Best camper van toilet: cassette, separating and composting units compared by size, price and what you have to cut
· 14 min read
On size, price, weight and how much of the van you have to cut, a cassette toilet wins: the Dometic 976 and the two Porta Pottis top this table. On what you will do with it every third morning, a separating toilet — Trelino, Boxio, Kildwick, Separett — is why most full-time van builds no longer carry chemicals. And if the interval between emptying is the only number you care about, the composting units and the bag-sealing Clesana are a different price class for a different life. Twelve toilets across five mechanisms, ranked on floor footprint, price, empty weight, solids capacity, whether they need 12 V and whether they need a hole in the van — from published specs, with seat height, intervals and draw shown as the makers state them.
I have not lived with these side by side; the method box says what the score is and is not. The layout part is where I can help: every toilet here is a box you can place in VanPlot — in the drawer, the bench or the wet room — with the clearances from the toilet-and-shower space post around it.
Best cassette on the spec sheet
Dometic 976
333 mm wide, 18.9 L of waste, ≈ €165, no power, no hole — the most toilet per centimetre.
Overall 9.2 / 10 · 4.8 kg · ≈ €165
Best seat height under €150
Thetford Porta Potti 565E
A 443 mm seat and 21 L for ≈ €145; the cassette you can sit on like a chair.
Overall 8.7 / 10 · 5.8 kg · ≈ €145
Best budget
Thetford Porta Potti 345
≈ €70 and 3.8 kg in a 383 × 427 mm box that lives in a drawer.
Overall 8.0 / 10 · 3.8 kg · ≈ €70
Best budget separating
Boxio Toilet
A separating toilet in a 40 × 30 Eurobox for ≈ €160 and 2.8 kg.
Overall 7.8 / 10 · 2.8 kg · ≈ €160
Best compact separating
Trelino Evo M
Separating in a Porta Potti footprint: 330 × 390 mm, 4.3 kg, no chemicals, no hole.
Overall 7.4 / 10 · 4.3 kg · ≈ €419
Best built-in
Thetford C223-CS (built-in cassette)
The motorhome cassette: out through a side hatch, flushed from the main tank.
Overall 4.1 / 10 · 7.2 kg · ≈ €531
Best if you never want to empty a tank
Clesana C1
Every use welded into a bag: no tank, no water, no vent, ≈ €0.35 per use.
Overall 3.5 / 10 · 13.1 kg · ≈ €1,249
Best separating for full-time
Separett Tiny (urine container)
14.5 L solids, 7.1 L urine, a 1.6 W fan and a household seat — a fixture, with a pipe.
Overall 3.3 / 10 · 8.5 kg · ≈ €900
Best composting in a small footprint
OGO Origin (electric agitator)
25–30 uses per bin in 406 × 381 mm, with a motorised agitator and a urine-full light.
Overall 2.4 / 10 · 15.4 kg · ≈ €1,350
Longest interval between emptying
Nature's Head (foot or spider crank)
60–80 uses per bin and a 0.07 A fan — the biggest box here and the fewest trips.
