TOTO Washlet S7 vs S7A: Is Auto Open Worth the Upgrade?
The TOTO Washlet S7 and S7A are TOTO's two most advanced slim bidet seats. They sit at the same level of the lineup, share most of the same internals, and look nearly identical at a glance. The S7A costs more, and the question every buyer asks is whether the difference is worth it.
The short answer is yes if you want a fully hands free toilet, and no if you do not. The longer answer comes down to four real differences, and a few features that look different on a spec sheet but are not.
At Majestic Flush, the S7A outsells the S7 in luxury bathroom remodels and primary bathrooms. The S7 outsells the S7A in guest bathrooms, second homes, and households where the buyer is prioritising the wash experience over the lid behaviour. Both are excellent. The right pick depends on your bathroom and your priorities.
Quick answer: The S7 and S7A wash exactly the same way and share the same EWATER+ hygiene, heated seat, and warm air dryer. The one real difference is that the S7A has a lid that opens and closes by itself for a fully hands free toilet, while the S7 has a manual lid. Choose the S7A for a primary bathroom where hands free matters, and the S7 when you are happy to handle the lid yourself and would rather save money.
What is identical between the S7 and S7A
The S7 and S7A share more than they differ.
- Instantaneous water heater, so warm water never runs out mid wash
- Full EWATER+ coverage on the wand, the inside of the bowl, and the area under the seat
- PREMIST, which mists the bowl before every use so waste cannot stick to a dry surface
- Five settings each for water pressure, water temperature, and seat temperature
- Warm air dryer with the same temperature range on both seats
- Deodoriser with carbon filter
- Four user memory presets for personalised wash settings
- True seat occupied sensor that requires direct skin contact before a wash will start
- Auto flush capability when paired with a compatible TOTO toilet
- Wireless premium remote with metal buttons
- Slim profile, with the S7A taking the slim look a step further
- Fits elongated bowls only and ships in cotton white
- Washlet+ compatible when paired with a TOTO Washlet+ ready toilet
If you put the two seats next to each other on a showroom floor, the wash experience itself is the same. Same nozzle, same spray, same heater, same hygiene treatment.
So what changes when you step up to the S7A?
The real differences between the S7 and S7A
Auto open and close lid
This is the headline feature, and it is the reason most people buy the S7A instead of the S7.
When you walk into the bathroom on the S7A, a proximity sensor opens the lid for you automatically. When you turn around and walk away after the flush, the lid closes itself. You never have to touch the lid, and you never have to remember to close it.
On the S7, the lid is a normal manual lid. You open and close it with your hand.
The auto lid sounds like a luxury upgrade at first glance, and it is, but it has practical benefits that are easy to overlook. Households with kids stop fighting over who left the lid up. The bathroom looks tidier because the lid closes itself when nobody is in there. And for buyers who care about it, closing the lid before a flush has been shown in multiple studies to reduce the aerosol plume that a flush produces.
Auto flush behaviour
Both seats can perform an auto flush when paired with a compatible TOTO toilet using the THU857 Auto Flush Kit. The S7A pairs auto flush with the auto lid so the unit will close the lid before flushing if you have that setting enabled. Combined with the auto open and close lid, the result is a fully hands free experience from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out.
The S7 can be set up for auto flush as well, but you handle the lid yourself.
Profile and design
Both seats are slim, but the S7A is the slimmest seat TOTO sells. At its tallest point the S7A measures roughly 4.02 inches. The S7 is essentially the same height, give or take a small amount depending on configuration. Visually they are close, with the S7A sitting marginally lower behind the tank.
Where the S7A pulls ahead in the design department is the integrated lid mechanism. Because the lid is motorised, the hinge is more discreet than the manual hinge on the S7.
Price
The Washlet S7 is $1,279 and the Washlet S7A is $1,404, so the S7A costs about $125 more. Promotions can shift the gap, but the S7A is the more expensive of the two, and you are paying that difference for the automatic lid.
