If you’re searching for the best toilet for off-grid living, tiny homes, or self-contained vehicles in New Zealand, the EcoLet™ Separera Mini urine-diverting compost toilet deserves a serious look. This sleek, waterless system is designed for Kiwis in tiny homes, off-grid cabins, and vanlife setups who want modern comfort without flushing precious tank water away.
In this review, we’ll unpack the EcoLet™ Separera Mini’s key features, design, performance, and environmental credentials. We’ll also touch on how it compares with porta-loo style RV toilets and chemical cassette systems – and why EcoLet™ is often the more sustainable, long-term solution for off-grid sanitation in New Zealand.
Key Features: What Sets the EcoLet™ Separera Mini Apart
Urine-Diverting, Waterless Design
The Separera Mini is a completely dry, waterless toilet. A smart, ergonomic urine diverter design separates liquids and solids: urine goes forward to its own outlet, while solids drop into a lined chamber. With no flush water required, you’re not sacrificing tank capacity just to move waste around – a big advantage when you’re living on rainwater tanks or travelling with limited storage.
Compact & Lightweight
With a footprint of 50 × 40 cm and an empty weight of around 10 kg, the EcoLet™ Mini fits easily into tiny bathrooms and mobile builds. It feels like a normal toilet to sit on, but without the bulk and weight of ceramic. That makes it ideal for tiny houses, motorhomes, caravans, boats, and house trucks where space and weight both matter.
Modern Look, Solid Build
The high-gloss white finish mimics porcelain, so the unit blends into modern bathrooms instead of looking like a “camping gadget.” It’s moulded from durable ASA/ABS/PP plastics that are non-porous, hygienic and easy to wipe clean, and robust enough for daily household use.
Automatic Chamber Screen
A built-in chamber screen (trap door) covers the solids bin. It opens when you sit and closes when you stand up, hiding the contents from view. This small detail makes a big difference to everyday comfort and helps keep the interior looking tidy.
Two 15 Litre Solids Chambers
The Separera Mini uses a batch system with two interchangeable 15 L solid waste chambers. You line a bin with a compostable bag; when it’s full (typically every 1–2 weeks for two full-time users), you tie the bag, cap the chamber, and swap in the spare. Full chambers can then be taken to an external compost setup or managed according to local regulations.
Two Urine Handling Options
You can choose between:
- UD-S (Urine Extraction): Urine is drained via hose to an external tank, compatible greywater system, or soakaway – ideal for permanent tiny houses or RVs with plumbed tanks.
- UD-C (Urine Container): An internal 8 L bottle collects urine for truly self-contained setups. Just lift it out and empty every few days – most popular in vans / motorhomes.
12 V Ventilation for Odour Control
A built-in 12 V fan (around 5 W) continuously draws air through the toilet and out a vent outlet. This steady airflow helps manage moisture and directs any odours outside, keeping the bathroom environment fresh when the system is installed and vented correctly.
Easy, Flexible Installation
The toilet simply sits on the floor and bolts down. A vent kit (with vertical pipe) is included so you can run a vent through the roof and meet NZ requirements for residential toilet vents (minimum 0.6 m above roofline). For RV and vehicle setups, a vertical roof vent isn’t required – a through-wall vent is sufficient when installed correctly. The only services needed are a 12 V supply for the fan and, for the extraction model, a discharge point for urine.
Low-Maintenance Operation
There are no mixers, heaters, or complex mechanisms to babysit. You sit to use it, add a dash of bulking agent after solids, and empty the chambers on a simple schedule. The supplied compostable bags and enzyme spray make it straightforward to live with day to day.
Design & Build Quality
The EcoLet™ Separera Mini looks like a compact modern toilet, not an improvised camping setup. The high-gloss white exterior, standard-style seat, and chair-height pedestal (around 50 cm tall) make it comfortable and familiar for guests. That’s a big win for tiny homes and cabins where you want the bathroom to feel “normal,” not like a long drop.
The body is moulded from high-quality ASA/ABS/polypropylene plastics. These materials are:
- Durable – designed to handle everyday use.
- Non-porous – hygienic and easy to wipe clean and less prone to staining.
- Lightweight – manageable for upstairs installs, vehicle builds, and mobile platforms.
Inside, the layout is all about simplicity and hygiene. The deep urine diverter at the front is shaped to capture liquids cleanly, and solids drop straight into the lined bin. The automatic chamber screen keeps the waste covered whenever the toilet isn’t actively being used, making the interior look tidy and reducing user contact with the solids bin during normal use.
Despite its light weight, the unit doesn’t feel flimsy. Once bolted down, it’s stable, and touches like a quick-release seat and an easily unplugged fan connection make maintenance and cleaning practical for real-world off-grid use.
Performance & Odour Control
When it comes to performance, the EcoLet™ Separera Mini is designed to provide a comfortable, low-smell experience when properly installed and maintained.
Continuous airflow from the 12 V fan draws air from the bathroom through the toilet and out the vent. This movement of air helps manage moisture and moves any odours outside, rather than letting them linger indoors.
Capacity-wise, the system is well suited to individuals and couples. For two people using it full-time:
- One 15 L solids chamber typically lasts about 1–2 weeks.
- A single user or part-time bach use will stretch that out considerably.