Overall 0.3 / 10 · 12.7 kg · ≈ €1,350
The comparison
| # | Product | Overall | Floor footprint W × D (cm²) | Price (€) | Weight empty (kg) | Solids / waste tank (L) | Needs 12 V (0 no / 1 yes) | Hole in the van: vent or hatch (0 no / 1 yes) | Tanks, seat, power, intervals (as reported) | W × H × D | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dometic 976 Best cassette on the spec sheet portable cassette (chemical), pressure flush | 9.2 | 1,289 9.3 | €165 9.3 | 4.8 kg 8.4 | 18.9 L 8.6 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 18.9 L waste, 8.7 L flush (27 flushes), seat 387 mm; push-button pressure flush, no batteries; 4.8 kg at EU retail vs 13.1–14 lb (5.9–6.4 kg) on US pages (Dometic) | 333 × 387 × 387 mm | 4.8 kg | ≈ €165 |
| 2 | Thetford Porta Potti 565E Best seat height under €150 portable cassette (chemical), electric flush | 8.7 | 1,746 5.6 | €145 9.4 | 5.8 kg 7.6 | 21.0 L 10.0 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 21 L waste, 15 L flush (~56 flushes), seat 443 mm; flush on 6 × AA (500–700 flushes); 5.8 kg at EU retail vs 6.1 kg on Thetford's US page (Thetford) | 388 × 448 × 450 mm | 5.8 kg | ≈ €145 |
| 3 | Thetford Porta Potti 345 Best budget portable cassette (chemical) | 8.0 | 1,635 6.5 | €70 10.0 | 3.8 kg 9.2 | 12.0 L 4.1 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 12 L waste, 15 L flush, seat 324 mm; manual piston pump; sanitary fluid (Thetford); siblings: 335 (10 L, 313 mm tall) and 365 (21 L, 414 mm tall, from €81.50) | 383 × 330 × 427 mm | 3.8 kg | ≈ €70 |
| 4 | Boxio Toilet Best budget separating separating (dry), Eurobox 40 × 30 | 7.8 | 1,200 10.0 | €160 9.3 | 2.8 kg 10.0 | 5.7 L 0.0 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 5.7 L solids (Boxio; one retailer says 5 L), 5 L urine, ~8–10 uses; XL version 330 mm tall with 7 L / 8 L (Boxio) | 300 × 280 × 400 mm | 2.8 kg | ≈ €160 |
| 5 | Trelino Evo M Best compact separating separating (dry), no electronics | 7.4 | 1,287 9.3 | €419 7.3 | 4.3 kg 8.8 | 8.0 L 1.5 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 8 L solids, 5 L urine, seat ≈ 360 mm, 150 kg load; optional 12 V fan; 4.3 kg (Trelino) vs 4.5 kg (meinetrenntoilette.de); litter €24.90 / 20 L (Trelino) | 330 × 360 × 390 mm | 4.3 kg | ≈ €419 |
| 6 | Kildwick MiniLoo separating (dry), birch plywood | 7.3 | 1,294 9.2 | n/p — | 7.7 kg 6.1 | 9.5 L 2.5 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 9.5 L solids (~12 uses), 9.5 L urine (~23 uses), seat 425 mm; 7.7 kg (Kildwick) vs 8.75 kg (trockentrenntoilette.net); 5 V / 12 V fan variants (Kildwick) | 337 × 445 × 384 mm | 7.7 kg | n/p |
| 7 | Trelino Origin M separating (dry), PE body, birch lid | 6.8 | 1,287 9.3 | €549 6.3 | 5.8 kg 7.6 | 6.5 L 0.5 | no 10.0 | no 10.0 | 6.5 L solids (~8 uses), 5 L urine (~9–11 uses), seat 322 mm (Trelino) | 330 × 335 × 390 mm | 5.8 kg | ≈ €549 |
| 8 | Thetford C223-CS (built-in cassette) Best built-in built-in cassette, vehicle-tank flush | 4.1 | 2,285 1.3 | €531 6.4 | 7.2 kg 6.5 | 17.5 L 7.7 | yes 0.0 | yes 0.0 | 17.5 L cassette (Thetford 2026 overview; DE retailers say 18 L), flushes from the van's fresh tank, 12 V flush, seat ≈ 480–492 mm; needs an external service door for the cassette; Thetford's US page lists a 750 mm-deep footprint (Thetford) | 394 × 534 × 580 mm | 7.2 kg | ≈ €531 |
| 9 | Clesana C1 Best if you never want to empty a tank bag-sealing (waterless), 12 V | 3.5 | 1,873 4.6 | €1,249 0.8 | 13.1 kg 1.8 | n/p — | yes 0.0 | no 10.0 | No tank: one barrier liner ≈ 40 uses (€12.50 each), absorber €3.50 / 20; 12 V, up to 22 A peak while welding (~50 s, 0.55 Wh), 0.28 W standby; seat 478 mm; 13.1–13.8 kg by configuration (Clesana datasheet) | 363 × 515 × 516 mm | 13.1 kg | ≈ €1,249 |
