TOTO Drake II Two-Piece Toilet vs TOTO UltraMax II One-Piece Toilet: Which Should You Buy?

The TOTO Drake II and the TOTO UltraMax II are two of the most cross-shopped toilets in TOTO's lineup, and for good reason. They run the same flush engine, hit the same water-saving number, and carry the same clog-resistant reputation. The real decision comes down to body style, cleaning effort, and what ships in the box. Our comparison draws on TOTO manufacturer specifications, retailer listings, and the patterns owners report, not a hands-on plumbing test.

If you are still narrowing the whole field before committing to a brand, our roundup of the best flushing toilets gives you the wider context. For TOTO specifically, both of these models sit in the same performance tier, so most buyers are really choosing between a classic two-piece and a seamless one-piece rather than trading away flush strength.

Drake II vs UltraMax II at a glance

Here is where the two toilets line up and where they part ways. Every value below reflects published TOTO and retailer specifications for the CEFIONTECT versions, the Drake II CST454CEFG and the UltraMax II MS604124CEFG.

Read that table closely and the story becomes clear. The mechanical guts are the same. The differences that matter are the seam-free body, the seat that comes bundled, and the way each unit installs.

TOTO Drake II Two-Piece Toilet

The Drake II is the traditional pick. A separate tank bolts onto the bowl, which is how most American toilets are built. It uses TOTO's Tornado Flush, a hole-free rim with dual nozzles that spins water around the bowl in a centrifugal wash instead of the old ring of small jets. That design pairs with a 1.28 gallon flush and a computer-designed, fully glazed 2-1/8 inch trapway to move waste out cleanly. Its 1,000 gram MaP score is the ceiling of the rating scale, which signals strong clog resistance.

The bowl is elongated and sits at TOTO's Universal Height, with a published seated height of about 17-1/4 inches, so it reads as a comfort-height toilet rather than a low standard bowl. CEFIONTECT glaze coats the ceramic to keep waste, mold, and bacteria from clinging. One thing to plan for is the seat. The Drake II ships without one, so you budget separately for a TOTO SoftClose or a compatible elongated seat.

Pros

• Same Tornado Flush and 1,000 gram MaP score as the pricier one-piece
• Two-piece body means lighter individual parts for solo handling
• Tank and bowl are easier to carry up stairs and into tight bathrooms
• CEFIONTECT glaze and a fully glazed trapway resist buildup and clogs
• Generally the lower-cost way into TOTO flush performance

Cons

• The tank-to-bowl seam collects dust and grime and needs extra wiping
• No seat in the box, so that is an added purchase
• Exposed tank bolts and gasket add a few more parts to install

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TOTO UltraMax II One-Piece Toilet

The UltraMax II takes the same flush platform and pours it into a seamless one-piece body. Tank and bowl are fused into a single skirted unit, which removes the crevice where a two-piece traps grime and removes the bolt-and-gasket joint that can eventually seep. It runs the identical Tornado Flush, the same 1.28 GPF, and the same 1,000 gram MaP score, so on paper the flush is a match for the Drake II.

Like the Drake II, it is an elongated, Universal Height, ADA-compliant bowl on a 12 inch rough-in with a fully glazed trapway and CEFIONTECT glaze. The meaningful extra is the box contents. The UltraMax II includes TOTO's SS124 SoftClose seat along with the tank-to-bowl hardware and bolt caps, so it arrives closer to ready-to-use. It is also WASHLET+ ready, with a channel that hides a bidet seat's supply line and cord if you upgrade later.

