If you’ve ever visited Japan, or know someone who has, you might be aware of a phenomenon that happens to people when they come back from traveling east: They’re no longer happy with their bathrooms at home. Specifically, they’re no longer happy with their toilets.
That’s because in Japan (as well as much of Europe), most bathrooms are equipped with a bidet toilet seat. Once you’ve used a bidet, there’s no going back. And the Omigo Luxury Bidet Toilet Seat ($552, Omigo) is the best one out there, at an affordable price point for a high-end bidet, which can easily run into the thousands of dollars. (A more scaled-down version, the OmigoSL, is also available starting at $382 from Omigo.)
What’s so great about bidets? Imagine you’ve stepped in something gross (cat vomit is a frequent culprit at our house). Would you just wipe it off with a dry paper towel and go about your day? Or say you’re picking up after your dog and accidentally get some waste on your hand — you’d definitely wash your hands after that, right?
Now think about what goes on in your bathroom. Does wiping with toilet paper really seem like enough? (Ewwww.)
If that’s not reason enough to make you seriously consider switching to a bidet toilet seat, then maybe the fact that we’re in the middle of a pandemic that’s turned toilet paper into a hot commodity will sway you. With a top-of-the-line bidet, there’s no need for toilet paper at all. (Though you’ll probably still want to stock some for guests and emergencies.)
The Omigo Luxury Bidet Toilet Seat makes going to the bathroom like a mini-spa retreat for your heinie. It has everything you could possibly want in a toilet seat, and maybe a few things you never even considered. Heated seat to keep your buns warm? Check. Nightlight to guide you during those middle-of-the-night potty runs? Check. Carbon filter deodorizer to neutralize unpleasant smells? Check. Silver ion sterilization to keep the bidet nozzles clean, hygienic, and free of corrosion, without using chemicals? Check! And remote control lets you clean up just the way you like, including controlling the temperature of the warm water wash — which cleans your front and back side.
Setup is easy! You don’t need a plumber to install your Omigo seat: you can do it yourself in about 20 minutes with a wrench and a screwdriver, guided by detailed, step-by-step instructions in the user’s manual and online.
“Toilet paper doesn’t get the job done right,” says my friend Jonathan. “And a dirty behind can made you a very unhappy camper at work.” He tried a bidet at the Japanese Historical Society in New York City and was immediately converted to the bidet lifestyle. “It was the best bathroom experience I ever had — I had to recreate it.” Becoming a committed bidet user, he says, has given him peace of mind. “I no longer ever worry about my tushie.”
Because the Omigo comes with a 90-day trial period, during which you can send it back for a full refund, there’s really no reason not to try it out. “I hesitated because of the price,” writes one reviewer. “But tried I love it. It changed my life in that department. From now on, I’m a believer.”
And while the Omigo might seem pricey, it’s actually far less than some of the comparable luxury bidets common in Japan. “I’ve been traveling to Japan for over 10 years and always thought I’d need to save $5K for a deluxe Toto set up,” one customer wrote. “My only regret is I ordered the SL, and wish I had ordered the deluxe with air dryer! Thankfully we have another toilet to outfit!”
This reviewer says it all: “At this point, it would be hard to ever return to our prior ablutions. We must have been savages!”
Where to buy: From $382 (Originally $449), Omigo
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