• by P.J. Bednarski  @pjbtweet, January 11, 2019

Marketing a “smart” something is quite the trend. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, apparently nothing smart got much more attention than Kohler’s products for the kitchen and bathroom, including the . . . Kohler Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet with Kohler Konnect.

Reporters are hired to write stories in their own words, but the description of this item from the company’s own spec sheets seems appropriate in this instance: 

Numi 2.0 intelligent toilet with KOHLER Konnect is Kohler’s most advanced toilet.  The Numi 2.0 offers personalized experiences that let users fine-tune every aspect of their experience to their exact preference, from ambient colored lighting to wireless Bluetooth® music sync capability to the heated seat. Numi 2.0 delivers hands-free control, personalized cleansing functionality, and exceptional water efficiency.

Numi 2.0 will come equipped with embedded Amazon Alexa for easy voice control to activate toilet features as well as Alexa commands such as checking weather, traffic, accessing news, etc.

Kohler says the estimated consumer price for the toilet, placed in a rectangular-shaped housing, is $7,000 in white and $8,000 in black. 

“Connected technology is driving innovation in the smart home category, but connectivity alone isn’t enough,” said David Kohler, president and CEO. “ We believe in leading with design and seamlessly incorporating the right technologies so that our customers can personalize their bathroom experiences to be just right for them.” 

Every year at the big tech show, otherwise ordinary products are subjected to modern technology and win the gawking admiration of passersby and journalists. 

“CES has often been about outdoing the competition by adding a voice assistant to an extravagant appliance and this smart toilet captures that spirit to the nth degree,” wrote a reporter for the Verge.com. “If you’ve fantasized about a smart toilet complete with mood lighting and the surround sound of birds chirping, then CES has you covered.”

Kohler literature explains: “In the dark, as you walk up to Numi 2.0, the integrated nightlight helps to guide you, the lid will open and treat you to a warm seat; when you walk away, it flushes and closes.” 

The toilet also features UV sanitization, automatic deodorization, and a warm-air dryer. The lid opens and closes automatically for hands-free use.

A YouTube video shows a businessman returning home after a long day, and telling Alexa to “start chill time.” Cool ambient lighting takes over. 

PerfectFill technology fills your bath to the exact temperature and depth.  TheDTV+ Shower Systemcan create presets for sound, water, steam and lighting, “delivering the ultimate customized spa-like showering experience, placing it in a category all its own.”