Compocloset Cuddy Lite Composting Toilet Review
Wondering if the Cuddy Lite is worth it? I share my experience relying on it full-time in my camper and how it stacks up against other van life toilets I’ve tried.
Looking for the best portable toilet for van life? After 9 years on the road and testing just about every popular toilet option – cassette toilets, pee jars, foldable toilets, and even the Trelino – the Compocloset Cuddy Lite is hands-down my favorite.
I’ve been using the Cuddy Lite every single day in my camper for the past four months, and it’s the first toilet I’ve tested that actually controls odors, feels sturdy, and is easy to empty. While it costs more than some competitors, it’s worth every penny if you want your van to not smell like a bathroom.
In this review, I’ll explain exactly how the Cuddy Lite works, how it compares to the Trelino and other camper toilets, and why I think it’s the best portable option for full-time van life.
Oh and if you’re thinking about getting the Cuddy Lite for yourself, I’ve got a discount code to share. You’ll find it at the bottom of this post once you’ve read my full review.
*This post is sponsored by CompoCloset. I only recommend products I truly love and think you will love too. If you have any questions about the Cuddy Lite, drop a comment at the bottom of this post!
Cuddy Lite Overview
Cuddy Lite Pros
- Excellent odor control: There is no smell with the lid closed and far less odor when the lid is open compared to other portable toilets
- Retractable solids cover: This blocks odors and hides the poop from your view when peeing. There is also a small hole at the front of the solids cover that drains into the pee jug, which helps when your aim isn’t perfect.
- Bag-lined solids bin: This makes it so easy to empty the poop bin, and there’s no agitator to clean. Plus, it doesn’t require any special bag.
- Pee jug indicator light: Powered by a 9V battery, this light tells you when the 1.7-gallon pee jug is full, eliminating the guesswork.
- One-way pee jug valve: This is effective at trapping strong ammonia smells. As an experiment, I’ve gone up to 10 days without dumping the pee, and it still had minimal odor.
- Black pee jug: The pee jug is black and completely opaque. This hides the contents and makes emptying it in public restrooms less awkward.
- Sturdy and stable: At 19 lbs, the Cuddy Lite doesn’t slide around in my camper bathroom and feels secure even if I sit on it while we’re driving.
- Hinged lid and seat: The seat stays upright when lifted, making it easy and sanitary to access the pee jug and poop bin when it’s time to empty them.
- Completely portable: It works without power and doesn’t have to be vented to the outside like most traditional composting toilets.
Cuddy Lite Cons
- Pee jug requires two hands to carry when full: The two small loops make it awkward to carry when full.
- Retractable cover can be tricky to clean: It moves around when you wipe it, and I wish this could be locked in place.
- Not waterproof: It needs to be moved out of a wet bath before showering due to the indicator light.
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How does the Cuddy Lite work?
The Compocloset Cuddy Lite is a portable urine-diverting “composting” toilet that diverts the pee into a pee jug while poop goes into a bag that you can throw in the garbage. Here is a step-by-step process for going to the bathroom using the Cuddy Lite:
- Lift the lid
- When peeing, sit a little closer to the front so pee funnels down into the pee jug.
- When the pee jug is full, the red indicator light turns on. Lift the toilet seat, remove the pee jug, unscrew the cap, and pour it into a nearby toilet, at a dump station, or outside following Leave No Trace.
- When pooping, sit a little bit further back on the toilet seat. Turn the knob to open the retractable cover and do your business. Poop drops into a bag. Cover the poop with some composting material and close the retractable cover.
- When you’re ready to empty the poop, lift the seat cover, tie the bag closed and throw it in the nearest garbage can.
Is the Cuddy Lite a Composting Toilet?
The Cuddy Lite is not a traditional composting toilet. Both the Cuddy Lite and a traditional composting toilet divert the pee into a pee jug. However, they differ in how the solids are handled.
A normal composting toilet has an internal agitator that mixes waste with a composting medium (like coconut coir) so the material can begin breaking down inside the unit, which means you need to manage moisture levels, stir the contents, and eventually dump a heavy bin of partially composted material.
The Cuddy Lite skips all of that. Instead, solids drop directly into a bag-lined bin with no agitator. After you go poop, you just tie off the bag and throw it in the trash. This makes the Cuddy Lite easier to empty and clean.
If you want to use the same bag for a few days without throwing it away, you can add compost material over each poop, but it isn’t technically “composting” your waste inside the toilet.
Overall Design
The Cuddy Lite is completely portable. It doesn’t require power, permanent installation, or to be vented to the outside, like many traditional composting toilets.
