Products - July 2024

Shower toilets redefine cleanliness

Water instead of paper

Shower toilets break with tradition. Instead of using paper, they clean the backside with warm water, leaving it sparkling clean. Nearly 50 years ago, Geberit launched its first shower toilet on the market. A hygiene journey on Geberit's 150th anniversary.

Bali brown, Bahama beige or reed green: toilets are strikingly colourful when Geberit launches its first two own shower toilet models in 1978 and 1979: an attachment for retrofitting with the melodious name Geberella and a complete system, christened Geberit-o-mat. Both products have a hot water shower and are available in over a dozen colours. Even back then, the Geberit-o-mat boasted additional functions such as a hot air dryer or an odour extraction system.

Reservations among customers
While shower toilets are spreading rapidly in Asia, people in Europe are reacting cautiously to the innovation. Here, customers' prejudices and reservations about cleaning with water are considerable. However, Geberit is convinced of the potential of shower toilets.

In the 1980s, Geberit tried to introduce people to the shower toilet experience with cute visualisations.

Breakthrough thanks to design and technology
A breakthrough is achieved in 2003: Geberit presents the Balena 8000, the first complete shower toilet system without an integrated cistern. This makes the toilet appear much smaller and sets it apart from its sometimes bulky predecessor models. Wall-hung and with a futuristic design, it caused a stir in the industry and is still widely used today.

Production of the Propomat, later called the DoucheWC 7000, in 1999. With a few exceptions, all Geberit shower toilets were assembled in Rapperswil-Jona. (Copyright: Keystone/Martin Rütschi)

Geberit continued to consistently develop its technologies in the years that followed. Product features such as the hydraulically optimised WhirlSpray shower spray or the quiet and efficient TurboFlush flush technology contribute to the success of Geberit shower toilets.

Inconspicuous luxury
Geberit standardised the shower toilet brand across Europe in 2009 under the new brand name “AquaClean“. The Sela model is a major success in 2013: it is the first shower toilet that looks like a normal toilet. Today, this applies to all four current models: AquaClean Mera, Sela, Tuma and Alba impress with their minimalist yet elegant design. Geberit now wants to tap into new market segments with the Alba, which will be launched in 2024: The Alba is the first complete shower toilet system that costs only slightly more than a normal toilet.