The Strange Design of American Toilets

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  • čas přidán 12. 08. 2023
  • Please check out the free in depth career guide at 80000hours.org/fern (ad)
    Have you ever visited the United States or Europe and noticed that there's something different about the toilets?
    This is a video uncovering the hidden complex reasons behind why bathrooms are different.
    Toilets, engineering, Zizek, Europe, USA, Comparison
    Sources:
    docs.google.com/document/d/1Z...
    fern is a joint venture by:
    @romulushoog
    @simplicissimus
    _____
    Armchair documentaries, almost weekly
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Komentáře • 1,8K

  • @jazebuchheister5437
    @jazebuchheister5437 Před 9 měsíci +2789

    ''Brexit was a surprise to no one who understood bathrooms''

    • @RafaelW8
      @RafaelW8 Před 9 měsíci +281

      Because it was a shitstorm. Everything went down the drain.

    • @Lokizypresse_902
      @Lokizypresse_902 Před 9 měsíci +17

      @@RafaelW8 wow

    • @Sir99percent
      @Sir99percent Před 9 měsíci +1

      I guess this was meant to be a joke right?

    • @derekallen3979
      @derekallen3979 Před 9 měsíci +34

      @@Sir99percent If it was it was a total failure as European/UK toilets are identical .

    • @TonyHdzV
      @TonyHdzV Před 7 měsíci +1

      That sure was a sentence

  • @trueberryless
    @trueberryless Před 9 měsíci +4996

    I have never thought about toilets so deeply and for such a long time! Very interesting...

    • @mokhtaraliars2084
      @mokhtaraliars2084 Před 9 měsíci +2

      😂😂😂😂😂😂

    • @redcherry8137
      @redcherry8137 Před 9 měsíci +7

      Welcome to plumbing 😭

    • @SBImNotWritingMyNameHere
      @SBImNotWritingMyNameHere Před 8 měsíci

      czcams.com/video/hy_fElYFzI8/video.htmlsi=uM1tzC71DQPwHpuw
      link to the grand unified toilet theory

    • @mercedesvelasquez8781
      @mercedesvelasquez8781 Před 7 měsíci +7

      I have thought about it as a American especially when I was a homeless drug addict once upon a time and I would use the bathroom to sponge bath myself & change into clothes which I always thought I get barely enough vut not enough privacy to do my business thanks to the bathroom door being to high n' folks being able to see what's going in the bathroom when all I wanted was pure privacy..

    • @LordJemse
      @LordJemse Před 7 měsíci +1

      I have

  • @emysimo
    @emysimo Před 9 měsíci +441

    This is so interesting, I travel a lot between the UK and the US and I've always wondered why such a big difference. Also, I've never seen a siphonic toilet in the UK, it's definitely an all-American thing. Southern Europe has also squat toilets, but I'm fairly sure they're being phased as I haven't seen one in many years.

    • @tiffanywyatt5137
      @tiffanywyatt5137 Před 9 měsíci +1

      So do you normally just watch one video and believe it all?

    • @clarinetstar14
      @clarinetstar14 Před 7 měsíci +59

      I have lived in the uk my whole life. Seen hundreds of toilets here. Never seen a siphonic toilet.

    • @10airsoftguy
      @10airsoftguy Před 7 měsíci +27

      Been living in the UK for awhile now and same, I haven't seen a siphonic toilet here. All the toilets are either pull chain or wash down.

    • @RemziCavdar
      @RemziCavdar Před 7 měsíci +5

      Turkey and India have both! And even some villas have both because the squat toilet is better for the big thing.

    • @marceldroge2595
      @marceldroge2595 Před 5 měsíci +20

      so...after 3 month i can solve the riddle... :) The siphonic toilets (american style) are banned in europe since the 1970s because of the amount of water they need. A siphonic toilet needs about 9-10 liters, an european actually around 4,5 to 6 liters fpr the "big flush", 3 to 4,5 for the "smal flush". So there is an other difference, that makes it nearly impossible to intrduce the european toilets to the US: in america most of the people are crumpling their toiletpaper, in europe they fold it. The siphonic toilet has a bit more power...and so its possible to flush the crumbled paper. Its a minor point...but not unimportant :) And before you wonder: i´m working in this industrie...its not a hobby to know that :)

  • @S28426
    @S28426 Před 9 měsíci +155

    I'm a European who lives in the UK and I don't recall ever seeing a siphon toilet here in the UK, and all the toilets in all the houses, hotels and apartments I've stayed in the UK have had wash-down models.
    also holy hell the toilets with shelves are the absolute worst, you still see them sometimes in Hungary in public washrooms.

    • @clarinetstar14
      @clarinetstar14 Před 7 měsíci +1

      I first saw a shelf toilet in legoland in windsor

    • @tabby73
      @tabby73 Před 5 měsíci

      They're very common in Germany

    • @speising0
      @speising0 Před 3 měsíci +5

      i call them presentation toilets, they help you to diagnose your output :) also, they prevent splash back.

    • @sgtscheetje
      @sgtscheetje Před 3 měsíci +4

      I prefer the shelf toilet, they were common in the Netherlands until the '90s. Unfortunately they are hard to buy anymore these days.

    • @TheOfficialDorianelevator
      @TheOfficialDorianelevator Před 3 měsíci

      they are called washout toilets.

  • @kevinboros7427
    @kevinboros7427 Před 9 měsíci +3972

    Can't believe that even in a video about toilets we reach the age old conclusion: the US cares about companies and profits, while the EU cares about human beings.

    • @bisky9105
      @bisky9105 Před 9 měsíci +474

      ​@@tripplefives1402you can't have companies without workers, aka human beings
      You can, however, have human beings without companies. In fact companies as we know them today did not exist for such a long time

    • @Pikachu-ho8rp
      @Pikachu-ho8rp Před 9 měsíci +10

      @@tripplefives1402salty american who cannot take criticism found lol

    • @zuluhyena305
      @zuluhyena305 Před 9 měsíci +194

      ​@@tripplefives1402this a really dumb take. If you acctually did five minutes of thinking you'd realise that you don't need companies at all. Well, not in the capitalist sence anyway

    • @Masterchief_Tito
      @Masterchief_Tito Před 9 měsíci +10

      ​@@bisky9105We need companies tho. No?

