Brondell Swash LE89 vs Brondell Swash CL1700
Quick take: The Brondell Swash LE89 heats water via hybrid heater while the Brondell Swash CL1700 is tankless (instant heat).
| Spec | Brondell Swash LE89 | Brondell Swash CL1700 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $249 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (450) | 4.1★ (3,961) |
| Type | Electric Bidet Seat | Electric Bidet Seat |
| Water Heating | Hybrid Heater | Tankless (Instant Heat) |
| Controls | Side Control Panel | Wireless Remote |
| Toilet Fit | Elongated & Round versions | Elongated & Round versions |
| Power | Needs GFCI outlet within 4 ft | Needs GFCI outlet within 4 ft |
| Spray Pressure | 5 pressure levels + strong mode | Adjustable spray & pressure |
| Nozzle | Stainless self-cleaning nozzle | Stainless self-cleaning nozzle |
| Install | 30-45 min DIY | 30 min DIY |
| Warm water | Yes | Yes |
| Heated seat | Yes | Yes |
| Warm air dryer | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless remote | No | Yes |
| Night light | Yes | Yes |
| Deodorizer | No | Yes |
| Self-cleaning nozzle | Yes | Yes |
| Feminine wash | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 1-year limited |
Pros & cons
Brondell Swash LE89
- ✓Same hybrid heating as the LE99: the warm wash runs well past the 30-60 seconds a pure tank seat like the SE600 manages before chilling
- ✓Typically $50-75 under the LE99, and it's a deal-site regular — Woot cleared new units at $169.99, absurd for a dryer-equipped hybrid seat
- ✓Physical push buttons on the arm panel sidestep the LE99's most-complained-about part — its beeping, misfire-prone capacitive Lite-Touch remote
- ✓Strong wash mode hits noticeably harder than Brondell's older tank seats, closing most of the pressure gap to Korean rivals
- ✓Five-level warm-air dryer plus five water temps and five pressures — full adjustability without a remote's pairing headaches or batteries
- ✓In-bowl blue night light and a heated seat with three temperatures, the complete midnight package
- ✓Install kit ships with a metal 7/8-inch T-valve and braided hose — sturdier than the plastic tees packed with most sub-$250 seats
- ✓Fully-encased stainless nozzle with five positions and a dedicated front wash — same wash hardware as the LE99, no tiering games
- ✗No saved presets: every user re-dials pressure, position, and temperature each visit — the LE99's one-touch recall is the real thing you're paying extra for over there
- ✗No deodorizer at all — the discontinued SE600 had one at this price, so the current generation is a step backward for smell control
- ✗Hybrid isn't endless: push past a couple of minutes and it cools, where the Swash 1400 and CL1700's instant heaters never quit
- ✗The side arm adds about two inches of width and can't be removed or relocated — measure narrow alcoves first
- ✗The dryer is the LE line's weak point; homeimprovementdude's four-way comparison judged it 'hardly worth the extra money' over the dryer-less LT89
- ✗1-year warranty versus three years on the Swash 1400 — Brondell still tiers its confidence by price
- ✗Brondell's LE/LT naming is a minefield: the LT89 looks identical but has no dryer, and Amazon listings routinely mix the two — verify the model sticker
- ✗Review base is still small (hundreds, not thousands), so long-term hybrid-heater durability is less proven than the ancient Swash 300 platform
Brondell Swash CL1700
- ✓The cheapest endless-warm-water seat in America when discounted: $249.99 gets instant ceramic heating that the $299-street LE99 (hybrid, finite) and $349 Toto S2 can't match on duration
- ✓Warm water arrives in about 10 seconds and never runs out — the defining upgrade over every tank seat at this price
- ✓Programmable remote with two per-user presets plus a wall dock — preset recall is a $479 Swash 1400 feature elsewhere
- ✓Automatic carbon deodorizer engages the moment you sit; the entire sub-$300 LE line omits deodorizers entirely
- ✓Costco's famously liberal return policy functions as an informal extended warranty that outclasses the paper 1-year coverage
- ✓Nearly 4,000 Costco reviews give it a real-world track record most 'exclusive channel' products lack
- ✓Slickdeals regularly catches it at $229 during member events — the price floor for a remote tankless seat, period
- ✓Stainless self-cleaning nozzle, blue night light, and sub-30-minute install round out a spec sheet with no obvious holes
- ✗Costco-exclusive: no membership, no seat — and warranty service routes through Brondell while returns route through Costco, which confuses owners
- ✗Single 2-in-1 nozzle where the Swash 1400 runs separate rear and front stainless wands — the biggest hardware cut from the flagship
- ✗No silver-nanoparticle nozzle sterilization like the 1400; self-cleaning here is a plain water rinse
- ✗1-year warranty versus the 1400's 3-year tiered coverage — Brondell knows which seat is the flagship
- ✗The 4.1-star average (vs 4.4 for the 1400) is dragged down by recurring remote-reliability and dead-unit complaints in Costco reviews
- ✗The warm-air dryer is widely panned as weaker than most — 'weaker than most' is a direct quote from the review consensus
- ✗3.9-foot power cord is stingy; measure to your GFCI outlet before buying, extension cords on bidets are against code in most jurisdictions
- ✗Regular price is $399.99 — at full freight the calculus changes and a discounted Swash 1400 or Bio Bidet BB-1000 becomes the better buy