Which outdoor toilet is right for you? A side-by-side comparison

An outdoor toilet allows for comfortable toilet use in outdoor areas. This type of toilet can be used in almost any location, even in places where the installation of a regular toilet solution seems difficult to impossible due to a lack of connections. The most popular uses for outdoor toilets include: 

• Forest kindergartens 
• Hiking, cycling, and water trails 
• Summer camps 
• Public places, such as playgrounds and barbecue areas 
• Fields, lakes, and forest properties 
• Events 

The three most common outdoor toilets are chemical toilets, outhouse toilets, and composting toilets. Below, we will examine each type, highlighting all their advantages and disadvantages.

Chemical toilets are commonly seen on construction sites, at concerts, and similar events. They consist of a plastic toilet cabin with an integrated toilet. Additional features, such as a sink or urinal, may also be available in some cases. 

Both solid and liquid waste in a chemical toilet end up in a holding tank filled with chemical substances. These chemicals serve an important purpose, as they prevent toilet odours and allow the toilet to be used without connection to the sewer system. Although toilet odours are eliminated, the smell of chemical toilets is often perceived as unpleasant because the chemicals have a very intense, artificial smell. 

One unique feature of chemical toilets, compared to outhouse toilets and composting toilets, is that they can be rented as well as purchased. The rental option is particularly useful if the toilet is only needed for a limited period. 

When renting a chemical toilet, a service is usually included that covers setup, waste disposal, and teardown. Since emptying a chemical toilet can be a delicate matter, one typically also needs to use an emptying service when purchasing a chemical toilet. 

On one hand, such a service can certainly provide additional convenience. However, this also creates a dependency on service providers who need to be paid for their services. 

Our conclusion on chemical toilets: A chemical toilet serves its purpose by enabling toilet use in outdoor areas without connections. While it is convenient that all tasks, from setup to emptying, can be handled by service providers, this can also be costly and impractical for all purposes. If you desire independence, a chemical toilet might not be the best choice. 

Another disadvantage is that using a chemical toilet is often perceived by many people as rather unpleasant and unhygienic. Even though the chemical additives suppress toilet odours, many are bothered by the inherent smell of the chemicals. The negative environmental impacts of using these chemicals should also not be overlooked—sustainability certainly looks different. 

Overall, a chemical toilet is still an acceptable solution if you can come to terms with the dependency on service providers, the associated costs, and the low level of user comfort. 

Pros: 

• Enables toilet use in outdoor areas  
• Also available for hire  
• Convenient services can be booked, e.g. assembly and emptying 

Cons: 

• Low user comfort 
• Dependence on service providers 
• Ongoing service costs 
• Unpleasant chemical odours 
• Environmentally harmful operation 

An outhouse toilet is probably the simplest outdoor toilet. It is a type of toilet that collects all waste in a holding tank. Unlike chemical toilets, no chemicals are used here. The difference from a composting toilet is that solid and liquid waste are not separated. 

Since feces and urine mix in an outhouse toilet, unpleasant odours develop in a very short time. Odours can develop even if you add additional materials like litter, bark mulch, or straw to the waste. This means that the holding tank of the outhouse toilet should be emptied as frequently as possible. 

Emptying the collected mix of feces and urine is difficult. First of all, the question arises of where this waste can be disposed of at all. Possible options include composting it in a personal composter or disposing of it at a disposal facility that accepts this type of waste. It is also important to keep in mind that the waste must first be transported to the disposal site somehow. Overall, emptying and disposing of waste with this toilet solution is a complicated matter. 

Our conclusion on outhouse toilets: The outhouse toilet is a rather spartan solution that offers very little comfort. From unpleasant odours to a fairly gross disposal process, you must be prepared for everything. However, there are indeed some people who are satisfied with this solution, though they tend to be rather tough individuals. For the "average person," this solution is probably not suitable. 

Pros: 

• Enables toilet use in outdoor areas   
• No need for water, chemicals and electricity   

Cons: 

• Unpleasant odours  
• Unhygienic emptying  
• Disposal only via composters or disposal stations  
• No rental option  
• No service options 

With this solution, a urine diverter ensures that solid and liquid waste is automatically separated during use. The separation of waste lays the foundation for easy, hygienic emptying and odourless usage. 

