Ok, parents, I’ve spent months researching and deciding on the best travel potty seat for toddlers.
Even though I have four kids and I’ve been through my fair share of potty gear, there’s no way I could have bought and tested all of them.
But I know you’re looking for reviews for the best travel potty seats, so I’ve spend a lot of time looking at what’s available, going over the pros and cons and coming up with a handy comparison list to help you decide what will work best for you.
After months of staring at travel potty seats, reading reviews, checking specs and comparing, here are (according to this experienced potty training mama of 4) the best travel potty seats for toddlers and their grownups.
But first…
Because there are so many different types of portable potty seats available, keep in mind that whichever one you choose, there will be some work involved.
However, some travel potty seats are easier to use than others.
In this article we’ll take a look at features like ease of cleaning, whether it needs a liner or not, if it is a folding travel potty and so much more.
After comparing the features, you’ll be able to better decide which portable potty chair is right for your travels.
Some included links are affiliate links where 123 Potty Train Me earns from qualifying purchases.
Top 5 Best Travel Potty Seats
| Travel Potty | Best | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty | All-in-one travel potty | $$ |
| 2. Foldable Travel Potty Seat | Folding travel potty seat | $ |
| 3. Cool Gear Travel Potty | Travel potty with liner | $$ |
| 4. My Carry Potty | Travel potty without liner | $$ |
| 5. Onedone Portable Potty Urinal | Portable travel urinal | $ |
Keep reading below for in-depth reviews of each travel potty.
Different Types of Travel Potty Seats
Travel potty seats and chairs come in different styles to accommodate different travel needs.
Let’s take a look at what each type of seat is used for.
- Portable folding potty chair – A portable folding potty chair has folding legs that can be adjusted to use as a stand-alone potty seat or to sit on top of a toilet.
- Foldable potty seat – This travel potty seat is a folding seat that easily sits on top of a toilet seat. It works well because it can be folded and stored in the car and takes up very little space.
- Travel potty seat – This type of potty seat sits on top of a toilet seat. It comes in foldable and non-foldable styles and works well for toddlers who aren’t afraid of sitting on an adult toilet while out of the house.
- Potty chair with a bag liner – The most common type of travel potty for toddlers is the potty chair that holds a bag liner. This potty allows a toddler to go in a disposable bag and then the bag is tied up and disposed of.
- Potty chair without a bag liner – Similar to the potty with a bag liner, except this travel potty does not need a disposable bag. Instead it has a built-in basin that the toddler uses to potty in. When done, the lid is closed and sealed with a rubber gasket around the edge making it spill-proof.
- Handheld urinal cup – A handheld travel potty, this device is unique because it is in the shape of a cup. Instead of sitting on a potty seat, you’d hold this cup up to your child.
- Disposable urinal bag – Urinal bags are great for quick stops when toddlers only need to pee. They are small and portable making them easy to pull out in an instant to be used.
- Disposable potty chair – Made out of cardboard, these potty seats are made to fold out and are sturdy enough to hold a toddler. Once done with them, the whole potty chair can be disposed of.
- Inflatable potty chair – This lightweight portable potty chair can be easily inflated and a bag placed inside for quick potty trips. When deflated it’s compact enough to fit in a purse.
So many choices, I know. But with all the information condensed in this handy guide, you’ll be able to make a very informed decision and be ready for the inevitable, “Mommy, I have to potty!” while traveling in the car with your toddler!
How to Choose the Best Travel Potty Seat
Once you know what each travel potty is used for, you can start to decide which will be the right one for your toddler.
Here are some things to think about that will help you choose the best option.
- How often will you be able to stop? If you’ve chosen to use a potty seat, will you have the opportunity to stop frequent enough to use it on the toilet?
- Is your toddler comfortable using a potty in the car? If your toddler doesn’t like going potty in the travel potty in the car, this may cause them to hold it in which could create accidents later on.
- How will you store used potty chair liners? Once they’re used, potty liners need to be stored in a place away from other people because they are unsanitary. If you choose a travel potty chair that uses liners, how will you store used liners until you get somewhere you can throw them out?
- How will you clean/empty a potty chair? Potty chairs that don’t have a bag need to be emptied after they’re used. How will you empty it and how will you clean it?
- How much space do you have in your vehicle? Potty chairs take up more space than potty seats. Do you have enough space for a large seat? Is your potty chair foldable, in a case, handheld?
Best Travel Potty Seats for Toddlers
After months of research, here are the details about the travel potties I’ve found to be the best.
Depending on the length of your trip, size of your car and ability of your toddler to control their bladder, I’m confident you’ll find the best travel potty seat in this list.
Some included links are affiliate links where 123 Potty Train Me earns from qualifying purchases.
1. OXO TOT 2-IN-1 GO POTTY
Best: All-in-one budget travel potty
Pros:
- Super compact – This travel potty can fit literally anywhere like a diaper bag, a small crack in the trunk or even between seats.
- All-in-one – Both ends are covered with this potty seat and by that I mean it can be used as a travel potty in the car or used as a potty seat that sits on top of the toilet.
