There's plenty of room for potty humor in this story, but choosing a new toilet for your home is no joke, given how much use it will get, and how dire the results can be if you end up with a, er, bum model (okay, just the one!). Seriously, a toilet with weak flushing power will lead to frequent clogs, wreaking havoc on your home's plumbing. Some types leave behind unsightly stains, and some others are so loud when they flush that you risk waking the entire household if you go in the middle of the night.
Those are some of the findings the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have made through decades of toilet testing. For this latest round, our team of engineers performed a battery of tests to find models that combine performance and efficiency: That meant tough clog tests involving colored powder, wads of toilet paper, sponges and even golf balls (though not all at once!). Our top toilets are able to handle more than 12 golf balls in a single flush (some upwards of 20!). We also used sensitive sound equipment to measure noise, knowing there may well be a sleeping baby in the next room.
As with other household products we evaluate — from blenders to dehumidifiers to sewing machines — this roundup is made up of past top-rated models, road-tests of newer units and brands with proven track records. Here are the best tested toilets of 2021: