TOTO Carlyle II One-Piece Elongated 1.28 GPF Toilet

The TOTO Carlyle II positioning

The Carlyle II (model MS614114CEFG for the volume Cotton White Universal Height variant) is TOTO's designer one-piece — the toilet you choose when the silhouette of the fixture is part of the bathroom's design statement and a Drake II two-piece would visually break the composition. At $1,080-$1,380, the Carlyle II sits above the UltraMax II ($720-$830) and below the Neorest tier ($4,000+), occupying the designer-mid niche.

The Carlyle II's defining feature is its low total height — typically 24-25 inches from floor to top of tank, vs ~30-32 inches for a standard two-piece. The tank is essentially hidden behind a smooth porcelain skirt that extends backward from the bowl, creating a tankless visual without actually being tankless. From across the bathroom, the Carlyle II reads as a clean horizontal volume rather than a vertical fixture.

Why low silhouette matters

Designers spec the Carlyle II when:

• The bathroom has a window directly behind the toilet — a standard 32" tank blocks the lower half of the window. A Carlyle II's 24" silhouette stays below the windowsill.
• The wall behind the toilet is the bathroom's design surface — wallpaper, tile, or feature paint that should be visible. Lower toilet silhouette = more visible wall.
• The toilet is in line-of-sight from the bedroom or hallway — the lower profile reads less "utility plumbing" and more "designed bathroom element."
• Compact bathrooms where ceiling clearance is tight — slanted ceilings under stairs, attic conversions.

Tornado Flush in a smaller tank

The trade-off of the low-silhouette tank: less water reserve. The Carlyle II's tank holds slightly less water at the rest position than the UltraMax II — meaning the engineering has to extract more flush velocity from less volume. TOTO uses the Tornado Flush (three angled jet nozzles + 3-inch flush valve) to compensate, and the resulting performance is solid — MaP score 800g (vs UltraMax II's 1,000g+). Real-world flush performance is strong for normal household use; heavy-paper-use households occasionally double-flush.

The Carlyle II variant matrix

What's in the box

• One-piece bowl + tank (molded as single porcelain unit, ~120 lbs)
• Pre-installed Tornado Flush mechanism
• CeFiONtect glaze on bowl interior
• SoftClose SS204 elongated seat included — designer-styled, matched to Carlyle II's silhouette
• Chrome trip lever (designer finish variants available at additional cost)
• Wax ring NOT included — buy separately ($5-10)
• Installation manual + template for floor mounting

Install requirements and procedure

• Rough-in: 12 inches (standard).
• Weight: ~120 lbs as a single unit. Two-person install strongly recommended. The low silhouette means the bowl's vertical-fall distance during placement is less, but the weight is concentrated lower — different physics than the UltraMax II install.
• Floor must be flat. The Carlyle II's skirted-trapway base sits low; an out-of-level floor will rock the bowl or crack the porcelain when bolts are tightened. Use a setting compound to fill any irregularities before final placement.
• Wax ring with horn recommended — the low-profile bowl outlet is tight tolerance.
• Concealed mounting bolts — Carlyle II uses hidden mounting hardware. The mounting bolts pass through internal channels rather than visible bowl-side holes. Different procedure from standard two-piece installs; the included template shows exact positions.

Detailed install procedure (90 minutes, two people)

1. Remove existing toilet. Scrape old wax ring off the floor flange. Inspect flange — verify at finished-floor level, not protruding above.
2. If the floor isn't perfectly flat, use a Korky setting compound ($6) to create a flat seating surface for the Carlyle II's base.
3. Install new wax ring on the floor flange. Press the horn into the flange opening.
4. Two people: lift Carlyle II straight down onto the wax ring. The low silhouette makes alignment more visible than UltraMax II's tall single piece. Press straight down with no twisting.
5. Use the supplied concealed mounting hardware to anchor bowl to flange. Hand-tight + 1/4 turn maximum — never overtighten.
6. Reconnect supply line to the bottom of the tank.
7. Open shutoff valve. Test flush several times.
8. Check for leaks at supply, mounting bolts, and base of bowl.
9. Install SoftClose seat (included).

What owners report — 5-15 year ownership

• The visual impact is the buying decision. Owners frequently mention being surprised by how much "the bathroom looks different" after replacing a standard two-piece with a Carlyle II.
• Tornado Flush is effective. MaP 800g is below UltraMax II but still well above the WaterSense 350g threshold. Normal household use: no double-flushing reported.
• CeFiONtect glaze performs as expected — extended cleaning intervals, reduced mineral spotting.
• The standard ceramic glaze on the OUTSIDE of the bowl (the skirt area) does collect dust and fingerprints — wipe weekly with a damp microfiber cloth.
• Tank lid replacement (if cracked) runs $220-$340 — between Vespin II two-piece ($120-180) and UltraMax II ($180-280). Verify with TOTO Customer Service for current pricing.
• Service is essentially identical to UltraMax II. Flapper at 7-9 years, fill valve at 10+ years, tank-to-bowl gasket N/A (one-piece — no joint).
• The bathroom photographs better. Real-estate listing photos with Carlyle II read as "designer remodel" vs Drake II's "functional bathroom."

Where Carlyle II wins vs UltraMax II

• Silhouette. 24" total height vs UltraMax II's 28" — meaningful in design-forward bathrooms.
• SoftClose seat upgrade — SS204 designer seat (vs UltraMax II's standard SS113).
• Color availability — Sedona Beige, Bone, Ebony with shorter lead times than UltraMax II.
• Concealed mounting bolts — cleaner aesthetic from above.

Where UltraMax II wins vs Carlyle II

• Stronger flush performance (1,000g+ MaP vs Carlyle's 800g) — meaningful for heavy-paper-use households.
• Lower price ($720-$830 vs $1,080-$1,380 — $250-$550 less).
• More widely stocked at plumbing-supply houses.
• Tank lid replacement is cheaper if you ever crack one.

Where Carlyle II competes vs other designer one-pieces

The verdict — should you buy a Carlyle II?

Buy if:

• You're designing a bathroom where the toilet is part of the visual composition (master bath, powder room with window, design-forward remodel)
• You want one-piece silhouette + Tornado Flush + CeFiONtect at the designer-mid tier
• The low total height matters (window behind toilet, slanted ceiling, design-driven sightline)
• You can afford the $1,000+ premium over UltraMax II
• You have install help (120 lbs is a real two-person job)

Skip if:

• You want maximum flush performance — UltraMax II at 1,000g+ MaP is stronger
• Budget is the primary constraint — UltraMax II is the value tier of TOTO one-piece
• You're rebuilding a rental property — overspec for tenant use
• You can't manage the install weight

Warranty

TOTO Carlyle II residential warranty: 1 year on tank trim, lifetime on porcelain. SoftClose SS204 seat carries its own 1-year warranty. Tornado Flush mechanism is covered under the lifetime porcelain warranty. Parts service through TOTO USA Atlanta — 5-7 business day shipping for OEM components.

Pricing reality (2026)

Carlyle II MS614114CEFG (Cotton White): $1,080-$1,280. Ferguson and Build.com Pro Desk discount frequently to $980-$1,080. Home Depot stocks at $1,199 standard. Holiday sales sometimes drop to $899-$999. Sedona Beige and Bone variants typically +$100-$200. Ebony variant +$150-$250. Designer-color special-order +$400-$700 with 6-10 week lead time.