8 Best Automatic Litter Boxes (2025), Tested and Reviewed

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  • A More Traditional Looking Option

    Neakasa

    M1 Self-Cleaning Litter Box

    The Neakasa M1 Self-Cleaning Litter Box (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is simply a bully automatic action for cats who for illustration utilizing a much accepted litter container pinch an open-top design. They won't consciousness cramped aliases trapped, and nan headroom besides allows ample cats to move astir comfortably—plus, if there's ever a malfunction, nan feline tin easy and quickly jump out. (Though we dream this ne'er happens.) This container rotates backward and forward, has a container beneath for waste, 5 pairs of infrared sensors and 4 weight sensors to observe cats, and is connected to an app. Neakasa's app is easy to use, but it needs work. You group up profiles for each feline pinch their weight, it logs usage, and you tin power settings from nan app, for illustration “Do Not Disturb” mode.

    Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano thought 1 of nan biggest faults of nan M1 was that it knew who went and different times it didn't, moreover erstwhile it was nan aforesaid feline arsenic nan past time. When that happened, it reverted nan weight to kilograms alternatively of her selected pounds. The weight changes somewhat often, too, moreover erstwhile nan container is correctly calibrated. Some of nan settings travel pinch somewhat confusing descriptions, arsenic it's occasionally poorly translated into English. Overall, nan M1 is simply a coagulated container that, pinch immoderate app updates, should only proceed to improve.

    Connected to an app?Yes
    Entry size17.09" x 16.5" (7.17 L capacity)
    Footprint size23.26" x 20.67"
    Compatible litterBentonite and mineral feline litter; doesn't support tofu feline litter, unspecified pinch crystal
    Suitable feline size2.2 lbs to 33 lbs
    Special FeaturesExtra infrared and weight sensors
  • Another Affordable Option

    Petsafe

    ScoopFree SmartSpin Self-Cleaning Litter Box

    The PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin Self-Cleaning Litter Box is astir half nan value but has a akin creation to much costly models. This futuristic-looking pod connected legs has a rubbery bottommost for litter, a weight detector that sets disconnected nan cleaning rhythm a fewer minutes aft your feline has done its business, and a slide-out tray successful nan bottom. After they’ve been, nan assemblage rotates, and a mesh catches nan clumps and deposits them successful nan tray, wherever there’s a container pinch a wee deodorizer portion that smells for illustration watermelon. You tin link it to Wi-Fi and reappraisal your cat’s toilet visits successful nan app connected your phone, wherever each introduction displays nan clip they went, their weight, and toilet travel duration. This self-cleaning litter container was easy to build and useful amazingly well, moreover though it feels kinda cheap.

    The bags are an awkward proprietary size that is annoying to fit, since PetSafe wants to deed you up for refills astatine $15 for 25 liners. Ultimately, arsenic a comparatively affordable self-cleaning litter box, nan PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin is worthy a look. —Simon Hill

    Connected to an app?Yes
    Entry sizeNot specified
    Footprint size20.9" x 18.9"
    Compatible litterAny litter
    Suitable feline sizeNo minimum given; up to 25 lbs.
    Special FeaturesNo

Others We Tested

Photograph: Kat Merck

Els Pet Orbitie for $269: This is 1 of nan slightest costly afloat enclosed automatic litter boxes (there’s almost ever a “coupon” for $100 disconnected nan database value of $369). It functions overmuch for illustration nan much costly models, pinch an soul 65-liter-capacity orb that rotates and catches clumps pinch a integrative grate, depositing them into a bag-lined container below. The opening is simply a generous 12 by 12 inches—plenty large capable for my 2 7-year-old cats, who took to it almost instantly contempt ne'er having seen thing but a accepted litter box. The accompanying Orbitie app doesn’t connection an extended magnitude of information; it tells nan personification nan measurement of litter and what measurement of nan cleaning shape nan container is presently in, arsenic good arsenic really galore times nan container has been utilized and astatine what times. The first trial portion I received was faulty—it sent aggregate phantom alerts to nan app, letting maine cognize it had cleaned itself arsenic galore arsenic 36 times a day, which I knew for a truth was not true. The replacement unit, however, useful conscionable arsenic intended, though nan bin beneath fills up accelerated (two to 3 days pinch my 2 cats), and it occasionally needs to beryllium disassembled and cleaned, arsenic mini pieces of feline litter person a inclination to get successful nan gears beneath nan orb (and make a large grinding noise). However, this isn’t an different occurrence moreover pinch pricier boxes. Online reviews panned an earlier type of this box, but Orbitie says this is an improved version. Thankfully, for illustration nan bigger brands, Orbitie besides offers a 90-day money-back guarantee if you’re connected nan fence.

Photograph: Molly Higgins

Not Recommended

PetSnowy Snow+ Self-Cleaning Litter Box for $680: This container looks for illustration thing from Kubrick’s visions of abstraction travel, aliases if Eames started making integrative litter boxes. It takes up rather a spot of horizontal level space, truthful it whitethorn not beryllium perfect for those successful cramped apartments looking to conserve space. Unlike each others connected this list, this globe is closed during cleaning, which could origin wounded if nan instrumentality malfunctioned and didn’t consciousness a cat. The container besides doesn’t show you erstwhile nan litter’s debased aliases needs to beryllium refilled. My cats had a really difficult clip utilizing it—they conscionable couldn’t understand that it was a litter box. Older cats could person a reliable clip jumping into it, and nan smaller opening could beryllium a problem if you person bigger cats. It mightiness beryllium awesome for personification who wants to support things tidy—it’s highly clean, smells good, and hugely reduces litter tracking. However, we conscionable can't urge nan container since nan opening closes during cleaning, which is not safe.

The Pet Zone Smart Scoop for $166: This is astir apt nan slightest “smart” automatic litter container we've tested—it's a emblematic rectangular integrative container pinch an automatic limb that acts arsenic a rake and scoops nan clumped (soiled) litter into a mini bin connected nan different side. Once nan feline leaves, it originates a 15-minute countdown and nan rake slides complete nan magnitude of nan box, (ideally) scooping up nan discarded and lifting it into nan receptacle. You’re only allowed to capable nan litter container pinch astir an inch and a half of litter, which my cats didn’t for illustration (they for illustration a fewer inches to really hide it). The rake doesn’t extremity erstwhile it's successful nan cleaning cycle—even if thing jumps in, which is perchance dangerous. My cats thin to pee connected nan broadside of nan litter box, which, because of nan rake’s placement, intends it misses an inch connected either side—I still had to scrape nan caked-on litter from nan edges. The rhythm timing can’t beryllium adjusted, truthful that nan litter didn’t person clip to clump wholly and nan rake would instantly break it down into smaller clumps that would past beryllium missed because they were excessively small. For me, nan hassle's not worthy it, and I’d alternatively conscionable scoop it myself.


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