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The Best Portable Toilets for Camping

10 min read 1 Comment

Glamping solves much of the discomfort and hassle of camping: you get a beautiful, spacious tent that’s weatherproof, fully heated with a stove, able to fit multiple beds inside, and it’s both portable and also perfectly suited for semi-permanent installation.

And most of all, glamping tents - or Bell tents - are simply beautiful. The experience of being inside one is warm and cuddly, and the tent’s outer appearance has a charming relationship with its natural surroundings.

best portable toilets

Glamping really does make camping more “glamorous,” but there’s one thing that glamping hasn’t made any more magical, and that’s using the toilet.

But don’t fret, we have a list of the most recommended portable toilets out there. So whether you’re going on a remote camping adventure, or you want to outfit your backyard guest house tent rental business, here are some portable toilets that will make the bathroom experience as glamorous as possible.

Camco Portable Travel Toilet

Recent Price:  $113

Probably one of the most popular portable toilets ever made, the Camco Portable Travel Toilet comes in either a 2.6 gallon or a 5.3 gallon bundle. Don’t worry, you can always change the size of the tank later, if you find you need to go smaller or larger.

This portable toilet is small enough to come along on your tent trip, RV adventure, car camping jaunt, or simply keep in your backyard near your bell tent.

The tank is detachable, so you can have a replacement tank ready to go, while the other is on its way to a dump station. In addition, there’s a seal to protect from odors and leaking. The whole thing is plastic and only weighs about 30 pounds when it’s full, but it can handle a weight capacity up to 330 lbs.

The best part about the Camco portable toilet is the satisfying flush.

camping toilet best portable toilets

Each flush uses less than a quarter gallon of water, so you can go a few days before having to empty the tank. To dump the the tank, it’s best to take it to a RV, gas station, or campground dump site that is made specifically for portable toilet tanks. In a jam, you can also dump the tank into your toilet at home, but you may want to use some bleach to cut down on the odors, as it can really stink up the bathroom.

The Moloo Composting Toilet

Recent Price: $465

This pick is not a plastic egg disguised as a toilet.  This has a little more class, but is a bit more bulky and expensive.  Perfect for more semi-permanent use, the Moloo II outdoor toilet requires no water, plumbing venting or chemicals. It provides a triple lay of odor protection when properly used, Urine gets separated into its own odor free canister and the solid waste compartment seal shut.  Clean-up and waste disposal is simple, and it even has a built-in exhaust fan. Composting bags required.

moloo glamping toilet

SereneLife Portable Toilet

Recent Price: $100

The SereneLife camping toilet can be flushed up to 120 times before cleaning due to its 5.3 gallon tank.  While they claim that the unit "minimizes odors," we believe you should invest in tank deodorizer if you don't plan to dispose of the waste frequently.

This compact unit comes with a carry bag to make transportation easy.  It is small, so smaller individuals will love it.  Like most units, tall people may feel a bit snug on this - but that is usually fine for a weekend or so of restroom use.  

portable camping toilet for glamping

Dometic 970 Series Portable Toilet

Recent Price:  $149

The Dometic 970 series portable toilet is similar to the Camco toilet, and it also has both a 2.6 gallon and 5 gallon model. It’s also widely used at camp sites, boats, cabins, and backyards.

Compared to the Camco, the Dometic toilet seat is a little smaller, so keep that in mind. And when you’re deciding between the smaller or larger tank, the larger one will need less emptying, but it can also be quite heavy to carry. Just imagine what it’s like carrying a 5 gallon bucket.

The Dometic does have a nice feature, which is a pressure flusher. The pressure holds for a few flushes, so you don’t have to continually pump it. All in all, this is a fantastic, affordable option if you’re looking for a portable toilet.

There are quite a few very similarly designed portable toilets out there, including this Earthtec toilet that has a non-stick surface for easier cleaning, and this Palm Springs model which is maybe the cheapest version of a basic, no frills portable toilet. If you need to buy one for every tent at an event, the cheaper Palm Springs toilet may be the answer.

best camping toilets

Thetford Porta Potti

Recent Price: $180

At the luxurious end of the portable toilet, Thetford’s Porta Potti 565E has more than a few die hard fans who believe this is the best portable toilet out there.

