Tiny House Composting Toilet Options With Their Advantages & Disadvantages
Living in a tiny house or staying off the grid is nothing less than an adventure. Not only does it help you save on your hard-earned money, tiny houses are much easier to manage, give you lesser options to clutter, and do not put an excess burden on nature. Also, if you love hitting the road, you can carry your tiny homes along with you.
However, tiny homes have their own limitations, and one such limitation is managing your poo business. The super-tight dimensions of tiny homes make it difficult to install a standard flushing toilet and the lack of proper sewage or access to septic tanks requires you to look for alternatives. Plus, if you are planning to live in a tiny house to reduce your carbon footprint, installing a flushing toilet dissolves the whole purpose. The most feasible option for such households is to get a tiny house composting toilet.
- Top Choices for Composting Toilets in a Tiny Setup
- How Do Composting Toilets Work?
- Pros and Cons of a Composting Toilet
- Conclusion
Composting toilets for tiny homes are a great alternative to the traditional toilets that waste a lot of water. For starters, a tiny house composting toilet is easier to install, it does not require any plumbing, and it can help you put your organic waste to good use. Plus, the best composting toilets for tiny houses are well-equipped to control odors, which is a major concern for small home dwellers.
Today, there are several options for a self-composting toilet for tiny house but not all are worth the money. To help you get the best composting toilet for your compact set up, we have shortlisted some of the top models that qualify the criteria of ease of installation, maintenance, odor control, portability, etc. We have also explained how a composting toilet works and what are the advantages and disadvantages of getting a composting toilet for your tiny abode.
We would insist that you go through the features, pros, and cons of each tiny house composting toilet on the list and select the one that meets your needs and expectations, fits in your budget, and supports you in maintaining the minimalistic lifestyle of a compact home.
List of Best Composting Toilets for Tiny Homes
| Product | Rating | Price | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
Thetford 92360 Porta Potti 550E |
4.5 |
$261.79 | Buy Now |
Separett Villa 9215 AC/DC |
4.4 |
$989 | Buy Now |
Nature’s Head Dry Composting Toilet |
4.5 |
$960 | Buy Now |
Sun-Mar GTG Composting Toilet |
3.9/5 |
$629 | Buy Now |
Sun-Mar Excel Non-Electric Self-Contained Toilet |
3.2/5 |
$1,695.00 – $2,719.90 | Buy Now |
Sun-Mar Compact Self-Contained Toilet |
3.2/5 |
$2042.70 | Buy Now |
1. Thetford 92360 Porta Potti 550E Curve Portable Toilet
If you have been looking for a tiny house composting toilet that has a modern design with comfortable seating, you must consider the Porta Potti by Thetford. This portable toilet is a must-have composting toilet due to its elongated bowl that gives a homelike experience while doing your poo business on an RV, camping, or while living off-grid.
However, it occupies lesser space than the common elongated bowl designs. This tiny house composting toilet comes with a battery-operated flush. Its flush tank can hold up to 4 gallons of water and the waste tank can handle a load of up to 5.5 gallons. This is one of the best composting toilets for tiny houses that are fully integrated with a flush, toiler-paper holder, water-level gauge, comfortable seat, and comes with a lid. The waste tank is odor and leak-proof as it is secured with a seal valve. It features a rotating pour-out spout that makes waste disposal a mess-free experience and its seal valve prevents splashbacks.
Another useful feature is that it comes with an “add water” button that allows you to pre-wet the bowl to prevent any bowl streaks. The Thetford Porta Potti also comes with a deodorizer to keep the odors in check. If you want to secure the toilet on the floor, you can also purchase the hold-down kit.
|
$261.79 |
4.5 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 18.39 x 15.75 x 17.83 inches
- Color – White
- Material – Plastic
- 6 AA batteries power the flush
- Floor mounted
- 5 gallons waste tank capacity
- Flush tank has 4 gallons capacity
Pros
|
Cons
|
2. Separett Villa 9215 AC/DC
Next up is a tiny house composting toilet that can help you stay on and off the grid as it can be powered by both AC and DC. The Separett Villa 9215 AC/DC is the most advanced waterless and urine-diverting toilets out there that you must consider. This toilet features a single speed fan that can vent out gases up to 20 feet and comes with adaptors for both AC and DC supply. What distinguishes this tiny house composting toilet from the rest is that instead of a separate urine collector present in most of the top composting toilets, this toilet consists of a urine hose that sends the liquid waste to the greywater system, so it will require some plumbing after all. The solid waste is collected in a removable compost bucket that also comes with its own lid to contain any foul smell. This toilet is made of top-quality plastic that can simply be wiped clean and the compost bucket can be disinfected once every week to keep the odors in check. While this toilet sports Scandinavian features, it has been adapted as per US requirements. The company also provides full local customer support which again gives it an upper hand over other composting toilets for tiny homes.