| 10 | Separett Tiny (urine container) Best separating for full-time separating, 12 V fan, vent pipe | 3.3 | 1,978 3.8 | €900 3.5 | 8.5 kg 5.5 | 14.5 L 5.8 | yes 0.0 | yes 0.0 | 14.5 L solids, 7.1 L urine, seat 440–450 mm; 12 V fan 1.6 W (0.04 kWh/day), 230 V adapter included; Ø 50 mm vent pipe to outside; 8.5 kg (Separett manual) vs 12 kg at two retailers (Separett) | 398 × 470 × 497 mm | 8.5 kg | ≈ €900 |
| 11 | OGO Origin (electric agitator) Best composting in a small footprint composting / separating, 12 V agitator | 2.4 | 1,547 7.2 | €1,350 0.0 | 15.4 kg 0.0 | 13.0 L 4.8 | yes 0.0 | yes 0.0 | 13 L solids (25–30 uses), 9 L urine with full-bottle LED; 12 V, agitator 5 A (7.5 A peak), ≈ 1.1 Ah/day fan + motor; 40 mm fan and Ø 38 mm hose to outside; 34 lb (15.4 kg) per OGO vs 12.7 kg at one EU retailer (OGO) | 406 × 467 × 381 mm | 15.4 kg | ≈ €1,350 |
| 12 | Nature's Head (foot or spider crank) Longest interval between emptying composting / separating, manual crank | 0.3 | 2,454 0.0 | €1,350 0.0 | 12.7 kg 2.1 | n/p — | yes 0.0 | yes 0.0 | 60–80 uses per solids bin (litres not published), 8.3 L urine; 12 V fan 0.07 A; Ø 38 mm vent hose required; 28 lb (12.7 kg) per Nature's Head, 14.5 kg for the foot-crank EU version; US width 20 in (508 mm) vs 483 mm at EU retail | 508 × 533 × 483 mm | 12.7 kg | ≈ €1,350 |
How these are rated — and what I did not do
I have not run these units side by side. This is a spec-sheet comparison: every number in the table is a manufacturer or retailer figure, linked per product and checked September 2026. Where makers publish energy figures under different conditions they are shown as reported and kept out of the score, because a number measured at 32 °C cannot be ranked against one measured at 25 °C. What can be ranked fairly is arithmetic on published dimensions, weight, capacity and price — the things that decide whether a unit fits your layout, what it costs you in payload, and what it costs per litre. That is what the score is.
Each metric is scaled 0–10 across this set (best = 10, worst = 0), then weighted:
- Floor footprint W × D (cm²) — 20 % (lower is better)
- Price (€) — 25 % (lower is better)
- Weight empty (kg) — 10 % (lower is better)
- Solids / waste tank (L) — 20 % (higher is better)
- Needs 12 V (0 no / 1 yes) — 10 % (lower is better)
- Hole in the van: vent or hatch (0 no / 1 yes) — 15 % (lower is better)
- Footprint is W × D of the unit standing on the floor; height and seat height are shown, not scored, because a taller seat is a comfort gain and a space cost at once.
- Solids / waste tank compares a cassette's mixed tank with a separating unit's solids bin — a tank of the same litres lasts longer when urine is diverted. Nature's Head and Clesana publish uses rather than litres and are excluded from that metric.
- Needs 12 V and needs a hole (vent hose or service hatch) are scored as install burden: they are the difference between a toilet you buy and one you build in.
- Prices: geizhals.de, fritz-berger.de, freizeit-wittke.eu, trelino.com, boxio.de, tomtur.de, separett.eu, clesana.com and guenstiger.de as named per product. The Kildwick MiniLoo's assembled price was not captured and is excluded from its score.
- Manufacturer pages could not be opened from this build environment this run; figures come from the makers' published listings, manuals and datasheets as indexed, cross-checked between retailers, with every disagreement shown in the product's reported line.
No affiliate links: product links go to the manufacturer or the spec page the numbers came from. If a spec here is wrong, tell me and I will fix it and note the change.