    • @mediocreman6323
      @mediocreman6323 Před 9 měsíci +84

      @@tripplefives1402 - do you need to live to work, or to work to live?
      Got it?

  • @Miratesus
    @Miratesus Před 9 měsíci +1678

    The open stalls in US toilets made me super uncomfortable to use a public restroom in the US. In Sweden public toilets have their own rooms which are quite sound proof as well. You get complete privacy.

    • @jbbrutal6714
      @jbbrutal6714 Před 9 měsíci +106

      Yeah we all hate the stalls here in the U.S. as far as I know and I can't foresee workers striking for something like that lol although maybe it would help

    • @p.a.g3357
      @p.a.g3357 Před 9 měsíci +153

      An Ikea I went to had the best solution. A row of those isolated rooms toilets. No urinals, no open stalls, no gendered anything. Just do your shit and be at peace. It was effective and efficient and never felt awkward. Meanwhile now days back in the USA I sit in the restroom at work and stare at the shoes of the guy waiting for me to exit..........

    • @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit
      @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit Před 9 měsíci

      @@p.a.g3357 gendered toilets are a fucking scam. They just exist to sell more shit'n'piss stations.

    • @RaduRadonys
      @RaduRadonys Před 9 měsíci +48

      @@p.a.g3357 Lol, meanwhile here in Europe at my work and in many public places like malls, restaurants, airports, they play loud music in the stalls so other people in neighboring stalls won't hear our noises... and you stare at some other guy's shoes :))

    • @alharrison1038
      @alharrison1038 Před 9 měsíci +1

      As opposed to the trough you guys piss in? You must be joking

  • @iclonethefirst
    @iclonethefirst Před 9 měsíci +41

    Nice shitpost

  • @Jnthnpg
    @Jnthnpg Před 9 měsíci +63

    UK here - we definitely don’t use the US style toilet very often at all.

    • @purplelily7728
      @purplelily7728 Před 4 měsíci +2

      I agree. I'm 51, have travelled extensively within the UK and have never seen a toilet like that. As someone else mentioned, it's unlikely to even be legal within the UK.

    • @Unknown07-ic6kr
      @Unknown07-ic6kr Před 2 měsíci +2

      Yall use the flush toilet right

  • @Binarylurx
    @Binarylurx Před 9 měsíci +1294

    "The bathrooms are not designed to maximise the most convenient, pleasant bathroom experience, but to maximise raw output." - Got me chuckling lol

    • @MartijnPennings
      @MartijnPennings Před 9 měsíci +41

      It's reminded me why McDonald's in the US have slightly uncomfortable furniture and are just not pleasant places to be. You'd rather take away your food than eat in, and that maximizes output as well. McDs in Europe are generally (no, not everywhere) much more stylish and comfortable places.

    • @davisdelp8131
      @davisdelp8131 Před 9 měsíci +3

      @@MartijnPenningswell it’s fast food the whole point is you just take your food and leave if you want more comfortable experience to go to a restaurant

    • @MartijnPennings
      @MartijnPennings Před 9 měsíci +19

      @@davisdelp8131 I know, but in some places (read: France) McD failed with their standard American model franchise. French people generally rather sit down than walk-and-eat. Also it's more normal to take your family to mcD or eat with a group, so in some places they design them more as restaurants.

    • @MartijnPennings
      @MartijnPennings Před 9 měsíci

      @@davisdelp8131 it's explained here: czcams.com/video/zmIczg6a0WQ/video.htmlsi=iLEcLwpjzdNmyp08

    • @Gadavillers-Panoir
      @Gadavillers-Panoir Před 9 měsíci +3

      @@davisdelp8131here in South Asia the American FF outlets are treated as restaurants. I think this is quite common around the world. As a result most McDs, KFC, PH, BK look rather fancy and are comfortable enough a long dine in experience.

  • @thhhhms
    @thhhhms Před 9 měsíci +3967

    The ability to create such an interesting video out of something so seemingly banal as toilets is a testament to your skill as a creator. Keep it up!

    • @HighLanderPonyYT
      @HighLanderPonyYT Před 9 měsíci +9

      It's called overthinking.

    • @thhhhms
      @thhhhms Před 9 měsíci +54

      @@HighLanderPonyYT perhaps you're right. I, however, prefer to look at it as maybe seeing the world a little differently from most.

    • @c0d1ngclips25
      @c0d1ngclips25 Před 9 měsíci +5

      thank slavoj zizek

    • @otakuofmine
      @otakuofmine Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@HighLanderPonyYT literally the opposite of that

    • @derchristianausffo
      @derchristianausffo Před 9 měsíci

      @@otakuofmine Nope

  • @khall187
    @khall187 Před 9 měsíci +27

    0:10 "taken at a$$ value" lmaoo

  • @secretmediagmbh3929
    @secretmediagmbh3929 Před 9 měsíci +45

    This video is art, satire and comedy at the same time. The trinity of fern.

  • @bilbobaggins4785
    @bilbobaggins4785 Před 9 měsíci +457

    As a UK native I never encountered a siphonic toilet till I went to the US

    • @thecaptainnoodles
      @thecaptainnoodles Před 9 měsíci +13

      same i think

    • @redshift739
      @redshift739 Před 9 měsíci +16

      I've never seen one either and I've been here my whole life

    • @bilbobaggins4785
      @bilbobaggins4785 Před 7 měsíci +4

      @@Shadow_ball London but lived in the Midlands too

    • @Pearloryx
      @Pearloryx Před 4 měsíci

      I believe other than US countries use that too. We have that a lot here in the Philippines and even Singapore.

    • @davidtsmith3520
      @davidtsmith3520 Před 3 měsíci +10

      Agreed, another US video showing little knowledge of the UK. I’m not sure if the video is rather tongue in cheek 😂😂

  • @aston-s
    @aston-s Před 9 měsíci +749

    I'm from the UK and nearly 40. I've never seen a UK toilet using anything like the amount of water a US toilet uses. As far as I can tell we use the flush down toilet. Despite what Slavoi Zizek says (mine even has a dual flush)

    • @horatiotodd8723
      @horatiotodd8723 Před 9 měsíci +48

      Yeah i think we stopped using them decades ago I’ve only ever seen one or two of the other type.

