The 10 Best Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes to Buy in 2024

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: Purple or taupe colors, as well as a top-entry version

How It Works

ScoopFree Ultra uses sensors to detect your cat entering and exiting the box. Then, after a predetermined time (you choose either 5, 10, or 20 minutes) the automatic cleaning cycle begins. The waste is then raked from the specialized ‘crystal litter’ and into a waste compartment, leaving the remaining litter fresh for reuse. An automatic ‘health tracker’ counts the number of times the box was used since the last clean, and no daily litter removal is required.

Waste Removal

The waste is raked into a separate compartment, and thanks to the odor-absorbing crystals, rake system, and box hood, any faint smell is well contained enough for you to go days before removing. According to PetSafe, you should monitor the health tracker and change the litter crystals either after 30 days or 100 rakes (whichever is first). To do so, you simply place the lid onto the disposable tray and then bin it. This is easy to do, but in our experience, cleaning after 70-75 rakes is preferable, as things can start to smell as you approach the maximum limit. Still, this level of performance is stand-out.

Litter Type

The non-toxic crystals do an excellent job of absorbing urine and moisture from feces. You’ll have to stick to this special litter though, as other types can damage the raking mechanism. Crystal litter is sold in replacement trays and while these aren’t cheap, you’ll still save money in the long-term as you’ll need to replace the litter so infrequently.

PRO-TIP: as the specialized crystals absorb moisture, it’s better not to place the litter box in a high moisture area, like your bathroom.

Size

For most standard cats, this box is perfectly sized. It’s big enough to be comfortable for your pet while not taking up excessive space in your home. Plus, as long as your cat’s not too fussy, you can take off the removable privacy hood and save even more space. Doing this is great for larger cats too, giving them even more space to get comfortable.

Noise Level

The ScoopFree Ultra is surprisingly quiet, and we consider it safe for even the most timid cats. In fact, the Ultra is strikingly quiet when compared to the Litter-Robot 3, despite the latter being a premium device costing significantly more.

Odor Control

This model allows you to choose how long after use you want litter to be raked. The longer you wait the more moisture can be absorbed from the litter, making it easier to rake. As such, we suggest you start at the max time (20 mins) and drop this down if you notice an unpleasant odor.

PRO-TIP: The storage area for the cat waste isn’t sealed, but as long as you add some litter into the poop tray when you clean it, it will remain dry and give off no noticeable smell.

Installation & Maintenance

Occasionally, you may find you need to clean the raking track when it gets stuck. Generally though, we find this to be a very reliable product and it comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. Unfortunately, the disposable trays are made from cardboard, and cats that like to dig may well scratch through them. There is a solution, the ‘forever tray,’ that utilizes permanent materials, but it’s an add-on purchase. Admittedly, it works great, but we would have liked to see this included as standard.

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: Purple or Taupe colors and a newer ‘2nd generation’ model

How It Works

This device is the little brother to the ScoopFree Ultra and there are only three differences between the two. Firstly, with the ScoopFree Automatic, the cleaning cycle commences after 20 minutes, and there is no option to change this. If your cat’s waste is particularly offensive-smelling, you may find this duration a little long, but there’s always a button you can press to start the process immediately. Secondly, this model has no ‘health tracker’ to count how often it’s used. We find this feature useful for monitoring the health and habits of your kitty, as well as prompting you to change the litter. Finally, this option does not have a privacy hood like the Ultra does.

Waste Removal

In terms of waste removal, the ScoopFree Automatic is identical to our best overall pick, the ScoopFree Ultra. Both offer a highly significant reduction in waste removal, even when compared to the very best manual self-clean options, which still require daily attention.

Litter Type

As with the ScoopFree Ultra, specialized litter crystals are required. These crystals don’t stick to cat paws as many cheaper litter types can, and while there are better ‘non-tracking’ litters out there, we’ve not seen one that can also absorb odor this well. Plus, with the crystal litter there’s no ‘litter dust’ generated, so your home stays cleaner, too.

