a taller tank that sits snug to the wall. If you're installing an elongated toilet in an older home, chances are you will be making the same decision. And if you are, please save yourself hours of headache by buying this short hose extension by BIXFE.
You probably need to order it on Amazon because if your local hardware stores are like mine (and the Amazon reviews on this product suggest they are!), they don't have this simple hose in the right size for a bidet. I even went to a dedicated plumbing supply warehouse and came up empty after crudely drawing what I needed on a sheet of paper for a perplexed Midwestern man.
The THU9090R hose has male and female ends of the same size. It screws onto the inflow valve coming out of the bottom of your toilet tank and offers the same connection 6 or 9 inches away, giving you some space to maneuver when connecting the T-shaped splitter that will divert water to your bidet seat. If you have any doubts about having enough space to get your seat on and off, spend the $19.
$19 at Amazon

Other Bidets We Like

We'll continue to test more bidets as they find their way into our bathrooms, but not every one of them deserves a spot above. Given the current competition, this one doesn't quite make the grade.

SmartBidet's SB-3000 for $650: The SmartBidet's SB-3000 is our former pick in the $600 range but it's missing some key features found on the new Tushy Aura above. Namely, there's no auto-lift seat. This is also the loudest bidet I've tested and, despite the noise, has the least effective fan. I love the design of the controller that hangs with the help of a magnetic block, and having quick controls on the side is always nice, but the controller's prompts are not especially intuitive and something about a “turbo” mode for a bidet sprayer is disconcerting.

Toto C5 for $363: This is the successor to the C200, which is what I happily used for a decade. The C5 has a great reputation—other sites have named it the best bidet—with a strong record of reliability. But after testing the new class of bidet seats on the market, I was left underwhelmed. For $400 or more, you’re getting only the most basic features. The pre-mist function wasn't effective, and my toilet required far more cleaning. Without a night light, I had to turn on my bathroom lights and blind myself to pee in the middle of the night. The C5 is a fine classic bidet, but you can do better these days.

Alpha UX Pearl for $399: This bidet will get you clean, but you might want to turn the pressure down. The default spray on the Alpha UX Pearl was so intense that WIRED reviewer Parker Hall thought it might actually be a colonic machine. Turned down, though, this high-end bidet seat works fantastically. It features multiple heat settings, front and rear wash, and adjustable nozzle position. It has a light that helps you find the target at night, and it comes with a wireless remote and wall mount rather than a side-mounted controller, for a sleeker install.

Bidets to Avoid

Not every bidet is a winner. Stick with our recommendations above.

Brondell Swash BL97 for $294: WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell swapped her personal bidet out for this entry-level electric model from Brondell, and she was not a fan. The seat is tiny, and the water is weak and slow-reacting compared to bidets like the Tushy. The BL97 hose also fit poorly on her toilet and caused a leak. It does, however, have a warm seat, and the controls work well, albeit slowly.

Brondell Thinline T44 for $700: Nena also tried this bidet, and while she originally liked it and recommended it for its thin profile and easy installation, the hardware is also thin and snapped after only a few months of use. You can get our top pick from Kohler for the same price, or the Tushy for something nearly as discreet and easy to install.

Martin Cizmar is the tech category director for the WIRED Reviews team. He specializes in testing mattresses, cold plunge tubs, pickleball paddles, and other large, cumbersome items. Martin has a BA in philosophy and a JD from The University of Akron. He has 20 years of journalism experience at publications ... Read more

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