TINY HOME TOILETS - What are your best options?

[@TinyIndustrial]

My toilet is the Incinolet. I'm a big fan. Works great for my tiny house set up. Check out my in-depth review of this toilet here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqeoh5yBe6-ie7s

[@3dchick]

THANK YOU for this. Finding someone who explained the various options is fantastic!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks so much for the kind comment. Glad it was helpful. What's your scenario and toilet of choice for your situation?

[@lyfandeth]

Best & most accurate discussion I've ever heard. And with one fan pushing air into the lav, and anoterh pulling it out, there's no odor at all.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thank you! I appreciate the comment.

[@LaceyCrawfordArtist]

I've been sitting at my computer for hours, researching composting and dry-flush toilets on a rainy day. This was the best 'review' of the 4 basic choices and the best synopsis for each. I had heard of incinerating toilets a few years ago but feared: too much heat, do they actually work?, and is the hookup difficult to make them work well. Since I added an outlet close to where the toilet will sit, that's no longer a problem. I think the reason I hadn't considered it this far into my build is that I forgot about them, most likely because they're more rare in the waterless toilet discussions, and that could be due to the high cost. I'm building a not-so-tiny house (studio home since I'm an artist) and need something full-time rather than just a camping or an occasional toilet - and something my friends and family won't freak out if they have to use. These are actually "attractive", while so very few are, and will do exactly what I want = get rid of the less savory part of being human. Dumping tanks and jugs is out of the question since I don't have complete privacy where I live, while composting, although somewhat feasible, isn't the best option here either. Burning it to smithereens is by far the best choice and worth the price. Thanks for your video, I'm finally on the right path.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks for the comment. I'm glad that my video was helpful. Seems like you have settled in on what you believe is the right path for you. It's always the context that matters with these kind of things.

[@cindyknouff1724]

We spent a lot of time thinking about what to do during a SHFT situation and actually had the solution here at home. We have a over the toilet handicap chair that we used for my mom. She passed several years ago but we kept the chair. That will be our make shift toilet. Using the 'shavings' idea we will have a five gallon bucket beneath the chair and the drop down shield will go right into the bucket. Having two dedicated buckets, one in use and one to empty and sanitize for the next change. It will go in the spare bedroom for privacy. It even has a toilet paper hanger that come out on the side of the arm. They run anywhere from 40 to 150 dollars.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Sounds like a good plan.

[@gill128]

This was helpful to me and my wife as we try to decide what to do about toileting. Thank you.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad it was helpful! Which one of the options works best for your situation?

[@SohailMalik-j6n]

Excellent summary for the range of tiny home toilets.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Much appreciated. What is your choice?

[@SohailMalik-j6n]

@@TinyIndustrial I would definitely go for the incinerating option, until I can run the pipes to my septic.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yup. They hold their value pretty well too. Which is rare for a used toilet...

[@dottyjyoung]

Incinerator toilets are popular in the boating world, so if you find an area w/used boats, you may get lucky and find one second-hand. There are two available in the Annapolis area right now for ~1200.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Nice. It's been a great solution for me. Thanks for the tip for the viewers.

[@FolloweroftheWay-Jesus]

Great tip, thanks!

[@melzz]

Isn't on boat would be easier to just flush it to the ocean? Or is it not allowed? Sorry I'm not familiar with boat house

[@wh1skeyrebellion]

@@melzz Open ocean, yes overboard. Marina (especially U.S.) not so much ⛵️

[@GlorifiedGremlin]

@@melzz Anywhere near coastline where people are, that's a big nono

[@sharoncheek68]

Great video! Thinking of going the tiny house route and this answered some questions. Thanks for posting!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful for you. What kind of house are you looking to get/build?

[@corinnefraund5446]

This video is very timely for me because I just learned about incinerator toilets. I have been researching them and looked at both the Cinderella and the Incinole. I’m still on the fence a little bit but thank you for going over all of this information.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Oh good. I appreciate the comment and I'm happy that the video was useful to you.

[@wisewoman7906]

Nice video. Good info; good blend of talk and pictures. My shed-to-cabin tiny house is going to be set up with the goal of being as functional as possible should there be no power (don't ever forget the "planned blackouts" of this past February, during sub-zero temperatures.) I think I'm going to opt for the simplest version -> 5-gallon bucket and some kind of sawdust/peat moss/pellets for cover. The buckets are cheap enough as to be purchased a few at a time, which, when full, can be snap lidded shut and left to compost outside as is for 2 years. I live alone, so I don't foresee needing more than 2-3 a month if I collect everything. Separating solids and liquids of course will reduce that. But, since $$ is the deciding factor, it seems the best method for me.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Shed to cabin is really popular and makes a lot of sense. Starting out with the bucket method is great since you can do so without spending a lot of money. If it's not right for you, you can switch to something else without incurring a huge cost in the process. It's actually a really smart way to go about it.

[@amandabowen5125]

Woah, thanks for the succinct information! My husband and I lived in our tiny house for 3 years with the $5 bucket "composting" toilet system with standard facilities nearby. Now, 5 years later, we are looking to move back into our tiny house again, this time with kids and off grid! I will definitely be looking into incinerating toilets. Thanks for the tip!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Glad that it helped you. Always good to know what all your options are.