    • @aston-s
      @aston-s Před 9 měsíci +86

      @@horatiotodd8723 I don't think we ever used them... You ever seen a Victorian toilet with that amount of water in them? I suspect Slavoi is either lazy or got confused by language as our toilets do have a Syphon in them... But within the cistern (the bit at the back for any non-native speakers)

    • @BronzeManul
      @BronzeManul Před 9 měsíci +90

      Yeah, I've never seen a siphon toilet here, as far as I'm aware. Always got freaked out seeing the swimming pool of water in American toilets.

    • @hijackstudios
      @hijackstudios Před 9 měsíci +79

      Siphon toilets are actually illegal in the UK and as far as I'm also aware they have never been used - ironically in a video that mentions Brexit it is due to the 6 litre max flush requirement that is currently embedded in UK law which originated from the EU.

    • @yodukenukem
      @yodukenukem Před 9 měsíci +8

      Dual Flush is goated ngl

  • @oshinoshinobu9500
    @oshinoshinobu9500 Před 9 měsíci +32

    Joining the other UK comments here, we don't use the siphon toilets. We have the same flush down style as the rest of Europe. Surpised at the error, doesn't seem it would be hard to verify considering it's mentioned multiple times throughout the video.

    • @markwright3161
      @markwright3161 Před 3 měsíci +2

      Our wash down style toilets do have a siphon, but it's in the cistern. If he learned about that I can see how he got confused. It's known as a 'Pythagorean siphon' (the channel 'Steve Mould' has a video on them) as you simply initiate the flow of water with the handle and it self sustains flow until it empties the cistern, however we have the dual flush option built into this as you can hold down the handle to break the siphon effect when the water level drops to half of the cistern's capacity. Holding the handle down creates an air gap when the water level drops that far, and air entering the siphon stops it pulling water up from the bottom of the cistern. I guess this could be how ours differ from the European ones that seem to be shown in this video to have 2 separate buttons for that, where ours have a single handle like the US ones, probably adding to the confusion, or confirming in their mind that the UK's (cistern) siphon toilets are the same as the US (waste-pipe) siphon toilets.
      Our design also means if the float doesn't fully stop the flow of water into the cistern, it won't flood the bathroom because the path into the rest of the toilet is always open. Pushing the handle just pulls a one-way plunger style thing upwards to create a wave over the top that then falls and pulls the rest of the water in the cistern with it until air gets into that system again.

  • @04smallmj
    @04smallmj Před 9 měsíci +27

    In my 30 years of using toilets in the UK, I've only seen 1 syphonic toilet out of hundreds of toilets that I have used. I have no idea where you got that info from! Also, we have both types of stalls.

    • @izzee9900
      @izzee9900 Před 4 měsíci +2

      Average youtube user needs to realize his own singular personal experience does not define facts

  • @MariusOFFICIAL
    @MariusOFFICIAL Před 9 měsíci +730

    Did you know that the old German toilet has this kind of step for medical reasons? It is there so that stool samples can be taken much more easily.

    • @mediocreman6323
      @mediocreman6323 Před 9 měsíci +103

      Which is the reason why you find them so often in Austria. In the empire, to my knowledge, there even was an imperial decree to be able to inspect bodily outflow more easily in order to help combat diseases, because if you can register them more easily, you are able to prevent them from spreading more easily.

    • @zero.Identity
      @zero.Identity Před 9 měsíci +189

      + no splash so your butt stays dry AND nobody hears when you take one. that alone makes it 200% better

    • @Septimus1907
      @Septimus1907 Před 9 měsíci +15

      But they also clog way faster so for me they are a big nono. Have been there regularly taking a dump and clogging the toilet with a "new" one. Dont want to imagine what would happen if the old one was more common

    • @zero.Identity
      @zero.Identity Před 9 měsíci

      the only thing that says about you, is that you shouldn't wait so long before you take a shit. they almost never clog. you just dont have a healthy way of doing your business@@Septimus1907

    • @schnelma605
      @schnelma605 Před 9 měsíci +44

      This type of toilet does not squirt, which is probably its main advantage these days

  • @heutemalnicht
    @heutemalnicht Před 9 měsíci +504

    This is quite litterally a giant, well executed and very informative shitpost. Thanks fern!

    • @HandsomeBastard
      @HandsomeBastard Před 4 měsíci +2

      Alright Mr.Kissass, got enough "t's in littterally ?

  • @whattodotoday5690
    @whattodotoday5690 Před 5 měsíci +10

    'to maximise raw output' had me actually laughing out loud 8:12

  • @Hadar1991
    @Hadar1991 Před 9 měsíci +43

    Fun fact: Žižek first name is Slavoj, name which in Poland is almost synonymous with toilets. Outhouse (you know, wooden, dry toilets, not connected to sewer system, often found in rural areas) in Poland is called "Sławojka" (which can be translated into English as "something owned by Slavoj", because Polish minister of Interior (and later prime minister of Poland) Sławoj Składkowski went onto crusade against defecating on ground in open air and decreed that every land lot has to have an outhouse. But because he really wanted to enforce new law he was responsible for massive government controls checking if everybody had an outhouse. Because it was quite intrusive he became object of jokes and mockery and calling outhouse with his name just stuck. Just imagine, you were a doctor of medicine (surgeon and gynaecologist), two star general, politician, minister of interior, prime minister, you took part in a coup against democratically elected government, you were responsible for illegal arrests of opposition members, but the one thing you are remember is... hehe, shithouse. :D
    Is this coincidence that two toilet obsessed men are name Slavoj? I don't think so. xD

    • @fungo6631
      @fungo6631 Před 9 měsíci +5

      I call 'em Shrek toilets.
      And frankly, the Polish synonym is accurate for his politics.

  • @KXY5
    @KXY5 Před 9 měsíci +128

    Most of the stalls in Europe also have a gap between the floor and the wall, but much smaller than in the USA

    • @MouseHunterEntertainment
      @MouseHunterEntertainment Před 9 měsíci +10

      I wanted to say that too, its not true that the stall goes to the ground

    • @thecryptochartist5506
      @thecryptochartist5506 Před 9 měsíci +9

      In the netherlands the stall goes always to the ground, no gaps

    • @LoskLive
      @LoskLive Před 7 měsíci +4

      Depends on where you are.
      But still smaller gaps for sure.

