Toto Drake vs Toto Drake II – Pros, Cons & Comparisons
Last Updated on May 18, 2022 by toilethaven
Toto toilets are some of the best flushing toilets in the market. You will hardly ever go wrong with a Toto toilet. Toto Drake and Toto Drake II are 2 of the most popular Toto toilets.
So, what is the difference between Toto Drake and Toto Drake II? Or better still, which is the better toilet between Toto Drake and Toto Drake II?
Toto Drake uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush while Toto Drake II uses 1.28 gallons per flush. It uses the G-Max flushing system while Toto Drake II uses the Tornado flushing system.
Toto Drake II is therefore more water-efficient than Toto Drake, WaterSense certified and can be sold all over the United States. The Toto Drake cannot be sold in California, Colorado and Texas.
Toto Drake is however cheaper than Toto Drake II. Both Toto Drake and Toto Drake II are powerful flushing toilets, only that Toto Drake II does so using 20% less water.
Toto Drake vs Toto Drake II Comparison Table
| Feature | Toto Drake | Toto Drake II |
|---|---|---|
| Style | 2-Piece | 2-Piece |
| Bowl type | Elongated | Elongated |
| Flush rate | 1.6 GPF | 1.28 GPF |
| Toilet size | Less Compact | Compact |
| Bowl height | 16.5 inches | 16.125 inches |
| ADA Compliance | Yes | Yes |
| Flushing System | G-Max | Tornado Flush |
| Rough-in | 12/10 inches | 12 inches |
| Cefiontect glaze | No | Yes |
| Cost | Low | Higher |
| Restrictions | California, Texas, Colorado | None |
| Rim holes | Yes | No |
| Ease of cleaning | Harder | Easier |
| Aesthetics | Average | Great looking |
| Toilet seat | Not Included | Not Included |
| Tank size | 19.875 inches | 17.25 inches |
| Tank shape | Flat, narrow at the bottom | Uniform, curved |
| Bowl shape | Narrow at the back | Uniform back to front |
Let us now briefly look at the pros and cons of Toto Drake and Toto Drake II elongated ADA toilets.
Pros and Cons of Toto Drake
Toto Drake is a single flush two-piece elongated and comfort height toilet. There are different models of the Toto Drake toilet but the Toto Drake CST744SL is the one I would advise you to consider.
The colors available are cotton white, colonial white, bone, Sedona beige and ebony/black.
The Pros
- Great price
- Powerful flush
- Universal height
- 5 different colors to choose from
The Cons
- Not water-efficient
- Cannot be sold in some states
- Rim holes, which can clog
- Not sleek
- Seat not included
The Pros and Cons of Toto Drake II
Toto Drake II is a single flush WaterSense two-piece elongated and comfort height toilet. It is available in cotton white, bone, colonial white, Sedona beige and ebony.
Toto Drake II is an improvement of the Toto Drake and is therefore considered by many as the better toilet. So, what are the pros and cons of the Toto Drake II?
The Pros
- Water efficient
- Can be sold all over the United States
- Sleek
- Cefiontect glaze
- No rim holes
- Powerful flush
- ADA Compliant
The Cons
- Pricey
- No seat included
- Bowl height shorter than the Toto Drake’s
Toto Drake vs Toto Drake 2: Detailed Comparisons
Apart from their differences, Toto Drake and Toto Drake II have many similarities. Let us look at all their differences and similarities in detail.
1. Flushing System
A toilet’s flushing power is the most important feature in a toilet. I can think of a worse thing than a weak flushing toilet that will always need you to flush twice or even thrice in order to clear everything.
Fortunately, both Toto Drake and Toto Drake II have a powerful flush. The only difference is that the Toto Drake II flushes as good as the Toto Drake while using 20% less water.
Note: If you would like to compare Toto Drake and Toto Drake II with other powerful flushing toilets check out this post.
Toto Drake uses Toto’s G-Max flushing system while Toto Drake II uses the Tornado flushing system. What is the difference between this 2 flushing systems and is one better than the other?
Toto G-Max flushing system involves the use of a 3-inch wide flush valve (other toilet brands mostly use a 2-inch flush valve) to deliver water to the bowl faster. The faster the water is delivered to the bowl the more its force and the stronger the flush.
Actually, all Toto toilets use a extra-large flush valve and that is why they are some of the best toilets for not clogging.
Toto’s Tornado flushing system involves the use of a 3-inch flush valve and 2 powerful nozzles on each side of the bowl instead of rim holes. When flushed, all the water from the tank enters the bowl through the 2 nozzles.
The nozzles are sideways-facing such that when the water enters the bowl it forms powerful vortexes before flushing the waste down the drainpipe. The vortex action is very efficient in in scrubbing and rinsing the bowl than the usual rim holes.
Due to the vortexes formed on both side of the bowl, the Tornado flushing system is also known as the double-cyclone flushing system. This is because the movement of the water as it enters the bowl resembles 2 cyclones in the sea.
Another advantage of the Tornado flushing system is that it eliminates the bowl rim holes which tend to clog a lot due to molds and mineral deposits. This is one of the reason that most toilets will start experiencing weak flushing, especially in areas with hard water.
Although both the Toto Drake and the Drake II have strong flushes, Toto Drake II comes out top due to its low water consumption and also lack of the hard-to-clean toilet bowl rim holes.
