3 ms·

For most of the world, bidets are a thing an it is a curious thing as to why the toliet paper industry is so powerful in the west. I prefer the bidet, and seei

For most of the world, bidets are a thing an it is a curious thing as to why the toliet paper industry is so powerful in the west. I prefer the bidet, and seeing normal reams of toliet paper cost now $30 for the "mega" value pack, I'm amused at the production of something, the trucking of something, the retailing of something that is ultimately discarded . The whole thinking and execution of it is backwards. --- It is remotely possible, the governments can set immediate import/export restrictions and also guide manufacturing as they did during Covid for incubators and such. While it won't be effective, it can either help the stock/supply rebound, or throw into more fear...

com2kid 5y ago
> For most of the world, bidets are a thing an it is a curious thing as to why the toliet paper industry is so powerful in the west. At least in America, my Grandmother's generation (great depression) grew up with outhouses. When homes were renovated to add an indoor bathroom, they were done on the cheap. Heck pre-pandemic the idea of a bidet was crazy, I had to work hard to find one that was reliable and at a good price. Now they are super available and advertised all over the place, but when I went to get one installed 10 years ago it was not easy just finding a reliable, cold water, model! Warm water models were obscenely priced in the US. It was likely a chicken/egg thing. Consumers didn't know about them, so no one made them for the US market, which meant the few that did exist cost an arm and a leg, so no one bothered to buy them so no one bothered to mass produce them. On top of that, when I inquired about getting an outlet installed behind my toilet for an electric bidet, my plumber and electrician thought I was crazy! Same question in 2021, "sure we do that all the time".
- adhesive_wombat 5y ago
  Same here, they all come from the Far East, though they have at least started fitting the right plugs rather than a deathtrap adaptor. Pretty sure mine didn't make them much money since they didn't include a pair of stainless steel mounting brackets, and they FedExed them to me. From Korea. In a box 100 times the necessary volume.
  - com2kid 5y ago
    Here in the US, Home Depot now sells an affordable heated bidet, under $200 IIRC. Doesn't have all the features of nicer models, but it gets the job done and it is available all over the place. Bidets have gone mainstream in the US!

com2kid 5y ago

> For most of the world, bidets are a thing an it is a curious thing as to why the toliet paper industry is so powerful in the west. At least in America, my Grandmother's generation (great depression) grew up with outhouses. When homes were renovated to add an indoor bathroom, they were done on the cheap. Heck pre-pandemic the idea of a bidet was crazy, I had to work hard to find one that was reliable and at a good price. Now they are super available and advertised all over the place, but when I went to get one installed 10 years ago it was not easy just finding a reliable, cold water, model! Warm water models were obscenely priced in the US. It was likely a chicken/egg thing. Consumers didn't know about them, so no one made them for the US market, which meant the few that did exist cost an arm and a leg, so no one bothered to buy them so no one bothered to mass produce them. On top of that, when I inquired about getting an outlet installed behind my toilet for an electric bidet, my plumber and electrician thought I was crazy! Same question in 2021, "sure we do that all the time".

adhesive_wombat 5y ago
Same here, they all come from the Far East, though they have at least started fitting the right plugs rather than a deathtrap adaptor. Pretty sure mine didn't make them much money since they didn't include a pair of stainless steel mounting brackets, and they FedExed them to me. From Korea. In a box 100 times the necessary volume.
- com2kid 5y ago
  Here in the US, Home Depot now sells an affordable heated bidet, under $200 IIRC. Doesn't have all the features of nicer models, but it gets the job done and it is available all over the place. Bidets have gone mainstream in the US!