    • @jakubadamczyk1523
      @jakubadamczyk1523 Před 3 měsíci

      @@thecryptochartist5506It's not true. I've been there several times and there mostly aren't.

    • @thecryptochartist5506
      @thecryptochartist5506 Před 3 měsíci

      @@jakubadamczyk1523 It is true, i live there for whole my life and they mostly are

  • @alexties6933
    @alexties6933 Před 9 měsíci +24

    7:35 ah yes a ambulance worker having to slide through potentially piss and shit down on the floor to access a patient sounds like a good idea

    • @Waskomsause
      @Waskomsause Před 3 měsíci +1

      Well the main idea is that they can see the person, and thus be able to open the door using some kind of tool. Basically, if you can't see someone passed out on the floor, they might die because people politely avoid disturbing that stall.

  • @PoRouS22
    @PoRouS22 Před 7 měsíci +5

    Another crazy thing at US stalls is that tooo big gap when closing the stall door, you can literally see everyone shitting while walking by

  • @tool-usinganimal8488
    @tool-usinganimal8488 Před 8 měsíci +12

    Another benefit of the American stalls with the large gaps is that you can crawl out if the door latch mechanism fails for some reason. That happened to me once with those rotating knob locks where it failed to completely retract despite being turned all the way. To this day I'm still suspicious of these types of latches especially when they get rusty, I don't get why everyone doesn't just use sliding latches which are way simpler and can't fail in a manner that locks you inside.

    • @warcusj
      @warcusj Před 6 měsíci +5

      most bathroom stall doors in the UK (at least from my experience) use a sliding lock - so failure is rare. And in the event of one, it just means the door can't close, not that you're locked in/out.

  • @BronzeManul
    @BronzeManul Před 9 měsíci +56

    Pretty sure we use washdown toilets in the UK?

  • @NaenaeGaming
    @NaenaeGaming Před 9 měsíci +185

    Interesting video, but we definitely use the same toilets as the rest of Europe here in the UK. I’ve even seen one comment saying as far as they’re aware the US style is outright illegal and that laws on the maximum volume of water allowed to be used by the toilet according to EU law is still embedded in UK law, as goes for most EU laws as of now, so Brexit is once again irrelevant in this sense.

    • @herrhase5261
      @herrhase5261 Před 9 měsíci

      What are you implying?

    • @jordan_roadhouse4798
      @jordan_roadhouse4798 Před 17 dny

      ​@@herrhase5261
      That Brexit has been brought up in a nonsense way, again. We have had the same toilets for the decades. Pre and post Brexit. So why is Brexit being mentioned at all.

  • @redshift739
    @redshift739 Před 9 měsíci +8

    In the UK I've never seen an American style toilet and many of them do have 2 buttons so I don't think you're right in saying we use syphonic ones unless the high water is optional

  • @ewkr1604
    @ewkr1604 Před 9 měsíci +12

    Lived in the UK my whole life and, to the best of my knowledge, I have never seen a US style toilet in my life, never seen a bowl full of water except when it is clogged lol

  • @WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS
    @WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS Před 9 měsíci +59

    We absolutely don't use the siphon toilet here in the UK anymore, I have not seen one of those since I was a literal child thirty odd years ago.

  • @EntireShadow
    @EntireShadow Před 9 měsíci +275

    I had a smile on my face the whole video, mostly because it was so seriously spoken

    • @anarchoshulginist7515
      @anarchoshulginist7515 Před 9 měsíci +9

      Yeah, dramatically even

    • @TheRealProdeigi
      @TheRealProdeigi Před 9 měsíci +1

      Idk why people always associate something funny with toilets and expect a unserious or even a comedy speak and talk when it comes to toilets.
      Its literally about serious "problems" like the high usage of water.
      I guess you even start to smile and laugh when someone talks about... hihi. PEENIS.

    • @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit
      @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit Před 9 měsíci +6

      @@TheRealProdeigi ok, but the video definitely leaned into that comedy aspect with such jokes like "Amercan toilets literally suck".

    • @CREEZ_sinner
      @CREEZ_sinner Před 9 měsíci +2

      @@TheRealProdeigi Well I gotta say speaking about toilets and taking a shit often is kinda related to funny thoughts, but I can imagine if youre working for the poop industry it gets bland and dull with time

  • @TotallyAHuman
    @TotallyAHuman Před 7 měsíci +7

    "American toilets, literally, suck."
    3:04

  • @MrPlito95
    @MrPlito95 Před 9 měsíci +2

    You juat became one of my new favorite channels the moment you added the clip of Zizek talking about toilets.
    Unironically, its an amazing speech about difference in national character and social psichology and how it manifests in daily stuff that we really dont think about.

  • @noobamstard4179
    @noobamstard4179 Před 9 měsíci +60

    I once saw a stall in a Candian public washroom where the door didn't only have a gap at the bottom it outright ended at torso level. If somebody would shit there you could have held eyecontact. Safe to say I only did the small business even though I really was in need of maximizeing raw output.

    • @noobamstard4179
      @noobamstard4179 Před 9 měsíci +6

      I can't edit for some reason it is maximizing of course

    • @fast.biking_freddy
      @fast.biking_freddy Před 9 měsíci +1

      Yeah such stalls exist in some unrenovated bathrooms from the 70s at my American University (UW-Madison), the rumor goes that they cut them down to shoulder height to stop people from fornicating in the bathrooms.

    • @WackoMcGoose
      @WackoMcGoose Před 7 měsíci

      Seattleite here, most of the bathrooms in Pike Place Market are the exact same way, specifically to force discomfort and make you hurry up, do your business, and GTFO. It's why I never use them.

  • @GlenMeye
    @GlenMeye Před 9 měsíci +20

    1:40 It felt as if Apple wanted to introduce the revolutionary iToilet on stage

  • @TJWhiteStar
    @TJWhiteStar Před 9 měsíci +6

    Not sure where this CZcamsr got the idea from that the UK uses the same toilets as the US because I'm nearly 40 and have never come across one that isn't a flush down toilet. I've even come across some of those old Victorian ones with the tank way up in the air (can't remember what they are called whilst typing this).
    Only time I've ever seen a syphonic toilet that's full of water is in the US and always thought they were blocked because they had so much water.