[@lisagross7583]

I’m so glad you made this video. I’ve been dreaming about a tiny house and it looks like I might have to settle for just getting one of the tiny houses that were built anywhere from 50 years to 100 years ago. And the part I do love about that is everything is all on one floor including a laundry/mudroom. Now that I’m disabled having no stairs is a great thing for me. We have a whole lot of homes here in Milwaukee Wisconsin that are 1000 feet or smaller. At one time they built rowhouses for the veterans that were returning from war. Hi even consider getting one of them and maybe getting a remodel to an open concept with a lot of built-in storage that uses every nook and cranny of the home. I thought an apartment would be a good idea and even though I’m in the two bedroom apartment I can smell everything from the apartment beneath me. I can smell when they go number two I can smell when they smoke and sometimes they smoke marijuana and it’s a 55 and older senior building that was supposed to be non-smoking and it’s supposed to be drug-free and the manager see you don’t care. So now I’m thinking about being a first time homeowner at 57 years old. I feel like at this point in my life is almost in The Society because I’m tired of the lying cheating slum landlords who don’t even follow federal or state guidelines and laws.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, you highlight a point that is ever more prevalent. People have been pushed more and more to the margins in regard to home ownership. Home prices over the last few years have gone out of reach to most people. Even if you have good credit and are open to taking on a mortgage, there is always a cash buyer lurking in the wings these days that will snap a potential home out from under you. You can't compete with cash buyers in this housing market. All that's really left to people is alternative housing, tiny houses, van life, skoolies and so on. That's simply the reality of the situation. You also highlight that renting never really gets you anywhere. So true. Thanks for the comment.

[@kevinm9479]

Hey, I never actually comment on the videos I watch but yours was great. You really went through the options and don't sugar-coat anything - kudos. Composting may be the most green option but the incineration seems to make the most sense in my situation and will save me from having to install a 15K septic system on my property. Quick question though, how about the gray water from showers etc? How is that handled? Many thanks for a great video.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad that it was helpful Kevin and thanks for the kind words. Yup, the Incinolet is a great option for many folks. Gray water options is perhaps a topic for another video. That one is very dependent on what local municipalities allow for and so forth. Filtering grey water and running it througha set of planters (and using really gentle cleaning products) seems to be the most popular solution.

[@GlorifiedGremlin]

Let me guess, high water table? I've got the same issue, so I have to put in an absurdly expensive system with extra pumps and stuff lol that's why I'm looking into alternatives

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yup, that can be a relevant aspect for sure. How did you make out?

[@schatzihall6572]

I use the 5 gallon bucket and sawdust and coffee grounds. I’m off-grid. I’ve been doing this for about 15 years. Winter is a little tough in the northeast and as I get older I empty buckets when they’re half way full. My friend has an Incinolet that she’s happy with and she’s in her 70’s, but is hooked to the grid. I had Sunmars and they were a nightmare! I started using the bucket after taking a tiny house workshop with Peter King in Vermont. He handed me the Humanure book and the Sunmars were history!

[@TinyIndustrial]

First of all I love your name/KZbin handle. Yup, I hear you, it all comes down to what works for your particular scenario. Glad your friend likes the Incinolet. I'm in that camp as well. Big fan. Anyway, thanks for the comment.

[@toddfagan7703]

I have done lots of research an you have coverd the points very well .thank you .great all points coverd video.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Have you made your final decision on which one is right for you?

[@danm3038]

Great video with lots of comparative information. Considering an Incinolet as a second toilet in a country home and watched your review of your unit. Thanks for the frank description. One small quibble, the SunMar composting units are truly composting toilets that produce converted solids for your flower bed but because of size, may not be suitable for a tiny house.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hi. Thanks for the comment. Yes, true, there are some toilets that actually do compost but they are as you say likely too large for a tiny house application. Do you have a tiny house or are you simply interested in composting and various toilet options?

[@danm3038]

@@TinyIndustrial Don't have a tiny house but building a small retirement country place....slooooowwwwwlllly :-). The tiny house community is interesting to me as there are great space saving ideas that come out of the programs, websites and videos etc...ideas anyone can use. Currently using a composting toilet which is a good option for us but challenged in humid weather and when we have more than a few people up for a few days. Found your Incinolet review first then watched this one..the Incinolet will be the basement toilet (I've learned to not use the word "overflow"...he he). decide to

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@danm3038 Hi. Yes, very true. Let me know if I can answer any more specific questions for you.

[@h.h.legacydiesel6724]

great video...thanks for the comparisons...we also saw another incinerator toilet called 'LITTLE JOHN' or something like that 🤷‍♀️do u know of this one?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Not familiar with the one you mention. There are a few out there. It's a small niche item. Not a lot of companies clamoring to compete in this alternative toilet space. Thanks for the comment. Which one are you leaning towards?

[@danhooper1056]

Great information. Myself, I like the composting toilet. aka 5 gallon bucket and sawdust. Works great!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Sure, that's a popular option. Simple and inexpensive for sure. As I say, it's all about personal preference.

[@kalijuri]

we are looking at the ecojohn ($3300) that runs on both propane and electric for my dad's rv. they also offer size options including a 'septic burn tank' for an entire home. i have used the Laveo which i would only recommend on short term use due to the expense of the cartridges and the smell. it would be like a cable bill every month. it also starts to smell eventhough the waste is shrink wrapped. and 15 of them sit there until you are done with all 15. 15 bathroom visits sitting there.

[@TinyIndustrial]

I would be interested to hear how you like that ecojohn. I have only ever briefly used a Laveo and liked it (it was in a tiny house rental I stayed at). It's user friendly which is a good start. I get that the cartridges are expensive though and storing 15 visits to the bathroom is not ideal.

[@kalijuri]

@@TinyIndustrial I will def let you know.

[@TinyIndustrial]

So what's the verdict on this? Did you get the Ecojohn?

[@xiloeteknowledgiesllc1973]

Very good breakdown of the categories I want to see a combination of rocket mass heater with regular flush toilet with incinerator capabilities

[@TinyIndustrial]

That would be interesting. Thanks for commenting.

