Brondell Swash LE99 vs Brondell Swash SE400
Quick take: The Brondell Swash SE400 costs $20 less; the Brondell Swash LE99 heats water via hybrid heater while the Brondell Swash SE400 is tank heater.
| Spec | Brondell Swash LE99 | Brondell Swash SE400 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $279 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (1,700) | 4.6★ (1,800) |
| Type | Electric Bidet Seat | Electric Bidet Seat |
| Water Heating | Hybrid Heater | Tank Heater |
| Controls | Wireless Remote | Side Control Panel |
| Toilet Fit | Elongated & Round versions | Elongated & Round versions |
| Power | Needs GFCI outlet within reach | Needs GFCI outlet within 4 ft |
| Spray Pressure | Adjustable + strong wash mode | Adjustable + massage mode |
| Nozzle | Stainless self-cleaning nozzle | Oscillating stainless-steel nozzle |
| Install | 30-45 min DIY | 30-45 min DIY |
| Warm water | Yes | Yes |
| Heated seat | Yes | Yes |
| Warm air dryer | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless remote | Yes | No |
| Night light | Yes | Yes |
| Deodorizer | No | No |
| Self-cleaning nozzle | Yes | Yes |
| Feminine wash | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 1-year limited |
Pros & cons
Brondell Swash LE99
- ✓Hybrid tank-plus-coil heating stretches the warm wash well past the 30-60 seconds the discontinued DS725's pure tank managed before running cold
- ✓Costs less than the DS725 it effectively replaces, with flatter, more modern styling than that seat's pronounced rear hump
- ✓Full wireless remote at a price where rivals — the TOTO S2, Brondell's own Thinline T22 — make you fumble for a side panel
- ✓Saved user settings give one-touch recall of pressure, position, and temperature — a feature that's rare below $300
- ✓Stainless-steel nozzle with five positions, oscillation, pulse massage, and a 'strong wash mode' that surprises reviewers used to gentle entry-level seats
- ✓Heated seat with three temperature levels plus a gentle-glow night light make it a complete nighttime package
- ✓Install kit ships with a metal 7/8-inch T-valve and 25-inch braided-metal hose — sturdier fittings than the plastic tees packed with most budget seats
- ✓Round and elongated versions, and Brondell's Amazon storefront regularly coupons it toward $250 — the cheapest name-brand remote seat going
- ✗Hybrid isn't endless: sustained washes still cool off after a couple of minutes, where the Swash 1400's ceramic core never quits — this is a longer warm-water window, not the end of them
- ✗The warm-air dryer is the line's weak point — homeimprovementdude's four-way LE/LT comparison concluded it's 'hardly worth the extra money' over the dryer-less LT99
- ✗The Lite-Touch capacitive remote has no tactile click, so you learn it by beeps — wet or gloved fingers misfire, a recurring gripe in owner reviews
- ✗One-year warranty versus three years on the Swash 1400 — Brondell visibly tiers its confidence
- ✗No deodorizer at all; the discontinued DS725 had one, so the 'replacement' is a functional step down for smell-sensitive households
- ✗Nozzle self-cleans with plain water only — no sterilizing chemistry like the EWATER+ TOTO puts on the $350 S2
- ✗The tank component keeps a visible rear bulge and sips power around the clock unless you remember to toggle eco mode
- ✗Brondell's model soup (LE89, LE99, LT89, LT99 differ by dryer, remote, and light) causes frequent wrong-variant purchases — triple-check you're buying the LE99 with the dryer
Brondell Swash SE400
- ✓One of the cheapest name-brand seats with a real warm-air dryer — the similarly-priced Toto S2 route costs $70 more, and Brondell's own Swash 300 drops the dryer entirely
- ✓Oscillating stainless-steel nozzle with pulse-massage mode at a price where rivals ship fixed plastic wands
- ✓Positionable front wash with five nozzle positions — a genuine feminine-wash mode, not just a wider rear spray
- ✓The side arm panel means nothing to lose or replace batteries in — a recurring reason owners with kids or rentals pick it over the SE600
- ✓Auto Mode runs a full wash-then-dry cycle from one button, handy for guests and mobility-limited users
- ✓LED night light plus gentle-close lid — comfort touches the budget Swash 300 skips
- ✓4.6-star owner aggregate with 1-star reviews around 4%, mostly fit issues rather than failures — strong reliability record for a tank seat
- ✓Eco mode drops the tank to standby between uses, trimming the always-on power draw that makes tank seats pricier to run
- ✗The tank is the ceiling: expect roughly 30-60 seconds of warm water before it cools, where the Swash 1400's ceramic core never runs out
- ✗No deodorizer at any price — the SE600 adds one for about $20 more, and smell-sensitive households will notice the omission
- ✗No remote and no way to add one; every adjustment means reaching down to the hip-level arm panel
- ✗The arm panel adds about two inches of width, a real squeeze in narrow alcoves next to a vanity
- ✗Max spray pressure is polite by Korean-seat standards — r/bidets regulars who want firehose pressure point buyers at a Bio Bidet BB-1000 instead
- ✗The dryer works but works slowly — owners report a couple of cycles to actually finish the job
- ✗1-year warranty is thin next to the 3-year coverage on the Swash 1400 one shelf up
- ✗It's an aging 2017-era design Brondell has been squeezing between the newer LE/DS lines — expect eventual phase-out rather than updates