One of the first things I noticed about the Cuddy Lite is how solid it feels. The Cuddy Lite’s lid and seat are connected to the toilet via a set of heavy-duty hinges that keep the seat upright when it’s time to empty.
Sitting on the Cuddy Lite feels sturdy and stable. At 19 lbs, it has enough weight that it doesn’t shift around in our camper bathroom that much, unless we are driving on a rough dirt road.
I’ve even sat on it while we were driving (not something I make a habit of, but sometimes road life calls for it), and it never wobbled or felt like it might tip. The seat height feels comfortable and natural, similar to a regular household toilet. This isn’t always the case with compact RV toilets.
The retractable solids cover is one of the best features and a key difference from the Trelino. It sits over the solids bin and opens and closes with a turn knob.
This cover on the Cuddy Lite solves two major problems:
- The view — it covers the poop bin so you don’t have to look at your poop when you open the lid to pee.
- The smell — the cover creates a barrier, so odors stay relatively contained even if there in poop in the solids bin
The retractable poop bin cover is designed to be closed when you are peeing and open when you are pooping. If you accidentally sit too far back while peeing and some pee lands on the retractable cover, there is a small hole at the front of the cover that funnels those dribbles into the pee jug instead of letting it pool in the solids bin. This further helps keep odors down and makes the whole system more forgiving to use, especially for women who don’t have the luxury of perfect aim.
For anyone extra sensitive to smell, Compocloset offers an optional fan kit that pulls odors through a carbon filter. In my experience, I haven’t felt the need to install this. The fan does require power, so it’s best to consider this during your build process and not as an afterthought.
Pee Jug
The pee system on the Cuddy Lite has been a huge upgrade for me compared to any camper van toilet I’ve used.
The pee jug has a capacity of 1.7 gallons. I’m the primary person using the toilet for pee, and I typically need to empty the jug every three days. My partner mostly uses a Nalgene bottle, which helps stretch the capacity.
When you pee, the liquid drops through hole, into a one-way silicone valve that funnels the pee into the pee jug. The purpose of the silicone valve is to trap strong ammonia smells inside the pee jug.
To fully test it, I left urine in the Cuddy Lite for two weeks during a humid East Coast heat wave, and I was surprised by how little it smelled. I could pick up on it – but only when the toilet lid was open, and it never got so pungent that I’d be embarrassed to bring friends into my camper.
Compocloset recommends replacing the valve every 6–12 months (a two-pack runs about $15, and it’s very easy to replace). After four months of full-time use, I haven’t noticed any serious odors creeping up from the jug, which tells me the valve is still doing its job.
Another feature that sets the Cuddy Lite apart is the full-tank indicator light. It’s a little LED (powered by a 9V battery) right next to the seat that turns bright red when the jug is full. At first, mine didn’t work, but after some trial and error, I realized the squishy side of the cover has to face inward for the sensor to work. Once I fixed that, the light has functioned perfectly, and it’s a great reminder to dump it before it overflows.
Unlike a cassette toilet, the Cuddy Lite doesn’t require chemicals in the pee jug. This means you have a lot more flexibility with where you empty the pee. Ideally, you should use a toilet or dump station, especially in high-use areas.
But if you’re off-grid and there is no toilet available, it’s technically ok to dump urine on the ground as long as you’re following Leave No Trace principles. This means you want to walk away from your campsite and disperse the pee widely, away from vegetation and more than 200 feet from a water source.
The pee jug is black, so the contents aren’t visible when you’re emptying it. That may seem like a small detail, but when you’re dumping it at a public restroom or campground toilet, not having everyone see what’s inside makes the whole process feel a lot less awkward.
The jug itself is easy to empty, but the first couple of times, I misjudged the pouring angle and ended up spilling it all over the toilet I was emptying it into. That goes to say that the first time you’re emptying it, go slow and aim carefully.
If I could change anything on the pee jug, it would be the handle design. Instead of a proper handle, the jug has two small plastic loops, which means when it’s completely full, you need two hands to carry and pour it. It’s not unmanageable, but a built-in sturdy handle would make a big difference.
Solids Bin
The solids system on the Cuddy Lite is one of the main reasons I chose this toilet, and after four months of daily use, it’s proven to be a great solution to common van life bathroom woes.
The 3.9-gallon solids bin is lined with a bag, and the bin is surprisingly spacious. It can easily hold up to a week’s worth of waste (for one person), including toilet paper and cover material, without pushing its capacity.
