Laveo Dry Flush Toilet Review

Our Laveo Dry Flush Toilet experience after 7 years of Skoolie Livin + 5 years with a Nature’s Head composting toilet.

When you live full-time in a skoolie, your toilet setup becomes more important than almost anything else in your build. Heating, insulation, electrical, water — they all matter. But nothing impacts day-to-day comfort the same way your toilet does.

After seven years living in a skoolie and five years using a Nature’s Head composting toilet, I’ve learned firsthand the trade-offs between convenience, cost, smell, maintenance, longevity, and overall usability. So when we received a Laveo Dry Flush Toilet to test, I was genuinely curious to see how it compared — especially for skoolies, where space is tight and systems need to be simple.

This review covers what the Laveo does well, where it struggles, and the types of skoolie owners it actually makes sense for.

Our Skoolie Toilet Background

(So You Know Where This Review Is Coming From)

For toilets, we have run through pretty much every option since I converted my first bus:

So this review comes from a place of actually living with these systems, not from reading spec sheets or watching promo videos.

Like with heating, toilets in a skoolie have different requirements than RVs, tiny homes, or vans:

Space is limited
Ventilation is different
Moisture control matters
Long-term daily use beats up systems harder than occasional travel
Waste management has to fit your lifestyle, not just look good on paper

With that in mind, here’s how the Laveo Dry Flush performed.

What the Laveo Dry Flush Toilet Is (and How It Works)

The Laveo Dry Flush is a waterless, self-contained toilet. Instead of using water, chemicals, or composting, it uses a mylar cartridge. After each use, you hit the flush button, and the toilet twists the bag, sealing the waste in a fresh layer.

When the cartridge runs out of layers (usually after 12–15 flushes), you pull the whole bundle out and replace it with a new cartridge.

No water.
No venting.
No plumbing.No urine tank to dump.
No black tank system.

That’s the entire pitch — simplicity and portability.

This basic system is why Laveo is so popular in vans and small RVs. But skoolies are different, so let’s dive deeper.

Laveo Dry Flush Specs

Feature	Details
Footprint	~16″ W × ~20″ D
Height	~18″ (close to residential height)
Weight	~26–29 lbs
Power	Battery-operated or 12V DC or 120v AC
Plumbing Needed	None — no vent, no tank, no water lines
Installation	Extremely Easy: Place & secure; plug-and-play

These numbers matter for two reasons:

1. It’s smaller than most toilet options

This is one of the biggest advantages. There are some skoolie bathroom layouts where the popular Nature’s Head composting simply won’t fit — especially wet-baths or shower/toilet combos. The Laveo’s smaller footprint makes layout planning easier.

2. You don’t need to plumb anything

No venting hole cut.
No urine tank location.
No routing for exhaust fans.
No water lines.

For people who want minimal build steps or who are just starting out, this is a big plus.

Installing the Dry Flush in a Skoolie

This part is simple, but there are a few things skoolie owners should know.

Securing It

Because it’s portable, you need to secure it for travel. Even though it’s not heavy, you don’t want it sliding around when driving or hitting a pothole.

A slide-out drawer or locking cabinet works well.

Battery Access

You’ll want to install it somewhere you can easily access the battery charger or plug it into 12V.

Storage for Cartridges

This is often overlooked, but you will need some decent space to store spare cartridges.

They are the size of a larger plate, and you’ll go through them fast if you’re using it daily. So budget a decent-sized cabinet space.

Other than that, installation really is plug-and-play.

How the Laveo Performs in Real Skoolie Use

Here’s where things get interesting. We tested the Laveo under multiple scenarios:

These are our honest impressions.

Comfort & Usability

The Laveo is comfortable. It feels like a normal toilet — solid seat height, no wobbliness, nothing “portable toilet” feeling about it. If you’re coming from a bucket or compact van toilet, this is a noticeable upgrade.

The flush process is easy: push button → twist → sealed bag. No smell after a fresh flush.

This is one of the strongest parts of the whole system.

Odor Control

Right after flushing, the odor control is great. The bag seals well, and there’s no lingering smell in the bathroom.

The Laveo Dry Flush toilet odor control performs best when a cartridge is used up and thrown out within a few days, like in consistent daily use with skoolie full-time living or part-time living trips with longer durations.

But here’s where the limitations show:

There is NO vent to the outside.

This is the biggest reason Laveo is not ideal for short-term, intermittent use in a skoolie where a partially used cartridge is sitting between stays or trips. If you leave a partially used cartridge sitting for several days, especially in warmer weather, you will smell it when you open the toilet to switch cartridges.

With a Nature’s Head (or most other vented composting toilets), odors get pulled outside 24/7 by the fan. Waste dries out, which drastically reduces odor. You can leave solids in a Nature’s Head for weeks without smell.

But Laveo seals moist waste in an airtight bag. It’s fine for a few days.

After that? Not great…

In a small skoolie bathroom, that becomes noticeable.

Cartridge Lifespan — Real Numbers for Skoolie Living

Laveo advertises about 12–15 flushes per cartridge. That matched my testing.

Scenario	Uses per Day	Cartridge Lifespan	Cost Impact
Solo skoolie living	~5 uses/day	2–3 days per cartridge	~$1–$1.50 per flush
Couple in a skoolie	~8–10 uses/day	1–2 days per cartridge	High long-term cost
Weekend trips	Variable	Typically 1 cartridge lasts full weekend	Reasonable
Full-time living	High	Frequent changes required	Very expensive

Maintenance & Waste Disposal

Maintenance is easy but frequent.

