The Best Automatic Cat Litter Boxes
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
If you have a cat, you know how picky, perfect, and just plain weird they can be. Most of the complaints lodged against cats are people not understanding they’re not dogs; their behavior can be a bit tricker and more aloof. The next-biggest cat complaint is that litter boxes are stinky, and you don’t want another creature’s poop just hanging out in your house. (To dog owners, I like to respond by bragging that I’ve never had to take my cat out to potty in the rain or negative temps.) Regardless, thanks to ever-evolving and growing pet tech, automatic cat litter boxes have provided a solution to the smelly litter box problem.
Rudimentary automatic litter boxes have been around since the late ’80s. These early models featured an automatic rake attachment (much like the Pet Zone Smart Scoop box, below), but they had problems with reliability and loudness. It wasn’t until the 2010s that litter boxes started incorporating advanced tech like Wi-Fi and app control. In the decade since, that technology has continuously grown and improved, with most automatic litter boxes providing insight into your cats’ habits and health—truly becoming an asset in understanding your feline friends even better.
We (and our cats) tested some of the highest-rated and most technologically advanced automatic litter boxes on the market for a week or more, using standard clay clumping litter unless otherwise indicated, to see if they were really worth the money—or the hype. As with all pet products, make sure you thoroughly research which automatic litter boxes are best suited for your lifestyle and your cat. We don’t recommend automatic litter boxes that close completely (all of the ones on our list remain open through cleaning cycles), because of the potential that the machine could not sense the cat and kill it during its automatic cycle.
Check out our related guides, like Our Favorite Fancy Cat Furniture and, Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline Supplies. More of a dog person? We've got you covered; see our Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
How Do Automatic Litter Boxes Work?
Automatic litter boxes vary depending on the brand and litter box type. Generally, they have sensors, either by motion or weight, to tell when a cat has entered or exited the litter box. Usually customizable and controlled via app on your phone, or on a more rudimentary timer system, the cleaning cycle will begin a short time after the cat has used the box. With the dome-shaped litter boxes, the cleaning will happen via a cycle where the litter spins and rotates around the spherical interior; the bigger soiled clumps will be deposited into the waste basket while the clean litter passes through the grates and gets recycled back into the litter box.
The Neakasa M1, for example, rotates backward and then forward (rather than a spin cycle) to sift the clumps from the clean litter, depositing the larger clumps into the waste basket. The Pet Zone Smart Scoop is the most rudimentary on our list, simply using a rake attachment to scoop the bigger clumps into a waste receptacle in the back.
Are Automatic Litter Boxes Safe?
Pet owners should always do research and make an informed decision regarding which box is best for them and their cat. We only tested automatic litter boxes that remain open during cycling and never close completely, to ensure that if for some reason the weight sensors didn't pick up on a cat being inside, the cat could jump out. We recommend litter boxes that never close completely for added peace of mind.
These automatic litter boxes use sensors—some only needing 1 pound of weight to detect your cat—where the cycle will automatically stop no matter where it is in the cleaning process. Many also have anti-pinch sensors. For added security, the automatic litter boxes on this list have customizable schedules, including “do not disturb” modes. If you're a neurotic helicopter cat mom like me, you could only run the clean cycles when you choose, like when you're in the room to observe the cycle (although if you did that, the litter box wouldn't stay clean for as long). The Pet Zone Smart Scoop is the only box on this list without sensors to automatically stop the cleaning cycle—one of the reasons we don't recommend this model.
Where Should I Put the Automatic Litter Box?
All of these automatic litter boxes require electricity, so they will need to be near an outlet. Since cats will generally take a little while to get comfortable with their new potty, we recommend that you keep your old litter box until they use the automatic litter box regularly.
As a general rule, for old-school litter boxes, you should have a litter box for each cat, plus one. With automatic litter boxes cleaning constantly, there is less need for multiple options, but we recommend leaving your old litter box out for an extended period to ensure the cat has acclimated to the new automatic box. When setting up the new automatic litter box, put it near the existing litter box to encourage use.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Overall
Litter-Robot 4The Litter-Robot has been the Rolls-Royce of automatic litter boxes for the past decade or so. The oval box with a large, front-facing entrance sits on a stand with a step to better accommodate cats of all ages. The box itself has a footprint of 22 x 7 inches; it took up more height but slightly less floor space than my traditional litter box. It connects to Wi-Fi so you can track and program the box via Litter-Robot's Whisker app (available for Android and iOs). If it senses a cat at the entrance of the bowl, it will automatically stop if in the middle of a cleaning cycle and check back in 15-second intervals until it can finish.
