Specification Guide · Shower Toilets
Shower Toilets UK: Complete Specification Guide
TOTO Washlet · Geberit AquaClean · Laufen Cleanet · TECE TECEone
Why shower toilets are becoming a UK specification standard
The shower toilet — a fully integrated WC with built-in bidet washing function — has moved from a niche luxury to a mainstream specification choice across the UK. High-end residential, boutique hotel and senior living projects are increasingly including shower toilets as a standard bathroom item rather than a premium upgrade.
The reasons are well established: water cleansing is demonstrably more hygienic than toilet paper, the best models are visually indistinguishable from a conventional wall-hung WC, and the installation requirements — electrical and plumbing — are now well understood by specialist contractors. For UK architects and developers specifying bathroom packages at scale, shower toilets are now a legitimate briefing-stage conversation — particularly in premium residential, hospitality and accessible design.
This guide covers the four leading shower toilet brands available through Specifo — TOTO Washlet, Geberit AquaClean, Laufen Cleanet and TECE TECEone — with model breakdowns, installation requirements and specification recommendations for each.
How a shower toilet works
All electric shower toilets share the same core mechanism: a retractable wand jet delivers warm water to clean the intimate area after use. The wand is housed behind a protective flap inside the ceramic body when not in use, self-cleans automatically before and after every cycle, and never contacts waste water. The seat is electrically heated. Most models include a warm-air dryer, active carbon odour filter, soft-close seat and lid, and remote control operation.
There are two fundamental installation types:
Integrated shower toilet — ceramic and electronic seat designed as a single unit, all cables and water connections concealed inside the body. Best for new build and full refurbishment where the wall is being opened. Visually identical to a conventional wall-hung WC.
Retrofit shower toilet seat — an electronic bidet seat fitted to an existing WC ceramic, requiring a nearby power socket and a plumbed water connection. Suitable for refurbishment projects where full structural works are not planned — a qualified electrician and plumber are required to commission the installation correctly.
All electric shower toilets require a 230V supply to the WC position, protected to IPX4 minimum. This must be resolved at early design stage — an electrician positions the connection, a plumber installs the WC. TECEone is the only model in this guide that requires no electricity at all.
TOTO Washlet — the original shower toilet
TOTO NEOREST WX2 — the flagship shower toilet
TOTO invented the shower toilet in Japan in 1980. Over 70 million Washlets have been sold worldwide, making it the world’s number one shower toilet brand. TOTO Washlet is available in the UK across three specification tiers, with proprietary technologies unmatched by any competitor:
PREMIST — pre-wets the bowl before use, reducing waste adhesion by up to 80%.
EWATER+ — electrolysed tap water cleans the wand and bowl without chemicals; reverts to regular water over time.
TORNADO FLUSH — powerful, quiet, rimless whirlpool flush. TOTO has produced rimless ceramics since 2002.
CEFIONTECT — ultra-smooth ceramic glaze at a microscopic level; bacteria, limescale and waste find no surface to grip.
TOTO NEOREST WX1 & WX2 — Flagship
NEOREST is a single-mould unit — ceramic and seat form one seamless piece with no visible joint, no corners, no edges. The WX1 includes the full Washlet function set with sensor-activated lid and auto-flush. The WX2 adds ACTILIGHT: a titanium dioxide-fired bowl activated by UV light in the lid triggers a photocatalytic reaction that actively decomposes waste and bacteria without chemicals — the only self-cleaning toilet of its kind. iF Design Award, Red Dot Design Award and Green Good Design Award 2023. Specified for ultra-high-end residential and flagship hospitality in the UK and internationally.
TOTO Washlet Prime Edition — RW, SW, RX EWATER+, SX EWATER+
TOTO Washlet — bathroom installation
Four models sharing a premium slim silhouette and Clean Resin seat, wand and case — a silicone-based alloy with inherent dirt-repelling properties and a seamless, joint-free seat ring. RW (round) and SW (square) include EWATER+ and sensor-activated lid. RX EWATER+ and SX EWATER+ add EWATER+ to bowl cleaning as well as the wand — a second active hygiene layer. All four are available with auto-flush via the TOTO frame system. Side connections — compatible with a wide range of TOTO and third-party ceramics.
