Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

At our annual Halloween party, we urged our four traditionally costumed friends to try our newly installed electric bidet (heated toilet seat, hottish spray) in our downstairs bathroom. Two agreed. Three were either frankly uninterested, uncomfortable at spontaneously trying something new … or afraid of getting their butts showered with hot water, probably the best explanation.

We now have three electric bidets (all with varying temperature water sprays)  in our bathrooms – two from market giant Toto (Washlet A2) and one from Inus (N21) – all because on our delightful 10-day vacation in Japan in April I was surprised and happy that there were bidets everywhere! Obviously the Japanese aren’t skeptical about improving their bathroom habits. And nothing like a quick rinse on a heated seat before going to bed – or longer if you’re constipated, a bidet to the rescue.

After everyone left I did some research into the best bidets on the market and their ratings with input from household product review sites Thespruce.com, buyersguide.org (both with up to 50 models reviewed) and others –  as well as our family experience.

First, top four picks from buyers guide.org, prices from Amazon:

• 10.0: Toto Washlet C5: $299
• 9.9: SmartWhale: $279.77
• 9.7: Brondell Swash 1400: $549.99
• 9.4: Bio Bidet BB2000 Bliss: $493

Top picks from TheSpruce.com, prices from Amazon:

• Best Overall: Bio Bidet by Bemis: $399
• Best With Heated Seat: Toto C100 Washlet: $610
• Best for Comfort: Volvo Stylement: $299
• Best for All Ages: AlphaJX:$389

Reviews of my three bidets;

TotoWashlet A2: From Bestchoice.com: Gentle yet powerful water spray provides an effective clean; adjustable warm water and pressure settings; dual action spray with oscillating option creates a refreshing clean every time. Self-cleaning wand automatically cleans inside and outside before and after each use. The convenient side panel lets you control and set personalized water cleansing settings. Power consumption: 287W. Max power consumption : 363W.

Inus N21: I could not find any reviews by reputable organizations, which wasn’t a great sign, but some customers had positive comments:

• Marshallow, April 2023: There are 3 toilets in my household and I have tried 3 different bidet brands including Kohler to find out Inus make the best so far, and very reasonable price! No wonder Korea is well-known as the best bidet manufacturer. I’m going to order 2nd one today.
• Lovin’ Life, Oct. 2023: Works as described with touch sensitive controls.  Looks really good, easy to instal, and easy to use.
• Melissa C.07/11/2023: I bought this for my husband for Christmas to replace his other very basic bidet. This one has all the bells and whistles and he now spends even more time in there. I will say, the heated seat IS lovely.

My review: All work well, and we’re happy we got them.

Red meat?

Are you a red meat fancier? Do you eat red meat once a week, twice, rarely?

You may not know it, but how much red meat you eat will be affected come December when the U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services are expected to issue their new 5-year Dietary Guidelines for 2025-2030.

The 20 nationally recognized scientists’ proposals include: “Reduced consumption of saturated fats in certain animal products [including red meat] … increased fruit and vegetable consumption, higher whole grain intake, lower sodium intake from processed foods, and promoting adequate intake of essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.”

Not surprisingly, the focus on specifically limiting red meat-eating resulted from the belief that red meat’s cholesterol and saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease. The 2020-2025 guidelines advised reducing saturated fat but did not specify red meat.

Why care about guidelines? Because they can affect school lunch programs, public health programs, and what food companies produce.

You’ll find the new guidelines at DietaryGuidelines.gov.

Then you’ll know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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