The 9 Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Whisker Litter-Robot 4

$799 at Amazon $699 at Chewy View on Litter-Robot

The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 is a comprehensive upgrade to its predecessor, the Litter-Robot 3 Connect—in fact, to date, it's the best litter box we've ever tested. 

Features and design shine with this automatic litter box, and it all begins with a refreshingly easy setup straight out of the box. The Litter-Robot 4 comes fully assembled, and all you need to do is snap the litter fence (a piece that creates an additional barrier to prevent tracking) onto the frame and plug it in. Three different sets of instructions can make the device setup feel confusing, though it still takes under five minutes. 

When it comes to design and features, we are big fans of the wide, round entry, easy-to-access pullout waste drawer, thoughtful night light, wider entry step, and whisper-quiet operation. One tester noted that the Litter-Robot 4 was quieter than the dishwasher, and another said they barely notice the litter box cycling unless they are right next to it. Sensors in the entrance track both motion and weight, ensuring that the Litter-Robot never begins a cleaning cycle with a cat inside. The only precaution needed is for kittens under 3 pounds; otherwise, you can disable the automatic sifter and use the button to clean manually until your cat is big enough to register on the scale.

Pairing the synced Whisker app starts with scanning a QR code on the back of the device and then following a few simple prompts, all of which we found fairly intuitive, similar to pairing with Amazon Alexa. The app allows users to track daily usage, weight, litter levels, and litter waste drawer levels. It can also differentiate between cats in a multi-cat household, though this becomes less accurate when two cats have similar weights. You can also control litter box functions through the app, though we wouldn’t mind a faster route to get to this screen. You can also see how many scoops you’ve been spared throughout the life of your Litter-Robot 4 and set up notification alerts for specific data points. 

We also liked that the litter box is fully functional without the app, with clearly marked buttons on the device that perform basic functions like scoop cycles, full litter emptying, rebalancing the internal scale, and powering on or off. The entire device should be taken apart about once a month, which requires you to break it down and wash each part individually. Putting it back together has a bit of a learning curve since it comes preassembled, but it gets easier and faster every time. 

We did note a few downsides to the Litter-Robot 4, most notably the tendency for certain litters to get stuck inside the barrel and its overall large footprint (though this is common for automatic litter boxes). Anyone living with cats in a small apartment should measure first and have a good sense of whether they have enough room to accommodate the Litter-Robot. The wide entry also makes it a bit difficult to hide the litter, which is especially noticeable for anyone transitioning from a hooded litter box. 

Litter Robot Accessory: While testing the Whisker Litter-Robot 4, we also tested the Litter Robot, an accessory that slips onto the back of the device and automatically dispenses fresh litter into the interior compartment as needed. This helps keep the litter at optimal levels and allows for an even more hands-off litter box experience. The combination of the Litter-Robot 4 and the Litter-Robot (whose levels can also be monitored in the app) has truly saved countless hours of labor and mental energy that were once spent on the litter box. 

Dimensions: 29.5 x 22 x 27 inches | Entry: 15.75 inches | Weight: 24 pounds | Colors: White, black

Best Budget

Pet Zone Smart Scoop Litter Box

$166 at Amazon $166 at Chewy View on Walmart

The Pet Zone Smart Scoop Automatic Litter Box employs a raking design to automatically separate waste from litter and push it into a reservoir. It senses when your cat has used the litter box, and then cleans it 30 minutes later. If you’re looking for an automatic litter box that gets the job done and aren’t too concerned with style, this simple and straightforward litter box checks the boxes. We initially noted this litter box's mediocre plastic construction and were concerned about its long-term durability; however, our machine was still going strong after months of use.

We love how quiet it is and that the rake's efficient design keeps waste from getting stuck in the prongs (and if it does, there’s a handy cleaning tool so you don’t have to get your hands dirty). The machine comes with six plastic bags for the reservoir to get you started. They're easy to install and remove once the compartment is full. It also includes a carbon zeolite filter, which fits into a bracket on the underside of the waste reservoir lid. 

One downside is the relatively shallow litter box, which doesn't leave much extra litter for cats that like to dig and bury. We also wish there were a place to store the included scoop. While overall we found the Pet Zone Smart Scoop to be light on features, everything included works well, right down to the odor filter—our tester didn't notice any smells throughout weeks of use.

