Composting VS Cassette Toilet
There are a few different toilet options when it comes to RVs. Two of the most common options for vans and smaller RVs are the Compost Toilet and the Cassette Toilet.
We have a Nature's Head Composting Toilet in our van and while we were in Australia we got to try out a Cassette toilet for a few weeks. After being able to compare the two we definitely have a favorite and we want to share the pros/cons of both types of RV Toilet in a few different categories:
Price
Installation
Smell
Use
Toilet Paper
Emptying
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What is a Composting and Cassette Toilet?
If you are new to RVing and RV bathroom options, you may not know what a composting or cassette toilet is or how they work. We’ll give you a brief description of both so you have an idea before we dive into the comparison.
Cassette Toilet in @theforeigndrifters van
Cassette Toilet
A Cassette Toilet functions similarly to a home toilet, except that it has a collection tank (about 5 gallons) instead of going into the sewer system. The fluids in the collection tank are considered raw sewage (black water) and needs to be disposed of properly.
When using this toilet you will open a trap door each time you use it (regardless of the duty) and then flush it after each use before shutting the trap door. The toilet itself is fixed in the van or RV but the collection tank is removable and portable. Usually the tank has wheels and a retractable handle, like rolling luggage.
Nature’s Head Composting Toilet in our van
Composting Toilet
A Composting Toilet is a water less and chemical free toilet. Using a composting toilet is slightly different than a typical toilet because it has 2 separate containers, one for urine and one for solids. Peeing in the toilet is similar to a traditional toilet, but to poop in it you’ll need to open a trap door to the solids bin and close it after use. After using the solids bin, you turn a handle 3x times to mix up the bin. There is no need to add in more material (coconut coir, sawdust etc) after each use.
Before initial use, the solids bin needs to be loaded with Coconut Coir or Peat Moss. Odor is kept down because the solids bin has a fan on it, that exhausts outside the vehicle, to draw out any smells and to dry out the compost.
It should be noted, that while this toilet does compost, during full time use (living full time in a RV/van) the compost will not truly have time to fully compost. The solids break down and the compost looks like dirt, but it is not fully compost. It is not safe to put human compost on crops until it has composted for 1 year.
These descriptions are brief, but hopefully now you have a better idea of each toilet design. Now, lets dive into the comparison!
Cost
Cassette
These varies widely from $150 to around $600.
The cheapest options (Thetford is an example) are a very simple holding tank with a seat on top. Requiring you to use a hand or foot pump for the flushing mechanism.
The more expensive options usually have a more permanent installed seat, along with electric water pumps for the flushing process.
Composting
This is definitely the more expensive option. The two most popular brands, Nature’s Head and Air Head, are roughly $1000 or $1100
To save money, you could create a DIY composting toilet using a 5 gallon bucket, a urine diverter, a small computer fan, and a urine diverter.
Installation
The cutout needed on the exterior of the van for a Cassette Toilet
Cassette
The cheapest models of cassette toilet are totally portable and don’t require any hook ups to the van, just a place to secure it. In contrast
The more expensive version will require you to cut a square out of the side of your van, around 12” x 15”. Then you will need to plumb it into your water system and connect it to electricity (12v).
It has a large footprint.
The exhaust vent on the side of the Nature’s Head
Compost
The major brands of composting toilets require a 12V power supply for the small electric vent fan. They also require you to route a vent hose (about 1.5” dia.) from the toilet to the outside of the van.
These toilets are also freestanding units that can be easily removed from the van for cleaning or to free up a bit of room in the bathroom for showering.
It has a large footprint.
Smell
Dropping a chemical tablet into the collection tank
Cassette
The one in our rental had a smell to it all the time, except for maybe the first 12 hours after dumping it.
If it wasn’t smelling like a Porta Potty, it smelled like chemicals.
Our friends Steph and Alejo (@stephoffthegrid and @theforgeigndrifters) tested out 5 different chemical tablets and say this one is the best smelling. They say it smells like Febreeze.
We’ve spent a decent amount of time in Steph and Alejo’s van and their cassette toilet doesn’t smell at all. So maybe the model we used in our Australian van was faulty or the seals were bad.
James going to dump the urine container
Compost
The vent van takes all of the possible odors out of the van so there is no smell inside.
If you use Coconut Coir, there is also zero smell outside.
We did notice a smell outside the van when we initially used Peat Moss
The urine container does not have a smell when it is in place on the toilet.
When removing the urine container there is a strong ammonia smell, but it doesn’t linger for more than a minute.
