Choosing The Perfect Bidet

If you have ever walked into a bathroom and wondered what that odd thing in the corner is, you were probably looking at a bidet. Bidets are often found in upscale bathrooms or luxury master bathrooms.

What is a Bidet?

Bidets were designed to help people freshen up without taking a shower or a bath. They were most likely invented in the early 1700's, before a fully plumbed bathroom became common. Ladies loved the convenience of being able to rinse off after a visit to the chamber pot. Although the bidet is most commonly used to wash the genital region, some people also use this handy gadget to wash their feet.

Today, the bidet has evolved quite a bit. You can find a bidet attachment for your toilet that eliminates the need for a separate fixture in crowded bathrooms. Japan went a step further and actually made a toilet, bidet and dryer combination that eliminated the need for toilet paper. This toilet is very popular in many homes worldwide. In fact, actor Will Smith has proudly announced more than once that he has tossed out his toilet paper in favor of this Japanese innovation.

People who are trying to go green point out that using a bidet saves thousands of trees and millions of gallons of water a year. Even though the bidet uses water to rinse you off, it is much less water than the number of gallons needed to create toilet paper. In addition, eco-friendly bidets help you avoid the harsh chemicals that are needed to make toilet paper so white.

American Standard Bidet

The American Standard bidet comes in several styles and many colors. You can find wall mounting or floor mounting models made from vitreous china, which is quite durable. There are space saving rounded models and roomy rectangular models. If you want a really sleek and flashy bidet, you can shop for quite a few different fixture upgrades, such as a chrome and brass one piece faucet.

Toto Bidet

Toto makes top of the line bathroom fixtures and their bidet is no different. This luxury bidet is very popular in Japan, where almost half of the homeowners have a Toto model in their bathrooms. This product's popularity has rapidly spread to other countries throughout the world.

For people who can't afford to install a bidet in their bathroom, Toto has created the Washlet, a heated toilet seat that sends a warmed stream of water out to rinse you off when you press a button. Of course, if you just want to save room in your bathroom, you can buy a luxury Washlet that includes additional features, such as a remote control and an automatic air purifier.