Reliance Luggable Loo review: a working toilet when the water and sewer stop

This is a research-based review, based on manufacturer specs and published data. We do not test products. Specs come from Reliance Outdoors' product page for the Luggable Loo, checked November 1, 2026. Sanitation guidance comes from the CDC, the EPA, Oregon State University Extension and Portland-area emergency managers, as summarized in our sanitation guide.

A flush toilet needs two things that depend on power: water pressure to refill the tank and a sewer system to carry waste away. The EPA's power outage checklist for water and wastewater utilities warns that losing grid power can lead to pressure losses, reduced treatment and sewage backups. In a long outage, the toilet can stop working before the food runs out.

The Luggable Loo is the simplest answer: a bucket with a real toilet seat. It is not clever, and that is the point.

Who should buy it

• Households planning to shelter at home through outages of a week or more, especially on municipal sewer in areas hit by hurricanes, ice storms or earthquakes.
• Homes on septic systems: the CDC advises septic owners in an emergency to flush as little as possible or use a temporary toilet.
• Anyone building the two-bucket system (one bucket for urine, one for solids) recommended by Oregon State University Extension and Portland's Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization.
• Campers and RV owners who want a seat that doubles for trips.

Who should skip it

• Anyone needing a sealed, odor-controlled toilet for a small apartment over a long period; a cassette-style portable toilet with a holding tank is a different, heavier product.
• People over the 220 lb weight rating, or who need grab bars and a standard seat height for mobility. Check the 15 in height first.

Strengths

• Real seat and lid. The snap-on seat and cover make a bucket usable for adults and children, and the lid helps contain odor between uses.
• Standard 5-gallon size. Fits common trash bags and Reliance's own Double Doodie bags, so liners are easy to find.
• Light and storable. 2.96 lb empty; store the bags, gloves, sanitizer and cover material inside it.
• Easy to clean. Seat and cover snap off.
• No water or power. Nothing to fill, pump or charge.

Drawbacks

• No seal or tank. Odor control depends on liners, a cover material such as sawdust or cat litter, and closing the lid.
• Bags run out fast. Double Doodie bags come six to a pack. A household of four using one bag per person per day (the CDC's planning figure) needs about 20 packs a month; most families stock heavy-duty trash bags as the main supply.
• Weight when full. Change liners well before 5 gallons; a full bag is heavy and can tear.
• Availability. Reliance's own store has listed it unavailable at times; it is widely sold elsewhere.

How it compares

The Luggable Loo is one piece of an emergency toilet. These are the parts it works with, and the bare-bucket alternative.

Using it in a long outage

Decide when to stop flushing

In a short outage with the sewer still working, many homes flush normally or by pouring stored water into the bowl. Switch to the bucket when sewer service is in doubt, when local officials tell residents to stop, or when you see signs of trouble such as slow drains or sewage backing up. If backups are possible, the FEMA earthquake checklist advises plugging bathtub and sink drains.

Set up the two-bucket toilet

1. 01Put the Luggable Loo in the bathroom for solids, lined with a heavy-duty bag or a Double Doodie bag.
2. 02Use a second, clearly labeled bucket for urine. Oregon State University Extension explains that urine is generally sterile and causes most of the odor in a mixed toilet.
3. 03After each use of the solids bucket, add a scoop of dry cover material (sawdust, shredded paper or cat litter) and close the lid.
4. 04Tie off and double-bag each liner well before it is full, and store sealed bags in a lidded outdoor container away from water sources until collection resumes.
5. 05Set up handwashing next to the toilet: a water container with a spigot, soap and a catch bucket.

Stock it for 30 days

Using the CDC's planning figure of about one bag per person per day, a household of four needs roughly 120 bags a month for the solids bucket. Add a box of disposable gloves, cover material, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and a lidded outdoor bin. Store it all inside or next to the Luggable Loo so the whole kit is in one place. Our sanitation guide has a full table by household size.

Water for handwashing comes from your stored supply: Ready.gov's one gallon per person per day covers drinking and sanitation together. A rigid container with a spigot, such as the Reliance Jumbo-Tainer, makes a working sink.