TOTO Eco UltraMax One-Piece Elongated 1.28 GPF Toilet

The TOTO Eco UltraMax positioning

The Eco UltraMax (MS854114E) is TOTO's water-efficient one-piece toilet — TOTO's first major one-piece design that received CeFiONtect glaze and met EPA WaterSense 1.28 GPF certification. Introduced in the early 2010s and still in continuous production, the Eco UltraMax has been the value-tier one-piece TOTO for over a decade, sitting below the UltraMax II ($720-$830) in price and engineering refinement.

At $580-$740, the Eco UltraMax fills a specific niche: buyers who want a TOTO one-piece (no tank-to-bowl seam, easier cleaning, designer silhouette) and CeFiONtect glaze but don't need the UltraMax II's Tornado Flush upgrade. For households where the E-Max flush at 800g MaP is sufficient — which is most US residential — the $140-$200 savings vs UltraMax II is a real value proposition.

Why the Eco UltraMax exists in the lineup alongside UltraMax II

TOTO's one-piece lineup has evolved over the years. The original UltraMax was introduced in 2003 with G-Max flush. The Eco UltraMax (2011) added 1.28 GPF water efficiency and CeFiONtect glaze. The UltraMax II (2016) added Tornado Flush technology and refined the silhouette. TOTO kept the Eco UltraMax in production rather than discontinuing it because the price point ($580-$740) serves a market that the UltraMax II ($720-$830) doesn't quite reach.

For buyers asking "should I get Eco UltraMax or UltraMax II?":

• Get Eco UltraMax if you want one-piece TOTO + CeFiONtect at the best price, and don't need maximum flush velocity
• Get UltraMax II if you want the latest Tornado Flush engineering, slightly refined exterior styling, and the additional $140-$200 is justifiable

The E-Max flush — engineering details

The Eco UltraMax uses TOTO's E-Max gravity flush mechanism. Unlike the newer Tornado Flush (three angled jet nozzles + 3-inch flush valve), E-Max uses:

• Single tangential jet entering the bowl from the back of the rim
• 2.5-inch flush valve (smaller than Tornado's 3-inch)
• Siphonic trapway with refined water-distribution pattern
• Standard rubber flapper (not canister-style)

Performance:

• MaP score: 800g (compare to UltraMax II 1,000g+)
• Flush time: ~7-8 seconds
• Bowl-cleansing: solid for normal-use households; not as thorough as Tornado on heavy-paper days
• Quiet flush operation

The variant matrix

What's in the box

• One-piece bowl + tank molded as single porcelain unit (~105 lbs — lighter than UltraMax II's 115 lbs)
• Pre-installed E-Max flush valve and Fluidmaster-pattern fill valve
• Standard flapper (universal Korky/Fluidmaster fits as direct replacement)
• Chrome trip lever (front-mount)
• Wax ring NOT included — buy separately ($5-10)
• SoftClose seat NOT included — TOTO SS113 ($45-75) recommended; Bemis 1500EC ($35) fits
• CeFiONtect glaze on bowl interior
• Installation manual + floor template

Install requirements and procedure

• Rough-in: 12 inches (standard).
• Weight: ~105 lbs as single unit. Two-person install recommended; single-person feasible with a furniture dolly.
• Floor must be flat. Out-of-level floor can crack the porcelain when bolts are tightened. Use Korky setting compound ($6) to fill irregularities.
• Wax ring with horn recommended for centered seal on tight-tolerance one-piece bowl outlet.
• Standard mounting bolts through visible bowl-side holes — different from skirted-trapway UltraMax II's concealed mounting.

Detailed install procedure (90 minutes, two people)

1. Remove existing toilet. Two-person lift to handle weight.
2. Scrape old wax ring off the floor flange. Inspect flange — verify cracks or low-flange issues before proceeding.
3. If floor is out-of-level, apply Korky setting compound to create flat seating surface.
4. Install new wax ring on flange. The wax-ring-with-horn style ($6) is more forgiving of slightly-low flanges.
5. Two people: lift Eco UltraMax straight down onto the wax ring. Press straight down — never twist or rock.
6. Use new floor mounting bolts (included) to anchor bowl to flange. Hand-tight + 1/4 turn maximum.
7. Reconnect supply line to the bottom of the tank.
8. Open shutoff valve. Tank fills. Test flush.
9. Check for leaks at supply, around bowl base, and visible mounting bolts.
10. Install SoftClose seat (sold separately).
11. Apply silicone caulk around base of bowl (optional).

