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Original poster

Soft close toilet seats - are they worth it?

18 replies

VermicularCanister · 02/08/2013 10:39

We are having two toilets replaced. Soft close seats are an option, at £30 extra. We have only ever had normal seats, and I find soft close ones vaguely odd when visiting friends because of the way they resist being put down, although the DCs find it hilarious to watch the seat slowly inching down.

However, so many bathroom threads list them as desirable/must-have items. Am I missing something? If there are good reasons why it would be worth spending an extra £60 to upgrade our toilet seats, I would be interested to know them.

OP posts:
Pascha · 02/08/2013 10:43

I've got one toilet with soft close lid and one without and the only difference is the toddler can't just slam the soft close in fun. I suppose it prolongs the life of the seat if you have a family of slammers, otherwise its just a nice gimmick.

CatsCantFlyFast · 02/08/2013 10:44

Got to be honest I love mine. It was here when we moved in and previously wouldn't have been something I would have paid money for but would now. I simply fling the lid down and walk away, and the soft close gradually shuts it silently. No banging lids, no having to hold the lid to close it quietly. So easy

Hassled · 02/08/2013 10:46

We put them in due to the endless slamming down of loo seats causing them to keep breaking at the hinges - this was DD having issues with her 3 brothers leaving loo seats up all the time. Replacement rate has dipped dramatically.

starlingsintheslipstream · 02/08/2013 10:47

We had one, doesn't work anymore. Mainly because every time I went to the loo, usually desperate to go as I'd been busy and putting it off, I would find it up and force it shut!

If the men of the family would close it as they finished it would be a good idea but, in our house at least, that doesn't happen...

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 02/08/2013 10:54

We put them in when we redid our bathrooms and I would do it again. "Fling the lid down and walk away" about sums it up - it sounds like such a small thing but it makes a difference!

Original poster
VermicularCanister · 02/08/2013 11:37

Thanks all for your replies! Useful to know that they can be damaged by being forced open and shut, because I dare say that would happen at some point. Got to balance that against the potential for seat breakage by slamming. As a family we are not especially bothered about lids being left up/down, so the luxury of a quietly self-closing lid might be lost on us! Anyway, very useful to know how other people find them.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 02/08/2013 11:44

Yes - I;d definitely always have them. We have 3 toilets - 2 with soft close, 1 without. I always forgot about the one without and it ends up clanking down with a loud bang!

mummaemma · 02/08/2013 12:19

with 4 kids i would only have soft close seats.

nemno · 02/08/2013 12:40

They are nice to use but a real fiddle to put on.

Kassett · 02/08/2013 14:59

We have them in our rental flat and I love them. Hadn't come across them before but I'm going to have them in the house we are (hopefully) buying.

PoppyAmex · 02/08/2013 15:02

It such a small thing but very satisfying - we also have all soft close "everything" in the kitchen (drawers and cupboard doors).

HormonalHousewife · 02/08/2013 15:07

It just makes things that little bit calmer !

Over a lifetime £30 is not that much really.

Vivacia · 02/08/2013 15:12

Our new toilet came with one. I wouldn't have paid £30 for it, given the choice, but I probably would now. It's great. See also soft close doors and drawers in the kitchen.

Another good thing about the toilet, is that the lid and seat (as a unit) detach from the pedestal for easy cleaning.

fluffyanimal · 02/08/2013 15:12

We have one, we only bought it because it was a wooden seat, as DH keeps breaking plastic toilet lids when we sit on the toilet as if it were a chair whilst bathing the kids. The one annoying thing about it is that when DH or the boys lift the seat to have a wee, it doesn't stay up and keeps trying to come down so they have to hold it back while they wee. I think this is because both wooden lid and seat are quite thick and the pan is coupled very closely to the cystern so there isn't much space to lean it back.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 02/08/2013 17:18

Fluffy that's interesting about having to hold it because our old lid (non-self-closing) had to be held, but our new self-closer doesn't!

I love my soft close kitchen bits and pieces too. I now want soft closing doors and ovens. I'm obsessed I realise I have a problem Grin

GobblersKnob · 02/08/2013 17:19

I liked ours but it broke after about six months and became a normal loo seat.

MrsTaraPlumbing · 03/08/2013 08:17

I think fluffy has a faulty toilet seat.
In my experience soft closing is a must and we will never look back - esp when kids are young.

flow4 · 03/08/2013 08:25

Sounds like they could be quite traumatic if, like me, your pelvic floor isn't what it should be, and you live with blokes who leave the seat up all the time! Confused

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