Toto Drake Review – Features, Pros, Cons, & Comparisons

Last Updated on October 4, 2023 by toilethaven

Toto Drake is one of the most popular and best flushing toilets among other Toto toilets across the industry. The color finishes available are cotton white, colonial white, Sedona beige, bone, and ebony.

Toto Drake is a two-piece single/dual flush elongated/round, comfortable height toilet. Its best features are powerful flushing, universal/ADA height, great price, round/elongated models, and a single or dual flush toilet option.

Toto Drake is a really good toilet. Apart from being one of the most powerful flushing toilets, it has a modern design, it is well-priced, and the Cefiontect glaze makes it impossible for waste to stick, making it very easy to clean.

The main disadvantage of the Toto Drake is that it uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush, more than what is recommended by EPA’s WaterSense. Therefore, Toto Drake cannot be sold in California, Texas, and Colorado.

An improved version of the Toto Drake in the name of the Toto Drake II is available. So, what is the difference between the two?

The difference between Toto Drake and Toto Drake II is that Toto Drake II is more water efficient. It uses the E-Max flushing system with a consumption of 1.28 GPF, while Toto Drake uses the G-Max flushing system with a consumption of 1.6 GPF.

While there are several models of the Toto Drake, the Toto CST744S is the best model to pick. So, what makes the Toto Drake a good toilet? Are there other options that you can choose instead of buying it?

We will start by looking at the features and specifications of the Toto Drake and later compare it with other great toilets so that you can make a more informed choice.

And now, let us look at all these Toto Drake toilet features in more detail.

Flushing System

Toto Drake toilets use Toto’s G-Max flushing system. This is arguably one of the best toilet flushing systems. It involves using a 3-inch wide flush valve (instead of the usual 2-inch) and an extra-large 2-1/8 inch trapway.

A toilet flush valve is the opening at the bottom of the toilet tank through which water leaves the tank and enters the bowl. A toilet trap, also known as a trapway, is the S-shaped opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl through which waste leaves the bowl and enters the drainpipe.

The resulting effect of this design is that water is dumped inside the bowl faster and out forcefully. Based on how gravity flush toilets work, the faster the water enters the bowl, the stronger the siphoning effect at the trapway.

The stronger the siphoning, the less likely the toilet will clog. This is why Toto Drake and other Toto toilets hardly ever clog.

The G-Max flushing system is falling out of favor with the market. Toto toilets using the G-Max flushing system use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. That is more than the 1.28 gallons required for selling toilets in some states like California and Texas.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also developed a WaterSense program that certifies, labels and sensitizes the public to buy toilets with a consumption of 1.28 gallons of water per flush or less.

Because of these reasons, Toto is now manufacturing toilets that use the E-Max flushing system, rated at 1.28 gallons per flush. It also started manufacturing a Toto Drake dual flush toilet, which is WaterSense compliant.

California, Texas, and Colorado residents cannot buy the single-flush Toto Drake but can buy the Toto Drake dual-flush toilet model. Folks from elsewhere in the country who want a water-efficient toilet should also consider that model.

Two-Piece Toilet Design

Toilets are manufactured either as one-piece toilets or two-piece toilets. One-piece toilets are toilets whose tank and bowl are joined together, while two-piece toilets have the bowls and tanks made as different pieces that are only joined during installation.

Both one-piece toilets and two-piece toilets have their advantages and disadvantages. I cannot, however, say which is more aesthetically appealing than the other. It all depends on the individual’s preference.

Toto Drake is a two-piece toilet. When you buy this toilet, it will be shipped to your address using two separate boxes, one with the tank and the other with the bowl. There is usually no guarantee that both boxes will get to you simultaneously. Sometimes, one package arrives a day or two later.

Due to their packaging, two-piece toilets like the Toto Drake are less likely to break during shipping than one-piece toilets. One-piece toilets are normally shipped in one big box and are more likely to break due to their weight, size, and odd shape. Always inspect your toilet for cracks (even hairline cracks) as soon as you receive it.

One advantage of two-piece toilets like this one is that if the tank or the bowl cracks, you can only replace the cracked piece. With a one-piece toilet, you would have to replace the entire toilet, which is not cheap.

A major disadvantage of two-piece toilets is that they have more toilet tank parts (meaning more repairs) than one-piece toilets. The toilet tank to bowl gasket, tank bolts, and washers are the parts you will find in a two-piece toilet but not in a one-piece toilet.

After years of usage, you will notice your Toto Drake or any other 2-piece toilet leaking between the tank and the bowl. Worn-out gaskets, loose/corroded tank bolts, or worn-out washers usually cause this.

Fixing such a problem is not expensive, but it can become so if you have to hire a plumber. To fix the issue, you must first remove the toilet tank and then reinstall it, something most people don’t know how to do.

For more information on the pros and cons of one-piece vs. two-piece toilets, check out this post.

