The Astor Fresh Water Spray Bidet
Does the most popular bidet attachment on the market deserve all the praise? (short answer: yes, pretty much)
See the Astor Fresh Spray from more angles and its current price here.
____________________________________________________________________________
First, the basics:
- This is a bidet attachment, not a full bidet seat.
- It is only a bidet, no additional features besides water pressure control.
- Non-electric (uses only your home’s water pressure to operate).
- It will fit virtually any toilet.
- It comes in white only.
- You will need a screwdriver and possibly a wrench to install.
- Astor claims only a screwdriver is needed, however a wrench may also be required to tighten the fittings to avoid leaks (unless you have very dexterous and strong fingers!).
- All other installation components are included.
- The water pressure is controlled by turning a dial.
- The nozzle automatically retracts when the bidet isn’t being used.
- One-year manufacturer’s warranty.
The Pros:
- The price is right.
- The Astor Fresh Water Spray Bidet is extremely cost effective.
- It is as good as many other bidets slightly above this price range (more on why, later).
- Comes with a year long, no questions asked warranty.
- The bidet function works very well.
- The pressure gauge works as expected, although your home’s water pressure is going to greatly affect this (if you have high water pressure, be careful about going above the “low” setting)
- You may have to adjust the position of your posterior for full cleaning, but this is expected in the price range and is very easy to do.
- Very easy to install.
- It will take around ten minutes to install. Here is a fantastic video of the whole process.
- Can be adjusted to fit nearly any toilet. The adjustment rails slide easily and have a number of depth settings as well (these will determine how close to the back-rim the bidet will be)
- The nozzle automatically extends and retracts.
- When you activate the water, the nozzle will extend and begin to spray.
- When you stop the flow of water, the nozzle retracts, keeping it clean for the next use.
- The components are sturdy and feel higher quality than expected.
- A year-long manufacturers warranty.
- Some models (a very small percentage) had issues with inner tubing after several months, resulting in leaks. Having a year-long warranty goes a long way towards taking this from a decent purchase to a great investment.
The Cons:
- Not the most visually appealing bidet.
- At the price, not much else compares, but if you want something less utilitarian, consider spending a little more on a better-looking unit.
- No warm water option.
- This is, again, unavoidable at this price range, however, some people are extra sensitive to cold water. The temperature of your cold water also varies depending on where you live. Those in colder climates could certainly justify paying more for the luxury of warmer water.
- Raises the back of the toilet seat up, creating a slight forward angle.
- This can be slightly uncomfortable as well as a bit unattractive.
- This is inherent in bidet attachments, however. Any other bidet attachment review is going to mention the same problem.
- An easy fix is available, as most home-improvement stores offer some version of toilet seat risers to increase the height of the front of the seat, so that it is level.
Final Thoughts:
This is a very nice unit for the price. It doesn’t surprise or amaze, but it will clean your bum. The lack of warm water and the somewhat cantankerous water pressure turn-dial could be deal breakers for some, however, the Astor Fresh Water Bidet does an admirable job for what it is (and how much it costs).
More pictures of this stout washroom workhorse here, as well as its current price.