7 Things You Need To Know About a Ceramic Toilet for RV Use

With so many essential boxes to tick when buying an RV, it’s understandable that very few shoppers remember to assess the quality and material their RV’s toilet is made of. When you’re ready to enhance your bathroom experience, ceramic RV toilets are the way to go. Here’s everything you need to know about a ceramic toilet for RV use, its benefits, where to find one, and how to choose.

1. What is a Ceramic Toilet for RV Use?

This is an RV toilet bowl made from ceramic material. It may also be referred to as an RV porcelain toilet. Like other traditional RV toilets, solid waste is flushed into the black tank — aka waste tank — via an ergonomic foot pedal. The ceramic toilet also has a full-size residential-style seat, which is one of the best features of a household toilet.

Top Tip: While it is possible to install a household toilet in your RV, with modifications, it’s unadvisable since the flushing mechanism and water usage of an RV toilet are very different from those of a household toilet. For example, RV toilets require a different mounting flange than residential toilets. Plus, they use very little water to flush compared to residential options. Additionally, you may find that residential toilet options are much larger than RV toilet options and may not fit in small spaces.

Some RV makers often market ceramic toilets as porcelain toilets. Both ceramic and porcelain are made from the same material, the only difference is their baking process. Ceramic toilets are mainly found in high-end RVs with a bigger cargo capacity since they are heavier. Their seats are, however, made from wood, plastic, or plastic resins, as these materials are more bendable when sat on.

2. Other Materials Used for RV Toilets

Most RV toilets are made from plastic. That’s because plastic is cheap, allowing the manufacturer to keep the production costs down. Additionally, plastic is lighter, making it a good choice when building lightweight campers. Notably, a composting toilet, portable toilet, and a cassette toilet for RVs are mainly plastic.

3. Benefits of a Ceramic RV Toilet Compared to Plastic

Here are the pros of upgrading to a ceramic RV toilet.

Gives Your Bathroom a Residential Feel

A ceramic toilet does a great job of making your RV feel like an actual brick-and-mortar home. Ceramic shines, making your bathroom look more polished and luxurious, compared to the cheaper plastic toilet bowl. Further, plastic can be squeaky and noisy, something you don’t have to worry about when using ceramic.

More Comfort When Using the Bathroom

Many ceramic RV toilets are more comfortable in height, size, and feel. You can pick an elongated design, which usually has a larger bowl area than their round plastic counterparts. This makes personal hygiene duties more comfortable than they would be on the constricted, round plastic toilet.

Ceramic Doesn’t Stain as Easily as Plastic RV Toilets

One of the most frustrating things about plastic toilets for RVs is that they tend to turn yellow over time due to stains. Ceramic, on the other hand, is much more resilient to staining as they are non-porous.

Once residue sticks to the plastic toilet, it’s pretty difficult to remove. But for ceramic flush toilets, cleaning is pretty easy, and it will remain white for years. Further, you don’t have to use harsh chemicals that could damage your toilet valve seals to get rid of stubborn stains. Plastic also absorbs odor, which means you have to constantly clean it.

Ceramic Is Sturdy

The average weight an RV plastic toilet can support is between 250 pounds to 300 pounds. Still, anyone who weighs around that limit may feel the bowl to be fragile. As for ceramic or porcelain RV toilets, they can comfortably hold up to 1000 pounds and won’t feel flimsy even for the heaviest individuals.

4. The Cons of Ceramic RV Toilets

Although ceramic RV toilets have plenty of advantages, they have a few drawbacks as well.

They cost more than plastic.
They weigh more, which can be a deal breaker if you have an ultra-lightweight camper.
Not all of them are easy to install.
May crack with time if over-tightened during installation.

5. Where to Find Ceramic Toilets for RVs

If you want to replace your RV toilet, the best place to find ceramic toilets is online stores. Major stores such as Amazon, Home Depot, Camping World, and Lowe’s have plenty of options to pick from. Alternatively, you can shop directly from the toilet manufacturer’s website.

The top ceramic brands are Dometic RV Toilets, Thetford RV Toilets, and Lippert RV Toilets. You can scroll through their sites to find the perfect fit. Notably, some physical RV stores have ceramic toilets, but the options may be limited. If you can find‌ mobile RV techs who sell and install RV toilets in your area, all the better.

Also Read: Forest River Replacement Furniture: 10 Places To Find It

6. What to Consider When Looking for a Ceramic RV Toilet

When scouting for a ceramic RV toilet, there are a few factors you need to consider.

Bathroom Size – If you want an elongated design for your toilet upgrade, consider whether your bathroom has enough room.
Bathroom Height – Is your rig’s bathroom tall enough if you want a high-profile toilet? Low-profile toilets have a seat height of 14 inches, while high-profile measure 18 inches.
Your Travel Companions – If you’re traveling with taller folks, an elderly person, or individuals who have mobility issues, consider a high-profile toilet with a bigger seat area, as it’s more comfortable and convenient.
Ease of Cleaning – You’ll want a new RV toilet that has an easy flushing mechanism. Flush options include a foot pedal, slide handle, hand-held handle, or electric push-button. Further, decide whether you want gravity, electricity, or air to power your flush.

7. Best Ceramic RV Toilet

The best ceramic RV toilet in 2024 has to be the Dometic 320 series toilet. The Dometic 320 RV toilet has great reviews. It has an elongated toilet bowl that’s made from 100% vitreous ceramic, which is non-staining and non-absorbent. It comes in the standard height of 19.75 inches, a width of 14.75 inches, is 22 inches deep, and weighs 37 pounds.

You’ll love its full-sized residential wooden seat and powerful gravity flush system. Further, it’s equipped with a hand sprayer for effortless bowl cleaning. Conserving water when dry camping will be a breeze, as it only uses one pint of water per flush. Installation is also super easy. If you’re wondering about RV ceramic toilet prices, expect to spend around $250-$400, on average, before factoring in installation expenses. RV toilets come in a variety of sizes and you can even find one in a low-profile option.

Upgrade Your Bathroom With a Ceramic Toilet

Make your mobile dwelling feel like a home away from home by installing a shiny, sturdier, and more comfortable ceramic toilet bowl. This type of toilet will work as effectively as your residential toilet, if not better, plus, it’s easier to clean.

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Cynthia Measom

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Cynthia Measom is the founder and main content creator of RV Top Tips. Not just a writer, she’s a dedicated RV owner and enthusiast, alongside her husband, Joe, who is an experienced RV tech. With their joint knowledge, the two are up on the latest trends and technologies in the RV industry, as well as practical camping and lifestyle tips.

The couple own a 2020 Coachmen Chaparral fifth-wheel that they absolutely love. Their secret to being so satisfied? They purchased the model after a solid year of researching different fifth-wheel campers in person and online to find the perfect fit for their family of three.