I have been using bidets for years now, and I can tell you, bidets are becoming more common than ever.
With the increase in demands for hygienic and cleaner cleaning options, and because of the ongoing pandemic, bidets have really gained popularity these days and I expect it to rise further.
They are available in different types, budgets, and features.
But they have only one purpose, to clean bums! 😉
I used a handheld bidet for about 5 years(I bought it in 2015) and recently moved to a seat bidet(that I really love!).
In this post, I am comparing features of both and telling you the pros and cons of each one.
| Comparision | Handheld Bidet | Bidet Seat |
|---|---|---|
The Good  |
They Are Cheap And Easy To Install |
Hot Water Cleansing |
| Effective For Toilet Cleaning | Adjustable Nozzle Positions | |
| Great For Cleaning Pets | Warm Air Drying And Heated Seat | |
| They Don’t Need A Power Source | Remote Controlled | |
| Hygienic And Good For Health | Multiple washing modes | |
| The Bad
|
Tend To Only Offer Cold Water | Not Budget Friendly |
| Uncomfortable, Requires Significant Movement | Cold Water Shocks | |
| Lacks Extra Features Like Heated Seats | They Need A Power Source | |
| Leaking Chances Are High So Not Tidy | Require Renovations To Install | |
| You Still Need Toilet Paper | High Electricity Bill As It Is Electric |
A Quick Overview Of Handheld And Seat Bidet
There are many different types of bidets available today.
While their sole purpose is to spray water, the only difference between different types of bidets is the ease of use and the working mechanism.
Let’s learn a little about both the bidets in the question before start comparing them.
➤ Handheld Bidet
Handheld bidets (or bidet sprayers) are small showerheads that hang next to your toilet.
They look just like a kitchen sprayer but they are for your bathroom, allowing you to clean yourself in a flexible way.
You can point the nozzle in any which way you please, allowing for maximum cleaning power.
Also, since bidet sprayers are non-electric, use a towel or toilet paper to dry yourself.
➤ Bidet Seat
However, in the modern scenario, toilet seat bidets have gained more demand and popularity among several people.
As the name suggests, the bidet seats are installed over a toilet bowl sharing the common water inputs.
All you have to do is, once you are done, simply have to press a button and the bidet will spray water at your butt and clean it.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Handheld
Bidet And Bidet Seat? There are benefits and detriments to each of these types of bidets, and so it is important to determine which set of bidets best suits your own needs.
HandHeld Bidet Vs Bidet Seat
❖ Advantages Of Handheld Bidet
Here are some pros of a handheld bidet.
✓ They Are Budget Friendly And Easy To Install
A decent handheld bidet is way cheaper compared to a decent bidet seat.
You don’t have to hire professional services to install a handheld bidet because you can do it yourself.
If you want to keep the bidet installation cost as low as possible, a handheld bidet is the most affordable choice, with a much lower price.
✓ Great For Cleaning Pets
Although not originally designed for this purpose, bidet sprayers come in handy when you are cleaning your pets, if you have a cat or a dog at home then you definitely need a bidet sprayer.
Dogs especially love them during summer as they are a great way of cooling off.
✓ Great For Cleaning In And Around The Toilet
Other than your personal use, you can also use a bidet sprayer to clean the toilet effectively. It can thus, be used for cleaning the toilet easily.
Also, as you have control over water flow, you will end up saving water as well.
✓ They Don’t Need A Power Source
Since handheld bidets are non-electric, they do not need the power to run, just connect it to the toilet water supply line and it is ready for use.
Hence your power bills will remain unchanged after installing one.
It is also expensive to install a power outlet next to your toilet if it didn’t exist in the first place.
✓ Hygienic And Good For Health
Most infectious diseases spread through human contact.
Insufficient cleaning of hands after urination or defecation spreads the virus.
A hand-held bidet reduces the chances of such infection and provides increased hygiene as the bidet does not need the use of your hands.
Some could also touch the anus and genitalia with bare hands after use of toilet and bidet yet; this proves to be more hygienic than other bidets.
Besides, the warm cleaning technique helps women cleanse themselves thoroughly during menstruation, before and after intercourse too.
❖ Disadvantages Of Handheld Bidet
Handheld bidets have some disadvantages too. Here are some.
⚠ Tend To Only Offer Cold Water
Handheld bidets as I have pointed out are non-electric and will therefore clean you with cold water.
If you are one of those people who dread cold water on any part of your body then they might not be the best option for you.
⚠ Dryer Unavailable
Unfortunately, bidet sprayers do not have a warm air dryer. You have to dry yourself using toilet paper or a towel.
