Best Composting Toilet
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Unlike traditional toilets, composting toilets are self-contained units that break down and dehydrate human waste to form compost which is usually added to the soil.
These types of toilets consist of a sitting platform just like normal toilets and additional chambers; one for breaking down and sanitizing waster and a drying chamber that lets moisture escape to reduce the volume of sewage.
Composting toilets are used in a similar way as modern toilets and modern models look as familiar as normal toilets although they use little to no water at all.
The waste gets mixed with starter mulch which helps in the composting process.
The 6 Best Composting Toilets
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We have reviewed 6 of the best composting toilets that have some excellent features and performance to help you narrow down the options much quickly.
#Best Make
#Our Choice
- This is a self-contained model, so you don't plan for a separate reservoir.
- It is made of durable and sturdy stainless steel hardware.
- The seat is fully elongated which offers maximum sitting comfort.
- It disassembles easily in a matter of seconds for quick emptying of the composted waste.
- It comes with a vent hose and fan which aid in the composting process.
- Its rugged construction with the use of durable and sturdy stainless steel materials makes it extremely durable.
- The inbuilt-fan provides low volume air circulation which recycles the air in your bathroom more efficiently making it more breathable.
- This composting toilet doesn’t have foul odors that are usually associated with most other models.
- You can use this toilet anywhere without the need for plumbing or access to electricity.
- The urine separating compartment allows for better management of liquid waste and allows for efficient use of the composting chamber.
This toilet offers one of the best choices when you are looking for a comfortable, portable and self-contained composting for use anywhere whether on land, sea or air.
It is user-friendly and has some excellent features such as the air circulating fan that not only eliminates foul odors but also aids in the composting process.
#Budget Pick
- A portable and lightweight design that allows the use of this toilet even in the remotest places.
- It comes with an Eco-fresh packet that eliminates foul odors making your bathroom smell better.
- The seat is contoured for maximum comfort.
- This compositing toilet also features a toilet paper holder and an inner splash cover that enhances its functionality.
- The inner bucket easily removable for quick waste disposal and is compatible with the standard Double Doodie bag from Reliance.
- Lightweight design for this composting toilet makes it highly portable and an excellent choice for some uses including hunting and boating.
- The Eco-fresh packet delivers fresher breath and eliminates foul odors making your bathroom comfortable to be in.
- The contoured seat also helps in enhancing comfortability when using this composting toilet.
- The easy to remove the bucket, inner splash cover and a toilet paper holder make it all convenient to use this self-contained composting toilet.
This composting toilet is designed to deliver comfort and excellent performance wherever you need without needing to plump or have an electrical installation.
Its lightweight design coupled with some superb performance features makes it an excellent choice for activities such as camping, boating or hunting as it lessens your carry weight.
#leak proof design
- It has a compact portable design for an off-grid living making it suitable for use with boats, RVs, vans, trucks, camping and any other purposes where water and a source of electricity are limited.
- The seat height is comfortable for average persons, and this composting toilet features an increased bowl size.
- Its flash is powered by a rechargeable battery and is more effective and efficient.
- It is easy to use and comes with an ergonomic carrying handle, a toilet paper holder and a convenient tank level indicator that alerts you when you need to empty.
- This composting toilet has a leak-proof design that not only makes it odorless; it also allows for emptying the waste water tank efficiently without any mess or backsplashes.
- There is an optional hold-down kit which secures this toilet to the floor which makes it more stable especially if you are using it on the road.
- This composting toilet has an excellent design that not only makes it portable but also it comes with an ergonomic handle for easy moving around.
- Although this composting toilet has a compact design, its seat height is pretty comfortable, and the increased bowl size allows for handling of larger volumes of waste.
- It has a leak-proof design that eliminates odors and also allows for mess-free, backsplash-free emptying.
One of the attractive features about this self-contained composting toilet is its compact yet elegant design that makes it ideal for use with RVs, trucks, boats among other uses efficiently and without occupying much space.