[@robertgould7504]

Well done video describing the pros and cons honestly. A question for you about a toilet you did not review but hope you have some insight... We have a new outbuilding/barn where we could run plumbing but the cost, hassle, and environmental impacts of plumbing and using water make a composting/dry toilet appealing. We hope to rent the building (all electric) so having a semi-normal looking & functioning toilet is important, as is ease of use & maintenance. Have you seen or heard much about the Biolet toilets? I'm deciding between one of those and the Incinolet. I would prefer compost vs ash and worry about a renter forgetting to use the paper (seems risky) that is required w/ the Incinolet. Any thoughts are welcome.!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hmm. I haven't had any experience with that specific biolet model. Looks like a viable solution. As long as you are not depending on the renters to clean out the toilet and are doing that yourself or having someone do it, perhaps the Biolet is the better option. That said. you will still be subject to people tossing dental floss, Q-tips, and Peppermint patty wrappers in there...all of which will not compost well.

[@robertgould7504]

@@TinyIndustrial Thank you for your input. We'll be responsible for cleaning the toilet/dealing with the compost. The voice of experience in terms of ways the system could be contaminated. Don't forget pharmaceuticals, too. BTW, I'm an NJ 'refugee' , although we deep roots, and been living in the SF Bay Area for over 25 yrs. We still love visiting family, NYC, and LI beaches.

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@robertgould7504 Happy to help. Let me know if I can provide any further assistance.

[@russelbran1135]

For the incinerator toilet, do you have to run the vent pipe to the outside of the house? I wanted to avoid cutting a hole in my house for venting to the outside... Thank you for the very helpful info.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, you do have to run a vent to the outside since there is a combustion process taking place that you wouldn't want to have circulating around your house. Definitely need to vent that. Glad you like the video. Thanks for commenting.

[@neiljohnson6815]

How about a normal toilet hooked to a septic tank or even a municipal type sewer system?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Well, tiny houses only very rarely have a 'normal' toilet. Most tiny house scenarios don't have the luxury of having limitless water and a pipe that all that waste can flow down. That's precisely the reason people have to get a bit more creative with their toilet options.

[@elninopalta3509]

Building my tiny house soon enough, thanks for the info!

[@TinyIndustrial]

That's great. What kind of house are you building? Shed roof? Cabin? Vardo?

[@SusieAnderson-fu4up]

How much electricity does the incinerator use per flush?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Roughly it uses 1kilo watt hour per cycle. Average price per kWh in the US is currently around $0.17. You have that and the cost of the liner (pennies). So figure that it costs about 20cents per 'flush'.

[@Madsynth1987]

As far as flush toilets go, I would also mention you can purchase an RV flush toilet and use a black water tank same as an RV. A lot of bus builds I've seen use a system like that. But like you said, it's all up to personal preference. But that is an option that might work well for some.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, true. You can use some sort of tank in the ground method. Hauling around blackwater and finding ways/places to dispose of it isn't always easy though.

[@MsZzzipper]

This is great! Thank you for the information. :)

[@TinyIndustrial]

Happy that this was helpful. Which toilet works best for you?

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

Very informative video and nicely presented. Could you do a short video to show a comparison of high to low power usage for the various toilets? (unless I missed it in this video) If I spend a ton on an incinerating toilet and then find that it also uses more electricity to run than the other toilets-which they do-it will affect my buying choice. Also, as you said, it takes the incinerator about 90 minutes to be ready to flush for the next customer. So if you are environmentally conscious, you might want to consider a different option. Of course, if all your electric is drawn from solar power, it is free power-after the solar array is bought & wired in-right? But you still have to spend almost $90 per pack of 15 toilet bags for the incinerator. For one person, that isn’t too bad. For a family of 3 or more people, that can be a fortune. For my family, it is the deal-breaker. Thanks again for your video.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks for the comment. Are you suggesting a video outlining the cost of operation? That would be helpful for some people. My focus was mainly to outline the different options and how they work. Getting into acquisition cost, maintenance cost and cost to run are also interesting aspects for people to ponder for sure.

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

@@TinyIndustrial Yes, cost of operation is very important to most people: $90 every 15 flushes?! For a family, that could work out to be $90 every single day! In the long run, if you can’t afford to operate the incinerating toilet, it ends up being just a nice show piece. When I first read about it, I was very excited about the possibility of having one because of the ease of operation, but realistically, the cost is far too prohibitive for most people including me. Also, waiting 90 minutes between flushes is not practical for a family.

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@EffieG-ez9tf There is a bit of confusion here. $90 for 15 flushes? I'm not sure what you are referencing. Even if you ran the toilet all day it wouldn't amount to more than a few $ per day. I did the math a while back and I think that the Incinolet is about $0.25/$0.50 per flush plus the paper liner which costs a few pennies. The expensive one is the Lavalet with the fancy cartridges that you need to buy for it.

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

@@TinyIndustrial Ohhh! Sorry. I thought on the video you said that each packet or cartridge was $90 and would only last for 15 flushes. Must have misunderstood you. Thanks for the headsup.

[@TinyIndustrial]

No problem! Glad we got that cleared up.

[@donnaarmstrong1193]

Thanks, Chris. I have an rv toilet but no running water. I line the toilet with strong, 4 gal trash bags ($1.39/48 from WM) and for a urine diverter, I use a "hat" - those washable, rimmed cups used in hospitals to measure output - at about $14/6 on Amazon. I use equine pine pellets ($6/40 lbs) or cedar chips ($8 for a large, compacted bale at WM) for the medium. The urine is poured in a jug that is emptied deep in the woods. The bag is tied up and put in the outside trash (much like anyone would dispose of diapers). My bathroom smells like fresh pine or cedar. Very affordable for boondocking. I'm trying to decide between a Lugable loo type unit or a camp potty for when I build my vardo. Probably a LL with a nice box built around it that I can slide under the bed. :) If I could afford an incinerating toilet, I'd prefer that.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hi Donna. That's great info and thanks for sharing that!

