Water shortage is currently one of the biggest problems that we face on earth. Leaking taps do contribute their part of this problem but leaking flappers are one of the biggest causes of this shortage. Think of all the times you hear trickles after flushing the toilet, then you ignore it and walk away.
A faulty or a low-quality flapper most probably cause these trickles. Cumulatively, this might lead to millions of gallons of water going to waste if many people ignore this problem.
However, with advancements in flapper design, as well as in alternatives such as flush valves and hydro stops, getting a good quality replacement part should be quite easy.
Below are the best toilet flappers in 2020.
10 Best Toilet Flappers Review
Table of Contents
1. Fluidmaster 703AP4 Specialty Toilet Fill Valve
The Fluidmaster 703AP4 fill valve is specifically made for Glacier Bay and Niagara flapper-less toilets. It is designed to replace the old fill valves in these toilets, which are inefficient in terms of their slow refill speed. This one features a preset fill rate, which ensures it delivers the exact amount of water whenever you flush.
Its filling system refills tank quickly at every fast rate and does so without contaminating the fresh water supply from its inlet. This leaves your supply pipes with clean water, which is safe for use in the rest of the house.
Construction-wise, it is made with durability in mind. Its whole body is made from a corrosion-resistant material. This gives it a longer service life, ensuring you get value for your money. Additionally, it comes with a limited warranty that offers you get free replacements in case it gets faulty during its first year.
Features at a Glance:
- Anti-siphon operation
- Designed for Niagara and Glacier Bay toilets
- Durable corrosion resistant build material
- Fast refills
- Easy to install
2. Korky 2021BP G-Max Flapper For TOTO Toilet Repairs
Korky 2021BP G-Max is a 3-inch large flapper that is explicitly designed to fit in the flush valves of TOTO toilets. It has an oversized sealing surface, which enables it to fit snugly on 3″ TOTO flush valves for a watertight seal. This ensures that no water leaks through when it is in its lowered position.
The flapper is constructed using a flexible rubber and this also plays a huge role in the overall sealing of the flush valve. This rubber is resistant to hard water, treated water, chlorine, and bacteria, making it very durable.
It comes attached with a stainless steel chain which is used to raise it so that water can flow through the flush valve. Stainless steel is strong enough to withstand a reasonable amount of stress, and this makes the flapper even more durable.
Features at a Glance:
- Red flexible rubber construction
- Durable rubber construction is sure to serve you for a long time
- Easy to install
- Flexible rubber for a tight seal
- Exclusively made for TOTO G-Max toilets
3. American Standard 3174.002-0070A Champion 4 Replacement Flush Valve
This 3174.002-0070A flush valve replacement system comes with all its components, including a flapper. It is specifically designed for use in the champion 4 lines of two-piece toilets.
However, it also works well as a replacement part for the champion 4 line of 2 piece toilets. A wrench is provided as its accessory when buying, and this is very useful when replacing this entire component.
The valve’s flapper has a chain attached to it which is used to raise or lower it when flushing. This raising and lowering are what enables you to let water through the valve when flushing, while also sealing off the valve when lowered.
Features at a Glance:
- Easy to install
- Includes valve and wrench
- Wrench included for easy installation
- Great Performance and reliability
- American Standard Toilet Style
4. Kohler Genuine Part GP85160 Flapper
This 2-inch flapper is compatible with different 1.6 gallons per flush 2 piece toilets. It has an adjustable float attached on its chain; this enables you to set the amount of water that flows through the valve and into the bowl when flushing.
If you want to increase the amount of water to flush with, you simply have to move the float closer to the flapper. This will make it descend slowly before sealing off the valve. The result of this is that more water will pass through, giving you a high volume flush.
If you want to reduce water wastage, raise the float so that the flapper sinks faster. This seals off the valve after a short while, resulting in a smaller amount of water being flushed.
It is made of a rubber material that fits snugly around the valve to create a waterproof joint. This rubber is quite flexible, making it press firmly into the valve to seal off the water flow after it fully lowers completely.
Features at a glance:
- Not limited to a few toilet models
- Fits various 2 piece toilets
- Available in blue, purple and white colors
- Durable rubber construction
- Large rubber sealing as well on the valve top
- Comes with a chain and float
5. Next BY Danco HydroStop Toilet Tank Flapper
This toilet tank is a flapper-less alternative that can be used to replace rubber flappers. It is actually designed to eliminate the problems associated with these flappers, specifically the leaking problems.
It is quite easy to install because it requires no tools. You just have to drop it in the tank, at the right spot and its set for USG. Compatibility is not an issue with this HydroStop. It can be easily adjusted to work with different types of toilets. Whether old or new, front, angle or side-mounted, they are all compatible as long as they have the standard 2″ to 2-1/2″ flush valves.
The setup features a Safe Toilet Overflow Protection (STOP) technology that prevents bowl overflows. It does this by dropping the HydroStop tower and closing the flush valve in the process. This prevents wastage because it seals off the leak from the tank to the bowl, enabling you to conserve water and save money as well.
Features at a Glance:
- Premium silicone seals are chemical and chlorine resistant, making them very durable
- Steel cable from handle to HydroStop, which is stronger and more durable than chains.
- Simple, drop-in installation
- STOP technology is easily activated by flushing handle and helps you prevent leakages
- Fits the standard size flush valves, eliminating the guesswork of buying the right size
6. Korky 2022BP Power Gravity Flapper
This flapper is designed as a spare part for TOTO toilets. Specifically, the power gravity models are MS854114, MS864114, MS866114, MS884114, and MS924154F. It is 3′ in size, making it ideal for these models due to their 3′ sized flush valves.
