The 7 Best Campervan Toilets – Ultimate 2023 Buying Guide

Welcome to our ultimate guide to the best campervan toilets on the market! Whether you want are looking for a low-maintenance toilet solution for your van or want a more environmentally-friendly option, this expert blog post will help you find a campervan toilet that fits your wants and needs.

Needing to use the bathroom in the middle of the night can be a nightmare – especially if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, far away from campgrounds or gas stations.

Duty calls when we least expect it, which is why a toilet is an absolute necessity for most RV or campervan owners.

Depending on your budget and van size, there are different options for outfitting your campervan with an on-board bathroom.

Some of the best campervan toilets provided everything you could ever want in a toilet, like electric flushing and freshwater cleaning.

Other models are less advanced but ideal for those long road trips or camping emergencies.

With so many models and styles available, it can be overwhelming to choose the best portable toilet for your van.

But by the end of this article, you’ll be armed with the knowledge needed to purchase a portable toilet for your campervan or RV.

PRODUCT

WHAT WE LIKE

THINGS TO CONSIDER

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NATURE’S HEAD COMPOSTING TOILET

EDITOR'S CHOICE

  • Environmentally friendly

  • Little to no smell

  • Can dump in normal bathrooms

  • Fixed/Installed Toilet

  • Needs a 12v hook-up

  • Larger than a portable toilet

  • One of the most expensive

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DOMETIC 975 (970 SERIES)

  • Lightweight and compact

  • Easy water monitoring

  • Push button flush

  • Portable Toilet

  • Pricier option

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THETFORD PORTA POTTI 365

AFFORDABLE OPTION

  • Large tank

  • Comfortable seating

  • Pour out spout

  • Portable Toilet

  • Not ideal for children or elderly travelers

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LUGGABLE LOO

  • Simplest option

  • Affordable campervan toilet

  • Portable Toilet

  • Must be emptied every time

  • No advanced features

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JABSCO 37010 ELECTRIC TOILET

  • Looks and feels like a household toilet

  • Efficient macerator

  • Fixed/Installed Toilet

  • High price point

  • Noticeably loud flush

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CAMCO 41541 PORTABLE TRAVEL TOILET

  • Affordable price

  • Light and durable

  • Portable Toilet

  • No spout or hose for waste disposal

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THETFORD 32812 CASSETTE TOILET

  • Can be disposed of at any bathroom

  • Fixed/Installed Toilet

  • Cost is at the higher end

  • Requires water plumbing

The Best Campervan Toilets

When comparing different campervan toilet options, it’s important to take several factors into account, including price, ease of installation, portability, and amount of space.

With those factors in mind, we compiled the following list to share with you some of the best campervan toilets on the market today.

Nature’s Head Composting Toilet

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Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is one of the best camper van toilets we’ve tried with our Sprinter van. So much so that we actually put together a dedicated Nature’s Head composting toilet review!

It’s an environmentally-friendly portable campervan toilet that doesn’t use any chemicals or water to operate. Your solid waste is separated into a chamber with composting materials, while the liquid waste is stored in a smaller jug.

Although it can be messy when disposing of its contents, you thankfully don’t need to do it very often. With two travelers, you’ll only need to empty the urine compartment every few days and the solid compartment every two months or so.

It’s also important to note that this van toilet comes with a 12v ventilation fan. However, it doesn’t require a lot of power and helps to clear out any stinky or composty smells.

PROSCONS
* Environmentally friendly (no water or chemicals)
* Little to no smell
* Can dump in normal public bathrooms
* Needs a 12v hook-up
* Larger than a portable toilet
* One of the most expensive composting toilets for RV and camper users

Check out our honest review video of this toilet here:

Dometic 975 (970 Series)

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Dometic is a reputable company known for making high quality and long-lasting van life appliances. And their 970 Series portable campervan toilet is no exception.

Despite it’s small and compact size (the entire unit weighs under 15 pounds), the built-in tank can hold enough water for 27 flushes. There’s even a prismatic tank level indicator so you can see exactly how much water is left inside.

Disposing of the waste is also relatively easy. The extra-long discharge pipe will make sure you won’t have any leaks, spills, or messes when it comes to emptying the toilet. Best of all, the full-size seat allows you to do your business in your van in complete comfort.

PROSCONS
* Lightweight and compact
* Easy water monitoring
* Push button flush
* Price option

Thetford Porta Potti 365

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If you’re embarking on a long road trip, then it’s worth investing in a large campervan toilet that you don’t have to empty every few days. The Thetford Porta Potti 365 can hold 21 liters of waste (roughly 57 flushes) before it needs to be emptied.

Although we consider it one of the best portable campervan toilets, keep in mind you’ll need to take the entire unit outside your campervan to empty it.

Because of its relatively large size, it’s more comfortable compared to other smaller options on the market. It essentially mimics the toilet that you have at home.

