Best Bidets 2023

At its most basic, a bidet or washlet should wash your butt after you go to the bathroom. More advanced models have additional features, like an air dryer, heated seat, temperature and pressure control, deodorizer and even a nightlight for your toilet bowl. But the number one job of a good bidet is getting rid of any lingering traces of number two.

After testing six bidets and washlets, I believe the best bidet for most people is the Toto C5 Washlet, which includes several user-friendly functions like an illuminated remote, a deodorizer, a premisting option that makes toilet cleaning easier and two preset options that allow users to customize their settings. For those looking for the best value bidet, I recommend the nonelectric Tushy Classic 3.0, thanks to its user-friendly installation and millennial-friendly aesthetic. I also found that the Alpha JX was a strong contender for users looking for more warm water, a nightlight or a longer warranty. But if you’re bidet curious and not willing to spend a lot of money to try one, the Luxe Bidet Neo 120 is a fantastic deal. (You can read my in-depth reviews of the Toto C5 Washlet and Tushy Classic 3.0, too).

These are the four best bidets and washlets I found after weeks of testing.

The good news is a bidet needn't be a major expense. There are an array of bidets and washlets at a range of prince points to meet your needs. Here are the best bidets I found:

Though bidets have long been popular in Europe, Japan and parts of South America, they’ve been slower to catch on in the United States. During the pandemic, when toilet paper was scarce, more Americans turned to bidets for help. And doctors are glad they did. Dr. Evan Goldstein, an anal surgeon in New York City, told me that overwiping is a common problem. It can cause irritation, rashes and more. "I recommend everyone invest in a bidet for both sustainability and personal hygiene reasons," Dr. Goldstein says.

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Style: Electric seat, hot water model | Special features: Dryer, deodorizer, premist, remote nozzle cleaning, two user presets | Warranty: 1 year | Requires an outlet: Yes

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Toto, founded in Japan in 1917, is known for its high-end toilets. The Toto C5 Washlet demonstrates why. It has the best combination of useful features, simple installation, sleek aesthetics and intuitive, easily adjustable functions of all the bidets I tested.

Installing the Toto was a snap—the only difficulty I had was figuring out how to place the bolt anchors for the seat into the toilet, a process that involved a little trial and error. Every electric bidet seat I tried had a tube that connected the seat to the main water supply. Unlike other models, though, the Toto came with the tube already attached to the seat. That means that you won't have to attach one end to your water supply and one to the seat. It's a small thing, but it made installation easier, because there was only one end of the flexible hose that I needed to tighten and check for leaks. In most other models, I had to double-check both the end of the tube that connected to the water supply and the end that went to the seat to ensure there was less potential for leaks.

You won't have to attach the tube on your Toto to your water supply, which means an easier install.

In general I found the Toto pleasant, intuitive and even fun to use: This model turned me from a bidet skeptic to a bidet enthusiast. The dual-sided remote was easy to read and adjust. The Toto quickly and easily washed away the shaving cream that I put on a piece of saran wrap. It took 12 seconds, but most of that was waiting for the nozzle to emerge from the base of the bidet seat and begin spraying. It also included a function that no other seat did—a "premist" function that sprays the toilet bowl with water to prevent poop from sticking to the sides. It also has a deodorizer in the seat (essentially a small fan in the seat that activates to quickly disperse the smell), which only one other model I tested, the BioBidet, has.

The Toto also includes two user preset functions on the remote. That means you can customize your water pressure, angle and water temperature and save the setting, rather than having to recalibrate it every time you use the bathroom, which is useful if more than one person is using the bidet function.

The Toto has a hot water tank, which means that it runs out of hot water after about a minute of using it. But I found that a minute is more than enough for most people to wash themselves, so I wasn't bothered by it. Once the hot water runs out, it also just fades to cooler water, so it isn't an abrupt shift from hot to cold.

One drawback of the Toto is that the closed toilet seat itself isn't sturdy enough for you to sit on top of. Sitting on the seat is just fine, but the closed lid might crack under the weight of someone sitting on it.