If there is a trash can available, my preference is to toss the poop daily after both my partner and I have used it. However, there have been times when we didn’t have access to a trash can, like when camping off-grid, and we’ve let the bag sit for up to three days. Even then, I never felt like our camper was stinky from it. I also haven’t experienced nearly as much condensation as I did with the Trelino despite spending my entire summer in a humid environment.
If I plan to reuse a bag for a couple of days, I always add a layer of absorbent material after each use. I’ve tried both coconut coir and wood chips, and I think the wood chips are easier and less messy since you don’t have to rehydrate them first.
The retractable solids cover, which I discussed above, makes an enormous difference when it comes to locking in smells and being able to use a single bag for a few days before throwing it out.
As for bags, I’ve experimented with a few options. The bin fits a 30-liter bag best, which makes it easy to line and tie off. Personally, I prefer using black trash bags since they’re opaque and keep things discreet, especially when tossing them at a campground dumpster. Compocloset also sells compostable liners, which are the most eco-friendly option for minimizing plastic waste. Both work fine, and the Cuddy Lite works with any bag that fits.
Cleaning
One of the biggest perks of the Cuddy Lite is how little cleaning it requires compared to a traditional composting toilet or a cassette toilet. Since the solids go straight into a bag-lined bin, there’s no agitator or compost chamber to scrub out. Once the bag is tied off and tossed, the bin is essentially clean.
For daily upkeep, I spray the urine diverter and seat with a vinegar-and-water mix to prevent any residue, then follow with a pleasant-smelling cleaner to keep it smelling fresh. It takes less than a minute but makes a big difference.
If I could change one thing on the Cuddy Lite, it would be the ability to lock the retractable cover in place. When I’m cleaning the cover, it tends to move around as I wipe it down, and I have to hold the knob in the closed position to keep the cover from sliding from one side to the other. It’s not a dealbreaker, but a locking mechanism would make the whole process easier.
The only real cleaning challenge is the inside of the pee jug. The opening is too small to get in there with a brush, so it’s pretty much impossible to scrub out any buildup that forms over time. All you can really do to clean it is rinse it out with water, and if the jug ever gets too gross, Compocloset does sell replacement pee jugs.
Cuddy Lite vs. Trelino
Since the Trelino is the closest competitor to the Cuddy Lite, I wanted to provide my comparison now that I’ve used both.
Before getting the Cuddy Lite, I was using the Trelino in my truck camper. After a few months using the Trelino down in Baja, I was really disappointed with it — and honestly confused why my experience didn’t match all the glowing reviews I’d read. That frustration is what pushed me to keep searching for a better solution.
While the Cuddy Lite and the Trelino, are designed to do the same thing – separate liquids and solids in a compact, portable toilet – my experience with them couldn’t have been more different.
So how does the Cuddy Lite compare to the Trelino?
Odor Control
- Trelino – The poop bin does not have a cover. Every time I opened the lid to pee, I had a clear view of the poop, and the smell filled my camper. The silicone valve on the pee jug also wore out quickly. I had to replace it monthly because ammonia smells crept back into the van.
- Cuddy Lite – A retractable solids cover hides waste from my view and blocks poop odors. A small hole at the front funnels stray dribbles into the pee jug, which also helps reduce smells. I’m on month 4 with my Cuddy Lite, and the silicone valve still hasn’t needed to be replaced.
Trelino: The poop bin has no cover Cuddy Lite: The poop bin has a retractable cover
Design & stability
- Trelino – The seat and lid are one piece that has to be completely removed from the toilet and set on the floor when emptying the pee or poop. This felt a bit unsanitary. The Trelino comes in a few sizes, but the comparable Evo L weighs 10.8 pounds and is lighter to carry. The Trelino cover has a soft-close mechanism which is a nice touch.
- Cuddy Lite – The hinged lid and seat stay upright, making it cleaner and easier to empty. The Cuddy Lite is heavier (19 lbs), which it a bit tougher to move…but it also helps keep it from sliding around in the camper. The seat feels a little more like a standard household toilet.
The seat has to be completely removed The seat is on a hinge that stays upright
Pee System
- Trelino – The Pee jug is blue and is more transparent. The Trelino Evo L has a larger pee jug (2.6 gallons), so it has to be dumped less frequently. The Trelino doesn’t have any indicator that lets you know when the pee jug is full, which, in my experience, resulted in it overflowing several times. The handle on the Trelino pee jug makes it easier to carry than the Cuddy Lite.
- Cuddy Lite – The pee jug is black and completely opaque. The pee jug holds 1.7 gallons. There is red indicator light that signals when the jug is full, letting you know it needs to be emptied. Carrying the Cuddy Lite’s pee jug when it’s completely full requires two hands due to the placement and size of the handles.