- Liner covers the seat – The liners leave no part of the potty exposed, so you can be confident there won’t be any *ahem* inadvertent smears on the seat. Check out the video below to see what I mean.
- Price – You won’t find another travel potty with such perfect features for this budget friendly price. Oxo Tot really knocked it out of the park on this one.
Cons:
- Needs liners – Some may consider this a con because you need to rebuy bags. But considering the convenience this potty seat gives you, it’s a small price to pay. You could technically reuse grocery bags in it, but don’t take the chance of them having holes and messing up your car. Just buy the refill bag liners and save yourself the drama.
After all of the research I did, this one ranked as the best travel potty seat above the rest. And there’s good reason, too!
I’m not kidding when I say this potty chair does it all. For starters, it has a small footprint, so it can be easily carried around and placed in a trunk or small backseat for use. It also folds down even smaller when it’s not in use so there’s almost nowhere this potty chair can’t travel with you.
Did I mention it comes with its own bag for sanitary carrying?
The next reason it gets a top rating in my book is because it eliminates the need for you to have to decide between a car potty and a travel toilet seat. This one does both! You fold the legs down and insert a liner and it’s ready to be used in the vehicle in a matter of seconds which is of utmost importance when your toddler’s bladder is a ticking time bomb.
If you’re at a place where there’s a bathroom, it easily converts into a small toilet top seat with the click of the legs. And the rubber grips on the bottom keep it from sliding around. I absolutely love the ease of this feature.
The last feature I wanted to highlight about the OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty is one I don’t think a lot of parents consider when looking for a travel potty. And that is the ability to cover the entire potty seat with the liner. It doesn’t sound like a huge deal, but think about it. Many travel potty seats have you place the liner on it and then put the actual seat on top of the liner-leaving a potential mess to clean up if anything misses the bag liner and gets on the seat instead. With this potty the liner covers it all so it’s easy to clean up. And that’s what we all want, right?
Honestly this potty chair could work as a travel potty and as your home potty. It’s just that good.
“…it works great as a kids travel potty, especially in unfamiliar hotels with unfamiliar toilets, as well as in Cracker Barrel parking lots. But don’t discount it’s usefulness for adults in need as well.”
Amazon Parent Review
2. FOLDABLE TRAVEL POTTY SEAT
Best: Compact foldable travel potty seat
Pros:
- Folds to a compact position – It’s small enough to go almost anywhere a water bottle can.
- No gaps – You’ll appreciate this feature a lot when you realize that you don’t have to worry about your toddler’s legs getting pinched in the folds of the potty seat.
- Carrying case – Once it touches the toilet, the handy carrying bag will keep the germs from getting on anything else until you get a chance to clean it.
Cons:
- Grooves underneath – The good thing is that the top is an easy-to-clean smooth surface for your toddler to sit on. The con is that the bottom has lots of grooves and crevices that may make it trickier to clean if any pee or poop gets in there.
If you’re strictly looking for a travel potty seat, this is the best option.
When in use this potty seat is wide enough to fit over a round or oval toilet. Which is great because you never know what kind of toilets you’ll have to deal with in public.
Also, I know one of the main questions many mama’s have about folding travel potty seats like this is will it slide around on top of the toilet? I’m happy to say that one of the biggest reasons this one made it on my list is because it comes with silicone pads on the bottom that keeps it from moving while your toddler is on it (cause nobody likes a moving toilet seat).
It’s also perfect for parents that want an easy-to-carry solution. Once your toddler is done using it, it folds down to 7.7 inches, which is the about the length of a disposable water bottle so it’s small enough to slide in a diaper bag or purse for discreet transport. And it comes with a carrying bag for sanitation.
Think about it-not only is this folding travel potty seat good for long trips, but you can use it for regular, everyday trips, too. Making a quick trip to a friend’s house? Toss it in your purse in case your toddler needs to go while you’re out. You won’t have to worry about them being afraid of using someone else’s big unfamiliar toilet.
Side note: I’m a germaphobe and as awesome as this potty seat is, I’d still recommend getting some toilet seat covers to cover the public toilet with before you place this potty seat on top.
“My son sits to pee, and as a mom, handling the potty situation in public can be a challenge. This potty was definitely the solution to that problem!“
Amazon Parent Review
3. COOL GEAR TRAVEL POTTY
Best: Travel potty with liners
Pros
- Folds compact – Trunk size is always a concern with parents. This travel potty folds small like a mini briefcase so it’s easy to store.
- Large size – Big enough for older kids, too!
- Extra storage – Two side pockets allow you to store extra supplies which is great for kids who need a book to help them relax and go while out.
Cons
- Uses liners – This can be a con because it takes time to place liners and if your child needs to go right away, they could have an accident while waiting.
This potty seat has a unique feature that won me over and helped solidify its place on this list of best travel potty seats.
