Camping Toilet Comparison

For all those who like to travel independently but don't want to do without a toilet (e.g. in their campervan), I have put together the most popular camping toilets for campervans and the like.

I also introduce you to the sustainable alternative of the composting toilet. Because it also works without chemicals and without water.

A camping toilet is becoming increasingly popular as people want to travel independently of sanitary facilities. Many want a small, compact toilet that they can also take with them in the car or van.

The Porta Potti from Thetford is one of the first mobile toilets ever, the camping toilet par excellence. In the meantime, however, there are also alternatives on the market without chemicals. Here you can find a comparison of the most popular camping toilets.

Thetford Porta Potti Qube 165 camping toilet

Enders Camping Toilet Mobile WC Chemical Toilet

Development of the toilet in the motorhome

Porta Potti - Der Campingtoiletten Pinonier

Frank Sargent, an American, invented the camping toilet in 1960. Called the Porta Potti, it was the first portable chemical toilet on the market.

Three years later, Frank Sargent opened the company Thetford, which still dominates the market today.¹ Of course, there are now other companies that produce chemical toilets, such as Doemtic or Enders.

Thetford fulfilled a great longing of people. Namely, independent, free travel. For this, a functioning toilet is needed. Despite some disadvantages, the chemical toilet prevailed and many still use them today in their campers, vans and for camping.

Composting toilet - The somewhat different camping toilet

A composting toilet separates the solid from the liquid and thus corresponds to the natural excretion process, which also usually takes place separately. Since the excretions are not mixed as in a chemical toilet, the composting toilet does not need any chemicals or water!

By separating the urine, it can be disposed of in gullies or toilets, for example, but can also be used diluted in the garden as fertiliser.

The solids (covered with litter) dry out as much as possible and therefore do not stink. The faeces can thus also be collected for a while, depending on the composting toilet variant.

The solids collected in compostable bags are disposed of in household waste or on the compost heap. Some people have also buried it.

You can find out more about how composting toilets work here (click).

Separating camping toilet

Years ago, very few people knew about composting toilets, although they have been used in Sweden since 1930, but especially in remote houses that have no access to the sewage system.

Even 50 years later, dry composting toilets were used in the USA, in national parks. But mobile use was still a long way off.

In 2001, the first American composting toilet came on the market and was used on boats and in mobile homes. The topic became more and more popular and many people tried to build their own.

In the meantime, the composting toilet has become an indispensable alternative to the chemical toilet. But small composting toilets for vans have not been around for long.

The special feature lies in the independence from special disposal facilities, because these become superfluous with composting toilets.

Advantages and disadvantages of the individual camping toilets

1. Porta Potti Campingtoilette

The Porta Potti consists of two components: the upper part, which is equipped with a fresh water tank and the toilet seat, and the lower part, the waste tank.

The Porta Potti camping toilet is a classic chemical toilet. It is therefore important to use the chemical additives. One for the fresh water tank and one for the waste-holding tank.

The Porta Potti should be emptied every 3-4 days, regardless of use. Due to the chemical additives, however, the contents must not simply be flushed into the sewage system.

2. Enders camping toilet

The Enders camping toilet is also a chemical toilet. The 3.7 kg camping toilet is small and fits well in a car or van. The compact design makes it easy to stow away.

However, the very low design also has its disadvantages. As with the upper Thetford toilet, chemical additives are needed for the fresh water and the waste-holding tank.

Likewise, disposal and cleaning must take place at a supply and disposal station due to the chemical additives. This means that such a station should be visited every 2-4 days.

3. Trelino®

The Trelino® is probably the smallest composting toilet on the market. The composting toilet, like all others, needs no water, no chemical additives or supply and disposal stations.

The waste can simply be disposed of in any waste bin or the urine can be disposed of in toilets or drains. Compostable bags are placed in the solid waste container so that the waste can be easily disposed of.

4. Rescue camping toilet

The Rescue camping toilet is a folding composting toilet. The solids go into the bag and the urine is discharged via a hose, for example into a urine canister.

After the toilet is not needed, it can simply be folded up and stored in a bag. Ideal for camping without a car or van. Seat height is 43 cm.

Advantages:

• compact and lightweight design with 4.5 kg
• stowable for transport
• independence from disposal stations
• easy disposal of the waste
• quickly ready for use
• very affordable composting toilet at 89,- €

Disadvantages:

• no visually sophisticated toilet design
• must first be unpacked and set up
• additional costs for compostable bags and possibly an additional urine canister