Sitting higher than most other portable toilets, the Porta Potti is comfortable for any adult to sit on without feeling like you’re at a yoga session. There’s a convenient toilet paper pop-up right where your hand can reach it, which also means you don’t have to build or carry some type of TP holder.

best portable toilets porta potti thetford

The Thetford Porta Potti has a battery-powered electric flush that holds 4 gallons of fresh water, and beneath that there’s over 5 gallons of waste water. In total there’s over 50 flushes per tank.

The battery powered flush is convenient, but it could be an issue if you’re already out at your campsite and you don’t have replacement batteries. Thetford does make a manual pump that you could purchase separately, however. There’s also a hold down kit that can secure the Porta Potti to the floor, for peace of mind when you travel.

Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Complete Toilet System

Recent Bundle Price:  $289

All of the above portable toilets need to be placed in a private, weatherproof area - essentially a temporary bath room - and that can be a little difficult to improvise.

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If you’re building out a backyard tent guest house, then maybe you’ll want to create a more permanent wood structure, like a cabin-esque porta potty. Alternatively, you could go with the Cleanwaste GO Anywhere, which comes with a portable privacy shelter.

The GO Anywhere privacy shelter looks a bit like a tall tent, and it’s setup just like a traditional tent too. It has a 4x4 foot base and is a little over 5 feet tall.

So while it’s convenient for standing, you’ll still probably want to sit down. The front of the shelter has a zipper that can be closed when in use.

The GO Anywhere system also comes with the toilet and replacement bags that can be sealed and dumped at a later time.

Overall, this is a unique all-in-one portable toilet option that is very appealing, especially if you are setting up multiple tents in a location that’s far from a camp porta potty. The GO Anywhere can be setup in minutes, so it’s ready to go even before you start putting up your tents.

If you already have a portable toilet or don’t want an all-in-one system, you can also get a pop-up privacy shelter separately.

The Best Super Basic Portable Toilets

At the opposite end of luxury are the simple camping toilets that don’t have batteries or flushers or anything complicated at all.

For example, the Basicwise Portable Travel Toilet is a no frills toilet that has an integrated toilet paper holder, a removable waste pail, and that’s pretty much it!

You can line the waste pail with disposable waste bags for easy cleanup. The company also markets the toilet as a convenient camping seat, when the lid is closed. So yeah, clearly this toilet has a lot going for it!

Stansport makes this portable camp toilet that sits a little higher than most portable toilets, so you don’t have to constantly be squatting. It also has a weight capacity of 350 lbs, which means it’s capable of supporting a wide variety of adults.

best-portable-toilets basicwise amazon
portable toilet reliance luggable loo


Another super simple toilet is the Reliance Luggable Loo ($30), which is essentially a toilet seat that snaps on top of a 5 gallon bucket. You line the bucket with a garbage bag, plus some cat litter, and voila. That’s it!

The simplicity of the Luggable Loo, along with its dependability, snapping lid, handles, and easy to use liner system has made this a favorite for budget-minded campers.

Reliance also makes the extremely popular Hassock Portable Self-Contained Toilet, which is a more compact version of the bucket system and only about $40. The Hassock has a lid and even a toilet paper dispenser built in, along with a padded seat.

Many Hassock users have found that sprinkling Pine Kitty Pellets in the toilet makes the Hassock completely odor-free. It’s so stink-proof that you can keep it in your tent. After a couple days, the waste and TP breaks down into dust, which you can then dispose of in the trash, or flush, or even bury. Yes, really.

We bring this folding toilet by TRIPTIPS with us on road trips. It folds down into a very compact bag, and is easy to set-up. You’ll want to purchase disposable toilet bags of course, but we’d also suggest bringing along some port-a-potty gel powder to help absorb the organic material in the bag. Note that this folding toilet is a bit short to the ground, but for emergency purposes and portability, it is a solid choice! Don’t forget a privacy bathroom tent.

TRIPTIPS Folding toilet

Reliance makes a third type of simple toilet that is more compact and packable than either one mentioned above. The Reliance Fold-to-Go collapsible toilet ($50) has little legs that fold up when you are ready to set it up for use. Then you can place a bag underneath - without a bucket - for easy cleanup later.

The beauty of the Fold-to-Go is in how incredibly compact it is. You could place this thing anywhere, even in the back of a car. It can also be folded for backpacking, and then bury the waste. To be honest, everyone should probably have one of these as backup for any camping or road trip or even a backyard tent. It’s really cheap, and much better than squatting.

