Disclaimer: the good PR folks from Kohler contacted me and asked if I’d like to try out some complimentary high-tech toiletry and then blog about it. I very enthusiastically said yes… and I’m glad I did. These new bathroom products really are that cool.
Toilets are one of those things we don’t truly appreciate until something goes very wrong. We take them so much for granted. And yet, they are truly awesome.
Can you even imagine having to go in the woods, in a dark dank little outhouse, or in a ditch someone dug out behind the village? I sure can’t.
And I also can’t imagine trying to potty train in those circumstances… yet parents somehow manage to do just that, all around the world.
So yes, I’m thankful for toilets – relatively easy to clean, low maintenance, unassuming little devices that they are. It’s a thankless job they do, but they don’t complain. I guess they’re kind of like moms in that way.
Anyway, this post isn’t just an ode to toilets – this is an ode to the modern, high-tech toilet of today. You see, the brilliant folks at Kohler have been continually innovating and improving the toilet. It’s not just a bowl with a flush anymore – there’s far more to it.
Am I totally showing my age if I tell you that I remember using high-tank, pull-chain toilets while visiting my paternal grandparents’ home in England when I was a kid? They lived in a wonderful, spooky old “mansion” and it had honest to goodness, old-fashioned high-tank pull-chain toilets. I remember having to reach up soooooooo far to reach the chain. I’m talking way back in the ’70s here – but the toilets were most likely a remnant from the Victorian age. My grandparents’ place was kind of an old-school joint. But I digress.
What am I babbling about, you ask? I’m talking about the Magic Toilet that we now have in our master bathroom. You see, Kohler sent me two amazing products, both of which I absolutely LOVE, and which you need to rush right out and get for your toilets, too.
I’m talking super high-tech, spy-level toilet gadgetry that is perfect for anyone but especially for parents of little ones. The first, and coolest of all, is Touchless Technology. Yes, that’s right, this simple, easy to install kit ($75 at Home Depot, $74.98 via Amazon Prime) does away with your familiar little left-side flush handle and replaces it with a small button/sensor on the top right of the tank.
You simply wave your hand over the sensor, magician style, and it gives a small “beep” and then flushes the toilet. This touchless toilet is LIFE CHANGING, people. I’m no germ phobe, but I think we can all agree there are times when you’ve used the toilet and would like to flush but really shouldn’t be touching anything. Especially if you’re four years old! And thanks to Kohler’s Touchless Toilets, that’s now a reality in our house. Boo-ya. I bet you want to use my magic toilet, now, don’t you?
The second super-cool toilet gadget Kohler sent me is a fancy new Nightlight Toilet Seat with a built-in lovely blue glow. It automatically turns on each day at dusk and stays on for seven hours before shutting itself off. It is awesome!
My bathroom looks all eerie-cool, James Bond-style at night now – no more turning on the annoyingly too-bright overhead lights during our nightly visits to the potty. And we do visit the potty, every night around 1 am – but I’m not complaining, because I’d rather accompany Miss Thang on a post-midnight potty run than deal with the cold, wet, sleep-stealing alternative.
And this nightlight toilet seat, which runs somewhere in the range of $40 to $60 depending upon which size and style you need, has definitely made our potty runs more fun! I think this would be especially helpful with little (or big) boys, because it specifically makes the water glow so that has to help with nighttime aim issues. Not to mention being just plain cool to see and fun to aim at.
So, there you have it – my two new favorite things in my bathroom are actually in or on my toilet. When was the last time you upgraded your toilet or toilet seat? Dahlings, we’re worth it. Have more fun with your toilet! And as the adorable Kohler/mom bloggers’ video shows, these “magic” toilet features would be especially helpful and useful during potty training. Boy, don’t I wish I’d had the touchless flusher back when we were dealing with the ups and downs of potty-training!
What do you think – does a touchless, glowing nightlight potty sound like it would appeal to your kids and family? Do you think having a Magic Toilet would aid with potty-training? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