It’s clean and simple. But you’re doing it every few days if you’re living full-time. If you are looking for convenience and simplicity, the Laveo Dry Flush toilet is hard to beat – as long as you aren’t worried about the environmental impact.

Environmental Impact

This is where composting toilets win:

If your skoolie lifestyle leans toward sustainability, Laveo is hard to justify.

Laveo vs. Nature’s Head — My Honest Comparison

We’ve used a Nature’s Head composting toilet for five years. We know exactly how it performs over long-term skoolie living — good and bad.

Here’s the direct comparison.

Category	Laveo Dry Flush	Nature’s Head Composting
Footprint	Smaller, easier to fit into tight bathrooms	Larger, may not fit in all layouts
Odor Control	Great short-term; no vent, can smell if sitting for days	Excellent long-term due to vent + drying solids
Maintenance	Easy but frequent (every 1–3 days)	Solids emptied every weeks; urine every 1–2 days
Waste Output	High plastic waste (multiple sealed bags)	Very low waste; composting medium only
Cost Over Time	High ongoing cartridge cost (~$1–$1.50/flush)	Very low ongoing cost
Plumbing	None	Requires external vent hole
Best For	Short trips, guest use, tight layouts	Full-time living, sustainability, low cost

Where Laveo Is Better

1. Smaller Footprint

This is the biggest advantage.
It fits where a Nature’s Head often won’t.

2. No Daily Urine Dumping

Nature’s Head’s urine bottle fills fast — usually every day or two.
Laveo eliminates that chore entirely.

3. No Composting Medium

No peat moss.
No coir brick.
No mixing.
No clumps.
No keeping media dry.

Just push button → flush.

4. Easier for Guests

Everyone knows how to “flush.”
Not everyone understands composting toilets.

Where Nature’s Head Wins (Especially for Skoolies)

1. Long-Term Odor Control

Nature’s Head stays odor-free for weeks because solids dry out, and a vent pulls air through the toilet to the outside.

Laveo cannot match this for long-term storage in its current state.

2. Long-Term Cost

Once you own the Nature’s Head, it’s cheap to maintain.

Laveo = constant cartridges = constant cost.

3. Environmental Footprint

Nature’s Head generates almost no plastic waste.
Laveo generates a lot.

4. Multi-Day / Multi-Week Use

Nature’s Head solids bin lasts weeks for a couple.

Laveo lasts a couple days.

5. Full-Time Living

Simply put, Nature’s Head is built for any type of skoolie lifestyle, including full-time living.

Laveo is best for part-time living or multi-day short trips, but it gets expensive for full-time living.

Who the Laveo Dry Flush Toilet Is Good For

Ideal For	Not Ideal For
Weekend skoolie trips	Full-time skoolie couples (burn through cartridges fast)
Short-term travel	Anyone wanting low-maintenance living (frequent refills)
Seasonal or part-time skoolie life	Eco-focused or low-waste lifestyles (plastic waste)
Guest bathrooms or secondary toilet	Odor-sensitive users (smell after days)
Very small skoolie bathrooms	Long-term off-grid living (Nature’s Head better)

✔️ Great for:

Weekend skoolie trips
Short-term travel
Seasonal or part-time skoolie living
Builds with very small bathrooms
People who don’t want to dump urine daily
People who want a “regular toilet” feel

✔️ Great as a second toilet

If you already have a composting toilet, Laveo works well as an auxiliary option for guests or when your main toilet is inconvenient.

Who the Laveo Is NOT Ideal For

✘ Full-time skoolie couples

You’ll burn through cartridges too fast.

✘ Anyone who wants low-maintenance living

The constant refills add up.

✘ Anyone focused on sustainability

Plastic waste is unavoidable.

✘ Anyone sensitive to odors

If you leave waste sitting, you’ll smell it.

✘ Long-term off-grid living

Nature’s Head or another composting system will serve you better.

Final Verdict — Would We Use the Laveo in a Skoolie?

FAQ — Laveo Dry Flush Toilet for Skoolies

Yes — in the right situations.

If I were building a small skoolie with a micro bathroom, or if I needed a guest toilet, or if I only used my bus for weekend trips — the Laveo is a fantastic, simple, clean solution. It’s comfortable, easy to use, and requires no plumbing or venting.

But for full-time living, especially with two people, I’d go with a composting toilet again. The cost, frequent cartridge swaps, and plastic waste make Laveo hard to justify as your primary daily toilet.

Nature’s Head may be bulkier and require urine dumping, but for long-term use it’s still the most sustainable, cost-effective, and low-odor option I’ve used.

Bottom line:
Laveo is a great short-term skoolie toilet, such as weekend trips or part-time skoolie living.

Otherwise, you will probably want to go for a composting toilet like a Nature’s Head when you are full-time skoolie living if you want to save money and don’t mind dumping urine daily. Also, for short-term, intermittent use where the solids will sit for a long duration of time, with proper ventilation, and can dry out.

How many flushes per cartridge?

The Laveo Dry Flush toilet cartridge will last about 15 flushes and can be extended up to 25 uses per cartridge with the Laveo Pee Powder.

How many days does a cartridge last?

Solo traveler: 2–3 days

Couples: 1–2 days

Does it smell?

Right after flushing — no. But leave waste sealed for days, and yes, when you open the lid to replace the cartridge.

What power does it need?

The Laveo Dry Flush toilet runs off 12V power, and it can be hooked up directly to a 12V power source. Alternate power options can be purchased from Dry Flush, including a 12V battery that fits into the back of the toilet, making it easily portable, or a 120V power adapter to plug it into a normal outlet.

Does it require water?

No.

What does ongoing cost look like?

~$1–$1.50 per flush, which can be reduced by buying cartridges in bulk.