Most Common Toilet Types Around The World

It might surprise you to learn that not all toilets are created equal! You know what most American toilets look like, but are you privy to what other porcelain thrones around the world might look like? (Here’s a hint: most of today’s examples are not even porcelain at all!)

The Turkish Toilet: Most commonly known as a squat toilet, this type of John is characteristic of the Middle East and China. A squat toilet has a bowl or pan level with the ground, that may or may not have a water cistern to flush away waste. If it doesn’t there’s always a bucket for water nearby to rinse the toilet after each use. There usually is no toilet paper, either. Instead, people either bring their own toilet paper or use water to clean off after.

Bidet/Toilet Combinations: You might find these in a wealthier home or luxury hotel, but you’ll also find them all over Japan! What was once a country filled with squat toilets has now become a waste sanitation leader with some of the most sophisticated toilets around the globe. In fact, only 10% of toilets in Japan are still squat toilets. Essentially, these toilets are ‘smart toilets,’ which are hands- and toilet paper-free — much fancier than the western style toilets we’re used to.

Standalone Bidets: In Europe, it’s not uncommon to see a traditional American style toilet, but many are often paired with a bidet fixture as well. After all, bidets were first invented in France, so it only makes sense that they’d have caught on in that area. Unlike the high-tech toilets in Japan, these bidets are standalone features and are most common in Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese homes.

What kind of toilet do you and your family use? Is it a standard American style toilet, or do you have a few extra fancy bells and whistles thrown in? Personally, we’re suckers for a heated toilet seat. (Brownie points if the seat also has a built-in night light — how convenient!)

No matter what type of toilet your house is sporting, if you ever run into any plumbing problems in the future, just call Dean’s! With locations in St. Paul, Minneapolis and the North Metro area, there’s no toilet trouble in the Twin Cities we can’t tackle!