Toto Drake’s Dimensions

It is very important to know the dimensions of a toilet before buying it. There is no point in buying a toilet that you cannot install. That can be a very expensive mistake.

The dimensions of the Toto Drake are:

• Depth: 28.125 inches
• Width: 19.875 inches
• Height: 30.5 inches
• Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

From the dimensions above, Toto Drake is neither a compact toilet nor too big. It is perfect for most bathroom sizes in the United States. A standard rough-in of 12 inches is also important.

Toto Drake has a bowl height of 16.5 inches, which increases to 17.5 inches seat height. This falls between the 17 and 19 inches required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for accessible bathrooms.

Comfort height toilets, which are also known as chair/universal/right height toilets, are easy to sit and stand from, especially for seniors and tall folks. The opposite of comfort height toilets is standard height toilets, which are about 15 inches high.

Unfortunately, Toto Drake does not come with a toilet seat. You will need to buy one separately. A Toto washlet or any other bidet toilet seat would be an even better option, although a pricey one.

For those with a 10-inch rough-in toilet who want to replace it with the Toto Drake, check out the Toto CST744SF.10. It is a 10-inch rough toilet with all the other features similar to the 12-inch rough-in model.

You can also try the skirted models of Toto toilets, like the Toto Carlyle II and Toto Vespin II. Although they are 12-inch rough-in toilets, they can be converted into 10 or 14-inch toilets using Toto’s Unifit adapter.

Cost

Toto Drake is one toilet that I consider to be very competitively priced. Of course, there are cheaper toilets than the Drake, but given that this is Toto’s best-selling toilet and its great flushing power, I am convinced its price is very fair.

Another cost most people don’t consider while buying a toilet is maintenance. Toto Drake toilet parts are readily available online and in most home improvement stores. There are toilets whose parts have to be shipped specifically from the manufacturer, which takes time and is also expensive.

The good thing is that even if you don’t want to buy the original parts from Toto, there are third parties that manufacture toilet repair kits that are as good as the original ones. Two good ones are Fluidmaster and Korky.

Toto Drake Round Toilet

Most toilets in the United States have either an elongated toilet bowl or a round-front one. Round-front toilet bowls are circular, while elongated toilet bowls are oval-shaped.

If you can’t differentiate the two by just looking at them, measuring will help. Elongated toilets have an 18.5-inch long bowl, while the length of round toilet bowls is 16.5 inches. Most people choose elongated toilets over round ones because they are more comfortable.

Round-front toilets are a better choice for people with small bathrooms. They have a shorter depth than elongated toilets, which helps them fit in a tight spot. The dimensions of the Toto Drake round toilet are:

• Depth: 26.375 inches
• Width: 19.875 inches
• Height: 28.5 inches
• Bowl Height: 14.625 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

As you can see, the Toto Drake round toilet’s depth is 2 inches shorter than that of the Toto Drake elongated toilet. 2 inches might not look like much, but when it comes to bathroom fixtures, even 0.5 inches is critical.

Another thing to note is that the Toto Drake round toilet is a standard-height toilet. The distance from the floor to the top of the bowl is 14.625 inches, which is less than ideal for some people, especially older people and tall.

The Toto Drake round toilet will be the perfect pick for people with small bathrooms. Its flushing power is as good as that of the Toto Drake elongated toilet.

Toto Drake Dual Flush Toilet

Toto CST746 Drake is a two-piece dual flush elongated WaterSense and comfort height toilet. It is one of the best Toto Drake models for the reasons we are going to see below.

To start with, this toilet allows you to use either 0.8 gallons per flush or 1.6 gallons per flush, depending on the waste you need to flush; for solids, use the 1.6 gallons option, while the 0.8 gallons will suffice to flush down liquids.

Due to its water efficiency, the Toto Drake dual flush toilet complies with CalGreen and WaterSense requirements. Residents of California, Texas, Colorado, and the rest of the United States can buy this toilet.

Unlike other Drake models, the Toto Drake dual flush toilet uses Toto’s new Tornado flushing system. This system uses less water by using two powerful nozzles on each side of the bowl instead of the usual rim holes.

When you flush the toilet, water comes out through the two rim holes, creating a whirlpool inside the bowl. The cyclic water movement ensures a 360-degree bowl cleaning.

Unlike other Drake toilet models, this one has been coated using Toto’s Cefiontect glaze. The smooth mirror-like coating inhibits the adherence of debris and mold on the toilet, making flushing and cleaning the toilet super easy.

You will also notice that the Toto Drake dual flush toilet tank is smaller and more uniform in size compared to that of the other Drakes. Its trapway is also semi-concealed. Apart from being more water efficient, it is also true to say that the Toto Drake dual flush toilet is better-looking than other Drakes.

The dimensions of the Toto Drake dual flush toilet are:

• Depth: 27.375 inches
• Width: 17.31 inches
• Height: 31 inches
• Bowl height: 16.125 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

As you can see, despite being an elongated toilet, the Toto Drake dual flush toilet is quite compact. Its depth is slightly longer than that of the Toto Drake round toilet.

