Tale of two toilets, consider water-efficiency

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- We do not like to talk about the toilet, but we cannot live without it.

When it is time to get a new one, the wall of toilets in the home center can be pretty daunting. How to choose?

Not all toilets perform the same. Consumer Reports tests to see if they effectively wash away debris, whether the bowl is left clean after a flush, and how water-efficient they are.

What makes one toilet better than another? To illustrate, Consumer Reports selected two toilets that cost the same - $150. But one is a recommended model, and the other has the lowest score in their ratings. Why?

The Mansfield Alto just got fair marks for waste removal.

In several tests, the sponge debris stayed in the bowl. But the Delta Prelude does its main job very well.

These little test sponges won't be coming back, and how clean is the bowl surface afterwards? One Consumer Reports test is to draw a water-soluble marker ring around the inside of the rim, to see if one flush can wash it away.

The Mansfield bowl was only "fair," with markings left behind after each flush.

"A good performer has the power to rinse away most of the debris, most of the time," said John Banta.

Consumer Reports recommended Delta model did an excellent job powerfully rinsing the ring away and when you shop -- check out the efficiency rating. The Delta uses less water than the Mansfield - just 1.28 gallons per flush versus 1.6.