What owners report — long-term ownership (5-15 years)

• One-piece aesthetic + CeFiONtect glaze is the value proposition. Owners consistently mention being happy with the visual cleanness of the seamless silhouette plus the extended cleaning intervals.
• E-Max flush is solid for normal-use households. Heavy paper-use households occasionally double-flush vs the Tornado-equipped UltraMax II's near-zero double-flushing.
• Cleaning intervals stretch noticeably compared to non-CeFiONtect TOTOs. Most owners report bowl scrubbing every 3-4 weeks vs weekly on standard-glazed competitors.
• Service is straightforward. Universal flapper at 7-9 years (Korky 100, $5), fill valve at 10-12 years (Fluidmaster 400A, $12). Tank-to-bowl gasket N/A (one-piece — no joint).
• Trip lever chrome plating dulls at 10-15 years. Universal Danco replacement ($12).
• Service life: 25+ years for the porcelain. Same as UltraMax II — the one-piece engineering ages well.
• Tank lid (cracked replacement) runs $180-$280 — between Vespin II two-piece ($120) and UltraMax II ($180-$280).

Where Eco UltraMax wins vs UltraMax II

• Lower price ($580-$740 vs $720-$830) — $140-$200 less for similar exterior
• Lighter install (~105 lbs vs ~115 lbs)
• Longer track record (in production since 2011 — 15+ years of reliability data)
• Universal flapper replacement (E-Max uses standard flapper; UltraMax II uses Tornado-specific valve)
• Same CeFiONtect glaze — no advantage to UltraMax II in glaze

Where UltraMax II wins vs Eco UltraMax

• Tornado Flush vs E-Max — 1,000g+ vs 800g MaP. Meaningful for heavy users.
• Slightly refined exterior styling — UltraMax II has slightly tighter geometric lines
• Newer model availability — UltraMax II is being stocked more broadly as TOTO transitions distribution
• Better newer-construction spec presence

Where Eco UltraMax competes

The verdict

Buy Eco UltraMax if:

• You want a TOTO one-piece with CeFiONtect at the best price
• You're not a heavy-paper-use household (E-Max flush is sufficient for normal use)
• The $140-$200 savings vs UltraMax II is meaningful
• You want a long-proven model with 15+ years of reliability data
• You prefer universal aftermarket flapper compatibility

Skip and choose UltraMax II if:

• Heavy-use household where Tornado Flush's bowl-cleansing advantage matters
• You want the newest engineering and refined styling
• The $140-$200 premium is justifiable for the upgrade

Warranty

TOTO Eco UltraMax residential warranty: 1 year on tank trim, lifetime on porcelain. Service through TOTO USA Atlanta. Parts are largely universal (E-Max flapper accepts Korky 100 universal); some model-specific items (trip lever, internal flush valve seat) ship from TOTO direct.

Pricing reality (2026)

Eco UltraMax MS854114E (Cotton White): $580-$680. Ferguson and Build.com Pro Desk discount frequently to $520-$580. Home Depot stocks at $629-$679 standard. Holiday sales drop to $499-$549. Sedona Beige and Bone variants +$40-$80. Ebony +$80-$120. California rebate programs ($50-$100) drop net cost to $430-$560 in rebate-eligible zones.

The honest summary

The Eco UltraMax is the TOTO one-piece that should be the default value pick for owner-occupied primary bathrooms where the buyer wants brand, CeFiONtect, and one-piece aesthetic but doesn't need the absolute latest engineering. It's been quietly serving US bathrooms for over a decade with consistent reliability. The fact that TOTO keeps it in production despite having UltraMax II in the lineup tells you everything about its enduring value.