Swapping bins is quick: lift the top, tie off the liner, cap the bin, slot in the fresh one, and you’re back in action within minutes.
The urine container (for UD-C models) holds around 8 L, which usually needs emptying every two-three days for two people. If that frequency doesn’t suit your setup, the urine-extraction (UD-S) version allows you to send urine to an external tank or soakaway, eliminating manual liquids handing.
It’s also worth noting that the EcoLet™ Separera Mini has been approved for use in NZ self-contained vehicles, meaning it can be used in vehicles seeking a self-containment certificate.
Environmental Benefits
Composting toilets shine in off-grid, water-scarce situations – and the EcoLet™ Separera Mini is no exception.
Zero Flush Water
Traditional toilets use 4–9 litres of drinking-grade water per flush. A couple can easily flush tens of thousands of litres down the drain each year. The EcoLet™ uses no flush water at all. Every time you don’t flush, you’re saving water that can instead go to drinking, washing, or garden use – crucial for anyone on tank water or in drought-prone regions.
Eliminating Blackwater
By separating and composting waste on site, the EcoLet™ helps reduce or eliminate blackwater production in small, off-grid systems. That means less reliance on septic tanks, pump-outs, and treatment plants, and more control over how your own household waste is managed.
No Blue Chemicals
Chemical toilets and many porta-loo setups rely on synthetic deodorisers and disinfectants that must ultimately be disposed of somewhere. The EcoLet™ runs on simple inputs: bulking materials like coco peat or peat moss, plus an enzymatic cleaner for the urine diverter. There’s no blue chemical mix to inhale, spill, or send into septic systems and treatment plants.
Low Energy Use
The 12 V fan draws around 5 W continuously – roughly 120 Wh per day. That’s tiny in solar terms and easy to supply from a small PV/battery setup. There are no heaters or pumps, and you’re not consuming energy to pump or treat large volumes of blackwater. For off-grid Kiwis, this low-energy profile makes the EcoLet™ a very compatible long-term choice.
Overall, the EcoLet™ supports a more conservative and controlled approach to water and waste, which fits well with New Zealand’s off-grid and environmentally conscious lifestyle.
Maintenance: Simple and Straightforward
A composting toilet lives or dies on how much work it creates. The EcoLet™ Separera Mini is designed to be low-effort if you stick to a simple routine.
Day-to-Day Use
- Sit to use (everyone sits – this ensures the urine diverter is used as designed).
- After solids, sprinkle a small handful of bulking agent (coco peat or peat moss) into the chamber.
- Toilet paper can go straight into the solids chamber.
- The trap door closes automatically when you stand up, keeping things covered.
Weekly Touch-Ups
- Rinse the urine bowl/path with hot water once a week to help prevent urine salt build-up.
- Give the exterior a quick wipe with an enzymatic cleaner.
Emptying Solids
When the solids chamber is full:
- Open the unit and lift out the entire solids chamber.
- Tie off the compostable bag and cap the chamber with the lid.
- Move the material to your external compost or compliant disposal method, following local rules.
- Drop a fresh liner into the spare bin and place it in the toilet.
Handling is more controlled than emptying a chemical cassette because everything stays in the liner and there’s no "brown soup" to manage.
Emptying Urine
- For the container model, lift out the 8 L bottle, cap it, and empty at a suitable point.
- For the extraction model, emptying isn’t required unless you’re running to an external storage tank – in that case, you simply monitor the tank and empty it when full.
There are no cartridges to replace or expensive consumables to buy; the main ongoing supplies are bulking material, compostable bags, and an enzyme cleaner.
Where the EcoLet™ Separera Mini Shines in NZ
Tiny Homes & Baches
Perfect for small bathrooms in tiny homes and rural baches with no sewer connection. You get a “real” indoor toilet experience without installing a septic tank or using any flush water. Odour-managed operation and a compact footprint make it easy to live with day in, day out.
Vanlife, Caravans & Motorhomes
For campervans, house trucks, and caravans, the EcoLet™ Mini is a step up from standard chemical porta-potties. It reduces how often you need to visit dump stations, avoids ongoing chemical purchases, and provides a more home-like toilet experience, while achieving compliance with NZ self-containment requirements.
Off-Grid Cabins & Lifestyle Blocks
On remote properties running solar and rainwater, the Separera Mini offers reliable sanitation with virtually no drain on your water or power budgets. It’s ideal as the main toilet in a small off-grid dwelling or as a secondary unit in a sleep-out or studio.
Emergency & Backup Use
For rural homes or anyone concerned about earthquakes, storms, or water outages, the EcoLet™ can double as an emergency backup system. If mains sewer or water fail, you still have a safe, hygienic toilet that doesn’t depend on flushing or pumps.
The Verdict: Is the EcoLet™ Separera Mini Right for You?
The EcoLet™ Separera Mini is a thoughtfully designed urine-diverting compost toilet that delivers what most off-grid Kiwis actually want: a bathroom that feels normal, uses no flush water, integrates with low-power systems, and is practical to maintain.
If you’re living tiny, travelling Aotearoa by van, or setting up an off-grid bach and you value comfort, low running costs, and more control over your own waste and water use, the Separera Mini is a strong contender. It does ask you to engage a little – emptying chambers and adding bulking agents – but in return, you get independence from dump stations, septic installs, and constant chemical top-ups.
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