The 4 Best Rear Discharge Toilets

Last Updated on August 18, 2023 by toilethaven

What is a Rear Discharge Toilet?

A rear discharge toilet, also known as a rear outlet or a back outlet toilet, discharges its waste from its back and through the wall. Other toilets discharge their waste from their bottom and through the floor.

Rear discharge toilets are especially great for high-rise apartments. This is because they do not need through-the-floor plumbing, so the floor does not need to be thick. This enables many floor units to be constructed than would be the case with floor outlet toilets.

Rear discharge toilets are also a great option if your house or the bathroom is far from the sewer lines. They provide a way to easily link up the waste from the toilet to the sewer lines.

Another benefit of installing a rear discharge toilet is that it is cheaper to install than floor outlet toilets in a bathroom with no drainage system. With a floor outlet toilet, you would need to tear up the entire bathroom floor in order to install the plumbing. A rear discharge toilet will only require you to make a hole through the wall, which is way easier and cheaper.

The 4 best Rear Discharge Toilets Are:

Rear Discharge Toilets Flushing Systems

Here is the thing. If you know how a toilet works, you know that they depend on gravity to move the water from the tank to the bowl for flushing. This is why they are called gravity flush toilets.

The siphon effect, which is the suction of the waste from the bowl to the drainpipe, happens at the toilet trap. The trap is the S-bend at the bottom of the toilet. This is, however, a little problematic for rear discharge toilets since the trap is not complete like in floor outlet toilets.

Manual gravity flush on its own can not produce great flushing power in rear discharge toilets. To address that problem, rear flush toilets use either the wash-down flushing system or the pressure-assisted flushing system.

Wash-down rear discharge toilets do not rely so much on the siphoning effect. They are designed with a large flush valve and an extra-large trapway. This allows water to be released from the tank to the bowl very fast, which creates more force and exits through the large trapway just as fast, resulting in a strong flush.

On the other hand, pressure-assisted rear discharge toilets have a secondary tank inside the main toilet tank called a pressure vessel. Inside the pressure vessel, compressed air mixes with the incoming water from the supply line and therefore pressurizes the vessel. When you flush the toilet, water is forcefully ejected out of the tank, creating a powerful flush. Pressure-assisted toilets are, therefore, louder than other toilets.

Best Rear Discharge Toilet Reviews

Getting a decent rear discharge toilet can be harder than a floor outlet toilet. There is not enough information on this topic which is the motivation behind writing this post.

I have heavily researched this topic and compared different toilet models to establish which would be a great buy. I picked four models which I believe are the best in the market today.

1. American Standard Yorkville

American Standard Yorkville is a two-piece single flush elongated and standard-height toilet. It is available in white, bone, and linen. Some of its features and specifications include:

• Fully glazed 2-1/8 inch trapway.
• 10 X 12-inch water surface area.
• Chrome metal trip lever.
• 25-80 psi recommended working pressure.
• Depth: 29.75 inches.
• Width: 20.5 inches.
• Height: 29.25 inches
• Bowl Height: 15 inches.
• Flush Rate: 1.6 GPF.
• Rough-in: 4 inches.

The Yorkville is a pressure-assisted toilet, so you can be sure its flushing is powerful. From the ones I have seen installed, I have yet to see any clogged. This pressure-assisted toilet is a bit noisy, and it will take some time to get used to it if it is your first pressure-assisted toilet.

I like the design of this toilet. Unlike other rear discharge toilets where the outlet pipe is visible from the bathroom, this toilet is designed in such a way that the rear of the toilet is slammed on the bathroom wall and, therefore, has no exposed pipes.

Like other modern American Standard toilets, Yorkville is coated with their patented EverClean surface additive. This coating inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and odor-causing bacteria. It is, therefore, easy and fast to clean this toilet and maintain it in that condition for longer.

This toilet is a standard-height toilet. The bowl rim height is 15 inches. It is, therefore, not ADA-compliant. If you were looking for a comfortable height rear discharge toilet, then this one would be a bit of a disappointment for you.

Another thing to take note of is that this toilet uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush. It is, therefore, not WaterSense certified and, as a result, cannot be sold in some areas in the United States, like California.

This Yorkville does not come with a seat. Apart from the seat, you will also need to buy the installation hardware separately. You will, however, receive four color-matched toilet bolt caps. It comes with a 1-year warranty.

2. Kohler Barrington

Kohler K-3652-0 Barrington Pressure Lite is a two-piece, single flush, elongated, standard-height toilet. It is available in white, black, almond, and biscuit.

