Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by ekianjo 4454 days ago
> Japanese toilets are simply better. For some bizarre reason we've resisted adopting them here. It boggles the mind.

They are not cheap in Japan, by the way. If you buy a new apartment they are included by default(these companies work like Mafia to secure contracts with new apartment complex builders), but new ones you buy directly from TOTO are like... "what?" when you see their prices.

2 comments

A specific data point: the (pretty good) Japanese toilet I have retails for about $2,600.00 US.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/sumailab/ces9896px/?scid=af_pc_etc...

Neorest... pshhh. Time to upgrade, Mason!

The Satis is controlled by your smartphone (which you have to admit you'll probably already have in your hand anyway) so you don't have to touch that filthy control panel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO8LutKUTO4

(also shows an animation of the sprayer thingy)

Yup - and I think it's overpriced. If it was a consumers' market this would be way cheaper, but in Japan it's very much a B2B thing, therefore you don't get good prices if you want to buy your own.
YC company to make a self-powered washing toilet (maybe using the water flow to turn a generator?)
Or you can just buy direct from Amazon for $400-1000:

http://www.amazon.com/Toto-SW574-01-Washlet-Seat-Elongated/d...