American Standard Champion 4 Review-Is It That Good?
Last Updated on May 18, 2022 by toilethaven
American Standard Champion 4. Is It a Good Toilet?
American Standard is among the 3 biggest toilet makers alongside Toto and Kohler. One of their best flushing and popular toilet is the American Standard Champion 4.
Contrary to what you might have known, the American Standard Champion 4 is not one toilet but rather a toilet collection. From the time the first Champion 4 model was released, American Standard has consistently improved on it and keeps on making newer and better models.
It is therefore very easy to get confused on what exact model to buy,and that is why I have written this post to help you easily navigate your way. When it comes to the American Standard Champion 4 just like most other modern toilets, you will need to choose between the following:
- One-piece vs two-piece toilet.
- Elongated vs round toilet.
- Comfort height vs standard height toilet.
Each of these toilet types have their advantages and disadvantages as we are going to see. What may work best for someone else may not always turn out great for you.
According to American Standard, there are 29 toilet models in the Champion toilet collection some whose production has be discontinued. I will not therefore review each and every model there is but will only focus on those which I believe are worth your while.
Let’s get down to it.
American Standard 2034.314.020 Champion 4
The American Standard 2034.314.020 Champion 4 is a single flush one-piece elongated and right height toilet. It is available in white, linen and bone.
Its features and specifications are:
- Bowl type: elongated
- Style: one-piece toilet
- Flush rate: 1.6 gallons per flush
- Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
- Rough-in: 12 inches
- Trapway: 2-3/8 inches
- Flush valve: 4 inches
- Depth: 29.75 inches
- Width: 16.75 inches
- Height: 29.5 inches
- Trip lever: chrome
- Material: vitreous china
- Warranty: 10 years
Just like any other toilet, the American Standard Champion 4 has its pros and cons. Let us now look them and decide whether you should buy it or not.
The Pros
The following are the advantages/benefits of buying/installing the American Standard Champion 4:
1. Strong Flushing System
The American Standard Champion 4 is without a doubt one of the best flushing toilets. It uses the Champion 4 flushing system. This system involves the use of a 4-inch wide flush and an extra-large 2-3/8 inch fully glazed trapway.
The flush valve is the opening at the bottom of the toilet tank through which water leaves the tank and enters the bowl. Most toilets have a 2-inch flush valve.
A toilet trap or trapway is the S-bend at the bottom of the bowl through which waste leaves the bowl and enters the drainpipe. This is where the siphon effect or suction happens during flushing.
So what effect does having a bigger flush valve and trapway have on a toilet’s flushing capability. If you know how a toilet works, you must then know that in order for flushing to occur, a gallon or more of water has to be dumped inside the bowl very quickly.
It is the action of sudden dumping of water in the bowl that produces enough force to trigger the flushing action. By having a 4-inch flush valve, the American Standard Champion 4 ensures that water from the tank is delivered to the bowl so fast and forcefully which in return produces a powerful flush.
The extra-large trapway helps the toilet evacuate a bigger mass of waste than a standard toilet. According to American Standard, the flush valve and trapway combination means that the Champion 4 can move a 70% bigger mass than a standard toilet.
2. Comfort Height Toilet
The American Standard Champion 4 is an ADA-compliant toilet. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that toilet need to have a 17 to 19 inches seat height among other requirements.
ADA toilets are also known as comfort/right/chair/universal height toilets. The Champion 4 has a bowl rim height of 16.5 inches. When you add the extra height from the seat, you will have a total of 17.5 inches seat height.
Although ADA regulations are mostly enforced in public restrooms, comfort height toilets are very comfortable to use and easy to sit and stand from especially by the seniors and tall people. They are called chair height toilets because their height is like that of an ordinary chair and you therefore don’t need to bend too low.
Although comfort height toilets are a great option for most people, there are those who still prefer standard height toilets. American Standard Champion 4 with a standard/normal height is a perfect choice for such people. It has a bowl rim height of 15 inches which is really great for short people or even children.
