Shopping for a bidet can be challenging and time-consuming.
There are so many different features and it can be hard to know what you need and what you don’t.
I’m here to help clear up the confusion and let you know if you really need an air deodorizer and fancy technology such as on-demand wand sterilization.
In this review of the Brondell Swash 1400 VS Alpha JX I’ll cover:
- Differences in the spray nozzles and how they work
- Extra features the Brondell Swash has like programmable user settings and if you really need them
- Differences in practical things like the warranty and weight capacities
Let’s jump right in.
So, what’s the difference between the Brondell Swash 1400 and Alpha JX?
The Alpha JX and the Brondell Swash 1400 both have wireless remote controls, unlimited hot water, and self-cleaning nozzles. The Brondell Swash 1400 also offers an air deodorizer, user presets, and on-demand wand sterilization. The Alpha JX can fit some french curve toilets but has no additional features.
In a rush? Click here to view the Alpha JX and here to view the Brondell Swash 1400 (both open in new tabs).
What’s the same?
These bidets share quite a lot of features, most of them the basics you’d expect from every bidet.
If you want to skip straight to the differences, click here.
Core luxuries
The core luxuries is a self-coined phrase. They describe what I feel are essential features on any bidet. No respectable bidet in this price bracket would be without them.
Luckily both bidets fulfil the requirements:
- Rear and front wash options
- An oscillating spray mode (where the spray wand moves backward and forwards)
- Adjustable water temperature and pressure
- Heated seat with adjustable temperature
- Self-cleaning nozzles
- An aerated water stream (bubble infused water means you use less water but still get the same great cleanse)
- An air dryer (neither of the dryers are super strong, they took between 2-3 minutes to dry me fully)
Seat and lid
Sittable lids are unusual for bidets. They’re usually quite flimsy. But this isn’t the case for either of these bidets.
They have strong, sittable lids.
- The Brondell Swash 1400 can hold up to 270 lbs
- The Alpha JX can hold up to 300 lbs.
Both the seats come with the standard soft closing function, as do the lids.
And they both have sensors, which means the bidets will only activate when someone is sitting on them.
(lifesaver if you had kids that like to press buttons)
Wireless controls
I am definitely in the wireless controls camp when it comes to bidets.
They’re infinitely easier to use because you can have them right in front of your face, rather than having to turn around to see them.
The Alpha JX’s and the Brondell Swash 1400’s remotes look different, but that’s about it.
They both come with auto modes that perform a complete wash cycle. This is great for confused guests and kids.
They also both have wall mounts, so you aren’t constantly misplacing them (unlike the TV remote).
Water heating system
Both bidets use an on-demand heating system.
There’s no water stored in the bidet. Instead, it’s instantly heated whenever you need it.
The advantages of this heating method over a tank are two-fold:
- More energy efficient because you’re not continually using energy to heat a tank of water
- ENDLESS hot water that NEVER runs out
Differences in shared features
Now onto the juicy part.
Where do these bidets differ, and which one comes out on top?
Nozzles
First up I talk about the spray nozzles. There are two main differences here.
The materials used and the number of nozzles.
Material
Stainless steel vs. aluminum.
The battle of the materials. The Brondell Swash 1400 has stainless steel wands. The Alpha JX’s spray wand is made from aluminum.
Stainless steel is considered more premium than aluminum because of its durability. But in the day-to-day workings of the bidet, you won’t notice any difference between the two materials.
The Alpha’s spray wand has been treated internally with a nano-silver compound for sterility. The Brondell swashes wand allows you to rinse it with a similar sterilizing compound whenever you want (more on that later).
Number of nozzles
The second significant difference between the nozzles is how many there are.
- The Brondell Swash 1400 has two
- The Alpha JX has one
The Brondell Swash 1400 has one wand dedicated to the front wash and one to the back.
It doesn’t make much difference for males because they’re only interested in the rear wash function. But for females, it can be useful to have a dedicated spray wand.
A separate spray wand is more likely to reach your frontal region.
I’m pretty small, and when I first tried out these bidets, the Alpha spray wand didn’t reach as far forward as I’d have liked.
After some trial and error, I realized it was because I was sitting too far forward on the seat. Once I sat back, the wand was better positioned.
The Brondell Swash 1400 feminine wand had better reach than the Alpha JX nozzle, but I still have to move back on the seat to get the positioning perfect.
Flow rate
The Brondell Swash has a slower flow rate compared to the Alpha JX.
- Brondell Swash 1400 = 0.13 gal/min
- Alpha JX = 0.185gal/min
Flow rate is related (but not directly correlated) to water pressure. The max pressure spray on the Alpha JX is stronger than the Brondell Swash, but I didn’t find that this had any effect on cleansing power.
I felt just as clean after using the Swash as I did after using the Alpha JX. But if water pressure is a concern for you, and I know some people like a stronger ‘feel’, then the Alpha JX is your best bet.
Warranties
Both the bidets offer a three-year warranty, but the swash only has a limited warranty, while the alpha JX provides a full warranty.
Confusing jargon, right?
Let me break it down.
| Time after purchase | Alpha JX | Brondell Swash 1400 |
| 1 year | 100% coverage | 100% coverage |
| 2 years | 100% coverage | 75% coverage |
| 3 years | 100% coverage | 50% coverage |
With a limited warranty, the coverage decreases over time. With a full warranty, the coverage stays the same.
