Toshiba unveils Japan's "most eco-friendly" super toilet

Apparently you don't have to be a weakly-premised NBC show to go green this week: Toshiba's joining in on the fun with its "industry's most eco-friendly" toilet. Of course, this is Japan, so that means bidet action, and Toshiba's new model can instantaneously heat up water for that purpose, instead of running continuously to keep a stash of water warm. The seat, which is of course heated as well, is also designed to prevent heat loss, and Toshiba claims 55% overall energy savings over competing products. If that wasn't enough, the lid automatically opens and closes when a sensor is tripped, and there's even a remote control so you can do your business touch-free. While we'd applaud Toshiba for its commitment to sustainability and innovation, we're really just too busy being jealous of how awesome Japanese toilets are.

[brett.chandler @ Nov 9th 2007 1:29PM]

Hmmm... so Toshiba is leaving the projection TV market, but THIS market still makes sense to them...

[decypher44 @ Nov 9th 2007 1:43PM]

Hey, everyone has to poop!

[Esat @ Nov 9th 2007 2:42PM]

Apart from people working at the New Yorker.

And I quote "Nobody at the New Yorker has an anus."

[Mike @ Nov 9th 2007 1:37PM]

"Toshiba claims 55% overall energy savings over competing products"

Would that be the toilet lids that don't use any energy?

[Gary @ Nov 9th 2007 1:54PM]

hmmm ... no iphone holder ?

[Chris @ Nov 9th 2007 2:33PM]

uhhh... it has one... it is that giant hole in the middle.

[holycow @ Nov 9th 2007 1:57PM]

hmmm will it wipe my butt after im done ?

[dustin @ Nov 9th 2007 2:08PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidet

[CraigJ @ Nov 9th 2007 3:48PM]

No, but it will rinse it off, air dry it and spritz it with the fragrance of your choice...

[paul34 @ Nov 9th 2007 4:26PM]

bidet >> toilet paper

It's about time people in North America started realizing this.

[Will @ Nov 9th 2007 1:59PM]

The Office is the best show on TV... that is until Arrested Development returns.

[Dave Skaggs @ Nov 9th 2007 2:15PM]

Between 30 Rock, Office, Scrubs, and Heroes, I'm definitely an NBC Fanboy

[ronald dragosh @ Nov 9th 2007 2:01PM]

will it blend

[Eyuras @ Nov 9th 2007 2:02PM]

Owch!

[JosephMohmed @ Nov 9th 2007 2:13PM]

A toilet that can blend would be pretty useful, you wouldn't have to worry about clogs anymore.

[Esat @ Nov 9th 2007 2:10PM]

I hope this can't be wirelesly hacked to act like a metal animal trap.

/ouch

[Chris @ Nov 9th 2007 2:11PM]

It's good... enough for me to POOP ON!

[applefreak @ Nov 9th 2007 2:16PM]

talk to the but :)

[Homeboy @ Nov 9th 2007 2:17PM]

How about an integrated blow drier for that A-hole. The water between the butt cheeks isn't exactly going to disappear by itself. I want a hands free experience, especially if I'm busy surfing on my Eee.

[dustin @ Nov 9th 2007 2:35PM]

Quoted from the read link:
"In addition, the toilet is equipped with a variable-speed deodorizing fan motor, whose "speedy deodorizing" function blows three times as much air as normal."

Although this is only available in the "SCS-S510" model.

[TerraCotta @ Nov 9th 2007 2:54PM]

To be eco-friendly, a toilet must: use less water, better yet, recycle the urine to reduce the amount of pollutants flushed out to public drainage.

Warming water, warming the seat, using electricity, etc. are NOT eco-friendly. The energy consumed in Japan just to heat the toilet seats is probably higher than what a poor country need to light their house in the evening.

[mattyukie @ Nov 9th 2007 3:04PM]

Why cant the toilet preform its own urea cycle on the urine and covert the liberated energy into heat.

[Rob @ Nov 9th 2007 3:08PM]

In other words, this seat takes no sh*t from nobody. Just what we needed. A toilet seat with an attitude.

[ohne hosen @ Nov 9th 2007 3:35PM]

"Welcome. I am honored to accept your waste."

[Mike @ Nov 9th 2007 3:46PM]

"They're *years* ahead of us!"

[Derbeste @ Nov 9th 2007 3:51PM]

I, for one, welcome our new green toilet underlords.

[Brian @ Nov 9th 2007 4:22PM]

Very interesting. I found this site that gives the ROI calucalation for having a dual flush toilet.

http://www.greenandsave.com/remodeling/bathrooms/dual_flush_toilets.html

They also have a section on about 50 other eco-friendly green home remodeling projects.

[seatown88 @ Nov 9th 2007 4:37PM]

Toto is still the king of toilet seats.
Toshiba getting onboard just shows that they believe in the market

http://www.washlet.org

[vdogg89 @ Nov 9th 2007 5:30PM]

is it just me, or does that toilet seem to have an unnaturally small hole. Ive always hated those tiny round toilets that leave little room for any guy to comfortably sit on and can only accommodate a woman.

[deedeedee @ Nov 11th 2007 7:28PM]

no more itchy asshole!

[Adam @ Nov 11th 2007 8:06PM]

scrubs has more of a premise than you'll ever have, engadget.