3. One-piece Toilet
Unlike other previous models of the Champion 4, the American Standard 2034.314.020 Champion 4 is a one-piece toilet. A one-piece toilet is one which the tank and bowl are made as a single piece unlike when the toilet is made with the tank and bowl as separate pieces and only joined together during installation.
Both one-piece and two-piece toilets have their pros and cons as I wrote in this post. The decision to pick either of the 2 comes down to personal preference.
I really like the one-piece Champion 4 toilet compared to the two-piece toilet. It looks so stylish and modern. This design makes the toilet look so smooth without the nooks and crannies present in a two-piece toilet.
It is therefore very easy and fast to clean the Champion 4 one-piece toilet as there are no crevices where dirt can hide. If you would however like a two-piece Champion 4 toilet check out this model.
4. Elongated Toilet Bowl
The American Standard 2034.314.020 Champion 4 comes with an elongated toilet bowl. A toilet will either have a round front bowl or an elongated one. Each has its pros and cons.
An elongated toilet bowl is oval-shaped while the round front bowl is a circular. As a result, the elongated toilet bowl is bigger/longer than a round one. To be more specific, elongated toilet bowl have a length of 18.5 inches while round toilet bowls have a length of 16.5 inches.
Elongated toilet bowls are therefore more comfortable to use as they offer you a bigger surface area to sit on than a round bowl. The American Standard Champion 4 combines a comfort height with an elongated bowl which I really like.
The only downside to elongated toilets is that they have a bigger depth and therefore take up more bathroom space. For anyone with a small bathroom, the American Standard Champion 4 round front toilet is the toilet to go for.
5. EverClean Surface
Just like other modern American Standard toilets, the Champion 4 has its surface coated with American Standard’s patented EverClean additive.
The EverClean additive is an antimicrobial substance that inhibits the growth of mold, mildew and odor-causing bacteria. Your toilet therefore will always look clean and newer for a long time.
How the Everclean additive works is by making the surface of the toilet so smooth like a mirror. It therefore becomes impossible for substances to adhere on the toilet’s surface. Cleaning the Champion 4 toilet is therefore also really easy and you don’t have to use harsh chemicals.
6. Slow Close Toilet Seat
Most new toilets these days are sold without a toilet seat. The American Standard Champion 4 on the other hand does not only come with a seat but a soft/slow closing one for that matter.
A soft close toilet seat is a blessing if you are badly irritated when a toilet seat slams on the bowl every time a toilet is used. It can drive you nuts more so if you live in house with several people (especially children) with each slamming the seat after every bathroom trip.
Although this toilet seat is not the best soft close toilet seat there is, it is not that bad and it does its job just fine.
The Cons
The following are some of the things I don’t really like or may put you off about the American Standard Champion 4 toilet:
1. High Flush Rate
The American Standard Champion 4 uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Although that is still a great improvement from the old 3-gallon per flush toilets, most modern toilets are now using 1.28 gallons of water or even less.
The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started a program called WaterSense to encourage Americans to buy products (including toilets) which use less water. WaterSense-certified toilets are labelled as such, to help customers easily identify them.
In order for a toilet to be WaterSense certified, it must use 1.28 gallons of water per flush or less. The American Standard Champion 4 is therefore not WaterSense certified.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) also requires that any toilet sold in California must not use more than 1.28 gallons of water per flush. Texas has also followed suit. Due to these regulations, the American Standard Champion 4 can therefore not be sold in Texas and California.
2. Its Pricey
The American Standard Champion is not a particularly cheap toilet. It is rather on high-end side. The cost of this toilet will therefore put most people off, even those who would have wanted to badly own one.
I have also noted that the bone and linen toilets are way more expensive than the white toilets. While I really like the Champion 4 bone toilet, its price is quite high. That is however not surprising because porcelain occurs naturally as a white substance and hence more processes and cost is involved to change it to another color.
