Whether you’re a full-time or seasonal RVer, you know that having a good toilet is a necessity. After all, you chose an RV over a tent for a few reasons, and we’re betting that having a private place to do your business is one of them.
Because you’re reading a post about the best RV toilet, chances are your toilet is not working properly, or you simply want something different. And even though an RV toilet may not seem like that big of a deal to some people, if you’re an RVer, you know it’s an important part of your rig.
At Beyond the Tent, we get it. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our top five best RV toilets, from the best overall to a budget option and even a composting toilet for boondocking. Read on for more information about each toilet, its key features, and its pros and cons.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Dometic 320
Budget Option
Thetford Aqua-Magic VI
Best for Boondocking
Nature’s Head Contained Composting Quarters
Best Overall
Dometic 320
The Dometic 320 tops our list of the best RV toilets because of the comfort factor. It has an elongated, deep ceramic bowl, wooden enameled seat, and full-rim flush—all the comforts of home in your home away from home or full-time home.
With its low-flush technology, the Dometic 320 uses only one pint of water with each flush. However, another great feature of this RV toilet is adding more water to the bowl simply by pressing the foot pedal down halfway.
When flushing the Dometic 320, you’ll notice the full-rim flush. This means the water doesn’t just come from the back of the toilet but flows down all along the rim. The rim also helps keep unwanted germs inside the toilet where they belong.
After flushing, the bowl fills up with a couple of inches of water, which eliminates any blank-tank smell and keeps your flush valve from drying out.
Another feature that makes the Dometic 320 top of our list of the best RV toilets is the easy two-bolt installation. Changing out the toilet in your RV is probably not tops on your list of fun things to do, so choose a toilet that makes it as easy as possible.
Last but not least, the option to choose a standard 18” height or the low-profile 14” height is another reason the Dometic 320 is our best overall option for your RV toilet.
You’ll notice that, except for the composting toilet for boondocking, all of the toilet options in our best RV toilet guide are gravity flush toilets. While other options like macerating and cassette toilets exist, the gravity flush is the easiest to install and use.
Pros
- Elongated, ceramic bowl
- Easy installation
- Full-rim flush
- 400-pound weight limit
Cons
- Does not come with a sprayer
- At 36 pounds, it weighs more than your plastic toilet
- Requires 11” clearance from flange, so may not fit all RVs
Best Budget
Thetford Aqua-Magic VI
Coming in at just over $150, the Thetford Aqua Magic IV is our budget option for the best RV toilet.
No worrying about adding extra weight to your RV with the Aqua Magic IV. Compared to the 36-pound Dometic toilet, the Aqua Magic is significantly lighter at only 9.2 pounds.
The Aqua Magic is much lighter because it is made of plastic rather than porcelain. While this is a great feature if you’re considering the weight of your rig, it’s not so great for comfort or cleanliness. Check your toilet cleaner to ensure it’s okay to use on plastic so that you don’t cause any scratches.
Though easy to install, remember that if the flush ball seal goes bad with Thetford RV toilets, you must disassemble the toilet to replace it. That is not the case with some other RV toilets.
Cons
- Complaints that it is not sturdy
- Plastic is harder to keep clean
Best for Boondocking
Natures Head Contained Composting Toilet
If you plan on boondocking for an extended period of time and want to conserve as much of the water in your fresh tank as possible, a composting toilet is your best RV toilet option.
One huge benefit of a composting toilet is that it uses no water to flush. The liquids and solids are kept in two separate tanks, and the solids go directly into a bin filled with sphagnum peat moss for composting.
Need to familiarize yourself with composting toilets? Nature’s Head has several resources explaining how they work.
To begin, you fill the composting bin with peat moss for solids. When urinating, the liquid goes into a separate holding tank that should be emptied daily. There is a trapdoor to open for solids. When you’re finished, close the trapdoor and the toilet lid and turn the handle on the side of the toilet three times to mix everything up.
To dispose of the solid waste, first, put on a pair of gloves, then unhook the base and place a 13-gallon trash bag over the opening. Dump the contents into the trash bag and dispose of them properly.
Worried about the smell? A fan on the side of the unit draws fresh air in, through the toilet, and out the vent. Some folks also keep a spray bottle with water and vinegar nearby to spritz the toilet afterward.