This should be if you are looking for a powerful flushing and water-efficient rear discharge toilet. It is a pressure-assisted toilet equipped with Sloan’s FLUSHMATE pressure-assist system. If you don’t know much about Sloan, they are the industry leader in manufacturing pressure-assisted toilet systems.

For every flush, the Kohler Barrington uses only 1 gallon of water. It is, therefore, approved by the EPA’s WaterSense and California energy commission. This toilet, therefore, qualifies for the water rebates program and can be sold anywhere in the United States. Some of its features and specifications include:

• Polished chrome trip lever.
• 12 X 10 water surface area.
• 4-inch rough-in.
• 35-80 psi working pressure.
• 2-1/4 inch trapway.
• Depth: 29.25 inches.
• Width: 21.25 inches.
• Height: 31.5 inches.
• Bowl height: 15 inches.

One of the reasons that Kohler toilets are a good choice is because they have a variety of colors to choose from. I personally like their black toilets a lot. This would be great for anybody who would like to go with a black toilet. If you wish to go with the usual white, you will not regret it.

This toilet, just like the American Standard Yorkville, does not have a comfortable height. If you are a tall person or you just prefer a comfortable height toilet over a standard height toilet, then this will be disappointing. The elongated toilet bowl is more comfortable than a round one.

Another thing you may not be happy about is the fact that this toilet does not come with a toilet seat, wax ring, and water supply line. You will therefore need to buy those separately. If you are looking for a nice seat from Kohler, I would not hesitate to recommend the Kohler Cachet slow-close toilet seat.

Other than the above issues, Kohler Barrington is a great rear discharge toilet. It comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

3. Signature Hardware Ebler

Signature Hardware 941039 Ebler is a dual flush, two-piece elongated rear discharge toilet. It only comes in a white finish.

Some of its features are:

• Elongated bowl
• ADA height
• 6.5 inches rough-in
• Depth: 26.5 inches
• width: 15.75 inches
• Height: 30.75 inches
• Dual-flush toilet
• Contoured design

One thing I like about this toilet is that it is quite compact. Its depth is only 26.5 inches despite being an elongated toilet. This makes it an especially good choice if you have a small bathroom.

Another thing about the Ebler is that it is vet well-designed toilet. It has this intricate design patterns just below the rim and above the base, which makes it stand out.

Cleaning this toilet is a cinch! It has a skirted bowl design which eliminates all the nooks and crannies where dirt tends to hide. Its bowl is also so smooth and curvaceous, which, apart from improving its overall design, also makes cleaning it a breeze.

Being a dual flush toilet, the Signature Hardware Ebler allows you to use 0.8 gallons or 1.6 gallons of water per flush. It is, therefore, compliant with the requirements of EPA’s WaterSense and CalGreen and can therefore be sold in all the States in the US.

The toilet bowl height is 15.5 inches which increases to 17 inches seat height. Ebler is, therefore, an ADA-compliant toilet. It comes with a toilet seat, so you don’t need to buy one separately.

You will also receive a P-trap connector when you buy this toilet. The P-trap connector can fit into a 3-inch PVC or ABS fitting or fasten to any 4-inch PVC or ABS hub fitting. Its rough-in is 6.5 inches.

Signature Hardware gives you a lifetime warranty for this toilet.

4. Saniflo 023 Sanicompact

The Saniflo 023 Sanicompact self-contained toilet is an upflush toilet. An upflush toilet is also called a macerating toilet. A macerator is a unit behind the toilet that grinds and mixes human waste, toilet paper, and water into a slurry, then pumped out through the back of the toilet.

If you are looking for a toilet to install in your basement bathroom or any other bathroom that you don’t want to tear down the floor for a floor outlet toilet, this is the toilet to buy. It has a vertical pumping ability of up to 9 feet and horizontal pumping of 120 feet.

The first time I saw this unit, I wondered, “Where is the tank”? I didn’t know that this toilet does not need a tank since the water is supplied from a line with high pressure that is sufficient to flush the toilet. This is, therefore, a tankless, macerating, and rear discharge toilet in one.

Some of its features and specifications include:

• One-piece toilet.
• Elongated bowl.
• 1/1.28 GPF dual flush toilet.
• Depth: 19.5 inches.
• Width: 14.25 inches
• Height: 18.25 inches.
• Bowl height: 18.25 inches.

Saniflo Sanicompact toilet, although a rear discharge toilet, discharges its waste differently from other rear discharge toilets. It does not need a flange to connect the outlet to the wall but rather a small pipe straight from the macerator.