American Standard Champion 4 Round Toilet
Although an elongated toilet is a more comfortable toilet than a round one, sometimes it makes more sense to buy a round toilet. This is especially the case when you have a small bathroom.
A round front toilet has a shorter depth than an elongated toilet by about 2 inches. 2 inches might seem like a small measurement but in a bathroom setting it can be extremely vital.
The American Standard Champion 4 round toilet is a single flush two-piece comfort height toilet. It has a flush rate of 1.6 gallons per flush just like the elongated one.
The dimensions of the American Standard Champion 4 round toilet are:
- Depth: 28.25 inches.
- Width: 17.875 inches.
- Height: 31.18 inches.
- Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches.
- Rough-in: 12 inches.
Apart from the bowl shape and the two-piece toilet style, the American Standard Champion 4 round toilet works just the same way as the elongated Champion 4
American Standard Champion 4 vs Champion 4 Max
| Champion 4 | Champion 4 max | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Flush Rate | 1.6GPF | 1.28 GPF |
| Style | One/two-piece toilet | Two-piece toilet |
| Dimensions | Depth: 29.75 inches Width: 16.75 inches Height: 29.5 inches | Depth: 30.25 inches Width: 17.375 inches Height: 31.125 inches |
The American Standard Champion 4 Max is a single flush two-piece elongated and comfort height toilet. It is available in white, bone and linen.
The main difference between the American Standard Champion 4 and the Champion 4 Max is the water consumption. While the Champion 4 uses 1.6 gallons per flush, the Champion 4 Max uses only 1.28 gallons per flush.
The Champion 4 Max is therefore a WaterSense certified toilet and also approved by the California Energy Commission. The Champion 4 Max can therefore be sold in California and Texas while the Champion 4 cannot.
American Standard Champion 4 Max dimensions are:
- Depth: 30.25 inches
- Width: 17.375 inches
- Height: 31.125 inches
- Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
- Rough-in: 12 inches
While the Champion 4 Max is really water efficient, I would still go the Champion 4, unless you live in Texas or California. I really like its design and appearance.
In you would be interested in the American Standard Champion 4 Max, check it out here on Amazon.
American Standard Champion 4 vs Cadet 3
| Champion 4 | Cadet 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Flush Rate | 1.6 GPF | 1.28 GPF |
| 2. Dimenisons | Depth: 29.75 inches Width: 16.75 inches Height: 29.5 inches | Depth: 28.5 inches Width: 15.5 inches Height: 28.5 inches |
| 3. Flush valve | 4-inch | 3-inch |
| 4. Trapway | 2-3/8 inches | 2-1/8 inches |
Just like the Champion 4, there are several models of the American Standard Cadet 3 but I feel like we should compare oranges with oranges. We will therefore compare the American Standard Champion 4 one-piece toilet vs the American Standard Compact Cadet 3 FloWise one-piece toilet.
The first obvious difference between the two is the flush rate. The American Standard Cadet 3 FloWise uses only 1.28 gallons of water per flush while as we already now know the Champion 4 uses 1.6 gallons per flush.
As a result, the Cadet 3 is compliant with EPA’s WaterSense and the California Energy Commission (CEC). It can be therefore be sold to California and Texas residents, something which is impossible with the Champion 4.
The American Standard Champion 4 derived its name from its 4-inch wide flush valve. It also has a 2-3/8 inch trapway to match the flush valve. The Cadet 3 has a 3-inch wide flush valve and 2-1/8 wide trapway.
It therefore goes without saying that the Champion 4 is a more powerful flushing toilet than the Cadet 3. Having said, I should add that it does not mean that the Cadet 3 has a bad flushing or clogs frequently. It is actually great flushing toilet and just goes out to show how powerful the Champion 4 is.
Another distinct difference between the Cadet 4 and the Champion 4 is the dimensions. The American Standard Cadet 3 one-piece toilet is a compact toilet which is not the case with the Champion 4.