How to choose: pick the routine, then the box
The table ranks boxes; the decision is a routine. A cassette means sanitary fluid and a chemical dump point every 2–5 days — plentiful on European campsites and service areas, absent in a forest. A separating toilet means a bag of solids and litter to a normal bin and a bottle of urine to any toilet or, discreetly, the ground; no chemicals, no dump point, a daily bottle. A composting unit stretches the solids interval to weeks with coco coir and a fan, at the cost of size, 12 V and a vent hole. The Clesana removes the emptying question entirely and charges per use. Decide which of those you will actually do at 7 a.m. in November; the box follows.
Then the footprint. The compact class — Porta Potti 345, Dometic 976, Trelino Evo, Boxio — is 300–388 mm wide and under 430 mm deep, which is a drawer under the bed or a cubby in the bench, pulled out to use. The household-height class — 565E, Separett, Clesana, C223 — is 450–580 mm deep and wants a wet room or a cabinet of its own. The toilet and shower space post has the clearances: 450 mm each side of centre to sit, 600 mm in front of the seat, and what a wet room costs the rest of a 6 m van. The bathroom-worth-it post argues the other side.
Seat height is the number nobody prints in the headline. 280 mm (Boxio) and 324 mm (Porta Potti 345) are stools; 387–425 mm (Dometic 976, Kildwick) are usable; 440–492 mm (565E, Separett, Clesana, C223) are chairs. A low unit on a 100 mm plinth is the usual fix and adds 100 mm to the drawer.
Weight and power are small here and worth checking anyway. Everything but the composting and welding units is under 9 kg empty; a full 21 L cassette is 21 kg carried. Draw is 0.07 A (Nature’s Head fan) to 1.1 Ah a day (OGO) — noise in the battery sum — except the Clesana’s 22 A weld peak, which needs its own fused circuit.
The toilets, in order
1. Dometic 976Best cassette on the spec sheet
Overall 9.2/10 · 333 × 387 × 387 mm (49.9 L outside) · 4.8 kg · ≈ €165 (€164.90 freizeit-wittke.eu, Sep 2026; RRP €199 fritz-berger.de) · reported: 18.9 L waste, 8.7 L flush (27 flushes), seat 387 mm; push-button pressure flush, no batteries; 4.8 kg at EU retail vs 13.1–14 lb (5.9–6.4 kg) on US pages (Dometic)
Top of the table because it is small, cheap and holds a lot: 333 mm wide, 18.9 L of waste in a box 387 mm tall, ≈ €165, no power, no hole. The 8.7 L flush tank (27 flushes) is the compromise. It is a chemical cassette, with the dump-point life that implies — the how-to-choose section is about whether you want that at all.
Reasons to buy
- 333 mm wide — the narrowest cassette here
- 18.9 L waste in a box only 387 mm tall
- No batteries, no pump to wear out
Reasons to avoid
- 8.7 L flush tank: 27 flushes, half the Thetford's
- EU and US weights disagree by more than a kilo
- Dometic's 972 sibling (9.8 L) is the one usually on sale — check the number
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: dometic.com, fritz-berger.de, shop.freizeit-wittke.eu.
2. Thetford Porta Potti 565EBest seat height under €150
Overall 8.7/10 · 388 × 448 × 450 mm (78.2 L outside) · 5.8 kg · ≈ €145 (from €144.49 geizhals.de / idealo.at (listing dated 2025); up to €169.99) · reported: 21 L waste, 15 L flush (~56 flushes), seat 443 mm; flush on 6 × AA (500–700 flushes); 5.8 kg at EU retail vs 6.1 kg on Thetford's US page (Thetford)
The cassette for people who want a real seat: 443 mm high, 21 L of waste, an electric flush on AA cells, ≈ €145. The price of the height is that it no longer disappears under a bench, and a full 21 L cassette is 21 kg on the walk to the dump point.
Reasons to buy
- 443 mm seat: full household height
- 21 L waste doubles the 345's interval
- Electric flush on AA cells, no 12 V wiring
Reasons to avoid
- 450 mm deep and 448 mm tall — it no longer hides under a bench
- 5.8 kg empty, 21 kg of waste when full to carry
- Twice the 345's price for the same chemistry
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: thetford.com, thetford.com, geizhals.de.
