Gerber Plumbing makes all kinds of plumbing fixtures, including toilets. We all have our toilet preferences and a well-made toilet is a major asset to any household. Items like shape, height, and flushing power are all important to our expectations of comfort and hygiene. You may not know that Gerber has been making toilets for years.
Does Gerber make good toilets? Gerber does make good toilets and they’ve been doing so since 1932. Gerber has won some major awards for their toilets, especially in the past ten years. From starting in the plumbing industry to making award winning toilets, Gerber has come a long way.
There are different types of toilets, just as there are different features to those toilets. We’ll take an in-depth look at Gerber toilets and explain what makes them stand out and the features that make them good toilets.
Which Type Toilet is Right for You?
There are different types of toilets and choosing one should be based on your home decor and personal preferences. Here are the types of toilets Gerber makes:
- One-Piece
- Two-Piece
- Wall Hung
- Floor Mounted
1.One-Piece
A one-piece toilet is just like it sounds – the tank and the bowl are one piece and can’t be separated.
The disadvantage of this type of toilet is that if you have a problem with either the tank or the bowl, you must replace both.
The advantages of this piece is that it can be very sleek and attractive, adding to the overall ambiance of your bathroom.
2. Two-Piece
A two-piece toilet has two main, separate components – the tank and the bowl. The tank is bolted onto the bowl fixture.
One advantage of this type toilet is that you can replace either the bowl or the tank if something were to happen.
One disadvantage to this type toilet is that it can be:
- Bulky
- Unattractive
- Difficult to clean, with many edges and hard to reach places
3. Wall Hung
A wall hung toilet can be a very attractive option for your bathroom. On a wall hung toilet, the tank is frequently in the wall, leaving you with a sleeker design for your toilet. You can often find these type toilets in hotel rooms.
One advantage of this type is that it takes up less room than a floor mounted model. For a small bathroom this is a key feature. A wall hung toilet is also easier to clean around than a floor mounted toilet.
One disadvantage of this is, with the tank frequently in the wall, it can be hard to access if you have a plumbing problem. Let’s say the toilet is continually running and you need to figure out why. Determining that may mean busting a hole in your wall to take a look at your toilet tank. This could get expensive quickly.
4. Floor Mounted
The floor mounted type of toilet is the traditional toilet most of us have in our bathrooms and are used to seeing and using. The floor mounted toilet uses 4 bolts to affix it to the floor and puts the ring and pipes in the floor itself.
One advantage to this type toilet is all the components are ready and available if you need to work on them.
A disadvantage to this type is that it can take up a lot of room and be difficult to work around or clean.
5 Impressive Features of Gerber Toilets
Gerber toilets feature many impressive features. For almost 100 years, Gerber has been making and perfecting toilet parts and toilets, so they’ve had a lot of time to get it right. Some of the best features of their most impressive toilets include:
- Energy Efficiency
- ErgoHeight Bowl
- FluidMaster Flapper
- Dual Fed Siphonic Jets
- Glazed Trapway
1. Energy Efficiency
Gerber Plumbing is a long time EPA WaterSense partner. EPA started this national brand to help preserve water supplies for future generations, as well as save on utility bills.
Gerber was the first company in North America to change its entire line of toilets into high-efficiency options. Most Gerber toilets use 1.28 gallons of water. Some use even less. The standard toilet on the market uses 1.6 gallons.
Gerber toilets are labeled as High-Efficiency Toilets (HET). Less water is used for flushing, saving you money and helping to preserve the environment.
2. ErgoHeight Bowl
Most standard toilets are 15” in height. Gerber’s ErgoHeight bowls are at a minimum 16.5” in height. This makes it easier for the elderly and disabled to sit on the seat and also stand up from the toilet.
The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requires that a toilet must have 17” to 19” in height from floor to bowl rim in order to be called an ADA compliant toilet. These type toilets are required for many public and business restrooms.
Gerber’s ErgoHeight bowls comply with ADA specifications, allowing for safe use for people with disabilities. The elderly, or people recuperating from an illness, would also benefit from Gerber’s ErgoHeight feature.
3. FluidMaster Flapper
Toilet flappers are the leading cause of leaking or running toilets. A toilet flapper is the piece at the bottom of your toilet tank that seals the water to prevent constant running.
