If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best RV toilet is, then we recommend the Dometic 320 RV Toilet as the best one.
What could be so great about an RV toilet that would merit an entire review article and buyer’s guide you ask?
Frankly, everything.
This is probably the most essential device in, and around your RV, so we take this very seriously. You need the best RV toilet to take care of business.
There are so many different kinds of RV toilets, so we want to break them down in great detail so you not only understand what the different types do but so you can make an informed purchase on the best toilet for your travels.
In this article, we’re going to review the following toilets:
- Dometic 320 RV Toilet
- Thetford 31667 Aqua-Magic V Toilet
- Dometic 310 RV Toilet
- Camco 41541 Portable Toilet
- Leopard T-Type 3-Directional Flush Portable Toilet
RV Toilet Buyers Guide
This is an item we don’t typically think about. We tend to get whatever is affordable and makes sense for our home.
In an RV there should be a lot more thought going into the toilet you decide to buy for your rig.
There are three primary RV toilet styles to choose from:
- Traditional flush toilet
- Composting toilet
- Portable toilet
Let’s break these down into more detail.
Traditional Flush Toilet
This toilet is the closest thing you will find to your standard household toilet. The only difference is that it does not have a water tank in the bank. Instead, you either hook it up to an external water supply at the campsite or you have a holding tank in your RV.
Having a steady water supply is what allows the toilet to flush similar to a household toilet. After you flush, you can decide to fill it back up with water using the foot or hand pump.
The primary goal of an RV toilet is to use as little water as possible, so you can save money. You decide how long you want it to flush for and how much water you want to fill it up with.
These types of toilets are great because you can easily replace them if something goes wrong and you do not have to store your waste anywhere near your living area.
The only problem we possibly could include with these toilets is the obvious draining of the tank. Luckily, there are ways around it.
Composting Toilets
This is the section you have been waiting for. You finally want to find out the truth about composting toilets, and we are giving it to you.
There are so many advantages but also a variety of disadvantages.
If we break down how a composting toilet works, it goes like this. The main purpose is to separate the liquid waste from the solid waste. When you do this, there is no odor, and it allows you to take the solid waste and convert it into compost. To do this, you need to fill the solid section with some form of moss, and once you do your business, you use an internal agitator to “blend” it all together.
As for the liquid, it goes into a separate container that gets emptied when full. Maybe you could already see a few downsides?
Let’s focus on the positives. The first upside is that you do not have to use any water and you do not have to empty a black tank.
A big misconception is that there is a strong odor, but that is also not true. It’s actually the combination of solid and liquid waste that causes the sewage smell. Once you separate the two, there is no smell.
The downside of composting toilets is frequently emptying the urine tank, and the overall construction and use of the toilet are somewhat complicated.
The only reason I could see for getting a composting toilet is if you hate emptying the black tank.
Portable Camping Toilets
These toilets are entirely portable and more frequently used for camping when there is no other option for a bathroom. While they have their place and time, this is not exactly something you would want to use while RVing.
If you plan on making long-term camping trips away from your rig, then we would recommend getting a portable toilet because it will come in handy.
With that said, these toilets have a small capacity and require a lot of empty. They also require you to dump the raw sewage into a sewer dump.
This means you will have to see and smell all the waste from your trip and this is not always easy even for the strongest of stomachs.
Dometic 320 RV Toilet
This toilet makes you feel like you are sitting in a bathroom somewhere in a home. It’s the closest thing you will get to a standard toilet and toilet seat which is what some people are looking for.
If you want something that provides a lot of “creature comfort” then this is the toilet for you. There are a few bad things we could say about this toilet.
Our favorite feature of this toilet is the fully enclosed rim which allows you to get a full flush. This differs from the competition because a lot of RV toilets flush straight down and this does not let you get a thorough clean on the bowl with each flush.
This also means that the Dometic toilet is more likely to get any “straggling goodies” from inside the bowl.
Having a fully enclosed rim also keeps smells inside.
We could go on all day speaking about the good things about this toilet, but we should cover a small negative. The only bad thing we could say about this one is that the design requires you to leave a little too much space behind the toilet.
