In 1936, a postage stamp cost three cents, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to his second term as president and Kohler Co. introduced the new Wellworth “closet.”
Seventy-Five years later, the Wellworth toilet continues to represent Kohler quality, value and performance, becoming an icon in the industry. The Wellworth has echoed through generations, and as if that weren’t enough to celebrate, a newly upgraded Wellworth launched last month.
Touted as “Our Best Wellworth Ever,” the new model includes performance enhancements and a water-conserving 1.28-gallon flush. Aesthetically, the new versatile tank design complements a wide range of bathroom designs.
The Wellworth has certainly come a long way. I dug up some ads from the early days to see the evolution unfold. Check it out!
1936 Wellworth debuts as a “reverse trap closet.”
1937 Wellworth toilet includes a free-standing reverse trap closet.
1974 Wellworth Water-Guard toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush, a 30 percent savings from conventional toilets using as much as 5 gpf.
1985 Wellworth design change features trapezoidal tank.
1989 Wellworth Lite toilet model introduced and uses 1.5 gpf.
1995 Wellworth Eco Lite gravity-fed toilet offering 1.1 or 1.6 gpf.
2007 Wellworth features the Flushometer Bowl with 1.28 gpf.
2011 Redesigned to celebrate 75 years, the new Wellworth features a sleek flare design and high-performance, water-saving flush.
The full Wellworth evolution, from right to left (1936 – 2008).
3 Comments
Congrats on the 75 years!
Since Kohler was re-designing the Wellworth for 2011 anyway, why not make it a dual-flush? The only DF toilets I’ve seen have been the ultra-sleek, ultra-modern, ultra-ugly Euro-style. I like the looks of the Wellworth, which will fit in nicely in our more traditional (although I prefer “classic”) Cape Cod home.
Even though we don’t pay for water since we’re on a well, we’re still very interested in conserving resources & recycling whenever we can.
Hey Mermaid–this is Mark Thiel at Kohler. We completely agree that conserving water is important, and we also understand the importance of choice. Just like the Dual Flush offers 1.6 and 1.28 flush options, we have launched the 1.6 and 1.28 gpf single-flush high-efficiency Wellworth toilets. The 1.28 gpf models conserve 20% more water versus a standard 1.6 gpf toilet, which results in savings of 16,500 gallons of water annually. Although it’s not Dual Flush, the options are still there.
Hope that helps!
We had no idea so much thought & careful consideration went into the design of your newest Wentworth. Here in Northern California, there is always the threat of a drought, so we recommend that our clients be proactive and conserve water. Why wait until there’s rationing? And since this model looks so stylish, it’s not as though there’s any aesthetic pain involved. Thank you for this fabulous new design.
Rob Dobkins
San Jose Plumbing