Size

The ScoopFree Automatic gets full marks for size. As with the Ultra, it’s large enough to accommodate most cats, without being a giant eyesore in your home. In fact, as there’s no hood on the Automatic, this version takes up even less space.

Noise Level

As their inner mechanisms are identical, the noise level is identical to the ScoopFree Ultra. We consider the (lack of) noise during cleaning to be the best on the market.

Odor Control

Odor control doesn’t quite match the ScoopFree Ultra, which we expect is due to the hood helping to contain the stench. But thanks to the crystal litter, odor is remarkably well contained, making this is a great choice for those with a keen sense of smell.

Installation & Maintenance

Rakes are the most common failure point, but if you deep clean the prongs once per month, you should be fine. To reduce monthly maintenance time further, you can purchase an (expensive) forever tray which, for the already-high price of the standard litter box, feels like an upgrade that should be included.

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: Beige & Grey Colors

How It Works

Does the Litter-Robot 3 look more akin to a futuristic cyborg than a litter box? Absolutely. But it works. Rather than raking, the litter box ‘globe’ rotates after your cat uses it and moves all the waste into a separate receptacle. It also offers additional features like a sleep mode and a night light that no other self-cleaning litter box on the market offer. Plus, both usage and waste-buildup can be monitored via push notifications from a WiFi-enabled app.

Waste Removal

After use, cleaning happens automatically on a self-selected 3, 7 or 15 minute delay. When the waste receptacle is full (which can take an impressive 7 days), you’ll be notified via the app. Only the ScoopFree Ultra offers a similar level of cleaning customization.

Litter Type

Many self-cleaning litter boxes require you to use their proprietary branded litter and it can be tough to tell if this is truly a necessity or more of a marketing ploy. With the Litter-Robot 3, a clumping litter is required, but beyond that, the choice is yours. The cleaning mechanism is very efficient, and you’ll use much less litter than with every other option we reviewed.

Size

With all the features offered, it’s no surprise that this box takes up a lot of space. For this reason, it’s certainly not ideal for smaller homes and we advise you to make sure you have the necessary space before you make the hefty investment. That said, this box is excellent for large cats, as it has a wide opening (15.25 x 10.25 inches), and will hold up to a whopping 20lbs of feline.

Noise Level

Despite its claims of quiet operation, we find the cleaning process is actually quite noisy. So expect it to take some time for your kitty to adjust. Still, there’s no concern about it keeping the family up at night, as the unique sleep-mode can delay the next cleaning cycle until morning.

Odor Control

An indicator light shows when it’s time to clean (as well as an optional app notification), so you needn’t worry about constantly opening the receptacle to check. As such, odor is well contained right up until removal, and only the LitterMaid Single Cat and the LitterMaid Multi Cat do a better job.

Installation & Maintenance

Set up is quick and painless, surprising when you consider the depth of functionality. We also find it to be very reliable, with a robust cleaning system that rarely falters. Plus, it comes with an 18-month warranty, which is a nice touch. Of course, this all comes at a premium. It’s by far the most expensive box to make our list costs over 25 times as much as our favorite budget pick, the PetMate Sifting Pan.

Quick Facts

• Type: Rotational
• Variations: Regular or Large sizes and in a choice of Pewter, Midnight Black or Forest Green color schemes.

How It Works

The Omega Paw has a protective box shape that provides a spacious and covered environment for your little friend. Once your kitty has done their magic in the tray, you can manually roll the box onto its topside and then back to the upright position. As you do this, the grille inside the box filters out clumped waste and deposits it into a pull-out tray. It’s not totally hands-off, like the ScoopFree Ultra, but it’s much quicker than sifting with a tool.

Waste Removal

After rolling, waste is moved into a separate compartment. You’ll need to roll daily to maintain a clean litter environment for your cat to use again, but you don’t have to remove the waste from the compartment immediately. Of course, the sooner the better, but the waste compartment gives you a degree of freedom you wouldn’t get with a manual litter box.

