Nature’s Head Composting Toilet Review: The BEST In 2022?

In this day and age, every single thing we do has a potential impact on our environment and the future of our planet. That includes everything from washing our faces to using the toilet.

Standard flush toilets produce an enormous amount of waste, with over 80% of toilet waste worldwide being released straight back into vital bodies of water.

Even the treatment plants built to make the wastewater clean and safe contribute to environmental destruction. Sewage water treatment actually accounts for 3% of electricity consumption in the United States.

Those are some fairly alarming statistics, which is why toilet manufacturers worldwide are attempting to make their toilet units more eco-friendly.

One such manufacturer is Nature’s Head, a U.S-based company dedicated entirely to developing user-friendly, environmentally responsible toilets and accessories.

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet has received glowing reviews from buyers of all walks of life, demonstrating how versatile and practical the design is.

But how well does the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet really work, and how effective is it at minimizing environmental damage? We’ll be answering these questions and more in today’s review, so sit tight and read on!

All About Nature’s Head

Nature’s Head, as a company, is closely intertwined with the design of its Composting Toilet. That’s because the business itself was built on the back of the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet, as opposed to the other way around.

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet was initially designed and constructed in 2006 by sailors who had first-hand experience of living without plumbing.

Nature’s Head began selling these toilets in 2007, although both the original prototype and the early Nature’s Head Composting Toilet looked different to the model being sold today.

While the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet was originally designed for marine use, meaning that it’s extremely robust and wear-resistant, the unit can be installed in almost any environment, from homes to RVs.

It’s also important to note that although the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet was primarily designed as a practical solution to a lack of plumbing, it has many other advantages, which we’ll cover in more detail throughout this article.

For now, suffice it to say that Nature’s Head upholds its company values of respect and ethical entrepreneurship through its eco-friendly and cost-effective toilet design.

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet: Review

To provide you with a detailed picture of the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet, we’re going to be approaching this product from 2 angles.

First, we’ll explore the individual components that come in the box, before moving on to how the unit works when assembled and installed.

Hopefully, this should provide you with all the information you need to decide whether the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is a good fit for you. However, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section for more on the experience of living with and operating your new composting toilet.

Components

Waste Bucket

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet comes with a waste bucket, which is where all the solid waste ends up.

Waste Bottle

For liquid waste, Nature’s Head has provided a waste bottle. This is where all liquids that enter the toilet accumulate until they are removed (more on this later).

Trap Door

You might be wondering how the liquid and solid waste are separated in the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet. The answer is the trap door, which can be latched and unlatched to ensure that the correct waste collector is accessible.

Toilet Seat

Of course, as with any good toilet, the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet comes with a toilet seat. The seat is also attached to a lid latch so that you can open and close your toilet as needed, just like any standard toilet unit.

Handle

Each Nature’s Head Composting Toilet comes with a handle. Cranking the handle mixes up the contents of the solid waste chamber, facilitating the composting process.

You have a choice regarding what kind of handle you get. The unit can be shipped with either a spider handle or foot handle included.

The difference is that the foot handle is designed to be easily turned with a foot rather than by hand, which may have benefits for hygiene.

Hose Pipe

The hose included with the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is designed to lead outdoors, providing effective ventilation.

Ventilation Fan

Another component of the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet that helps to ensure proper ventilation is the fan, which comes with a 12-volt connector. The fan directs air from the toilet’s chambers through the hose, eliminating odors.

How It Works

Now that we know which components are included with the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet and why, we can turn our attention to how the parts work in conjunction with one another to deliver an eco-friendly, ergonomic toilet experience.

The best way to explain how the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet actually works is to divide the user experience into solids and liquids.

Solid Waste

As we mentioned earlier, the solid waste introduced into the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet goes straight to the solid waste bucket, which is positioned towards the back of the toilet.

Before using the solid waste chamber, you’ll need to fill it up to roughly 50% capacity with some form of composting mix. Peat moss works really well, and it’s highly affordable as well as long-lasting, so a single bulk purchase will last you a long time. Alternatively, you could use coco coir, which is a compacted variety of natural coconut fiber.

Once you’ve prepared your solids chamber to receive waste, the next step is to make sure the latch is open. If you don’t open the latch to the trap door, the solid waste bucket will remain closed off.

The next stage of the process is pretty self-explanatory. Just as you would with any other toilet, settle yourself comfortably on the seat and go about your business.

However, there are some extra steps you need to take after using the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet which wouldn’t be necessary with a regular toilet.

First, you’ll need to decide whether to put your toilet paper directly into the solid waste bucket or place it into a separate bin. Either is fine and whichever option you choose will not affect the functionality of the toilet.

Before you leave, you will also need to spin the handle to mix up the compost mix and organic waste. This helps to make sure that the contents of the solid waste bucket composts quickly and at a consistent rate.

If you’ve opted for the standard spider handle, you can simply crank it with your hand – just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterward, as usual. However, if you’ve chosen the spider foot handle, you can use your foot to turn the handle, minimizing direct skin contact with the toilet.

Because you won’t be using any water, the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is a much more eco-friendly way to deal with solid waste. Plus, the only electrical power it uses is the 12-volt fan, which helps to keep unpleasant odors at bay by pushing air through the hose pipe.

Liquid Waste

For liquid waste, your use of the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet will look slightly different.

The most important difference between solid and liquid waste when it comes to using this toilet is the position of the trap door. Whereas the door needs to be closed for solids, you’ll need to unlatch it for liquids.

People of all sexes are advised to sit on the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet. This means that men will need to get accustomed to sitting down when urinating, which can definitely feel strange at first. However, the reason for this is that sitting is the only way to make sure that your liquid waste goes straight into the right chamber.

