TROBOLO WandaGO Review
I recently sold my campervan and have been in the process of building my SUV into a car camper. Life looks a little different when you downsize from 80 square feet to 20! I’m excited to keep traveling, even if it’s in a smaller rig for the foreseeable future.
There’s a few hurdles I’m trying to solve with my new camper set up. The biggest one is where the heck do I go to the bathroom?! In my camper, I had a large composting toilet – it worked well for the space I had then, but it’s not an ideal solution for a car camper.
After a lot of research to find the best portable composting toilet, I settled on TROBOLO. There’s a lot of things I love about this compact little toilet and I’m sharing details in this TROBOLO toilet review!
This post is in partnership with TROBOLO and features some affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase – there is never an extra cost to you. Your support means a lot to my small business – thank you!
TROBOLO offers two models of composting toilets:
The model I have is the WandaGO, which I’m reviewing in detail below. I also include a comparison of TROBOLO WandaGO vs TROBOLO WandaGO Lite to help you decide which is best for your needs.
TROBOLO WandaGO Portable Composting Toilet Overview
The TROBOLO WandaGO is a portable composting toilet with urine diverter.
If you’re new to the world of composting toilets – welcome! I promise it’s not as intimidating as it seems (I’ve been using one for 4 years!).
It can feel like a big change to move from a traditional toilet that’s plumbed to water and sewer hookups, but these toilet options are actually quite easy to use and perfect for vans, car campers, or even weekend camping trips!
The first question I usually get about my composting toilet is “does it stink?” And the answer is no! That’s where the urine diverter stands out.
That common odor most people associate with pit toilets is actually caused when urine mixes with the solids. The combination of the two creates a reaction that produces a stinky odor.
However, composting toilets work by separating liquids from solids so there is no sewage… and no smell!
TROBOLO’s clever urine diverter helps direct solids and liquids into separate holding tanks.
The other benefit to separating solids and liquids is that they’re easier to dispose of when they aren’t classified as sewage.
Solids can be thrown out in a dumpster – just like how you dispose of dog poo or a baby diaper.
Liquids can be responsibly dumped in nature (not near a water source, and 200+ feet away from established campsites). I also find it’s really easy to dump my liquids tank into public restrooms.
There’s a few key benefits to TROBOLO that make it stand out from the competition – like its price and portability.
This is the second composting toilet I’ve owned, so it’s easy to compare it to alternative options that cost a bit more. Let’s dive into my TROBOLO WandaGO review!
My TROBOLO WandaGO Review
In my campervan, I had way more space than I do in my car camper. I also built it in 2020 before a lot of the current toilet options existed, so my choices back then were limited.
Since space was less of a concern in my van, and because I didn’t need to have a portable toilet, I chose to install an Airhead composting toilet which permanently lived in my campervan shower / wetbath.
There’s nothing wrong with an Airhead – it’s a good option if you want to mount your toilet to the floor and have it connected to a 12v exhaust fan. The biggest downside to the Airhead is that it costs over $1,000!!
So, when I was looking for a composting toilet I could use in my car camper I wanted something that was more affordable, and could be easily moved around – like at a campsite or to easily remove when I wasn’t using my car as a camper.
Overall, I’m really pleased with the TROBOLO WandaGO composting toilet!
TROBOLO WandaGO Review – What I Love
There’s a pretty long list of the things I love about my TROBOLO WandaGO composting toilet. I’d say the biggest things that drew me to the WandaGO were the price (it’s one of the most affordable composting toilets available) and its size.
Additionally, there’s a lot of innovation that’s gone into the design of the TROBOLO WandaGO toilet – these features aren’t as obvious, but they make it a lot easier to use the toilet, especially in a small space.
Compact Size
For such a small portable toilet, the TROBOLO WandaGO is designed to maximize capacity for liquids and solids.
The liquids tank holds 1.2 gallons (4.6 liters) and the solids tank holds 1.7 gallons (6.5 liters).
The overall compact dimensions means it can fit just about anywhere. It’s 13.4 inches wide, 15 inches deep and 12.4 inches tall (but can be expanded up to 17.2 inches tall).
Price
Most composting toilets range from $400-$1200. That’s a lot of money for a toilet!
Considering the TROBOLO WandaGO has many of the same features as other composting toilets, it’s a steal at only $229.
The TROBOLO WandaGO Lite is available for $199. It functions similarly to the TROBOLO WandaGO, but does not have the height adjustment feature.
Urine Level Indicator
One of the features the WandaGO has is a urine level indicator. This is a viewing window on the front of the toilet that allows you to see whether or not the liquids tank is full.
