When you think “luxury items,” you probably don’t think of toilets! But ever since the advent of indoor plumbing, toilet manufacturers have been tirelessly upgrading and perfecting these appliances, resulting in some truly decadent latrines, some of which are worth millions.
The most expensive toilet of all time is NASA’s Shuttle Toilet, the Improved Waste Collection System (IWCS). This $30 million toilet debuted in 1992 when it was added to the Space Shuttle Endeavour. At the time of its debut, it was the world’s most technically complex waste system.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your bathroom with the priciest toilet or curious about how the world’s wealthiest enjoy their private bathroom time, this ranking will reveal the costliest lavatories ever created.
Here Are the Top 10 Most Expensive Toilets of All Time:
- NASA’s Shuttle Toilet (IWCS) – $30 million
- NASA’s Space Toilet (UWMS) – $23 million
- Golden Hang Fung Toilet – $5 million
- Coronet Gold and Diamond Toilet – $1.3 million
- The Guggenheim’s Solid Gold Toilet – $1 million
- The Gold-Plated Toilet – $200,000
- The Swarovski Studded Toilet – $128,000
- The Louis Vuitton Golden Toilet – $100,000
- Toto Neorest 750H – $16,000
- Alvarae Customised Toto Neorest – $12,800
10. Alvarae Customised Toto Neorest – $12,800
Several of the costliest toilets are compact, understated appliances with in-bowl tanks and high-efficiency capabilities. But the Alvarae Customised Toto Neorest takes things to a new level.
This $12,800 toilet features a durable, easy-to-clean carbon fiber exterior, LED rim lighting, and a heated seat. It’s sleek, contemporary, and insanely comfortable.
Still, is this carbon fiber throne worth the steep price?
Why It’s Expensive
There are two reasons why the Alvarae Customised Toto Neorest is so pricey.
Firstly, this toilet is technologically advanced. While the average toilet has a single function of flushing away waste. This toilet warms your bottom, adds a little illuminated ambiance to your bathroom, and consumes minimal space.
Secondly, this Toto Neorest is covered in carbon fiber. This material is extremely expensive, requiring advanced machinery and costly supplies to create. Because every exterior inch of this toilet is covered in carbon fiber, you could break it apart and sell its individual parts for a significant sum.
But why would you want to? After all, this toilet looks too cool not to keep around forever.
9. Toto Neorest 750H – $16,000
If the dark textured look of the Alvarae Customised Toto Neorest doesn’t appeal to you, why not opt for the Toto Neorest 750H?
Sure, this compact white toilet will set you back $16,000. But that’s a small price considering this appliance’s capabilities and functions.
We’re talking lids that open when they sense your presence (and close when you leave), heated seating, a built-in bidet, and a UV light system that sanitizes the inside of the bowl after each use. This toilet also has a deodorizer, so there’s no need to light a match or excuse yourself after doing your business!
Why It’s Expensive
Toto Neorest toilets hail from Japan, a country internationally known for its hi-tech bathroom appliances. The Toto Neorest 750H is one of the most exceptional of these toilets, overflowing (not literally) with desirable features that ensure the optimal bathroom experience for every user.
You’ll enjoy a warm seat and a clean tush when you use this toilet. But you’ll also avoid the embarrassment that sometimes arises after a trip to the bathroom thanks to a powerful flush system, UV light lid, and built-in deodorizer.
So, if you’re serious about making each bathroom visit truly exquisite, investing in the Toto Neorest 750H could be a smart decision. Of course, if impressing guests is your primary objective, it might be better to go for gold.
8. The Louis Vuitton Golden Toilet – $100,000
Louis Vuitton is one of the most expensive clothing brands. But did you know that this luxury brand also produces a wide range of handbags, accessories, and household items?
That said, toilets aren’t exactly part of the Louis Vuitton lineup. Still, that didn’t stop Illma Gore, an American artist, from creating a one-of-a-kind toilet featuring the brand’s iconic monogrammed fabrics.
While this commode might not technically be an approved item created by the infamous French luxury brand, its price tag and materials might fool you. Costing $100,000, this lavish toilet features a golden bowl and an exterior entirely covered in re-tailored Louis Vuitton handbags.
So, if you’re eager to ensure that your favorite handbags match your commode, you might want to reach out to Illma Gore to see if she’d be willing to build you a customized Lous Vuitton lavatory.
