The 7 Best Automatic Litter Boxes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Whisker Litter-Robot 4

$699 At litter-robot.com $699 At Best Buy

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Capacity
  4/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  4/5
• Odor Elimination
  2/5

The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 is not merely an iterative improvement on our former "Best Overall" automatic litter box, the Litter-Robot 3 Connect, but a comprehensive upgrade. In lab testing—and throughout weeks of follow-up testing with real cats—our testers expressed repeated admiration for various features, design improvements, and their overall experience using the Litter-Robot 4.

It's hard not to boggle at the litter robot's high price, but Whisker has pulled out all the stops to justify the premium cost with a premium user experience. It begins with an incredibly easy setup since the Litter-Robot 4 arrives fully assembled in the box—all you need to do is plug it in and download the Whisker app (which is synced using a QR code on the back of the device).

But the first thing you're likely to notice about the Litter-Robot 4 is its design, which stacks a wide-open, circular entrance atop a more square base. It's a significant improvement on the previous version of the Litter-Robot, which has a narrow entryway (more than five inches narrower). The entrance to the litter box looks inviting, even intriguing, with our home tester confirming that cats are more than willing to interact with the futuristic-looking device.

"They were very curious," our tester said. "My three cats took to it very quickly after the initial fear and confusion about it seemingly coming to life on its own!"

The Litter-Robot 4 works by maintaining a supply of litter atop a heavy-duty fabric hammock. After your cat uses the bathroom, the interior sphere performs a slow barrel roll, dumping the litter through a sieve that pulls out solid waste and returns the clean litter back to its original position. The clumps of kitty litter are then dumped into a reservoir tray underneath.

Sensors in the entrance track both motion and weight, ensuring that the Litter-Robot never begins a cleaning cycle with a cat inside. This allows it to measure how much waste is sifted, and even create custom data for multiple cats, since it can differentiate them by weight. The only precaution needed is for kittens under three pounds, but you can disable the automatic sifter and instead use a button to manually clean until your cat is grown up enough to register.

The control panel on the Litter-Robot 4 features big, colorful buttons, though the wide variety of settings and cleaning options can make for a bit of a learning curve. In addition to a power button, there are buttons for "Cycle," "Reset," "Empty" and WiFi "Connect," with each button performing multiple functions. For example, the Cycle button initiates a cleaning, or you can hold down the button for three seconds to activate a "Sleep Mode," ensuring a cleaning cycle won't be activated for eight hours. A big, friendly light bar beneath the buttons delivers a wide range of information, indicating when a function has been paused, or even when a cat has spent too long inside the machine. It's pretty intuitive, but a little overwhelming at first—one tester mistakenly emptied all of the litter, rather than initiating a standard clean.

"There are a lot of colored lights to learn, which all signify different things, but once I got that down, I found them very helpful," the tester said.

Cleaning the Litter-Robot 4 was also a cinch. The bags used in the reservoir are tall enough that even an over-stuffed reservoir is easy to empty—simply lift up the edges of the bag and use that extra height to tie it off. There's a QR code on the bottom of the reservoir that provides a retail link for easily purchasing new bags, smell filters, and even litter (but it doesn't require proprietary litter, and worked great with our generic, store-bought litter).

Even better are the beefy components. Despite the high-tech sheen, the Litter-Robot 4 doesn't feel finicky or breakable. Instead, you can remove the entire barrel and hose the whole thing down if you want. The tray beneath is similar and can be easily removed and washed in the sink.

It's all part of a comprehensively thoughtful design, right down to the built-in night-light. It's weird to say that an automatic litter box was a joy to use, but the Litter-Robot 4 impressed us at every step.

We did note a few downsides to the Litter-Robot 4. The most noticeable is the increased potential for unpleasant smells. While the Litter-Box 4 has several features that tamp down odors, by sifting your cat's waste out of the main cylinder you're also separating it from the kitty litter that contains so much of the smell in a traditional litter box.

