Bidet seat innovation:
How it became the luxury hiding in plain sight (BPT) — The coronavirus inspired shoppers to load their carts until they overflowed with toilet paper. However, the shopping frenzy and the shortage of supplies also inspired many to take a fresh look at a bathroom appliance they long ignored: the bidet seat. Until then, most people had no idea that innovations driven by WASHLET like dryers, jets of warm water and heated seats existed, let alone could transform their lives. For those who are new to bidet seats and how they’ve evolved into a necessary luxury, here’s a brief history of how they came to be. The traditional French solution: Bidets started appearing in the late
1600s to early 1700s in the palaces and chateaus of the French nobility as a more civilized method to clean up after using the chamber pot. Fast forward to the middle of the 20th century, and bidets earned a place as an essential fixture in bathrooms across Europe, South America and parts of Asia. The U.S. stands alone: Despite its global reputation for modernization and redefining culture, the U.S stood alone as a bidet holdout. Americans didn’t have the space or the budgets to accommodate another bathroom fixture that required plumbing. Even if they encountered one on their travels, it didn’t win many converts. Jets
of cold water, the inability to customize spray position and water pressure, and the challenge of drying off, all added up to an experience they found unpleasant. For these reasons, we stuck to good old toilet tissue. Introducing Japanese innovation: WASHLET, developed by the Japanese plumbing company TOTO in 1980, combined the toilet seat and highend bidet into a single appliance and added a number of unheard-of luxurious additions. First and foremost, they made it possible to get access to warm water to cleanse. Then, engineers worked tirelessly on the details. For example, they conducted many rounds of product testing to find the ideal angle at which water should spray from the wand, which extends from beneath the seat. (In case you wondered, it’s 43 degrees.) They added a heating element in the seat, and warm air to dry. These transformed the bidet from an unwieldy European relic to a sought-after luxury item, quickly catching on in Japan and other bidet-friendly nations. In fact, Japan’s Cabinet Office started tracking electronic bidet seat penetration as a way to gauge consumer confidence. In 2020, ownership reached 80.2%.
clean the wand with EWATER+ before and after each use and reduce toilet scrubbing time, as PREMIST sprays the bowl before each use and EWATER+ after. One of the downsides of innovation is that it inevitably inspires imitators, and it’s no different for WASHLET. When it comes time to choose, TOTO is the trusted, most durable brand that stands by its high-quality products with superior after-sales service. If you Unstoppable progress: need help, simply reach Though Americans stuck out to a technical support team member either to their standard toilet by phone or chat. To paper, which stayed relatively unchanged and learn more, visit WASHmay even seem primitive, LET.com. WASHLET, introduced to WASHLET. When it U.S. consumers in 1989, comes time to choose, cultivated its reputation TOTO is the trusted, of creating the ultimate, most durable brand that best-in-class experience stands by its high-quality by focusing on four products with superior major areas: cleanliness, after-sales service. If you comfort, convenience need help, simply reach and ecology. For startout to a technical supers, TOTO pioneered port team member either an eco-friendly way to by phone or chat. To cleanse with Air-In Won- learn more, visit WASHder Wave. The air-rich LET.com. water droplets not only create a more pleasant washing experience, but water consumption is reduced by 30%. During use, the pulsating and oscillating cleansing massage gave people a way to personalize their cleansing ritual. TOTO engineers also developed ways to automatically We are back
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