An antimicrobial coating is commonly applied during manufacturing to help keep the bowl slick. The coating keeps bowls and adjacent parts clean while saving water.

Products are available to replenish or add the coating. Copper- and silver-based coatings, as well as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are fairly effective, but they can wear away.

Flapper mechanisms are notoriously prone to failure, causing excessive water use and a high usage bill, but replacing it is an easy DIY project.

Some early flapperless toilets will benefit from newer fill valve mechanisms like a Glacier Bay and Niagara replacement on Amazon, which can refill your tank faster.

A pressure-assist toilet uses compressed air to push water, but it can be loud. However, a vacuum-assisted toilet is just as effective and considerably quieter.

The dual-flush toilet has one button that uses less water to flush liquid waste and another for flushing solids. Conversion kits for standard toilets are about $35 to $75.

WaterSense is a voluntary EPA certification program that labels water-efficient products. Residential WaterSense toilets can save as much as $140 per year.

Toilets can also

be rated by

MaP (Maximum Performance) Score. Toilets certified MaP Premium are proven to remove 1.3 pounds of waste with a

1.1-gallon flush.