The appeal of portable toilets dramatically increased during lockdown due to Covid rules closing campsite facilities and public toilets. Having a portable toilet for camping stops the dreaded midnight toilet run and (if compact enough) can be taken on day trips, so excursions don't need to be planned around the availability of public toilet facilities. They can also be invaluable to those with mobility issues.
Our buying guide looks into everything you need to know, including the dimensions, max user weight, capacity, comfort, ease of emptying and any flush mechanism involved, so that you can find a portable loo to suit you. We've also included a list of the 10 best portable toilets available in the UK to buy from Amazon, including stand-alone facilities and loos with bags, along with their prices and which chemicals you'll need to operate them.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of portable toilets available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article’s chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Thetford | 2 ![]() Hillington | 3 ![]() Thetford | 4 ![]() Dometic | 5 ![]() Dometic | 6 ![]() Sfeomi | 7 ![]() Samger Samger | 8 ![]() Leisurewize | 9 ![]() Bivvy Loo | 10 ![]() BoginaBag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Porta Potti 335 Portable Toilet | Lightweight and Portable Camping Toilet | Porta Potti 565E (Electric) Portable Toilet | Portable Toilet 972 | Sanipottie Portable Toilet 966 | 20L Portable Camping Toilet | Portable Camping Toilet | Need-A-Loo Portable Toilet | Portable Toilet | Portable Folding Toilet |
Features | A Foolproof Design Which is Compact Enough to Take On Day Trips in the Car | A Simple Bucket Which Is Cleverly Made to Look Like a Toilet | A Premium Design With a Huge 21-Litre Waste Capacity and a Battery-Powered Flush | A Well-Designed Portable Toilet for Smaller Motorhomes and Tents | One of the Most Comfortable Portable Toilets Featuring a Full-Size Seat and Lid | A Mid-Priced Portable Toilet That Can Hold Up to 20-Litres of Waste | A Weighty and Stable Portable Toilet With a Full-Sized Seat | A Basic Bucket Toilet With a Comfortable Seat and Closing Lid | A Fold-Down Portable Toilet, Complete With a Discreet Carry Bag | An Extra Camping Stool Which Can Also Be Used as a Very Basic Toilet |
Price | £79.94 | £21.99 | £129.12 | £132.94 | £105.35 | £65.99 | £87.99 | £22.45 | £59.99 | £29.99 |
Type | Flushing toilet | Bucket toilet | Flushing toilet | Flushing toilet | Flushing toilet | Flushing toilet | Flushing toilet | Bucket toilet | Bucket toilet (foldable) | Disposable bag toilet |
Waste Tank Capacity | 10-litres | 5-litres | 21-litres | 10-litres | 19-litres | 20-litres | 20-litres | 1-litre | 2-litres | - |
Features | Waste level indicator | Toilet roll holder | Waste level indicator | Waste level indicator | - | - | - | - | Foldable | Foldable |
Extras Included | Thetford Aqua Kem Pink, Thetford Aqua Kem Blue | - | Thetford Aqua Kem Pink, Thetford Aqua Kem Blue | Pink toilet fluid, and blue toilet fluid | Pink toilet fluid, blue toilet fluid | Pink toilet fluid, blue toilet fluid | - | - | 12 bags, 12 packs of powder to solidify waste | 5 bags including powder to solidify waste |
Max. User Weight | 182 kg | - | 182 kg | - | - | 150 kg | 130 kg | 100 kg | 133 kg | 125 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 23.3 kg | 6 kg | 41 kg | 24.4 kg | 34 kg | 25 kg | 26 kg | 2 kg | 4,4 kg | Less than 1.5 kg |
Dimensions | H31 x W34 x D38 cm | H34 x W42 x D49 cm | H45 x W39 x D45 cm | H32 x W33 x D39 cm | H40 x W38 x D43 cm | H41 x W35 x D41 cm | H43 x W36 cm x D41 cm | H37 x D32 cm | H25 x W22 x D28 cm | H47 x W35 x D35 cm |
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Pink toilet fluid would be added to water in the flushing tank and blue toilet fluid to the waste tank. Once full, the waste tank needs emptying into a designated chemical toilet disposal area (if you have used chemicals) or into a regular toilet if no chemical additions are present.