Litter Type

Each time you roll the box, you’ll want to add an extra small cup of fresh litter back in. Any ‘clumping’ litter can be used, so there’s a good chance you can continue using your kitty’s favorite brand. If your cat’s not fussy, this also gives you the chance to experiment with the most cost-effective litter options, which we see as a big bonus.

Size

Bear in mind you will need some space to roll the device across the floor, so it’s not best suited for those with limited floor space. You’ll need about 1.5 square meters to get the job done comfortably.

Noise Level

When rolling, you are effectively hitting the litter against the grille mechanism to separate it from the waste. As you might expect, this is pretty noisy. But as there’s no automatic rolling, you can do this on your own time and you needn’t worry about disturbing your cat as they do their business.

Odor Control

There’s no special odor control, but the separation of waste from the main litter does help a little. Overall, the Omega Paw won’t prevent odor like the automatic versions we reviewed but is much better than sifting options, which leave soiled litter in the open until attended to.

Installation & Maintenance

The box is a breeze to assemble and once you add in your choice of clumping litter, you’re good to go. There’s nothing much else to attend to – just add small amounts of fresh litter after every roll, and a full clean and change each month.

Quick Facts

• Type: Manual
• Variations: Grey or Storm Grey colors

How It Works

This litter box comes with 3 pans: one sifting option and two standard pans. You fill one pan with litter and after your cat has done their business, you pour the contents of the dirty pan into the empty pan, with the sifting tray placed inside. You then simply lift the sifting tray out of the second pan, and you’re left with clumps of soiled litter to dispose of.

Waste Removal

While significantly more convenient than truly manual litter removal (as there’s no searching and scooping required), there is nothing automated here. Still, the sifting pan is very effective for its purpose and does a surprisingly good job of quickly filtering the poop from the litter inexpensively.

Litter Type

Most litter types can be used and this is one of the few products reviewed that does not require clumping litter. We consider this to be a big advantage, especially for owners of fussy-cats who are prone to go elsewhere with the slightest of changes.

Size

This box won’t take up much space and is a great step up from manual scooping for those concerned about space requirements. The downside to this is that as the box edges are low, making it easier for messier cats to kick out litter.

Noise Level

Sure, the sound of litter being passed through the pan is audible, but it’s not enough to cause a disturbance to the cat or family and is much quieter than most automatic boxes.

Odor Control

The box itself does nothing to control odor and it’s open-top nature makes it worse than others at containing bad smells. Certain litter types may help reduce this smell slightly, but if the stink is your main qualm with your current litter box, you’ll want to skip this option.

Installation & Maintenance

As a budget pick, this is the least advanced litter box to make our list. Still, no automation means there’s nothing to install and nothing to maintain. If you’re simply looking to speed up the time litter cleaning takes each day, this may be perfect for you.

Quick Facts

• Type: Manual
• Variations: N/A

How It Works

Like the PetMate Sifting Tray, SpeedySift also requires ‘sifting’ to sort the litter from the poop, but rather than plastic trays, it uses disposable liners within a high-walled plastic box. The holes in the sifting liners are designed as an offset array between layers, meaning if your cat catches a claw in one of the holes, it only tears through one liner, and not the whole stack.

Waste Removal

While there’s no scooping required, you’ll need to remove the waste manually as often as necessary. More likely than not, this will be daily. Still, the liners make this a breeze and it’s significantly quicker than manually scooping.

Litter Type

You’ll need to use non-lightweight, clumping clay litter for the best results. The good news is there’s no requirement to use a specific brand, and the savings from buying more economical litter can really add up over time.

Size

We love the high-walled design of the box, which helps prevent litter from escaping and wall spraying. The lightweight plastic also keeps this box very light, so occasionally moving it between rooms is no hassle at all, which can’t be said for many automatic devices we’ve reviewed.