According to the manufacturer, the Cadet 3 compact toilet occupies the same space as a round toilet even though it is has an elongated bowl. Let’s see if this claim is true. The dimensions of the American Standard Cadet 3 FloWise one-piece toilet are:
- Depth: 28.5 inches
- Width: 15.5 inches
- Height: 28.5 inches
Compared to the Champion 4 which has a depth of 29.75 inches, the Cadet 3 is clearly a compact elongated toilet. For anyone with ran old round toilet in a small bathroom and looking to replace it with a much more comfortable toilet then the Cadet 3 is the way to go. Another great option would be the Kohler Santa Rosa
American Standard Champion 4 vs Toto Ultramax II
| Champion 4 | Ultramax II | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Flush Rate | 1.6 GPF | 1.28 GPF |
| 2. Dimensions | Depth: 29.75 inches Width: 16.75 inches Height: 29.5 inches | Depth: 28.375 inches Width: 16.875 inches Height: 28.75 inches |
| 3. Flush valve | 4-inch | 3-inch |
| 4. Flushing System | Champion flushing system | Tornado flushing system |
Outside of American Standard, the Toto Ultramax II is the one toilet which I feel gives the Champion 4 a run for its money.
Toto Ultramax II is a single flush one-piece elongated and comfort height toilet. It is available in cotton white, colonial white, Sedona beige, bone and ebony/black.
It is a beautifully designed toilet which in my opinion is one of the best toilet in the market. So between the Champion 4 and Toto Ultramax II, which is the better toilet?
Let’s start with their flushing systems. The American Standard Champion 4 as we have seen uses the Champion flushing system which incorporates a 4-inch flush valve with a 2-3/8 inch trapway.
Toto Ultramax II on the other hand uses Toto’s Tornado flush system. So how does the Tornado flushing system work?
Toto toilets use a 3-inch wide flush valve but that’s not the only thing that make them good flushing toilets. Instead of the usual rim holes under the rim of the bowl, Toto uses two nozzles on each side of the toilet rim. The nozzles have a sideways-facing orientation.
When you flush the toilet, water enters the bowl through 2 channels. The first is the siphon jet facing directly at the toilet trap. The second is the 2 nozzles. Due to the nozzles’ orientation the water hits the surface of the bowl hard forming a vortex which causes it to move around the bowl like a cyclone.
This flushing system is very effective in cleaning and rinsing the bowl. Toto toilets including the Ultramax II works almost the same way as the American Standard VorMax toilet.
Unlike the Champion 4, Toto Ultramax II is a WaterSense certified toilet. It is also compliant with California Energy Commission’s requirements. Toto Ultramax II uses 1.28 gallons per flush and can therefore be sold without restrictions anywhere within the USA.
Although the Toto Ultramax II is a comfort height toilet, its bowl rim height is 16.125 inches which is shorter than the Champion 4’s 16.5 inches. If height is something you really can’t compromise on then the Champion 4 is the toilet for you.
Toto Ultramax II dimensions are:
- Depth: 28.375 inches
- Width: 16.875 inches
- Height: 28.75 inches
Looking at these dimensions and comparing them to those of the Champion 4, it needless to say that the Toto Ultramax II is more space-efficient than the Champion 4. It is therefore a great choice for people who need to save some bathroom space.
If you would like an alternative to Champion 4 from Toto that is not as pricey as the Ultramax II, I would suggest you check out the Toto Drake. It is a competitively priced and powerful flushing toilet.
While I really like the American Standard Champion 4, the Toto Ultramax II is in my opinion a better choice.
Final Thoughts
American Standard Champion 4 is without a doubt a great toilet and indeed one of the best toilet in the market. If you are tired of a constantly clogging toilet and are looking for a powerful flushing non-clog toilet, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending the Champion 4.
Although it has its problems like its flush rate and price, the benefits of buying the Champion 4 outweigh its shortcomings by a mile.