It will stink when dumping the urine container.
Use
Rotating toilet seat on the cassette toilet showing the offset hole
Cassette
The particular model of composting toilet we had in our rental van in Australia had a rotating seat/bowl. This allowed the toilet to be installed against a wall and them the seat could be rotated 90 degrees out into the bathroom during use.
The unfortunate part of the rotating design is that the actual hole in the bottom of the bowl was not centered. With the hole not centered, if you don’t drop your deuce in the right zone, you’re going to end up with a mess in the bowl that will need to be wiped up with toilet paper or paper towel.
There are other models that do not rotate. Those models have the hole in a normal position, much like a regular toilet.
The “flush” on the cassette toilet seemed weak. The flow of the water didn’t have enough pressure to really clean the bowl (unless you wasted a lot of water). The flush is more of a wash the smells away rather than wash the crud away.
With this toilet you don’t have to be so intentional with your pee as it all goes into the same holding tank.
There is a full gauge on the toilet to let you know when it is full. The stakes are high if you overflow it because its raw sewage.
The seat height is 20 inches
The diameter of the hole is 2.75”
Compost
While peeing you have to be a little more intentional with aim to ensure it goes into the proper area. The design of the toilet bowl will funnel any “spill over” pee back into the jug (so long as the compost/poop door is closed).
You can overflow the pee jug if you do not pay attention to the level. While this is digusting as you pull the jug out you can place an empty can under the spout to catch extra urine.
We always check the level before bed to make sure there is enough room for any bathroom trip in the night or morning.
When it’s time to poop, you have to open to small door into the compost compartment. When you done, close the door and rotate the compost agitator handle a few turns. You should have no mess when pooping in the compost unless you forget to open the door.
When we are done using the toilet, for 1 or 2, spray the bowl with a water and vinegar mixture to keep it clean.
The seat height is 21 inches
Toilet Paper
We keep our toilet paper in this closed trash can
Cassette
You can add paper directly to the toilet, but we opted to still put the paper into a separate trash bin to allow more time between needing to dump the toilet.
Compost
While you technically can add paper to the compost bin we choose not too.
The paper does not break down very fast and it ends up wrapped around the agitator in the bin.
We dispose of our toilet paper in a lidded trash can that is in our bathroom.
Emptying
The RV dump stations in Australia have a much bigger dumping funnel
Cassette
If there are 2 users you will need to empty the toilet every 3 to 4 days
The smell was not as horrendous as we were expecting, probably thanks to the chemical tablet that you have to put in the tank.
It is a rather graphic situation to watch 5 gallons of human waste pour out of the collection tank.
Since this is a black tank, you will need to empty your collection tank at a dump station or into a Porta Potty.
You can find free dump stations but most will cost between $5 - $15.
In the US, the dump station will have a small hole with a lid, that you sometimes have to hold with your foot to keep it open.
Once you dump your collection tank, flush it out with the non-potable water and add in a new chemical tablet before putting it back in your RV.
Compost
With 2 users, you will be emptying the urine container every 2 days and then every 2-3 weeks for the compost bin.
The liquids can be dispersed on the ground (not in public use areas, be smart), into a Porta Potty, or public toilet.
While dumping the urine container you will notice a strong unpleasant ammonia smell. It doesn’t linger long, but it is gross.
You can rinse the urine container out if you wish, but we just add a half cup or vinegar to the bottom then return the container to the toilet.
When you empty out the compost bin into a trash bag, tie it off, and then you can dispose of it into a dumpster
You can read about the how exactly to empty and refresh the compost bin in this blog post.
The compost bin can be a little awkward to empty with one person, more so because of the shape of the toilet rather than the weight.
There is surprisingly little to no odor when emptying the compost bin (assuming you don’t empty is immediately after pooping in it).
You do not need to clean the compost bin before returning it to your bathroom.
Compost Toilet Tips
Want to learn more about using a composting toilet?
Which do we recommend?
Although they are expensive, and bulky, we would, hands down, pick a Composting Toilet again for a van bathroom. It is easy to maintain, easier and cheaper to dump, and has less smell.
We prefer using our composting toilet to public restrooms, but we found ourselves avoiding using the cassette toilet. Which, if we’re going to avoid using it, why have it?
If there is space in your van, and your budget, we would definitely recommend some brand/form of a composting toilet.
We will say though after talking with our other van life friends, the preference for toilet will largely depend on which you think is grosser to dump and how long you want to be off grid between dumping. Keep these things in mind when choosing a toilet for your rig!