While this is a great option for most van lifers, it can be difficult for children or elderly travelers to use comfortably.

PROSCONS
* Large tank
* Comfortable seating
* Pour out spout
* Must be carried outside
* Not ideal for children or elderly travelers

Luggable Loo

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If you would rather not dig a hole to do your business, then the Luggable Loo bucket toilet can save you in an emergency. It’s nothing fancy, just a simple 5-gallon bucket with a snap-on lid and seat cover.

If you just have to pee, then urine can easily be rinsed and cleaned out of the bucket once you’re done. But for heavier matter, you’re better off lining the bucket with their Double Doodie Bags.

After you’re finished using the Luggable Loo, simply seal the bag (with your toilet paper) and toss it in the trash.

While it’s not the most advanced portable toilet on this list, the Luggable Loo is a must-have for any budget van life traveler.

PROSCONS
* Affordable campervan toilet* Must be emptied every time
* No advanced features

Jabsco 37010 Electric Toilet

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The Jabsco 37010 Electric Toilet is guaranteed to make all your van life friends green with envy! Out of all the possible toilet options, this van toilet looks and acts the most like the toilet you have at home.

It’s made from heavy-duty vitreous china, which makes it more attractive than the typical plastic-type toilet.

But with one press of a button, the flushing macerator pumps the waste into the plumbing system. Think of it like a garbage disposal for your van. It also has a built-in security feature that protects against flooding or, even worse – waste backflow.

And while it’s not a portable toilet for camper vans or RVs, it’s still one of the best toilet options for your campervan or RV bathroom.

PROSCONS
* Looks and feels like a household toilet
* Efficient macerator
* High price point for a van toilet
* Noticeably loud flush

Camco 41541 Portable Travel Toilet

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For a van life toilet, the Camco 41541 is one of the cheapest options available. The 5.3-gallon waste container can be easily sealed off from the 2.5-gallon water container, which prevents leakage and helps with the disposal.

And unlike other van toilets, the Camco 41541 uses a bellows-type flush, which can have its pros and cons depending on what you’re used to.

It’s lightweight (just over 11 pounds) but durable enough to support up to 330 pounds of seat weight. The only downside is that it doesn’t come with a hose or spout for waste disposal.

Things can get pretty messy when you’re emptying the waste container, which is one of the toilet’s biggest downfalls.

But if the price of your campervan toilet is a concern, then you can’t score a better deal for this portable van toilet.

PROSCONS
* Affordable price
* Light and durable
* No spout or hose for waste disposal

Thetford 32812 Cassette Toilet

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Ideal for spacious RVs or vans with private bathrooms, the Thetford 32812 has everything you want in a cassette toilet. It can be mounted directly onto a wall and connected to your van’s freshwater source, which offers a more permanent solution than a normal camping toilet.

However, the waste tank is fully detachable, which makes it easy to use and empty. And it’s supported by wheels, so you won’t have to lug a heavy compartment filled with waste through your campervan (which could accidentally be spilled at any moment!)

PROSCONS
* Can be disposed of at any bathroom* Cost is at the higher end
* Requires water plumbing
* Requires mounting

Choosing the Best Campervan Toilet

When considering which toilet to install in your van you’re going to want to look at a few criteria. The first is what type of toilet you prefer.

These are broken down into bucket, portable, composting, cassette and traditional plumbed RV toilets.

Types of Campervan Toilets

Bucket Toilets

The simplest and most affordable option for a portable campervan toilet is a bucket toilet. It’s nothing fancy – normally a bag-lined bucket and a seat for you to sit on. But in an emergency, you’ll be thankful you’ll at least have something that can be used during your trip.

Because bucket models don’t use chemicals or water, they need to be constantly emptied and cleaned. There are plenty of affordable models that are specifically designed for van life campers.

Although a simple 5-gallon bucket with a cover will also get the job done in a pinch! It’s not a permanent solution for your campervan, but it’s better than nothing.

Portable Toilets

If space is limited in your campervan, then a portable toilet may be your best bet. This type can also be referred to as a chemical toilet because it requires a chemical solution to break down the waste materials in the holding tank. Think of it as a porta potty for your van!

Once you do your business, you can flush the portable toilet using a hand pump or tank hook-up, which redirects the waste into a separate tank.

There’s no plumbing or electricity involved, and the waste can easily be emptied at a dump station. Just make sure not to throw your toilet paper into the waste tank – the paper can reduce the effectiveness of the chemicals.

Unlike cassette toilets, these guys can be moved or packed away in a cupboard. But since they use chemicals to break down the waste, they aren’t a very eco-friendly solution.

Nature's Head Composting Toilet
Our Nature’s Head Composting Toilet – we love it.

Composting Toilets

A compost RV toilet is an eco-friendly alternative to your typical chemical and cassette toilet. After you go to the bathroom, the composting toilet separates the liquid waste and solid waste into two separate chambers.

