Last Updated on July 22, 2020

The Best Portable Toilet for Van and RV Use: Quick List

Access to a toilet while traveling in a RV or van is an absolute necessity. Many Van Life and RVers choose to travel with a portable toilet so that they have a personal toilet that they can ensure is clean and well maintained. While many RV sites, parks and campgrounds offer full toilet facilities or outhouses, the convenience of having an portable toilet inside is important to your overall Vanlife and RVing experience. A portable toilet for your van or RV that is comfortable, portable, and durable is of utmost importance. Whatever your reason, we have identified the Sun-Mar GTG Composting Toilet as our top pick for an overall portable van and RV toilet for the value and convenience. The design, comfort and simplicity of cleaning makes it the best portable toilet for van and RV use.

Top Pick: Sun-Mar GTG Composting Toilet

$699.00

Last update on 2023-09-25 / Source: Amazon Associates

In addition to our best portable toilet for vans and RVs pick, we have identified some other portable RV toilets for specific preferences. At the end of this article, you’ll also find a list of accessories we recommend to make your RV trip even more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a portable RV toilet that still will solidly mount to your RV but without all the maintenance and hassle of a typical black water RV toilet, we very highly recommend the Nature’s Head Self Contained Composting Toilet. Scroll down to read more of our portable RV composting toilet review.

The Best Portable Toilet for Van and RV Use

Sun-Mar GTG Composting Toilet

The Sun-Mar GTG Composting toilet is an electric waterless toilet. It is designed to be portable and go-anywhere so it doesn’t come with huge storage tanks that need to be installed. Rather it uses two chambers that separate solid and liquid waste. As a category leader in composting and separating toilets, Sun-Mar has designed a nice size portable composting toilet that can be installed anywhere a conventional toilet is not possible.

We really recommend this toilet for people looking for a composting toilet that is easy to use and maintain. In order to empty, the urine collection container does have to be removed. However, for the solids, you use a compostable bag which simply lifts out. There’s no mess and you do not need to take apart the entire toilet to empty.

Important Features:

Full Size with elongated seat for comfort. The size is not much different than a standard toilet.
Tilted Design. This portable composting toilet uses a tilted design to separate solids from liquids which is important for eliminating bad smells.
Can be mounted. There are optional mounting brackets that can be used to make a permanent toilet.
Sets up in minutes. As well as cleaned in minutes
Totally Portable. This toilet really can be used anywhere you can fit it.
12V Fan. If you can use it, it works really well to keep the toilet dry and odor free.

Recommended Accessories:

Compostable Bags. The solids container holds about 6 gallons. We recommend lining the container with an extra thick compostable bag between 6-8 gallons. The UNNI Heavy Duty Compostable Trash Bags in 6-8 gallon size are our 1st recommendation. If buying in bulk, the Ecosafe-6400 comes in a 600 count pack.
Compost Material. Use it often! Keep your solids dry at all times to prevent odors. Sun-Mar sells their own branded Compost Magic material. We also highly recommend Nature’s Footprint Coconut Coir.

Read All Customer Reviews on Amazon

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Runner Up: Best Portable Toilet for Van and RV Use

Thetford Porta Potti 565E

There are more expensive Van and RV toilets that mount to your van and use the black water tank, but for an actual portable toilet that can be taken anywhere in an RV or even a van, this is the top pick. The Porta Potti 565E is a freshwater flush toilet that uses a battery-powered electric flush rather than a manual pump. The flushing portable Van and RV toilets are the most similar to the toilet you would use at home and are therefore the best transitional toilet to take traveling. They are great if you are looking to introduce your entire family to camping and the outdoors. Along with the flush action, the seat height on the flush toilets are most similar to a home toilet.

Key Features: Holds 4.2 Gallons of Fresh Water for flushing – Averages 56 Flushes. Holds 5.5 Gallons of Total Waste Water. 17-5/8 Inch Seat Height.

Additional features we like best for this portable toilet are the electric flush, the carry handles for easy carrying, the top and bottom split design, the bottom half design with a rotating no-splash spout, and the sealed slide valve which prevents odors. Additional features of this portable toilet include: Sleek, modern and homelike design, Comfortable seat height, elongated seat for comfort, Increased bowl size, Hidden controls, Improved water tank carrying handle, Optional hold down kit, Integrated toilet paper holder, Holding tank level indicator for fresh water and waste tanks, 1-year warranty.

We recommend using Thetford’s Aqua-Kem products which help breakdown not only toilet tissue but also any solids and keep the tank clean, free of odor, and easy to empty. Read All Customer Reviews on Amazon

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The Best Portable Toilet for Vans and RVs with Manual Flush

Camco Premium Portable Camping Toilet

Some RVers and van travelers prefer a manual flush as opposed to a battery powered flushing mechanism. This is certainly a personal preference, but if you are concerned about running out of battery power, or the electric motor ever breaking on the battery-powered models, the Camco Premium Portable Camping Toilet is your best option. As we mentioned above, the flushing van and RV toilets are the most similar to the toilet you would use at home and are therefore the best transitional toilet to take on your van life trips and RVing. They are great if you are looking to introduce your entire family to camping and the outdoors. Along with the flush action, the seat height on the flush camping toilets are most similar to a home toilet.