Bucket toilets are simply a bucket with a toilet seat over the top. They can be disguised to look more like a regular toilet or made to be extremely portable with a folding design. If you're using it solely for urine, the bucket can be simply rinsed out after use. However, if they're used for solid waste, the bucket needs to be lined with a plastic bag.
Some bucket toilets come with a lid to minimise smells, whereas some come with absorbent pads to place in the base of the lining bag to soak up the liquid. If used with liquid-absorbing pads or powder-to-gel crystals, the bags can be added to regular outdoor waste bins.
Individuals and couples will find that a 10-litre tank could last them a weekend trip away, meaning the portable toilet will only need emptying just before leaving. However, a family of four or more should choose a 20-litre capacity tank - you don't want to be emptying your chemical toilet in the dark because you've been filling up more quickly than expected!
Lidded bucket toilets with a 5-litre capacity are fine for urine collection overnight for a family of four or more, whereas couples and individuals could get away with a 1-litre lidded bucket toilet for overnight collection. Capacity is less important if opting for an open bucket/bagged toilet, as these will need emptying after each use - especially if you want to avoid unpleasant smells!
Consider a recommended roof box for your car, so you can pack a larger portable toilet.
For more home-comforts when camping, check out our best camping showers and camping stoves.
Flushable portable toilets will require two types of chemicals if you intend to use chemicals to reduce smells and break down waste. The pink fluid is needed for the flushing tank and the blue fluid for the waste tank. There are branded versions of the chemicals available (for example, Thetford), plus other generic versions, which will, more or less, do the same thing.
Bucket and bag-type portable toilets will require bags to catch the waste. These bags usually contain a liquid-absorbing powder or an absorbent pad at the base of the bag, which can be safely disposed of in general waste bins. A more cost-effective option is using hole-free bags (such as pedal bin liners) with a budget-brand baby's nappy placed within to soak up the waste!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£79.94
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 10-litres |
Features | Waste level indicator |
Extras Included | Thetford Aqua Kem Pink, Thetford Aqua Kem Blue |
Max. User Weight | 182 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 23.3 kg |
Dimensions | H31 x W34 x D38 cm |
£21.99
Type | Bucket toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 5-litres |
Features | Toilet roll holder |
Cleaning Supplies Included | - |
Max. User Weight | - |
Max. Weight When Full | 6 kg |
Dimensions | H34 x W42 x D49 cm |
£129.12
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 21-litres |
Features | Waste level indicator |
Extras Included | Thetford Aqua Kem Pink, Thetford Aqua Kem Blue |
Max. User Weight | 182 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 41 kg |
Dimensions | H45 x W39 x D45 cm |
White and Grey
£132.94
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 10-litres |
Features | Waste level indicator |
Extras Included | Pink toilet fluid, and blue toilet fluid |
Max. User Weight | - |
Max. Weight When Full | 24.4 kg |
Dimensions | H32 x W33 x D39 cm |
Grey
£105.35
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 19-litres |
Features | - |
Extras Included | Pink toilet fluid, blue toilet fluid |
Max. User Weight | - |
Max. Weight When Full | 34 kg |
Dimensions | H40 x W38 x D43 cm |
£65.99
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 20-litres |
Features | - |
Extras Included | Pink toilet fluid, blue toilet fluid |
Max. User Weight | 150 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 25 kg |
Dimensions | H41 x W35 x D41 cm |
£87.99
Type | Flushing toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 20-litres |
Features | - |
Extras Included | - |
Max. User Weight | 130 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 26 kg |
Dimensions | H43 x W36 cm x D41 cm |
£22.45
Type | Bucket toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 1-litre |
Features | - |
Extras Included | - |
Max. User Weight | 100 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 2 kg |
Dimensions | H37 x D32 cm |
Green
£59.99
Type | Bucket toilet (foldable) |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | 2-litres |
Features | Foldable |
Extras Included | 12 bags, 12 packs of powder to solidify waste |
Max. User Weight | 133 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | 4,4 kg |
Dimensions | H25 x W22 x D28 cm |
£29.99
Type | Disposable bag toilet |
---|---|
Waste Tank Capacity | - |
Features | Foldable |
Extras Included | 5 bags including powder to solidify waste |
Max. User Weight | 125 kg |
Max. Weight When Full | Less than 1.5 kg |
Dimensions | H47 x W35 x D35 cm |
Written and researched by Lucy Smith
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