For people trying to completely move away from toilet paper usage then bidet sprayers are not a good option.
⚠ Leaking Chances Are High, So Not Tidy
Bidet sprayers could also start leaking.
Water on the bathroom floor can lead to very dangerous falls especially if you have a tiled floor.
Wooden floors on the hand could start rotting if the leak is not fixed in good time.
The problem is the hose which looks like a distraction on the toilet, especially if it is mounted on the tank.
⚠ You Still Need Toilet Paper
Since bidet sprayers are non-electric they do not have a dryer.
You will then need to dry yourself using a towel or toilet paper.
This usually depends on where you are.
Moreover, it’s not good to give towels or toilet paper to guests every time.
⚠ Uncomfortable
Sometimes it will be difficult for the users to move the spray head around, mostly for the differently-abled persons.
The nozzle protrudes downwards as soon as you start to clean, and shoots water upwards.
You, therefore, have to adjust your body position for the water to hit all the spots you want to be cleaned.
❖ Advantages Of Bidet Seat
Let us see the pros of a bidet seat and what you get with it.
✓ Hot Water Cleansing
Any modern bidet toilet seat will provide warm water washing as its main function.
Hot water cleansing is awesome no matter what time of day it is.
What is even more interesting is that the water temperature can be easily adjusted to suit your preferred settings.
However, not all warm water is created equally.
Similar to water heaters for your home, bidet seats heat water in a few different ways: via a tank-type heater, a tankless on-demand heater, or a hybrid of the two.
✓ Adjustable Nozzle Positions
A bidet seat’s nozzle protrudes forwards.
What is even more interesting is that you can adjust the nozzle position either forward or backward to target different areas.
✓ Pulsating Wash, Oscillating Wash & Enema Wash
Apart from being adjustable, the bidet seat’s nozzles also have a pulsating wash which happens when the nozzle releases alternating streams of strong and soft water streams.
This provides a relaxing massage sensation.
An oscillating wash is when the nozzle moves back and forth rapidly which makes it easy to clean over a wide area.
An enema wash is when a bidet seat’s nozzle releases a thin but strong water stream straight into your rear.
It is meant to alleviate the discomfort associated with constipation.
✓ Warm Air Drying
This completely eliminates the need for toilet paper.
That means it also eliminates the need for any reaching down at all, making your time on the toilet more convenient and more hygienic.
Plus, it just feels good! After a splash from the bidet stream, warm air from the heater gently dries you off.
✓ Remote Control
Some bidet seats have a control panel on the side but the mid-range and the high-end ones come with wireless remote control.
The remote control makes it easy for you to input commands without having to turn to the side to read the controls there.
In case the remote is lost or the batteries run out, the bidet seat has auxiliary settings on the side so you will always be able to use it
❖ Disadvantages of bidet seat
Okay, now here are some disadvantages.
⚠ Not Budget Friendly
A decent bidet seat will cost you a good amount of money as it is mostly an electric one.
⚠ Cold Water Shocks
Most bidet seats that offer instant water heating do not always guarantee that the water in the first few seconds will be warm.
A lot of people have therefore suffered cold water shocks which is not an exciting experience.
⚠ Need A Power Supply
A multi-functional bidet toilet seat uses electricity for features like remote-controlled access and heating the seat.
⚠ High Electricity Bill
Bidet seats are always plugged into a power source to keep the seat warm and to also heat the water as and when needed.
You will therefore see an increase in your monthly electricity bills after installing a bidet seat.
⚠ Require Renovations To Install
However, not all users are physically able or handy enough to install one themselves.
Also, not all bathrooms have electrical outlets near the toilet (or at all), making it necessary to hire a professional for some aspect of the installation process.
Conclusion
Bidet home improvement is the cheap and best solution for upgrading your bathroom.
In this article we have discussed bidets, their benefits, common types of bidets (Handheld Bidet and Bidet Seat), pros and cons of them in detail to help you to decide which you need to include in your own bathroom.
Just Like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages to both these bidets, and you’ll have to decide for yourself where your priorities lie.
In the modern scenario, toilet seat bidets have gained more demand and popularity among several people due to their various benefits.
A bidet toilet seat can make your life a lot easier and will keep you feeling fresh and clean.
On the other hand, a hand-held bidet sprayer is a great toilet paper alternative for people on a budget.
It is even better for people with pets and those with young kids whose diapers they need to clean often.
For those who can get a little bit more money, I would suggest you buy a bidet seat and preferably an electric one.
You will love it!
