Best Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes

Cats Research pick

Whisker Litter-Robot 4

Best for most homes with one to four cats

Verdict: The most proven automatic box we found, if the price and size work for you.

What it does well:

• Consumer Reports named it the best of the self-cleaning boxes it tried and called it “set-it-and-forget-it” between litter changes.
• BGR’s reviewer used one for years with few problems and still rates it as more reliable than the newer 5 Pro.
• Whisker lists a 3 to 25 lb weight range, support for up to four cats, and a step included in the box.
• The free Whisker app tracks visits and weight (2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only).

The downsides:

• Large footprint (22 by 27 inches) and it must be plugged in, per Consumer Reports.
• One older cat in Consumer Reports’ testing hesitated and chose a regular box when given the option.
• Grocery bags are too small for the drawer, so you need bigger bags or Whisker liners.
• Cats.com notes the litter bed may feel tight for large cats.

Skip it if: Your cat is over 25 lb, you have no room for a 22 by 27 inch unit, or you use non-clumping or plant-based litter.

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Cats Research pick

Whisker Litter-Robot 5 Pro

Best for tracking which cat did what

Verdict: The most feature-rich box here, but it is new, and BGR found enough bugs that we would not choose it over the Litter-Robot 4 for reliability alone.

What it does well:

• Whisker lists a 3 to 30 lb weight range and support for up to five cats.
• Two built-in cameras. Whisker says SmartScale tells cats apart by weight for free, while facial recognition needs a paid Whisker+ plan.
• BGR found it a bit quieter than the Litter-Robot 4.

The downsides:

• BGR’s reviewer hit app crashes during setup, motor errors, false sensor alerts and slow camera loading.
• Without Whisker+, live video is capped at 5 minutes a day and events are kept for 2 days, per Whisker.
• BGR listed a 20 lb maximum; Whisker lists 30 lb. We use Whisker’s figure.

Skip it if: You do not want cameras in your home, you want the least fuss, or you would not use the multi-cat tracking.

See it at Whisker Not an affiliate link

Cats Research pick

PETKIT PuraMax 2

Best lower-cost smart box

Best lower-cost smart box for small and medium cats.

Verdict: Good odor control and an always-open entry, but a poor match for big cats or carpet.

What it does well:

• Cats.com’s hands-on reviewer rated odor control highly, citing a sealed, locking drawer, and said the leak-proof liner held up.
• The entrance stays open during cleaning and the drum does not fully rotate, per Cats.com.
• The Chewy listing says it weighs and identifies each registered cat and includes sifters for clay and tofu-style litter.
• The manual says the 7 L bin holds about 15 days of waste for one cat.

The downsides:

• The manual says hard, level floors only. The Cats.com reviewer used it on carpet and had to turn off auto-scoop.
• Cats over 10 lb in the reviewer’s home largely ignored it.
• Deep cleaning was slow; the included magnetic litter remover did not work well.
• We could not confirm what happens during a power outage or with no Wi-Fi.

Skip it if: Your cat is large (PETKIT’s limit is 22 lb, but the reviewer’s cats over 10 lb mostly avoided it), the box must sit on carpet, or you have kittens under 3.3 lb with no plan for kitten mode.

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Cats Research pick

Neakasa M1

Best for large cats and cats that dislike hoods

Verdict: The widest weight range and an open top, at the cost of a tall entry and more dust.

What it does well:

• Neakasa lists 2.2 to about 33 lb, the highest limit Cats.com’s reviewer had seen.
• The open-top design lets cats enter from any side, which Cats.com suggests may suit big cats that avoid covered boxes.
• Neakasa lists 6 pairs of infrared sensors and 4 weight sensors. Cats.com notes the globe never fully closes during a cycle.
• Neakasa says the box keeps running on saved settings if the internet drops. The 11.23 L bin lasts about 14 days for one cat.

The downsides:

• The 13.86 inch entry is tall, and Cats.com says the step is sold separately.
• An open top will not keep out dogs or small children.
• Cats.com reported early “bin full” alerts that stop the unit, fast dust buildup, and owner reports of urine leaks at a mat seam.
• The Cats.com reviewer’s own senior cat refused it.

Skip it if: You have a senior or arthritic cat, a dog that raids litter boxes, or toddlers.

See it at Neakasa Not an affiliate link

Cats Research pick

PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Legacy

Best simple box with no app

Best simple box with no app.

Verdict: Gets waste out of sight with no Wi-Fi, but it does less than the drum boxes, and the trays are an ongoing cost.

What it does well:

• A rake sweeps waste into a covered trap. PetSafe’s manual says it starts 20 minutes after the cat leaves and resets if the cat comes back.
• PetSafe’s page shows a built-in health counter that tallies visits, and it mentions no app.
• PetSafe’s support page gives tray change timing: every 20 to 30 days for one cat, 10 to 15 days for two.

The downsides:

• Crystal litter trays only. Consumer Reports found the crystals can have sharp edges.
• Consumer Reports said the rake handles how it looks more than how it smells, small droppings slipped past it, and the walls were too short for larger cats.
• The disposable cardboard trays create waste and may be too flimsy for cats that dig hard, per Consumer Reports.
• Consumer Reports tested the “ScoopFree Pro.” We could not confirm it is identical to the current Crystal Pro Legacy.

Skip it if: Your cat dislikes crystal litter, you have kittens under 6 months, or your cat is large or sprays high.

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