TOTO Washlet RG & RG Lite — Hidden Connections
TOTO Washlet RG with GP ceramic — hidden connections
The TOTO Washlet RG is TOTO’s hidden-connection model: all water supply and electrical cables route inside the ceramic body and disappear entirely. Paired with the GP wall-hung ceramic, the RG delivers the cleanest possible installation below NEOREST — a floating WC with no visible pipes, hoses or cables. Full function set: PREMIST, EWATER+ wand cleaning, TORNADO FLUSH, CEFIONTECT, heated seat, warm-air dryer, odour filter and 2-person memory profile. RG Lite is the same core technology at a lower price point, with side or hidden connection options. CE, UKCA and WRAS compliant for UK specification.
Geberit AquaClean — market-leading shower toilet range
Geberit AquaClean Mera Comfort — chrome
Geberit AquaClean is the European market leader and the most widely specified shower toilet range in UK residential and commercial projects. The range spans four models — Alba, Tuma, Sela and Mera — and critically includes the most capable retrofit shower toilet solution available.
AquaClean Alba — Entry-level integrated shower toilet. Core WhirlSpray wash functions, clean proportions. Ideal for multi-unit residential projects where shower toilets are being specified at scale with budget discipline.
AquaClean Tuma — Available as a complete integrated unit or as a retrofit attachment seat compatible with a wide range of existing ceramics. Geberit provides an online ceramics compatibility checker to confirm compatibility. The definitive solution for retrofitting a shower toilet UK without opening walls — though correct installation still requires a qualified plumber for the water connection and a certified electrician for the power supply. WhirlSpray technology delivers a wide, gentle wash rather than a concentrated jet.
AquaClean Sela — The most specified Geberit model for premium UK residential and boutique hotel projects. Slim profile, elegant proportions, full function set. Visually identical to a conventional WC.
Geberit AquaClean Mera — bathroom environment
AquaClean Mera — Geberit’s flagship shower toilet. TurboFlush, touchless automatic lid, four programmable user profiles, orientation light, remote control and Geberit Home app operation. The most comprehensive function set in the range. Available in chrome and white alpine. For statement bathrooms in ultra-high-end UK residential and hospitality projects.
Laufen Cleanet — the design-led shower toilet
Laufen Cleanet takes the most uncompromising design position in the shower toilet category. The ceramic body is completely closed — all electronics concealed, no visible controls except a discreet stainless steel rotary button on the side. The result is the most architecturally resolved shower toilet available: it looks like a very elegant conventional toilet. Designed by Peter Wirz, Vetica Design Studio, Lucerne.
Cleanet Riva — Laufen’s primary specification model. LCC ceramic surface (iF Material Award winner) is harder and smoother than any standard glaze — bacteria, limescale and waste cannot adhere. The Riva is the only shower toilet with a full thermal cleaning cycle for the entire water circuit, not just the wand. Wireless seat — no visible cable between seat and body. Four programmable user profiles, active carbon odour filter, LED orientation light, integrated sound decoupling certified by the Fraunhofer Institute. CE and IPX4 rated.
Cleanet Navia — Simplified function set, same exterior aesthetic as the Riva. For design-led projects with budget constraints.
Cleanet Sit — A retrofit shower toilet seat applying Laufen’s design discipline to existing ceramics. The correct solution for Laufen-specified bathrooms in refurbishment.
TECE TECEone — the shower toilet with no power supply
TECE TECEone — operates without electricity
TECEone stands apart from every other shower toilet in this guide for one fundamental reason: it requires no electricity. The shower function is driven entirely by water pressure — the shower arm extends when water flows and retracts automatically when it stops. Warm water comes directly from the building’s hot water supply. No boiler, no electronics, no IPX4 socket.