Quick comparison table
| Feature | Washlet S7 | Washlet S7A |
|---|---|---|
| Auto open and close lid | No | Yes |
| Hands free experience | Manual lid | Fully hands free |
| Wash, EWATER+, heated seat, dryer, remote, memory | Identical | Identical |
| Bowl fit | Elongated only | Elongated only |
| Price | $1,279 | $1,404 |
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Where the S7A earns its price
The S7A is not the right buy for every household. It is the right buy for buyers who fall into one or more of the following groups.
You want a fully hands free bathroom. If you have ever stayed at a high end Japanese hotel, you know the feeling of walking into a stall and having the lid rise to greet you. The S7A delivers that experience at home. It is small in description, it is genuinely impressive in daily use.
You have kids in the house. The S7A removes one of the standing arguments in any household with children. The lid manages itself, and you stop policing it.
You are particular about the look of the bathroom. A seat with the lid closed reads cleaner than a seat with the lid open. The S7A handles that for you whether anyone is paying attention or not.
You have mobility considerations. For users who find bending difficult, removing the manual lid lift and lower from the routine is a real comfort win.
You are buying for a primary bathroom you will use thousands of times. The S7A's premium feels earned over years rather than weeks.
Where the S7 is the smarter spend
The S7 holds its own and is often the right call. Here is when.
You are equipping a guest bathroom or a vacation property. Guests do not need auto open. They need warm water, EWATER+ coverage, and a clean experience. The S7 delivers all of that at a lower price.
You already have a habit of closing the lid. If lid management is not a friction point in your life, the auto lid is a nice to have rather than a need.
You prefer mechanical reliability over more electronics. The motorised lid on the S7A is well engineered, but a motorised lid is one more system that can develop a quirk over a decade. The S7 has fewer moving parts.
You want most of the S7A experience for less money. Wash quality, EWATER+ coverage, the slim profile, the premium remote, and the four user memory are all the same. The S7 keeps the substance and trims the showpiece.
Installation, electrical, and plumbing
The install is identical between the two seats. You need a 120V GFCI outlet within reach, a cold water supply, and an elongated bowl. Both seats use the same T connector to share the supply line between the tank and the seat. Both can be specified for a Washlet+ connection if you are pairing with a compatible TOTO toilet.
The auto open and close lid on the S7A draws power from the same circuit as the rest of the seat. There is no additional wiring requirement. We have not seen a meaningful difference in power consumption between the two units in customer feedback.
The single recommendation we make to every buyer of either seat is to confirm the bathroom outlet is GFCI protected before delivery day. If it is not, an electrician can swap the outlet in well under an hour, and you avoid a delay on install day.
Frequently asked questions
Does the S7A lid close fast enough to be quiet?
Yes. The lid uses a soft close mechanism that prevents any slam noise. The cycle is gentle and quiet enough that it does not wake people in adjacent rooms.
What happens to the auto lid during a power outage?
The lid stays in whatever position it was last in. The seat and bidet functions stop, but you can still use the toilet manually. When power returns, the auto lid resumes normally.
Is the S7A available with a Washlet+ connection?
Yes. Both the S7 and S7A can be paired with a Washlet+ ready TOTO toilet for a hidden water supply. We list compatible toilets on each product page.
Can I disable the auto lid on the S7A?
Yes. The auto open feature can be turned off from the remote if you prefer to use the lid manually for a period of time, for example during a renovation when the bathroom door stays open and the proximity sensor would trigger constantly.
Is the S7A the same as the older S550e?
No. The S550e was an earlier generation seat that was discontinued. The S7A replaced it in TOTO's slim S series and added several upgrades including improved EWATER+ coverage and a refined remote.
Will the S7A work on a round front bowl?
No. Like the S7, it is designed for elongated bowls only.
Our verdict
The S7A is worth the upgrade if you are equipping a primary bathroom in a household that values a fully hands free experience. The auto open and close lid is a daily luxury that pays off thousands of times over the life of the seat.
The S7 is the right buy if the auto lid is not a feature you will use, if you are equipping a secondary bathroom, or if you want the same wash quality and hygiene system at a lower price.
Both seats are excellent, so the real question is simply whether an automatic lid is something you will appreciate every day or a feature you can comfortably live without.
Shop the Product Now
Shop the TOTO Washlet S7 and the TOTO Washlet S7A at Majestic Flush, with free curbside shipping, a price match guarantee, and expert support at (980) 452-3079.
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