[@JeanFowlerUSA]

Great video! I had already looked online at the Incinolet and love the idea of it but since it's pricey might wait a bit. We went from a 5 gallon bucket to a "nicer" toilet - see the Playberg portable toilet at Home Depot. Looks like a toilet but goes into a container that we double bag and take home for trash. We're only at the place on weekends and if staying Fri-Mon - might change it out once. That being said, we have no odor issues at all and find it easily managed. However, now I'm questioning if we should be putting these bags in the regular trash pickup or do we have to do something with it first (like adding Poo Powder to gel it)? I've looked online but can't find anything definite.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Not sure in regard to your question. I suppose it depends on the municipality. People throw dog poop in the garbage all the time. Not really that different...

[@FolloweroftheWay-Jesus]

I enjoyed your down-to-earth and informative video. Have you ever looked into Verma? composting? I've seen it on a couple of tiny house episodes, maybe in New Zealand or Australia. There are buried tanks outside and I believe wets abd solids go into different tanks. The solids one has worms that break everything down. It's intriguing to me to use nature wonderfully. I'll also be watching your video on the incineration toilet you use because I saw another episode on YT but couldn't locate that brand of incineration toilet online anywhere in U.S./anywhere I searched online.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad you liked it. Yes, there are a bunch of options. I have heard of the worm option. Sounds great. As with anything, it may not be feasible for all people (i.e. in Alaska). Typically there are one or two good options available give your circumstances and house setup/location.

[@Orangesjesus]

Growing up in the sticks, (don't use the smooth stick to stir your tea), and exposure to thunderbox/longdrop, out-houses, makes one appreciate indoor plumbing,..(but then, you miss hearing the sound of frost, forming?).

[@TinyIndustrial]

Nice insight. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@annhopkin5079]

Can you use newspaper? Instead of the the liners you're supposed to use for the incentive let

[@TinyIndustrial]

No. The wax paper handles liquids better in that it doesn't let them soak in or impact the integrity of the seal. Newspaper would leak and be a soggy mess before you get a chance to 'flush' the toilet. Wouldn't work.

[@kenjboyd6233]

That was a great overview, thanks!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad that it helped you! Have you made your decision?

[@kenjboyd6233]

@@TinyIndustrial , no we haven't. You are not living totally off-grid. I do appreciate your overview, but in addition to the big upfront costs of incinerator toilets, you don't mention the wattage that it is costing monthly, which is even a bigger deal if you are living totally off of electricity. Outhouses are looking better all the time. But thanks for asking.

[@TinyIndustrial]

No problem. Did you land on the solution that works/worked best for you?

[@kenjboyd6233]

@@TinyIndustrial , No, fell from the top of one of our cabins & broke 5 bones year-before-last, which made us have to rent an apt. nearby, w/all the conventional bathroom fixtures. Strange that you should ask 2 years later, cause I'm now healed enough to move back to our off-grid home. So I am now back to having to find the best solution, as my accident has seriously delayed the building of the bath house.

[@AJ-sb8qk]

8:53 🤔90 minute burn cycle? So you have to wait an hour and 30 minutes between poop sessions? In all honesty, I think the electric incinerating toilet is a great option. I did not know It was a 90 minute process. My question to you would be, because I own some off grid recreational land with a cabin that's powered by a generator do you think this would still be a good option?

[@TinyIndustrial]

No, you don't have to wait. You can use it while it is burning the prior usage. That is for the 110V version. If you get a dedicated 220 outlet, it will burn much faster with the 220 version of the toilet. Yes, a generator could run this toilet. Not ideal, but doable. Comes down to what's important to you. If you didn't go with this toilet, what kind would you use in your scenario?

[@AJ-sb8qk]

@TinyIndustrial Thanks for responding, I appreciate it. So currently my goal is to remain off grid so I have a pop-up tent from Amazon and a plastic toilet that folds up with the usual garbage bag Kitty litter and it that works. I've looked at videos on composting toilets which I think could be a great option but I'm not really doing anything with the land where the actual composting breakdown would be beneficial plus I'm only there one day at a time here and there for right now until it becomes my perfect weekend getaway. I was thinking if I had the incinerator toilet that I could just modify my small 10 / 20 cabin to accommodate a bathroom which would eliminate the smell, so I'm tossing around a lot of different ideas and that's why I really enjoy following and subscribing to Channels like yours for good ideas

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yeah, sometimes it's hard to figure out what the best option is. It's a very personal choice too. Happy that my video helped you in that regard. Best of luck to you.

[@johntherat339]

Good informative video. What toilet would you recommend for a short term rental scenario? My first option is the incinerator but I'm afraid someone might forget to put the liner in and I've heard it's an issue if that happens.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks, glad you liked it. For a rental, I would definitely go with the 'Dry Flush' toilet. www.shoptinyhouses.com/products/laveo-dry-flush-toilet It's the most foolproof one. I personally have seen it in tiny house rentals and it would be my choice for that scenario. I have also run into the lack of liner in the Incinolet. It's not much fun. :)

[@johntherat339]

@@TinyIndustrial Thanks for the response. I would obviously prefer a flush toilet but don't have the $12k to spend right now for septic. I've done some research and most people only get around 10-12 flushes from the dry flush cartridge. I suppose I could provide instructions for a guest to change it out if needed.

[@theresasanford8210]

What happens if you don’t put liner in?

[@monicahilton828]

@@theresasanford8210 I called the company, they said if someone doesn't use a liner it will leak and break the heat coil. We have a cabin we want to rent out, we are so torn on the correct option. Look at OGO

[@TinyIndustrial]

Bad things.