This small piece can also regulate your flush pressure. If it opens too slowly, you have a weak flush. This can be inefficient and cost you more money if you have to flush more than once.
If you have the following problems, chances are it’s a problem with your flapper:
- Toilet Making Abnormal Noise
- Toilet Running Constantly
- Toilet Flush is Weak
- Toilet Continuing to Fill Sporadically After Flushing
Gerber chose a standard 2-inch plastic flapper for almost all of their toilets. It’s easy to install and provides a perfect fit to keep the toilet from continuously running.
4. Dual Fed Siphonic Jets
This is one of the coolest features on many of Gerber’s toilets. Just because Gerber is concerned with energy efficiency and their toilets only use 1.28 gallons of water per flush doesn’t mean you’re going to get a weak flush with a Gerber toilet.
Gerber uses extra large, dual fed, siphonic jets on some of their toilets to create a powerful flush whenever you push the toilet handle. These jets forcefully push waste out of the bowl and into the drain.
The water is pushed down through the top of the bowl instead of up from the bottom. This creates a powerful swirl effect that cleans the bowl effectively as well as flushes the toilet.
Siphon jets are used to increase the pressure of the flush and create a powerful suction action that eliminates waste very quickly.
5. Glazed Trapway
Between the hole at the bottom of your toilet bowl and the pipe is a trapway. This is the first place waste is going to travel as it exits your bowl, so it’s very important that this piece is as smooth as possible to facilitate removal.
Gerber uses a fully glazed 2-inch trapway. This glazing is an important part of the process. With the trapway just out of sight, it’s not easy to clean, so you don’t want any waste materials getting trapped in that area. The super glazing remains on for the life of the toilet bowl and ensures a smooth path for the waste.
Pros and Cons of a Gerber Toilet
During our research, we found a lot of pros for the Gerber toilet. Some of them are listed below:
PROS
- Most Are Affordably Priced
- Vitreous China Material
- Height Range
- Energy Efficient
We’ve talked about some of these pros above. But the vitreous china used by Gerber is worth mentioning here.
Vitreous china is an enamel coating put on porcelain after it is fired. It makes the porcelain tougher, denser, and shinier. This is a very durable coating. It’s also:
- Stain resistant,
- Scratch resistant
- Resists waste sticking
This is a major asset when you’re talking about toilets.
The vitreous china coating used on Gerber toilets come in the colors of:
- Biscuit
- Bone
- White
Although we haven’t experienced it ourselves, some online reviewers do list a con for the Gerber toilets:
CONS
- Can Get Clogged Easily
For the siphonic jets to work on the toilet, there is a reduced diameter at the exit hole and it necks down at the flange. A flange is a pipe fitting that connects the toilet drain to a drain pipe. The design is necessary for the siphon to work correctly.
However, a minority of reviewers say this design causes the toilet to clog frequently. Amazon records a 3 star rating for the Gerber Two Piece Elongated Toilet, out of a possible 5 stars.
How Much Does A Gerber Cost?
Cost is one of the deciding factors when looking at purchasing a toilet. So, how much does a Gerber cost in comparison with other brands?
You can buy a Gerber on Amazon, on the Gerber website, and at plumbing supply stores nationwide. As you might imagine, price frequently depends on the type of toilet chosen, as well as the features.
For instance, a two piece, wall hung, elongated toilet made by Gerber, with 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) is relatively inexpensive at plumbersstock.com. An identical toilet made by American Standard, also with 1.28 gpf, goes for more than double that price on Amazon.
One of Gerber’s more popular toilet bowls, the Viper, is a two piece elongated toilet that is ADA compliant and rated for 1.28 gpf. It sells from in the median price range at Amazon. Toto has a similar product that is also ADA compliant with an elongated bowl. It sells on Amazon for a much higher price.
The most expensive Gerber Toilet currently offered is the Wicker Park toilet. With 1.28 gpf and an ErgoHeight bowl, it has a 3” flush valve and a fully glazed trapway. The Wicker Park has a very simple design, with clean, smooth lines. It’s currently under $1,000 and you can find it in a showroom or dealer in your area by visiting Gerber online.
Gerber toilets have consistently high reviews and the price is lower than larger, brand-name toilet makers like American Standard and Toto.
