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Top 5 Best Cassette Toilets On The Market Today

Cassette toilets are one of the best portable camping toilets on the market today. While I would say the majority of vanlifers use their cassette toilet for #1 only, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for all your bathroom needs (including solid waste).

Cassette toilets are a little different than a traditional RV toilet. They come equipped with a portable tank that can be taken to a public restroom to dump.

In this article, we will go over the top 5 best cassette toilets on the market today. We will break down all the pros and cons of each and try to help you decide which toilet is best for you!


What Is A Cassette Toilet & How Does A Cassette Toilet Work?

A cassette toilet is a self-contained toilet for mobile living (campervans, RVs, truckers, etc). They don’t have any external plumbing which makes them easy to “install” anywhere.

They are also known as chemical toilets, because you often have to add a chemical to mitigate the smell of waste.

Cassette toilets consist of a black-water holding tank and a fresh water holding tank. The fresh water tank holds clean water to use for flushing the bowl and any waste left behind in the bowl. The black holding tank holds everything put into it, such as pee, poop, toilet paper, any chemical, etc.

Cassette toilets tend to be much smaller than a regular toilet, composting toilet or cartridge toilet. Making it one of the best portable toilets to fit into any small camper (even a caravan).

The main drawback is that the black water tank needs to be emptied manually by carrying the bottom half of the unit to an appropriate dump location. Dump Locations consist of public toilets in public restrooms, RV dump station, personal home toilet, etc.

Jake and I were gifted a cassette toilet when we were building out our campervan. While receiving a toilet as a gift is a bit weird, we were grateful to save some money. However, we do have complaints about the toilet we have, and have considered replacing it.

Therefore, I’ve become an expert on all the best cassette toilets available.  After doing extensive research and reading what other customers have to say about each toilet, we were able to break it down to the top 5 best cassette toilets on the market today. 

This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure policy.


Tips When Using A Cassette Toilet:

When using a cassette toilet in a campervan or RV there are a few tips we suggest to keep it odorless, clog-free and leak-proof. 

  • Jake and I use Walex Porta Paks in the waste water tank to eliminate odors. It seriously works wonders! Tip: We water down a single packet with a liter of water since the packets are intended for RV black holding tanks. 
  • We suggest having a separate garbage disposal for toilet paper. If you use your cassette toilet often, then there isn’t enough time for the toilet paper to break down in the waste tank. Which will potentially clog the tank. We funny enough use an old Peanut Butter Pretzel container with a doggy bag lined in it.
  • Test your toilet first with water to make sure it is leak-free. That way you can make sure all the valves are leak-proof and won’t leak when in transit. Don’t learn this the hard way!
  • Don’t forget to keep an eye on the tank level indicator. This will let you know when the wastewater tank is ready to be emptied.

SereneLife Outdoor Portable Toilet

Our Top Choice For Best Cassette Toilet

SereneLife Portable Toilet with Carry Bag – Indoor Outdoor Toilet with CHH Piston Pump & Level Indicator – 5.3 Gallon Large Waste Tank – 100-120 Flushes for RV, Camping, Hiking & Boating

The SereneLife Outdoor Portable Toilet is our top choice for best cassette toilet on the market today. The waste tank holds 5.3 gallons so you can go multiple days without having to empty it. It has a double-sealed drain valve that protects against leaks & odors to make sure it doesn’t retain smells. And with the piston pump, you can simply flush up to 50 times with the 3.2 gallon fresh water tank. 

This toilet is budget-friendly, has a large holding tank, easy rotating pour-out spout and a large freshwater tank for many flushes. Plus it comes with a discrete carrying case for when you need to dispose of the waste in a public location. This cassette toilet is the whole package, therefore we rate this as one of the best cassette toilets on the market today. 

Dimensions: 16.5 x 14.6 x 16.9 inches

Weight: 11.3 lbs

Pros

  • Large holding tank
  • Moderately inexpensive
  • Easy to empty
  • Comes with discrete carrying case
  • Double-sealed drain valve for no leaks & odors

Cons

  • Holding tank can be heavy when full
  • Toilet seat is small (not great for larger adults)
  • Some units develop leaks after years of use

Check Price: Amazon.com | Walmart.com


Thetford Porta Potti 135 (92860)

Most Compact Cassette Toilet

Porta Potti Thetford 92860 Porta Potti 135 , White

The Theford Porta Potti 135 is one of the smallest cassette toilets on the market today. This is a similar model to the toilet Jake and I have. And it can be great if you are looking for a toilet that needs to fit in a small place.

But the waste holding tank is only 2.6 gallons. Therefore, you will have to empty it almost twice as often as some of the other best cassette toilets on the market today. 

But the fresh water tank is 2.6 gallons which offers about 27 flushes when full. This model comes with a bellow flush handle and a rotating pour-out spout, making it easy to empty. 

Dimensions: 13.54 x 12.13 x 15.12 inches

Weight: 8 lbs

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Holding tank less heavy when full
  • Easy to empty
  • Compact size (easier to stow-away)

Cons

  • Small holding tank
  • Less flushes from fresh water tank

Check Price: Amazon.com | Walmart.com | HomeDepot.com


Porta Potti White Thetford Corp (92306)

Closest Cassette Toilet For A Home-Like Feel

 Porta Potti 92306 White Thetford Corp, Polypropylene

If you are looking for the luxuries of your home toilet, then the Porta Potti White Thetford Corp is the toilet for you. This toilet closely relates to a home-sized traditional toilet so you don’t have to crouch down like other cassette toilets.