For UK specification, this is significant. TECEone can be installed wherever a conventional WC can go — without electrical planning, without modification to the bathroom circuit, and without the need for an IPX4 socket. In independent testing by the University of Esslingen (commissioned by trade magazine SBZ), TECEone was the only shower toilet without a power connection and achieved top marks in nearly all categories.
The rimless ceramic self-cleans: the shower arm rinses automatically before and after each use. Water temperature and pressure are adjusted via intuitive side-mounted controls. TECEone integrates with the TECE in-wall frame system and is available as a wall-hung model. For any UK project where introducing a power supply to the WC position is impractical or undesirable — refurbishment, listed buildings, rental properties — TECEone is the solution.
Shower toilet specification: key considerations
New build vs. refurbishment: For new build and full refurbishment where the wall is open, specify integrated hidden-connection models — TOTO RG or NEOREST, Geberit Sela or Mera, Laufen Cleanet Riva. For refurbishment without structural works, Geberit AquaClean Tuma, Laufen Cleanet Sit, TOTO Prime Edition with side connections, or TECEone (where power is the constraint) are the correct choices.
Power supply: 230V to the WC, IPX4 rated, designed in from the start. Retrofit projects that cannot accommodate this should consider TECEone. This is the single most common specification oversight — resolved at design stage, not on site.
Form: Round (RW, RX) vs. square (SW, SX) seat profiles; seamless single-piece forms (NEOREST, Cleanet Riva) vs. conventional-toilet profiles (RG, Sela, Tuma). Chrome vs. white. These are design decisions that should align with the wider bathroom specification.
The client conversation: Most clients who have not used a shower toilet underestimate the category. Once experienced, it becomes a preference rather than a consideration. For UK hospitality clients, shower toilets in guest bathrooms are a genuine differentiator with measurable impact on guest satisfaction scores. For residential clients, they are increasingly a briefing-stage request.
For samples, specifications and project pricing across all four brands, contact Specifo directly.
Frequently asked questions
Does a shower toilet need electricity?
Most shower toilets require a 230V power supply near the WC, protected to IPX4. The sole exception in this guide is TECEone, which operates entirely on water pressure with no electrical connection required — making it the only shower toilet suitable for spaces where electrical installation at the WC is not feasible.
Can a shower toilet be retrofitted without renovation?
Retrofit shower toilet seats — including the Geberit AquaClean Tuma attachment seat, Laufen Cleanet Sit and TOTO Prime Edition models with side connections — can be added to an existing WC ceramic where structural works are not planned. A correctly positioned 230V socket and a plumbed water connection at the WC are required, and commissioning must be carried out by a qualified electrician and plumber. Geberit provides an online compatibility checker to confirm which attachment seats work with which existing ceramics.
What is the difference between TOTO NEOREST and Washlet RG?
NEOREST WX is a single-mould unit — ceramic and seat fused into one seamless form with no visible joint. The Washlet RG mounts separately to the GP ceramic with all connections routed inside the ceramic body (hidden connections). Both achieve a clean floating profile. NEOREST is Toto’s design and technology flagship; the RG is the specifier’s standard for hidden-connection wall-hung shower toilet projects.
Which shower toilet is best for UK refurbishment projects?
The Geberit AquaClean Tuma attachment seat is the most versatile — compatible with the widest range of existing ceramics and requiring only a nearby power socket. Where electrical installation is not practical, TECEone is the only power-free shower toilet available. For projects where the aesthetic standard of the original bathroom must be maintained, the Laufen Cleanet Sit retrofit seat applies Laufen’s design discipline to existing ceramics.
What compliance certifications do shower toilets carry for UK installation?
Requirements vary by model and manufacturer. TOTO Washlet models for the European market are CE and UKCA marked, and meet EN 1717 and EN 13077 drinking water standards. Geberit AquaClean and Laufen Cleanet models are CE certified and meet EN 1717. WRAS approval status should be confirmed against individual product data sheets before specification — Specifo can provide full technical documentation for any model on request.
Specifo supplies shower toilets from TOTO, Geberit, Laufen and TECE to architects, interior designers and developers UK-wide. · info@specifo.co.uk · www.specifo.co.uk