The Toto also has an electrolyzed water or "E-water" system that cleans and sanitizes the nozzle after every use. It's essentially water treated to have a slightly acidic pH so it can function as a cleaner. That's a nice extra, but as Lin explains, it's not necessary. "The nozzle is never going to touch you. All it does is spray water at you," he told me. "Whether it's clean doesn't affect what you’re doing." Still, it offers peace of mind if you’re particularly germophobic.

Amazon

Style: Toilet seat attachment, cold water model | Special features: Color options for model and knobs | Warranty: 1-year warranty, 60-day trial period | Requires an outlet: No

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It's hard to avoid Tushy's cheeky marketing, which acknowledges how funny it is that you’re buying a device to wash your butt. The Tushy Classic 3.0 is a simple, no-frills model. It's the best budget bidet I found, and a good option if you don't have easy access to the plug that electric bidet seats require.

The Tushy is a nonelectric bidet (so it doesn't need to plug into an outlet). It doesn't have the ability to control the water temperature of the stream you’re shooting at your butt. But I found that I didn't mind that much. The sleek knob and switch system allowed me to angle the water pretty well—not quite with the precision of the Toto, but close enough to do the job well—and unlike most nonelectric bidet models, the Tushy is aesthetically pleasing.

The Tushy Classic 3.0 doesn't require an outlet, and will work on most toilets.

The Tushy comes in White, Black, Blue and Biscuit, and you can choose a knob that's Platinum, Gold, Bronze, Bamboo or Gunmetal based on your chosen seat color. That allows you to customize the colors for your bathroom to a greater extent than any other bidet I tested, and removes much of the off-putting medical vibe that many models have.

The installation was very easy, with clear instructions that are written with first-time bidet installers and users in mind. It also can fit on almost any toilet. Most electric bidet seats require you to know whether your toilet has an elongated or round bowl, and some seats work only on elongated-bowl toilets. Because the Tushy isn't a toilet seat replacement, just an add-on, it will work with whatever you’ve got.

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The Alpha JX is a solid, extremely functional bidet that's pleasant to use. It was nosed out of the top slot just slightly by the Toto's presets and deodorizer function. But if you’re looking to dip your toe into the world of electric bidet seats and you want more peace of mind, the Alpha's 3-year warranty offers security against possible future malfunctions. The Alpha also has a tankless water heating system, which means that you won't ever run out of hot water, unlike the Toto, a plus if you want to keep the water from the bidet flowing for more than one minute.

Installing the Alpha was similar to the Toto, except that it requires you to hook up a flexible tube to both the bidet seat and the toilet tank, an easy enough operation but one that I found took a little bit of trial and error, and required a wrench to get fully secure.

Using the Alpha is easy, thanks to a wireless remote. The remote's design is more cluttered than the Toto, but it also offers different options.

The Alpha also has a sturdy, sittable toilet seat, a nice function if you like to use your toilet as a chair to do other bathroom activities—for me, trimming my toenails. It also has a somewhat controversial feature—an LED nightlight with an ambient light function that turns on when it's dark in the bathroom.

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Style: Toilet seat attachment, cold water model | Special features: Knob color options | Warranty: 18 months | Requires an outlet: No

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If you’re interested in a bidet but aren't sure you really want to put forward $100 to find out if it's for you, there are plenty of cold water options that allow first-time users to gauge whether they like a bidet before investing in an expensive model. The Luxe Bidet Neo 120 is a cold water model that, like the Tushy, plugs into whatever toilet you have and lets you keep your original toilet seat. It's also about a third of the cost of the Tushy, and it's Amazon's number one bestseller in the world of bidet attachments, with more than 80,000 reviews.

The Luxe has a boxier look than the Tushy, and comes in three colorways, including Chrome and Rose Gold. The installation is a snap, thanks to clear instructions and a fairly simple operation. While the Tushy panel has a knob and a switch, the Luxe has two knobs that allow you to control the direction and pressure of the water. I found that the Luxe doesn't control the pressure all that well—it seems to basically be on or off—but the angle knob helped send the stream to the correct place.

Like the Tushy, the Luxe doesn't have a water temperature option, and it doesn't have any of the additional features that come with an electric model, like a dryer or heated seat, but it's an excellent entry-level model if you’re on the fence about using bidets, or as an add-on to a guest room.

I tested two other bidets that didn't make the winners list.