2. Toilet Dimensions
It is very important to determine the dimensions of a toilet before buying it especially if you have a small bathroom. Some of the most important toilet dimensions are:
- Depth
- Width
- Height
- Bowl rim height
- Rough-in
- Bowl size
The dimensions of the Toto Drake CST744SL are:
- Depth: 28.125 inches
- Width: 19.875 inches
- Height: 30.5 inches
- Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
- Rough-in: 12 inches
- Bowl size: 18.5 inches
The dimensions of the Toto Drake II are:
- Depth: 28.5 inches
- Width: 17.25 inches
- Height: 30 inches
- Bowl rim height: 16.125 inches
- Rough-in: 12 inches
- Bowl size: 18.5 inches
As you can see from the above dimensions, Toto Drake II is more compact (width-wise) than the Toto Drake by more than 2 inches. This makes it a better option for people with small bathrooms.
Let us now look at the other toilet dimensions and how they might affect your choice.
Toilet Bowl Rim Height
Another thing to note is that Toto Drake has a bowl rim height of 16.5 inches while Toto Drake II has a bowl rim height of 16.125 inches. If you want to sit on a higher toilet then the Toto Drake is the toilet to go for.
I should however mention than both of these 2 toilets are ADA compliant. ADA compliant toilets are toilets with seat height of 17 to 19 inches as stipulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
ADA compliant toilets are also known as comfort height toilets or universal/right/chair height toilets. They make it easy to sit and stand while using the toilet especially for the tall and old folks.
To read more on the pros and cons of comfort height vs standard height toilets check out this post.
Although both the Toto Drake and Toto Drake II are sold without toilet seats, once you install the seats you will be sitting at a height of 17.625 inches with the Toto Drake and 17.25 inches with the Toto Drake II.
Toilet Bowl Size
Both the Toto Drake and Toto Drake II have an elongated bowl. The opposite of that is a round-front bowl.
An elongated bowl offers a bigger surface area than a round toilet bowl and is therefore more comfortable to sit on. The size of the bowl is measured from the center of the 2 seat mounting holes to the front of the bowl.
The size of both of the Toto Drake’s and Toto Drake II’s bowl is 18.5 inches. They also have a standard toilet seat bolt spread of 5.5 inches.
Rough-In
The rough-in of a toilet is the distance between the toilet’s rear finished wall and the center of its drainpipe. You can also measure the rough-in from the wall to one of the 2 toilet bolts.
The standard rough in of a toilet is 12 inches, although some toilets and especially the old ones sometimes have a 10 or 14-inch rough-ins.
Both Toto Drake CST744SL and Toto Drake II have a rough-in of 12 inches. If you would like a 10-inch model of the Toto Drake then the Toto Drake CST744EF is the one to go for. Check it out here on Amazon
If you have a 14-inch rough-in toilet, I would recommend the Toto Vespin II. Toto Vespin II is the skirted version of the Toto Drake II. I have compared the both of them in more detail in this post.
Although Toto Vespin II has a 12-inch rough-in, its skirted design allows it to be converted into a 10 or 14-inch rough-in toilet with the help of the Toto unifit adapter. TOTO Vespin II will however be more expensive than Toto Drake II.
3. Appearance
Apart from flushing power, I believe that aesthetics are also very important in a toilet. A good looking toilet makes your bathroom look stylish.
In my opinion, Toto Drake II is sleeker and better looking than the Toto Drake. Why am I saying that though?
Toto Drake’s tank looks way bigger relative to the bowl. To be more precise, the width of the Toto Drake’s tank is 19.875 inches compared to the width of its bowl which is only 14 inches.
On the other hand, the width of the Toto Drake II’s tank is slightly bigger than that of its bowl but is less pronounced as that of the Toto Drake. It stands at 17.25 inches.
Toto Drake’s tank is narrower at the bottom and wider at the top while Toto Drake II’s tank is straight from top to bottom. The Toto Drake II therefore looks more uniform than the Toto Drake which enhances its overall design and beauty.
There is still another difference in design/appearance of both of these toilets. If you look at the front side of Toto Drake’s tank, it is almost completely flat. You will however notice that Toto Drake II’s tank is curved which makes it look really sleek.
Another noticeable difference between the Toto Drake and Toto Drake II is the shape of the bowl, especially at the back. With the Toto Drake, the bowl narrows as you approach the tank while with the Toto Drake II the bowl width is uniform all the way back which again enhances its design.
4. Cefiontect Glaze
As we know, toilets are made of porcelain. As you might already know, porcelain contains tiny holes which can make a toilet very hard to clean when waste gets embedded in the tiny holes. This is the main reason why poop sticks on toilet bowls.
When you look at the Toto Drake II and compare it to the Toto Drake, Toto Drake II looks cleaner and shinier. This is because of the Cefiontect glaze that is used to coat it surface.
This makes it really easy and fast to clean Toto Drake II relative to the Toto Drake since waste have nowhere to hide. You don’t therefore need to use any harsh chemicals to clean the Toto Drake II or even clean it as often as you would need to clean the Toto Drake.
The black model of the Toto Drake II as is the case with other Toto black toilets does not have the Cefiontect glaze.
Conclusion
Both Toto Drake and Toto Drake II are great and powerful flushing toilets. For anyone not interested in other features but simply wants the best flushing toilet that will not clog, The Toto Drake is the toilet to go for. You must however be located outside of California, Texas and Colorado.
If you want a powerful flushing, water-efficient and great looking toilet then you should definitely go with the Toto Drake II. It will however cost you more than the Toto Drake. If you are in the states mentioned above you definitely have no choice but to buy the Drake II.