3. Thetford Porta Potti 345Best budget
Overall 8.0/10 · 383 × 330 × 427 mm (54.0 L outside) · 3.8 kg · ≈ €70 (from €69.90 geizhals.de, 2026; €72.99 fritz-berger.de) · reported: 12 L waste, 15 L flush, seat 324 mm; manual piston pump; sanitary fluid (Thetford); siblings: 335 (10 L, 313 mm tall) and 365 (21 L, 414 mm tall, from €81.50)
≈ €70, 3.8 kg, 383 × 427 mm: the toilet that fits in a drawer under the bed and the one most first builds start with. The 12 L tank and 324 mm seat are the limits; the 365 sibling adds 9 L and 84 mm of height for about €12 more.
Reasons to buy
- ≈ €70 and 3.8 kg: the cheapest and lightest toilet here
- 383 × 427 mm slides under a bench or into a drawer
- No wiring, no hole, no bags — a cassette and a dump point
Reasons to avoid
- 12 L waste tank: two people empty it every 2–3 days
- 324 mm seat height is a stool, not a chair
- Chemical waste needs a chemical dump point, not a bush
In the planner: pick Toilet and choose the preset “Thetford Porta Potti 345” — it drops in at these dimensions and this weight, so the fit and the axle load are checked before you order. Specs: thetford.com, geizhals.de, fritz-berger.de.
4. Boxio ToiletBest budget separating
Overall 7.8/10 · 300 × 280 × 400 mm (33.6 L outside) · 2.8 kg · ≈ €160 (€159.90 boxio.de / fritz-berger.de, Sep 2026) · reported: 5.7 L solids (Boxio; one retailer says 5 L), 5 L urine, ~8–10 uses; XL version 330 mm tall with 7 L / 8 L (Boxio)
A separating toilet in a Eurobox for ≈ €160 and 2.8 kg — the cheapest way to find out whether you like the separating routine before spending €400–900 on one. 280 mm tall is a crouch and 5 L of urine is a daily empty for two; the XL fixes the first and helps the second.
Reasons to buy
- Eurobox footprint: it stacks with every other 40 × 30 crate in the van
- 2.8 kg, 280 mm tall, ≈ €160
- The cheapest way to try separating before committing
Reasons to avoid
- 280 mm tall is a crouch — the XL adds 50 mm
- 5.7 L solids and 5 L urine: emptied every second day for two
- A box with a seat, not a bathroom
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: boxio.de, fritz-berger.de.
5. Trelino Evo MBest compact separating
Overall 7.4/10 · 330 × 360 × 390 mm (46.3 L outside) · 4.3 kg · ≈ €419 (€419 RRP trelino.com, Sep 2026; Globetrotter €429.95 RRP / €300.97 offer) · reported: 8 L solids, 5 L urine, seat ≈ 360 mm, 150 kg load; optional 12 V fan; 4.3 kg (Trelino) vs 4.5 kg (meinetrenntoilette.de); litter €24.90 / 20 L (Trelino)
The separating toilet that fits where a Porta Potti fits: 330 × 390 mm, 4.3 kg, no chemicals, no power, no hole. Its bin metric is low (8 L) and its 5 L bottle is emptied daily, and it costs ≈ €419 at list — Globetrotter had it at €301 the day I checked. The S and L share the footprint at different heights.
Reasons to buy
- 330 × 390 mm and 4.3 kg: a separating toilet the size of a Porta Potti
- No chemicals, no dump point — solids in a bag, urine in a bottle
- S (290 mm) and L (435 mm) heights in the same footprint
Reasons to avoid
- 5 L urine bottle: a couple empties it daily
- 360 mm seat is low for adults
- ≈ €419 against ≈ €160 for the Boxio doing the same job
In the planner: pick Toilet and choose the preset “Trelino Evo M (separating)” — it drops in at these dimensions and this weight, so the fit and the axle load are checked before you order. Specs: trelino.com, trelino.com, globetrotter.de.