  • @akarimingliminjee
    @akarimingliminjee Před 9 měsíci +4

    (Dutch here) I was told we have a "platform" in our toilet to examine our poop before it goes down. To check, when you're feeling bad, if it's a healthy one or if something's off.

  • @no_ahtrr
    @no_ahtrr Před 9 měsíci +43

    I am on toilet right now

  • @deathgun8734
    @deathgun8734 Před 9 měsíci +42

    The Video we didn't expected, but still needed it.

  • @Sophie_Emilia_von_Zerbst
    @Sophie_Emilia_von_Zerbst Před 9 měsíci +7

    My parents renovated their bathrooms a while back, and going with the trends they put in square washdown toilets.
    Now my recomendation to everyone who plans on renovating their bathroom(s): Don't do it, go with normal, oval shaped toilets! Square ones are a pain in the @$$, literally and figuratively. It's hella uncomfortable to sit on and a lot harder to clean due to the corners the brush won't reach. Also it's way harder to find replacement toilet seats, as the 'basic' oval ones (obviously) don't fit. Also the nuts to unscrew that seat (as well as to mount it to the wall) are very hard to reach, if at all, as they are hidden behind a ceramic front, but that's a general stupid trend...
    Just spare you the hassle, and don't follow stupid trends!

  • @therainyevil
    @therainyevil Před 9 měsíci +11

    I m literally impressed by how you could use such a trivial topic and still make it so interesting! It is a testament of your profound skill to make videos. Keep the good work up.

    • @COMPUTER.SCIENCE.
      @COMPUTER.SCIENCE. Před 9 měsíci +1

      Trivial topic? Maybe just to you, not me! I have always been impressed by toilets and their design, since I use it multiple times everyday, and how miserable I'd feel being outdoor without one available when needed! Are u just gonna squat down in open space? 😂

    • @tarantulamadness6191
      @tarantulamadness6191 Před 9 měsíci

      I'm genuinely amazed at your ability to take a seemingly mundane subject and turn it into something truly captivating! Your skill in creating videos is a clear testament to your depth of expertise. Please continue producing such excellent content.

    • @tarantulamadness6191
      @tarantulamadness6191 Před 9 měsíci

      Sorry I saw someone post nearly the identical comment you posted, so I told chatgpt to re write that sentence for me and now, I'm star5ting to think everyone's a bot.

    • @therainyevil
      @therainyevil Před 7 měsíci

      @@tarantulamadness6191 hahaha as u see my post is not bot ai

  • @puschelhornchen9484
    @puschelhornchen9484 Před 9 měsíci +131

    I have the feeling this video should be taken with a grain of salt. While I was in school in Germany they had some of the nasties toilettes I ever encountered. Also stalls not reaching the floor and ceiling. And then there around the mediterranean you can find those traditional "crouch down" toilettes. Actually from an anatomical standpoint this is the better position to empty your guts.

    • @jbbrutal6714
      @jbbrutal6714 Před 9 měsíci +24

      I like to keep a stool next to my toilet so I can put my feet up like I'm crouching to poop. Shit works out a lot better that way.

    • @Dommifax
      @Dommifax Před 9 měsíci +2

      ​@@jbbrutal6714yeah you can even get ones especially made for that (with a round semi hole in the middle so they fit snugly around /under your toilet) for 5-10€; since we got one I've been happily using it every time

    • @Xavierhanacki
      @Xavierhanacki Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@jbbrutal6714I just use my trash can or towel hamper

    • @yniekac8851
      @yniekac8851 Před 9 měsíci +3

      Schools and second world country airports are the exception. I have never seen an american stall anywhere else

  • @The3Sees
    @The3Sees Před 9 měsíci +45

    I'm from the UK and I've only ever seen washdown toilets locally.... I kinda feel your assessment of the UK is based on Slavoi Zizek chatting shit to create some sort of anglosphere discourse.

  • @3isr3g3n
    @3isr3g3n Před 26 dny

    I love Zizeck because you never know what you get when there's an interview or presentation. Pure philosophical entertainment. Great video.

  • @lewisdoherty7621
    @lewisdoherty7621 Před 3 měsíci +2

    In the analyses of US versus European enclosures, what wasn't taken into account was cleaning, maintenance and labor time of custodial people. The European model involves a large number of corners and reduced access areas. Think about how much easier it is to mop and clean across the whole floor. Frank Loyd Wright's Larkin Building was noted for innovations that included suspended toilet partitions and bowls. I haven't found it, but I suspect in the age of the flowering of efficiency studies, someone analyzed the restroom cleaning and hygiene problems and concluded that getting rid of things on the floors and cleaning can be done quickly and effectively.

    • @petejohnson8397
      @petejohnson8397 Před 2 měsíci

      exactly. with a gap at the bottom it is much easier to mop the area. You can even use a water hose to just rinse the entire floor and let it drain into the floor drain.

  • @Martel0rMakoto
    @Martel0rMakoto Před 9 měsíci +19

    Please don't be afraid to check out your poop when you finished. It says so much about your health.

  • @Joniitown
    @Joniitown Před 9 měsíci +59

    As always, a high quality video

  • @amma1666
    @amma1666 Před měsícem

    This is the absolute best channel find ever. My brother and I are addicted and have been binging these videos. Also the sponsorship segways are immaculate. Can't wait to see future videos!

  • @Profound_Lobster
    @Profound_Lobster Před 9 měsíci

    Some of the descriptive commentary for the toilets is so nearly in shit post territory but just about gets away with it and I love it! It's the perfect balance of sincerity and humor that I love. Keep it up

  • @NewSchattenRayquaza
    @NewSchattenRayquaza Před 9 měsíci +74

    So thats why I've never had a cloged toilet. I seen the cloged toilet problem in so many american media and always wondered why it almost never happens to me or ppl I know. Great video!

