Here at SELF, we want you to have the best poops possible—so may we suggest adding one of the best bidets to your bathroom? Before you think we want you to redo your entire plumbing, hear us out: Most bidet attachments and seats are easy to install on your existing toilet. They hook up to your waterline and spray a stream of water that rinses your butt and backside. After maybe 10 minutes with a screwdriver, you’ll have a convenient way to feel cleaner after you go.
“When you use toilet paper, small particles can be potentially left behind,” Scott Chudnoff, MD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Maimonides Health in New York, tells SELF. “Bidets generally do a better job of cleaning the area.” If a fresher bum and less TP waste sound like a winning combo to you, we’re glad you’re here. We found the best bidets you can try, then talked to Dr. Chudnoff about why they’re such a major bathroom upgrade.
Our top picks
- Best Bidet Attachment: Tushy Classic 3.0, $129
- Best Seat: Tushy Ace 2.0, $399
- Best Splurge Seat: Toto Washlet C5, $469
- Best Budget Pick: Bio Bidet SlimEdge Bidet Attachment, $43
In this article
Shop the best bidets
These seats and attachments wipe out the competition.
Best Bidet Attachment: Tushy Classic 3.0
Multiple SELF staffers are Tushy people, and the brand’s Classic 3.0 attachment is easily the most popular model among its fans here. It won a SELF Healthy Home Award last year for its easy-to-install design, straightforward (and effective) user experience, and overall sleek look (clock that bamboo dial!).
I genuinely look forward to using my Classic 3.0—and I miss it when I’m away from home (this is the reminder I need to pick up a travel bidet). The dial makes it easy to control the water pressure and the angle spray switch lets me fine-tune the stream’s aim. The version I have only uses cold water, which I honestly prefer. But if you want more spa-like vibes, you can level up to the warm water-optional model—just keep in mind it’ll need sink access for temperature control.
Style: Attachment | Non-electric
Best Seat: Tushy Ace 2.0
If you want Tushy’s approachable vibes with a side of luxury, go for the Ace 2.0. One SELF writer said the brand’s heated seat boosted her overall quality of life (high praise for a plumbing fixture). It comes with a remote control that lets you adjust the water temperature, seat temperature, water pressure, and spray angle to your liking.
The remote also has buttons that direct a stream of water to either your butt or front (for post-pee rinses). And, if you push both buttons at once, you’ll activate an oscillating wash that covers both areas. When you feel thoroughly cleaned, grab the remote and switch on the air dryer—our writer says it isn’t gale-force, but more like a pleasant, balmy breeze.
Best Splurge Seat: Toto Washlet C5
If you’ve shopped for bidets before, you’ve probably heard of Toto and its top-of-the-line models like the Washlet C5. Similar to the Tushy Ace, it has a temperature-controlled seat and spray, and comes with its own remote.
However, it has even more features to elevate your number twos, including a self-cleaning nozzle, deodorizing air filters, and memory buttons that allow you to save your preferred settings and switch them on as soon as you hit the head. In other words, this bidet seat is about as close as you can get to having a personal butler do your bidding every time nature calls.
Best Budget Pick: Bio Bidet SlimEdge Bidet Attachment
Bio Bidet
SlimEdge Bidet Attachment
If you just want a cleaner butt and don’t need your toilet to feel like a spaceship, you can get a high-quality, straightforward bidet attachment for less than $50 from Bio Bidet. The bestselling SlimEdge comes in a few different styles: One uses a knob to control its spray, another has a twistable end—you can even opt to add a night light to the knob model.
True to its name, the SlimEdge has a low profile and sits close against the toilet’s bowl, making it a great option for small bathrooms.
Style: Attachment | Non-electric
What are the benefits of using a bidet?
Bidets clean more effectively than regular toilet paper—and they’re also gentler on your skin, Dr. Chudnoff says. “If someone has vulval irritation, hemorrhoids, or fissures, wiping can cause further irritation or even bleeding,” he explains. “Bidets are [the] more comfortable option.”
Bidets may also address accessibility issues. For some folks, they’re easier to use than toilet paper, Dr. Chudnoff says. “If you have severe arthritis or other conditions that may limit mobility, using a bidet makes it much easier to maintain healthier hygiene.”
The major caveat to all of these benefits is that you need to use your bidet properly. Dr. Chudnoff says to clean it regularly and always run the spray from front to back, in order to avoid transferring bacteria from your anus to your vagina or urinary tract.
What should you look for when choosing a bidet?
The most common types of bidets are attachments, which anchor under your toilet seat and extend along the side of the bowl like an arm, and seats, which replace your toilet’s regular seat. Attachments usually don’t need electricity to function, but most seats do, due to their added features. Your toilet should be close to an outlet if you opt for a seat—otherwise, you’ll need to use a grounded appliance extension cord.
If you want a truly bespoke pooping experience, go with a bidet toilet seat over any kind of attachment. Seats generally have more features, like air dryers, heating controls for the seat and water, and remotes—plus more settings to precisely adjust the spray’s pressure and angle. Of course, those add-ons come with a higher price tag.
You can save a little cash (and enjoy some of the same bells and whistles) with a bidet attachment. You’ll still be able to adjust the water pressure, and while some models only wash with cold water, it’s easy to find ones with temperature options.
Related:
Get more of SELF’s stellar product recommendations delivered right to your inbox (for free!).
