Best Litter Box Reviews 2017

With the ScoopFree® Litter Box you will have a home that is free from odors, without any work from you! It does not come with a lid, but if you would like one to help stop any potential “spills” while your cat is digging or if you have a cat that likes some seclusion, you can either purchase a hooded privacy lit separately (PAC00-14228) or you can purchase the ScoopFree Ultra (PAL00-14243) which has the hood included.

If you decide to go for the Ultra model, you get a few other nice features. You can adjust the time delay before the rake starts working to 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes after your cat leaves the box. It will still automatically reset the timer if the cat renters the box. The Ultra model also has a health counter which keeps track of how many times your cat has entered and left the box. This is a great feature if you have an older cat and need to monitor frequency, or for times when your cat is sick.

At the time of our review, there were over 1,800 reviews on Amazon for the ScoopFree® Self Cleaning Litter Box and it has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5. Normally we like to only recommend products with at least a 4 star rating, but because there is nothing else like this product on the market, we knew we needed to share it. What we found when we went through the reviews is that except in isolated cases, the “complaints” were not with how the actual litter box worked. Instead what we saw were a lot of issues that tended to be related to their cats – as in whether or not they adjusted, or if their “bathroom habits” resulted in more work on the owner’s part. There were also comments about the cost of the litter as compared to regular – but at the same time, there were more people who felt this additional cost was well worth it.

Among the critical reviews, what stands out is that some owners report that while they love how the system works, it requires more frequent changing than what is recommended by the manufacturer. This feedback includes reports specific to it not staying “odor free” for as long as the specs say – but still better than a traditional cat box if you left it unattended for days! We will note that the manufacturer does state that for larger cats, or cats that have more frequent elimination habits, a disposable tray will not last as long.

Hold on to your scoop! The ScoopFree® Self Cleaning Litter Box not only gives you truly hands free daily maintenance of your cat box, but it does it so well that you could go on vacation and not worry about whether or not your cat will be looking for another place to “go.”

The magic behind how this litter box works starts with special litter crystals that are designed to dehydrate waste and absorb urine – removing odor instantly. Twenty minutes after your cat leaves the box – plenty of time for her to not get startled by the mechanism – a specially designed rake will separate the “dirty waste” from the clean and move it into a separate enclosed container (locking in any smells that do remain). If your cat re-enters the box during the 20 minute period, the system will reset itself automatically so you never have to worry about your cat being in the box when the rake is moving. According to the manufacturer, they conducted lab tests and there were no reports of jamming or mechanism failure after over 100,000 cycles.

There are two options for the special litter crystals –

• You can purchase a completely disposable cardboard litter tray that comes prefilled with enough crystals to last about 20 to 30 days for a single cat. If you have 2 cats, Petsafe recommends changing the tray every 10 to 15 days, or every 7 to 10 if you have 3. The benefit of this option is that there is no handling of the dirty crystals because there is a “cover” that comes with each one and as you change to a new one, you use the cover from that one to dispose of the old one.
• You can purchase a plastic reusable tray and a bag of the litter crystals separately. This lowers the cost, but you have to empty and wash the plastic tray when it’s time to change the litter – which truthfully, since for a single cat you are talking about once a month, it’s not really that big of a deal. It’s simply a matter of preference.

To give you a comparison, a disposable ScoopFree Litter Tray costs about $15 and depending upon how frequently your cat does his business, can last up to a month. This is comparable in price to a 40 pound bag of top quality clumping cat litter.

The size (27.4 x 19 x 7 inches) and simple “rectangular” design of this litter box make it a good fit just about anywhere in your home. It comes with an AC adapter and a 10 foot cord – which gives you options for not needing to have the box right next to the socket.

Cats need to be at least 6 months old – and it can accommodate larger cats as well as multi-cat homes. Because of its design, it can also be used for small sized, miniature breed dogs and puppies!

In terms of performance and ease of use – the Original Self-Cleaning Litter Box by Petsafe ranks way at the top! At the time of this writing, it is the ONLY litter box that gives you the option to use the disposable litter trays so you never have to handle the waste. The disposable litter trays are leak-proof so the urine and feces don’t come in contact with the base unit, keeping it clean. You may want to wipe the unit down from time to time, but that is nothing compared to cleaning out a litter tray that has clumps of waste stuck to the bottom.

According to the manufacture, the crystal litter provides 5 times the odor control of traditional litter because of the way it absorbs urine. Although “per pound” the litter crystals are more expensive, you use 5 to 10 times less than you would clay or clumping litters – making the cost over time about even.