Bio Bidet By Bemis Bliss BB-2000 : The plate that comes with the BB-2000 doesn't have clear instructions on the front or back, making the installation trickier than with others, though I got it eventually. Though it had many features, like a preset wash-and-dry button, it felt overly complicated compared to the Toto.

Tushy Ace : The Tushy Ace is a perfectly functional electric bidet seat, but it costs just as much as the Toto and has fewer features. It has a heated seat, temperature control and air dryer, but the remote doesn't allow you to calibrate the angle as effectively as the Toto.

One of my main concerns with investing in a bidet has always been the installation process: Though I can do some things around the house, anything having to do with plumbing or electricity feels best left to a professional. But I was pleasantly surprised by how simple the bidet installation process was in my testing. I installed six different bidets in my bathroom to learn firsthand about how easy they were to set up, and I noted when the process was complicated or finicky. You can install most bidets through a similar process—if you can remove your toilet seat and turn off the water valve, then you can install a bidet.

But some instructions were easier to follow than others. The electric models I tested require the installation of a mounting plate—the section that secures to the toilet and allows the bidet seat to slide in—and have different systems for securing that piece to the model. Nonelectric bidets don't require a catchment plate and generally are easier to install.

When I spoke to James Lin, founder of BidetKing.com—a site that sells all different models of bidets including its own line, Alpha Bidet—he said that a good bidet should rinse you fully clean within about 45 seconds. So for each bidet, I wrapped the toilet in saran wrap, applied a squirt of shaving cream to the underside of the wrap, and timed how long it took for the bidet to wash it clean. I also, of course, used each bidet myself for 3 days and had my husband do the same and take notes. (Yes, we now know way too much about each other's bathroom habits.)

I also considered how each bidet seat looks. You may, like me, tend to avoid bidets because something about them screams "medical device for my butt." Bidets that have a lower profile blend in more with your bathroom. "The older ones are bigger and bulkier," Lin says. "All bidets are roughly the same shape, but some are more sleek." I searched for bidets that looked like they blended into my bathroom, ones that scanned as a regular toilet at first glance and weren't too bulky or oddly shaped.

I only tested electric bidet seats that have a remote control, rather than a side panel (the non-electric models I tested have side panels). Electric bidet seats with a side panel tend to be cheaper, but also more of an eyesore. The extra bulk of the panel also makes it more difficult to install if you have a small bathroom or a tight space where your toilet fits. A remote also makes a bidet easier to use if you have it for medical reasons—twisting over to figure out a side panel might not be possible or comfortable for a host of reasons, and the remote neatly sidesteps that problem.

And finally, I assessed what other extra features the bidet had and how they contributed to the bathroom experience. Those included having two nozzles, water temperature control, pressure control, angle control, functions like an auto clean-and-dry cycle, an adjustable heated seat, sanitizing functions for the bidet nozzle and the ability to save your preferred settings for whenever you use the toilet. Things like a heated seat and a deodorizer might not be strictly necessary, but they’re certainly pleasant, and they’re worth the upgrade for some people.

If it's your first time choosing a bidet, it can be overwhelming to sort through the many options, functions and price points. Here's what to consider:

You don't need to be a plumber to install a bidet. Most seats I tried had clear instructions, and I didn't need more than a screwdriver and a wrench to install them. But before you choose a bidet, consider what kind of toilet you have.

Through my research, I learned that electric bidet seats come in two shapes, which correspond to the two toilet bowl shapes commonly found in American homes: elongated and round. The electric bidet seats replace your current toilet seat—but not all of them have a sturdy enough seat for you to sit on top of, as you might a regular toilet seat. You can find out which one yours is by simply measuring the bowl from end to end. A round bowl measures 16.5 inches, and an elongated bowl measures about 18.5 inches. Electric bidet seats also require a dedicated GFCI outlet of at least 15 amps, so make sure that your bathroom has that before you order one. You may also want to invest in an extension cord, depending on the placement of your outlets (ask for advice at the hardware store to make sure you’re getting the proper extension cord).

An important thing to consider when buying a bidet is your personal geometry and what your needs are for cleaning your rear. "With bidet seats, there's a learning curve," says BidetKing.com founder James Lin. "They’re not magical devices with cartoon hands to clean you. It's a nozzle that comes at you. It does require some practice. You have to change the angle down there." Every bidet seat is going to require a little time to get used to, so give the seat at least a couple days once you install it to see if you like it.