If you have lived in an RV for any amount of time, you understand that every inch counts.
Pros:
- Full circular flush
- Sealed toilet lid
- Ball seal replacement without totally disassembling toilet
- Only uses one pint of water per flush
- Optional hand sprayer
Cons:
- Requires you to waste a bit of square footage during installation
Thetford 31667 Aqua-Magic V Toilet
The primary advantage you get with this toilet is total comfort. The seat itself is much higher than most of the competitors which mean you will not have to sit in such a squatted position, which experts say is good for you, but it is uncomfortable that way.
The toilet is appealing and looks like it has a sturdy design so it should hold up for a while.
This one also features a complete circular flush which limits the amount of time you have to spend cleaning it.
But, the coolest thing about the flush on this toilet is that you can decide between a full flush and a lesser flush. This allows you to use less water for “number one” and more for “number two,” over time this can save you a ton of money.
This feature is done using the handle, so it looks a bit complicated. For adults, this is no issue, but if you are traveling with small children, this could be confusing for them.
Pros:
- Comfortable toilet
- Easy to install
- Double flush technology lets you control the amount of water you use
- Full bowl flush option
- Easier to flush than most competitors
Cons:
- Can be confusing for children to use
Dometic 310 RV Toilet
This is a step down for the Dometic 320, but it’s still an excellent toilet for RV’s for a variety of reasons.
This one also has a standard height which makes it easy to sit down and get up out of. This one also takes up quite a bit less room than the 320, so that’s an advantage.
Something we like about the Dometic brand toilets is they offer a ton of variations. You can choose to get one that is lower than the standard, or you could decide to get a hand sprayer or not. This type of versatility is excellent because it allows you to have what you want.
As for flushing, this Dometic toilet has a vortex flush which means it does not store any more water then it needs, and it empties the bowl quickly. This helps prevent anything from remaining, and it uses a lot less water.
The only primary downside of this toilet is the seat is quite small, but that is standard for an RV toilet in this price range.
Pros:
- Comes with a lot of different variations
- Vortex flush cleans the bowl as flush
- Durable and long-lasting design
- Easy to install
- Takes up a small amount of space in the RV
Cons:
- The toilet seat is quite small
Camco 41541 Portable Toilet
If your RV does not have a designated area to house a toilet, then you will have to go with a portable toilet.
These operate similarly to a flushing toilet. The main difference is that they don’t flush.
Luckily, this ones comes with a sizeable 5.3-gallon tank, and it can be converted into a flushing toilet because it comes with a flush tank as well.
The design is durable, and the seat is comfortable to sit on. It also comes with a carrying handle to prevent any issues.
Pros:
- Large 5.3-gallon tank
- Versatile and can be used in a bunch of different situations
- Durable design
- Great for unique circumstances and space saving
- Easy to set up and empty
Cons:
- Does not contain or remove smells, best kept far away
Leopard T-Type 3-Directional Flush Portable Toilet
This is an excellent portable toilet that is affordable and highly functional. It features a flush tank and a full bowl flush, so you do not have to clean it constantly.
It also has a sealed flush so it keeps smells out and prevents itself from leaking.
As for the design and durability of the toilet, it feels sturdy and does not feel like it could tip over easily which is nice. This gives you the freedom to put it wherever you need to.
The only possible downside we saw here is that the seat is incredibly small. As we said, this is somewhat standard, but there are certain expectations that you would hope they could meet. Especially with a portable toilet.
Pros:
- Sturdy and durable seat and base
- Three-gallon tank is lightweight
- Full bowl flush
- Sealed flush keeps smells out
- Leak protection
- Rust resistant
Cons:
- Tiny seat
Conclusion
There is a clear-cut winner in this breakdown, and that is the Dometic 320 RV Toilet. We picked this toilet because it provides a lot of the creature comforts of home and does not require any extreme emptying or maintenance.
Trust me; you will be happy to sacrifice a few inches of space in your RV when you see others emptying out their portable toilets and dealing with overflowing compost waste.