Loveable Loo Compost Toilet

While this isn’t the most portable potty available, it is small and super eco-friendly and amazing for semi-permanent campsites. The Loveable Loo requires no water, electricity, plumbing, venting or chemicals. It's odor-free when properly managed, and no urine separation is required.
Image Source: loveableloo store

Human waste is collected in a bucket. After use, you simply cover the waste with a saw dust, coco coir, or peat moss and you shouldn’t have any odor. Once the bucket is full, you empty it in a composting bin. Done.

The Loveable Loo is the brain child of Joseph Jenkins, who wrote the book on the Humanure Composting Toilet System.

Nature’s Head Composting Toilet

best-portable-toilets-composting

Finally we get to the creme de le creme of portable toilets. If you took this thing camping, you may never want to let it out of your sight. Not only because it’s so aesthetically pleasing, but also because it’s so costly you wouldn’t want to risk someone taking it!

The Nature’s Head composting toilet is made in the USA, and was originally designed for sailors, meaning it meats all “no discharge” regulations and is U.S. Coast Guard approved.

This is a perfect toilet a glamping event, or to setup in your backyard next to your Bell tent rental. The toilet is completely self-contained and is water less, odorless, made with all stainless steel, and designed for harsh conditions.

Built into this composting toilet is an air circulation fan, which recycles the air and makes the toilet odorless. You can connect the vent fan to an RV battery if you don’t have an outlet nearby.

The dry system works by diverting solid wastes into a different section than liquid waste. So you can empty the urine daily and it can go practically anywhere, even on trees and plants. The compost section should be emptied every week or so, after the solids have begun to decompose, and it can be emptied into a bag or buried.

The beauty of the composting toilet is it’s good for the environment, requires no trips to the RV park to empty your bags, and can even be used as a replacement for a traditional toilet inside your home. The negative of Nature’s Head composting toilet is it’s really expensive compared to the simple bucket toilets written above.

But if you’re going to be renting out your Bell tent in your backyard, or setting up events, or even going on extended trips, an investment in a composting toilet could be the right choice for you.

Incinerating Toilet 

Okay, this option isn't as portable, but it a more tidy option than composting toilets.  These toilets are waterless and literally cremate you poo and leave you a little ash.  They require a small propane tank to use and a small amount of electricity, as in a 12V outlet.  Our choice is the Cinderella Incinerating toilet.
cinderella incinerating toilet
This option comes at a cost, of over $4,000, but it is a great off-grid option for longer-term use.  

Porta Potty Rental

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The porta potty is probably the most well known and ubiquitous portable toilet out there. Most people have used one, whether at a festival or town party, a construction site or park, or at one of the thousands of camping spots that have a porta potty available for guests.

So if you’re planning an event with a guest tent site, or even a backyard party, a porta potty rental may be simplest and best route for you. The average cost is about $125-175 per day, or $100-$500 per month for long-term rentals, depending on how many you order, and the quality of the porta potty.

By far, the biggest advantage with porta potties is they require no upkeep or maintenance from you, if you go with a rental rather than an outright purchase. This is a portable camping toilet that is entirely hands-off - the rental company takes care of regular cleaning, stocking supplies, and delivery, placement, and removal. It couldn’t be any easier for you.

The disadvantage with a porta potty like a Honey Bucket is they are not good permanent solutions if you plan to have a backyard tent rental. At least not if you plan to keep paying the rental upkeep charges, versus owning one outright. They also don’t look that nice, if you’re going for a certain cute and cozy aesthetic in your backyard.

So what are the other portable toilets you can purchase and use in both remote camping trips, events and parties, as well as in your semi-permanent backyard tent location?


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Brandy Lamb
Brandy Lamb

Father of two aspiring glampers, husband to one inspirational wife, and Co-Founder of Life inTents. Continuously striving to help make camping more comfortable.


1 Response

Levi Armstrong
Levi Armstrong

June 10, 2021

It’s interesting that glamping solves much of the discomfort and hassle of camping: you get a beautiful, spacious tent that’s weatherproof, fully heated with a stove, and fit multiple beds inside. My brother wants to try camping for the first time but prefers to have portable potties since he is uncomfortable relieving himself in the wild. I’ll share this with him later. Thanks. http://www.ofallonsewerservice.com/portable-toilet-rentals

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