Key Features: Holds 5.5 Gallons of Total Waste Water. 16.4 Inch Seat Height.

Additional features we like best for this portable toilet are larger seat size than most competitors, with an increased bowl size. The fresh water holding tank utilizes a pump flush action to effectively rinse the bowl of the toilet. The 5.3 gallon detachable holding tank seals firmly to prevent escaping leaks and odors. The interior of the holding tank has a slick surface to make waste removal easier and more efficient. Remove the flush tank one handed by toggling a single locking latch. The latch is spring-loaded for automatic re-attachment. The Camco Camping Toilet features a lid that can be latched closed for easier transport or completely removed for cleaning. It is made of durable ABS resin and will seal in unpleasant odors for an overall better camping toilet experience

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The Best Portable Van and RV Toilet for Children

Camco 2.6 Gallon Portable Toilet

At just 12.5 Inches high, the Camco 2.6 Gallon Portable Toilet is a perfect choice for van life and RVing families who have children with them. Like the Camco Premium Camping Toilet, the 2.6 gallon model features a pump action flush method. Camco makes an extremely durable, portable, and comfortable toilet option for van and RVing and if you travel or camp with kids, this should be the toilet you bring along for them to use.

Key Features: Holds 2.6 Gallons of Total Waste Water. 12.5 Inch Seat Height. Additional features we like best for this portable toilet are Sturdy polyethylene construction is compact and lightweight. The holding tank is detachable and includes a sealing slide valve to lock in odors and protect against leakage. It includes two side latches to secure the tank to the toilet and a carrying handle for easy transport. The toilet employs an easy-to-use bellowtype flush and pull slide valve for easy flushing. Includes a packet of Camco’s TST biodegradable toilet chemical.

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The Best Portable Composting Toilet for Vans and RVs

Nature’s Head Self Contained Composting Toilet

Composting toilets are rather large to be considered a portable toilet, however, they can be used in certain situations and Van Life and RVing is one of the best situations to use one. What makes the Nature’s Head toilet an option as a portable toilet for van or RV use is both the waterless operation and the unique two part storage of liquid and solid waste. When they are separated, they tend not to smell as bad. It is the mixing of the two that usually causing terrible toilet smells. If you are considering a composting camping toilet, the best option is the Nature’s Head Self Contained Composting Toilet.

If you’re looking to move away from a typical black water waste water tank, the portable composting toilet has been proven to work extremely well in a RV or even a van. The toilet can be mounted to the floor, the vent fan can be connected to batteries in the RV, and then the toilet can be vented to outside rather easily. If you are a RV owner looking for an alternative to the typical toilet available in those situations, the Nature’s Head composting toilet could be a great toilet option. Nature’s Head also offers a Close Quarters Spider Handle design to make turning the handle easier in tight spaces.

This composting toilet is self-contained, urine diverting and the waterless operation allows for ease of use for many applications. Also called a dry toilet, the Nature’s Head is lightweight, odorless and compact making it a perfect fit for RV trips. This eco friendly toilet with its stainless steel hardware, robust construction and user friendliness has been designed to withstand the harshest of conditions. It is also manufactured in the United States.

Because this toilet is higher than usual, you may want a step stool. Our favorite option is the Camco 43676 Adjustable Height Aluminum Platform Step. This stool is not only foldable, but has adjustable legs that allows you to adjust to the height needed. We also recommend using Nature’s Footprint Coconut Coir as the key ingredient to the composting toilet to keep it composting without bad odors. If you follow the instructions, you shouldn’t have any issues operating this toilet while camping. Read All Customer Reviews on Amazon

We offer more information about Portable Composting Toilets.

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The Best Folding RV or Van Camping Toilet with Tent

Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Complete Portable Toilet System

The Cleanwaste Portable Toilet System combines a rugged, stable, folding RV camping toilet with a RV camping toilet tent. The folding camping toilet uses waste bags and when combined with the additives recommended, turns 32 oz of waste to solid in seconds; includes odor neutralizing agent and decay catalyst. If you plan to camp for short trips away from your RV and go explore nature, this portable toilet should be a consideration. It can also provide an extra toilet if you travel with a bigger group of people.

Each kits includes:

1 GO anywhere portable toilet®.
1 GO anywhere privacy shelter™.
15 GO anywhere toilet kits™ (20 WAG BAGs® for military use).
1 large transport bag for used kits.
1 backpack that stores everything above.

We like the system for the comfort it provides, the overall value (you can use the camping toilet tent for changing and showering as well), and the fact that you get all the components for a total camping toilet solution that actually works in 1 easy to purchase kit. Read All Customer Reviews on Amazon

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Additional Portable Toilet Accessories for Van and RV Travel

The Best Van and RV Toilet Paper

Thetford is a leader in portable toilets and they manufacture a rapid-dissolving portable toilet paper that can be used for camping, van life and RV situations.

If you’ve come to this website looking strictly for a travel-type of camping toilet paper, we have a recommendation for you as well. Coleman’s Camper’s Toilet Paper is a great solution if you’re looking for a solution specifically for camping or backpacking.

The Best Camping Toilet Chemical

If you are using a portable flush camping toilet, we recommend using Thetford’s Aqua-Kem products which help breakdown not only toilet tissue but also any solids and keep the tank clean, free of odor, and easy to empty.