This being a compact toilet means it can be installed in tight spaces where other toilets cannot fit. Its small size notwithstanding, it has a comfortable bowl rim height of 18.25 inches. It is, therefore, really easy for the elderly and tall people to sit and stand on the toilet. Another interesting addition is the soft close toilet seat which eliminates the irritating seat slamming sound.

For this toilet to work, it will need access to electricity. This is for powering up the macerator pump. If you live in an area without reliable electricity, you might not enjoy this toilet very much.

This unit is a great option for people with a small bathroom, but it can also be installed in ordinary bathrooms without a problem. Another great option is the Saniflo SaniAccess 3 upflush and rear discharge toilet. It can pump the waste further than the Saniflo Sanicompact.

The Saniflo Sanicompact is a great and beautiful toilet that you should definitely consider. To learn more about check the manual and spec sheet here.

Rear Discharge Toilets Vs. Wall-Hung Toilets

Wall-hung toilets, which are also known as wall-mounted toilets, are toilets that are mounted on the wall of the bathroom. The bowl is mounted on the wall, while the tank is concealed inside the bathroom wall.

Wall-hung toilets look more stylish than rear outlet toilets but are more expensive to install. Buying a wall-hung toilet is not as expensive as it is to install it. You will need to erect a secondary wall to conceal the tank and buy the frame. The frame called a carrier, supports the tank and anchors the bowl.

If you would like to learn more about wall-hung toilets, check out this post.

How to Buy the Best Rear Discharge Toilet.

I know I have only reviewed three rear discharge toilets that I consider the best, but of course, you may want to check elsewhere to ensure that you are buying the best toilet for your home. Whether you decide to buy this specific one or not, there are a few factors to consider before buying a rear discharge toilet.

Here are the things to check before buying a rear-discharge toilet:

1. Toilet Dimensions

Toilet dimensions and bathroom clearances are critical. You need to make sure that you buy a toilet that will fit perfectly in your bathroom. It is, therefore, vital to make sure that you check the specific toilet’s specification sheet and check out the assembled dimensions.

One mistake I see people making is going with the listed dimensions on a product description online. Often those dimensions are normally the package dimensions and not the actual dimensions of the toilet.

In this post, I have made sure to list the exact toilet dimensions to help you plan before settling on any toilet. Toilet dimensions are especially important if you have a small bathroom.

2. The Toilet Rough-in

In a rear discharge toilet, the rough-in is the distance between the finished floor and the center of the outlet pipe. I want to insist that the measurement should be taken from the finished floor. Otherwise, you will have an erroneous figure.

The rough-in of a rear discharge toilet is different from that of a floor outlet toilet. In a floor outlet toilet, we measure the distance from the toilet’s rear finished wall to the center of the drainpipe.

If you are replacing an old rear discharge toilet with a new one, please take your time to measure its rough-in so that you can buy another one with an equal rough-in. You only need a measuring tape for this task.

The rough-in of macerating/upflush toilets is sometimes measured the same way as floor outlet toilets, although they are rear discharge toilets. This is because they are designed a bit differently from other rear discharge toilets.

3. Flushing Power

As earlier stated, rear discharge toilets are unable to utilize gravity while flushing fully. This is the reason why most rear discharge toilets use pressure-assisted flushing systems. I personally hate a toilet that I always need to flush twice in order to clear everything.

The best thing about a pressure-assisted toilet is that your toilet will hardly ever clog because it flushes powerfully. On the downside, pressure-assist toilets are louder than ordinary toilets.

All the rear discharge toilets that I have reviewed in this post are pressure-assisted. You are therefore guaranteed that they will always flush strongly.

There are other considerations to make when buying a toilet, like toilet seat height, design, and bowl shape, among others, as I have outlined in this post.

Rear Discharge Toilet Installation

The below video shows how to install an American standard Yorkville rear discharge toilet. The process is, however, the same for installing any other rear discharge toilet. Please bear in mind that these toilets are sold without mounting hardware, such as the flange and the P-trap connector.

You will therefore need to buy these items separately, which adds up to the total cost. If you can manage to install it on your own, you will save up the plumber’s charge, which is normally very high.

Rear Discharge Toilets Comparison Table

Conclusion

Rear discharge toilets are the best option for anyone looking to install a toilet in an area far from the sewer lines or in a bathroom with no floor drainage. They are cheaper and fast to install.

These toilets are normally not in so much demand as floor outlet toilets, and as a result, there are not many of them in the market. I hope whichever toilet you buy will work out well for you.