With a price tag of just over $1000, this toilet is by far the most expensive on our list of the best RV toilets.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Does not use water
- No need to find a dump station
Cons
- Not for the squeamish
- Finding a proper place to dispose of waste can be challenging
- Pricey
Best Low Profile
Aqua Magic V
Standing only 14.4” tall, the Aqua Magic V is our low-profile pick for the best RV toilet.
The Aqua Magic V is lightweight, weighing only 9.6 pounds, and installs easily.
One advantage that the Aqua Magic V has over our other best RV toilet picks is that it comes with a hand sprayer. If you’re reading this post, chances are you’ve used an RV toilet and know what a handy tool the sprayer is!
The Aqua Magic V also has a dual-flush foot pedal and full-bowl flush.
One major complaint about this RV toilet is that the water intake valve tends to disconnect, which can lead to disaster. Follow all the directions when installing this toilet to help mitigate that issue.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Hand sprayer is included
Cons
- Small, shallow bowl
- Water intake valve connection issues
- Plastic
Best Flush
Dometic 310
Best flush is probably an odd option to add to the best RV toilets list. But, if you think about it, you don’t have the water pressure in an RV toilet that you do in a conventional toilet. So, the flushing power is pretty important.
The Dometic 310 uses only a pint of water to flush, but it has 360-degree vortex technology to clean the bowl every time.
This RV toilet does not have a rim as the 320 does, so splashes and spills can happen.
The Dometic 310 is lighter than the 320, weighing just under 24 pounds. It’s also space-saving, needing only 10” of clearance compared to 11” on the 320.
The downside to its space-saving design is that the seat and bowl are not as large or comfortable as the Dometic 320.
Pros
- Vortex 360 flush
- Space saving
- Lightweight
Best RV Toilet Buyer’s Guide
Materials
One thing to consider when searching for the best RV toilet is whether it is plastic or porcelain. A plastic toilet will mean less weight in your rig. However, a plastic toilet can also feel cheaper and less sturdy than porcelain. You may not feel like a plastic bowl gets as clean as a porcelain bowl.
Height
Most options in our best RV toilet guide come in either standard or high-profile heights. Which one you choose is a matter of personal preference.
Weight Limit
A standard residential toilet has a weight limit of about 1000 pounds, so you probably don’t even think twice about weight limits. However, most RV toilets have a 250-300 pound weight limit.
If you’re a larger person, our top pick Dometic 320, has a 400-pound weight limit. Because of the higher weight limit, the Dometic 320 just feels sturdier. Yet, another reason it’s our top pick for the best RV toilet.
Sprayer
While the sprayer is not included with most of the RV toilets on our list, it is an optional accessory and one that you probably won’t regret adding.
Best RV Toilet Frequently Asked Questions
Is it easy to change out my RV toilet?
It is easy to change your RV toilet. The hardest part is deciding what features you want in your new toilet. Hopefully, this guide has helped narrow that down.
One crucial item to remember when changing your RV toilet is to measure your space and ensure the new toilet will fit! Some RVs, especially older models, have teeny tiny spaces for the toilet.
Is it possible to replace my RV toilet with a standard residential toilet?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. There are several reasons for this, including the size of a standard toilet, the weight of the tank, and the toilet’s durability when driving down the highway.
But, most importantly, RV toilets and residential toilets don’t work the same way and therefore are not interchangeable.
Is RV toilet paper necessary?
While there are many opinions on this subject, most experienced RVers will tell you it’s unnecessary to purchase the super thin, super expensive RV toilet paper. Angel Soft seems to be the toilet paper of choice.
With that being said, if you don’t want to take a chance on the infamous pyramid plug, you can do a few things to help prevent it.
First, use plenty of water each time you flush when it’s time to empty and flush your black tank. Use a tool like the Camco RV Swivel Stik Rinser to rinse the tank well. Make sure your RV sewer hose has a clear connector so you can see when clear water is flowing out of the tank.
However, the only way to ensure you will never have a plug is not to put any toilet paper in your toilet. Keep a small trash can and supply of scented trash bags in your RV bathroom, and empty the trash often.
Wrapping up the Best RV Toilet
Now that you know more about the different features of an RV toilet, it’s time to measure your space and purchase the best RV toilet for you.
The Dometic 320 is our top pick for the best RV toilet because of its deep, porcelain, elongated bowl giving more of a residential feel. It’s also sturdier than most other RV toilets and easy to install and maintain.
Once you take a few hours to replace your RV toilet, you’ll be ready to hit the road again. Be sure to check out our campground guide to find the best national park campgrounds, places to camp near you, and the best campgrounds. Happy camping!