It is pretty comfortable to use and has some cool features such an ergonomic handle, a leak-proof design it is odorless.
Additionally, the battery-powered flush is quite useful which combined with a hold-down kit for increased stability while on the road makes this composting toilet a worthy consideration.
#Best for camping,hunting
#water-less,no electricity use
- It doesn’t use electricity which makes it ideal for off the grid applications.
- It also uses no water which is very eco-friendly
- The low profile design easily complements any bathroom.
- A venting kit is included which allows for more effective and faster composting process.
- It is designed for medium to high capacity use and can handle 2-3 people fulltime use or 5-7 people part-time use.
- It is pretty cheap to operate as it doesn't require water or electricity to run. This also makes it an ideal choice for off-grid applications such as for use in camping, hunting or a weekend getaway.
- Its low profile design makes it comfortable for use for everybody whether children or adults.
- This composting toilet can handle high capacity use of up to 7 days of a part-time use which makes it accommodative for medium crowds.
With this self-contained composting toilet, you don't need electricity or any plumping to compost human waste safely.
It has a lightweight, portable design with a low profile that makes it comfortable for everybody. Moreover, this composting toilet features a venting kit which not only aids the composting process but also makes sure that this toilet remains odorless.
#durability
- A compact design that allows this toilet to fit into spaces conventional toilets can’t fit.
- It is economical on water as it just uses 1-gallon for every flush which is pretty little compared to conventional toilets.
- The toilet seat is stylish and very comfortable and features chrome hinges for additional décor.
- This composting toilet allows for connection to a sink and can be used to drain waste water from the sink
- It has a sturdy and durable construction using stainless steel and neoprene.
- This composting toilet is quite efficient and effective as a half-bathroom for residential use if there is no sufficient room for a conventional toilet.
- It is eco-friendly, and water efficient as it uses a gallon of water per flush while most conventional toilets will use 3 or more gallons per flush.
- It has a sturdy and durable construction with long-lasting stainless steel and neoprene. This composting toilet also features a stylish seat with chrome hinges and is also pretty comfortable.
- You can use this composting toilet to discharge the waste water from your sink as it allows connection easily.
This composting toilet is ideal for people looking to have an extra bathroom but with limited space for a conventional bathroom. It uses water and electricity but it is highly efficient and eco-friendly.
Moreover, this toilet remains odorless which is very attractive if you are going to use it indoors. Furthermore, you can conveniently use this composting toilet to discharge waste water from your sink as it allows for a secure connection to your sink's plumbing.
#Best AC/DC
- This is a waterless model which is eco-friendly
- You can use it on the grid with AC connection or power with batteries for off-grid use.
- A single speed fan with adaptors for AC or DC use which supports venting for up to 20 ft.
- Urine-diverting feature which reduces the waste volume allowing for up to 3 weeks of use for an average family before emptying the waste compartment.
- A comfortable seat; a children seat is also available as an additional accessory.
- This model is waterless which is not only eco-friendly but will also reduce water consumption in your household drastically making it an economical choice.
- It has a urine diverting feature which allows you to deal with waste water without filling the composting compartment with a lot of moisture.
- This composting toilet is also compatible with both AC and battery use which makes versatile for home or off-grid use.
This is another excellent choice if you are looking for a composting toilet with advanced features and functionality.
The adaptors for both AC and battery use make it a versatile choice for residential and off-grid use.
Additionally, this composting toilet has some cool features such as urine diverting which allows for faster dehydration of waste as well as a single speed fan that provides for excellent venting to make the bathroom odor free and also aid in the composting process.
Best Composting Toilets-Buying Guide
We hope the guide below will be of use if you are considering buying a composting toilet
Where to use composting toilets
Composting toilets are normally used where water supply is erratic or limited and sometimes where one wishes to conserve water use.
They, therefore, form an ideal solution for handling human waste where wastewater treatment is hard or impossible to accomplish and are eco-friendly.