The urine chamber can just be emptied anytime you’re near a dump.

However, the chamber for your solids contains a composting material like peat moss or coco coir which break down organic materials over a period of time.

If maintained properly, there will be very little smell when using a composting toilet, except for the earthy scent of soil coming from the composting material.

The biggest benefit of this type of toilet is that no water or chemicals are required, which is great for the environment. It also doesn’t need to be emptied as often as a cassette toilet (although cleaning can be a dirty hands-on process).

On the downside, composting toilets for RVs can be very expensive. But if you’re living the van life for several weeks or months, it can be a cost-effective solution in the long run.

Cassette Toilets

A cassette toilet is one of the most popular options for people in the van life community. The toilet is permanently installed in your RV or campervan, although the waste is contained in a portable and removable tank.

Unlike other models that have to be emptied at a dump, the waste tank can simply be emptied at a campground or public bathroom.

Some models require an RV water tank hook-up for flushing, while others rely on chemicals to prevent odors and break down the material.

If the toilet in your campervan does require chemical material, remember not to flush toilet paper with your waste. The paper can reduce the effectiveness of the breakdown and take up valuable space in the van’s holding tank.

Price-wise, they’re cheaper than composting toilets but much more expensive than portable campervan toilets.

Traditional Plumbed/Van Toilets

You can also upgrade your van life experience with a plumbed RV toilet. These are the typical hooked-up toilets you would find in a motorhome or luxury RV.

RV toilets have large self-contained black water tanks that store the waste and chemical solutions can be added to break down the materials. Because of the chemical, they can only be emptied at approved dump stations.

Plumbed toilets usually come with one of the following methods for flushing: gravity, macerating, or vacuum. Gravity models are cheaper, although the macerating or vacuum options are usually the best in terms of use and efficiency.

The larger black tanks can hold a lot of waste, which is ideal if you’re traveling off-grid away from any dump stations. However, large tanks can add extra weight to your van build.

Best campervan Toilets

What To Consider When Purchasing A Campervan Toilet

Once you’ve determined the kind of toilet you want for your campervan you’ll want to consider other factors, such as the space needed, the level of installation required, portability/ease of emptying and, of course, your budget.

Space Needed for a Campervan Toilet

One of the biggest concerns when buying toilets for campers is the required space. If you are considering purchasing a composting or plumbed toilet for your campervan, you’ll need to have a designated bathroom or area.

This is usually not a problem for a large van or RV, although it can be tricky for a small camper van or vehicle where space is limited.

If your van build is small, then you should consider purchasing a porta potty or portable toilet. This gives you the option to use it inside or outside your camper van.

And when you’re done with your business, you can seal it back up and tuck it away in a box or cabinet out of sight.

Cost of Campervan Toilets

The price of your toilet will also vary depending on which type you purchase. Portable toilets for campers cost around $100, which is far cheaper than an electric or composting toilet.

More technologically advanced models will be around the $300 to $500 range. And composting toilets are usually the most expensive option, costing upwards of $1000.

If you still need a toilet but don’t want to spend a lot of money, you can also buy a bucket toilet for under $50.

You’ll also need to account for extra costs like composting materials, electric power, and even the chemicals for a chemical toilet. While the cost of these additional products is minimal, they can still add up if you’re using your toilet full time.

Ease of Install

Some toilet models, like a bucket or portable toilets, can be used right from the get-go. These styles don’t require water or plumbing, which means they are incredibly easy to set up and use.

More advanced RV or camper toilets need to be hooked up to a 12v electric source and/or holding tank. It’s not the most difficult task, although it does require some sort of installation before you hit the road.

If you’re unsure about the installation process, you can always consult your local toilet pros.

Portability of Campervan Toilets

If you have a small size van, then you’ll probably want to purchase a portable campervan toilet that can be used inside or outside.

Don’t worry, you can also buy a toilet tent that allows you to do your business in peace and privacy. After you use the toilet, you can empty the contents and stow it back in a box or cupboard in your van.

If you’re lucky enough to have a separate bathroom area, then it’s possible to install a more permanent solution like a plumbed or composting toilet.

This is the best option for motorhome or RV owners who are on the road for extended periods of time.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase a product we recommend using the links in this article, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We promise to use this pocket money to buy lots of coffee and fuel for the campervan to keep us enjoying #VanLife for just a little longer. We appreciate your support, and only recommend products we know and trust. Thank you friends!

About the Author - Alesha and Jarryd - Van Life Theory

Hi! We're Alesha and Jarryd, the founders of Van Life Theory! We're currently travelling around Australia in our 2008 Mercedes Sprinter campervan and sharing our best experiences, stories, reviews and adventures as we go along. Make sure you follow along on our Instagram and YouTube!

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