Appearance at a Glance

Available in three different colors – white, linen and bone, the Champion 4 is a one-piece toilet. In comparison, the Champion 4 Max is a two-piece toilet. It is available in four different colors – white, linen, bone and black. Considering how similar these two are, the black color might be the deciding factor for some. Being a one-piece, the champion 4 is slightly heavy to carry alone. So, hauling it up stairs for installation might prove cumbersome. However, there is a trade-off. In general, one-piece toilets are easier to clean than two-piece toilets.

Made of vitreous china that makes both of these toilets durable. They are each available in the elongated or round front, depending on your preference. The elongated shape is more comfortable. It provides more space for your thighs and posterior to rest on.

The champion 4 max toilet is a little bigger than its predecessor champion 4 and weighs more. The height of the bowls of the two toilets (without the seat) is identical at 16.5 inches. This satisfies the Right Height requirements. But, some customers find this height to be uncomfortable.

Power Flush

These toilets are pressure-assisted and have a 4-inch piston action accelerator flush valve. This is among the biggest in the industry making the flush faster than most any other valve you’ll find. This valve can dump water into the bowl in seconds.

Thanks to the bigger valve, the toilets flush much faster. About three times faster than a 2-inch valve and about two times faster than a 3-inch valve. These toilets are also equipped with a 2 and 3/8th inch-glazed trapway. This size of the trapway ensures that even the larger masses can flush away without any hassle. Because of this feature, customers don’t have to deal with cogging of these toilet systems.

The Champion 4 toilet uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush (1.6 gpf) compared to only 1.28 gpf used by the 4 max. This results in saving more money on water bills with the Champion 4 Max. Both these toilets feature the PowerWash rinse. PowerWash helps by scrubbing the bowl each time you flush it. This ensures a cleaner surface for a longer time.

Click here for more details on the American Standard Champion 4

Click here for more details on the American Standard Champion 4 Max

Rough-in

Rough-in is the distance between the wall behind the toilet and the center of the pipe that connects the toilet to the floor. Both the champion toilets have a rough-in of about 12 inches. This makes it suitable for connecting to a water supply and also cleaning the back and base of the toilet bowl.

Trip Lever

Similar functionality of the simple trip lever is noted in both the toilets. Some customers say that they have to hold the lever down for 3-4 seconds to ensure a proper flush with Champion 4. I haven’t come across any such problems with Champion 4 Max.

But, with the Champion 4, you get the option to choose the finish of the trip lever. You can choose the default chrome, white, polished brass or satin. The Champion 4 max comes with the chrome finish trip lever only.

Other Toilet Comparisons to Consider:

American Standard Cambridge vs Princeton

Toto Drake vs Drake 2

Performance

For either, the flushing system is designed in such a way that the entire bowl and rim is cleaned with a single flush.

American Standard Champion 4

But, the Champion 4 Max outdid all other flushing systems in MaP test. MaP test, also known as Max Performance checks how well the toilets perform. The Champion 4 Max received the highest possible score of 1000 grams per flush. It accomplished this with only 1.28 gallons of water used per flush. This makes the Champion 4 Max the most efficient flushing system for bulk waste removal.

Customer say, with the Champion 4, there can be residue and skid marks left behind after a flush. And unfortunately, that means resorting to a cleaning brush. Also, some customers complained about the noise made by the champion 4 while flushing. This is important if you have these toilets installed in the bedroom. In the middle of the night it can cause some disturbance and wake sleeping family members.

The 4 max makes less noise than its counterpart according to customer reviews we came across.

Both the toilets lack a heated seat and an in-built night light.

Accessories

The Champion 4 Max which is a two-piece toilet comes in two different boxes. One box contains the toilet bowl and the other containing the flush tank. The one-piece toilet will arrive in a single, large box.

Both the Champion 4 and Champion 4 Max toilets are sold without the seat included. The American Standard recommends the slow closing seat available with them. Included in the box are 2 color-matched bolt caps.

Ease of installation

Almost all the customers agree that these toilets are really easy to install. All you will need is a new, industry standard wax ring and a bolt kit. They come with the set of instructions and one can get them working with no difficulty. As the one-piece Champion 4 is somewhat heavy, you might need one other person to help you carry it.

Maintenance

Maintenance is very minimal for these toilets – a fact that customers enjoy. Once installation is complete, neither of these toilets seem to have any major issues.

Both the toilets come with the antimicrobial EverClean both inside and out. This makes it not only easy to clean, but also, the antimicrobial surface prevents the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew.

Certification Compliance

Both the toilets are compliant with the height requirements specified by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines for accessible facilities. The Champion 4 Max is also compliant with the US EPA WaterSense Specifications for High Efficiency Toilets. The Champion 4 lacks this certification.

Warranty

Both these toilets come with a 10-year warranty by American Standard.