Don't Spend £800 on a Japanese Toilet - Buy a £30 Bidet


There was a fascinating article on HackerNews this morning about Japanese toilets. As someone who does his best thinking on the can, I've often wondered about "investing" in super Japanese-style loo seat. The problem is, once you factor in plumbing and electrical work, they cost around £800! That's a lot of cash to pay without first road testing something you're going to be using every day. So, I looked at cheaper options. When I was in India, I got used to using a Shataff - AKA "Bum …

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The Usability of Toilet Paper Dispensers


Don Norman wrote a fascinating article on the Toilet Paper Algorithms I've long been intrigued by the central premise of the "Design of Everyday Things" that the basic interactions with normal objects - from teapots to motor vehicles - leaves a lot to be desired. It's something which is also picked up on in Edward de Bono's book "Simplicity. So, I was in a toilet when I happened upon this stunning piece of [un]usability. (Please ignore the fact that I take my phone everywhere and see nothing …

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