For a single cat, under normal conditions you can go 3 to 4 weeks until it’s time to change the litter tray. More frequent changing may be required for cats who are on a diet that is high in ash, crude fiber and byproducts, or for senior cats, kittens or cats with urinary infections or who are sick. But you would have to do the same thing if you were using regular litter.

For us “humans” there really is no downside to the ScoopFree® Litter Box. For cats, it all depends upon their “personalities” and preferences. Some cats take a while getting used to the crystals and a few never do. If they are near the machine when it starts raking it might startle them – and for a really skittish cat, that might make her not want to go near it. Most users report that their cats adjust nicely to the litter – and Petsafe even provides instructions on how to get your cat or kitten used to using an automatic, self cleaning litter box.

Omega Paw Roll’n Clean™ Litter Box is available in 3 sizes – small, medium and large. Current models are available in pewter and taupe, but there are some older models in green still available on Amazon. With a MSRP of $39.99 - $49.99 (depending upon size) and sale prices at Amazon for around $25, it’s no wonder we chose this as our pick for your money. It’s loaded with features designed to save you time, money and keep your home odor free – not to mention make your cat happy too! Here are some interesting features of this litter box:

• Doesn’t require electricity – no motors to scare your cat.
• Waste is separated from litter by patented grill.
• Waste container is a pull out tray for easy disposal.
• Easy assembly – and disassembly for weekly cleanings.
• Larger sized box can accommodate big or multiple cats.
• Works with any brand of cat litter.

When we did our research, the Roll n’ Clean litter box had already passed 6,700 reviews on Amazon – with 89% of owners giving it either a 4 or 5 star rating. When looking at these reviews, we need to keep in mind that his litter box is not a “fully automatic self cleaning litter box.” It is designed so that you don’t have to manually do the waste scooping. For example, some owners complained about clumps of waste sticking to the bottom. The same thing happens with a traditional litter tray if you don’t use enough litter.

Among the critical reviews, there are concerns about the plastic absorbing odors (we wonder how long the owners went between full cleanings), the product not working as well with cheaper litters, issues with odor (again, we wonder how much time went by before dumping the waste container) as well as some reports about product defects (cracking and screen separating).

The Roll’n Clean litter box by Omega Paw gets the honorable distinction of being chosen for best value on both this “mixed product” review and our review for the top 5 self cleaning litter boxes. The reason – it has a unique cleaning system that not only makes keeping your cat’s litter box clean and odor free but it does it at an extremely affordable price.

There is no motor or raking system in the Omega Paw Roll’n Clean litter box. Instead what you get is a patented grill that does the scooping for you hands free. The exterior of the liter box is designed so that it can literally be rolled over on to its top, and that’s what it is supposed to do!

When it’s time to “scoop” away the mess, you simply roll it on its side and the clumps will be separated from the good litter and deposited into a separate container. When you roll it back upright, the clean litter will settle back on the bottom – and all you need to do is pull out the waste container and dispose of its contents, give it a rinse and put it back. Because the waste storage area has an enclosed design, you don’t have to empty it every time, unless you want to.

You can use whatever kind of cat litter you want with the Roll ‘n Clean, but the manufacturer recommends the self clumping kind for better results. The hooded lid is an integral part of the cleaning system, so if you have a cat who doesn’t like to be closed in, this design will not work for her.

The Roll’n Clean Litter Box by Omega is available in several colors - Pewter, Taupe, Green and Beige – and three sizes:

• Large – 19.5 x 22 x 20 inches
• Medium - 18 x 18 x 20 inches
• Small – 17 x 20 x 16 inches

We will note that some of the colors and the small sized box have been discontinued, so they are harder to get – but we have found sellers on Amazon who have them.

The way that we look at Omega Paw’s Roll’n Clean is that it’s like getting the best of both worlds. You get to purchase whatever litter that your cat prefers (as well as what best meets your budget) and you don’t have to reach into the box to do the scooping. Not to mention the fact that if you go the traditional scooping route, the scoop needs to be cleaned after ever use (or at least hygienically speaking, it should be).

With the Roll’n Clean the waste storage container holds in the odors so you don’t have to empty it out after every “roll and scoop” as we like to think of it. If you want to reduce odors even more, go for the better quality clumping litters with odor control features.

As for “major” cleanings, you will need to wash the entire unit as often as you would with a traditional tray litter box because the dirty litter does come in contact with it.

By the way, in case you were wondering about “litter dust” the enclosed unit is designed to keep that to a minimum. The high side on the front entrance also helps to reduce the amount of litter that gets “tossed” out when your cat is digging. There is still a potential for your cat to track out litter on its paws, so you may want to put a litter mat in front.

From the cat’s point of view – cats who want privacy love the enclosed hood. They also like the fact that you don’t need to change their favorite brand of litter. Skittish cats are really happy that there is no motor so unless they are around when you are doing the rolling, they won’t even know the magic that happens in the box!

