Best Bucket Toilet for Prepping and Emergencies

Don’t get stuck digging a cat hole in an emergency: get yourself an emergency bucket toilet. They are remarkably simple solutions for your sanitation problem usually using the versatile 5-gallon bucket. Despite the simple concept, there are many types and models of bucket toilets to pick from.

This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best bucket toilets, compared them, and now the results are in: the overall best, a lid option, an upgrade option, and even a DIY option. If you need an emergency sanitation solution, one of our picks will handle your business.

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Contents (Jump to a Section)

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Get everything you need in one shot with this all-in-one bucket toilet kit. It includes the 5-gallon bucket with instructions and best practices printed right on it. It also includes some waste bags and, of course, the seat & lid. The bucket itself doesn’t have any internal ridges or rough edges to snag your sanitation bag on.

It didn’t take much to earn our top spot- a well-thought-out bucket that is durable and dependable enough to get the job done.

Here is what you get with the toilet kit:

• Includes 3 toilet waste bags
• UV-resistant polypropylene
• Max weight: 300 pounds
• 13.5″ W x 13.5″ L x 16″ H
• 4.65 pounds

It’s effective, durable, and a complete kit so it’s easy to see why the Camco Portable Toilet Bucket is the best.

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Most of us have plenty of 5-gallon buckets around and just need a toilet seat lid. You could risk it with a traditional toilet seat, but the first time that thing slips on you you’re going to want something secure.

This seat lid snaps onto most 5-gallon (or 4-gallon) buckets making a bucket-to-toilet conversion a breeze.

Here is how the Campersville seat measures up:

• Durable high-density polypropylene
• Snap on to any standard 5-gallon bucket
• Max weight: 300 pounds
• 13.5″ W x 13″ L x 1.5″ H
• 0.9 pounds

If you are looking for just a lid that is comfortable and reliable, the Campersville Toilet Seat Lid is what you need.

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Similar to the collapsing camping cups and bowls we now have a collapsing toilet option. You may be thinking ‘Well great, this will collapse as soon as I sit on it to take care of business’ but that is far from the case. The twist cam locks are easy to use but do not twist free if there is any pressure on the lid. Once expanded, it holds more weight than a conventional 5-gallon bucket. It’s not going to collapse during use.

Being able to stow a bucket toilet down to a 3″ height inside a carrying case is a game changer. This allows you to carry a bucket toilet with you or keep it in smaller kits, like bug out vehicles.

Here are the full specs:

• Includes carrying bag and 10 toilet waste bags
• Height adjustable from 3.5″ to 13″
• Max weight: 380 pounds
• 13″ W x 13″ L x 3″ H (collapsed/packed)
• 2.75 pounds

If you are looking for a compact collapsible toilet that really excels as a portable solution, grab a TRIPTIPS Collapsible Toilet.

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Everything We Recommend

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The Toilets We Compared

Our research narrowed the field down to several brands and types of toilets that we compared: Camco, TRIPTIPS, Campersville, Luggable Loo, Honeybucket, Stansport, Medline, and more.

You can see our full list of review criteria below in the What to Look For section, with an explanation for each.

We considered a wide range of portable. We have other reviews that focus on camp-specific toilets and composting toilets, so this review was narrowed down to specifically bucket models.

We’re always looking for new and better solutions, so if you have a bucket toilet that you swear by, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually so we can try to get it in the next roundup round and see if it will beat out our top picks.

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What to Look For

The best bucket toilets have a few features to look for:

1. Value
2. Comfort
3. Capacity & Storage
4. Size & Weight
5. Durability

When you get the right blend of these, you can find a toilet that will let you get business done anywhere. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the bucket toilet seats and kits that truly set themselves apart.

Value: Cost vs. Benefit

The amount of money you spend on something as simple as a toilet shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. Bucket toilets are cheap and can even be made with existing materials you may have around the house.

You never want to spend too much money on one thing when it comes to emergency (or camping) gear. It’s better to diversify your equipment to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios.

