Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been considered an energy-efficient waste treatment technology that can convert wet feedstock into more valuable materials without an energy-intensive drying process. As a part of the research project investigating the HTC of faecal waste in less developed communities, we developed a bench-scale low-cost reactor employing austenitic stainless steel pipe and fitting materials (European code: 1.4404 / U.S. code: 316 L).