Best for Large Cats

Neakasa M1 Open-Top Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

$450

$380 at Amazon $600 at Petco $600 at Best Buy

In a world of automatic litter boxes that resemble enclosed globes, the Neakasa M1 is a welcome option. Don’t be fooled by the images of this open-top automatic litter box. It may look large and bulky, but it measures about average. We tested this litter box with three siblings, one 8.5-pounder and two 16-pound kitties (including one Maine Coon). We found assembly to be a cinch, requiring only attaching four feet and popping out the litter tray—no special tools or skills needed. The app, however, was a different story, requiring Bluetooth and Wi-Fi pairing, which took some time. 

We also noticed it took a bit of time for our tester cats to get to the litter box, which we think may have something to do with how high the entry level is—a boon for larger cats but possibly a barrier for smaller ones. The litter box has a 33-pound weight limit, which is ideal for larger cats like Maine Coons (or chonks). However, due to the size of the actual litter pan, it’s probably best for just one large cat, not multiple large cats. One downside to the high entry we noticed is the level of tracking, despite the included litter catch mat, likely because the cats were jumping down from the litter box and not stepping out. 

Our tester found the litter box fairly easy to clean—a simple wipe-down of the outside and inside the bowl with disinfectant did the trick, though it would've been trickier to get into the cracks and crevices to clean bigger messes, since the unit doesn't actually come apart. The waste receptacle was fully lined, which also made it very easy to clean. While the receptacle did a better job of concealing odor than a standard litter box, it does not completely control odor since it's not sealed.

Dimensions: 20.02 x 17.09 x 23.26 inches | Entry: 15.75 inches | Weight: 22.81 pounds | Colors: Dark gray 

Newest Litter-Robot (Currently Testing)

Litter-Robot 5 Starter Bundle

View on Litter-Robot

We're currently testing the newest Litter-Robot model and will report back with our findings.

Still Worth It?

Litter-Robot 3 Connect Cat Litter Box

$449 at Amazon View on Litter-Robot

$550

$500 at Target

We were huge fans of how easy this litter box was to install, set up, and link to the app, and it earns extra points for its intuitive design. This used to be our top pick, and, yes, it's still worth it.

The app is packed with features and data points that go beyond standard usage stats and clean-cycle options. You’ll also be able to check how full the waste bin is, the humidity and temperature inside the box, and litter levels. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home.

This litter box does have a larger footprint than our tester was used to, but they said it was so good at eliminating odor that they felt it could easily be placed in areas that would otherwise be off-limits because of smell with a regular litter box. Odor is neutralized with a carbon filter, UV sterilization light, and a rechargeable purifier. It’s also whisper quiet—literally—operating at 30 decibels, making it one of the quietest picks on the list. Other standout features include the button panel lock (which prevents pets or kids from accidentally pushing a control button), the large two-week waste bin capacity, and the two safety sensors that detect when your cat enters the litter box and halt operation.

Two included litter grates mean you can use this box with several different types of litter, not just clumping clay. But beware, it has a high 14-inch entry level, which may be difficult for smaller and elderly cats to access and can cause extra litter tracking. Unfortunately, the anti-tracking ramp is sold separately. 

Dimensions: 27.95 x 23.62 x 27 inches | Entry: 10.92 x 12.99 inches | Weight: 26.45 pounds | Colors: White

Best for Multiple Cats

PetSnowy SNOW+ Self-Cleaning Litter Box

View on Amazon View on Petsnowy.com View on Walmart

The magic of the PetSnowy SNOW+ Self-Cleaning Litter Box is in its creative design. Cats enter the litter box through the front via a recessed oval window on the right-hand side into a pre-litter area with a removable litter mat. After your cat uses the toilet, this pre-litter area, along with the stepped recess design of the entry window, helps trap more loose litter from your cat’s paws before it hits the ground. 

We tested the PetSnowy SNOW+ Self-Cleaning Litter Box in a multi-cat household with four cats, all between the ages of 2 and 7, using clumping clay litter. As you might imagine, four cats sharing one box have the potential to get a bit smelly, but the SNOW+ controlled odor like a pro—even with the lid off. None of the cats had prior experience using an automatic litter box, and our tester had to remove the top half of the box so all of their cats could use it, which produced an error message in the app but didn’t disable it.

One of the coolest features of this litter box is that the waste tray uses self-sealing bags. To replace a bag, you just pull out the drawer—a truly hands-off game-changer! The bags also help seal in odors, prevent spillage, and prevent contamination. Since each part comes apart, it's also easy to clean the box thoroughly with disinfectant.

