To choose the best composting toilet for your family’s needs, we have shortlisted loos that are efficiently designed, durable for off-grid use, odor minimizing, and easy to install. Ahead, the best composting toilets that are a breeze to use. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, self-contained composting toilet, then Nature Head’s lightweight toilet ticks the right boxes. Our pick of compostable toilets fits perfectly in tiny homes, RVs, campers, boats, and cabins, along with any other space that doesn’t have access to a sewer or a septic tank. “This is a great option due to its stainless-steel hardware, built-in fan, and hose,” says Harrison. A waterless toilet, it diverts liquid waste into a separate vessel, which users recommend emptying daily or every other day. Rotate the spider handle slowly to crank the solid waste into the tank. The toilet can be used regularly by two adults, only needing to be emptied out after 4-6 weeks. You can safely dispose of toilet paper in it, too, though the company recommends using single-ply paper as it breaks down more easily. For ventilation and speeding up the composting process, there is an electric fan that uses 12V power. It can also be connected to a solar vent, or you can buy a transformer from the company to connect it to a 110V household power outlet. At most, the toilet will have a mildly earthy whiff, which means it is composting properly. Price at time of publish: $1,030 What we like about this toilet is the sturdy construction and full-sized seat and lid. Made from heavy-duty plastic, it can support up to 350 lbs without tipping over, though a few reviewers found it a bit too compact for adult use. Some customers recommend adding some carbon-rich material at the bottom of the bin liner (and each time the toilet is used) to nix odor, but keep in mind it will add more weight and volume. Price at time of publish: $65 This sturdy toilet has a capacity of three adults (or a family of five) for residential use and can be comfortably used in homes, barns, and cottages. Available in a white or beige color, it also comes with a detachable footrest for your comfort, behind which is the finishing drawer. Price at time of publish: $1,899 It’s a fully assembled unit that needs to be connected to an ultra-low gravity-flush toilet that uses one-pint water for flushing or less. You also have the option of installing a 12V fan, recommended if you anticipate heavy use. It can be used smoothly by five adults or a family of seven in a residential unit, and eight adults and a family of 10 on the weekend, without clogging it up. And if one toilet isn’t sufficient, you can install more than one on this heavy-duty system. Price at time of publish: $2,189 This toilet also features an integrated 12V fan to speed up evaporation and expel odors. The toilet can be pretty much placed anywhere, as long as you have easy access to the chambers tucked at the bottom—and it comes with mounting brackets, too. Price at time of publish: $699 If you’re using it seasonally, you just need to empty the humus tray, where the compost is deposited, once a year only. And if you’re traveling for more than two days, the company recommends that you turn off the BioLet 65A. What’s more, this Swedish-made biological toilet has been awarded The Nordic Swan Ecolabel, implying that it’s met strict environmental regulations. Price at time of publish: $2,970
The split system: Similar to traditional toilets, this type has two sections: a pedestal, and the central tank or drum that it’s connected to. This type of toilet is often best reserved for high-traffic use cases, as they have a larger capacity and require less maintenance. The waste is flushed into a tank, hopper or bio-drum where the composting takes place. These are generally more expensive than self-contained toilets.Self-contained system: Ideal for small homes or areas that don’t have much space, this is a relatively affordable option. This compostable toilet has a pedestal, a removable tank, and a liquid drain, and the composting process takes place in the toilet. A few self-contained systems can also have a water tank or a water line to flush waste, as well as a ventilation fan to keep the oxygen flowing. Some compact self-contained composting toilets are portable and can be fitted in an RV, a boat or a cabin.
Size Considerations
Composting toilets can be larger than a conventional toilet, and there are several different systems used in composting toilet—for instance, a unit can be fitted with a ventilation fan, or have a larger tank to contain waste. Take these factors into consideration, especially if you have limited space for installation.
Tank Capacity
Before you invest in a composting toilet, consider how many people will be using it, and how regularly. “On average, a composting toilet will hold approximately 60 to 80 uses,” says Harrison. Invariably, a larger tank means lesser cleaning and more time for waste to be broken down.
Electricity and Water Requirements
A few composting toilet models need an electricity connection or a water supply to function. For instance, some composting toilets require a 110V electric connection or even a solar-powered system to operate a ventilation fan in the toilet, thus increasing the oxygen flow to feed the aerobic bacteria. Some composting toilets also have a water storage tank or a connection with a water line to expel waste.
Odor Management
It’s a valid concern whether or not a composting toilet will cause a big stink. But the chances of odors are negligible in a properly functioning composting toilet because of the way it is constructed and the way it is designed to work. Ventilation is key to nix odors and gases that are created by the process of composting. Some composting toilets are fitted with a fan to help circulate oxygen into the tank and push out the stale air. This jumpstarts the composting process, as aerobic bacteria need oxygen to convert the waste into organic matter. Another handy tip is to add carbon-rich material regularly. “The best way to manage odor with your composting toilet is to be diligent about putting the carbon-rich material over the waste after every use,” says Harrison. “These materials eliminate odors and allow the composting process to move faster, making it a win-win situation.”
Why Trust The Spruce?
Neeti Mehra is a researcher and consultant and is committed to living mindfully. She has edited three magazines during her career, covering a broad range of topics. She writes on sustainability for The Spruce. Some compost toilets separate the solid and liquid matter to speed up the composting process. “You do have to empty the toilet,” says Harrison, “[but] the frequency depends on the toilet’s capacity and usage.” For this article, Neeti researched a wide variety of composting toilets and delved into customer feedback. To gain insight on the best composting toilets, she spoke to Allison Harrison, co-owner of Goodbee Plumbing, serving the greater New Orleans area and Kelsey McWilliams the CEO of Point of Shift, a company scaling technologies and designing systems for circular sanitation solutions.
