Guest contributor

Crystal McCullough

Writer & vintage camper restorer

Crystal is a vintage camper aficionado and fixer.

She is the author of the popular book Before You Buy a Vintage Camper, owner, designer and builder of Zack the Airstream Argosy, and a long-time composting-toilet advocate.

Crystal McCullough

We’ve heard it all

Here’s the
honest version

No marketing spin — these are the real answers we give in support emails.

Does it really not smell?

Really. Urine and solids never mix, so there’s no sewage smell to start with. Cuddy also pulls air through a carbon filter with its built-in fan. At worst you’ll notice an earthy smell from the coir. The urine bottle will smell when you open it to empty it. That’s urine for you.

Cuddy, Cuddy Lite or S1 — which one is for me?

Cuddy is our original self-contained composting toilet for long trips and full-time use: agitator, urine indicator light, carbon filter, multiple venting options. Cuddy Lite is the same no-smell separation, simpler and budget friendly. S1 is for people who never want to see or handle anything. It comes two ways: as the S1 12V, which wires into your rig’s 12V system with nothing to charge, or with its own battery.

What do I do with the waste?

Liquids: pour down any toilet, dump station, or by a mature tree. Solids: always check the rules for your location. Usually solids from composting toilets may be bagged and put in a regular trash bin.

How often do I empty it?

Liquids every 2–3 days for two people. For solids: Cuddy every 2–3 weeks, Cuddy Lite every 8–12 uses (tie off and swap the bag), and the S1 every 2–3 uses. Compare that to a chemical toilet: every 2–3 days for everything, at a designated dump point.

Can I use it while driving, or on a heeling boat?

Yes. There’s no flush water to slosh around. The urine bottle has a one-way valve, so nothing comes back out on rough roads. Just secure the toilet so it can’t slide. Our portable toilets are used on sailboats, narrowboats and overland rigs.

Time to 💩 or get off the pot

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