Where could this litter box improve? Our tester found the app’s connection a bit sticky and unreliable, and they wish they could access usage history instead of just the day's data. 

Dimensions: 20 x 25.6 x 29.5 inches | Entry: 14.9 x 9.05 inches (ramp opening) |  Weight: 45 pounds | Colors: Classic (brown and cream), cream

Best Self-Cleaning

PetSafe ScoopFree Complete Plus Litterbox

$200 at Amazon View on Chewy $200 at Walmart

We reviewed an earlier version of the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box in 2020, and much of what we said then still holds true. Almost every automatic litter box will only work with clumping litter since it relies on sifting waste clumps. This is a major barrier for cat owners—and cats—who prefer non-clumping crystal litter. Thankfully, the PetSafe ScoopFree Complete Plus Litterbox comes to the rescue. This automatic litter box uses a raking technique to move solid waste from the main box into a seperate compartment while leaving the adsorbent crystal litter to absorb urine—and nearly all bad smells. 

The automatic self-cleaning is remarkably quiet, and the comb slowly passes through the litter to weed out solid waste. You never have to touch—and you barely even have a chance to spot—the waste your cat leaves behind. We have a love-hate relationship with the waste reservoir and litter tray, which require replacement when they are full. Once a month (for a single-cat household), you simply slide out the entire tray, put a lid on it, and throw it away. This is convenient but also wasteful. 

In a home setting, we found the PetSafe ScoopFree to be effective at both self-cleaning and odor control. Plus, unlike the Litter-Robot 4, the PetSafe won't take up much space in your home, making it a great option for apartment dwellers. There's also a "smart" version, which comes with a hood and a Wi-Fi-enabled app.

Dimensions: 27.6 x 19.1 x 15.7 inches | Entry: 8.7 x 9.3 inches | Weight: 19.3 pounds | Colors: Gray

Best Odor Control

PETKIT PuraMax 2 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

$390

$300 at Amazon View on Petkit.com View on Walmart

All automatic litter boxes help cut down on odor, but if you're in an especially small space, some smells can still leak through. The PetKit PuraMax 2 is the best option for counteracting these, thanks to the sealed waste bin that keeps odors trapped and the built-in neutralizer that breaks down the ammonia and replaces it with a minty scent. Each neutralizer pod lasts about a month.

The litter box is suitable for multi-cat households, holding cats up to 22 lbs and fitting up to 7L of waste in the waste receptacle. We tested the original PuraMax in a household with three cats and needed to replace the bag once a week. It's also a solid pick for older cats, as the lower-entry design (around 7.8 inches high) doesn't require a high jump to enter. The PuraMax cleans itself similarly to the Litter-Robot, through a spinning tumbling motion, and it operates quietly. Throughout our testing, it never clogged and we never had to clean the interior.

Built-in sensors were able to safely recognize when a cat was entering and exiting, and we were able to access all the data within the accompanying app on our phone. However, we found the app a bit tricky to use overall.

_{Dimensions: 24.4 x 21.2 x 21.7 inches | Entry: 7.9 x 10 inches | Weight: 22 pounds | Colors: White}

Best Smart Litter Box Accessory

Petivity Litter Box Monitor

$130

$95 at Amazon $98 at Chewy View on Petivity.com

If you aren’t ready to make the jump to an automatic litter box just yet or have picky cats that may not accept a new type of toilet, the Petivity Smart Litter Box Monitoring System is a good option. The Petivity Litter Box Monitor is placed beneath your existing standard litter box and works like a scale. It gives owners insights into factors like weight, frequency, and duration of use of the litter box, and whether the elimination was pee or poop. You can easily view usage history with charts and reports, and you can even print them for your records or to show the vet.

We tested this litter monitoring accessory in a multi-cat household with two senior cats, ages 10 and 11.5, including one with a history of constipation. Our tester said they really appreciated having access to information concerning her cats’ weight and bathroom habits, and knowing that the app would send an alert through if any changes warranted vet notification. They also noted that the setup was simple and fairly intuitive, requiring you to fill in a bunch of health information about your cat on the app. 

Each Petivity monitor can sort and track information for up to five cats. Keep in mind that if you’ve got multiple litter boxes, you’ll need a separate device for each; otherwise, you won’t get a full set of data. You’ll also want to make sure litter boxes are within the maximum size of 21-by-16 inches, and that they don’t work with automatic litter boxes.

Dimensions: 19 x 14 x 2 inches | Entry: N/A | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Colors: White