Solid and liquid waste are collected in separate containers, allowing them to be removed and emptied independently of each other. The solid waste container is lined with an inlay, so for emptying, you simply remove the inlay, tie it up, and dispose of it. The disposal of solid waste can be easily done with regular rubbish. Alternatively, composting is also an option, provided a compostable inlay is used. Liquid waste can also be removed cleanly and hygienically and easily disposed of. You can either flush the liquids down a regular toilet or dilute them with water and use them as fertiliser for ornamental plants. 

Unpleasant odours do not occur when using a composting toilet. Since solid and liquid waste do not mix, odour development is already significantly reduced. The use of additional litter completely prevents odour formation for several days, and with a natural ventilation system, the composting toilet can be used odourlessly for an even longer period. 

Our conclusion on composting toilets: Composting toilets are often underestimated as outdoor toilets. However, they offer significant advantages compared to both chemical toilets and simple outhouse toilets. 

Waste can be removed and disposed of cleanly and hygienically. No odours are produced during use. 

Pros: 

• Enables toilet use in outdoor areas   
• No need for water, chemicals and electricity   
• Easy to empty  
• Odourless in use  
• Absolutely hygienic 

Cons: 

• No rental option  
• No service options 

Here, we describe how an outdoor composting toilet works, covering all details from delivery and setup to waste disposal.

Our outdoor composting toilets with cubicle are delivered by a forwarding agent and parcel service. The large wooden parts are sent by a forwarding agent so that delivery can be made exactly to where the parts are ultimately needed, even if it is a more remote location. Smaller accessories included in the scope of delivery are sent by parcel service to an address suitable for parcel delivery.

As the outdoor toilet is delivered in parts, it must first be assembled upon receipt. Assembly takes around 45 minutes and does not require any special manual skills. Assembly is best done by two people.

A location with a firm surface should be selected for the assembly. A level surface of 1-2 m² is sufficient. However, no additional foundation is required to set up the urine-diverting toilet, nor do you need to worry about the right tools, as everything you need to set it up is included in the scope of delivery.

In the step-by-step instructions supplied, all work steps are listed clearly and individually:

Assembly instructions TROBOLO KersaBœm

Assembly instructions TROBOLO KitaBœm

Tip: We recommend painting the exterior and interior with wood protection paint to counteract changes to the wood caused by weathering. This way, the outdoor composting toilet can withstand any weather, be it rain, hail or snow.

Once set up, all you have to do is line the solids container with an inlay and the outdoor composting toilet is fully functional and ready for use.

Its use is no different to that of a regular toilet. You should only refrain from urinating standing up to ensure that the urine diverter functions properly. We describe the function of the composting toilet in more detail here.

The emptying of separated waste is simple and can be done hygienically on your own. Solid waste can be disposed of along with the inlay in regular rubbish, similar to used nappies. Alternatively, composting is also an option. Liquid waste can be collected and flushed down a regular toilet or, alternatively, diluted with water and used as fertiliser for ornamental plants.

Cleaning the composting toilet is limited to occasionally wiping down the surfaces with a damp cloth and occasionally rinsing the liquid container. If desired, the solid waste container can also be rinsed out with water from time to time, although this is not necessary due to the use of inlays. More information on cleaning can be found here.

If you're up for a DIY project, you can build your own composting toilet. This option offers great flexibility, allowing you to create a professional composting toilet tailored exactly to your needs with the help of our handy accessories.

With an outdoor toilet, you can create a comfortable sanitation facility even in the most remote locations. 

Composting toilets are particularly well-suited for outdoor use. They offer a high level of comfort, are odourless, and are easy to empty. 

In comparison, chemical toilets and outhouse toilets have significant drawbacks: they produce unpleasant odours, and their emptying and disposal are more complicated. For stationary chemical toilets, you often rely on professional service providers for waste disposal. 

For anyone seeking a simple, off-grid toilet solution for outdoor areas, a composting toilet is often the best choice.