Pros

• Seamless one-piece body wipes down fast with no tank seam to scrub
• SS124 SoftClose seat is included, so nothing extra to buy for basic use
• No tank-to-bowl gasket joint that can weep over the years
• Same Tornado Flush, 1.28 GPF, and 1,000 gram MaP score as the Drake II
• Skirted, low-profile look sits flush against the wall

Cons

• One-piece body is a single heavy unit that is awkward to move alone
• One-piece TOTO models generally carry a higher price than two-piece equals
• A cracked tank means replacing the whole fixture, not just a tank

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Flush performance: effectively a tie

Buyers often expect the more expensive one-piece to flush harder. It does not. Both toilets use the same Tornado Flush, both move 1.28 gallons, and both post a 1,000 gram MaP score, which is the maximum the independent test program awards. That figure represents grams of solid waste cleared in a single flush, so a 1,000 gram result puts both toilets at the top of the residential field, well above the roughly 350 gram minimum many plumbers treat as acceptable. If raw bowl-clearing power is your priority, these two are interchangeable.

Water use and efficiency

Water consumption is identical. Each toilet flushes at 1.28 gallons and carries EPA WaterSense certification, meaning both sip about 20 percent less than the 1.6 gallon federal maximum without giving up flush strength. If you are weighing the trade-off between the two ratings before you shop, our explainer on 1.28 GPF vs 1.6 GPF covers what that difference means for your water bill and your bowl. Because the Drake II and UltraMax II share the same 1.28 number, neither one saves water over the other.

Cleaning and maintenance

This is where the UltraMax II earns its premium. A two-piece Drake II has a visible seam and a set of tank bolts where dust, hair, and grime settle, so wiping the base takes more time and patience. The one-piece UltraMax II has no tank-to-bowl gap, so a single pass with a cloth covers the whole body. Both toilets use CEFIONTECT glaze on the bowl interior, an ultra-smooth ceramic finish that keeps waste from sticking and cuts down how often you need to scrub. The glaze equalizes the inside of the bowl. The exterior is where the one-piece pulls ahead.

Installation and what is in the box

The Drake II is friendlier to install alone. Because the tank and bowl arrive separate, you set a lighter bowl first, then lift the tank onto it, which suits a tight bathroom or a solo DIY job. The UltraMax II is a single fused unit, heavier and more awkward to maneuver, so a second set of hands helps. Both share the standard 12 inch rough-in, so either drops into most existing footprints.

The box contents differ in a way that affects your real cost. The Drake II ships without a seat, so plan on adding one. The UltraMax II includes the SS124 SoftClose seat plus the tank-to-bowl hardware and bolt caps, so it lands closer to complete out of the carton. When you compare the two, factor a separate seat into the Drake II side of the ledger.

How they compare to other toilets

Both models sit at the top of TOTO's gravity-flush range, and the wider TOTO brand guide shows how they fit the family. The original TOTO Drake is the value sibling, offered in 1.28 or 1.6 GPF options and also rated at a 1,000 gram MaP score, though it uses TOTO's older flush design rather than Tornado Flush. The TOTO Aquia IV steps into dual-flush territory with 1.28 and 0.9 gallon buttons and a full-flush MaP of 1,000 grams, which suits buyers who want a water-choice option in a skirted body.

Against other brands the numbers stay competitive. The Kohler Highline with Class Five flushing and the Kohler Cimarron both run 1.28 GPF and both reach a 1,000 gram MaP score, matching the TOTO pair on paper. The American Standard Champion 4 in its standard form flushes at 1.6 GPF and hits a 1,000 gram MaP, but that base version is not WaterSense certified; the Champion 4 MAX drops to 1.28 GPF and does carry WaterSense. The Swiss Madison St. Tropez is a dual-flush unit at 0.8 and 1.28 gallons with a 600 gram MaP, a strong number but below the maxed-out 1,000 gram figure the Drake II and UltraMax II share.

Who should buy which

Choose the TOTO Drake II if you want top-tier TOTO flush power at the lower cost, if you are installing solo or in a tight space where lighter parts help, or if you already own a compatible seat and do not mind a little extra cleaning around the seam.

Choose the TOTO UltraMax II if you value the seamless one-piece body that wipes clean in seconds, if you want the SoftClose seat included so the toilet arrives closer to complete, or if a modern, skirted look matters in your bathroom and you are comfortable handling one heavier unit during installation.

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