Toilet system Guide

Having spent hundreds of hours in overland vehicles with all the different toilet offerings, we feel pretty well qualified to advise on the system that suits you the most.

To be honest, at the moment, the perfect solution does not exist. Here are the pros and cons of each system.

We have rated the critical aspects out of each system out of five.

Separating (composting)

This is by far the most popular choice for customers and self-builders at the moment. It's probably the hardest to use. It is beneficial (not essential) to do your two actions one after the other. It's harder to keep clean (but a spray bottle is handy). However, emptying it is easy. The liquids can easily be poured down a toilet or discretely onto the ground to soak away, and the solids (that are not compost for several months) can be double bagged. Easy stored if needed and sent for landfill. Of course, these toilets are waterless, so it extends your freshwater supply onboard.

For two people, you could expect to empty the liquids every three days and the solid once a month.

Cost - ***

Use - **

Emptying - ****

Cassette

This is the more traditional option. They are relatively pleasant to use with a good flushing system. They are generally a fair price. However, they will contribute to your water consumption due to the flush. The biggest issue lies with the emptying. You have to find somewhere to dispose of 15-19l of untreated waste. In developed nations, this is not too much of an issue, but this can come to be a tiresome chore in less developed countries.

Cost - *****

Use - ***

Emptying - *

Black tank

A black tank system comprises a domestic porcelain style toilet and a large black holding tank. These are very common in the big RV market, where the vehicle will rely on local services. Not so common in overland vehicles due to the water consumption and the issue with having to dispose of hundreds of litres of untreated waste

Cost - ***

Use - *****

Emptying - *

Incinerator

By far the nicest systems to empty as all you have to do is empty the ash pan. These are again waterless toilets, and a pan liner is used to keep things clean. The two significant issues are the gas consumption for the incineration process. The manufacturer states 160g per cycle (flush). So that's 100 flushes per standard 16kg bottle. Also, these are very technology-dependent with a lot of electrical components. They can be prone to faults.

Cost - *

Use - ***

Emptying - *****