The Cleanstep Booda Dome has a hooded cover that offers privacy and catches litter and spray – plus a charcoal filter to capture odors. This product comes with the Petsafe name – a manufacturer who has earned a reputation for trust and quality standards in the pet industry for decades.

The feature that stands out on the Booda Dome is the circular design that not only helps to control stray pieces of litter and minimize odors, but it also makes the “full cleaning” process easier and quicker. These pluses make it well worth the low price tag of around 25 dollars – or a little bit more depending upon your favorite color. Because the underlying principle of the Booda Cleanstep is a basic litter tray, you can use whatever type or brand of litter is your (or your cat’s!) favorite.

When we last looked, there were 1,624 customer ratings on Amazon for the Booda Cleanstep Dome Litter Box by Petmate – with an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. We also took a look at some of the reviews for the Booda Doom without the lid, and that model has a 4.4 star rating – so for people who think that the stairs won’t work for their cat, it’s a good option.

When we took a look at the critical reviews, what we noticed with the majority of them was that the problems/flaws with this model had to do with the actual behaviors of cats – so it’s not the right choice for everyone. For example, several owners reported that their cats tended to do their business towards the stairs – and you can guess what happened there. Other reported a similar problem with cats who like to really, really dig – towards the stairs.

The Booda Cleanstep Litter Box Dome by Petmate is a hooded litter box – with a twist.

Instead of stepping over the side of the tray, they climb up into the litter tray. The steps have been designed so that they catch pieces of litter that get stuck on your cat’s paws as they exit the box. The “entry way” also provides a space between the actual litter pan and the outside, which will not only stop any flyaway pieces of litter from when your cat digs, but it also helps to keep the odor in too.

This is a large sized litter box (22.5" X 22.5" X 19"), so it is good for bigger cats as well as multiple cat homes. The solid construction also makes it difficult to knock over. The Booda Clean Step is available in 4 attractive colors:

• Booda Dome Litter Box 50020S - Pearl Dove (pearlescent)
• Booda Dome Litter Box 50021S - Titanium (pearlescent)
• Booda Dome Litter Box 50022s - Brushed Nickel (pearlescent)
• Booda Dome Litter Box 50020S - White

Besides the steps and hood that are designed to reduce the amount of litter mess around your home, the Booda Dome doesn’t add any additional features to save you clean up time on a day-to-day basis. The dome will keep in any messes from cats that spray or like to urinate on the sides of a traditional litter tray.

The hood of this litter box does have a space for a charcoal filter that absorbs odors, which does help to keep the smell down. Not to mention that this unique, almost snail shaped design does help to keep the odors inside the box. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to clean it regularly – or at least scoop out the waste.

The very thing about this shape that keeps the smells from getting out, are also going to keep them inside (except what’s absorbed by the filter) and we ALL know how cats detest a dirty litter box. Luckily, taking the hood off and on is simple.

Where the Booda Dome does make your life a bit easier is when it comes time to do the full cleaning. With the circular design, there are not corners to trap clumps – and a smooth flat surface is much easier to wash then corners and edges. When putting the litter box back together, there are no hinges or catches to keep it together – just a seam for the lid and base to fit together. Users report that it is important to make sure that you have the pieces connected nicely otherwise there will be a gap – which is not a good thing if you have a cat that likes to spray or pee against the wall.

By the way, if you have a cat that doesn’t like enclosed spaces, you can use it without the hood – but we can’t guarantee your cat will use the steps! Or, if you like the easy clean up that the round design offers but your cat doesn’t like to do stairs, Petmate offers the Booda Dome Litter Box without steps.

The IRIS Open Top Litter Box has an open design and t is suitable for cats and kittens that don’t like being closed in – but still catches messes! It's available in 5 different colors so you are sure to find one you like. No bells and whistles here – just simple, well thought out design, plus a price tag of just about $15 even if you don’t get it on sale! Oh, in case we forgot to mention it – every tray comes with a free, good sized scoop too!

So far almost 4,000 people have left reviews on Amazon for IRIS’s litter boxes – with an average rating of 4.2 stars – so they are definitely doing something right. What we did notice in the critical reviews was a consistency with what many owners consider a design flaw that makes cleaning a bit more difficult. The base of the tray is not flat, but rather has an indented area around all the sides. This makes for more “edges” and cracks to clean.

If you’re looking for a basic litter tray for your cat, this one made by IRIS USA is a fantastic choice. Let’s start with the base – the dimensions are good for most cats (15" W x 19" L) but that’s not what makes it stand out. The sides are 8" high which means that even if you don’t add one of the great lids, the mount of litter that gets tossed on your floor will be greatly reduced.