    • @achimdemus-holzhaeuser1233
      @achimdemus-holzhaeuser1233 Před 9 měsíci +4

      Yeah, I never understood that as well, but .. but Spoiler TMI ahead .. I clogged plenty of german toilets as well 😐

    • @lasercraft32
      @lasercraft32 Před 4 měsíci +2

      So... what you're saying is, selling toilet plungers is a much more profitable business venture in the US? XD

    • @rustyhowe3907
      @rustyhowe3907 Před 4 měsíci

      @@lasercraft32 Just like women's 0 pocket clothing and handbag sales, the plunger and a clogging toilet are in a symbiotic relationship.

  • @ShinyMemlek
    @ShinyMemlek Před 9 měsíci +126

    I have the urge to rant for 2 hours straight about the dutch style toilet after this video reminded me of it's existence.
    My polish grandmother had one of those in her flat and I'm convinced to this day, that a crackhead designed this toilet after his divorce

    • @Soguwe
      @Soguwe Před 9 měsíci +32

      If was invented to more easily access stool samples
      It does that like no other

    • @aightm8
      @aightm8 Před 9 měsíci

      Just took a dump in a Dutch style toilet 5 mins ago. Nothing like plopping right onto the bowl

    • @noobamstard4179
      @noobamstard4179 Před 9 měsíci +5

      ​@@SoguweIt is also super poetic.

    • @zero.Identity
      @zero.Identity Před 9 měsíci +44

      just no. it is 100% better. first of all the absolute biggest advantage, actually 2, are that you dont make a huge splash and your butt stays dry. second is you dont make noise when shitting. nobody will know. so its 100% privacy + comfort. and if you are to prude to see your shit, thats just dumb in my eyes. just flush. duh. also if you have blood in your shit, in this case you could briefly see it when flushing, meaning its quickly noticed and you can go to the doctor. and if you have so huge diarrhea that a couple marks stick to it, after flushing, my god just use the toilet brush to quickly scrub it, it has a long stick after all. and then flush for 1 sec again and its gone.

    • @constantinschulz6798
      @constantinschulz6798 Před 9 měsíci +2

      In our former apartment we had one without a cistern. The water pressure out of the pipe had to get rid of the „stuff“ but it failed with bigger tasks. We had to give it a little help with the toilet brush.

  • @brianhawkins
    @brianhawkins Před 3 měsíci +2

    US stalls have a gap at the bottom for the very obvious reason that it's much easier to mop throughly for cleanliness.

  • @FG-cc3qk
    @FG-cc3qk Před 9 měsíci

    Love your content and the subtle humor embedded in them.

  • @rippspeck
    @rippspeck Před 9 měsíci +6

    I love that you zoomed in on Zizek's "mouth action". Always a treat, that guy.

  • @revyvfx2414
    @revyvfx2414 Před 9 měsíci +15

    Not the video we wanted
    Not the video we thought about
    But the video we needed

  • @jmccoomber1659
    @jmccoomber1659 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Ease of cleaning is the main reason American bathroom stalls have gaps at the bottom. My parents owned a restaurant when I was a child, and when I asked why the bathroom stalls didn't reach all the way to the floor they said the reason would be obvious to anyone tasked with cleaning a "public" restroom: the open spaces at the bottom make it MUCH easier to properly clean the floors! Without room to sweep and mop under the stall walls and doors, each stall becomes its own private germ-collecting chamber that requires scrubbing the floor along all four walls (door included). With such limited space in each stall, this could need to be done on hands and knees, meaning it gets "forgotten" more often since the dirt and grime is not as obvious without the gap. I wonder if this is the reason a lot of Europeans I've met have said American public restrooms tend to be much cleaner than those in their home countries.

  • @mikep9690
    @mikep9690 Před 3 měsíci +1

    The reason "public" stalls have the floor gap is hygiene. Its so you can mop under the partition, if you were correct the gap would be as high as possible.
    The upper gap is cost . Standardized panel hights greatly reduces price.

  • @kikivoorburg
    @kikivoorburg Před 9 měsíci +88

    I will always remain a fan of the old Dutch / German one with a shelf for the simple purpose that it doesn’t splash while “doing the deed”.
    Sure, you briefly have a period of time where it probably stinks more since it’s not covered by water, and it may be a bit strange to see the waste sitting there if you’re not used to it, but those are both things you can get used to rather quickly.
    Cold, dirty water unceremoniously splashing up with every #2 is much more annoying than either of the downsides if you ask me.

    • @jpsuper
      @jpsuper Před 9 měsíci

      Benefit, we have one with step at home, and two “French”, comes when you have kids and check their stool.

    • @henrikchristensen8458
      @henrikchristensen8458 Před 9 měsíci +9

      put some toiletpaper on top of the water, and then number two won't splash up on you :-)

    • @neyrhu
      @neyrhu Před 9 měsíci +10

      @@henrikchristensen8458 the amount of wasted toilet paper is actually huge

    • @tiffanywyatt5137
      @tiffanywyatt5137 Před 9 měsíci +4

      ​@@neyrhustop acting like you actually care. It's not wasting it anyway.

    • @koff41
      @koff41 Před 8 měsíci

      Save old paper and use it in the toilet, big win, no wet arse or ballz.

  • @Der_Kleine_Mann
    @Der_Kleine_Mann Před 9 měsíci +11

    I still own the old german style of toilet, and I will so until it eventually breaks underneath my butt load.
    On the toilets that have a pool of water right underneath your butt, I always need to put in some toilet paper first, so that I don't get the nasty drops of sh!t water splashing towards my butt when the dump falls down into the water.
    So yea, with the old "inspection"-style toilet, such thing won't ever happen to me. And there is an easy way to deal with the smell...
    Open up a window, flush right after you done your business, and then start wiping your butt.

  • @acerniss
    @acerniss Před 5 měsíci +3

    I love how this is delivered with the seriousness and tone of a crime documentary.

  • @davidemodena
    @davidemodena Před 7 měsíci

    your storytelling talent is uncommon! i love how you keep me interested about toilets

  • @Steamrick
    @Steamrick Před 9 měsíci +3

    Thank you so much for always including sources. I was able to quickly look up that 'working hours' graph only half-seen at the end.

  • @ntpn4185
    @ntpn4185 Před 9 měsíci +34

    its a bit sad that so many cant enjoy the german videos. these 3 channels are easily the best channels i know on this platform. i love you guys!