I love this feature because I can easily tell whether or not I need to empty the tank, without having to open the entire toilet to check.
SafeShell System® For Odors & Spills
TROBOLO WandaGO has a unique sealing feature on the liquids tank. They call it the SafeShell System®.
The cap is designed to allow liquids to flow into it, while not allowing liquids or odors to escape back out. I’ve never seen this in another composting toilet and it’s a really clever design.
No Agitator
Personally, I think the fact that the TROBOLO WandaGO does not have an agitator is a big perk.
An agitator is an internal rod that lets you mix your compost materials. It’s essential for aiding the compost process.
The catch is that it takes 6+ months for human waste to fully compost, so if you want to actually compost your waste you’d need to leave it in the solids container for months.
Leaving waste in your solids tank for 6 months in a van is completely unrealistic, so this feature doesn’t actually provide much benefit.
The reality is that an agitator is a massive pain to clean. My Airhead had an agitator and it just got in the way. Toilet paper would get wrapped around it, which was a mess to try and remove.
One of the things I was looking for in my next composting toilet was one that specifically did not have this feature.
The TROBOLO WandaGO is much easier to empty and clean out.
Additionally, because there’s no agitator to get in the way, it’s also possible to line the solids tank with a garbage bag – which means emptying it takes seconds and isn’t the massive chore it was with my Airhead.
Doesn’t Require Composting Material
Along the same lines, there’s no need for composting material.
Composting material is a natural material that you add to the solids container. It maintains the right moisture balance to aid the composting process.
If you’re not going to leave your solids in the container for months then you don’t need this.
Instead, you can just use a garbage bag to line the tank and throw it away when you’re done. It keeps the process and clean up super simple.
Height Adjustment
TROBOLO WandaGO is adjustable. The base has a removable outer shell that can be used to stack the toilet and add height.
This could also be used as a place to store extra toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
I don’t personally use this feature very much, but I could see where it would be handy – especially for taller people or if you had a permanent space in your campervan for your TROBOLO WandaGO.
TROBOLO WandaGO Review – What I’d Change
For the sake of writing the most comprehensive TROBOLO WandaGO review possible I wanted to include a few things I would change about my toilet.
I had to think about this for a bit because overall I’m very pleased with the design and function of the WandaGO.
Removing The Solids Lid
In order to access the liquids and solids containers you must first remove the toilet seat (the urine diverter). That’s not really a big deal because you don’t have to access those things often.
However, the lid on the solids tank can only be removed if the toilet seat isn’t in the way.
Because the solids tank is used for both #2 and toilet paper it’s actually something you want access to every time you use the toilet.
You could just leave the lid off, but then you’d have more potential for odors to escape.
Since I’m putting the lid on and taking it off every time I use the restroom it’d be a big improvement to have the lid accessible without first removing the seat.
Carrying Handles
Since the TROBOLO WandaGO is so compact, it’s actually pretty easy to carry. Particularly because it only weighs 9.2 lbs.
However, the addition of carrying handles on the sides would be handy.
If you don’t plan on moving your toilet around very much this is a moot point, but if you’re using it like me (hauling it in and out of the car frequently) the handles would be a big benefit.
TROBOLO WandaGO Vs WandaGO Lite
TROBOLO offers two models of composting toilets: the WandaGO and the WandaGO Lite.
The two are very similar with a few small differences.
While they both have similar dimensions and capacity for liquids and solids, the WandaGO Lite weighs almost 2 lbs less and does not have the ability to stack the base for increased height – for this reason it sells for $30 less than WandaGO.
| WandaGO | WandaGO Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 9.2 lbs | 7.3 lbs |
| Dimensions | 12.4 (H) x 15.0 (D) x 13.4 (W) | 11.8 (H) x 15.0 (D) x 13.4 (W) |
| Liquids Capacity | 1.2 gallons | 1.2 gallons |
| Solids Capacity | 1.7 gallons | 1.7 gallons |
| Weight Limit | 330 lbs | 330 lbs |
| Adjustable Height | ✓ | X |
| Urine Level Indicator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | $229 | $199 |
Final Thoughts – TROBOLO WandaGO Review
The TROBOLO WandaGO composting toilet is a great option for van life, car camping, or weekend camping trips.
It’s lightweight and easy to pack. I also like how easy it is to keep clean, and that it doesn’t allow odors to escape.
From a cost perspective, it’s really hard to beat the value of the TROBOLO WandaGO.
If you’re looking to save some money, the TROBOLO WandaGO Lite model is another great option. It doesn’t include the stackable base, but the urine diverter and holding tanks are identical.
