Any parent will know that potty training is no easy feat, but when combined with travelling, things can get even harder, which is why you need one of the best travel potties.
A travel potty is an essential if you want an easy, fuss-free journey and be able to keep up your child's toilet training as you go. So how do you find the best travel potties and seats for you?
There are plenty of options to choose from including carry potties and foldable toilet seats, all of which are perfect for taking out in a hurry and often more hygienic than taking your average potty out that you usually use home.
The best travel potties at a glance:
•Best portable potty: My Carry Potty - Buy now from John Lewis
•Best small potty: OXO 2-IN-1 Go Potty - Buy now from Amazon
•Best potty for travelling: Pottete Max - Buy now from Amazon
•Best disposable potty: Hippychick Tron Travel Potty - Buy now from Amazon
Take a look below at our list of the best travel potties and seats to keep your little one happy wherever they are before graduating to the big seat.
The best travel potties and seats 2023
Best portable potty
www.johnlewis.com
Description
It won Gold in the Mother and Baby Awards 2018 in the Best Potty Training Products category
With a fun animal design and an integrated handle and a twist button for easy opening, you can take this potty everywhere and your little one will love using it. The bowl has a splash guard and you can seal it back up to prevent leaks and nasty odours.
Tested by mum Nicola Hogan for the Mother and Baby Awards 2018: "I would definitely recommend this product as it has been a god-send! My son is toilet-training at the minute and we were finding it a real struggle to keep up the training when out and about. We've been able to take the My Carry Potty with us now, meaning that he will always have a toilet on the go! My son can't open it himself which is convenient as it means there is no risk of spillage. It is a perfect size to be portable as it's not too big to be clumsy and fits in the pushchair tray easily. I really like the deep bowl, it means it can be used a few times while you're out before it needs emptying."
Read our full My Carry Potty review
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Leak-proof and odour proof
Cons
- No other designs available
Best adjustable potty
Description
Shortlisted in the 2017 M&B Awards Best Potty Training Products category
The Poteete Plus 2-in-1 can be used at home or on the go. It can stand alone as a potty but it can also be converted to the top of a toilet when you're on-the-go. The plastic potty is easy to wipe clean, and it's a convenient little product which can be attached to the top of the toilet when your little one is ready.
Tested by mum Rachel Robinson for the Mother and Baby Awards 2017: "I like how you can use it on normal adult toilets and also use it as a potty when away from loos. I think it's great that it comes with the liners. It's quite small so can be taken around when out and about the sides fold down. Really like the idea of this and think it's great for potty training."
Read our full Maguari Bibs And Stuff 2-in-1 Potette Plus review
Pros
- Broad range of colour options
- Can be used with Potette Plus disposable or reusable liners
Cons
- Some reviewers say it could be sturdier
Best small potty
Description
Shortlisted in the 2019 Mother and Baby Awards Best Potty Training Products category
An OXO potty like this is useful for any on-the-go emergencies. It fits onto most toilets, and it comes with disposable bags, absorption pads, and a travel bag. Plus it's small enough to be easily transported, so it won't take up too much room in your toddler bag.
Tested by mum Sarah Jayne for the 2019 Mother and Baby Awards: "This product is extremely convenient. It is expensive but it is good quality and comparable to the cost of the average nappy brand. It is so easy to carry, folds up, fits into my bag and it has its own bag too to keep everything contained. The disposable bags are very sturdy. It can be used as a standalone potty with the legs flipped down or as a toilet seat suitable for little bottoms on any normal toilet either at home or out and about."
Read our full OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty review
Pros
- Smooth surface
- Travel bag included
Cons
- Quite small
Best emptiable potty
Description
Multi-award-winning potty - it was Shortlisted in the 2014 M&B Awards in the Best Potty Training Products category
The sturdiness of this larger seat makes it comfortable for growing toddlers. With a unique pouring duct and handle, you can dispose of the contents easily, making it great for travelling and disposal on the go.
Tested by mum Sophie Knight and her son, Eli: "This is really easy to use, the main selling point being how easy it is to pour everything away down the toilet - it's very easy to clean too, and lightweight so OK for carrying when you're out and about. It's not a compact travel potty, but for ease of use it's great."
Read our full Pourty Easy-to-Pour Potty review
Pros
- Large seating area (less mess)
- Quite wide
Cons
- Not the sturdiest
5.
