The TOTO Drake II toilet is one of the best TOTO toilets in the market today. Its biggest selling points are its a high quality finished product and how efficiently it passes solids with a small amount of water. It’s also cheaper than most other Toto models.
Other excellent features that make it a great model include, the tall seat level, sleek high profile tank, Toto’s double cyclone flushing technology, not to mention high recommendations by both customers and professional plumbers. Its flushing performance and quality is much superior to other two-piece toilet models. All these have made it probably the best two piece toilet.
So let’s dive in and have a in-depth look in this Toto Drake II review and find out whether it is the best toilet for you.
History & Overview of Toto Drake 2
The Drake II is an improved model on the earlier Toto Drake toilet. The original Drake model is still popular and is a great basic workhorse toilet. The Toto Drake is a fine toilet but the Drake II is nicer. It has improved water conservation, better bowl wash and comes with Toto’s signature SanaGloss glazed finish. The Drake 2 has been on the market for several years now and has gained much popularity due to continually satisfying user needs and expectations. It is also backed by Toto’s century of experience and reliability in providing top notch products for your plumbing, bathroom and sanitation needs.
There are a number of different versions of the Drake II toilet for sale that can make it a fully ADA complaint toilet. But in this Toto Drake II toilet review we will focus on the most popular version, which is the TOTO CST454CEFG#01 Drake II 2-Piece Toilet with Elongated Bowl and Sanagloss,1.28 GPF. This standard Drake II model comes with a left-hand Chrome trip lever whereas the Drake II ADA model comes with a right-hand trip lever. The differences in versions are minor and the build and functionality remain the same.
Pros & Cons of Toto Drake II Toilet
Lets continue the Toto Drake 2 review by first checking its pros and cons.
Pros
- Good flushing performance
- High quality finished product
- Highly praised and recommended by customers and professional plumbers
- Environmentally friendly (saves upto 20% water than a 1.6 GPF toilets)
- Comes with efficient and quick double cyclone flushing system
- Sanagloss finish looks smooth, nice & easy to clean
- Comfortable elongated bowl shape
- ADA-compliant Universal height is easy for adults and elderly
- Beautiful slim tank profile
Cons
- Higher price than other basic two-piece entry level toilets
- Taller seat height difficult for small kids and some short adults
- Bit noisy but quick, efficient flush
- Two-piece design harder to keep clean than one-piece toilets
- No dual flush ability. Both liquid & solid waste use same amount of water
Toto Drake II Features
FLUSHING SYSTEM
The Toto Drake 2 toilet has a high tech flushing system responsible for using small amount of water to efficiently flush away any solid or liquid waste dropped into it. The flushing system on the Drake 2 is designed so that the water flushes down with full force with the natural force of gravity. For this purpose it uses the very innovative and Toto’s proprietary double cyclone flushing technology. As the name implies, it flush with two mini cyclones in action at once, creating a whirlpool inside your toilet bowl. The water flushed from the tank does not enter into tiny rim holes, so the water speeds down to the bowl wall and push the waste to the drain with great force. As a result the flushing is also quicker than in other toilet models. This innovative new flushing technique from Toto has proved very successful in action. In testing, Drake II scores 800 MAP for flushing.
To appreciate the double cyclone flushing system of the Drake ii, you can put food coloring or leak detector into the tank. It really does swirl all around the bowl. A torrent of water is released from each of the two holes, quickly flattens out and works its way around and down. Combined with gravity it creates a powerful, clean flush that uses a tower-flush mechanism with less water. The bowls design, wider trap way and SanaGloss finish all help create a better flushing experience.
The draw back of the flushing system design is average noise level and lack of dual flush ability. Its not very quiet but not overly loud than other toilets either. There’s also some noise when the tank is filling after flush, but not any louder.
WATER CONSUMPTION
Nowadays, it matters not the only how well a toilet performs but also how efficient the toilet is regarding water saving. Most of the traditional old toilets used to consume about 6 gallons of water per flush. That’s too much of water wasted. That’s why current federal standard requires all modern toilets in installed in the US to use 1.6 Gallons Per Flush (GPF) or less. The Drake II is much more efficient than the US toilet standard requirement in water consumption. As a fine high efficiency toilet with a flush rate of just 1.28 gallons for flushing both liquid and solid waste, this Drake model is much more environmentally friendly. It saves upto 20% water than a normal 1.6 GPF toilet. With 1.28 GPF rate it meets the strict EPA WaterSense toilet standard. It also meets the stricter water consumption laws of states like California and Colorado.
A problem with many modern water saving toilets today is, its so easy to get stuck double or even triple flushing sometimes. But the Toto Drake 2 toilets flushing system is efficient enough to flush once and be done.
However if the drake 2 had dual flush ability you could have saved more water. However Drake to already is more efficient and uses less water than many popular dual flush toilets in the market. Toto is very committed to improve water efficiency in the Drake. There is already an improved Drake II version with a 1.0 GPF flush rate, but its not still widely available for sale in the market.
The DESIGN
The two-piece CST454CEFG Drake II toilet has a design that combines an elongated bowl with a high profile tank. SanaGloss finish gives it a very smooth look. The result is a very nice looking toilet that gives a modern appearance to your bathroom. It adds to the good impression of your house or office as it is considered elegant, and efficient.