    • @rickmortyson4861
      @rickmortyson4861 Před 9 měsíci +1

      They're kinda lame compared to British or American content.

    • @rickmortyson4861
      @rickmortyson4861 Před 9 měsíci +2

      Simplicisimus ist ja noch ganz geil, aber deutlich zu wenig kontent.

    • @yodukenukem
      @yodukenukem Před 9 měsíci +5

      @@rickmortyson4861tf is you talking about

    • @Soziop4th
      @Soziop4th Před 9 měsíci +12

      @@rickmortyson4861 The Videos of them are pure informative, have superior self crafted animations, well integrated ads and great neutral endings. There aren't any useless craptalking parts nor flashy generated exaggerated intros and outros. Also you are not supposed to skip parts or put their videos at 1.5/2.0 speed.

  • @BatMan_Commenter
    @BatMan_Commenter Před měsícem +3

    Shoutout to my toilet for puttin up with my shit all these years!

  • @Visnetter
    @Visnetter Před 7 měsíci +1

    As a Dutch person, the toilets where your own poop lays dry under your asshole are definitely a nightmare. Luckily most of them are removed but damn, once in so many months you encounter one and I'll just say, you have to hope that your poop isnt too long

  • @ironmanveronika6407
    @ironmanveronika6407 Před 9 měsíci +7

    1. I see very often toilets with the gap and i live in germany.
    2. I heard that the gaps are for easier cleaning
    3. With the old german model the big Business doesnt fall into the water and the water cant splash back and make you wet.

    • @fungo6631
      @fungo6631 Před 9 měsíci

      In my experience in the kindergarten, if you took a big shit, it would also not want to flush.

    • @th6566
      @th6566 Před 4 měsíci

      3 is the kiss of Poseidon ;-)

  • @JohnSmith-mc2zz
    @JohnSmith-mc2zz Před 9 měsíci +15

    As a paranoid person who grew up around a lot of broken toilet stalls I like the fact you can easily escape from an American bathroom stall. Granted, it's also easier for your stall to be invaded.

    • @elultimo102
      @elultimo102 Před 3 měsíci +1

      It's easy to dodge the pay toilet, by crawling under the door.

  • @MrReese
    @MrReese Před 9 měsíci +15

    As an Austrian I can say that toilets that "display the result" are still completely standard here, I just got a new toilet a year ago and it's still the same as it was like 20 years ago. Also, our stalls often do have space free at the bottom like the US stalls, I have seen this plenty of times here.

    • @tiffanywyatt5137
      @tiffanywyatt5137 Před 9 měsíci +1

      No you can't say the truth online. That's not allowed. We rather judge hundreds of millions of people as all the same instead

    • @heybenjii5544
      @heybenjii5544 Před 7 měsíci

      ​@@tiffanywyatt5137I am austrian and never have I ever seen stalls with such goddamn big gaps like the US

  • @smileyeagle1021
    @smileyeagle1021 Před 3 měsíci +1

    One thing to say as an advantage to the American stall design, it makes it a LOT easier to clean a bathroom.

  • @Chris3s
    @Chris3s Před 9 měsíci +32

    Would've been great to include the Japanese toilets too

    • @pipeliner8969
      @pipeliner8969 Před 9 měsíci +3

      absolutely

    • @2712animefreak
      @2712animefreak Před 9 měsíci +1

      I think the Japanese "mantra" is "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." Hence the squat toilets, the fax machines and signage stamps. But once it is thoroughly broken, they design something ingenious.

    • @finlanderxx
      @finlanderxx Před 9 měsíci +1

      My toughts exactly, what is water use, time spent on toilet, cost etc. and also the stall differences

    • @grandmanitou6563
      @grandmanitou6563 Před 9 měsíci +3

      Japanese toilets are just regualar toilets with more technology involved, the core fundamentals don't change, also they weren't even invented in Japan, just more widely adopted.

    • @Chris3s
      @Chris3s Před 9 měsíci

      still nice to talk about them, also I like the faucet system that is integrated (non-electric) @@grandmanitou6563

  • @SomeDumbRandomUser
    @SomeDumbRandomUser Před 9 měsíci +6

    Europes Stalls dont nessesarily go all the way down - we usually have 15cm gaps (6inces) as well. The old 'Flachspühler' (flat-flusher) style was common, but not the most common.
    Its about seeing if you're gut is healthy btw. (pro tip: if its green: you are something bad ... or greenery)

  • @redstefan6515
    @redstefan6515 Před 7 měsíci +2

    here in Germany, even though the washdown toilets are definetily kind of annoying at times, one really nice benefit of them (especially in medical institutions and the like) is that they allow for easy sampling of the poop, both by separating it from the pee and placing it higher up which allows for easier access, this is one of the reasons why alot of hospitals and nursing homes here actually refuse to transition away from them

  • @RandallSlick
    @RandallSlick Před 9 měsíci +4

    Interesting yet somewhat inaccurate. in the UK, the syphonic toilet was a brief fad in the 70s and 80s, but now accounts for a trivial number of BTUs (British Turd Units). I've also been hanging around toilets for half a century and have never heard mention of 'the French Model.' B-. Keep on flushing.

  • @jackallen9071
    @jackallen9071 Před 9 měsíci +5

    Lived in the uk my whole life and only ever seen the wash down toilet as in the rest of Europe, usually with a dual flush as described in the video, wonder if this info is outdated?

  • @EinsPerson
    @EinsPerson Před 9 měsíci +6

    Good video, but i would have wished to include some toilet designs from other regions of the world too, to paint a complete picture.

  • @StereoMike06
    @StereoMike06 Před 3 měsíci

    I was so impressed on a business trip to the US based HQ of a very large Asian company, that the restrooms were fully enclosed with high end Toto's with all the bells and whistles, including a rock wall waterfall and live plants in the bathroom. It was such a nice experience from what usual US business bathrooms are like.

  • @karlilinux
    @karlilinux Před 9 měsíci

    Great video title, @Simplicissimus! Suits really well!

  • @masterofdesaster4902
    @masterofdesaster4902 Před 9 měsíci +14

    We need more channels like this!