To clean, the litter box automatically tumbles the litter using grates and gravity to separate the clumps of dirty litter, then deposits the soiled clumps in an opening below. The step doubles as a drawer with a plastic bag inside. (It comes with 25 waste drawer liners; refills are available starting at $25, but a regular plastic grocery bag would work too). When it’s time to empty, all you need to do is pull out the step-drawer and take out the bag. The app tells you if the litter levels are optimal or need replacing, or how full the waste basket is (it will alert you when it’s full, which took roughly a week for my two cats), and it has a log of all of the times the cats have used the box and how long they were inside. It also notifies you when the cleaning cycle has begun, has been interrupted, and is complete. The box has a built-in scale, and the sensors weigh your cat every time it enters. When you set up the app, you add your cats’ profiles, and after about a week or so, it will learn which cat is which and monitor its weight changes and how often it's using the box.
During more than a week of testing, the Litter-Robot was not able to track which cat was which, despite a nearly 7-pound difference between them, and according to the app, one cat’s weight changed by as much as 3 pounds in a period of a day. The app is continually tracking and giving updates as to when the cats' profiles will be complete, but I wish it had been able to track each individual sooner. I didn’t delay the cycle when I first set it up, and my curious kitties got startled by the tumbling litter and were afraid to use it regularly for the first several days. I’d recommend pausing the cleaning cycle until they are more comfortable, and even now I have a 30-minute delay on cleaning in case my more curious cat wants to stick around to see how the metaphorical sausage is made. Despite the hiccups with tracking weight, this automatic litter box is a game changer and I’m excited to keep using it.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Upgrade
LitterHopper attachmentThe new upgrade to the Litter-Robot 4 is the LitterHopper, a 13 x 11-inch receptacle that attaches to the back and acts as a reservoir for about 13 cups' worth of clean litter. One of the biggest complaints about automatic boxes is that the front-facing hole can be a little awkward to fill. With the LitterHopper, every time the box cycles, it uses the weight sensors to ensure there’s an optimal level of litter and dispenses clean litter from the reservoir during the next cleaning cycle.
The Litter-Robot 4 and the LitterHopper work well with almost any clumping or scoopable litter. The LitterHopper is easy to install on the Litter-Robot 4; all you need to do is attach the bottom brackets and slide the hopper onto the back. The directions were clear and came with a helpful video. Once litter levels drop below the litter fill line, Litter-Robot's Whisker app (see above) will notify you that it's time to refill. With the Litter-Robot and especially the LitterHopper attachment, there’s very minimal labor involved and you have very little contact with the litter—all while being able to monitor your cats’ health.
- Photograph: Smarty Pear
Runner Up
Casa Leo Leo's Loo Too Automatic Litter BoxLeo’s Loo Too (8/10, WIRED recommends) is cheaper than the Litter-Robot and has the same powerful odor control. This approximately 22 x 24 x 27-inch automatic litter box is loaded with safety features to stop cleaning cycles should a cat jump in, but this one is more sensitive if you have particularly curious cats. There are four weight sensors inside the barrel to detect when a cat is still inside—it needs just 1 pound of weight to detect your cat—and there's also an anti-pinch sensor (for fingers and paws). If that's not enough, there's a radar system that detects when anyone, feline or human, is near it. If the machine is in the middle of its cleaning cycle, it will immediately stop. Like the majority of automatic litter boxes, the Loo Too has an internal barrel that slowly spins around once the cat has exited, separating clumps from the rest of the litter and depositing them into an odor-proof drawer equipped with a liner. This one also uses ultraviolet light for cleaning.
The Smarty Pear app (available on iOS and Android) alerts you when the drawer is full, which is roughly once a week. The app has a daily rundown of the times your cat used it and the cat's weight, so for multi-cat households, you'll be able to distinguish which one is which (unless they're the exact same size). In the app, you can set it to automatically clean six seconds to 20 minutes after your cat uses it. You can start a cleaning session manually from the app or use your voice if you connect the box to Alexa or Google Assistant. At 30 decibels, the Loo Too is nearly silent, but if you're sensitive to noise, there's a night mode so it doesn't rotate during bedtime.
Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano’s biggest struggle using the Loo Too was pouring new litter into it, which can be tricky due to the relatively small entry hole. The barrel is also pretty cramped. Medea’s cat Huxley weighs 12 pounds, and his movements were a bit limited when he was in it. It's not too high off the ground, so most cats should be able to get into it, but having a stair would be useful for accessibility (especially for older cats).
- Photograph: Neakasa
A More Traditional Automatic Litter Box
Neakasa M1 Self-Cleaning Litter BoxThe Neakasa M1 Self-Cleaning Litter Box (7/10, WIRED recommends) is a good automatic option for cats who prefer using a more traditional litter box with an open-top design. In this 20 x 23 x 21-inch container, they won't feel cramped or trapped, and the headroom also allows large cats to dig, scratch, and turn around comfortably. Should there ever be a malfunction where it starts to move while the cat is still going, they can easily and quickly jump out. (Though we hope this never happens.)