|
$989 |
4.3 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 18.5 x 23 x 27.75 inches
- Color – White
- Material – Plastic
- Fan Voltage – 12 Volts
- Fan Wattage – 2.5 Watts
- Floor mounted
- Capacity – Average family use up to 3 weeks
- Intertec ETL certification
- 5-Year guarantee against manufacturing defects and 3-Years guarantee on the fan
Pros
|
Cons
|
3. Nature’s Head Dry Composting Toilet
The Nature’s Head is perhaps one of the best self composting toilet for tiny houses that has revolutionized the designs of composting toilets. This model is a top choice for many amongst the best composting toilets for tiny houses since it has a space-saving and self-sufficient design that does not require to be connected to any holding tank or needs frequent cleaning. It has a separate tank for collecting urine that not only increases its capacity but also makes it easier to dispose of liquid waste. The solid waste composting unit can handle up to 60-80 uses and can also decompose toilet paper. If used full time by 2 or 3 people, it only needs to be emptied once every 3-4 weeks though the urine bottle needs frequent cleaning (approx. every 2-5 days).
Made of durable granite-colored plastic this tiny house composting toilet is also easy to clean. It is also simple to install and offers odor-free operation through its electrically-powered exhaust fan. This self composting toilet for tiny house comes with an option of selecting a spider handle or the standard crank handle depending on the space available in your bathroom. The spider handle, however, is more apt for tiny houses.
|
$989 |
4.5 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 22 x 20.5 x 21.7 inches
- Color – Granite
- Material – Plastic
- Voltage – 12 Volts
- Wattage – 3 Watts
- Installation – Floor mounted
- 2 gallons of liquid waste capacity
- Can handle adult weight of up to 300 lb.
- Agitator Handle – Crank/Spider handle
- 5-Years warranty
Pros
|
Cons
|
4. Sun-Mar GTG Composting Toilet
If you are looking for a tiny house composting toilet that does not compromise on looks then you must check out Sun-Mar’s GTG. This model is one of the sleekest looking portable toilets amongst the top composting toilets in the market. Its D-shaped seat is quite comfortable to use and its conical design can add a modern touch to your tiny abode. Like the other best composting toilets for tiny houses, this model too has separate tanks to collect solid and liquid waste. However, the lack of any self-composting mechanism requires the waste bin to be lined with composting liners which frequently needs to be emptied into a septic tank or incinerator. A key feature that makes this toilet stand out is the 18-inches height that makes it much more comfortable to use than the other composting toilets for tiny homes. This toilet also integrates an electric exhaust and a vent to keep the odd smells in check. However, if you are planning to go for this model for an off-grid setup, you will have to figure out the power supply. Besides that, this portable toilet offers hassle-free installation and you can also fix the toilet permanently using the optional mounting brackets.
|
$629 |
4.5 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 24 x 15.75 x 19.8 inches
- Color – White
- Material – Plastic
- Features a 12 Volts fan
- Fan Wattage – 0.6 Watts
- Floor mounted
- Maximum weight capacity – 300 lb.
- ADA compliant seat height
- Comes with 1-Year warranty
Pros
|
Cons
|
5. Sun-Mar Excel Non-Electric Self-Contained Toilet
The reason we have included this Sun-Mar’s model in the best composting toilets for tiny houses is that it features the company’s iconic Bio-drum technology which can break down solid waste safely and quickly than any other self composting toilet for tiny house. Also, one of the prime concerns of tiny home users is the odor that the composting toilets are prone to producing; they do not want their small space to smell like a septic tank. However, this concern is taken care of by Sun-Mar’s Excel NE variant.
Despite not having a fan and a heater, its 4-inches vent is good enough to keep the decomposition odorless, making this toilet one of the best composting toilets for tiny houses that stay off-grid. However, you do get an option of installing a 12V fan in case the vent needs to be installed with some bends. This self composting toilet has a moderate to high capacity and is, therefore, suitable for both residential and remote locations. It has also earned the NSF Standard 41 certification for its composting ability again making it one of the most efficient composting toilets for tiny homes. This toilet also features a detachable footrest for added comfort. If you are looking for an eco-friendly and non-polluting tiny house composting toilet then Excel NE is hands down an excellent choice.