  • @ixian_technocrat
    @ixian_technocrat Před 9 měsíci +3

    This is the most some bizarre over-produced toilet humor I've ever witnessed. I'm sure there are some very important socioeconomic points that could be read between the lines in this piece, but I couldn't notice them due to the laughter.

  • @co2metal
    @co2metal Před 3 měsíci +2

    I learned almost nothing about toilets from this..

  • @SirNobleIZH
    @SirNobleIZH Před 3 měsíci +1

    If I could design a public building, the restrooms would have siphonic toilets in european-style stalls. Music would always be playing to provide a sense of audio privacy. In the men's bathrooms, the urinals would have partitions between them, so you don't see another man's member out of the corner of your eye. The partitions would protrude at least 2 feet from the wall. I've been to places where they only protrude 6 inches, and to other places with no partitions at all between urinals. In the elevators, the Portal Radio Tune would be on a constant loop at all times.

  • @trueberryless
    @trueberryless Před 9 měsíci +4

    Thanks guys, for such great videos!

  • @jfwfreo
    @jfwfreo Před 9 měsíci +4

    In Australia every toilet I have seen (if you exclude things like composting toilets or other weird things and only include regular toilets) are the wash down type, not the US siphon type. Stalls in public restrooms generally have gaps at the bottom but I have never seen stalls with either huge gaps at the bottom or doors that you can see over the way they do in some parts of the US.
    One thing we have in some toilets in Australia (generally ones that might be open at night) is the use of blue lights to make it harder for drug users to use toilets as a place to inject their drugs.

  • @hellopinkham
    @hellopinkham Před 9 měsíci

    Good job. Not sure if it’s just you, or if you have a team. But quality content. This is the second video I’ve watched by you, im subscribed, and hooked.

  • @BradleyVanTreese
    @BradleyVanTreese Před 3 měsíci

    I love your production values. Top notch! (And I really like the under the breath humorous comments). Well done, I’ll be back for more. 😊

  • @LucienRi
    @LucienRi Před 9 měsíci +3

    Alternative title: 8 minutes of trashtalking toilets

  • @britishbanananugget3723
    @britishbanananugget3723 Před 9 měsíci +4

    I’ve lived in the UK my whole life, and I’ve only ever seen French models here.

  • @motownmoneygang
    @motownmoneygang Před měsícem

    you guys are the only youtubers creative enough to think of something besides the apple vision pro. thanks❤

  • @s1nnocense
    @s1nnocense Před 23 dny

    so many great, deadpan one liners in this one, appreciated.

  • @DidierLoiseau
    @DidierLoiseau Před 9 měsíci +10

    7:42 “by having master keys” - a.k.a “coins”

  • @modprog
    @modprog Před 9 měsíci +12

    I think this video is a bit superficial, because I think there is both a lot of use of the washdown toilets in the UK and in Germany often stalls have like a 5-10 cm gap.
    Edit: I guess they do mention there can be small gaps in the European stalls.

  • @theocruex
    @theocruex Před 5 měsíci +1

    Well that just sucks. Even companies found a way to mess with the only thing that keeps regular employees from having a mental breakdown between shifts.

  • @warman1944
    @warman1944 Před 3 měsíci

    I have never in my life felt pressured to hurry up on the toilet because of how exposed the stalls are. However, it does make you more aware of other people waiting. Plus having the sides be open allows for TP sharing.

  • @Kai_Sau
    @Kai_Sau Před 9 měsíci +3

    I’m watching this while sitting on an old school washout toilet with inspection shelf. 👀🤷‍♂️

  • @TheESC1212
    @TheESC1212 Před 9 měsíci +3

    7:27 too good

  • @exodius9054
    @exodius9054 Před 9 měsíci +1

    For the short time that I worked in the US i also felt like the toilet at the office was really uncomfotable. I asked a friend of mine who pointed out that it was a bit tilted so that you would always need to use your legs a bit to not slide down thereby reducing the amount of time somebody would "relax" on the toilet.

  • @fl02k10
    @fl02k10 Před 7 měsíci +1

    6:03 "But Brexit was a surprise to no one, who understood bathrooms" Least random thought of the video, both funny and ridiculous, love it.

  • @vani_maki
    @vani_maki Před 9 měsíci +6

    I wonder what Japanese, new age toilets could tell us about their culture. Great video!

    • @rickmortyson4861
      @rickmortyson4861 Před 9 měsíci +6

      That we are dirty and they a clean and sanitized.

    • @TheSuicideToast
      @TheSuicideToast Před 9 měsíci

      @@rickmortyson4861 used them once, and am still chasing that high. That south park episode is literally true

    • @icebox1954
      @icebox1954 Před 9 měsíci

      @@TheSuicideToast I look down on any society (including my own) that is still using primitive toilets over bidets. The future has been here for some time so why are we living in the past?

  • @anti-troll-software6151
    @anti-troll-software6151 Před 9 měsíci +3

    I lived in an apartment with the old german toilet (a.k.a. Flachspüler). Never again. First you get to realize how fucking huge your turd can get (water refraction hides that in the other types). But the worst thing is when the water pressure is not high enough to push the shit over the edge so you have to push it with toilet paper yourself. Urgh.

    • @VeloAufNull
      @VeloAufNull Před 9 měsíci +1

      Sorry for laughing about your comment

    • @syntonox4582
      @syntonox4582 Před 9 měsíci

      Well I have a Flachspüler for over 20 years and Had never this issue.😂

    • @TheFeldhamster
      @TheFeldhamster Před 9 měsíci

      But your butt stays dry! No "Poseidon's kiss"! I'll take having to see and maybe push my poop occasionally over having my butt splashed with ice cold, literal shit water every time. Because that's REALLY unhygienic and nasty, seeing and even pushing your shit is not. And you can even avoid the pushing by throwing your paper behind the poop so it creates something like a barrier for the water (the water can't flow around your poop).

  • @jmccoomber1659
    @jmccoomber1659 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Without enough water in the trap, sewer gasses will escape into the room from these "wash down" toilets, so there is, indeed, a minimum level of water required to keep the trap full and stop odors and critters from escaping into the bathroom.

  • @SapioiT
    @SapioiT Před 5 měsíci +1

    I wished you got into more details about the differences of the toilet thrones and how they work and differ.