Noise Level

As well as being much quieter than automatic options, the unique stacked liner, sifting design also makes this quieter than sifting plastic trays. If you’re looking for a quiet manual option, this wins out over the PetMate Sifting Pan.

Odor Control

There’s no built-in odor control so any protection against foul scents will come solely from the litter you choose and the frequency of litter changes. The smell-sensitive should consider more expensive automated litter boxes!

Installation & Maintenance

The clever liner design makes the SpeedySift very easy to set up and maintain. It only takes 2 seconds (literally) to clamp 15 liners into place, so outside the daily sifting, maintenance is minimal. The sidewalls of the box can also be replaced if your cat has a frustrating tendency to soil the walls repeatedly. These do come at an additional cost though, which is a shame as the litter box itself usually runs over $50 – expensive for the fact that it still requires daily effort.

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: Standard or I version

How It Works

The CatGenie works more like a regular toilet than a litter box, a fact that’s reflected in its premium cost. It needs to be hooked up to cold water and an electric outlet, as it liquefies solid waste, flushes it, and then decontaminates the bowl automatically. Here’s how it works:

Waste Removal

CatGenie is the only litter box system available that doesn’t require any manual waste removal. It self-flushes, self-cleans, and then self-dries. Impressive stuff. In terms of waste removal, no other product we’ve reviewed comes close.

Litter Type

CatGenie uses washable granules rather than conventional cat litter. These granules are an essential part of the system, but as they’re washable you won’t need to buy frequent replacements. As such, you can expect huge long-term savings as traditional kitty litter becomes a thing of the past.

Size

If you have space, the CatGenie is excellent for the most hygiene-conscious cat lovers, but it’s big and bulky, so don’t expect it to go unnoticed in the corner. Ultimately, a large device is necessary for a system this comprehensive.

Noise Level

The CatGenie is more like an electrical appliance than a litter box, and this is reflected in the loud sound of clunking, clanging, and swirling during use. As the most likely location for installation is a bathroom or laundry room, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.

Odor Control

As the waste is liquefied and disposed of directly into the drainage system, you would expect odor to be a complete non-issue. Unfortunately, the cleaning process itself does cause the device to emit an unpleasant odor. This soon disappears though and seems to be a necessary trade-off for truly hands-free litter removal.

Installation & Maintenance

Without exception, the CatGenie is the most difficult device to install. For most people, it’s likely too much effort for a one-cat home, and problems like clogging can be tricky to solve without professional help. But for households with 2-3 cats, it may be worth the investment. After all, the reward is the complete removal of litter changes from your daily chores.

UPGRADE: CatGenie also offers a more premium, ‘A.I’ version of this litter box. It uses machine learning to more effectively plan cleaning and an app for digital control.

Quick Facts

• Type: Rotational
• Variations: N/A

How It Works

The Le You Pet system uses a separation grid, within a drawer-style cleaning box. Once your cat does their business, you just lift, flip, and lower the tray. Within 7 seconds the soiled litter will be clumped in a receptacle drawer, ready for removal.

Waste Removal

To remove pet waste,  you need to manually remove the litter from a receptacle. This is easy enough to do, and the process is pretty similar to other self-cleaning boxes. Notably though, it’s up to you to monitor how often this is needed. There’s no usage tracker or app notification, like with the more premium automatic options.

Litter Type

Any litter will work, as long as the granules are small enough to pass through the internal grid. A word of warning – if your cat doesn’t bury their poop, the litter won’t absorb the moisture as effectively and as a result, it may not cleanly pass through when flipped. This is worth a thought as cleaning a sticky, poop-covered grid takes away all the convenience of a self-cleaning box!

Size

While the manufacturers state this box can support heavy cats, up to 18lbs, we find it a little on the small side. Larger cats will likely leave a mess as there’s not much room to maneuver. If your cat is anything larger than medium size, there are better options available, like the LitterMaid Multi Cat.