Construction wise, it is made from a flexible rubber material that ensures it creates a tight seal when dropped on the flush valve. This rubber is resistant to chlorine, treated water, bacteria, and salts in hard water, making it very durable.
Its top side is fitted with a stainless steel chain, which is installed by clasping it into position on the trip lever. This is quite an easy process that can be done in seconds.
Features at a Glance:
- Blue, flexible rubber construction
- Designed for TOTO toilets
- Easy to install
- Durable rubber and stainless steel give you a long service life
- Large rubber sealing to cover the entire flush valve
7. Elijer Flush Valve, PVC
This valve system includes a chain, trip lever, guide, rubber ball, and flushing handle, which are essential replacement parts when repairing your flushing system. It is made almost entirely from PVC, which is resistant to rusting and corrosion, making it very durable.
The included rubber ball is wide enough to cover the entire flush valve, ensuring that it seals off the opening completely. Its rubber material is very durable and flexible enough to sit well on the valve’s seat, further ensuring that there is no leakage after your flush.
Features at a Glance:
- Comes as a complete set
- Durable PVC construction
- Flexible rubber ball for providing a waterproof seal
- Easy to install
8. Toto THU500S Replacement Flapper
The TOTO THU500S is designed as a replacement part for various TOTO flush valve tanks. It has a 3-inch sealing surface, which is wide enough to be specifically used on 3-inch TOTO flush valves. This size fits perfectly over the valve’s seat while its rubber sealing material bonds tightly to provide a waterproof seal.
It comes with a chain attached to its upper side, which can be easily installed by clasping it to the trip lever for a quick installation. This chain is built of stainless steel and this is sure to give you a long service life.
Features at a Glance:
- Plastic (polypropylene) body with a rubber sealing to make it light while still creating a waterproof seal
- 3-inch sealing surface
- Easy to install
- It comes with installation instructions, which are specific to TOTO toilets
- Durable plastic, rubber and stainless steel parts
9. Master Plumber 714-7 Fit All Toilet Flapper
This flapper has a full rubber construction with a stainless steel chain attached. These materials are resistant to various elements present in water as well as rusting, making them very durable. This build quality gives it a long service life, which reduces the maintenance costs associated with replacements.
3” diameter flush valve and this makes it suitable for openings. The rubber sealing seats perfectly on such openings, creating a watertight seal that prevents any leakages once it lowers down after flushing. Its stainless steel chain is easily installed by clasping it to the trip lever, making it a quick installation.
Features at a Glance:
- Designed to fit all regular Douglas type flush valves
- Rub bar construction creates a watertight seal
- Stainless steel and rubber body makes it very durable
10. Fluidmaster 5403 3-Inch Universal Water Saving Toilet Flapper
This flapper is quite different from the rest due to its adjustable amount of flushing water. Just below its silicone sealing, it has an adjusting dial that is used to set the amount of water to be flushed.
The dial settings range from 1-10, with 1 being the least amount of water that can be flushed while a 10 setting allows the most amount of water through the flush valve.
It has a silicone toilet seal that bonds with the flushing valve to create a watertight seal. This keeps the water on the inside, leading to reduced wastage and consequently, cheaper water bills. The silicone seal is very durable and it can last up to 10 times longer than other regular seal designs.
It has a universal design, meaning that it is compatible with different types of flushing valves, as long as their opening is 3” in size.
Features at a Glance:
- Comes with a long time limited warranty
- Easy to install
- Hard water as well as chlorine resistant material
- Kink-free chain attached
How To Choose the Best Toilet Flapper
In order to grab all the benefits that are associated with toilet flappers, you need to consider the following before buying them.
Size
Toilets come with different sizes of flush valve drains, with the most common ones being 2 inches and 3 inches. Similarly, flappers come in different sizes and you should match these sizes before buying one. The small flapper on a large valve will lead to leakages while the same is still true when the flapper is larger because it will not seat perfectly on the valve.
Type
Toilet flappers come in two main types: adjustable and non-adjustable. With adjustable flappers, you can adjust the flashing volumes, enabling you to save more water. These are more suitable for 1.28 to 1.6 gallons per flush toilets.
Non-adjustable flappers have a fixed flushing volume and are suitable 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush toilets. The type you select should be determined by the amount of water that your toilet flushes, as well as the savings you want to make in terms of water bills.
Frame
A flapper’s frame is a very important factor to consider. Flexible frames are usually made from flexible, pure rubber, which can fit on many valve openings. Solid frames are usually made from plastic, with rubber or silicone seals for a watertight fit.
Solid frames can only fit in their respectively sized valves but do a much better job when it comes to sealing the opening. It would be wise to go for the solid frame if you know your toilet’s flush valve size otherwise, a rubber flapper will do.
Durability
Durability directly determines how long the flapper will serve you before requiring a replacement. When checking for durability, look at the frame material as well as the chain. For the frame material, plastic is more durable than rubber while stainless steel chains are better off than plastic chains.
An even more durable and recommended option is the steel cable, though this is very rare. For chains, make sure you get a kink free chain so that it does not entangle and affect your flushing in the process.
How to Replace a Toilet Flapper Valve
Conclusion
With a wide variety of flappers available on the market, finding the right one might be a tiny tricky, especially if you are a novice. The review above gives you a comprehensive list of the best options and alternatives from which you can choose from.
It is necessary to get this right because a leaking flapper will lead to not only wastage but also more expensive water bills every month. The best thing would be to check your toilet’s specifications beforehand than get a fitting replacement, which should be durable enough to last for a couple of years.
The best practice is to keep checking and listening for any leakages so that you can replace damaged parts immediately to prevent unnecessary losses.