Why It’s Expensive
There’s no question why this particular toilet is so pricey because it’s covered in expensive Louis Vuitton handbags! It’s also a one-of-a-kind item (for now), which makes it a rare find.
While its practicality is questionable, there’s no denying that adding this extravagant toilet to your art collection is sure to make future house parties a hit.
7. The Swarovski Studded Toilet – $128,000
Crystals, including cut diamonds, aren’t the most comfortable to sit on, especially bare-bottomed.
But the Swarovski Studded Toilet doesn’t have a crystal-covered seat. Instead, its entire exterior is bedazzled with rich Swarovski crystals, making everything from the short tank to the wide bowl sparkle luxuriously.
The only catch might be the $128,000 price tag. Well, that and it’s unknown whether this toilet is functional.
Still, if you’d like to boast about owning one of the most expensive toilets in the world, you could contact the Lixil showroom in Japan to inquire about buying this appliance.
And when you’re done, why not spritz on a little bejeweled cologne? After all, a handful of the most expensive colognes feature Swarovski crystals!
Why It’s Expensive
Swarovski stores are peppered throughout the United States, and if you’ve ever visited a large metropolitan city, there’s a good chance you’ve seen or visited one. But just in case you haven’t, here’s the scoop on Swarovski crystals that are expensive.
As such, utilizing more than 70,000 of them to make a sparkly toilet is bound to result in a high-priced item. Besides, the toilet in question is a hi-tech Japanese model, making it naturally more valuable than standard American ones.
In short, this toilet is pricey because of its significant number of Swarovski stones and (potentially) hi-tech capabilities.
6. The Gold-Plated Toilet – $200,000
There’s a convention or exposition for literally anything you can think of, including toilets. But during the World Toilet Summit of 2011, one porcelain throne stole the show. Or, should we say, one golden throne stole the show!
Called the “Gold-Plated Toilet,” this lavatory exudes power, wealth, and affluence. Those are things to say about a toilet, but they’re true. After all, there’s nothing plain about this toilet. From its sculpted tank down to its extra-long bowl and lid, every part is covered in 24-karat gold.
With an estimated worth of about $200,000 (or about £129,000), this toilet is far from cheap. But considering its look and materials, its value is entirely understandable.
Why It’s Expensive
This toilet is made of high-quality gold! This sole quality makes it a valuable commode commodity.
5. The Guggenheim’s Solid Gold Toilet – $1 Million
There’s no getting around it. Gold is one of the most expensive precious metals in the world. It’s the primary reason why the Gold-Plated Toilet of 2011 is expensive, and it’s also one of the major reasons the Guggenheim’s Solid Gold Toilet is valued at $1 million.
This distinct toilet is one of the few made of solid gold, and it’s also a functional toilet, which is unique. But these features are only part of why it’s a million-dollar toilet.
The Solid Gold Toilet has a controversial history. Created by Maurizio Cattelan, an Italian artist known for his thought-provoking and hyperrealistic pieces, this toilet was once publically available to visitors of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
Partially inspired by the excessive wealth of America’s most elite businesspeople, including Donald Trump, the toilet (called “America“) is now lost. It was stolen in 2019, and because of its solid gold construction, there’s an excellent chance it’s been melted and sold, never to be seen or used again.
Still, even though this toilet might be long gone, its $1 million value continues to make it one of the most expensive toilets of all time.
Why It’s Expensive
Any item made of solid gold is worth a ton of money. That’s because the value of gold increases over time. So, a toilet made of solid gold would only get more valuable with the passing years.
Unfortunately, we’ll never know just how expensive this toilet could have gotten, as some enterprising thieves made sure to heist it from a simple wood-paneled bathroom in Blenheim Palace, leaving only leaky pipes in its place.
4. Coronet Gold and Diamond Toilet – $1.3 Million
Diamonds are some of the hardest natural materials in the world, so they’re not the first choice for a comfortable toilet seat. But the folks at Aaron Shum Jewelry Ltd. didn’t seem to care when they released the Coronet Gold and Diamond Toilet, valued at $1.3 million.
The toilet itself is standard, with a tall-backed tank and an oval bowl. But also, this toilet is unique, as it’s covered in white gold and features a glittering diamond seat.
In fact, this seat contains more than 40,800 diamonds. That’s so many diamonds in a single toilet seat that it set a new Guinness World Record.
Is it the most comfortable? The only way to find out is to make it your own!
Why It’s Expensive
The most decadent and valuable thing about this toilet is its diamond seat. While not all of the diamonds in this toilet seat are the highest quality, their sheer number makes this toilet worth millions.