[@TheEmpowermentAlchemist]

My house/ cottage got called unsanitary because I have a bucket /sawdust composting toilet.......oh well. I can't stand throwing good water down into the sewer. Thank you for such a detailed explanation. I'll check on the incenolet.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, that can happen. As I always say...it's best to have a plan for what you are doing with the contents of the toilet. That's where most of the problems start to crop up. Most people love the concept of a composting toilet, but they don't love figuring out where and how to actually compost the material that is produced in the toilet. Do you agree?

[@lynetteclauser3551]

What is the cost of running the incinolet? I we talking $1 a flush, $5, $10? I know about the liners and I know it runs like an hour or more. But what does it cost Energy wise?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Depends on the price of electricity. I think that I roughly estimated it at $0.50 flush where I live. Give or take $0.40 cents...

[@pinkyjones9175]

If you use a toilet that separates liquids from solids where do you dispose of the liquid? Do you need to add anything to it to treat it or change the acidity of it before emptying on the earth?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Good question. I guess it depends on where you are and what your means of disposal are. Some people filter grey water and urine through some planters/pond kind of thing. Don't really know what other ways of conscious disposal for urine are. Perhaps someone who knows can chime in on this thread?

[@createyourlighthouse3288]

Thank you 😊 your so informative I really appreciate. Iam building a tiny house after I’ve done my research and feel I will go with Cinderella 👱🏼‍♀️ Regards From Australia 🇦🇺

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks for the kind words! The Cinderella is really nice. Pricey though... Please document your build process on KZbin and post a link! Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@darrenborn307]

I'm in Australia and were about to purchase the toilet for our tiny home which is the Green Loo or Clivus Multrim Toilet. You briefly touched on the split system toilets but unfortunately didn't go into any detail. For us this is by far and away the best solution as it takes the idea you were speaking of but its been refined to a point which makes it not only very environmentally friendly but odour free, attractive (as far as toilets can be ??) and really easy to service. Maybe these are a relatively new comer to the market or maybe they're only readily available in Australia and New zealand, or maybe I'm blissfully ignorant to some major flaw in their design ?? I'd love to hear some feedback before we spend our hard earned money.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hi there. I checked out both of the company's websites that you mentioned. Clivus is more of a large scale implementation. My presumption when making this video was that there would be some level of mobility for the tiny house (on wheels). These solutions are great maybe for a cabin or other fixed structure but not for a tiny house that is meant to be moved at least occasionally. The same holds true for the Green Loo. Mostly large holding/composting tank solutions. They do have some standalone units like the Eco Pod but I can't see any huge differentiation with that product to a slew of other 'nice looking' composting toilets that are a few steps above the just-a-bucket-and-sawdust method. Am I missing something?

[@FollowGrant]

What about a bidet option? I am considering doing 2 toilets so I can have a dedicated bidet toilet.

[@TinyIndustrial]

If you have a tiny house with two toilets, then that's what you prioritize over something else I suppose. All comes down to what you want and need in the space you have available....and the budget at your disposal.

[@robahas]

What about the kinds of toilets that are used in RVs? Can't those be applied to tiny homes? I believe they are flush toilets with collection tanks. So you would have to figure out hot to deal with the tank contents.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hi Rob. You kind of answered your own question there at the end. RV's you drive to a dump station and empty the tanks. Much harder to do on a less mobile tiny house. Also doesn't solve for 4 season usage in climates where water spends a good portion of the year frozen. It's kind of like what I say in the video...the best solution is the one that works best for you and your particular situation.

[@MurrayBogart]

There was one more it was kind of an electric composing version but has disappeared in recent years. maybe no longer available, but if you find it let me know

[@TinyIndustrial]

That just sounds like one of the fancier composting toilets where you have the air extraction with the fan and potentially the churning and turning of the waste to accelerate the composting process. Is that what you are referring to ?

[@PhagitzSpreadAIDS]

What about that style of RV toilet that flushes but it has no tank or anything?

[@TinyIndustrial]

That's a cassette toilet I believe they are called. You 'could' use one of those in a tiny house but you still have a pretty formidable hurdle of discarding that blue chemical goop in there. I'm sure there are scenarios where that might make sense, but it's not really an option for most tiny house implementations (maybe more of a van-life scenario where one is on the road a lot?)

[@neadastitch]

Hi, great video! Does the Incinolet come with a cleaning kit? How often does it need to be cleaned and is it easy to clean? Thx

[@TinyIndustrial]

No cleaning kit needed. You simply empty out the ash chamber, I would say after every 10 or so uses of the toilet. Easy. Quick. Not gross at all.

[@perez4476]

@@TinyIndustrial do you have to burn for each used?

[@chrisschapdick1257]

@@perez4476 Yes, you should run a burn cycle after each use.

[@emmanate28]

Any input about powering an incinerator with solar?

[@glennwest4438]

With enough solar anything doable

[@TinyIndustrial]

Not impossible, but likely impractical in most scenarios. The short answer is that if you have enough panels and batteries, this can be done. It's an expensive set up though.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Exactly...but maybe not a good idea.

[@andreabrossman8374]

Im looking into buying a cabin in the woods no toilet. But has access to water. This will be a weekender get a way for now. My concern is there an issue if it would sit for a time? with any of the choices except the normal flushing.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Not really. None that I can think of if I'm understanding your questions correctly. Cold weather climate? Hard freezes in the winter?

[@Iris_Transforms_Healing]

He looks like Dax Sheppard! Thanks for the info!!

[@TinyIndustrial]

I'll take that as a huge compliment. He's a good looking dude...and 7 years younger than I am :)

[@danielguertin9664]

We are stationary and don't have $2000 for a insinulet toilet, especially in Canada. What would-be the best option? We have a sceptic tank but if we can save on the flushing and eventual cost of having the tank emptied.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Well composting is going to be your least expensive option. Septic and tank based systems are going to quickly add up to more cost than the Incinolet would have cost you in the first place.

