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KOHLER Veil K-1381 – Beauty, Power And Freedom [REVIEW]
Nice to Look At, Easy to Clean and Powerful Flushing – Introducing the KOHLER Veil K-1381
There is the San Souci. But now designers will have no reason not to include this KOHLER Veil K-1381 into their portfolio. Subjectively speaking, this is a much better looking toilet with the right proportion, nice size, and not over-designed overall. It certainly has blurred the line between conventional and modern.
What do you think?
But… Like all things pretty, the substance is what sustains the beauty.
So, what is this one-piece and skirted Veil made of, has it got the performance genes of the Cimarrons? What are its best features or specs? And what about the disadvantages, surely there must be some.
More importantly, how devastating can it be to your wallet?
Let’s un-Veil.
Designed to be Loved (at first sight)
If you think this Veil crapper is only a pretty face with nothing extraordinary inside, you are right. But by KOHLER’s standard, ordinary means the entire flushing system has to be above the industry standard.
So, you will at least be getting a 3-inch flush valve opening, and a wider-than the industry-standard trapway diameter. The water spot is a lovely 9″ x 7-1/4″, which is large enough to contain all the solid waste and light in volume to activate the siphon faster for flushing and water-saving efficiency.
It’s a dual-flush toilet! Bet you didn’t expect that when you saw the side trip lever, right? Though that’s not an earth-shattering feature, you can surely appreciate the little extra shelving space on the tank cover. An emergency roll can be placed there, so it got your back in times of ‘trouble’.
And KOHLER has perfected details into a fine art. How can they not know your concern about replacing your existing toilet with this Veil K-1381 beauty? A huge 12-1/8″ x 23-5/8″ bowl base should cover the footprints of almost all other KOHLER toilet models and of most other brands. And with that large a footprint or bowl base, stability is a beast. TOC
Perfect Size of a Toilet
This KOHLER Veil K-1381 is not luxuriously big, neither it is uncomfortably small. Perfect for a medium to a large bathroom. It might even look good for a small bathroom, that will depend on the layout. But please observe the minimum space rule no matter what space area you got.
If toilet cleaning is an Olympic sport, and you are a fan, this KOHLER Veil K-1381 will be the official toilet size. You will enjoy every wipe on its flat surfaces without worrying about unreachable hidden places. And for the ladies, you can proceed with your manicure at any time because the cleaning is nail friendly.
Recommended Space Area
- Width (left-right distance): Min. 36 inches or wider
- Depth (front-back distance): Min. 54 inches or more
Durable Tower Style Flush Valve
This KOHLER Veil K-1381 has a class five flushing system. But don’t worry about it if you are new to KOHLER. It’s just a KOHLER thing. Plumber Joe and Harry, who both have installed hundreds of KOHLER toilets between them, will not bother to explain it to you. That’s because it flushes just like any great gravity siphonic toilets with grace and high efficiency regardless if it’s class 5 or 6.
What’s certain is, the valve has a 3-inch wide opening. That’s an inch wider than the industry standard of 2 inches and definitely better as it allows more water to flow into the bowl at any given timing.
Add to it, this Veil uses a tower or canister flush valve. KOHLER likes to call it the Aquapiston that has 90% less exposed seal material than a 3-inch flapper. That simply translates into a much reliable and durable valve than the chain and flapper system.
With the canister flush valve, water is basically unobstructed in a 360-degree flow. You get more flush power compared to a 3-inch flapper valve. It is even better than most tower valves with its 3:2 ratio funnel that serves to stream water for more push power through the bowl channels.
Glazed Surface For High Flushing Efficiency
If it’s a class five flushing system, then both the bowl and internal trapway surface are glazed for greater flush efficiency. That you can safely boast about it in front of your haters friends. But don’t go overboard because most toilets these days have similar glazed surface in the bowl and trapway.
And speaking of trapway, the industry norm is 2 inches in diameter. But be careful here, it can’t be made significantly bigger. It is not like the flush valve opening, the bigger, the better. If someone offers you a 3 or 4-inch wide trapway, RUN! Unless it is a washdown toilet, that’s grossly impractical and close to being lunatic for a siphonic crapper.
So a fraction bigger is better than the industry standard of 2-inch. As it will allow more content to pass through the trap. Though you may not feel the difference, it does offer higher efficiency.
The trapway diameter of this KOHLER Veil K-1381 is 2-1/8″ in diameter. TOC
Not a Standard Install
A plumber who has installed tons of 12-inch rough-in standard toilets will have no use of his experience with this KOHLER Veil K-1381. That’s because the toilet does not connect directly to the flange. Instead, a separate trap attachment will need to be installed onto the flange first, then connects to the toilet trap.