3. Golden Hang Fung Toilet – $5 Million
Many shrines around the world are built using precious materials. But the Golden Hang Fung Toilet might be one of the most unique.
This $5 million toilet is purportedly a shrine to Vladimir Lenin, the Russian Marxist responsible for founding Soviet Russia. It’s unclear how this toilet is a shrine or if it’s designed to have a positive or negative meaning.
But one thing is certain this toilet is expensive!
Why It’s Expensive
This toilet is made of high-quality gold and is a unique art piece. These qualities make it exceptionally valuable.
2. NASA’s Space Toilet (UWMS) – $23 Million
One of the priciest toilets of all time is the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), an update on NASA’s Improved Waste Collection System (IWCS). This toilet costs about $23 million to produce, and it’s probably the most technologically advanced waste removal and collection system of the last decade.
This toilet was built for the International Space Station (ISS) and arrived in late 2020. In many ways, this toilet is similar to the one built for the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
However, one of the most notable differences is a slightly changed seat design geared toward helping female astronauts use the bathroom more comfortable. Of course, this toilet system is also more compact than its previous incarnation.
That said, the IWCS is still the pricier version.
Why It’s Expensive
Creating a toilet that can function in outer space’s weightless, cold environment is an achievement. While the UWMS isn’t the first toilet created for astronauts and ISS explorers, it’s the most hi-tech model thus far.
The money and research that went into creating this waste system are why it’s so immensely valuable. We’re sure the people who spend time in the International Space Station truly appreciate this innovative toilet!
1. NASA’s Shuttle Toilet (IWCS) – $30 Million
The most expensive toilet of all time is NASA’s Shuttle Toilet, the Improved Waste Collection System (IWCS). This toilet cost $30 million (9 times the project’s original price) to develop, create, and install. It is more expensive than any toilet made of gold or diamonds.
Development on this toilet started in 1988, but it didn’t finish until 1992. That’s almost five years’ worth of constant work, engineering, and testing to ensure this toilet could function in space!
Fortunately, the hard work finished in 1992, when the IWCS was installed on the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Why It’s Expensive
The IWCS holds the Guinness World Record for being the most expensive toilet ever created. Technological advancements are the primary cause behind this waste system’s high price tag, as it was the most innovative space-age tech when it debuted in 1992.
Why Are Some Toilets So Expensive?
The average toilet only costs about $500, though some hi-tech models cost thousands. Still, the most expensive toilets in the world can sell for millions!
But why do these fancy flushers cost so much?
The answer typically comes down to:
- Hi-tech capabilities, and
- Precious materials
Hi-Tech Capabilities
If you’ve ever visited Japan, you’ve likely experienced the joys of using a hi-tech toilet. In fact, modern Japanese toilets are considered some of the finest and most technologically advanced in the world!
That’s because these toilets are efficient, typically come with built-in bidets, and can even keep your derrière warm while you’re doing your business. The technology that goes into perfecting these features isn’t necessarily new or novel, but US toilet manufacturers haven’t quite caught up.
Several of the most expensive toilets do far more than transporting your waste into a sewer system or septic tank. The Toto Neorest toilets are fantastic examples.
These hi-tech latrines feature LED lighting, warmed seats, and automated functions that make using the bathroom a comfortable and wondrous experience. Of course, advanced functions and features aren’t the only things that can make a toilet expensive.
Precious Materials
Apart from innovative technology, the primary factor influencing a toilet’s price is the materials it’s made of.
The average toilet is made of ceramic or porcelain (hence the term “porcelain throne”), but some toilets are made of carbon fiber, gold, and diamonds. These materials are inherently valuable and costly, so toilets made using them are destined for financial greatness.
As this ranking shows, several of the priciest potties ever created feature luxurious materials. That said, the most expensive toilet in the world doesn’t have a diamond-studded tank or a golden seat.
Instead, it’s an out-of-this-world feat of engineering and waste collection!
What’s the Most Expensive Toilet of All Time?
The most expensive toilet of all time is the NASA Shuttle Toilet, also called the Improved Waste Collection System (IWCS). This “toilet” is a complex system that debuted in 1992 and cost an astounding $30 million.
While this high price might seem excessive, it’s crucial to remember that no matter how technologically advanced humanity becomes, we’re still creatures that excrete waste as part of our natural biological processes. Being able to hygienically handle this waste while traveling through the vacuum of space is an expensive challenge!
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