Best Water-Saving Toilets for $200 or Less

“Many of the 1.28-gallon toilet models have excellent or very good performance for solid waste,” says John Banta, the Consumer Reports engineer who oversees toilet testing. “In our tests, many WaterSense models perform just as well as—if not better than—some higher-gallon toilets.”

In our important solid-waste test, we attempt to flush a big load of plastic balls, sponges with screws inserted for realistic waste, and more. It’s an extreme test, but it gives us a great idea of what these toilets are capable of—and even some of the lowest-flow toilets can do a fantastic job.

We also evaluate how well a toilet cleans its bowl. CR’s test engineers leave a measured paint swatch on the inside of the bowl to see whether the toilet is actually sending water all the way around the interior when it’s flushed. If a lot of the paint remains on the side of the bowl after one flush, then—you guessed it—the toilet isn’t so great at cleaning the inside of the bowl.

Below, Consumer Reports members can read about five highly rated WaterSense toilets, listed in rank order. All cost $200 or less and use an average of 1.28 gallons per flush. For more choices, check our full toilet ratings and recommendations. And to learn more about what to look for in a new bathroom throne, see our toilet buying guide.