NOTE: The TOTO S500e has been discontinued. If you’re in search of the perfect replacement, tailored specifically to your needs and preferences, we’re here to assist! Contact us to discover your ideal bathroom solution with personalized guidance from our dedicated experts.

TOTO is one of the most respected names in the bidet game, and bidet seats like the TOTO S500e are beloved by customers for good reasons! So how does a fan favorite like the S500e compare to a newer bidet seat like the Eco NOVA? We dive into the details so you have all the information you need to decide which of these top-notch bidet seats will meet your needs best!

	Eco NOVA	TOTO S500e
Materials	Polypropylene plastic shell, stainless steel 2-in-1 nozzle	Plastic 3-in-1 nozzle
Design
Nozzle Sterilization	Silver nano coating on internals & a UV sterilizing lamp	Sterile eWATER+ (electrolyzed water) mists bowl & cleans nozzles
Warm Water	Yes – unlimited (instant heater)	Yes – unlimited (instant heater)
Pulse Wash	Yes – quickly alternates warm/cool	Yes – quickly alternates pressure
Nozzle Oscillation	Yes	Yes
Turbo Wash	Yes	No
Wide Wash	No	Yes
Soft Wash	No	Yes
Deodorizer	No	Yes
Night Light	Yes	No
Premist	No	Yes
Auto Wash	Yes	No
User Presets	No	Yes
Sittable Lid	Yes	No
Lid Design	Crisp, angled edge	Beveled edge OR crisp edge
Weight Limit	Seat: 400 lbs Lid: 400 lbs	Seat: 320 lbs Lid: n/a
Seat Thickness	Very thin / lowest profile	Thin / low profile
Color Options	White	White, Beige
Remote Option	Radio signal, slim	Infrared signal, slim
Risk Free Trial	60 Days	Not Eligible

Look & Feel

Profile & Color

The TOTO S500e comes in white or beige and offers two lid styles. The “classic trim” lid has a beveled edge, whereas the “contemporary trim” lid has a smooth, crisp edge.

While the S500e has a slim profile compared to many bidet seats on the market, the Eco NOVA is even thinner, making it nearly indistinguishable from a typical toilet seat. The Eco NOVA only comes in white.

Both the Eco NOVA and the S500e only fit elongated toilets. If you love the features on the S500e but need a seat that will fit on a round toilet, check out the TOTO S300e. It has all of the same bidet features as the S500e but is designed specifically for round toilets.

Materials

The Eco NOVA is constructed out of the highest quality materials available. The shell is heavy duty polypropylene plastic and the nozzles are non-porous, durable stainless steel. This winning combination is as good as it gets in the bidet world, providing superior strength and hygiene compared to other materials.

The TOTO S500e has plastic nozzles. Plastic isn’t as strong as stainless steel and it’s also more porous. Generally speaking, materials with higher porosity have a greater chance of absorbing odors or harboring microbes. However, TOTO reports that their nozzles have a sterile liner that increases the hygiene to the same level as stainless steel. While we haven’t independently verified this, we’ve never had any reason to dispute TOTO’s claims, so we take them at their word that this is indeed the case.

Wash & Dry Features

Wash Settings

Both the Eco NOVA and the TOTO S500e are packed with great wash features though there are some differences that are worth keeping in mind.

The Eco NOVA comes with standard front and rear wash modes and has an instant water heater that produces unlimited warm water. It also offers nozzle oscillation, which moves the wand forward and backward for more coverage, as well as a pulse option that varies the temperature of the water between warm and cool for a refreshing effect.

The TOTO S500e offers front and rear washes as well as a wide spray and soft mode. Like the Eco NOVA, the S500e offers nozzle oscillation and has an instant water heater. It also comes with a pulse wash that alters the spray pressure between soft and firm for a soothing massage.

Warm Air Dryer

The TOTO S500e and the Eco NOVA each come with a built-in air dryer for hands-free drying. One critique of bidet dryers is that it can take 3 to 5 minutes, on average, to get completely dry. However, both of these bidet seats have particularly powerful dryers, so they are able to get you dry and on your way about as fast as any bidet dryer can.

Deodorizer & Night Light

If you’re tired of odors taking over the bathroom, you might want to invest in a bidet seat with a built-in deodorizer. The TOTO S500e’s deodorizer uses a fan to pull air from the toilet bowl through a carbon filter to remove odors, all without scents or chemicals. No deodorizer can eliminate odors completely, but the S500e’s does a good job keeping them to a minimum. The Eco NOVA does not have a deodorizer.

