LAS VEGAS—It had to be seen to be believed. Kohler's Numi 2.0 Intelligent toilet made its debut here at CES, so I went for a close-up look at this commode with Alexa built in.
First things first: It's square, giving it an ultra-modern look that might only fit in those houses with rollable OLED TVs and smart refrigerators. The lid has a funky hinge, so it opens more like a DeLorean than your run-of-the-mill john.
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Motion sensors in the toilet will automatically raise and lower the lid, so you don't have to touch it. Flushing is also a hands-free affair, and in an effort to cut down on waste, it will use less water if its sensors detect that you've been using the toilet for less than 45 seconds. There's also a button on the side in case you need a manual assist. A self-cleaning bidet is nestled inside the Numi to freshen your undercarriage, and a small vent in the front of the toilet sends out a jet of hot air to keep your feet warm.
The LED lights on the side and bottom of the Numi help create what Kohler calls an "immersive" experience. That's probably not the best word to use when describing a toilet, but the LEDs are fun, and can be programmed to change colors. In the demo I saw, there were spots of colors that appeared to float around, like leaves falling from a tree. This paired well with the sound of birds and other fauna, which is something you can program using the Kohler app. (The call of nature, indeed.)
Bathroom-goers can use the speakers to play music and other audio, either via Bluetooth or streaming from Alexa. Unfortunately, Amazon's voice assistant wasn't hooked up, so we couldn't test how it worked. Presumably, you'll also be able to speak to Alexa to flush the toilet and perform other lavoratorial functions, but a company rep said all of that was still in the pipeline.
Alas, I was unable to actually sit on the Numi 2.0 to see what this luxe toilet felt like on my derriere. If you're thinking of purchasing this toilet when it's available later this year, you'll be flushing $8,000 down the drain. That's how much it'll cost for the all-black version; the white model is a much more reasonable $7,000.
