The History of the Electronic Bidet Seat

The History of the Electronic Bidet Seat

In order to understand the history of the electronic bidet seat, we have to go back a little bit further than its origin and learn about the original bidet. The history of the bidet is limited to modern history, but we can divide it into three different eras:

The Bidet Dark Ages

It is believed that in the 1600s the first bidet was invented by the French. This version of the bidet was very archaic, was located in the bedroom, and doesn’t resemble anything you see today. It was more like a chamber pot set. Strangely and erroneously, the bidet was used as a contraceptive device in the early days.

The Bidet Renaissance

By the 20th century, plumbing technology had advanced enough that the bidet went through transformative innovation as it was taken out of the bedroom and moved to the bathroom. It wasn’t until the roaring ‘20s where American John Harvey Kellogg patented a bidet spray nozzle that attaches to a toilet. Later in the 1960s, the American Bidet Company invented both the adjustable nozzle and comfortably warm water.

The Contemporary Bidet

In the 1980s, the electronic bidet was invented by the Japanese. This was the biggest game-changing innovation in the history of the bidet because it solves so many problems that exist with traditional bidets. The most obvious issue is the constraints of space. The large majority of bathrooms, especially in America, do not have the space necessary to install a stand-alone, traditional bidet. It paved the way for the simplification and improvement of existing features, as well as the addition of new features.

What Kinds of Features Now Exist?

Whether you go with a bidet toilet combo or a bidet seat to attach to your existing toilet, you’re going to want to focus on the features. Decide what you must have, what’s important, and what you can take or leave and then try to find the right match for your needs. Here are some common features you will find in modern electronic bidet seats:

• Auto open/close lid - this no-touch feature improves hygiene.
• Hands-free dryer - there is no need for toilet paper to dry off.
• Auto flush - more hands-free tech!
• Instant warm water cleansing - for almost anybody, this feature should be a must-have.
• Pre-misting technology - this makes it easier to keep the toilet bowl clean.
• Self-cleaning wand - it really cleans itself!
• Adjustable spray - tweak the spray pattern as well as the volume to fit your needs.
• Night light - allows you to go to the bathroom at night without turning on bright bathroom lights. It helps mitigate the disruption to your sleep.
• Automatic air deodorizer - there is no need to touch the scented spray bottle that every other bathroom user has touched.
• Heated seat - this is great for people who live in places with a cold winter climate.
• User-friendly remote control - although voice-activated technology is just around the corner, a remote is still the best way to control your electronic bidet seat.

What the Future Holds

At this point, we’re only cracking the surface. It’s safe to say that we can expect lots more improvement to this technology. As the demand for bidet toilet combos in the United States increases, innovators within the industry are working hard to beat the competition with better, more affordable features.