I had tried a non-electric, basic bidet seat years ago that was just a super forceful, non-adjusting cold spray of water. Needless to say, it didn't last long. However, I've always loved the concept of a bidet seat and decided to revisit trying one. This time though, I did some research, was willing to spend more, and thought about what I really wish I had had. So far, the Alpha iX Hybrid is fantastic.
I think this is a great entry-level bidet seat that really gives you a lot of bang for your buck especially when you get the open box deal and use the first time purchase 10% off coupon. It took my husband about 15 minutes to install and works perfectly. This model has a one-year warranty so I didn't lose anything by purchasing the open box option and I couldn't tell this seat had ever been out of the box in the first place.
In a perfect world, I would have gone ahead and purchased the Alpha UX Pearl (I like the deodorizing and bowl sanitizing features), but measured my toilet and a round seat was my only option. I didn't go for the JX because I don't really care about the one-touch options, would rather have a stainless steel nozzle, kind of preferred the blue light over the bright white, and preferred the overall look of the iX to the JX. Plus, I'm the only one using my toilet, so I don't really have to worry about settings getting changed. The hybrid heating works great and lasts through a back and front wash cycle. Water pressure is solid. I was quite surprised by that first spray at high pressure. I had to turn it to its lowest setting to avoid getting a colonoscopy, so I can't imagine what people are looking for when they say this seat doesn't have enough water pressure to clean everything. I haven't tried the back+ feature because I'm a little afraid to in all honesty. Maybe it has to do with your home plumbing? I think it's pretty quiet overall. The dryer function is nice and works well. The instructions recommend wiping away excess water first and I found this to work well. I am definitely using a lot less toilet paper. As a female, the front wash does get everything, but even after adjusting the spray position be prepared to potentially need to slightly adjust your seating position/wiggle around a bit. I was surprised that I wasn't as excited about a heated seat as I thought I'd be. Honestly, it reminds me of immediately using the toilet after someone else has been sitting on it for a while and it just kind of grosses me out. Anyway, I know most people love this feature, it does work well, is adjustable, and you can turn it off. And, last but not least, I love the soft blue glow coming from my toilet as I no longer have to turn on the light to check the toilet when I use the bathroom at night. When I was a kid, a friend had snakes crawl up their plumbing into their toilet and shower a few times- rural, old septic system, etc. I hate snakes and 30 years later, this is still something that haunts me during nighttime bathroom runs. No more thanks to my lighted toilet seat.
After this experience, I will definitely purchase another bidet seat in the future. I would like to have the deodorizing and bowl sterilization features, but they aren't something I can't live without as I frequently clean my toilet and just turn on the bathroom fan. Overall, this was a perfect first-time purchase for the value and price. I got a ton of features and didn't break the bank. Would absolutely purchase again.