Comfort

One of the main purposes of a bucket toilet is to be moderately comfortable. Otherwise, you could just hover over a trash bag and get it done. With a toilet seat, you’ll be much more comfortable and supported.

Odor control is a part of comfort- a persistent unpleasant odor is not something you want to deal with 24/7.

Capacity & Storage

There are small options for bucket toilets, similar to trucking urinals as they are meant to be for compact spaces with a low number of uses before being emptied and cleaned. These are also used in medical situations, but they simply don’t handle very many uses without tending to them.

This is why we settled on the 5-gallon size. It can handle a lengthy period of use, is multifunctional, and can stack to store. Plus, as we’ll get into later- they are very durable.

Size & Weight

If you are looking at bucket toilets, you aren’t looking to carry around a ton of weight. Installed and composting toilets can weigh quite a bit, but 5-gallon buckets are light and have a consistent size of 12″ x 12″ x 16″.

Durability

Durability is always important for your gear, but you especially don’t want your latrine bucket to crack or break, dumping you into the mess. 5-gallon buckets have about a 300-pound capacity when they are oriented as a cylinder without a lid (much lower capacity if they are on their side).

A few of the ones we saw with incorporated buckets passed this limit, but you can also pass it by putting a lid on the bucket. Once the lid is attached to help support the bucket, it is very durable with a 500-pound capacity. So, you can sit or stack things on it without worry when you use a lid, plus it is stronger if the bucket ends up on its side for some reason.

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How to Make a DIY Bucket Toilet

Bucket toilets are dirt simple- get a bucket and do your business in it. But, you can make your life a whole lot easier if you add some features like a more comfortable seat, a bag to collect waste, and if you make sure you are using a 5-gallon bucket with a lid.

For starters, if you are going the DIY route, you’ll want a bucket with a lid. Since you won’t have the toilet seat lid to reduce odors, you’ll want to seal it up when the toilet isn’t in use.

Next, a pool noodle makes a great impromptu toilet seat. You’ll probably need to trim it to size which is easy with scissors or a knife, or you can just tear it by hand.

Last, you’ll need a trash bag liner for the bucket. Double and triple bagging is always a good idea to avoid messes.

A few extras you can do to improve your DIY solution include adding kitty litter inside the bag to absorb liquids and help with odor, and looping toilet paper onto the handle for easy access.

Abby does a pretty good job of walking through the steps for a DIY bucket toilet:

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Who Needs a Bucket Toilet?

Those in need of a bucket toilet typically fall into two categories: recreational campers or emergency preppers. While we focused on the latter for our picks, bucket toilets can still be used in a wide range of scenarios.

Bucket toilets are suggested as part of an emergency sanitation plan for this kit:

You will also find us suggesting bucket toilets for certain bug-out vehicles (depending on space):

Bucket toilets are also buckets, so while you may not want to use it for everything, you may still be able to find alternative uses for the bucket itself.

Sources and References

All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best bucket toilet are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical survival experience:

Gunnarsdóttir, R., et al. (2012). A review of wastewater handling in the Arctic with special reference to pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and microbial pollution. Ecological Engineering. Volume 50. Issue 2. Pages 76-85. (Source)

Anand, C., et al. (2011). Economic and environmental analysis of standard, high efficiency, rainwater flushed, and composting toilets. Journal of Environmental Management. Volume 92. Issue 3. Pages 419-428. (Source)

Van Der Geest, S. (2002). The night-soil collector: Bucket latrines in Ghana. Post Colonial Studies. Volume 5. Issue 2. Pages 197-206. (Source)

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The Final Word

A toilet doesn’t have to be an installed appliance that tethers you down. It can also be a cathole or a bucket toilet, with the bucket affording you mobility and freedom without sacrificing sanitation and comfort.

Here are a few other guides and reviews our subscribers have found helpful:

We presented quite a lot of information, but as always: if you have any questions let us know and we would be happy to help. Our research and testing found the Camco Portable Toilet to be the best option given its value, comfort, capacity/storage, size/weight, and durability.

Keep exploring, stay prepared, and be safe.

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