We Did the Dirty Work: These Are the Best Automatic Litter Boxes We Tested

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For centuries — er, decades? — devoted cat owners have been scooping the poops of our beloved felines by hand. No more! The best automatic cat litter boxes take care of that mess entirely. These products save you time, keep the air in your home odor-free, and will eventually save you money. But with most of the models priced above $500, the investment is undoubtedly the hardest pill to swallow with these products, which is why you need to be informed before you buy.

With that in mind, we enlisted picky kitties — shoutout to Murphy, Frank, Romy, June, Beau, and Picasso — to test the most popular automatic litter boxes available today, including Whisker's Litter-Robot 4, Meowant's Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box, and Amazon's favorite, the PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box. Here's what we found.

Litter-Robot 4

Founded in 2000, Litter-Robot is credited with inventing the modern automatic litter box. Decades later, and it's still on top of the game — with good reason.

The latest iteration of the product is the Litter-Robot 4, a relatively large upright box with a portal-like entrance for feline users. Aesthetically it's sleek, though it does look a bit like a washing machine.

The Litter-Robot 4 comes nearly fully assembled; it's really just a matter of taking it out of the (giant) box and hooking up the Whisker app. I ran into some trouble getting the wifi connected, but was able to get it all up and running in under 20 minutes total.

Users can choose — via the app — how long they want the product to wait before it cycles litter after the cat leaves the box, whether they want lights on, when to put the machine into sleep mode, and if they want a "Panel Lockout" to kid-proof the buttons. The app can also keep track of your cat's weight and let you know when litter is running low or the waste area is getting heavy. It's pretty nifty and user-friendly.

The actual cleaning function is impressive; when a cycle runs, litter slides through a large sieve while the clumps are exposed and is then dumped in the waste bin, located below the barrel. It's effective with both solid and liquid waste, and I didn't notice a smell, even after several days of use.

The real benefit to the Litter Robot, however, is the suite of accessories. There's a LitterTrap® Mat for messy kitties, a matching ramp for cats who need a little help getting up to the entrance, and a discreet shield for those who want some privacy. While I recommend going through Whisker's site directly for more color choices, you can get a bundle of a black or white Litter-Robot 4, ramp, mat, and some other accessories on Amazon.

Murphy in the Litter-Robot 4.

Spaceship Self Cleaning Litter Box

If martians have litter boxes, they probably look like the Spaceship from Els Pet. In fact, this color-changing self-cleaning litter box will make your cat feel like he or she is at 'da club. Perhaps that's why after several weeks with multiple automatic litter boxes in our home, this is the only one our party-loving cat has used consistently.

Marketed as being effective for up to five cats, the Spaceship is easy to assemble — as long as you remove the blue packaging tape properly. Once hooked up, there's an Els Pet app where you can add your litter box to operate it remotely or check in on your pet's usage. It even monitors "defecation distribution" and "average bowel time," if that's something you're into.

Our tester wishes she could tell you how the cleaning function on this works but she can't, because a door comes down to prevent cats from getting back in during a cleaning cycle. Once it's done, the poop is gone — and that's all that really matters, isn't it?

The Spaceship is perhaps the most advanced box when it comes to safety and sanitation; there's an infrared sensor to detect movement, a robotic arm to sense any physical presence, and a UV light meant to kill lingering germs.

For an option priced $100 below most of the other models, the Els Pet Spaceship works well. Just note that you can't put the product flush against a wall, as the waste bin opens from the top-back and needs some wiggle room.

Murphy in Els Pet Spaceship Self Cleaning Litter Box.

Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

If it's possible for automatic litter boxes to be trendy, Meowant is definitely the "in" brand. Though it's listed at $700, Amazon frequently has the product on sale for $400, a very attractive price in comparison to some other models. But does it work? In short: yes, but not quite as well.

Let's start from the beginning. Setup is a snap; the only snag was getting the drum to sit on top of the base at the correct angle. Once you do that, connecting the Meowant to wifi is easy — just note that the corresponding app is called Air Pet. It monitors weight and usage as well as allows users to manually run a clean cycle or set a timed daily cycle. Factory settings will run the cycle several minutes after the box senses the cat has left.

The best thing about the Meowant is that it comes with a deodorizing gel, which you insert into a pocket next to the waste bin. It's citrus-scented and it really works to neutralize odors.

The not-so-great thing about the Meowant is that because the holes on the sieve are larger, small poops get left behind in the litter. I ran a few manual cycles to see if the poops would get picked up and dumped in the waste, but no dice.

Still, this is a good product for the sale price — especially if you live in a condo or apartment without ample space. The footprint is several square inches smaller than most of the other models we tested, and that can make a big difference.

Murphy in the Meowant Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box.

Snow+ Self Cleaning Automatic Litter Box

Weighing in at a whopping 45 pounds, Snowy's Snow+ is the heaviest box with the largest footprint, but not without cause — it's spacious in there for kitties! Where other models put the cat on display while they're doing their business, the Snow+ has them enter then turn to the left to pee and poop privately. There's even a "bonnet" to put over the door for extra privacy.

Our tester, who has three cats, found setup to be straightforward and easy to put together in minutes. She was particularly impressed with the app, which was really simple to use and provides basic information about cleaning cycles and the health of the cat(s) using the box.

While her cats were a little wary of the box at first, once they started using it, it worked wonders. "It’s truly self-cleaning," she said. "The only mess you have to clean is if they track some of the litter out with them." The Snow+ has a ramp to help with the litter-tracking issue, but cat parents might still want to invest in litter mat.

This brand prides itself on the Snow+ being a "zero odor" box, and the hype is real. The product comes with a fragrance box that neutralizes unpleasant smells, but isn't too overpowering.