Usage of composting toilets
When choosing a composting toilet model, you need to carefully consider the usage level of the toilet as different models are designed to handle different usages.
You can, therefore, choose a model designed for full-time use or one designed for part-time use as their composting methods are entirely different.
Electric or Non-Electric
Electric composting toilet models usually come with a heater that aids the composting process and possibly an air mixing system, a power ventilation system and a sewage mixing mechanism that hastens the composting process. Non-electric models lack the heater and power mixing systems but may feature venting.
Water use for Composting Toilets
There is a wide variety of composting models with their water use classified as either waterless, foam flush or low water.
Water models will require to be connected to a water source to function efficiently.
Composting methods
There are different types of composting toilets ranging from fully automatic, semi-automatic to manual composting systems.
A fully automatic composting model controls the heater, the ventilating fan, and the mix and typically mixes every time the seat is lowered.
The semi-automatic models use a thermostatically controlled heater and fan. However, sewage-compost-mulch mixing is manual.
Maintenance Needs
Smaller composting models especially those that do not use aerators and heaters require more care and maintenance because they risk accumulation of liquids, insects and the nitrification of waste. Units that use an aerator fan and heater have low risk, however.
Toilet bowl closure methods
All compositing toilets feature a specialized of closing the bottom bowl from the waste-line for sanitation and odor control purposes.
Some will feature an automatic trap closing mechanism which is attractive to people who are unfamiliar to the controls of the toilet.
Other models use a manual valve that closes the bottom of the bowl. This the most common type of bowl closure designed by most manufacturers of composting toilets.
Waste processing methods
The composting of water usually involves processing of warms, processing of micro-organisms such as bacteria and mold and the dehydration of the waste by allowing moisture to escape.
There are two significant waste methods processing; batch and continuous.
Batch composting toilets
The interior of these toilets features multiple compartments. Once a compartment is filled with waste, it gets sealed and taken out of use so that the sewage breakdown can continue.
After the composting process is over, the compartment is emptied and mixed with soil in a prescribed legal manner before the compartment is returned to use again.
Continuous composting toilets
These models receive waste continuously into a single compartment. The composting process usually reduces the waste volume as it dehydrates the waste and allows moisture to escape.
The waste is then removed from the bottom of the compartment typically every 6-12 months and is considered to be fully composted before it is applied to soil in a legally prescribed way.
Installation space for composting toilets
There is a different requirement for installing a composting toilet depending on the model and manufacturer specification. Some models require to be installed over a composting reservoir while others use a huge reservoir which may be below under the toilet and there are other self-contained units although they are much smaller.
The installation requirements, therefore, have a huge impact on the choice of model for a composting toilet as the available space will dictate the type of composting tank your composting toilet can be installed with.
What is important to remember when planning the space for the composting reservoir that is separate from the composting toilet itself is the access to the reservoir. It needs to be easy, comfortable and safe as regular access is necessary for emptying, cleaning and doing regular maintenance chores.
Operating requirements for composting toilets
- You can use ordinary tissue with your composting toilet. However, this should not be excessive to avoid clogging of the toilet.
- The ambient temperatures for rooms where you use the composting toilet toilets need to be above 64 degrees Fahrenheit for most models when the toilets are in use. This allows for the composting process to proceed effectively and lower temperatures may inhibit or stop the composting process.
- You will need to remove the composted waste periodically for disposal. This waste can be placed around shrubs, flowers or trees but you must comply with the local codes in regard to compost waste disposal.
- Liquid waste disposal can be tricky especially with models that have limited storage. This is also an important consideration you need to make if you think your compost toilet will be handling huge amounts of liquid waste such as urine.
- Clean the exposed parts of your compost toilet on a regular basis. Normal cleaning is advocated but you should avoid using bleach as it may kill the composting organisms and stop the composting process altogether. Also, most composting toilets will be made of fiberglass or plastic, and thus you should avoid using abrasive cleaners.
