I bought a bidet attachment after a friend described it as “life-changing” for the fifth time and I got tired of nodding like I understood. It arrived in a box the size of a shoebox. I installed it in 20 minutes. The first time I used it, my exact thought was: I have been doing this wrong my entire adult life.

A bidet attachment is not the fancy $800 Japanese toilet seat with heated water and a warm air dryer. Those are nice but expensive and need an electrical outlet near the toilet — which most bathrooms do not have. A cold-water bidet attachment costs $30-60, installs with basic tools, and uses your existing toilet water supply. That is the category most people should start with.

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What to Look For

Self-cleaning nozzle. The nozzle extends when you turn the water on and retracts when you turn it off. A self-cleaning model rinses the nozzle before and after each use. Without this feature, you are pointing a dirty nozzle at yourself, which defeats the purpose.

Adjustable pressure. Some models have a simple knob with no fine control — it is either off or full blast. Spend the extra $10 for a model with a smooth dial that lets you find a comfortable pressure. Your first time you will turn it too high and learn immediately why adjustable pressure matters.

Metal T-adapter. The T-adapter splits your toilet’s water supply between the tank and the bidet. Cheap models include a plastic T-adapter that will eventually crack and flood your bathroom. Look for a brass or metal T-adapter. If the included one is plastic, buy a metal replacement for $8 at a hardware store before you install anything.

Three Models Worth Considering

• Luxe Bidet Neo 120 ($35). The most popular entry-level model for a reason. Cold water only, self-cleaning nozzle, metal T-adapter included. I have installed three of these in different apartments and they all worked perfectly.
• Brondell SimpleSpa SS-150 ($30). Slightly slimmer profile than the Luxe, good for toilets where the seat gap is tight. Also cold water only, self-cleaning, includes metal hardware.
• Tushy Classic ($79). More expensive for the same feature set as the Luxe, but looks nicer and comes in colors if aesthetics matter. The installation kit is better organized with clearer instructions.

The $35 Luxe is the one I would buy again. It has been running for three years with zero issues.