Verdict: Cuddy Lite vs Trelino
The Cuddy Lite outperforms the Trelino in every way that matters – smell, usability, and overall design. It does cost a little more, but in my opinion, it’s worth it for something that you rely on every single day and that plays such a big role in keeping your van odor-free.
Where can you buy the Cuddy Lite?
If you’ve made it this far, you’re clearly serious about upgrading your toilet setup. As a thank-you for reading, I’ve got a little bonus for you.
Use the code “BEARFOOTTHEORY30” at checkout on Compocloset’s website to save $30 on your purchase of the Cuddy Lite.
The Cuddy Lite is also available select RV and van-life gear retailers. However, ordering direct is usually the best option since they offer free shipping to the US and Canada and a free 30-day return policy for unused products. This means if you buy it and it doesn’t fit in your van like you thought it would, you can return it without a hassle.
The Compocloset website also has a great resources page that is worth checking out if you have general questions about composting toilets.
Coming Soon: Cuddy Lite S 1 Upgrade
If you’re already loving your Cuddy Lite, there’s exciting news on the horizon! Compocloset is launching the S 1 Sealing Toilet, a dry-flush system that takes what the Cuddy Lite does well (separating liquid and solid waste) and adds an auto‑sealing bag mechanism for the poop.
How will the Compocloset S1 work?
- You use the toilet just like you do now. The pee will still go into the pee jug and the poop into a bag
- After you poop, there will be an internal mechanism that uses heat to automatically seal the poop bag closed and drop it into the solids bin. You won’t even have to touch the bag during this process
- The bin will be able to hold 3–5 sealed bags, so you’ll be able to poop several times without having to empty the bin.
Having each poop sealed is going to be a game-changer, especially when you are dispersed camping and don’t have access to a trash can. This means you’ll be able to leave the sealed poop bags in the solids bin without having to worry about compost material or any smells escaping.
And the best part is if you already own the original Cuddy or the Cuddy Lite, you won’t have to buy a whole new toilet. Compocloset will be offering an S 1 Adapter Kit, complete with the sealing unit, battery, control panel, and a new solids bin. That means you’ll be able to upgrade your current Cuddy into this auto-sealing version when it’s released at the end of 2025.
I’m really excited about this and will most definitely be giving the S1 upgrade a try.
Final Thoughts
After testing toilets in my vans since 2016, the Compocloset Cuddy Lite is the best compact portable toilet I’ve used in 9 years of van life. It outperforms the Trelino and other urine-diverting toilets in odor control, usability, and overall design.
Yes, the Cuddy Lite costs more, but it’s worth it for something that makes dealing with poop and pee so much easier and less stressful on the road.
Frequently Asked Questions
The original Cuddy is a traditional composting toilet. It does not use a bag and instead has an agitator in the solids bin to mix poop with composting material. It breaks down waste over time and needs to be dumped after ~20 poops.
The Cuddy Lite, on the other hand, uses a bag system with no agitator. It needs to be dumped more frequently, but the bag makes it easier to clean and less messy. It’s also more forgiving if you don’t want to worry about perfectly separating liquids and solids every time.
The pee jug has a capacity of 1.7 gallons and needs to be emptied every 3 days for a single person or every 1-2 days when used by 2 people.
The solids bin on the Cuddy Lite has a capacity of 3.9 gallons. In my experience, this is enough room for 7 days of poop for a single person. Ideally, you should empty the poop every 3 days to reduce smells.
The Cuddy Lite’s solid bin works best with a 30-liter bag. You can use any type of bag you want, whether that a normal trash bag or a compostable bag. It does not require a special bag purchased from Compocloset.
The Cuddy Lite very easy to clean. Since the poop goes straight into a bag, you just tie off the bag and toss it in any garbage bin. For pee, I just wipe the seat and urine diverter with vinegar and water each day. When the pee jug gets full, you remove it and dump the pee into any toilet or outside following Leave No Trace methods.
No. Unlike many composting toilets, the Cuddy Lite doesn’t require outside ventilation. It’s completely portable and works without a power hookup.
No, the Cuddy Lite does not require a power source, unless you want to install the optional fan that is sold separately. The full indicator light is powered by a single 9-volt battery.
Yes – if you live in a van or RV full-time, a toilet that controls odors and is easy to clean is worth the investment. It’s the best compact, portable toilet I’ve tried in nine years on the road.
Have you tried the Cuddy Lite or another composting-style toilet in your van or RV? I’d love to hear about your experience. Drop your questions or thoughts in the comments below.
