About six-ish months ago, I broke the news that my extremely cool but extremely old toilet was on her last flush so to speak. It feels odd to say that I loved a toilet, but I did. Because of that, I waited as long as I could to replace her, despite the daily threat that any day could be her last…potentially causing a likely pretty gross disaster. So before we get into my official choice and the 10 other really great affordable options I considered, here she was below in all of her glory. Wish I had better pics!

Now, if I had endless money I would have replaced her with another vintage toilet (but I don’t, UGH, and I have to frequently remind myself that this is a rental:)). I originally found a beautifully restored option on eBay but understandably my landlord wanted me to go more into the “nice but affordable” route and affordable that one was not. So while I know I won’t live in this apartment forever and I really shouldn’t care so much, I was determined to find one that would fit my landlord’s budget as well as the style of the bathroom (as a reminder, my building is a 100+ year old gal).

I adore all of the Kohler toilets in the farmhouse. Most of them have the “Kathryn” but in the guest bath (as shown above), they have the “Memoirs Stately” One Piece (both with pretty Rejuvenation hardware). Those were also out of budget but then a reader recommended the Memoirs Stately TWO piece and it was a total jackpot moment! I got it landlord-approved, purchased it, and was able to have it installed while we were on our retreat in Mexico. Perfect timing and something to make me come back home:) Wanna see?!

Toilet (White) | Toliet Seat

A BEAUTY! Please ignore the bidet, it’s coming off soon. Aside from that, it has the perfect amount of detailing, looks very special, and I really love the flattop tank for styling purposes (ignore the lack of current styling). My last one had a curved-ish top tank (likely not the official term) which made putting anything on top a hazard. Oh, and it flushes like a dream which is also something I couldn’t say for my last gal! So while the one-piece that Em has would have been much easier to clean since it’s skirted and has fewer nooks and crannies on the sides, the two-piece is about half the price. The black toilet seat is from Amazon and I really love the two-tone look. I think it gives it instant personality and a bit more of a vintage look. I chose the round bowl versus the elongated version because that’s what was there before but it also comes in an elongated bowl too. Thank you to the reader who suggested it!! And for those of you who remember that I wanted to save the vintage lever, apparently, it couldn’t be used on this tank. I’ll be on the hunt for one that will though:)

But as you can imagine I did a decent amount of online research before I landed on this one (and got my wonderful landlord’s approval). This beaut was still a little over $500 and that was without the seat since I had one already. So here are 10 very pretty traditional/vintage-inspired toilets that range from $199 to just over $500.

A very similar vibe to the one I got but at a much lower price! It is currently on sale so not sure how long this price will last so if you love I might not wait too long. It’s also a high-efficiency toilet, meaning it uses 20% less water than a standard toilet and its height is ADA-compliant! Oh, and the seat cover is included:)

Here we have a super cute Kohler toilet but at an even better price! This price also includes everything you’ll need (at least that’s what the description on the site says:)) The reviews are great, it’s also water efficient but has what Kohler calls a Revolution 360® flushing technology that generates a forceful swirling option to keep the bowl clean longer. I am a fan of anything that keeps me from having to clean my toilet any more than I have to. As for the design, it’s simple but still has enough detail to make it feel special. And while this one comes with a soft close lid, you could always swap out the lid for a black one and/or replace the lever to make it look more custom!

Out of all of the toilets on this list, this one would be the easiest to clean I think. It’s a one-piece, fully skirted toilet, that has clean lines (aka fewer nooks and crannies) that still make it feel more traditional than modern. It also has a dual flush which I love but if you prefer to have your flusher on the top of the tank, that’s an option (I just like the flexibility of styling the top of the tank which would be hard if that’s where the flusher was). The seat (which is soft close) is also included!

Now we’re getting into the real vintage-inspired ones! How sweet is this little guy?? I heavily considered this one because not only did I love the ribbing detail on the base and the tank lid, but it was also a round bowl which wasn’t as easy to find in the styles I liked. If I had picked this one I would have absolutely changed out the lever to make it feel more vintage. Take a look at some of the review photos, it looks great. So while I did really love this one, something about knowing how good Kohler toilets are (since I have a lot of experience with them) made me choose otherwise. Oh, FYI this one doesn’t come with a wax ring but it does come with a seat.

Speaking of Kohler again, here’s another great option that really toes the line between modern and traditional! I think the curve of the tank could be so fun in a more vintage bathroom. What’s great about this one, aside from the price, is that there are two bowl shape options AND two rough-in sizes. It also comes with everything you need and is water efficient too!

I don’t know what it is about this one but I am into it! It’s a little chunky which I dig while those two “trims” on the base make it feel slightly more refined. This is also a super versatile piece that could work in a vintage or modern bathroom easily. This toilet is not only water-efficient but also has a self-cleaning power wash to prevent against stains??? Not sure if that means every flush will be blue like the photo on the site, but again, I really love the thought that went into not having to clean so much! They tout that the seat is very sturdy which is honestly great because what’s worse than sitting on a toilet and the lid shifting to one side? This toilet also comes with everything you need:) Home Depot really hooks it up in the toilet department!

I’m going to be honest, the next few are all going to be in the same world design-wise as the one I ended up getting but, of course, are all a little different and are at different price points.

I’m sure you can tell what I love about this one but what’s extra special design-wise is that cute lever. It’s got all the great things I’ve been talking about like water efficiency, a soft close seat, and great design. Oh, and of course that price is pretty great:)

For this one, I really like the look of the tank lid. It’s a little more rounded than the others which feels a little more vintage to me. It doesn’t come with a full install kit so you need to make sure you order what you need and I’m not 100% sure which lever it comes with, I’m assuming the one on the left. But of course that can easily be changed. Now, this toilet has what they call “EcoClean” which is a rimless bowl that uses a powerful, horizontal-swirling flush to thoroughly rinse itself after each use, lessening waste buildup to make cleaning more efficient. A fan!

The double lip! So sweet. This toilet is a little more expensive but the design is great and it has an “EverClean surface” which they say inhibits the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew on the surface. Another feature that I feel would be worth it is the “PowerWash rim” that scrubs the bowl with each flush. So while you have to buy a seat separately, it’s a water-efficient toilet:)

Naturally, I had to end on the most expensive. I also love love this toilet and it was another top contender. I do want to reiterate that this is not even a little sponsored by Kohler. I purchased the toilet I got and my landlord reimbursed me. I just love them apparently, ha. But back to this toilet. The detail on the tank feels fun and unique. I guess the design is shaker-inspired so no wonder I’m a fan. Oh, and that handle is my favorite. The flush is apparently great too and you bet it’s water-efficient! But sorry, the seat is sold separately:/

Well, that’s it! I’m so happy with my choice and if you are in the market for a great-looking but affordable toilet, I really hope this post was helpful. If any of you have these toilets, let us know in the comments!

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Our Guest Bathroom Reveal – A Jewel Box That Makes Me So Darn Happy