Potette Max
Best potty for travelling
Description
Shortlisted in the 2021 Best Potty Training Products category at the Mother&Baby Awards
The Potette Max has a special 3-in-1 design. Not only are there absorbent, biodegradable liners to keep mess to a minimum, there's a travel bag too, so you can take it with you on the train, plane, bus or however you are travelling - how convenient!
Tested by mum Sikha for the Mother and Baby Awards 2021: As the mum of a recently potty trained toddler, and a slightly older child too, this product is brilliant. We use it primarily as a child seat for the toilet when we're out and about and both kids find it comfy and ready to use. It is ready to clean and packs up really small. The carry bag is useful. We have also used it as an emergency potty when we've been caught short and had to pull over while driving.
Read our full Potette Max review
Pros
- Reusable liner is removable and easy to clean
- Foldable legs for compactness
Cons
- Design isn't very exciting to toddlers
Best toddler toilet seat
Description
Finished with upgraded non-slip silicone pads, which increase the friction between the toilet cover and potty training seat, ensuring your baby sits securely on the toilet. This cute little froggy folds up neatly and comes with a storage bag which is easy for carrying. We love how easy it is to clean - just wipe it with a wet cloth or flush it with water.
Review: "My little one is just potty trained and so trips out were a bit daunting(for me!), especially as you can't bring the potty everywhere you go. She's only two years and four months old so is still little and "the big girl potty" was very daunting for her, so much so she wouldn't sit on a full-sized toilet at all. This has completely changed all of that! She absolutely loves the fun design and it fits on every toilet we've used so far (a fair few!!). I was really surprised with just how small it folds down, so it's perfect to just pop in the backpack when we go out."
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Available in several fun colours and designs
Cons
- Some say it's not the best for wriggly toddlers
Best disposable potty
Description
Shortlisted in the 2020 Mother and Baby Awards for the Best Potty Training Products category
Now for something completely different - a disposable, recyclable, eco-friendly potty. Collapsible, portable and easy to pop into your pocket, it's a must-have for short journeys, camping or festivals.
Tested by mum Karen for the 2020 Mother and Baby Awards: "This product is compact, light and easy to pop into a bag for potty time on the go. The product is a single-use item that is to be disposed of the following use. Due to the lightweight nature of the product, it is made essentially of cardboard, you can really forget that you are carrying it around. It can be a permanent feature in your bag without causing extra bulk meaning one less thing to pack and one less thing to worry about. The product is easy to use and child-friendly, my little girl was happy to sit on it as if it was a regular potty."
Read our full Tron Disposable Travel Potty review
Pros
- Unfolds quickly
- Three per pack
Cons
- Not reusable
What is a travel potty?
It does what it says on the tin - a potty for when you're out and about to help support your toddler's potty training. You can find two main types of travel potty: one that is just a training seat support to place on top of a normal toilet, and the other is a potty.
What to look for in a travel potty or seat
Ease of cleaning - Our number one tip is to choose something that's super easy to clean, whether that's with disposable bags or bowls that can be removed and cleaned out.
Size - Think about how easy the travel potty is to carry around. There's no point in having a fantastic, does-everything travel potty if you can't actually fit it in the boot of your car or a luggage rack. Look for one that is lightweight or even small and foldable.
Comfort - Potties aren't the most comfortable of seats, but you'll want something that your little one will be able to sit on for as long as it takes to do their business. Some travel potties have an ergonomic design or even a backrest, which might appeal to you.
How to use a travel potty or seat
Potty training expert Amanda Jenner gave us her top tips on potty training while travelling out and about with one of the best travel potties...
•Take a potty everywhere - either buy a travel potty or pack up the one you're using at home - don't expect your little one to sit on a public toilet.
•Make sure everyone who looks after your child when they are not at home, for example, nursery teachers, childminders, and grandparents, are informed about your potty training plan and what you expect - communication is key.
•Keep giving your little one reminders when out and about - you might be doing it at home, but try to ask your tot if he/she needs to use the bathroom or the toilet every 20 minutes or so.
•Remember everything is easier at home - when a child feels confident using the potty at home is different to when they feel confident out of the house. Use a reward chart to reinforce positive behaviour.
•Overall, when away from home on a short or long trip, it's essential to stick to your routine and to get support where you can.
Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for six years. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.