6. Kildwick MiniLoo
Overall 7.3/10 · 337 × 445 × 384 mm (57.6 L outside) · 7.7 kg · price n/p (assembled-unit price not surfaced this run (Hydro DIY kit €599.90 kildwick.com)) · reported: 9.5 L solids (~12 uses), 9.5 L urine (~23 uses), seat 425 mm; 7.7 kg (Kildwick) vs 8.75 kg (trockentrenntoilette.net); 5 V / 12 V fan variants (Kildwick)
A plywood separating unit with the longest urine interval of the compact class (9.5 L, ~23 uses) and a 425 mm seat in a 337 mm-wide box. I could not capture an assembled-unit price this run, so it is scored on the other five metrics; the Hydro DIY kit is €599.90. Heavier than the plastic units at 7.7–8.75 kg.
Reasons to buy
- 9.5 L urine: the longest interval of the small separating units
- 425 mm seat in a 337 mm-wide box
- Plywood you can screw furniture to
Reasons to avoid
- Price not captured — excluded from its score
- 7.7–8.75 kg, the heaviest of the compact units
- Wood in a wet room wants sealing
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: kildwick.com, kildwick.com, amazon.de.
7. Trelino Origin M
Overall 6.8/10 · 330 × 335 × 390 mm (43.1 L outside) · 5.8 kg · ≈ €549 (€549 trelino.com / meinetrenntoilette.de, Sep 2026) · reported: 6.5 L solids (~8 uses), 5 L urine (~9–11 uses), seat 322 mm (Trelino)
The Evo's better-dressed sibling: birch lid, 335 mm tall, built to be sat and stood on as furniture. It holds less (6.5 L solids) and sits lower (322 mm) than the Evo M for ≈ €130 more, which is the price of the lid.
Reasons to buy
- The furniture-grade one: birch lid, 335 mm tall, doubles as a step or seat
- Same 330 × 390 footprint as the Evo
- No power, no hole
Reasons to avoid
- 6.5 L solids — the smallest bin of the separating units
- 322 mm seat, lower than the Evo M
- ≈ €549 for less capacity than the Evo M
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: trelino.com, meinetrenntoilette.de, fritz-berger.de.
8. Thetford C223-CS (built-in cassette)Best built-in
Overall 4.1/10 · 394 × 534 × 580 mm (122.0 L outside) · 7.2 kg · ≈ €531 (from €530.99 guenstiger.de, Sep 2026; €561 nordmobil.de) · reported: 17.5 L cassette (Thetford 2026 overview; DE retailers say 18 L), flushes from the van's fresh tank, 12 V flush, seat ≈ 480–492 mm; needs an external service door for the cassette; Thetford's US page lists a 750 mm-deep footprint (Thetford)
The motorhome fixture: a cassette that comes out through a service door in the van's side, flushes from the main water tank, and sits at household height. It scores low here because it is the only unit that needs a hole cut in the bodywork, a plumbed line and 12 V — and a fixed 394 × 580 mm footprint. If the bathroom is a room, this is the toilet built for it.
Reasons to buy
- The motorhome answer: the cassette comes out through a hatch, never through the living space
- Household seat height, 17.5 L
- Flushes from the main tank — no separate flush water to carry
Reasons to avoid
- A 394 × 580 mm fixed footprint and a hole cut in the van's side for the service door
- 12 V flush and a plumbed water line
- Chemical waste and dump points, like every cassette
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: thetford.com, thetford.com, campingwagner.de.
9. Clesana C1Best if you never want to empty a tank
Overall 3.5/10 · 363 × 515 × 516 mm (96.5 L outside) · 13.1 kg · ≈ €1,249 (€1,249 clesana.com / womo-parts.de (reduced from €1,499), Sep 2026; €1,359 complete set campingplus.de) · reported: No tank: one barrier liner ≈ 40 uses (€12.50 each), absorber €3.50 / 20; 12 V, up to 22 A peak while welding (~50 s, 0.55 Wh), 0.28 W standby; seat 478 mm; 13.1–13.8 kg by configuration (Clesana datasheet)
Nothing to empty: each use is welded into a barrier liner and goes in the bin. No water, no chemicals, no vent, a 478 mm seat. The cost is ≈ €1,249, 13 kg, 515 mm of depth, a 22 A 12 V circuit for the welder, and about €0.30–0.40 per use in liner and absorber. For a van that never sees a dump point, it is the cleanest answer there is.