"Because the clumps get dumped into the bottom drawer, there is no litter covering up the waste," our tester noted, describing the result as a more "prominent" smell whenever they opened the compartment.

We've found this to be an issue with most automatic litter boxes, which pull waste out into a separate tray, losing your litter's scent-absorbing qualities in the process. The Litter-Robot 4 works to counter this by sealing its waste drawer in a compartment with a built-in carbon filter. You can buy additional packs of the Whisker OdorTraps, but it's always a little frustrating buying an expensive product and then having to continually buy additional, proprietary accessories.

The Litter-Robot 4 also shares with its predecessor a very large silhouette. 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 Whisker Litter-Robot 4 is available in both white and black. You can opt for a slotted "handle" on the front, or an optional step for easier climbing. In addition to the 1-year warranty, there's also a 90-day trial period, where you can test out the Litter-Robot 4 in your own home, risk free.

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

Still Worth It?

Litter-Robot 3 Litter Box

$599 At Amazon $549 At Chewy $549 At litter-robot.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  4.8/5
• Odor Elimination
  4/5
• Value
  3.5/5
• Litter Scoop Design
  5/5

While we think the Litter-Robot 4 is a substantial improvement over its predecessor, the Litter-Robot 3 Connect is still a high quality product.

Over years of trying out automatic litter boxes, we have tested four different Litter-Robot 3 Connect models, so we have extensive long-term testing time with the product. Of the four, we encountered a relatively common "bonnet" error with one, where the machine erroneously registered its top panel as open. Litter-Robot customer service was responsive, with both troubleshooting advice and an offer to replace the device. After detaching and reattaching the part a few times, the issue eventually resolved itself. Overall, after nearly three years of continuous testing, we still feel confident in the quality of the Litter-Robot 3 Connect.

Overall, the Litter-Robot 3 is a little larger (more than 2 inches wider), less attractively designed, and a little louder than the Litter-Robot 4, but the reduced price might make this previous Litter-Robot model worth your consideration.

The bigger question for most consumers is whether one of the Litter-Robot's newer competitors might be a better pick than an older model Litter-Robot. We compared the Litter-Robot 3 against the popular Leo's Loo Too over a long testing period in the same household, and our tester came away preferring the Leo's Loo Too. Her cats did too, and consistently opted for it over the Litter-Robot.

Best for Multiple Cats

PETKIT PuraMax Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box

$599 At Amazon View On Petkit.com

If you have a multiple cats then the extra-large capacity of the PETKIT PuraMax can spare you from having to change the litter compartment so frequently. We tested the PuraMax in a household with three cats, and our testers only had to empty the litter compartment about once a week. The included trash bags are roomy and have a drawstring handle.

This app-controlled, self-cleaning litter box is a larger version of the the PetKit PuraX Self-Cleaning Litter Box, our choice for Best Odor Control, and the two automatic litter boxes share many of the same high quality features, including its notably quiet cleaning cycle. Commensurate with its larger capacity, the PuraMax also has enhanced methods for odor control, including a tightly sealed waste compartment with a built-in chamber for an odor-eating block, and a automatic deodorizing sprayer that spritzes the interior when your cat is done.

The PuraMax cleans itself similarly to the Litter-Robot, by tumbling litter over grates that separate your cat's waste and returns the cleaned litter to the main compartment. Throughout our testing the PuraMax never clogged and we never had to clean the interior. It's multiple cleaning options meant that we could set it to cycle after every use, so each of our three tester cats could find a completely fresh litter box every time they entered.

During our real world testing in a home with three cats of varying weights, the automatic cleaning setting and built in sensors were able to safely recognize when a cat was entering and exiting. It's also simple to trigger a cleaning session on demand from the litter box or the app on your mobile device. However, we did find the app was a less satisfying experience overall than its Litter-Robot equivalent. Our testers described the app as visually busy and too focused on getting you to purchase accessories. Also, despite asking for detailed information upon set-up, the PuraMax wasn't always able to differentiate between which cat was using the device. The app's notifications were also a little less useful than we would like—it notifies every time a cat is inside and when the litter box conducts a cleaning cycle, making it too easy to miss the notification telling you the disposal bin is full.

