Macerating & Upflush Toilets: A Contractor’s Guide

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Want a bathroom where there’s no drain? A macerating (upflush) toilet is usually the cheapest way to get one. Here’s everything we tell homeowners before they buy.

A normal toilet needs a big drain line that runs downhill to your sewer or septic. In a basement, garage, or back room, that line often isn’t there, and putting one in means cutting concrete, trenching, and a big bill. A macerating toilet skips all that. A pump behind the bowl grinds waste and pushes it through a small pipe that can run up and across to your existing plumbing.

Start with the guide that fits your project

• What is a macerating toilet and how does it work?: the basics in plain English.
• Best toilet for a basement bathroom: our picks when there’s no floor drain.
• Adding a bathroom without breaking concrete: how the whole project comes together.
• Macerating toilet vs a regular toilet: cost, install, and the honest trade-offs.
• One-piece vs two-piece: which style to buy.
• Best toilets for small bathrooms: corner toilets, slim tanks, and sink-on-top designs.
• How to install a macerating toilet: the steps and what trips people up.
• Common problems and fixes: when the pump hums, runs, or smells.
• Simple Project SNFLEX review: a close look at one of the better-value brands.

More bathroom buying guides

• Bathroom vanity buying guide
• Frameless shower door guide
• Weekend toilet repair parts

Our go-to picks

We point most homeowners to Simple Project’s SNFLEX line. You get solid pumps and two inlets for a sink and shower, and they cost well under the big-name brands.