The Drake II measures 28.8 x 16.5 x 29.4 inches. The slim tank makes it take up less space than many other elongated bowl models. The Drake II and the Toto Vespin II use this same stylish tank, but with the Vespin getting the Skirted bowl treatment. As the Drake II uses an innovative double cyclone flushing system, the bowl rim doesn’t have tiny holes and a hard to clean gap. So the rim with no holes design makes the bowl look seamless and keeps it cleaner.
The Toto Drake II is available in several color options. Available colors include Cotton, Sedona Beige, Colonial White, Bone, and Ebony. So you can get it to match the color scheme of your bathroom decor and fixtures.
The Drake II also has a computer designed wide trap-way of 2-1/8-Inch. It can flush any waste put into the bowl and prevent clogging. Its also been tested and shown to flush any small toys or objects that might be dropped into it during its lifetime.
But every design has its drawbacks. The two piece design of the Drake toilet makes it cheaper than one-piece toilets and is easier to transport and move around when fitting. However it is harder to keep to keep clean. There is also a risk of a leak developing between the tank and the bowl. However, this is rare and maybe avoided.
BOWL SHAPE
The elongated bowl design will provide comfort and ease of use. When a suitable seat is added it also gives a similar height to a chair. Health care experts recommend these elongated models for elderly people and those having back problem or with disabilities. The additional space of the elongated bowl provides more support to the thighs, and helps evenly distribute the your body weight, making it comfortable for you. Additionally, the elongated toilets are touted to handle more capacity, ultimately reducing the risk of overflowing or clogging. But is also a Drake II version that comes with a round bowl. The shorter round bowl is designed for space constrained locations.
SEAT HEIGHT
The Drake II is a taller Universal height toilet. It meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards with a 16-inch bowl height and 17.25-inch seat height. This taller seat level makes it more comfortable to tall people and elderly as well as adults in general. However shorter people and kids often find this taller seat level uncomfortable. So while its great for a master baths and adult only households better skip it for kids rooms.
Drake II doesn’t come with a toilet seat, which is usually the case with two-piece toilets. But most standard, elongated seats will fit.
CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
Cleaning and maintenance is no worse than any toilet model. As a high efficiency toilet it also nicely cleans the bowl with each flush. Most consumers are very satisfied with its flushing with hardly any issues with skid marks or clogging. This creates a better home experience and requires fewer cleaning sessions to maintain it, and a overall better toilet experience for everyone.
EASE OF INSTALLATION
Installation of this Toto Drake toilet is very straight forward and needs only regular hand tools and some basic DIY skills. It can be done by anyone with some DIY experience. The Drake II has a standard 12 inch rough-in from the wall to the center of the waste pipe. With a separate tank and bowl it is easy to move when installing and placing. It usually comes with everything you need to install except the seat which must be purchased separately.
WARRANTY
Like most toilets these days the TOTO CST454CEFG Drake II comes with only a one-year limited warranty. One-year warranty often doesn’t seem like a good enough deal when you consider that toilets are one the most heavily used products your house. Unfortunately one year warranties are pretty standard for toilets these days. However when it comes to toilets from top brands like Toto, the usual theory that a short warranty means that the company does not believe in their own products doesn’t stand up. The best thing you can do is choose a model you can trust and check reputation through on trustworthy online websites and customers reviews on online stores like Amazon. When it comes to Drake 2 you will see existing customers are happy with the product and level of service that they have received and overwhelming toilet guide websites and forums recommend it.
PRICE
The Drake II is not a cheap two-piece toilet. It is more expensive than many other popular and basic two-piece toilets from top toilet brands. Yet it provides great value for money compared to many other branded toilet models that maybe a bit cheaper than this but have lesser product quality, finish and less efficiency. So despite being more expensive, many consumers have bought this Drake II.
Toto adheres to a very strict quality control than many other best toilet brands. Toto does not release defective models for a discount price or builder grade toilets to the market. The higher quality control and better final finished product means you get a product that works as you expected, giving you comfort and satisfaction.
With Drake II, you will have less chance of breakdowns and a longer product lifetime. Factor in the two-piece design as well. As a two-piece toilet it has many of the superior features of fine but expensive one-piece toilets like the Toto UltraMax II. Comparably the Drake II is more affordable, plus its replacement is also affordable, because you will only need to replace a single piece, not the whole unit if something goes wrong.
Drake II Toilet Specifications
| Name | TOTO CST454CEFG Drake II 2-Piece Toilet |
|---|---|
| Model No. | CST454CEFG |
| Dimensions | 28.8 x 16.5 x 29.4 inches |
| Weight | ~69.8 pounds |
| Water Consumption | 1.28 GPF |
| Bowl Shape | Elongated |
| Seat Height | Universal Height |
| Certification | ADA |
| Rough-in Size | 12 inch |
| Colors | Cotton, Sedona Beige, Colonial White, Bone |
| Warranty | 1 year limited warranty |
Our Verdict
Aside from its higher price, you will find the Toto Drake II toilet to be the best two-piece toilet in the market today. Simply put, if you’d like great basic toilet with a high quality finish and effective, water efficient flushing ability this particular model maybe one of your few viable options. However consider its taller Universal Height seat and noise level depending on your needs and location of installation. Apart from that it does a great job of tackling all of the basic functions you would expect from a basic toilet. Overall its a great option for a wide range of households.
So why not checkout the TOTO CST454CEFG#01 Drake II 2-Piece Toilet on Amazon now! (Check at Amazon #ad)
If this isn’t the right toilet for your needs and preferences, then please checkout our other best toilet reviews and comparisons guides. They can help you find the right one for you!
