We Tried a (Budget) Non-Electric Bidet Seat to See If It Suffices

(This is an independent review and not a sponsored post.)

Not all bidets are made the same. There are basic handheld ones you can get at neighbourhood hardware stores, fancy ones integrated into smart toilets at Japan’s upscale hotels — and everything in between.

So, when local brand WashBumBum.sg asked us to review their budget-friendly Deluxe 2in1 Non Electric Bidet & Seat (currently on sale at $128), we had the perfect candidate to do so: our colleague, Amanda, who uses a handheld bidet at home and holidays in the land of bidets and smart toilets (AKA Japan) once a year.

Installing the bidet and seat

Amanda (A): For someone who doesn’t usually DIY, I would say that the installation itself wasn’t difficult. But prior to that, it did take me a while to figure out which parts go where, so the entire process took about 30 to 45 minutes.

One thing to note is that I had to purchase a wrench to first remove my existing bidet’s hose. Because it’s not the first time we’re using the water outlet, there was some residual (clean) water in the pipes that gushed out — hence the splashes you see above.

Other than that, my toilet is pretty standard, so the seat could fit with no issues like what the website promised.

Initial thoughts on user-friendliness and performance

A: The lever system is quite straightforward — you just have to toggle between the front and rear spray, depending on which you want to use. My kids (who are currently in preschool) also caught on pretty quickly after a simple demonstration.

At least for me, the lowest water pressure is sufficient and the highest pressure feels almost like a power jet. It took some trial and error in manually adjusting the T-valve until we found the right inflow of water required for the lowest water pressure though.

Thoughts after using it for a week

A: It took some getting used to because the mechanism at the back takes up some space, and makes the actual seat smaller than a regular toilet seat. And although the packaging says there’s a self-cleaning feature, I still disinfect the nozzle regularly just to be extra safe.

It’s a basic model, so I don’t expect it to be like the smart toilets in Japan, which are more advanced with heated seats or even a dryer function.

In fact, I like that this one doesn’t require electricity. We don’t need a heated seat in Singapore’s weather, and it’s a step up from the handheld bidet we were using before WashBumBum. Cleaning up is also much easier for the kids now.

My only (minor) gripe is that aesthetically, the silver parts don’t match the rest of my bathroom fittings (like the existing handheld bidet that I still use to wash the bathroom) that are in copper.

Verdict

A: Overall, at this price point, it does the job and I’m definitely happy with the product. In fact, I’m thinking of getting another one for our common bathroom!