Buying a bidet: six types, four questions, no excuses

Type “bidet” into a search bar and the first thing you see is a ceramic basin next to the toilet. Then you think about tiles, drains and booking a plumber, and you close the tab.

Too bad, because the basin is only one of six types. The other five don't need a second basin. You can set up three of them without a plumber, and one doesn't even need a water connection.

Below are four questions. After that, you'll know which type fits your bathroom.

What is a bidet, and what are you actually buying?

A bidet isn't a piece of ceramic. It's a function: water for the spot that otherwise gets rubbed dry with paper. Whether that water comes from a basin, a nozzle in the toilet seat or a bottle makes no difference to your butt.

The types differ in four ways: how much space they need, what connection, whether they need power and where the warm water comes from. That's what drives the price. The cleanliness comes from the water. More on the history: What is a bidet, and why don't German bathrooms have one? All types with connections and installation at a glance: Bidet attachment, shower toilet, bidet seat: what types are there?

The six types compared

Prices as of November 2026.

Freestanding bidet and shower toilet: when you're remodeling anyway

The freestanding bidet is the one that carries the name. A separate basin you sit on, with its own faucet and its own drain. It needs space next to the toilet and pipes that reach it. That makes it a question of bathroom planning, not shopping.

The complete shower toilet is a toilet with built-in tech: nozzle, water heating, often a dryer and a remote. The old ceramic comes out, and it usually needs a power connection right at the toilet. That's a job for a professional.

Both make sense if the bathroom is being redone anyway or the toilet has to go regardless. In every other case, what you're mostly buying is a remodel. More on that: What is a shower toilet, and when is it worth it? and Toilet with a butt shower: retrofit or buy new?

Electric bidet seat: warm water without a hot water line

An electric seat brings shower toilet tech to the toilet you already have. It replaces the toilet seat, the ceramic stays. It heats the water itself. So all it needs is a cold water connection and an outlet within reach.

For example, our Deluxe for €249: its own instant water heater with a water temperature of 34 to 38 °C, warm air dryer at 38 to 58 °C, heated seat at 34 to 40 °C. Front and rear wash, self-cleaning nozzle, remote, night light, eco mode, soft close.

Fits if there's an outlet next to the toilet and you want comfort you'll notice by January at the latest. No outlet? An extension cord next to the toilet is not a solution. Then an electrician comes first, or you go with the next type.

Non-electric bidet seat: warm and cold, no outlet at all

One myth refuses to die: no power means only cold water. Not true. A non-electric bidet seat mixes warm and cold when it's connected to both lines. It doesn't heat anything. It uses the hot water your home already has.

For example, our New Standard for €99. It replaces the toilet seat and runs on line pressure alone. Cold water comes via a T-connector from the angle valve, hot water almost always from the angle valve under the sink. If there isn't one, the hot water inlet stays capped and it runs cold. Two nozzles for butt and vulva, self-cleaning, pressure continuously adjustable, soft close. In D-shape and O-shape, hose in 100, 200 or 300 cm for the same price.

Fits if there's no outlet at the toilet, you still want warm water or you want to stay under €100. How the warm water works in detail: Bidet with warm water: how does that work?

Handheld sprayer and portable butt shower: water without a new seat

The handheld bidet sprayer is a small sprayer on a hose that hangs next to the toilet. It needs a water connection at the toilet and a holder. It only gets warm with a mixing valve.

The portable butt shower needs nothing at all. Ours costs €19.90: a bottle with a nozzle, 450 milliliters, filled at the sink, as warm as the faucet gets. The heel of your hand sets the pressure. No valve, no hose, no installation. And it fits in a suitcase.

Fits if you don't want to screw anything on, your toilet won't take a seat or you want to try it first. It's not a compromise. It has a different purpose: the bidet that comes with you.

Which bidet is right for me? Four questions

Taste doesn't decide the type. Your bathroom does. These four questions are enough.

1. Is there an outlet within reach of the toilet? Yes: an electric bidet seat like the Deluxe is an option. No: a non-electric bidet seat or the portable butt shower. A new outlet in the bathroom is a job for an electrician. If you rent, talk to your landlord first. More on that: Bidet attachment in a rental: what's allowed?

2. Is there a hot water angle valve under the sink? Yes: the New Standard mixes warm and cold, no power needed. No: the New Standard runs cold, the Deluxe makes its own warm water.

3. Wall-hung or floor-standing toilet, and how far apart are the holes? If the cistern is visible, whether the toilet stands or hangs, the cold water comes from the angle valve next to the toilet. If the cistern is in the wall and all you see is the flush plate, it comes from the angle valve under the sink, with a longer hose. Then measure the distance between the two mounting holes at the back of the ceramic, center to center: depending on the shape, the New Standard fits 11.7 to 16.3 cm (D-shape) or 12 to 19.5 cm (O-shape), the Deluxe fits 13 to 21 cm. The shape of the ceramic and a little clearance to the cistern matter too. If the ceramic has concealed mounting instead of through holes, our seats won't fit. Then the butt shower is the answer. All measurements: Will a bidet attachment fit my toilet? and Where does a bidet attachment get its water?

Don't want to measure? Ask the Bidet Check. A short chat that checks whether one of our seats fits your toilet.

4. How much do you want to spend? Up to €20: the portable butt shower for €19.90. Up to €100: a non-electric bidet seat, the New Standard for €99. Up to €250: an electric bidet seat, the Deluxe for €249. A freestanding bidet and a complete shower toilet come with professional installation, so their price belongs to the bathroom remodel. What water and power cost after you buy: What does a bidet attachment really cost?

In short: Outlet available and you want comfort: Deluxe. No outlet, but you want warm water: New Standard with hot water from the sink. Nothing to screw on, on the road or just testing: butt shower. Bathroom getting remodeled anyway: freestanding bidet or complete shower toilet.

New Standard or Deluxe?

If you've landed on the seats, it comes down to outlet versus price. Both replace the toilet seat, both install with a screwdriver, both clean with water. The Deluxe adds a dryer, heated seat, night light and remote on top. The direct comparison: New Standard or Deluxe: which bidet attachment is right for you?

After that, only one question is left, and no guide can answer it: why you waited so long. Paper was a strange idea.