Not necessarily only off shore. When SMD leds first entered the market, there were many sellers in Australia who imported cheaply made ones from overseas to make a quick buck. Some of these were potential shock and/or fire hazards. There have been other examples of charging cables and other products which didn’t conform to Australian standards. Even Masters was caught up in one with the flex cable they sold and subject to mandatory recall/removal and replacement.
While it is good to save a lot of money importing or locally online, it doesn’t guarantee product compliance with relevant standards, codes or regulations…where such products are regulated by such.
While the Aussie retailer indicates compliance with one standard, there will be many more that don’t either locally (such as local eBay stores) or internationally on any selling platform.
Edit…when buys online a product from platforms such as eBay and the product is regulated in Australia, one needs to ensure it complies with the requirements for Australia. If one doesn’t, it is possible that one will buy something which doesn’t comply and unable to be used legally in Australia.
Locally I was quoted between $1400 and $1800 for the seat only which prompted the search online. We paid $494 with free postage and it arrived with a few days.
We have a Coway that we purchased from them about 6 years ago. It replaced a Taiwanese one that had lasted about 10 years. We have tried to purchase direct from Toto in Japan, but they wouldn’t agree to it.
Our Coway has a one-way valve fitted on the water inlet.
The very first seat we bought was an inexpensive Japanese one that had a hose that you dropped into the cistern, and it drew its water from there.
I have many friends and relatives in Japan that are using Toto ones that have been in use for 20 years or more. They do seem to make long-lasting products.
They need to. A country noted for longevity of the population needs not to be wasteful.
In particular we appreciated the version that opens the lid when you enter the room and self closes after you stand up. If only it could identify boy needs from girl needs more intuitively?
It’s great to see the increased range of locally available options since last we looked. We were equally surprised Toto was not an off the shelf local option given the quality of their products and broad range.
We too have added a Japanese type toilet seat which we purchased from Costco . I see there is also one available from Bunnings and probably elsewhere.
It was easy to install with an adjustable spanner to the existing plumbing with the fittings provided.
This type of seat requires an accessible powerpoint in the bathroom and is better than a Bidet, as you can control with the remote the temperature, position and rate of flow. It also can be heated for comfort.
This raises something which is often not considered. Most separate toilets (rooms) don’t have a power point and within a bathroom the placement of power point may not be in a practicable location for powering a bidet.
It is worth noting that in Australia there are also regulations/standards (which there seems to be about many things) about the placement of power points in a bathroom (inc. toilets) to prevent electric shock. I suspect that similar requirements would not exist in overseas markets where power operated bidets are used and installed and could be a potential barrier to the installation of one in Australia.
Getting the power supply built in such as they do for extractor fans/light in the bathroom or for ovens in the kitchen could be an alternative. Then there is only a switch on the wall to isolate the seat from the electrical system. This presents a problem for renters of course but in a homeowner’s premises the choice is probably based on cost of the install rather than putting a hole in the wall.
The seats are self contained requiring a connection to the cistern plumbing water inlet, usually a two way valve with anti-siphoning, and a standard 240v power point. There are many electrical solutions that would easily comply although as posted, few toilet areas have power points since in days gone by why would they have been needed, and adding a powerpoint is a common sparky job. At the end of the day it is some cost, but neither ‘administratively prohibitive re standards and so on’ nor over the top expensive.
A possible down side (no pun intended) is installing one and finding you did not like the seat and either removed or just did not use it. The sparky investment might then be a talking point someday in the future where ‘built for a bidet seat’ might be a selling point.
Adding the facility in when building a new home for such a hands off connection wouldn’t be hard either when they wire up the house. Put a blank over where the wires terminate in the wall and an extra switch on a power panel/switch or a dedicated single one on the wall high enough up to avoid splashing by wet feet etc.
There is a shop in Australia square on the Gold Coast called " The Bidet Shop" where we purchased one. they were were very good and we have had it for over 2 years now and it’s great. Phone 1300 243387. Also they had to send it to SA and that was no problem.
One of my acquaintances got a DIY kit from the omnipresent major hardware store. The kit instals into one’s existing toilet and he is so pleased with it that he can’t stop recommending it to me to replace that "filthy "custom of using toilet paper.
Great tip phb - I have a relative who has the attached to toilet type, hope Choice looks at them.
And the website comments are of further interest:
"And … make sure you are dealing with a licensed plumbing. There are lots of unlicensed plumbers doing ILLEGAL plumbing and who are regularly prosecuted by the Plumbers Licensing Board
NOTE: In Australia it is often legal to buy something but illegal to use it. That is how a market driven economy works."
Yeah, let a lot of people be ripped off and endanger their health and wellbeing.
Choice is assisting us to protect ourselves from bad products and services while our governments should be more proactive (and many sadly assume they are).
Yes, Great idea. I’ve used “bidets” (shower toilet seats) at home for 40 years.
I started by buying them from Switzerland in 1980. They can be attached to a conventional toilet easily.
They have many benefits: hygienic, virtually paperless, and most now have heated seats, a great plus for many users in winter.
I fully endorse your suggestion for a “Choice Assessment” as soon as possible.
Andrew