The Toto Drake dual flush toilet is a bit more expensive than other models. It, however, has more features; hence, this is justified.

Toto Drake vs Toto Drake II

Toto Drake II is a two-piece single flush elongated WaterSense and comfort height toilet. It is available in cotton white, colonial white, bone, Sedona Beige, and ebony/black.

I guess you could say that Toto Drake II is the improved/deluxe version of the Toto Drake. It flushes just as good as the Toto Drake, only that it uses less water.

The main difference between Toto Drake and Toto Drake II is their flushing systems. While the Toto Drake uses a G-Max flushing system with a flushing rate of 1.6 gallons per flush, the Toto Drake II uses the Tornado flushing system with a flushing rate of 1.28 gallons per flush.

Toto Drake II is certified by both WaterSense and CalGreen and can be sold all over the United States.

Another difference between Toto Drake and Toto Drake II is that Toto Drake’s toilet tank is too big, narrow at the bottom, and wider at the top; Toto Drake II’s toilet tank is smaller and uniform in size from top to bottom.

The toilet tank of the Toto Drake is also flat at the front compared to that of the Drake II, which is nicely curved. You will also notice that Toto Drake’s bowl is narrower at the back, unlike that of the Toto Drake II, which is uniform in size from front to back.

These differences make the Toto Drake II so sleek and better-looking than the Toto Drake. Don’t forget that Drake II is coated with Cefiontect glaze and is easier to clean than Toto Drake.

If I were to choose between the 2, I would, without a doubt, choose Toto Drake II. It is, however, more expensive than Toto Drake. For a skirted toilet, check out the Toto Vespin II. It is the skirted version of Toto Drake II.

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

Toto Drake vs. Toto Ultramax

If you want a one-piece toilet, check out the Toto Ultramax. Both Toto Ultramax and Toto Drake use the G-Max flushing system and use 1.6 gallons per flush.

Although they say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, I would say that the Toto Ultramax is way better-looking than the Toto Drake. It, however, costs much more than the Drake.

If you want a nice one-piece Toto toilet, I suggest getting the Toto Ultramax II. This toilet has every feature present in the Toto Drake II, with the only difference being the one-piece design.

Toto Ultramax II is, however, quite expensive, and if you were looking for a toilet in the Toto Drake price range, it might not be the one for you. The dimensions of the Toto Ultramax II are:

• Depth: 28.375 inches
• Width: 16.625 inches
• Height: 28.75 inches
• Bowl height: 16.125 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

Check out a detailed review of the Toto Ultramax II in this post.

Toto Drake vs Toto Entrada

Toto Entrada is a two-piece single flush elongated WaterSense and comfort height toilet. It is only available in cotton white and Sedona beige.

If you are looking for a nice alternative to the Toto Drake that is both water-efficient and price-friendly, then Toto Entrada is the one. It is also a powerful flushing toilet despite its low water consumption.

The main difference between Toto Drake and Toto Entrada is that Toto Drake uses the G-Max flushing system while Toto Entrada uses the E-Max flushing rate. Toto Drake will, therefore, use 1.6 gallons of water per flush compared to Toto Entrada’s 1.28 gallons per flush.

The dimensions of the Toto Entrada are:

• Depth: 28.625 inches
• Width: 15.25 inches
• Height: 30 inches
• Bowl Height: 16.125 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

Going by the dimensions above, you can see that the toilet tank of the Toto Entrada is about 4 inches narrower than that of the Toto Drake. You, therefore, know which toilet to buy if you have a small bathroom.

Toto Drake vs Toto Eco Drake

Toto Eco Drake is a two-piece single flush elongated WaterSense and standard height toilet. It is very close to the Toto Drake in appearance.

Two main differences exist between the Toto Drake and the Toto Eco Drake. The first one is that Toto Eco Drake uses the E-Max flushing system (1.28 gallons per flush), while Toto Drake uses the G-Max flushing system (1.6 gallons per flush). The second is that the Toto Eco Drake is a standard height toilet, unlike the Toto Drake, which is a comfortable height toilet.

The dimensions of the Toto Eco Drake are:

• Depth: 28 inches
• Width: 19. 875 inches
• Height: 28.5 inches
• Bowl height: 14.625 inches
• Rough-in: 12 inches

The Toto Eco Drake is slightly more powerful and durable than the Toto Drake. With a bowl height of 14.625 inches, Toto Eco Drake does not attract many buyers despite its low water consumption.

Check out the Toto Eco Drake

Conclusion

Toto Drake is undoubtedly one of the best toilets in the market, but as we have seen, there are other slightly better options, though expensive ones. In summary, the best features of the Toto Drake toilet are:

• Strong flushing
• Good price
• Comfort height
• Round/elongated toilet options
• Dual flush option
• 10-inch rough-in option
• Variety of colors

I would say that Toto Drake is ideal for a toilet that is not too expensive.