RV toilets have to be reliable simply because having a working toilet is just one of those comforts that you don’t want to give up when you choose to live life on the road. Most RV toilets come in either porcelain or plastic material – which brings us to the big question: Are porcelain or plastic RV toilets more reliable?
Although porcelain RV toilets can cost 10%-30% more than their plastic counterparts, they are the better choice when it comes to reliability. RV Porcelain toilets are easier to clean and are more durable.
There’s not much that matches the feeling you get when you ride across the vast landscape on a road trip. The beauty of nature, the wind in your hair, and the freedom to go wherever you want to. With the great big world right at your front door, you truly feel like the king of the road. But every king needs a throne – preferably a comfortable one where a king can conduct his business in peace.
This article aims to explore more than just a reliable RV toilet. Budget, style, and functionality also play a major role in your buying decision.
Mounted vs Standalone RV toilets
Mounted toilets are made to connect to your RVs plumbing system. Standalone toilets are typically plastic, portable self-contained toilets with a holding tank for waste.
Pretty much all styles of RV porcelain toilets are made to be affixed to a drainpipe system.
In terms of the plastic toilets, you have more variety. There is affixed just like the porcelain one above, then you have ones that are portable. These types don’t need to tie into your plumbing. They function as a standalone system with a waste-holding tank.
Which one is easier to clean?
The clear winner here is porcelain! Due to its smooth porcelain finish, it’s an easier material to wipe and maintain.
Porcelain is a clean, non-porous material with anti-microbial properties. What this means is that nothing can pass through its surface over multiple uses every single day. Water flushes everything down to the black tank or another form of holding tank, and you can simply use a toilet brush to scrub it down when anything remains on the surface.
Plastic toilet surfaces are glazed, just like porcelain ones, but will eventually start to degrade and break down after a certain point. This means that any waste material that passes through a plastic toilet can start seeping into the material, making it unsanitary even after you clean it. Plastic RV toilets can also discolor and warp after years of use.
What is a plastic RV toilet made of?
Plastic RV toilets are usually made out of polyethylene, which is the most widely used plastic in the world.
Although recently, some plastic toilet manufacturers have turned to using Duroplast, which is a thermosetting plastic that is reinforced with fibers. This makes it ultra-strong, with similar compositions of fiberglass or Formica.
What’s the price difference?
A porcelain RV-style toilet with an Anti-microbial seat can cost as much as $400 before taxes on Amazon. Whereas you can find a wide variety of plastic-based RV toilets in the $100 – $200 price range.
However, there are some exceptions to the rule. You can find plastic RV toilets like the YITAHOME Portable Toilet which sells for $389.88. Keep in mind this is no ordinary plastic RV/portable toilet.
As a general rule, plastic is definitely cheaper than porcelain toilets – whether it is for the home or for the RV. Let’s explore why these two material types vary so much in price.
- Plastic
The biggest draw of plastic toilets may well be the fact that it is very lightweight. It is purely functional – you do your number 1s and number 2s, flush it, clean it, and the job’s done. And because of its lightweight and the fact that it is most probably made using a mass-produced mold in a plastic factory, it is notably less expensive than a porcelain toilet.
Incorporating a plastic toilet into an off-grid home ensures that you spend a minimal amount of money for maximum functionality. But when it comes to reliability, you’ll probably have to be more careful with how you handle your plastic toilet, especially around hinges where it comes under the most stress from daily use.
- Porcelain
Porcelain toilets are hefty, and you can definitely tell the difference between porcelain and a plastic toilet, where the porcelain one simply feels less flimsy than the plastic. For those who are looking to save some weight on their RV however, the weight of a porcelain toilet in the commode may be an issue (more weight = less mileage out of your gas).
However, installing a porcelain toilet in your RV ensures that you have a reliable toilet that you can use over years of rigor on the road overall weather conditions. Plus, they are definitely more stylish than plastic toilets, which can sometimes look and feel cheap. If aesthetics are important to your RV lifestyle, then the porcelain toilet is for you.
Benefits of plastic RV toilets over porcelain
Some brands of RV plastics are super lightweight which makes them portable. There are several models in the market then come complete with a holding tank.
These types of plastic toilets don’t need to be connected to your RVs plumbing. You can place this plastic toilet in any type of recreational vehicle. You can even bring it camping with you.
Location of flush levers/pedals
Unlike home toilets, RV toilets have flush levers at the bottom which you operate with your foot once you’re done with your business.
How this flush system works is that once you press down on the foot pedal, freshwater from the water tank rushes into the toilet and a flap that is located at the bottom of your toilet bowl opens up to force all the waste into the black water tank mounted at the bottom of the RV.
Both porcelain and plastic toilet options include the foot flush functionality, although there are some newer RV toilets on the market that have handle flushes or button flush functionalities – usually at a much higher price point.
Which toilet can support more weight?
Porcelain toilets can support more weight and are also a lot more durable than plastic toilets. Although porcelain seems to be the best choice for toilet material due to its reliability, durability, and sanitation.
Plastic toilets can be more inexpensive, more lightweight, more portable, but less durable. However, with so many choices of plastic toilets on the market today made of durable plastic material, you can very easily install a plastic toilet in your RV and simply change it out when you see that it is starting to wear out. One downside to this is obviously the ecological impact of switching out plastic toilets too often.
FAQs
When looking at RV specs you may see (VBM) in brackets, this means varies by model.
Conclusion
You’ll be surprised to know that conversations about the RV bathroom are a common campfire discussion for many RVers across the country. There are so many options to choose from on the market, so learning from the mistakes and success stories of others when it comes to their RV toilet adventures is always a good idea.
It’s a good idea to crunch the numbers first and consider the cost that you’re sinking into investing in your RV toilet, no matter if you choose the reliable and durable porcelain or the lightweight but less durable plastic toilets.