The PuraMax not just a great pick for a multiple cat household either. We think anyone with a large cat—like a Maine Coon or Norweigan Forest—should strongly consider the PETKIT PuraMax, thanks to its 10 by 8-inch entryway. The entrance is only eight inches off the ground too, which should make the PuraMax easier to access for seniors or cats with mobility limitations. Of course, there is a tradeoff for all this roominess—the Pura Max is a little more than two feet wide and takes up a lot of space.

_{Dimensions: 21.2 x 24.4 x 21.7 inches | Entry: 10 x 8 inches | Weight: 24 pounds | Colors: White}

Best Odor Control

PETKIT Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

$499 At Amazon View On Petkit.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  3/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  3.5/5
• Odor Elimination
  4/5
• Value
  3.5/5

The PETKIT PuraX is remarkably similar to our Best Overall pick—the Litter-Robot 4—using an internal cylinder to fully rotate the litter reservoir so that it passes through a filtration screen and removes clumps of cat waste. Just like the Litter-Robot, it can be set to perform this operation manually, on a timer, or automatically after a cat is done using the device.

In testing, the PuraX performed with similar excellence. The PuraX operates quietly, is easy to clean, and has an attractive design, which sometimes makes it look like your pooping cat is flying a tiny spaceship.

The main downside our tester noted was the smaller entry hole, which was barely more than half the circumference of the wide opening on the Litter-Robot 4. This may make the PuraX a less attractive option if you have especially large cats. While the PuraX is suitable for cats up to 18 pounds, one tester, with cats of varying sizes, had trouble getting all four of their cats to consistently use it.

But there were also a few areas where the PETKIT PuraX had an edge. One of our favorite minor design differences was the chute that allows you to load new litter from the top of the machine—now you have to bend over even less to keep your litter box in good working order.

The biggest area where the PuraX impressed us, even over our Best Overall pick, was in its odor-eating abilities. Similar to the Litter-Robot, the PuraX dumps waste into a sealed tray on the bottom of the device. But rather than a carbon filter, the PETKIT litter box opts for an automated deodorant spray. The results are consistently impressive, with the PuraX containing bad smells better than any other litter box we tested.

"I kept this in my living room for testing and there was no odor from the box, which was amazing!" our tester said.

There are also several areas where the PuraX takes a different design approach than the Litter-Robot 4, making selecting between them partially a matter of taste. This is most noticeable when it comes to the interface on the device itself. Whereas the Litter-Robot 4 opts for big, bright indicators that allow you to access most features directly, the PuraX has a more minimalist interface, with only two buttons used to navigate a small OLED display embedded in the front of the litter box. Our tester found it usable, but a little too limiting.

"It would be nice of the menu icons showed text with the icons," our tester noted. "It's a little hard to remember if not using them often or without the manual."

Similarly, we preferred the Whisker app to its PETKIT alternative, though the PuraX app does offer a lot of useful data—tracking your cat's weight, toilet times, and other info.

_{Dimensions: 25.4 x 21 x 19.9 inches | Entry: 8.6 inches | Weight: 33 pounds | Colors: White}

Best Smart Home Ready

Casa Leo leo's loo too automatic litter box

$550 At Amazon $650 At Chewy $650 At Walmart

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  3.8/5
• Odor Elimination
  5/5
• Value
  4/5
• Litter Scoop Design
  4.5/5

The Casa Leo Leo's Loo Too follows the classic design of automatic litter boxes, with a rotating barrel passing through a grate, leaving behind solid clumps, which are dumped into a lower reservoir. Our two tester cats immediately adjusted to using the Leo's Loo Too, thanks in part to its very quiet and unobtrusive cleaning cycle.