It’s also worth noting that while the requirement to remain seated might seem inconvenient, it’s a step up from many composting toilets, some of which don’t allow for liquid waste at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Empty The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet?

In our previous section, we covered the basics of how the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet works for both solid and liquid waste.

However, you can only accumulate so much waste in your composting toilet before it needs emptying. This is the process most composting toilet users dread more than any other, but the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet makes this task cleaner and more user-friendly than most.

Emptying the liquid chamber is very straightforward, which is good because it’s likely to be the chamber that you need to empty most often.

To access the liquid waste chamber (and the solid waste chamber), you’ll need to unlatch the toilet seat by unclipping the latches on the sides.

Then, all you need to do is lift the bottle out of the toilet and empty it before rinsing it with detergent and replacing it. Although you’ll need to be careful not to spill anything because there’s no lid on the bottle, there really is nothing else to it.

Emptying the solids bucket is a little more challenging, but it’s still not complicated.

You can’t remove the solid waste bucket from the toilet, so the easiest and most hygienic way to empty it is to pick up the entire toilet unit by the base and take it outside. Make sure you have a waste bag ready so that you can simply upturn the toilet and empty out the contents.

Once the solid waste bucket is empty, you should clean it thoroughly (for more information, see ‘How do I clean my Nature’s Head Composting Toilet’) before filling it halfway with more composting material. You can then take the toilet back inside.

What Do I Do With The Waste?

We recommend having a designated liquid waste disposal spot outside of your home or RV. This should be as far as possible from your residence and you should make sure it’s at least 200 feet from all bodies of water.

You should never dispose of urine near any growing vegetation since the salt content can be damaging to plants, especially in dry areas.

If you’re primarily using your Nature’s Head Composting Toilet to minimize the environmental impact of flushing solids, and you have another toilet accessible nearby, you could also choose to dispose of your liquid waste in a regular toilet.

You have a few different options when it comes to disposing of solid waste. We mentioned emptying it into a garbage bag earlier since this is the easiest option for most people. From there, you can simply tie up the bag and throw the composted waste into a commercial bin.

However, if you have a compost heap in your garden, you can empty your toilet straight onto the pile.

If you don’t mind the extra physical labor, there’s also the option of digging a hole and burying the compost – although it goes without saying that either of these methods can only be done on your own property or with the express permission of the property/land’s owner.

Does The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet Smell Bad?

You need to leave solid waste in your Nature’s Head Composting Toilet for a minimum of 8 hours to allow the composting process to take place. Because of this, many potential Nature’s Head customers worry that the toilet will start to smell bad.

While this is a logical and valid concern, you’ll be pleased to learn that the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is unlikely to smell any worse than your average toilet, as long as you maintain it properly (see below).

The reason for this is that the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet comes with a built-in ventilation system, consisting of a 12-volt fan and a hose pipe that leads outside. The van pulls fresh air into the toilet while filtering unclean air through the hose, thus managing any buildup of unpleasant odors.

The only time you should expect to notice a strong smell from your Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is while you’re emptying it, but since you’ll be doing this outside, it shouldn’t affect the smell inside your home.

Plus, by the time you empty your solid waste bucket, the composting process should have taken place, which means that the contents will smell more like soil than excrement.

How Do I Clean My Nature’s Head Composting Toilet?

Cleaning your Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is a big part of keeping odors at bay, so it’s important to learn how to do this properly.

You should clean the inside of your toilet after every use to keep it hygienic and smelling fresh. The best way to do this is simply by filling a spray bottle with vinegar and water. If you’re investing in a composting toilet for environmental reasons, it makes sense to use a natural disinfectant like vinegar.

After emptying the liquids bottle, you should clean it with a natural detergent or soap before replacing it. The solids bucket can be cleaned with vinegar, like the toilet bowl, or with a disinfectant.

You should also make sure to wipe down the entire toilet unit, including the handle, every so often.

Is The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet Eco-Friendly?

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is much more eco-friendly than a regular toilet for several reasons.

First, and most obviously, the composting toilet does not use any water. Newer toilet models use 1.6 gallons of water per flush, which is a massive improvement on older toilets that use between 5 and 7 gallons per flush.

However, if one person flushes the toilet 5 times a day on average, that means that the average person flushes 9.6 gallons of water every day. The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet brings that number down to 0.

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet does use electricity to power the ventilation system, which isn’t the case with regular toilets. However, at just 12 volts, the fan won’t use enough electricity to negate the eco-friendly effects of a water-free toilet.

Plus, since compost has many potential uses, you can trust that your recycled waste will benefit the environment in some way.

Overview

Advantages

• No water usage – Environmentally friendly
• 12-volt fan – Minimal electricity usage
• Built-in ventilation – Keeps odors at bay
• Attaches to base plate – Easy to install and remove
• Separate liquid and solid chambers – Allows for urination
• Detachable liquids bottle – Easy disposal

Disadvantages

• Seated use required at all times – Men cannot stand to urinate
• No automatic cleaning – Manual cleaning required
• Hose requires outside access – Needs external exhaust

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is a great choice for anyone hoping to minimize their impact on the environment by changing their waste disposal system.

This toilet is easy to install and empty thanks to the convenient base plate, separate liquid and solid chambers, and detachable liquid waste bottle. Thanks to the fan and hose included with the purchase, the toilet shouldn’t smell, and it’s easy to clean between uses. Most importantly, it uses no water and minimal electricity.

Despite requiring an external exhaust, manual cleaning, and exclusive sit-down use, the Nature’s Head Composting Toilet is undoubtedly one of the best eco-friendly toilets on the market in 2021. You can get yours from Amazon.com today!