[@lisalavoie1857]

So do u wash out the buckets ? Or is there a garbage bag in there?

[@TinyIndustrial]

For a composting toilet? There are people who do it both ways. Some just clean the bucket and some use a liner (bag) and then discard of the bag at a later point.

[@suzyq6767]

Our off-grid stationary tiny house has a bucket with a snap-on lid for #2 and personal pee pots for #1. We don't even have a box. It works but I always enjoy flush toilet experiences. With the snap-closed top, it doesn't need venting. There's no smell except the usual problem of stinkiness at the moment of the act. We eliminate that smell with an essential oil spray. Emptying the bucket every 7-10 days is no big deal--not even as gross as changing a dirty diaper. We dump it in the compost bin and cover it with alfalfa. Everyone dumps their pee pot daily. The Portable Emergency Lid is better than the Luggable Loo Lid. Low tech. Low cost. Low maintenance. No electricity. No plastic beyond the bucket and lid. Only enough water to rinse out the bucket. Crushed dried leaves and peat are the best cover. Wood chips will not break down at all--bad experience. We've been doing this for 4 years--no problem. But if I had to do it again, I would have plumbed a flush toilet and installed a septic system. But that's just me.

[@TinyIndustrial]

All good info. Thanks for posting. It will help others make their decisions. Thanks!

[@vanessasimmons1175]

It’s the cleaning of the bucket and pipes that would put me off! Is it messy ? I’m thinking if the gunk sticking to surfaces. I’m a novice at this by the way but interested.

[@TinyIndustrial]

You mean on a composting toilet? Some people use bags as liners to the bucket. That kind of presumes that they are tossing out that bag later which kind of makes it not a composting toilet just a 'waterless toilet' of sorts. Thanks Vanessa. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@rhonnaleigh609]

How often do Incinolets need their burn cycle done? And how many kilowatts does the burn cycle use? Could it be solar-powered?

[@TinyIndustrial]

All good questions. Typically you would run a burn cycle as part of each 'flush' (use). Not sure of the kilowatt usage, but it's on the high side, and therefore the manufacturer (and I) don't recommend using this with a solar set up (you need a very beefy solar set up with lots of battery capacity). There is like a better solution for you if you don't have ample electricity available.

[@alynneloup7707]

Great information. Thank you

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thank you ! Glad I was able to help you!

[@gailboland1213]

My question is what should I do if my tiny house will not be moved but live in canada east coast. So winter plumbing is the issue. No water supply from november the may. I want to convert my carriage house garage into a tiny home.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hard to say without a bit more info (access to electricity, plumbing, septic, etc). I'm sure there is a way way to do what you are looking to accomplish though. Incinolet would my choice in a cold environment.

[@Stanf954]

Would it be possible to use a system that most RV manufacturers install with a flush and black tank or a cartridge toilet that can be emptied? The cartilage toliet seems to be the most convenient method to use. Some of the pop up and A frame trailers use that system.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Absolutely it's possible to mimic an RV style setup and perhaps I should have mentioned that as well. Although possible, it is problematic since the way these trailers for the houses are built and since they need to balance a great deal of weight, it can become tricky to account for an accommodate large fresh water, grey water and black water tanks. I wouldn't recommend going that route for that reason. What would be your second choice in regard to preference?

[@nanapoppatinopai5535]

Many thanks for the information 👍

[@TinyIndustrial]

No problem!

[@brianbailey3481]

If you choose the Incinolet for your “black” water disposal, where does the disposal of your “gray” water go? Do you just let your shower and sink water flow onto the ground around your tiny home?

[@TinyIndustrial]

I have a large tank in the ground for that. If it's just a minimum of grey water (handwashing), I don't see too much issue with it hitting the ground as long as you use good soaps not loaded with chemicals.

[@brianbailey3481]

@@TinyIndustrial Thank you for your response. I think I will also have to have a tank in the ground like yourself….beyond handwashing, I will need somewhere for my shower water. 👍🏻

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@brianbailey3481 check into your local regulations around this as well. There are some great ways to treat grey water with cascading ponds and plants to leach out contaminants and so forth. It's easier to get creative with grey water than black water is my point.

[@lynleyriini8416]

Could it be a fire risk as most off grid house can’t be insured

[@TinyIndustrial]

There is always some level of risk with any electrical device. I feel like this is really safe though this there are multiple layers of steel between the burn chamber and the exterior of the toilet. It's hard for me to imagine a scenario where this toilet would or could cause a fire during normal use and operations.

[@TheKonnoisseur11]

I feel like my Airbnb guest will not want to use the composting toilet or will just use it wrong which would be a mess wouldn’t it? So dry flush might be an option thanks.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Totally agree. In an Airbnb scenario that doesn't have traditional waste disposal the Dry Flush is the most user friendly and idiot proof device to go with.

[@miguelarrate]

I understand that there is an incinolet powered by gas (if you are off grid, gas can be the alternative). Do you know them? Where to find them?

[@TinyIndustrial]

I don't think they make that one anymore (Incinolet). I do know that there is some other maker that 'may' still make them. Don't know the company though. You'll still need some sort of fan to vent exhaust either way...so some electricity still required.

[@trekkersdaddy08]

Oh man this guy is so AWESOME!!!!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Andrew Bennet. I think that you are pretty awesome too. I'm gunning for your Cinderella toilet video which you shot in the great state of NJ. First time that I ran into you btw...fun fact.

[@trekkersdaddy08]

@@TinyIndustrial this is actually the better of the 2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWO9e6KkoN1_m68

[@sirducksworthythe3rd842]

For me with the small technically tiny not on wheels that I'm gonna be building, particularly built already, a flush is ideal, but may have to go with composting, durme to income at first , gonna be 1 bedroom, bathroom when done, dimensions wise still technically will be consider a tiny/ small home

[@TinyIndustrial]

Sounds good. Yes, no need to have the final solution be the first solution. I like your plan. Maybe you'll be ok with the composting solution and will not see a need to upgrade/spend the money.