Bidets with remote controls are also helpful if wiping isn't comfortable or possible for you. The wireless remote means you don't have to contort your body on the seat to reach a panel, or attempt to read the buttons as you’re in the middle of going to the bathroom.

When picking a seat, consider what's important to you. If all you want is a quick, effective stream, a cold water model will do just fine. If you live somewhere cold and a heated seat sounds nice, an electric bidet is the way to go. Some bidets offer more intense water pressure if that's something you want, and others have features like a soft-close lid or deodorizing function. Your bathroom, your rules.

Bidets become part of your toilet, and as such, keeping them clean and hygienic is a concern. "It's really important to utilize whatever self-cleaning feature your bidet has to help maintain the nozzle after every use. And just like you would clean the rest of your bathroom and toilet, be sure to regularly clean your bidet," says anal surgeon Dr. Evan Goldstein. Watch out for models that have seams where particles of waste can get trapped. It mostly has to do with how they fit into the specific configuration of your bathroom, though. "No particular models are more difficult to clean than others. They have the same rough shape and size," Lin says.

And though bidets cut down on toilet paper, they don't totally eliminate it—make sure you still have a place in your bathroom for paper or, as Dr. Goldstein recommends, a dedicated towel to dry your butt off once you use the bidet. "One thing most people neglect to do is make sure everything is completely dry down there before pulling up their pants. Excessive moisture in this region can lead to its own complications, like bacterial, fungal and viral skin infections in the area." Or you can invest in a bidet seat that includes an air dryer, like the Toto or Alpha JX.

I’m a journalist with 14 years of experience who has done lifestyle product testing and written recommendations for New York Magazine, Food & Wine and Vox, among other places. I have also reviewed the best pillows and the best meal kit delivery services for Forbes Vetted. For this piece I installed and tested six bidets. I also consulted anal surgeon Dr. Evan Goldstein; my own plumber, Vincent Goffredo; and BidetKing.com founder James Lin to learn more and find the best models.

In a word: yes. "At my private practice, I try to educate my clients on what should be standard hygiene. First, nighttime showering is key. Just think of all the grime and poop and sweat from the day, and then popping into bed without a cleansing routine. That alone can leave the anal tissue super irritated," says Dr. Goldstein. "Then, when we use wet wipes or subpar toilet paper, the issues become compounded. Bidets, overall, are a better approach." In a perfect world, Dr. Goldstein says, we would all shower off after every bowel movement, but we don't live in that world. "The next-best thing is a bidet," he says.

Keep in mind that bidets are made of hard, glossy plastic, and that using serious chemicals on them can corrode the plastic over time. "Avoid bleach, ammonia, Clorox or Lysol wipes because they will eat away at the plastic and cause discoloration," says Lin. "Use warm water and mild soap or vinegar. If you do wipe it down with Clorox, then wipe it down with warm water afterward."

The length that you use a bidet is up to your own preference and bathroom needs. But bear in mind that a good bidet should wash you clean in "45 seconds to a minute, maximum," says Lin.

If you’re able to turn the water off on your toilet tank—most toilets have a knob right beside the seat that allows you to do so—and can operate a screwdriver, then there's no need for you to call a plumber. If you are worried about the installation, however, plumbers will install bidet seats for you. From my experience installing six bidets, the things that I would have on hand when installing a bidet seat are a screwdriver, a wrench, a rag or cloth to clean up any drips that might come from the hose and a cup or bowl to place underneath the tank as you’re working, to catch any errant water. I’d also strongly recommend giving your toilet a very thorough cleaning before you try to put in a bidet, since any bidet requires some real close and personal time with your toilet, and having a sparklingly clean toilet makes the process a lot more pleasant.

According to Alex Crumbie, researcher at Ethical Consumer, the average bidet requires about 0.15 gallons of water per use, whereas a single roll of toilet paper uses 37 gallons of water to produce. In general, that makes bidets less resource intensive than using toilet paper. But it also depends on whether your region has a stable water supply. In regions under water restrictions, toilet paper is still probably the better way to go.