The base is available in a variety of colors such as black, ivory, navy, garnet red and tornado gray. The tray can be purchased by itself, or you can get it with a lid. As for the lid, there are three options – meaning you get to pick what works best for you and your cat.

For this review we are featuring the high sided lid with an open top because it’s different from most litter box hoods. Not all cats like to be completely enclosed but if you go without one, you end up with more of a mess. This is a great compromise for you and your feline friend! The combination of the tray and this lid bring the dimensions to 19 x 15 x 11.7 inches. The other benefit for you is that come scooping time, you can just reach in without having to worry where to put the lid while you work.

The two other lid options are a closed hooded lid and a split hood. The closed hood comes with a “shield” as a doorway that can be removed if you don’t’ want it there (or your cat doesn’t like it we should say). The split hood lid has the doorway shield, but it the front section also hinges up, so that you can reach in to do your scooping without having to remove the entire lid.

If you have a cat that needs lower sides for easier entrance into the tray, IRIS also makes one that’s shorter -
18.75" x 14.75" x 5.75" inches.

The performance and ease of use for this litter box come with its simplicity. There’s nothing fancy here – just some tweaks on an old standard design to make it a bit better. The open top (or the split hood) make daily maintenance and scooping a bit easier that if you have a completely hooded litter box. And the higher sides mean for less scattered litter.

Because all of these litter boxes and lids are made from good quality plastic, the don’t hold odors and are easily cleaned with soap and water.

The size is good for averaged size cats – or even two as long as you scoop regularly – but if you have more than that, you are doing to need more than one litter tray. Some owners of really large cats report that this box isn’t big enough.

You might be wondering why we have included a litter box with the name “PuppyGoHere” in our review, especially if you are a cat owner. Well first of all, our review was for the “best litter boxes” – and we never said that they were just for cats. But even with that being said, there are cats that have special needs – like an easy entrance without any obstacles in the way and this litter pan meets that criteria.

The low entrance is a feature that most cat litter trays don’t have which is perfect if you have a disabled cat. We’ve heard that rabbit owners love them too. In addition to home use, some dog owners use it in the car when they are on long trips or in hotel rooms when vacationing with their pet.

The PuppyGoHere Litter Pan is great for apartment living or working families! It also comes with a training guide. With a price tag of about $32.99 on sale, the Dog Litter Pan by PuppyGoHere is a great choice for busy dog-owners or apartment dwellers, giving your four-legged friend a place to go when you aren’t there to take him out. The instructions really help to make training your puppy both easier – and less messy.

This is a simple litter tray that was designed for both training puppies as well as for dog owners who either live in apartments (or other places without a lot of room for walking) or who are away from home for longer periods of time. The thing that makes it good for cats who don’t do well climbing over the sides of traditional litter trays is that the overall height of the sides is 5 inches (good for keeping litter in when digging) but the entrance way is about half that.

The PuppyGoHere litter pan is available in two sizes -

• Miniature Pan: 20x24x5 – Designed for dogs up to 20 pounds, for example breeds such as miniature bull terrier, Shih Tzu, miniature schnauzer, miniature pinscher, Boston terrier or toy poodle.
• Toy Pan: 15x20x5 – Designed for dogs up to 6 pounds, for example breeds such as Bichon Friese, Yorkshire terrier, Pomeranian, Maltese or Chihuahua.

The pans are also available in a wide variety of colors such as coral, black, harbor blue, summer green, gray, and apple green (although all colors are not available in both sizes).

There is research that shows that almost all dogs can be trained to use litter pan in a designated place, without taking away from them being trained to go outside. If you have a puppy, it is essential that you have a place for them to go as you are training them and this is an wonderful alternative to putting down newspaper. To make the training process even easier, the PuppyGoHere dog training system comes with instructions and training tips.

By the way, his litter pan isn’t just for puppies or dogs belonging to busy families – it’s also great for older dogs who have difficulty holding their urine in during the day.

If you using this litter pan for a cat, you can use your cat’s favorite brand. But if you are using this for a dog, which don’t cover their waste, clumping types of litter are not the best option. PuppyGoHere makes a litter that is specially formulated for dogs that is actually more absorbent than cat litter. Another option are one of the many puppy pads that are available on the market.

The last time we looked, the PuppyGoHere Dog Litter Pan had just passed 200 reviews on Amazon, with an overall rating of 4.5 – with a tremendous 76% of owners giving it 5 stars. Another 11% felt strongly enough about this product to rate it a 4 out of 5. When we looked at the critical reviews, a large majority talked about how they couldn’t get their dog to use it or puppies who decided to use it as a chew toy instead of a litter box.