It even comes with a battery-powered electric flush, so it’s as easy as clicking a button to say good-bye to the human waste. And the waste tank also has a sealed valve to prevent odor and prevent leaks. 

When ready to dispose of the waste from the 5.5-gallon holding tank, there is a rotating pour-out spout. The toilet also has a 4-gallon fresh water tank for over 50 flushes.

There is an added bonus of having a toilet paper holder built into the design. 

Dimensions: 18.39 x 15.75 x 17.83 inches

Weight: 13.45 lbs

Pros

  • Most home-like feel cassette toilet
  • Battery-powered flush
  • Largest holding tank
  • Easy to empty

Cons

  • More expensive
  • Holding tank can be heavy when full
  • Some customers have complained about the battery-powered flush mechanism breaking

Check Price: Amazon.com | Walmart.com | HomeDepot.com


Earthtec ETEC Non-Stick Sanitary Portable Toilet

Best Cassette Toilet To Minimize Odor

 Earthtec 5 Gallon 50 Flush Non-Stick Bowl Sanitary Portable Toilet for Camping/Rv/Boat &Other Outdoor or Indoor Activities

The Earthtex ETEC Non-stick Sanitary Portable Toilet comes with nano-technology coating so every time you flush, nothing gets stuck to the sides and minimizes undesirable odors that might get stuck to the bowl. Seriously, check out their video tutorial for proof!

The holding tank is 5 gallons with a 2.8-gallon fresh water tank capacity of up to 50 flushes. Plus, the waste holding tank comes with a swing-out discharge tube for an easy empty. 

But, there have been customer complaints about the nano-technology not being great in heat or sunlight. Heat can ruin the coating and make it more of a hassle than it’s worth. Therefore, this toilet might not be the best option for vanlifers who chase warmer weather.

Dimensions: 16.5 x 14.6 x 16.9 inches

Weight: 12.96 lbs

Pros

  • Nano-technology minimizes odor
  • Large holding tank
  • Easy to empty

Cons

  • More expensive
  • Holding tank can be heavy when full
  • Some customers have complained about the toilet leaking after a couple years of use
  • Can’t use chemicals or soap to clean the toilet bowl, as it will ruin the nano-technology coating

Check Price: Amazon.com | Walmart.com | HomeDepot.com


Camco Portable Travel Toilet (41541)

Best Budget-Friendly Cassette Toilet

 Camco 5.3-Gallon Portable Travel Toilet | Features Detachable Holding Tank w/Sealing Slide Valve & Bellow-Type Flush | Easy Transport w/Compact Lightweight Design & Carry Handle | Gray (41541)

Looking for a budget-friendly cassette toilet? Well, the Camco Portable Travel Toilet is the answer to all your questions. This budget-friendly cassette toilet holds 5.3 gallons of waste and 2.5 gallons of fresh water. The cassette toilet is constructed with polyethylene for durability and comes with bellow flush handle. 

Dimensions: 16.38 x 13.75 x 16.13 inches

Weight: 11.5 lbs

Pros

  • Large holding tank
  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to empty

Cons

  • Holding tank can be heavy when full
  • Some customers complaints about the valves leaking

Check Price: Amazon.com | Walmart.com | HomeDepot.com


How to Empty A Cassette Toilet?

Now that you found the best cassette toilet on the market, now it’s time to learn how to properly dispose of the black waste water tank. Detach the bottom of the portable waste tank from the fresh water upper tank.

Each cassette toilet might be different with the detachment method. Look in the instruction manual if you don’t know how to detach it.

Also, depending on the different sizes of the black water tank might decipher how you carry it to the dump station. Either grab the carry handles on the side or wheel the tank if it is a larger and heavier model.


Where to Empty A Cassette Toilet

The main question you probably have is where do I empty a cassette toilet? The answer is any public toilet, your home standard toilet or an RV dump station.

Since Jake and I travel full-time in our camper van, we basically find a toilet nearby where we are currently staying. Which often happens to be a public park or a trailhead.

But if you only short-term travel and live in a house, you might be able to bring the black holding tank to your house and properly dispose of it there. This personally would be the best option because you can then properly clean the holding tank. Plus add more fresh water to the upper tank.

Lastly, if there are no toilets nearby or you have access to a dump station, you can dump it there. This generally is out least favorite option because you have to deal with other RV’ers that are dumping a larger amount of waste. And we often don’t have a hose, so you kinda just open the dump hole, and hope you don’t miss!

So in our opinion, dumping a cassette toilet is often easiest in a traditional toilet.

Dumping a cassette toilet can get messy and there can be splatter (cringe). That is why we keep our waste to just #1. If you want a toilet that holds human waste, consider getting a composting toilet or dry-flush toilet.


Takeaway | Top 5 Best Cassette Toilets On The Market Today

In conclusion, having a portable cassette toilet in your camper van can make your camper feel like home. While it can’t replace a permanent toilet, like in a house that magically brings the waste to a septic tank, it can make your life living in a van much easier.

It’s one of the things I love most about our camper van. No more having to put warm clothes on to go relieve yourself in the middle of the night or when stuck in a public place with no bathroom nearby.

We believe the best thing to add to your camper van is a cassette toilet. In our opinion, these are the top 5 best cassette toilets on the market today.

If you are looking for other toilet options for your camper van check out our post:

Best Portable Toilet Options For Vanlife & RV’s


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