The Complete Guide to Nuie Concealed Cisterns

A concealed cistern is one of those upgrades that quietly transforms a bathroom. By hiding the toilet tank behind the wall or inside a furniture unit, it leaves only a slim flush plate on show – for a clean, modern, clutter-free look that is also far easier to keep clean. Nuie's concealed cistern range brings that fitted-bathroom finish within easy reach, with dual-flush water saving as standard and a wide choice of flush plates, styles and finishes to suit any scheme.

This guide explains everything you need to choose the right Nuie concealed cistern: how a concealed cistern works, the difference between the flush-plate styles, side versus bottom inlet, the pneumatic option, and the finishes on offer. Browse the whole range in the Concealed Cisterns collection, and read on to plan your installation with confidence.

What is a concealed cistern?

A concealed cistern is the water tank for a toilet, designed to be hidden from view – built into a stud wall, boxed into a supporting frame, or housed inside a WC furniture unit. Instead of a visible cistern behind the pan, all you see is a discreet flush plate or button on the wall. It is the setup behind the clean, wall-hung and back-to-wall toilets you find in modern and boutique bathrooms.

The benefits are practical as well as good-looking: a concealed cistern frees up visual space, removes the awkward gaps around a traditional cistern that collect dust, and makes the whole toilet area quicker to wipe down. Pair one with a back-to-wall or wall-hung pan, or drop it into a Nuie WC furniture unit, and you get that streamlined, built-in finish.

Dual flush as standard

Every cistern in the Nuie range is dual flush, giving you a full or reduced flush from the same plate so you only use the water you need. It is a simple, effective way to cut water use in a busy household, with no change to how the bathroom is used day to day.

Contemporary flush plates

The contemporary plates have a clean, rectangular profile that suits modern bathrooms, with two flush buttons set into a slim plate. Choose the finish to match your brassware: Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Brass or Brushed Pewter.

Traditional flush plates

For a more classic look, the traditional plates bring softer, period-friendly styling while keeping the same dual-flush convenience. Available in Chrome, Matt Black and Brushed Brass.

Square flush plates

The square plates offer a crisper, more architectural alternative, and come in both contemporary and traditional styling – each with a choice of side or bottom inlet (more on that below) so you can match the cistern to your plumbing.

Contemporary square, side inlet: Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Brushed Pewter. Traditional square, side inlet: Chrome, Matt Black and Brushed Brass.

Contemporary square, bottom inlet: Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Brushed Pewter. Traditional square, bottom inlet: Chrome, Matt Black and Brushed Brass.

Side inlet vs bottom inlet: which do you need?

The inlet is where the cold water supply connects to fill the cistern, and getting it right makes installation far simpler. A bottom inlet takes the water feed from below the cistern – the common arrangement where the supply pipe rises from the floor. A side inlet feeds from the side, which suits layouts where the supply comes in from an adjacent wall. Check where your water supply enters before you buy, and pick the inlet that lines up with it to avoid awkward pipe runs. Where a plate is offered in both, the choice comes down purely to your plumbing.

Pneumatic cisterns

Pneumatic cisterns use an air-actuated flush: pressing the button sends a puff of air down a tube to trigger the flush, so the button does not have to sit directly on the cistern. That makes them ideal where the flush control needs to be mounted remotely – on top of a WC furniture unit or a worktop, for example. Nuie offers a neat round push button in Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Matt White, plus a shroud version for a tidy, built-in finish.

Standard cisterns

If you just need a reliable, budget-friendly concealed cistern without a decorative plate, the standard options keep things simple. The dual-flush cistern with chrome flush button is a straightforward all-rounder, while the white cisterns let you choose the inlet to suit your plumbing – side inlet or bottom inlet.

Finishes to match your brassware

Across the range, the flush plates and buttons come in the same on-trend finishes as Nuie's taps and showers – Chrome, Matt Black, Brushed Brass, Brushed Pewter and Matt White – so you can carry a single finish right through the room. The simplest rule is to match your flush plate to your brassware for a coordinated result.

How to choose your Nuie concealed cistern

• Pick your plate style. Contemporary rectangular, crisp square, or classic traditional – then choose the finish to match your taps.
• Check your inlet. Confirm whether your water supply enters from the side or the bottom, and choose to match.
• Consider pneumatic. If the flush button needs to sit away from the cistern – on furniture or a worktop – a pneumatic model is the answer.
• Water saving comes as standard. Every cistern in the range is dual flush.

Ready to browse? The full range, with every plate style, inlet and finish, lives in the Concealed Cisterns collection.

Installation

A concealed cistern is built into a wall or furniture unit, so it involves a little more behind-the-scenes work than a standard close-coupled toilet. We would always recommend a qualified plumber for installation, to make sure the frame is properly supported, the inlet and waste connect correctly, and everything stays accessible for maintenance through the flush plate. Each cistern is supplied with fitting details to guide the installer.

Complete the look

A concealed cistern is designed to disappear into a coordinated scheme. Pair it with a Nuie WC furniture unit to box everything in neatly – you will find matching WC units in our Nuie Core, Nuie Lunar, Nuie Parade and Nuie Mayford furniture guides. And match your flush-plate finish to the rest of your brassware with our complete guide to Nuie bathroom taps – all from one trusted brand, all in one place at Essential Bathrooms.