Overall, our tester says the Snow+ is worth the price tag, especially for households with more than one cat. "Cleaning out litter boxes multiple times a day is not fun. This is efficient and helpful and it does almost all of the work for you."

Leo’s Loo Too

Leo’s Loo Too is a hilariously named giant appliance with lots of bells and whistles. (For the record, the product was named after Leo, the CEO's "oversized, loving, and sometimes cantankerous" kitty.) "Assembly and the instructions couldn't have been easier to follow and execute," said our tester, who has one cat.

Once taken out of the box, simply turn it on and connect the box to Casa Leo's app. While the app is great and does all the stuff the other apps do, like collect weight and usage stats, our tester found that he didn't even really need to use it. "We just leave it in automatic mode so the app isn't necessary," he said. "The settings on the product are very easy to use and initiate as there is only one button. It couldn't be more turnkey."

The auto-clean feature kicks in once the cat leaves the box, takes about 30 seconds, and is nearly silent. While some boxes have scented odor-neutralizers, the Loo Too uses carbon filters, so there's no scent at all. You can buy more filters, along with accessories and replacements parts, at the company's storefront on Amazon. (We'd recommend going directly to their site to buy the actual litter box, as there are more color options available there.)

For those who are cautious about germs, this box also comes with a UV light to combat whatever bad stuff might be left behind.

M1 Open-Top Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

Another incredibly easy assembly process for the win! "Just add the legs and place the waste bag into the waste drawer and you are good to go," said our tester of the Neakasa M1 Open-Top Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box. While this box is the lightest weight of all the fully automatic boxes (22 pounds without litter), it is bulky and our tester ended up putting it in the closet for her cat, Picasso, to use.

"As soon as the box was set up and turned off, Picasso was curious and began to explore and jump into it right away," she said. "He initially showed some reluctance once I turned it on. It took roughly one and a half weeks for him to adjust, but since then, he has consistently used it and now seems to favor it over his previous litter box."

The unique thing about the Neakasa is its open-top design. Unlike some of the other boxes that have a small opening in the front, the M1 box mimics a traditional litter box by having an "open environment" design, perfect for cats who may have a harder time adjusting to a new box. Our tester found that putting some used litter from her cat's previous box helped Picasso recognize the Neakasa as an acceptable place to poop.

Our tester was also very impressed with the brand's app, which allows the user to adjust the cleaning cycles. "You have the flexibility to schedule the frequency of self-cleaning cycles throughout the day and monitor your cat's usage patterns," she said. "Additionally, it tracks the litter level and sends you a notification when it's time to add more litter."

The overall review? "It’s worth the price tag! Not only do I not have to clean the litter box as often, but I also feel like I have a better understanding of my cat’s habits and health."

Picasso in the Neakasa M1.

ScoopFree Crystal Pro Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

PetSafe's ScoopFree Crystal Pro Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box is the most affordable automatic litter box on our list by a mile. As Amazon's bestselling product in the "Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Boxes" category, we simply had to see if the over 10,000 five-star reviewers were right about the box.

Why is it hundreds of dollars less than the other boxes? While the other options have more advanced cleaning systems (like a barrel-roll), this box features a cardboard tray and a metal comb that pushes all the clumps to a hidden area on one side of the box. The brand boasts that when used with PetSafe's Crystal Litter, you won't need to change out the cardboard box for several weeks.

"The one thing I was skeptical about is the cardboard tray the litter comes in," said our tester. "My cat has sharp claws that she hates having trimmed. So of course, after scratching around in the litter box, there were lots of tiny holes in the bottom from my cat's claws, which potentially means leaks onto the floor underneath." (If you imagine this will be an issue with your cat, the brand sells a reusable tray.)

The box may be basic, but there are plenty of ways to customize it to your cat's needs. In addition to the reusable tray, you can purchase either a hood with a front opening or top-entry. If your cat's not into crystal litter, you can technically just use clumping litter.

PetSafe's box is a big step up from a traditional litter box, but the bottom line is that it doesn't clean as well as its pricier counterparts. "The combing mechanism that rakes the box for clumps of litter occasionally does get clumps stuck in it, and it misses a lot of smaller clumps... There’s also still a lot of tracking of litter outside the box."

Still, our tester noted that "it’d be great for someone who spends more time cleaning up after multiple kitties and wants to cut down on some of that time and effort."

What to Consider

While not all automatic litter boxes look alike, they do have one thing in common: they're big. Like, much bigger than a traditional litter box. Thus, not all models will fit, let alone look good, in a small space like a studio apartment. Measure the space you're planning to put the box beforehand, accounting for extra room around the sides, space in front for a litter mat, and make sure there's an outlet nearby, as all the boxes need to be plugged in.

Does your cat get skittish with change? Do they already have some unusual tics when it comes to using the bathroom? They might not be the ideal candidate for an automatic litter box, or you may want to get one that more closely resembles the box they have currently. Most cats will have a period of adjustment, so you'll want to keep the old manual box available for the first few weeks.

Finally, think about how much you're willing to spend. An automatic litter box could save you hundreds in the long run, but are you equipped to spend $200 right now? What about $400? A top-of-the-line box costs up to $700, not including accessories like special litter and waste liners.

How We Tested

The following products were tested in five different households, mostly single-cat families as well as one home with three cats. We judged each box across multiple categories: assembly process, aesthetics, ease of use, effectiveness and discretion of cleaning function, and odor suppression. We wanted to know which boxes required extra accessories — branded litter, waste bags, hoods, and litter mats — and which could be easily customized to each cat's needs. We checked out the apps for perks like health monitoring and remote cleaning. After weeks of usage, we compared notes and came up with our winners.

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