Instead of spinning to the side like the other two automatic boxes, this one rotates backward and then forward. It has sensors in case a fast cat tries to get their paws in there. Cleaning cycles aren't loud, but they are slightly louder than others on this list. If you need to put it in your bedroom, utilize the do-not-disturb function for sleeping hours. The waste is collected in a bag inside the drawer below. The bag has a drawstring design to further squelch the stench, but that poses problems when many of cats’ health issues can be identified through their stool/urine.
Neakasa's app is easy to use, but it needs work. You set up profiles for each cat with their weight, so it can automatically add their names to the records. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano thought one of the biggest faults of the M1 was that it knew who went and other times it didn't, even when it was the same cat as the last time. When that happened, it reverted the weight to kilograms instead of her selected pounds. The weight changes slightly often, too, even when the box is correctly calibrated. Some of the settings come with slightly confusing descriptions, as it's occasionally poorly translated into English. Overall, the M1 is a solid box that, with some app updates, should only continue to improve.
- Photograph: Simon Hill
A Budget Option
PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin Self-Cleaning Litter BoxLet’s face it—no one enjoys scooping poop and clumps of urine out of the litter box. It’s the main downside of living with cats. I’ve had my eye on a self-cleaning number like this for a while now, but the high-end models are expensive. The PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin Self-Cleaning Litter Box is around half the price and has a similar design to more expensive models. This 21 x 19 x 26-inch futuristic-looking pod on legs has a rubbery bottom for litter, a weight detector that sets off the cleaning cycle a few minutes after your cat has done its business, and a slide-out tray in the bottom. After they’ve been, the body rotates, and a mesh catches the clumps and deposits them in the tray, where there’s a bag with a wee deodorizer unit that smells like watermelon. You can connect it to Wi-Fi and review your cat’s toilet visits in the app on your phone, where each entry displays the time they went, their weight, and toilet trip duration.
This self-cleaning litter box was easy to build and works surprisingly well, even though it feels kinda cheap. We use Greenwoods Plant Fibre Natural Clumping Litter (available only in the UK, but similar litter is sold in the US), and the box is good at filtering out the lumps. Whether your cat likes it is another matter. Our youngest cat, Rocket, is fearless and has been using it quite happily, but Luna saw it in motion and won’t go near it now. It is fairly quiet, and I couldn’t hear it a room over. Even with the elevated lip, you will likely want a mat in front of it to catch stray litter. Remember that you still have to clean it (how often depends on your cat), and you'd better remember to check the drawer periodically to empty it.
The bags are an awkward proprietary size that is annoying to fit, since PetSafe wants to hit you up for refills at $15 for 25 liners. Ultimately, as a relatively affordable self-cleaning litter box, the PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin is worth a look. —Simon Hill
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Avoid This One
Petzone Smart ScoopThe Pet Zone Smart Scoop is probably the least “smart” automatic litter box we've tested—it's a typical rectangular 25 x 18 x 18-inch plastic box with an automatic arm that acts as a rake and scoops the clumped (soiled) litter into a small bin on the other side. It has a sensor that detects when your cat is in the box. Once the cat leaves, it begins a 15-minute countdown and then the rake slides over the length of the box, (ideally) scooping up the waste and lifting it into the receptacle, which automatically opens and closes. The motor sounds relatively quiet, but it’s noticeable and would be a little loud if it were in your bedroom.
Once it’s done, the rake returns to the front of the box and the cycle starts over the next time the sensor is tipped off. Setting up the litter box took about 45 minutes, and the directions were a bit unclear. You’re also only allowed to fill the litter box with about an inch and a half of litter, which my cats didn’t like (they prefer a few inches to really bury it). The sensor detected a cat using it and went off most of the time after use, but the rake doesn’t stop when it's in the cleaning cycle—even if something jumps in. Luckily my cats were never brave enough to try this, but when I stuck my hand in there during cleaning, the rake continued on without stopping, which is potentially dangerous.
However, the first of my two biggest issues with the Smart Scoop is that my cats tend to pee on the side of the litter box, which, because of the rake’s placement, means it misses an inch on either side—I still had to scrape the caked-on litter from the edges. The other is that it starts the cycle so soon after it detects use (and the cycle timing can’t be adjusted) that the litter didn’t have time to clump completely; the rake would immediately break it down into smaller clumps that would then be missed because they were too small. This box is by far the least expensive option on the list, and would work if you’re someone who really hates cleaning the litter box but doesn’t want to spend the big bucks on one with the bells and whistles. For me, it’s not worth it, and I’d rather just scoop it myself.
Turbo Tax Live Assisted - 10% off
H&R Block Coupons & Offers
Enjoy $15 Off Your Orders With Instacart Coupon
DoorDash Promo Code: 25% off your order
2 for $40 on Select Kids' Hoodies & Joggers Finish Line Deal
20% Off Groupon Promo Code With Email Signup