[@kensiblonde4203]

Does the incinolator mean you can’t use it for 90 minutes while it’s incinerating? Sorry, confused.

[@TinyIndustrial]

No, you can use it while it is running. Simply hit the button again to reset the burn cycle. I get this question a lot, so I think that making a video on this might be a good idea, no?

[@ChelseaBradley]

While the incinerating toilet is running it's 90 minute cycle, does it produce noise? Even a hum of any sort? We are looking to get one but I record voice over for a living from home so just wondering about residual noise. Thanks for the overview!! :)

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, there is a hum from the extraction fan. The burn process produces some smoke, so a fan is needed to pull that out of the structure and to the outdoors. That is the sound that you will hear while it's running the burn cycle. About as loud as a dishwasher or a space heater. Quieter than a hair dryer... something like that. Not sure if that would mess up your voice over work.

[@ChelseaBradley]

@@TinyIndustrial thank you so much!

[@TinyIndustrial]

You are very welcome. Any update on this?

[@ChelseaBradley]

@@TinyIndustrial unfortunately no update as we never received our tiny home from our builder and are now in a long drawn out legal battle and criminal case 😞. Thank you for the follow up though!

[@justme-ti1rh]

Great video. Thanks

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad that it was helpful for you! Thanks for the comment. Are you building a tiny house or whats your interest in these options?

[@boyinblue.]

I thought the dry flush would be perfect until I seen the price of liners, I'm trying to find something that is easy and relatively clean disposal. In the end buying that toilet system wouldn't be economical for me, 100 dollars for around 30 flushes seems ridiculous.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yeah, when you delve into this subject there are really no perfect solutions. There are only a number of tradeoffs and you have to decide which is best for your situation. It invariably comes with some downside. Which downside do you mind the least...?

[@Konic_and_Snuckles]

You didn't really talk about cassettes toilets. What are your thoughts on those?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, you're right. They become a big burden in the sense of where do you dump that stuff? I would be able to recommend that solution if you have a way of eliminating the contents, but it's kinda difficult with the blue chemicals and all. I guess for me it makes kind of a non-viable solution. If you are in a camper at a campground or only produce waste over let's say a weekend and then get a chance to dispose of that waste 'back home' I guess this could work, but most tiny house scenarios don't really fit that model. Does that make sense? Do you think I'm off in that assessment?

[@nevermore464]

Hey. I was wondering if you had any recommendations on a toilet choice for a large community. What kind would be best in your opinion for a community of 5000

[@TinyIndustrial]

Wow. A community of 5000 people. It would likely be worth it to create a full sewage treatment facility for that many people. I wouldn't suggest using ~500 incinolets for 5000 people. You would run up a pretty high electric bill. :) Where is this community being conceived?

[@nanapoppatinopai5535]

Many thanks for info👍

[@TinyIndustrial]

Glad it was helpful for you!

[@pattipatterson7554]

What do you do with the urine with the separating compostable toilet?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Different folks do different things with it. You can certainly collect it and then dispose it into a municipal sewer (ie. via a regular flush toilet). Beyond that, people 'disperse' it in other ways You are right though that each options brings up its own limitations and downsides. At the end of the day, urine is not the worst thing in the world and disposing of it is certainly easier than 'ahem' other waste products humans produce.

[@pattipatterson7554]

@@TinyIndustrial Do you separate urine in the incinolet?

[@TinyIndustrial]

No, no separation needed. All get's burned (steamed off).

[@bonnielofton3733]

It appears from what information I heard that the incinerating toilet would not be a good choice for off grid.

[@TinyIndustrial]

That's correct. Too much energy usage. Energy is scarce (typically) when you are 'off grid'.

[@junipercook9061]

Can another person ‘do their business’ while it is incinerating? What happens then? It has to wait 90 mins to burn?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes! You can use the toilet while running a burn cycle. You just hit the start button again and the burn timer resets and commences a (new) burn cycle from that point forward.

[@stanotto9746]

Thanks. very useful information.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

[@Kay-xi9kv]

If it takes 90 minutes to incinerate, what happens if people keep using it before it is finished cooking?

[@TinyIndustrial]

You can add ingredients to the recipe while it's baking if you know what I mean.

[@incinolet868]

love the video thanks for the great review.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks Kevin. I'm happy that you found it to be helpful. I'll be posting more tiny house related videos shortly. Please consider subscribing if you haven't already.

[@incinolet868]

We are working on a new model for next year that will use less electricity.

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@incinolet868 As stated in the other video, looking forward to checking it out.

[@heywoodjay5261]

Great job laying it all out. Thank you! Very helpful!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Did it narrow down your personal choice?

[@heywoodjay5261]

@@TinyIndustrial incinerator

[@TinyIndustrial]

@@heywoodjay5261 Good choice. I think that it's the best if you have fairly easy access to electricity.

[@denisdufresne5338]

About the composting toilet. The secret to get no bad odors is the type and quantity of matter you use to absorb and cover your urine and poops. The matter must be high in carbon and highly absorbant. So the best matter is saw dust. Start by putting a think layer at the bottom of the contain and do not afraid to cover your excrement with a think layer of saw dust. You can also slightly turn the contain once a while to not pee always at the same place.

[@TinyIndustrial]

That's good advice. I assume that you use one of these? ...or did you simply research this topic a great deal?

[@offgridmatt]

Bucket pooper for 10 years…Great video!💩

[@TinyIndustrial]

Perfectly good option. Thanks for the kind words and the comment.