Gerber Vs. Other Toilets
Gerber is in competition with several other plumbing companies. They include:
- Kohler
- Toto
- American Standard
These brands all manufacture ADA compliant toilets. Many of their toilets are energy efficient and enjoy the WaterSense label offered by the EPA. They all offer products that have elongated seats and have glazed trapways.
The difference between Gerber and these other companies is twofold: Gerber has a different flushing system and Gerber toilets are most often more cost effective than the other brands.
Gerber uses the dual jet siphonic flushing system, allowing the toilet’s design to create a suction that cleans away all waste using a minimum of water. Other type toilets use different flushing systems, including:
- Gravity Flush
- Pressure Assisted
- Double Cyclone
1. Gravity Flush
Gravity flush systems use the water to make flushing pressure, forcing everything from the bowl into the trapway. It’s the oldest technology used and is still considered one of the best. American Standard uses this concept with their VorMax flushing technology, which uses a little water to start the suction and more water to clean the bowl.
Kohler also uses a gravity flush system for their toilets. Theirs is called a Class Five flushing system and has a large flush valve with a direct fed water jet.
2. Pressure Assisted
Pressure assisted flushing that uses pressurized air to force water into the toilet bowl, creating a strong flush. It can be noisy but it is very powerful.
3. Double Cyclone
Toto introduced a new flushing system called the Double Cyclone, in which the toilet has two nozzles instead of rim holes for water coming into the bowl. The nozzles shoot down towards the opening in the bowl, helping the toilet flush while using the minimum amount of water.
Across the spectrum of toilets, Gerber comes in as much more cost effective than the other brands.
Where Are Gerber Toilets Made?
Gerber started manufacturing vitreous china products in Kokomo, Indiana in 1932. It has been a company for 86 years and was founded by Max Gerber, a Polish immigrant. It is now owned by Globe Union Group, Inc., a Taiwan company headquartered in China. Manufacturing has now been shifted to China.
Awards for Gerber Toilets
Gerber has received three Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX Awards) from DesignJournalMag.com. The online magazine has been a leading international trade resource for almost 30 years.
For toilets, their awards include:
- Platinum Award 2017
- Gold Award 2017
Gerber won the platinum award for their Avalanche concealed trapway toilet. Both the two piece and the one piece options are high efficiency and operate at 1.28 gallons per flush.
They won the gold award for their Hinsdale Suite styling of bathroom fixtures. The Hinsdale Suite has a two piece high efficiency toilet also operating at 1.28 gallons per flush.
Gerber’s Most Popular Toilets
Gerber makes a variety of toilets but some of their most popular are:
- Viper GTB20562
- Allerton GHE20007
- Avalanche 21-014
- Maxwell GDF21118
1. Viper GTB20562
The Viper on this list is a two piece unit with an elongated shape bowl in a bright white color. This is an energy efficient toilet, at 1.28 gpf. It can offer homeowners a 20% yearly savings over standard toilets. You can find it at Walmart.
2. Allerton GHE20007
The Allerton is also ADA compliant with a trip lever on the left hand side of the tank. It offers 1.28 gpf, making it a cost savings toilet. You can find this at Plumbers Stock.
3. Avalanche 21-014
The Avalanche is Gerber’s premier toilet bowl. This is the toilet that features the dual jet siphonic flushing technology. It’s an ErgoHeight bowl and has 1.28 gpf. AF Supply has this model.
4. Maxwell GDF21118
The Maxwell is Gerber’s lower end toilet. It still offers an impressive 1.28 gpf and has an ErgoHeight bowl. The actuator on this one is located on top of the tank and it uses gravity fed, siphonic jets to clean the bowl and suction the water through the trapway. This is one of the cheapest of the Gerber options. You can get it at Plumbers Stock.
Is a Gerber Toilet a Good Buy?
Depending on your needs, a Gerber toilet may be a good fit for your home. It’s affordable and many of the styles are modern and sleek. New flushing technology should help with any clog issues and the components are of durable quality.
Gerber offers a 5 year warranty on the vitreous china for their products. They offer a 10 year warranty on select components, like Avalanche products and Suites.
With many to choose from, you should be able to find a Gerber toilet to suit your needs.
Learn More
If you are interested, go check out the toilet section on Amazon for any great deals.