American Standard Cadet® 3 FloWise™ Right Height™ EL Toilet

 With everything digital, it’s hard to believe it’s possible there could be major new advancement in toilet technology, but with the new generation of toilets that boast water consumption almost 2/3 less than earlier models, that does seem to be the case.  After struggling for years with an old, inefficient toilet that must have been one of the worst-designed ever (plugging up at least once every 3 days), I was thrilled to find the Cadet 3, one of the few models that would fit in my very restricted bathroom space.

 

I was admittedly skeptical that a 1.28 G/flush model would function acceptably, no less work WELL.  I was even more skeptical when I first tried it, because if you don’t hold the handle down, the flapper closes long before the upper tank is empty, making me believe I’m not getting even my 1.28 G/flush worth.  On top of that, while flushing and refilling, the toilet is incredibly quiet.  So, how is it possible that it could work at all?

 

Though I am unable to answer that question with even a modicum of technical understanding, suffice it to say that this toilet works not only well, but amazingly well!  Certainly, part of the functionality is the 2 1/8” trapway, only an eighth inch smaller in diameter than the largest I’ve seen.  Another is the oversized 3” flush valve which initiates a powerful (yet quiet) flow of water from the tank into the bowl, mostly through the jetway, the primary thrust mechanism in the flushing system.  (The flush valve is the opening normally covered by the flapper.  In this system, glued to the bottom of the flapper is a large round ring that accommodates the significantly larger than normal valve.)

 

Finally, the water saved is significant, if only evident by how quickly the tank refills after a flush compared to my old toilet.  I’ve only had my Cadet 3 for a couple weeks now, but so far at least, there are no signs of  it even thinking about plugging up, and only once did I have to hold down the flush lever for a second or two to use most of the 1.28 gallons to complete a larger than normal solid flush.