Smart toilets explained: what to check before you buy
Smart toilets have moved from hotel bathrooms into ordinary homes. A heated seat, a warm water wash and an automatic lid sound like luxuries until you have used them, and then a plain toilet feels a bit basic. But a smart toilet is also an electrical appliance sitting next to water, and it has a few installation needs that a standard suite does not.
This guide explains what a smart toilet does, how the two models in our range differ, and the checks to make with your plumber and electrician before you buy. The product details come from the supplier specifications listed on our product pages.
What makes a toilet "smart"?
A smart toilet adds powered functions to the pan and seat. Depending on the model, that can include:
- a heated seat;
- a warm water wash from a retractable nozzle, so you rely less on toilet paper;
- warm air drying after the wash;
- a self-cleaning nozzle;
- an automatic lid that opens and closes;
- a sensor or remote to flush;
- automatic deodorising.
Some smart toilets are fully integrated, with the electronics built into the toilet as one unit. Others pair a standard pan with an electronic seat. Both types need power, so the planning steps are similar.
The two smart toilets in our range
Lafeme Neovanta cisternless smart toilet
The Lafeme Neovanta is a floor mounted, cisternless smart toilet. Cisternless means there is no separate tank on the back or in the wall; the toilet runs from the water supply directly. Lafeme lists these features: automatic cover open and close, foot sensor seat opening and flush, heated seat, warm air drying, self-cleaning nozzle, knob control, automatic deodorisation, remote control and a soft close seat. It has a matte white glaze.
Key specifications from Lafeme:
- Size: 684 x 403 x 470mm
- WELS: 3 star, 5.7/3.3 L (full and half flush)
- Rated power: 220 to 240V, 50Hz
- Water pressure: 0.15 to 0.75 MPa
- Water resistance: IPX4
- Trap: S-trap 100 to 140mm included; S-trap 150 to 190mm sold separately; P-trap 180mm
- WaterMark licence 060196 for the WC pan and 060174 for the bidet seat
Fienza Sona smart toilet
The Fienza Sona pairs a rimless flush pan with a smart seat. Fienza lists a soft-close, quick-release seat, an R&T or Geberit cistern where configured, and trap options of P-trap, S-trap 90 to 160mm and S-trap 160 to 230mm. Its WELS registration is L45333. From the Fienza Sona user manual:
- The smart seat material is ABS.
- It is supplied with a WaterMark certified dual check valve and air gap to comply with AS/NZS 2845.2, so no further backflow prevention is required for the water supply connection.
- Operating water pressure is 60 to 500 kPa.
- Water supply temperature must be below 35 degrees C.
- It is suited for indoor use only.
Check 1: power near the toilet
Every smart toilet needs electricity. That usually means a power point near the toilet, positioned to suit the model and installed by a licensed electrician. Plan it before the walls are sheeted and tiled, because adding a power point to a finished, tiled wall is much harder. Check the product page and the installation instructions for the power requirements and cable position.
Check 2: your water pressure
Each model lists a working pressure range: 0.15 to 0.75 MPa for the Neovanta and 60 to 500 kPa for the Sona (0.06 to 0.5 MPa). Pressure matters more on a cisternless toilet like the Neovanta, which relies on the supply to flush instead of a stored tank. Ask your plumber to confirm your pressure falls inside the range before you order. If you are on tank water or a pump, mention it.
Check 3: trap and set-out
A smart toilet still has to line up with your existing waste, just like any toilet suite. First work out whether your waste goes into the floor (S-trap) or the wall (P-trap). For a floor waste, the set-out is the distance from the finished wall to the centre of the waste pipe. Then compare it with the options:
- Neovanta: S-trap 100 to 140mm comes in the box. A 150 to 190mm S-trap is sold separately, and there is a P-trap option at 180mm.
- Sona: P-trap, S-trap 90 to 160mm or S-trap 160 to 230mm, chosen when you order.
If your set-out falls outside these ranges, talk to your plumber before you buy. The toilet checklist covers trap and set-out in more detail.
Check 4: water efficiency
Smart toilets carry WELS ratings like any other toilet. The Neovanta is rated 3 star at 5.7 L full flush and 3.3 L half flush. The Sona's rating is listed under WELS registration L45333 on the product page. Read more in our WaterMark and WELS buying notes.
Check 5: WaterMark and backflow
Plumbing products such as toilets need WaterMark certification, and because the wash function connects to your water supply, backflow prevention matters too. The Neovanta lists WaterMark licences for both the pan and the bidet seat. The Sona is supplied with a WaterMark certified dual check valve and air gap to comply with AS/NZS 2845.2. Your licensed plumber will confirm the connection on site. See WaterMark explained.
Check 6: who installs it
A smart toilet is a job for licensed trades: a licensed plumber for the water and waste, and a licensed electrician for the power. Installation should follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. The Neovanta product page includes a link to the instruction manual, which is worth reading before your plumber and electrician quote.
Is a smart toilet worth it?
That depends on how you will use it. A smart toilet tends to make most sense when:
- you are renovating anyway, so the power point and water connection can be planned before tiling;
- someone in the home finds a wash and dry function easier than paper;
- you like a clean, cisternless look and an automatic lid;
- easy cleaning matters, such as a self-cleaning nozzle on the Neovanta or a rimless pan and quick-release seat on the Sona.
It makes less sense if there is no practical way to get power to the toilet, or if your water pressure sits outside the listed range. In those cases, a standard rimless suite may be the better fit. Browse toilet suites, including back to wall and wall hung options.
A short checklist before you order
- Integrated smart toilet or smart seat on a pan: which suits your room?
- Power point planned and quoted by a licensed electrician.
- Water pressure confirmed within the listed range.
- Trap type and set-out measured and matched to the options.
- WELS and WaterMark details checked on the product page.
- Installation instructions read by your plumber and electrician.
See it in person
Smart toilets are easier to understand when you can see the controls and seat up close. Browse smart toilets, then visit our Loganholme showroom, a short drive from Underwood, Springwood and Shailer Park. Bring a photo of your existing toilet waste and your set-out measurement and we can help you check the fit.
Visit, delivery and contact
Our showroom is at Shop 4, 1 Bryants Rd, Loganholme QLD 4129 (opening hours and directions), where you can see finishes in person and collect your order free once it is ready. We also deliver Australia-wide, with the exact rate shown at checkout (see delivery and returns). Questions? Call 07 3209 9644 or send us a message.