|
$1,695.00 – $2,719.90 |
3.2 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 32x 22.5x 33 inches
- Color – White
- Material – Fiberglass
- Sun Mar’s Patented Bio-Drum technology for composting
- Floor mounted
- Can handle regular use by 2-3 people and seasonal use by 5-7 people
- Front-operated agitator handle
- NSF Standard 41 certification
- 3-Year warranty on parts and a 5-Year warranty on tank
Pros
|
Cons
|
6. Sun-Mar Compact Self-Contained Toilet
The last self composting toilet for tiny house that we wanted to feature is the Sun-Mar’s Compact Electric waterless toilet. As the name goes this model is one of the best composting toilets for tiny homes that can fit into tiny dimensions. The reason we have included this make in our list is that it incorporates the Sun-Mar’s patented three-chamber system that features the Bio-drum, a finishing drawer, and an evaporation chamber that together make for an effective composting unit. This system is capable of decomposing the solid waste quickly and unlike other portable toilets; it does not leak any foul smells. This toilet is fit for regular use by 1-2 adults and for seasonal use by 3-4 adults. The liquid waste is collected separately and its unique design ensures that the decomposed manure is safe to retrieve through the finishing tray. Another feature that makes it the best self composting toilet for tiny house is the front operated agitator handle that helps save on side space and is also easy to operate. The toilet is also simple to install and can be powered through a standard 110 Volts outlet.
|
$2042.70 |
3.2 |
Buy Now |
Features
- Dimensions – 28.5 x 21.5 x 33 inches
- Color – Bone/White
- Material – Plastic
- Voltage – 110 V
- Fan Wattage – 35 Watts
- Heater Wattage – 200 Watts
- Average Wattage – 125 Watts
- Floor mounted
- Can handle 1-2 adults for regular use and 3-4 adults for seasonal use
- Features the patented Bio-drum
- ANSI/NSF certification
Pros
|
Cons
|
How Do Composting Toilets Work?
Though tiny house composting toilets have gained traction in the past few years, they are one of the oldest waste management systems around the world. A composting toilet is a dry toilet that helps break down human waste through a natural process known as composting. This process takes the help of the natural aerobic bacteria to decompose human waste into a manure-like byproduct, commonly known as humanure.
Typically, a composting toilet includes:
- Holding tank/composting unit – the section that receives the solid waste to be decomposed in it or to be transferred to another toilet or septic tank.
- A vent – to remove odors and moisture from the waste tank.
- A fan – to supply fresh oxygen to the composting chamber to allow the bacteria to work.
- Bulking material – Sawdust or peat is generally added to the composting unit to speed up the decomposition and also to control the smell.
- Urine diverter – the best composting toilets for tiny houses have separate holes to collect liquid waste.
Pros and Cons of a Tiny House Composting Toilet
Advantages
- The biggest advantage of a tiny house composting toilet is that it can help you cut down your water usage by a whopping 60 percent. So, you can possibly save around 6600 gallons of water per person per year. Imagine the impact it can have on the environment. This will invariably reflect through your lower water bills. So you save both money and water.
- The second advantage is that the compost you produce can help make the soil in your garden more fertile by increasing the production of micro-organisms. Natural manure also helps to reduce pests and plant diseases and lessens the use of chemical fertilizers.
- You also reduce the deposit of organic waste in landfills which further minimizes the risks of leaching and the production of methane gas.
- Composting toilets for tiny homes are also easier to install compared to the traditional toilets since they do not require connection to the sewage system.
- Unlike flushing mechanism whose parts wear out over time, composting toilets need fewer replacements and can help you reduce maintenance cost.
- The non-electric variants for composting toilets are also more economical. You need not pay a professional to come and install it into your house, neither do you need to call anyone to come and empty your septic tank, since it doesn’t use one. Even the electric models use very little electricity to power the fans so they do not put a burden on your electricity bills.
- Contrary to belief, composting toilets for tiny homes do not produce any more odor than traditional toilets. Even the self-composting units are odor and leak-proof.
Disadvantages
- Composting toilets require significant manual upkeep which many users averse. So if you are not very comfortable handling solid waste, you may face some difficulty.
- A self composting toilet for tiny houses may not particularly be very aesthetically pleasing. So if you want a fancy commode in your home, you have limited options here.
- Some toilets need to be connected to greywater systems that limit their portability.
- The majority of tiny house composting toilets have limited capacity. So they may require frequent cleaning depending on usage.
- Some composting toilets require a power supply which can make them unfavorable for off-grid use.
- The waste smell can sometimes leach into the plastic body with constant use.
- If not installed properly, the toilet can fail to decompose waste completely and can pose health hazards.
Conclusion
With that, we conclude our list of the top composting toilets for tiny homes. In a tiny house composting toilet installation is a win-win. Not only will it help you save water and money, but their compact designs are also ideal for limited spaces. However, selecting from the best composting toilets for tiny houses can be a challenge. The factors that you must keep in mind are frequency of use, tank capacity, price, ease of maintenance, odor management, etc. Based on your preference and budget, you can also choose between portable toilets and self-composting toilets. The more money you are willing to put in, the more features and efficient toilet you can have in your space-saving homes.