I’ve not come across any other folding potty seat that includes built-in storage pockets. I mean, it’s genius. There’s a pocket on one side which can be used for extra storage for stuff like wipes, tissue and liners. And in the pocket on the other side, kids can have fun and store stuff like books and toys to keep them entertained and occupied while they do their business.
Having all this extra storage could also mean less bags for you to carry around because everything you need is stored with the potty already.
And the best part is it all closes up nice and compactly so you don’t have to remove and replace things every time your child uses it. Think of it as a mini bathroom you can take with you!
Another issue the makers of the Cool Gear Travel Potty have addressed nicely is potty seat size. I’ve heard the complaint that many travel potty seats are too small for kids past age two or three many times. That won’t be a problem with this one.
In fact, one of the parent reviews said their child is six years old and still uses it. It’s great for older kids who still need the security of having a potty readily available because, yes, older kids still have accidents and often times are still working through poop issues.
“This little seat has definitely opened up travel to us w/o car seat accidents or backtracking to pull-ups! And that regular freezer bags work instead of very expensive refills is a major perk!…”
Amazon Parent Review
4. MY CARRY POTTY
Best: Travel potty without liners
Pros
- Leak-proof seal – No spilling peep and poop all over the place just because you don’t have somewhere to empty the potty right away.
- No rebuying bag liners – Refills can be expensive. The design of this potty seat means no extra purchases necessary.
- One-piece design – Genius design that keeps pee and poop from seeping into cracks and crevices of seat.
Cons
- Basin isn’t removable – The fact that the basin doesn’t come out can make it hard to clean in small sinks.
Besides the super cute designs and fun colors it comes in, this portable potty seat makes the cut because it’s the best one that doesn’t need liners. Buying liners can be costly, so it’s nice that this one eliminates that expense for those that don’t want it.
Of course that means the actual basin that kids pee and poop in will be messy and need to be cleaned. But the genius of this travel potty’s design is that it includes a tight seal around the lid so even if your toddler uses it while you’re out and you don’t have anywhere to dump and clean it right away, it’s okay! Closing it and twisting the knob ensures you won’t have to worry about spills in your vehicle.
The one-piece design can be seen as a pro or a con depending on your needs. I think it’s great because unlike some other potty seats, there are no small crevices for pee to get trapped in. That would make it harder to reach and clean and it could end up smelling. It’s as simple as dumping and rinsing or wiping out. You won’t have any small pieces to lose, assemble or fumble with while you tell your child to “hold it” so you can set up.
The con of having a one piece design is that if your child poops, it’s kind of gross to have to scoop it out since the basin doesn’t come out for easier dumping.
Also if you need to fit the potty seat in a sink, it may be too large, creating a problem. You may have to use a large utility sink or resort to just spraying and wiping it down instead. It’s definitely not a deal-breaker and I still highly recommend this travel potty seat.
“This is a BRILLIANT investment. We love it. Toilet training has ventured out the house. It’s stable, decent size, and the character makes it really likeable to our kid. No messing about with silly disposable bags…”
Amazon Parent Review
5. PORTABLE POTTY URINAL
Best: Portable travel urinal
Pros
- Handheld – Instead of opening the trunk and setting up a mini bathroom, just turn around in your seat and easily help your child go potty right away.
- Small size – you never have to worry about where to store this travel urinal. Easily stores in a bag or purse for carrying.
- Wont spill – it’s a cup with a built-in funnel that allows urine to flow in, but keeps it from spilling out.
Cons
- Only for pee – hopefully your kid only needs to pee because this cup is only for going #1.
- Messy to open and clean – watch out! Your hands might get wet while removing the inner funnel to empty and clean it.
My favorite thing about this travel-size urinal is that it is small enough to be handheld.
Imagine you’re in a traffic jam and your toddler has to pee really badly. There’s no time to get him to the bathroom or set up another travel potty seat from the trunk. This little gadget is the perfect tool to pull out your purse, turn around and let him pee in right away. I mean, technically, he won’t even have to get out of his car seat because of the way it is designed.
Crisis averted.
There’s a specially made travel urinal for girls, too! And because the handheld urinals are spill-proof you won’t need to worry about gross spills until you can get somewhere to empty and rinse it out.
As awesome as it is for super potty emergencies, there are a few drawbacks.
First, it’s only made for pee. What are you going to do if the potty emergency is for poop? You’ll have to have a plan B for that since this cup is designed specifically for pee.
And secondly, you should know that the funnel that keeps the pee from spilling out, is reportedly kind of hard to remove which can cause your hand to get wet from the urine as you try to nudge it out. That can be gross.
Even with these cons, it’s still a great tool to have in case of emergency.
“I keep this urinal in the car, and is perfect for when we go to the park or any outdoor activity. Because of its size and cuteness, my son has no hesitation in using this…”
Amazon Parent Review
Final Thoughts
The best travel potty seat will be the one that works best for your situation. However, out of all the potty seats I’ve researched and reviewed, these five have turned out to be the best of the best. And out of this list of the best, the Oxo Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty is hands down the winner for price, function and size. It truly is an all-in-one travel potty solution.
