The 8 Best Toilet Seats of 2020

• 01 of 08

  Best Overall Toilet Seat: Bath Royale Premium

  Very Good

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  A good toilet seat is best when you don’t even notice it is there. Complicated seats that are difficult to install or even use aren’t worth your time. The best seats are simple and convenient. The Bath Royale Premium hits both of these check marks by offering a quick installation process and a straightforward style that makes decorating the bathroom easy.

  Coming in both round and elongated options, this seat will fit the vast majority of toilet brands such as Toto, Crane, American Standard and Kohler. The rim and lid are made of a tough polypropylene plastic in white that will match most bathroom styles so you don’t have to worry about finding the right lid to fit in with the decor. The plastic makes the toilet resistant to chemical damage and stains while combating the buildup of harmful bacteria on the surface.

• 02 of 08

  Runner Up, Best Overall Toilet Seat: Kohler K-4636-0

  

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  Many toilet seats offer more handy features than initially meet the eye. What’s more, these features may even be things you never knew you needed. The Kohler K-4636-0 comes with a plethora of features that make the seat quick and easy to install or use. Kohler’s Quick-Close design slowly lowers the lid to avoid the loud crash and damage of the plastic hitting the toilet bowl.

  The Grip-Tight bumper keeps the seat and lid firmly affixed to the toilet to prevent any unintentional slips. This is a handy feature if you have small children who struggle to climb onto the toilet. The elongated design of the bowl also insures a comfortable, ergonomic fit on posteriors of many sizes.

• 03 of 08

  Best Value Toilet Seat: Kohler K-4775-0 Brevia

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  It shouldn’t cost you a lot to have a decent upgrade toilet seat for your bathroom. While many higher end seats offer unique materials or advanced, smart features, a basic option like the Kohler K-4775-0 Brevia still has plenty to offer. This seat comes with Kohler’s standard set of easy installation and use features, including the Quick-Attach and Quick-Release mechanisms. The plastic, round lid is simple to secure onto the bowl with just a couple of screws. When it comes time to clean the toilet, the Quick-Release mechanisms allow you to pop the lid off to clean the hard to reach areas without hassle.

  The round seat is contoured to fit the natural curves of the human body, increasing comfort during extended use.

• 04 of 08

  Best Designer Toilet Seat: Mayfair 41EC 047

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  If you don’t want the standard white surface most toilet seats come in, a designer seat may give you the options you need to find something unique and fitting for your bathroom. Designer status doesn’t have to be expensive either. Mayfair’s 41EC 047 has plenty of color options to choose from with an extremely affordable price tag. The molded wood lid comes with a high-gloss finish that is both durable and reflective for traditional or modern styles.

  The seat comes in many colors ranging from black and pure white to neutral options like silver, grey or bone. You can also choose between an elongated or round shape to fit the specific dimensions of your toilet.

  Continue to 5 of 8 below.
• 05 of 08

  Best Round Toilet Seat: Mayfair 48SLOWA

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  Round toilet seats tend to be extremely common in older design styles as well as smaller spaces. Since a round profile doesn’t take up as much area in a bathroom, these can be the toilet bowl of choice for people living in apartments, condos or tiny homes where space is at a premium. The round profile is so common that most seat manufacturers guarantee the perfect fit with the toilet no matter the brand or model.

  The Mayfair 48SLOWA takes the top spot for round toilet seats primarily due to the STA-TITE fastening system. The heavy-duty fasteners resist shifting and twisting while in use, keeping the lid firmly on the toilet without damaging the bowl. A quick detach design also allows you to remove the lid quickly while cleaning.

• 06 of 08

  Best Elongated Toilet Seat: Church Wood Elongated

  

  Buy on Lowe's

  

  Elongated toilet seats have gained popularity in recent decades due to their ergonomic design. While the right toilet shape is a personal preference, many people prefer the elongated design because of the greater surface contact with their skin as they sit. The Church Wood Elongated toilet seat is a top contender in this category, especially if you are looking for a way to upgrade your bathroom while remaining environmentally friendly.

  The lid and seat are made of a high density molded wood, protected with a high-gloss finish. Molded wood is more sustainable than the more common plastic options, meaning you can lower your initial environmental footprint while you upgrade the seat. The high-gloss finish matches the traditional look of ceramics while providing a tougher surface that resists stains and scratches.

• 07 of 08

  Best Heated Toilet Seat: Brondell LumaWarm

  

  Buy on Home Depot

  

  Do you want to treat yourself to a small but noticeable improvement in your daily bathroom experience? A heated toilet seat may sound silly at first, but following in the tradition of heated car seats, an option like the Brondell LumaWarm might change your mind. Heat against the skin helps to improve your overall comfort while relaxing the rear muscles. Since heat is a common treatment for many injuries, a heated toilet seat can almost be therapeutic if you find normal plastic or wooden seats too uncomfortable.

  With enclosed electronics, this heated seat is as simple to install as any other lid/seat combination. The onboard controls allow you to set the temperature to your liking, while a blue LED night light will even illuminate the bowl for nighttime use.

• 08 of 08

  Best Hygienic Toilet Seat: BioBidet Supreme BB-1000

  

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  Despite popular belief, most toilet bowls are much cleaner than you’d initially expect. Still, it doesn’t hurt to keep your health and hygiene on your mind when looking for a new toilet seat. For the maximum level of cleanliness, a bidet toilet seat is the way to go. These seats do away with the need for toilet paper, and instead, use a water nozzle to clean those personal hard to reach spots.

  The BioBidet Supreme BB-1000 is an elongated bidet seat that offers a three-in-one cleaning nozzle to handle a variety of cleaning needs. A wireless remote keeps your hands free and clear while the seat takes care of all your toilet-related hygienic needs. Water is stored in a built in, heated reservoir, so installation is quick and painless. 

Products Tested by The Spruce

How We Tested

Our reviewers spent 48 hours testing a top-rated toilet seat. We asked our testers to consider the most important features when using this toilet seat, from its material to its shape. We've outlined the major takeaways here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.

What to Look for in a Toilet Seat

Shape When purchasing a toilet seat, the most important consideration is the shape of your toilet. There are two common shapes: round and elongated. Round toilets are often found in older homes, while elongated toilets are more popular with modern plumbing fixtures. It’s important to know the shape of your toilet so you can pick a seat that fits.

Material Toilet seats are typically made of either plastic or wood, and there are pros and cons to each material. Plastic seats tend to be lighter and have a longer lifespan, while wooden seats are sturdy and heavier. Many people also think wooden toilet seats add a touch of luxury to the bathroom.

Soft close Does it drive you crazy when you close the toilet seat and it makes a loud noise? If so, you may want to consider a soft-close toilet seat, which is designed to shut slowly and quietly.

Test Results: Bath Royale Premium (Best Overall Toilet Seat)

Very Good

Buy on Amazon

What We Like

• Easy to install

• Durable

• Quiet-close feature

What We Don't Like

• Comfort compares with standard seats

This toilet seat won over our testers because it was easy to install and durable — “especially the attachment screw area, which is what always breaks first on other toilet seats,” explained one reviewer. One of our testers also loved its quiet-close feature: “We have kids in the house and they tend to slam the toilet seat by accident,” she noted, “but it was nice to have a seat that was quieter.” Overall, our testers were very happy with this toilet seat, but one did say that she wished it was “slightly cushier.”