Reasons to buy
- Nothing to empty into anything: each use is welded into a sealed bag for the bin
- No water, no chemicals, no vent, no smell to manage
- 478 mm seat
Reasons to avoid
- ≈ €1,249 plus €0.30–0.40 per use in liner and absorber
- 22 A peak: a real 12 V circuit, not a fan wire
- 515 mm deep and 13 kg
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: clesana.com, clesana.com, campingplus.de.
10. Separett Tiny (urine container)Best separating for full-time
Overall 3.3/10 · 398 × 470 × 497 mm (93.0 L outside) · 8.5 kg · ≈ €900 (€899.95 separett.eu (1270-03), Sep 2026; €879.95 with urine tube) · reported: 14.5 L solids, 7.1 L urine, seat 440–450 mm; 12 V fan 1.6 W (0.04 kWh/day), 230 V adapter included; Ø 50 mm vent pipe to outside; 8.5 kg (Separett manual) vs 12 kg at two retailers (Separett)
The separating toilet for full-time: 14.5 L solids, a 7.1 L urine can, a household seat and a 1.6 W fan that removes the smell question. It is a fixture — 497 mm deep, 470 mm tall, a Ø 50 mm pipe through the wall — and Separett's manual says 8.5 kg where two retailers say 12. ≈ €900.
Reasons to buy
- 14.5 L solids and a 7.1 L urine can: the longest intervals of the non-composting units
- 1.6 W fan removes smell without coir or agitators
- Household 440–450 mm seat
Reasons to avoid
- 497 mm deep, 470 mm tall — a real bathroom fixture
- Ø 50 mm pipe through the wall or roof
- 8.5 or 12 kg depending on who you ask
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: separett.eu, manualslib.com.
11. OGO Origin (electric agitator)Best composting in a small footprint
Overall 2.4/10 · 406 × 467 × 381 mm (72.2 L outside) · 15.4 kg · ≈ €1,350 (€1,350 tomtur.de (EU distributor), Sep 2026) · reported: 13 L solids (25–30 uses), 9 L urine with full-bottle LED; 12 V, agitator 5 A (7.5 A peak), ≈ 1.1 Ah/day fan + motor; 40 mm fan and Ø 38 mm hose to outside; 34 lb (15.4 kg) per OGO vs 12.7 kg at one EU retailer (OGO)
A composting toilet in a footprint 100 mm smaller each way than the Nature's Head, with a motorised agitator and a urine-full light. 25–30 uses per bin. It needs 12 V (5 A agitator, ≈ 1.1 Ah a day), a Ø 38 mm vent hole, ≈ €1,350 and 15 kg — OGO's own weight; one EU retailer says 12.7.
Reasons to buy
- 25–30 uses per bin with coco coir and a motorised agitator
- 406 × 381 mm — a composting unit in a Trelino-and-a-half footprint
- Urine-full light, so the bottle does not overflow at 2 a.m.
Reasons to avoid
- ≈ €1,350 and 15 kg
- Needs 12 V and a Ø 38 mm hole through the wall for the vent
- Two published weights 2.7 kg apart
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: ogotoilet.com, learn.ogotoilet.com, tomtur.de.
12. Nature's Head (foot or spider crank)Longest interval between emptying
Overall 0.3/10 · 508 × 533 × 483 mm (130.8 L outside) · 12.7 kg · ≈ €1,350 (€1,350 tomtur.de (spider handle), Sep 2026; one EU listing €1,263.68) · reported: 60–80 uses per solids bin (litres not published), 8.3 L urine; 12 V fan 0.07 A; Ø 38 mm vent hose required; 28 lb (12.7 kg) per Nature's Head, 14.5 kg for the foot-crank EU version; US width 20 in (508 mm) vs 483 mm at EU retail
Last on the spec sheet and first for people who never want to empty anything more than every few weeks: 60–80 uses per solids bin, a 0.07 A fan, spares everywhere. It is 508 × 483 mm, 533 mm tall plus crank clearance, needs 12 V and a vent hose, and costs ≈ €1,350. Its solids capacity is published in uses, not litres, so it is unscored on tank size; place it in the planner before you fall for it.
