Toto Washlet A2 vs Brondell Swash LE89
Quick take: The Toto Washlet A2 costs $9 less; the Toto Washlet A2 heats water via tank heater while the Brondell Swash LE89 is hybrid heater; only the Brondell Swash LE89 has a warm-air dryer.
| Spec | Toto Washlet A2 | Brondell Swash LE89 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $240 | $249 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (331) | 4.4★ (450) |
| Type | Electric Bidet Seat | Electric Bidet Seat |
| Water Heating | Tank Heater | Hybrid Heater |
| Controls | Side Control Panel | Side Control Panel |
| Toilet Fit | Elongated only | Elongated & Round versions |
| Power | Needs GFCI outlet within 4 ft | Needs GFCI outlet within 4 ft |
| Spray Pressure | 5 pressure levels | 5 pressure levels + strong mode |
| Nozzle | Self-cleaning dual-action wand | Stainless self-cleaning nozzle |
| Install | 30-45 min DIY | 30-45 min DIY |
| Warm water | Yes | Yes |
| Heated seat | Yes | Yes |
| Warm air dryer | No | Yes |
| Wireless remote | No | No |
| Night light | No | Yes |
| Deodorizer | No | No |
| Self-cleaning nozzle | Yes | Yes |
| Feminine wash | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 1-year limited |
Pros & cons
Toto Washlet A2
- ✓Cheapest ticket into genuine TOTO — ~$240 on Amazon and it dips to $223-228 in recurring deals, barely more than a SmartBidet SB-1000 and less than half the S5
- ✓The wash itself is full TOTO: soft rear spray, rear cleanse, and front (feminine) cleanse with oscillation and 5 pressure levels — spray comfort budget Korean/Chinese seats don't match
- ✓Wand self-rinses before and after every use, same hygiene routine as the $649 S5
- ✓Heated SoftClose seat with three temperatures plus an energy-saver timer keeps standby costs in check
- ✓Dead-simple side panel with physical buttons — guests and older relatives figure it out without a manual, and there's no remote to lose or run out of batteries
- ✓Slim, low-profile body for a tank unit — it doesn't have the fax-machine hump of older C100-era seats
- ✓TOTO's docking bracket install: slides off for deep cleaning and the included tee fits standard 7/8-inch supply lines, realistic 30-45 minute DIY
- ✓Owner reviews consistently call it the reliable no-drama option — 4.4 stars with most complaints about missing features, not failures
- ✗Tank heater gives roughly 30-60 seconds of warm water, then cools — back-to-back users get a cold surprise; the S2 ($349) fixed exactly this with instant heat
- ✗No warm-air dryer, no deodorizer, no night light — the $349 S2 includes all three, so the $110 step-up buys a lot
- ✗Elongated bowls only — round-bowl owners have to move up to the S2, which sells both fits
- ✗No PREMIST bowl wetting and no EWATER+ sanitizing — TOTO's signature cleanliness tech starts one rung up the ladder
- ✗No user presets or memory; you re-dial pressure and position every visit
- ✗Tank sips electricity 24/7 keeping water hot unless you religiously use the energy-saver timer
- ✗1-year warranty is stingy next to Brondell's 3-year coverage on the Swash 1400
- ✗For ~$60 more, the Brondell LE99 ($299) adds a dryer, night light, and wireless remote — the A2 wins on wash feel, loses on checklist
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