Toilet Seats

Toilet seats wear out long before the pan does, and replacing one is the cheapest way to freshen a bathroom. The difficulty is matching it.

Measuring for a replacement

Toilet seats are not universal. Before ordering, measure three things: the width at the widest point, the length from the hinge holes to the front edge, and the distance between the centres of the two fixing holes — usually around 150mm. If you know the pan's make and model, ordering the matching seat is far more reliable.

Soft close

A soft close hinge lowers the seat slowly instead of letting it drop. Beyond the noise, it stops the lid cracking the pan over years of slamming. Worth having in any household, and particularly with children.

Quick release

Quick release hinges let the seat unclip from the pan entirely, so you can clean properly around the fixings — the one part of a toilet that is genuinely awkward otherwise.

Materials

Thermoset and duroplast are dense, heavy plastics that resist scratching and staining, and feel far more solid than standard polypropylene. Wooden seats suit traditional bathrooms but need care to avoid moisture damage at the hinges.