Noise Level

Rotating the box feels and sounds a little clunky, but we can forgive this because it’s over so quickly – a 7-second litter clean is not to be sniffed at!

Odor Control

As an open-top box, if you leave soiled litter in the main tray, it will smell. But we find the smell is well contained once the waste has been moved into the receptacle, and this is convenient for when you don’t have the time to remove the waste immediately. You can just rotate the box to contain the stink, and get back to it later.

Installation & Maintenance

It arrives completely disassembled, but we expect most people could put it together in under 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the parts feel cheaply made and it’s not uncommon for bits and pieces to split or bend out of shape with repeated use. As a sturdier alternative for this rotational device, the Omega Paw feels much more sturdy.

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: N/A

How It Works

This litter box automatically rakes itself after every use, and a waste receptacle and carbon filter keep the odor contained until it’s ready to be emptied. Cleaning starts after 20 minutes after use, similar to the ScoopFree Ultra.

Waste Removal

This box is advertised to last up to 7 days before waste removal but 5 days is more realistic. Still, we consider this to be a top-performing device in this category.

Litter Type

Hard, clumping litter is suggested. Unfortunately, we find that performance varies wildly between different litters and you’ll probably have to try several different options to find one that works effectively. Typically, lighter litter is raked well but is prone to tracking out of the box. Heavier litters stay in the box but tend to stick to the rake mechanism. If your cat is very picky with the litter they’ll use, this could be an issue.

Size

The LitterMaid Single Cat is on the small side and is not suitable for larger cats (think those close to 15lbs), or multi-cat homes. Thankfully, LitterMaid does offer a Multi Cat option, which also makes our list.

Noise Level

Unfortunately, this box is pretty noisy. It sounds similar to a hairdryer when operating and more timid cats may find this a little intimidating.

Odor Control

The waste receptacle has a tight seal and uses carbon to control odor, which is very effective. Smell is a complete non-issue when using the LitterMaid, and for some, this may be worth the hassle of finding a suitable litter type initially.

Installation & Maintenance

Over the long-term, you may find the raking system is prone to clogging and that weekly cleaning becomes necessary. Overall, you should expect to spend more time maintaining this box, than you would with the other products we’ve reviewed.

Quick Facts

• Type: Automatic
• Variations: N/A

How It Works

LitterMaid Multi Cat works identically to the LitterMaid Single Cat, using an automated raking device that self-cleans after each use. It feels significantly stronger and better-powered though, and we consider this version much more durable.

Waste Removal

If you only have one cat, you may find you can go a day or two longer between waste removals than with the LitterMaid Single Cat. Generally though, we still see every 5 days as a realistic, and impressive timeframe.

Litter Type

As with the LitterMaid Single Cat, the biggest issue with this litter box will probably be a difficulty in finding litter that is raked without clogging. It’s best suited for non-fussy cats who will do their duty just about anywhere and won’t mind if you’re switching between a selection of different litters while you search for a good match.

Size

This box will easily accommodate multiple large cats. Typical recommendations are to have more litter boxes than cats in your home, but choose the LitterMaid Multi Cat and you’ll only need the one device. That said, it’s quite shallow, and even adding the humane-society recommended amount (a 2-inch depth) makes it prone to spills.

Noise Level

There’s no debate to be had here, this is the loudest litter box to make our list. If your cat’s the type to be spooked by a printer or vacuum, this isn’t your best option. Consider the stealthier ScoopFree Ultra instead.

Odor Control

The carbon filter makes odor prevention excellent. This box scores very highly against the competition and is well-suited for those who prefer to avoid the bathroom smells of their feline friend.

Installation & Maintenance

Similarly to the LitterMaid Single, the system comes with a helpful rake-cleaning solution and a scoop to help you maintain the box appropriately. While the cleaning solution is a nice bonus, the inclusion of a scoop perhaps says more about the expected performance – you are trying to avoid scooping, after all.