When it comes to composting toilets or dry toilets, most designs are made to match the requirements of off-grid and off-pipe living. Now with the Kildwick FancyLoo, a dry toilet has arrived for sustainability buffs with a penchant for design (or for design lovers with a soft spot for low-impact living, vice versa).
Kildwick FancyLoo
A sustainable dry toilet that is not only designed with low impact living in mind, but modern ascetics as well.
Composting Toilets Made in Germany: Meet Kildwick
Originally from the UK, the source separation toilet specialist Kildwick moved countries when the Leipzig-based company Perato GmbH acquired the British brand in 2019.
Massive user feedback from the vanlife and indie living communities gave the new team enough ideas to overhaul the original design. Using high-quality, regionally sourced, sustainable as well as recyclable materials, the new main range of dry toilets and accessories catering to the needs of vanlifers, tiny-home owners and sustainability buffs was launched soon after; available as fully assembled units or DIY flat packs. On top of that you get to choose if you need the divert design (for installed units) or the capture version (for mobile use). Several models also double as seats, which is a feature when you’re pressed for space.
Made from untreated solid birch plywood, all pre-FancyLoo Kildwick toilets are designed to be custom-painted, stained, lacquered etc, by the owners.
In addition, fans, pipes, all and anything can be adjusted or retrofitted to your liking as well. After all, DIY is hugely popular with the low impact living community.
However, with the latest addition to the range, the FancyLoo, Kildwick addresses customers who want the best of both worlds: sustainable sanitation and modern design with little to no DIY appeal. Something for a very style-oriented home.
The FancyLoo – Are There Any Reviews Yet?
The FancyLoo is a fairly new model, but other products as well as the dedicated work of the company’s endearingly helpful service team regularly bring in 5-star reviews commending the quality of the products, the service, and the depth of advice.
Spoiler alert: the novel magnetic fixtures (more on that in a second) introduced with the launch of the FancyLoo were so well-received by the community that Kildwick decided to retrofit the MiniLoo, MicroLoo and PiccoLoo models, and to equip those with magnetic fixtures as well.
#revoLOOtion: What We Like About the Kildwick FancyLoo
With the FancyLoo, Kildwick have introduced their largest dry toilet model so far. The use of treated, ready-to-go wood for the body is new as well.
Let’s look at how well the FancyLoo does the job, how comfortable the boxy design really is; check the extras, the price list, and the downsides of this model.
Dimensions
Despite its sturdy build and firm footing, the FancyLoo is a flyweight at barely 37 pounds.
- Depth/ length: 17.32 inches (44 cm)
- Width: ca. 16.92 inches (43 cm)
- Height: 18.90 inches (48 cm)
- Weight: 36.38 pounds (16.50 kg)
The lid is sturdy and will load up to 220 pounds approximately (100 kg) of weight. You also don’t need to worry about it hitting walls or other pieces of bathroom furniture: when open, it auto-stops at a comfy 100° angle.
Installation
As with any source separation or composting toilet, the installation is as simple or as ambitious as the owners’ requirements.
If you use the FancyLoo Divert with a preinstalled composting unit in your house, it will need some handwork.
If you get the FancyLoo Capture and use the collection tank and container included, you literally just put it up—and are good to go in no time.
The FancyLoo is the only Kildwick model available in a pre-assembled version only; no DIY kit was introduced yet.
Maintenance
A composting toilet is designed to work in an off-grid, off-pipe setting and doesn’t need any water (and oftentimes, not even electricity) to operate. It’s a staple with the indie and low-impact communities as well as within the tiny house and vanlife movements.
The principle of source separation in a composting toilet creates a naturally odor-free environment by separately collecting liquid and solid human waste. Those can be further processed aka composted. The alternative is collecting and disposing of safely (your local regulations apply).
Whatever the overall setup, the maintenance is easy:
- wipe the separator using a gentle cleanser and a paper towel
- the solids’ container needs a compostable bag for lining and some cover material to dry the contents, promote aerobic decomposition, and prevent unsightly and smelly experiences
- the liquids container is easy to empty
- no chemical additives are necessary
The major element that contributes to the ease of handling is the novel use of powerful magnets:
What’s new about the Kildwick FancyLoo? Magnet fixtures
Now that’s literally a world-first: rather than going for the standard set-up consisting of bolts and hinges, Kildwick chose to work with fixtures made from extremely powerful, permanent Neodymium magnets. These hold the toilet seat and the separator bowl perfectly and securely in place, no matter the circumstance: especially vital for mobile homes.
Snugly fit into removable and easy-to-disinfect silicone caps, the heavy-duty magnets also double as spacers.
Another major benefit of the permanent magnets is that they create an effortless maintenance and cleaning experience. Releasing the magnets, removing the bowl/ seat for cleaning, and then perfectly aligning the parts again is done in no time.
The magnetic fixtures come with one more bonus: no drill holes and no hinges makes for super smooth and easy-to-clean hygienic surfaces.
Design and Height
The boxy design is very Kildwick, but the use of treated wood and the set colorways are quite new. Also, make no mistake: the clean lines don’t interfere with your seating comfort in any ways.
All surfaces are smooth, the laser-cut edges are smooth and even to the touch. However, when seated, you don’t really get in touch with the edges anyway. Or, as Kildwick put it, “The sitting exprience is classic“.
The modern, elegant design line is what sets the FancyLoo apart from all the dry toilets: The signature shape benefits from any of the three colorways. “Cream“, “light grey“ and “stone grey“ look quite striking in person. You also get to pick a color for the separator bowl: classic white or a gorgeous deep black.
Because the FancyLoo body is splash-proof and super durable and equipped with a boxy lid, it easily doubles as a seat or as an extra shelf space when closed.
At approximately 18.90 inches (48 cm), the seating height offers what is known as Chair Height or Comfort Height. This creates a seating position that many individuals perceive as the most comfortable and relaxed.
Price
Current prices are €799.90 and €909.90 respectively for the Capture and Divert FancyLoo models. This makes them the priciest of the Kildwick range. Compared to the competition, however, it’s not the most expensive price for a ready-made dry toilet of this quality.
The FancyLoo comes fully equipped with a seat, one source separation bowl or separator of your color choice. The Capture model comes with two collection tanks.
Where the Kildwick FancyLoo Could Be Improved
Make no mistake: The FancyLoo’s sophisticated design (from the “insides” to the outer lines) is rooted in tremendous experience with source separation toilets—the ease of operation, the seating comfort, everything is carefully crafted with the user in mind.
For new dry toilet users however, the boxy appearance of this toilet “cube” might need some getting used to. That said, if you are looking for a composting toilet, you are probably very used to lifestyle adaptation already!
The Final Word
Be it for your house, for your mobile home or for an ecotourism lodge: The FancyLoo is a carefully designed, odor-free, eco-friendly and comfortable source separation toilet built to last. It’s made using sustainable, durable and, where fit, recyclable materials. The magnetic fixtures make maintenance super easy and hassle-free.