Emergency toilets: what to use when the water's off (2026)

Who it's for: The modern composting toilet — no water, no chemicals, no smell done right.

Trelino made separating toilets mainstream: urine goes to a front canister, solids to a lined container with a scoop of cover material, and because the two never mix there's remarkably little smell — no water, no chemicals, no cassette chemistry. The Evo M is the compact size that suits a campervan, boat, garden office or as a serious household backup. It's a routine, not an appliance: the urine canister empties every day or two in use, solids weekly-ish, and it needs somewhere ventilated to live. For genuine off-grid capability it's the modern answer.

Who it's for: A proven, no-plumbing loo solution for flats, vehicles and grab bags when the water or power is off.

The self-contained answer to going to the toilet when the mains are down: a NASA-developed gel locks waste solid for odour-free, spill-proof storage until you can bin it. Trusted by the US military and disaster agencies, it is about as foolproof as this category gets, though the per-bag cost mounts up in prolonged use.

Don't buy if You have a garden or the space for a simple twin-bucket or bucket-and-liner system, where bin bags and cat litter do much the same job for a fraction of the per-use cost. These kits earn their keep for flats, cars and grab bags where compactness and zero mess matter most, not as an everyday high-volume solution.

Who it's for: The comfortable tier of portable toilet — full-height seat, electric flush, family tanks.

The step up from the basic Porta Potti most people buy: a proper domestic-height seat, battery electric flush, level indicators on both tanks, and family-sized capacity (21L waste, 15L flush — several days for a household). For a power cut with water off, a campervan, or an allotment it's the most bathroom-like experience portable sanitation gets. It's still a chemical cassette toilet: you're emptying a tank and buying fluids, which is exactly the routine the composting options below exist to escape.

Who it's for: The household-sized version — same system, capacities that suit daily family use.

Identical philosophy to the Evo M — urine separation, no water, no chemicals — in the size that makes it a genuine full-time or family option rather than an occasional backup: bigger solids container, bigger canister, domestic seat height. If a composting toilet would be your household's actual plan (off-grid annexe, boat, smallholding, or resilience against a long water outage), size matters more than price here; emptying less often is the entire quality-of-life difference.

Who it's for: Caravan, campervan and boat owners, or households wanting a compact self-contained loo for power cuts or a burst-main.

A well-proven, no-nonsense portable toilet that needs no power and empties cleanly via its rotating spout. The 335 is the compact model in the range, so it suits one or two people rather than a full household over several days.

Don't buy if Don't buy the 335 if a whole household may need it for days at a time; the taller 365 or a larger cassette model gives more capacity between empties.

Who it's for: The crafted alternative — a separating toilet that looks like furniture, from a UK-rooted maker.

Kildwick's MiniLoo does what the Trelinos do — urine separation, zero water, zero chemicals — in a ready-assembled birch-ply unit that looks like a piece of furniture rather than moulded plastic. It's the pick where the toilet will be visible and permanent: a garden room, cabin or narrowboat. Wood needs slightly more care than plastic (keep it sealed, wipe don't soak), and the capacities suit one-to-two people; a full-time family wants the Evo L above.

Who it's for: The £60 that makes every toilet above actually usable — privacy, anywhere.

Unglamorous and essential: a pop-up privacy tent is what turns a portable or composting toilet from 'technically possible' into 'actually usable' in a garden, on an allotment, or beside a campervan. Kampa's Privvy stands full height, pegs down against wind, and doubles as a changing room or outdoor shower cubicle. It's a tent, not a shed — in a real gale you'd weight it properly or take it down — but as the enabler purchase for everything above, £60 is well spent.

Who it's for: Keeping a caravan, motorhome or boat cassette/portable toilet's waste tank hygienic and odour-free.

A long-standing, dependable waste-tank treatment for chemical toilets, now in a formaldehyde-free formula that's kinder to septic systems. It does one job well and is stocked almost everywhere, which matters when you need a top-up mid-trip.

Don't buy if You run a SOG-vented, composting or eco toilet, or prefer additive-free tank treatments - you simply won't need blue chemical fluid.

Who it's for: A cheap, foolproof backup loo for when the water or drains are off at home, or for festivals and touring.

A simple bucket with a snap-on seat and lid is one of the cheapest, most reliable pieces of emergency sanitation you can keep in a cupboard. Paired with heavy-duty liner bags and gelling sachets it does the job with no plumbing, though it is basic and offers none of the odour control of a proper cassette toilet.

Don't buy if Don't buy this if you have the space and budget for a proper flushing chemical/cassette toilet and expect prolonged off-grid use, or if you won't stock the liner bags and gelling sachets it really needs to be pleasant.

Who it's for: A cheap, packable standby loo for the car, a festival, or a household water cut.

A lightweight folding frame that sits over disposable gel bags — genuinely handy to keep in the boot or a grab bag for when the water or drains are off. Build quality is basic and the seat sits fairly low, so treat it as an occasional-use backup rather than a caravan mainstay.

Don't buy if you want a proper toilet for regular caravan or campervan use — a flushing cassette Porta Potti is far more comfortable and cheaper per use over the long run.

Who it's for: A dignified toilet backup in the car, grab-bag, or during a water or power outage.

A cheap, reusable answer to the awkward problem of no working toilet: a 1-litre bottle with a leakproof cap and a female adapter that earns its place in a car or grab-bag. Build quality is basic, but for a few pounds it does exactly what is needed.

Don't buy if Skip it if your plan already includes a bucket-style emergency toilet with waste bags and gel, which does the same job more comfortably; and for regular outdoor use women may prefer a dedicated stand-to-pee funnel.