Nightlight
Nightlights are super handy if you use the loo at night. They mean you don’t have to blind yourself with the big light, and you can quickly fall back asleep.
The Brondell Swash 1400 illuminates your toilet bowl with a soft blue light, whereas the Alpha JX uses a soft white light. Your preferred color is a personal preference, but for me, it’s blue.
I found it less intrusive.
Dimensions and style
The dimensions are very similar. Any differences are small enough not to be noticeable.
The weight capacities are also similar. The Brondell Swash 1400 can hold up to 300 lbs, while the Alpha JX will support someone up to 320 lbs.
In terms of style, both the bidets are slim and will fit in well with a modern bathroom.
The Brondell Swash 1400 has two color options: white or biscuit. The Alpha JX only comes in white.
Both come in round and elongated sizes.
Eco-mode
When you activate eco mode on the Brondell Swash 1400, the bidet will lower the temperature settings after 10 minutes of non-use.
The Alpha JX has two eco modes. Auto power save, and SUPER power save.
Auto power save works in the same way as the eco mode on the Brondell Swash.
When the seat isn’t in use, the bidet lowers the temperature of the seat.
Super power save it a bit smarter. The bidet can sense when your bathroom is dark and lowers the heated elements to room temperature.
With both bidets, if you sit on the seat while it’s in power-saving mode, it will quickly come up to temperature.
I’m all about being energy efficient, so I used both these modes and had no complaints about how fast the seats came back up to temperature.
What does the Swash 1400 have that the Alpha JX doesn’t?
The Swash 1400 is a more advanced model than the Alpha JX, which materializes itself in extra features.
It’s up to you to decide if you want these features or not. For me, the air deodorizer and user presets are very tempting.
Air deodorizer
Do you often walk into the loo and find it stinking?
With the Brondell Swash 1400, this will never happen again. It has a carbon filter deodorizer that activates when you sit down on the loo. It pulls in air from around the loo, and the filter traps and neutralizes any foul odors.
I was surprised by how well this function worked. It gave me the confidence to walk out of the bathroom and wave the next person in, knowing it smells fresh!
Hidden Wire pocket
Trailing wires can ruin the aesthetic of a room in seconds.
Brondell understands that. The swash 1400 provides a solution in the form of a hidden wire pocket.
The connections at the back of the bidet stay out of sight, meaning your toilet looks more like any other standard toilet.
This isn’t a deal-breaker function for me, but it did improve the look of the bidet.
Choice of spray widths
The majority of bidets (if not all of them) give you the power to alter the temperature and pressure of the spray.
But the Brondell Swash goes a step further and lets you alter the width.
The options range from a strong, targeted wash to a softer spray that covers most of your backside.
The softer spray is excellent for ladies and cleaning the frontal area, while I preferred the more targeting spray for the rear.
On-demand wand sterilization
The Brondell Swash 1400 uses nanotechnology to sterilize the spray wands whenever you feel like it.
Fancy right?
When you press the sterilization button on the remote, the wand cleanses itself for 60 seconds with water that’s been infused with silver oxide nano-particles.
The silver particles have powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties to ensure your spray wand is always squeaky clean.
I really liked the on-demand nature of this because it means I don’t have to clean the wand manually very often!
Programmable user settings
If you’ve ever shared a car with your partner, then you know the pain of having to adjust the mirrors EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Imagine if the car had a button that would remember how you liked the mirrors positioned, and all you needed to do to adjust them was press a button.
The Brondell Swash 1400 has this.
The remote can remember up to two user presets. The bidet will adjust the spray’s temperature, pressure, and width to your preferred settings at the touch of a button.
This feature will really save you time. It’s perfect for when you’re in a hurry.
What does the Alpha JX have that the Swash 1400 doesn’t?
There are no extra features on the Alpha JX.
The Brondell Swash 1400 has everything the Alpha JX does, plus a bit more (hence the higher price).
But there is one thing.
The Alpha JX will fit some French curved toilets that the Brondell swash won’t. For example, Alpha bidets claim to fit 70% of Kohler San Raphael toilets and the Kohler Santa Rosa toilet, although it won’t fit 100% perfectly.
Final Thoughts
You won’t be disappointed if you buy either of these bidets.
But you might feel a twinge of regret while sitting on the Alpha JX praying the loo doesn’t smell too much once you’re done.
In that moment you’ll wish you went for the Brondell Swash.
The Swash is the more premium model, but it has a boatload of extra features to show for it. They aren’t useless features either, they genuinely add a lot of value and make your life easier.
For me, the Brondell Swash 1400 wins this battle.
Not because I consider the Alpha JX to be a bad investment, but because the Brondell has more to offer.
Who should buy the Alpha JX?
The Alpha JX is a solid choice for anyone who’s after a good bidet that doesn’t break the bank.
It has a solid set of core features and a few modern technologies such as endless hot water. This sets it apart from other similarly priced bidets.
Who should buy the Brondell Swash 1400?
The Swash is a great long-term investment and the perfect bidet if you’re looking for one that offers a ton of luxury features.
It’ll leave you feeling like a million dollars every time you visit the bathroom.