Night lights are another handy bidet feature that make it safer and easier to use the bathroom in low light. The Eco NOVA’s built-in night light automatically turns on once the light in the bathroom reaches a certain level of dimness, illuminating the bowl. This means you don’t have to turn on a blinding overhead light to find the toilet or aim for the bowl. The TOTO S500e doesn’t have a night light.

Nozzle Sterilization

Bidets are designed to stay clean: the wand and nozzles retract into the seat when not in use, the bidet sprays water at an angle to keep the nozzles away from drips, and the nozzles rinse with water before and after each use. Even so, extra hygiene measures – like nozzle sterilization – can offer additional cleanliness and peace of mind. The Eco NOVA and TOTO S500e each come with nozzle sterilization systems, but they work a bit differently.

The Eco NOVA takes a two-prong approach to nozzle sterilization. First, a sterile silver-nano coating on the inside of the unit’s tubing and nozzles deters microbial growth. Second, the seat has a built-in UV lamp that bathes the nozzles in ultraviolet light to kill germs on demand.

The TOTO S500e takes a slightly different approach. It takes the regular water from your home’s pipes and electrolyzes it, sterilizing it in the process. The S500e then uses this sterile water to rinse the nozzles and to premist the bowl (see below).

Premisting

Premisting is a hygiene feature available almost exclusively on TOTO bidets. As you get ready to use the toilet, the S500e automatically sprays the toilet bowl with a thin layer of sanitized, electrolyzed water (EWATER+). This creates a slick surface that deters waste from sticking to the bowl, which helps keep your toilet clean. The Eco NOVA does not have a premist feature.

User Presets & Auto Wash

User presets and auto washing are similar features that make the already easy process of using a bidet even easier. User presets let two users program their favorite wash settings (water pressure, water temperature and nozzle position) into the remote for a customized wash at the touch of a button. They’re great to have if you share the bidet with a partner and don’t want to enter your preferred settings every time you use it.

Auto washing starts a complete wash and dry cycle at the touch of a button. The settings used are factory presets, but you can always adjust them during the wash or dry if you wish. While not as personalized as user presets, auto washing does simplify the process of getting clean.

The TOTO S500e comes with user presets but does not offer auto washing. The Eco NOVA doesn’t have user presets but it does come with auto washing. In fact, the Eco NOVA’s auto wash feature offers one of the longest wash and dry cycles on the market: a 90 second wash followed by a 4 minute dry. This almost guarantees you’ll get totally clean and dry the first time, without having to repeat either the wash or the dry.

Comfort & Convenience Features

Wireless Remote Control

Both the Eco NOVA and the TOTO S500e are controlled with sleek and stylish wireless remote controls. The Eco NOVA’s remote is crafted from brushed stainless steel, which provides a satisfying hand feel, and comes in a chic rose gold finish. The black buttons are slightly raised and add to the overall aesthetic appeal. Plus, the matching rose gold holster can be mounted to the wall for easy access.

The TOTO S500e has a slim, silver remote with flat buttons. The finish is designed to mimic the look of stainless steel, but the remote is actually made out of plastic, which translates into a lightness in the hand. Like the Eco NOVA, the S500e’s remote comes with a mount that can be affixed to the wall, ensuring that the remote doesn’t get lost or fall in the toilet.

Lid

The TOTO S500e’s lid is designed to cover the bowl only – it cannot support weight, and using it as a seat can crack the lid or damage the bidet itself. The Eco NOVA, on the other hand, has a “sittable” lid. This means the lid is specifically designed to bear weight. In fact, the Eco NOVA’s lid is one of the strongest sittable lids on the market, rated to support up to 400 pounds. It’s a great feature to have if you’re accustomed to using the toilet lid as a seat.

Risk-Free Trial

Once you unpack and install the TOTO S500e, it’s yours to keep! The Eco NOVA, on the other hand, is eligible for our 60-day risk free trial program. This means you can install it, test it out, and if you don’t love it, return it to us within the 60-day window for a full refund. It’s a great option if you’re new to bidets and feel nervous about taking the plunge.

Final Thoughts

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Hannah Ramsey

Hannah Ramsey is a former writer at Many Bidets, where she spent seven years crafting and managing website content. With a background in psychotherapy and a lifelong passion for writing, Hannah enjoyed combining these interests to make a meaningful impact. Now retired from the bidet business, Hannah still enjoys sharing her knowledge about bidets with friends and family, proving that once a bidet enthusiast, always a bidet enthusiast!