If you've been researching urine separators for a DIY composting toilet or dry toilet, you may have come across a review that describes the Free Range Designs separator as a "simple deep-drawn part" with a "wavy surface" that "could be a little bigger for women."
We noticed it too. Since it ranks well and has been sending people away from our products based on some significant factual inaccuracies, it felt like time to respond — not with defensiveness, but with facts about how our separators are actually made.
"A simple deep-drawn part"
This is the most important factual error in the review, and it underpins several of the other criticisms. Deep drawing is a manufacturing process that stretches thin sheet plastic under pressure — the same technique used for cheap disposable trays and thin-walled packaging. It typically produces varying wall thicknesses, stress marks at the curves, and an uneven surface finish.
Our separators are not deep-drawn. They are formed from solid 4mm ABS sheet plastic. The wall thickness is consistent throughout. The same review praises the Trelino separator for being "very stable and of high quality" — the Trelino is also made from ABS. We use the same material, at the same kind of gauge, and have been doing so for over 20 years.
"The surface is a bit wavy"
A wavy surface is exactly what you get from deep-drawing — which, again, is not our manufacturing process. The high-gloss ABS surface on our separators is smooth and consistent throughout. If the reviewer observed something uneven, it is possible they were looking at an early prototype or a different product entirely. Our current separators have a clean, glossy finish that sheds liquid cleanly, resists build-up, and wipes down in seconds.
"The funnel could be a little bigger for women"
This is the one criticism we took most seriously — and it's exactly why we developed the Complete Urine Separator Diverter.
Our Compact is the original design: it fills the front portion of the toilet seat aperture and its position can be adjusted — moved slightly forwards or backwards — to suit different sitting positions. For those who want a fixed, full-coverage solution, the Complete fills the entire oval of the toilet seat. Its funnel geometry has been refined across more than 20 years and specifically addresses use by all users regardless of anatomy.
The results speak for themselves:
"Hiya Paul, I'm just putting the finishing touches to the wetroom — it's a million times better than the Separett ones — well done." — Dean
"Thanks so much for the urine separator. I had been looking all over the internet and finally stumbled upon your site. Got it today and it works perfectly!" — Jay
"Not quite as stable as Separett or Trelino"
The Separett Privy is injection-moulded polypropylene. The Trelino is ABS with a PMMA coating. Our separators are solid 4mm ABS — thicker-walled than many mass-manufactured alternatives, and at least as robust as ABS in any other form. In more than 20 years of making and selling urine separators from our workshop in Wales, we have never had a structural failure reported by a customer.
"The sieve can't be stuck properly unless you use superglue"
The metal filter included with every separator is designed to be removable — deliberately. It sits over the 30mm outlet hole to catch debris and prevent pipework blockages. Because it lifts straight out, you can rinse it clean and drop it back in. There is nothing to glue and nothing to break. A fixed filter would be harder to clean and a significantly worse design.
What we make today
The review was also written when we offered a single product. We now make two distinct separators:
- The Compact Urine Separator Diverter — the original, available in black or white, adjustable in position, and can be trimmed to a custom shape with a jigsaw if needed.
- The Complete Urine Separator Diverter — fills the full oval of the toilet seat, with a rear opening that guides solid waste cleanly into the collection bucket. Pre-cut to shape. No trimming required.
Both are handmade in Wales, UK. Both are cut from solid 4mm ABS plastic. Both include a removable metal filter and connect to standard 1¼" push-fit waste pipe. Both are dispatched within 24 hours.
A note on context
The site where that review appears sells Separett and Trelino products. We're not suggesting bad faith — it's a useful roundup article, and those are good products. But it's worth knowing that the review was written by someone with a commercial interest in the alternatives, based on what appears to be an outdated or incorrect understanding of how our product is manufactured.
If you're building a composting toilet — for a self-build home, a campervan, a glamping cabin, or an off-grid retreat — the urine separator is the single most important component in the system. It is worth buying one that's been made properly, by people who have been refining the design for over 20 years.
We think ours are worth it. Our customers agree.
Shop the Complete Urine Separator →
Shop the Compact Urine Separator →