The app is less fun to use than the slick Whisker app, but what makes the Casa Leo automatic litter box stand out is its wide smart home compatibility. Capable of syncing with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home, the Leo's Loo Too is the best option for anyone looking to activate their litter box using voice controls. The Leo's Loo Too's app was easy to set up too.

It's also an excellent pick for anyone concerned about microbes, since the Casa Leo litter box utilizes UV sterilization, blasting its waste drawer with light rays that kill most bacteria and viruses. Frankly, this seems like overkill since waste is contained in plastic bags, but it's likely to be an appealing feature for some.

Odor control was also excellent with the Leo's Loo Too, even with the large waste drawer, which enables you to go a week or more without emptying. However, the reservoir is likely to fill quickly in a multi-cat household—our tester with two large cats had to change the bag every 48 hours or so. Multiple cleaning customization options let you set the Casa Leo to clean after each use, so your cats will come to a fresh litter box every time.

The Casa Leo Leo's Loo Too is available in four colors—Avocado Green, Baby Blue, Leo Gray, and Pretty Pink—and comes with a 90-day free trial.

_{Dimensions: 24 x 22 x 27.5 inches | Weight: 27.5 pounds | Entry: 8.5 inches | Colors: Avocado green, baby blue, leo gray, pretty pink}

Best Budget

Pet Zone Pet Zone Smart Scoop

$143 At Amazon $146 At Chewy $201 At Walmart

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  2.5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  4/5
• Odor Elimination
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

The Pet Zone Smart Scoop Automatic Litter Box senses when your cat has used the litter box, then cleans it 30 minutes later. It operates using a rake, which scrapes across the box, then scoops whatever clumps it catches into a reservoir.

One tester summed it up, noting that the Pet Zone Smart Scoop Automatic Litter Box "doesn't dazzle with bells and whistles, but absolutely does the trick."

The Pet Zone is also surprisingly quiet, raking across the box in a slow cycle that does a good job of catching most waste. The rake itself is also designed well, and doesn't get gunked up easily (a cleaning tool is included too). The machine comes with six plastic bags to get you started. Bags are 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.

We were less impressed with the overall build quality, noting its mediocre plastic construction, and worried about long-term durability. However, our machine was still going strong after months of use. "It doesn't have the fanciest design, but it's good for what it is and what you pay for," one tester noted.

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 was 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.

_{Dimensions: 26.5 x 16.88 x 7.63 inches | Weight: 9.3 pounds | Colors: Gray & green}

Best with Crystal Litter

PetSafe ScoopFree Complete Plus Litterbox

$165 At Amazon $150 At Chewy $165 At Walmart

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Cleaning
  2.5/5
• Odor Elimination
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

We reviewed an older version of the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box in 2020, and much of what we had to say then still holds true. The main determination you'll need to make is whether or not your cats are ready for crystal kitty litter, which uses non-clumping silica beads that absorb liquids, rather than hardening. Crystal litter has several advantages, including strong odor-absorbing capabilities and a lack of dust or grit. However, not every cat likes crystal litter, so there may be an adjustment period. Plus, crystal litter tends to be more expensive.

But if you know your cat is ready for crystal litter, then the PetSafe Scoop-Free Self-Cleaning Litter Box is one of the best ways to take full advantage. The automated box rakes through the litter 20 minutes after your cat is done using it, moving solid waste to a separate compartment. Meanwhile, the silica crystals absorb urine and other smells. Once a month (for a single-cat household), you simply slide out the entire tray, put a lid on it, and throw it away. The automatic 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.

Of course, this means buying a whole new tray of crystal litter every month, or even more often. So while the PetSafe ScoopFree is much more affordable than our Best Overall automatic littler box, the cost of using the same expensive litter each month will add up fast. While it's possible to dump out the waste reservoir without completely replacing the litter tray, our tester found this to be an unwieldy task, requiring lifting away the entire upper assembly of the device.

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 a ton of space in your home, so it's 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 | Weight: 19.3 pounds | Entry: 8.7 x 9.3 inches | Colors: Gray}