Reasons to buy
- 60–80 uses per bin: weeks between emptying for a couple
- 0.07 A fan — the lowest draw of the powered units
- The reference design; spares everywhere
Reasons to avoid
- 508 × 483 mm and 533 mm tall plus crank clearance — the biggest thing in this guide
- Solids capacity is stated in uses, not litres, so it is unscored on tank size
- Needs 12 V and a vent hole
In the planner: pick Toilet and choose the preset “Nature's Head (composting)” — it drops in at these dimensions and this weight, so the fit and the axle load are checked before you order. Specs: natureshead.net, natureshead.net, tomtur.de.
FAQ
Cassette, separating or composting toilet for a camper van?
Cassette (Porta Potti, Dometic 976) is cheapest and smallest — ≈ €70–165, 3.8–5.8 kg, 333–388 mm wide — but needs sanitary fluid and a chemical dump point every 2–4 days for two people. Separating (Trelino, Boxio, Kildwick, Separett) keeps urine and solids apart: solids go in a bag with litter to a normal bin, urine to any toilet, no chemicals; the small ones are the size of a cassette, the Separett Tiny is a fixture with a fan and a vent pipe. Composting (Nature's Head, OGO) holds 25–80 uses per bin with coco coir, needs 12 V and a vent hose, and is the largest and most expensive class. The Clesana C1 seals every use into a bag and needs nothing emptied at all, for ≈ €1,249 and about €0.35 per use.
How big is a camper van toilet?
The compact units — Porta Potti 345, Dometic 976, Trelino Evo M, Boxio — are 300–388 mm wide, 387–427 mm deep and 280–390 mm tall, which fits under a bench or in a pull-out drawer. Household-height units (Porta Potti 565E, Separett Tiny, Clesana C1) are 448–516 mm tall and 450–516 mm deep. The Nature's Head is 508 × 483 mm and 533 mm tall plus crank clearance — a dedicated corner. The toilet-and-shower space post has the clearances around them.
How often do you empty a camper toilet?
From the published capacities: a 12 L cassette (Porta Potti 345) every 2–3 days for two; 18.9–21 L (Dometic 976, Porta Potti 565E) every 4–5 days. Separating units are limited by the urine bottle: 5 L (Trelino, Boxio) is daily for a couple, 7.1–9.5 L (Separett, Kildwick) every 2–3 days; the solids bin lasts 8–30 uses depending on size. Nature's Head states 60–80 uses per solids bin.
Does a separating toilet smell?
Separated and covered, solids do not smell the way a mixed cassette does; urine does if it sits, which is why the bottle is emptied daily. The Separett Tiny, OGO and Nature's Head add a 12 V fan (1.6 W, ≈ 1 Ah/day and 0.07 A respectively) that pulls air out through a vent hose — a hole through the wall or roof. The compact Trelino, Boxio and Kildwick work without a fan; Trelino and Kildwick sell one as an option.
Which camper toilets need 12 V power?
OGO (agitator 5 A, 7.5 A peak, ≈ 1.1 Ah/day), Nature's Head (fan 0.07 A), Separett Tiny (fan 1.6 W), Clesana C1 (up to 22 A for about 50 s per weld, 0.28 W standby) and the built-in Thetford C223-CS (electric flush). The Porta Potti 565E flushes on six AA cells; every other unit here is unpowered.
Where does a toilet go in a van layout?
In a drawer under the bed or in the bench for the compact units, in a wet room or its own cabinet for the household-height ones; keep it away from the kitchen and reachable at night without climbing over anyone. Every unit here is a box you can place in VanPlot at these dimensions to see whether the drawer, the door swing and the person sitting on it fit — the toilet-and-shower space post has the clearances.