Next, drilling of holes on the floor is required for two L-shape brackets, which in turn is for securing the toilet to position. A typical toilet installation does not need this step. This is why some plumbers find it challenging to install a skirted one-piece toilet, such as this Veil K-1381. They have to use a drill which is considered extra work for them.
As a matter of fact, if you follow the installation manual to the letter, this can be much easier than you think. Besides, a template is provided to guide you on alignment and where to drill the L brackets’ holes. Absolutely no guesswork at all. You pretty much can do the installation yourself if you are comfortable using tools like a hand drill, screwdriver, adjustable wrench, and caulking gun.
Of course, to DIY or not is entirely up to you. The point here is that it helps to communicate to your plumber of a non-standard installation. So there will be no surprises and improvised work that don’t follow the maker’s instruction for a proper installation. Work can then proceed smoothly, and everyone is happy.
TOC
Is It All Good or There are Some Imperfections?
No doubt about it, this KOHLER Veil K-1381 will work flawlessly if the actual build is according to the specs. But that does not mean everyone will live happily ever after. It is one of those pet peeves for some toilet shoppers.
If you need a different color other than white, nope. At least not for now, but that may change if enough interest is registered with KOHLER.
But…, again, subjectively speaking, white on this KOHLER Veil K-1381 is simply gorgeous. Don’t you think so? Or what other colors, in your opinion, will also look good on it?
Next is the no comfort height option. Pretty surprising for a company that trademarked the Comfort Height name but choose to exclude on this Veil K-1381.
But if you look at the 15-3/8″ bowl height, add on the seat which is 1-3/16″ high, that’s just 7/16″ short of the minimum 17″ to be classified as comfort height or ADA compliant.
So, you will need to ask yourself, will that 7/16″ or 11.10 mm make any difference to you? If a significantly taller toilet is all you wanted, this is probably not so suitable for you. TOC
What Are the Options?
There are 2 versions of this K-1381 KOHLER Veil. You have the basic model and the other with the provision for the C3 bidet seat. So it’s either-or, but the decision making can be complicated when both are sold at the same price.
Okay, let’s break the process down on choosing the right one for your designer bathroom before you get into a fight with your other half. Here’s what you need to consider before making your decision on which to pick.
Consideration 1
If you are dead sure you don’t need the C3 smart bidet seat now and in the future, then the Veil K-1381-0 is the right model for you.
But, a gentle reminder here…
If you change your mind later, you can still install the C3 bidet seat. But you will have to live with the sight of the bidet cord and hose dangling down the edge of the bowl forever. It’s an eyesore to those with an eye for aesthetics.
Consideration 2
This Veil K-1381-HC-0 will be the best option, even if you are adamant about not having the C3 bidet seat now but change your mind 3 months later (some barely 3 minutes later). You not only save yourself from the ugly sight of the exposed cable cord and water hose, your face too. Smart! 😎
So what exactly is the difference between K-1381-0 and K-1381-HC-0?
The 2 models have exactly the same specs and features. The only difference is the provision of a through-hole next to the seat mounting hole (see Image 1). This is for the electric cord and flexible pipe of the bidet seat to go through and be hidden away.
Otherwise, you will see the cords dangling on the side, which will not do justice to such an aesthetically pleasing piece of porcelain art.
So, as long as you harbor the thoughts of having a bidet seat, go for the K-1381-HC-0 model. If the budget is a little tight, just grab a regular seat first. Once you are ready, just change it to the C3 smart bidet seat.
Never ever live your life with regrets, even for a decision over a toilet with an additional hole. 😉 TOC
Choose Your Veil
Choose a Smart Bidet Seat For Your Veil
So you have decided to get the bidet seat as well. Here are the two bidet seats that are compatible with the KOHLER Veil K-1381-HC-0.
Summary
All in all, the design and build quality is excellent. The features and specs are reasonably good. Or at least on the specifications, it is similar to the powerful Cimarron K-3609 in terms of trapway size, flush valve opening, and flushing capacity.
Since there isn’t a MaP rating attached to this KOHLER Veil K-1381 yet, it shouldn’t be too far away from the Cimarron, which has a MaP 1000 rating (highest). But bear in mind that the Cimarron is a comfort height model with the advantage of a slightly more elevated trapway design.
So, will this new KOHLER Veil be as powerful as the Cimarron? You will have to wait for the MaP test result to know. But if you love beautiful toilets, you should know that the two-piece Cimarron doesn’t have the same appeal as this Veil, it’s day and night. TOC