[@keilaniwilliams9311]

great video, thank you so much!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thank you. Glad that it was helpful for you. Anything you feel that I missed?

[@julieschliesmann7682]

If you stop mowing the lawn, you could use old grasses or tree leaves as peat for composting.

[@TinyIndustrial]

True. Is that something that you are doing? Does it work well?

[@lynleyriini8416]

What happens if your power stops for some reason and you need to go

[@TinyIndustrial]

Go into the woods. The worst is when you start a burn cycle and the power cuts out during the burn cycle. Loss of power leads to the extraction fan stopping and you are left with smoldering waste that can and does smoke up the house a bit. Not great, but generally the power doesn't cut out, so it's a rare phenomenon.

[@michaelpetry4907]

@@TinyIndustrial Perhaps a backup generator would be useful in the rare times that there's a blackout...it'll keep the AC, Fridge and the beer cold :-)

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, backup source is good. When you lose power with the incinolet during early to mid burn, it's pretty problematic since the fan no longer extracts the smoke from the burn process and you can get a very unpleasant smokey smell in the house in the event a power failure during a burn cycle. Open some windows. I have this happen mostly when I trip a breaker. I always try to restore power ASAP to prevent the smokey smoldering smell.

[@askaboutmytats]

As a diy kind of guy, is there a possibility of a propane powered incinerator toilet?

[@TinyIndustrial]

They are out there, but I'm not an expert on those and I don't think that they are used that much. Kind of a fringe case if you have to go propane.

[@trumpetingangel]

I think I'd prefer a simple composting system, but I suppose it's going to depend on the regulations where I end up parking.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Right. There is no one size fits all with this. What does generally happen though is that for your specific circumstances, there is likely a 'best' solution that you should go with unless you have a particular aversion to it (cost, disposal, regulations, etc.)

[@RomanH1984]

A fire gallon bucket can be an active composting toilet. For a single person that adds living soil that has been cultivated for that purpose. ✌💚🖖

[@TinyIndustrial]

It can be. It can start in the bucket. The bulk of the composting process will always occur outside of the bucket though, since composting will take months to complete and you wouldn't want to keeps things in the bucket for that long... :)

[@rhapzodienpurple]

Thanks

[@TinyIndustrial]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@derlyramirez4993]

Thank you!

[@TinyIndustrial]

You're welcome.

[@DanyRivard]

Very informative !!!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks Dany! It's a popular topic for sure.

[@DanyRivard]

@@TinyIndustrial For sure , yep!

[@HeppKattProductions]

What about Sun Mar which DOES make a "composting" toilet.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Yes, that is a an actual composting toilet. It is also too big for 99% of tiny house, van, skoolie, applications. Nobody has space for one of those. In a cabin or similar I could see that working but not in a tiny house on wheels in any format. Wouldn't you agree? Look at the size of that thing...there is a step stool to get up to the toilet seat.

[@David_Mash]

Unfortunately diaper genie no longer makes the version that spin/seal after each deposit. They are much stinkier than they used to be

[@TinyIndustrial]

Wow, really? That was such a novel concept and seemed to work really well. Do you know why they moved off that tech solution?

[@David_Mash]

@@TinyIndustrial I would love to know. We definitely get more diapers per bag now but much stinkier

[@TinyIndustrial]

That doesn't sounds like an improvement.

[@summersstokes8694]

How often can you use an incinerating toilet? Is it every 90 minutes?

[@TinyIndustrial]

You can use it during the burn cycle. I would say that you should let the toilet get a bit of a head start and then you can use it again after it's been running for 30 to 45 minutes. Just hit the button again and it will restart the burn cycle for the newly introduced waste.

[@conkers126]

You didn’t mention vermicomposting toilet. A flush toilet without having to have a septic tank

[@TinyIndustrial]

As I've mentioned to others, my rundown of options was mostly for houses that are in some way movable and on wheels. Vermicomposting can get tricky. I'm also not sure what you mean by a flush toilet with no septic. You mean connecting it to municipal sewage line? Sure, if you are lucky enough to always have that as an option, then by all means go for a standard flush toilet.

[@shirleyashanti3031]

Thank you so much

[@TinyIndustrial]

You are very welcome. Was it helpful? What's your pick for your situation?

[@eklectiktoni]

This was very informative. Thanks!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Thanks for the kind words. Glad that it was helpful for you.

[@theresasanford8210]

What about Gray water?

[@TinyIndustrial]

Gray water management is another topic for another video. I produce very little. There are a number of ways to get rid of it though. I'll try to get a video up about that soon.

[@saltberry1]

It’s really a dry toilet. Thank you!

[@TinyIndustrial]

Which one is a 'dry toilet'? Glad the video was helpful for you.

[@mattwernecke2342]

I just squat into a scat bag. Target has the best ones. Been sleeping in the front seat of a prius for almost 4 years. Saved alot of money not paying rent. I'm about worn out.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Not sure what a scat bag is. I imagined going into Target and asking what aisle the scat bags are located in. Will they be able to tell me? Living in a Prius will definitely save money on rent. Stay safe out there.

[@martinfoster5163]

You missed pit toilets. It's the majority type of toilets for nomads in Mongolia and probably many people in undeveloped/developing nations. I live in a yurt camp in Mongolia and pit toilets are common. That's what we have. It's not for urine but we defecate in it and then add ash from our wood stoves. It can be incinerated in place and covered up. A new pit can be dug. Sometimes there's a little outhouse over the hole. Next more popular is septic tanks (more expensive but still cheap). Cities have sewers and flush toilets but that's not relevant here for tiny houses.

[@TinyIndustrial]

Hi Martin. I suppose I was predicting some level of mobility (on wheels) in regard to the tiny house toilets I was referencing. Your solution would be more for a shed to tiny house conversion, cabin, or similar. Thanks for the comment.