I asked cats to test these robotic litter boxes — here's the ones they think are best

I’ve almost stopped scooping my cats’ litter boxes after testing a few different robot litter boxes for the last several years. I can’t tell you how much time I save from not having to do this duty anymore, so I want to share my cats’ experience using them — along with my colleagues.

The best robotic litter boxes make cleanup a breeze, and while they eliminate the need for cat owners to scoop, it's our cats that actually put them to the test. They’ve been using Whisker’s Litter Robot 4 for more than a year now, which is arguably the most popular automated cat litter box with smart functions. Additionally, they’ve been using the Leo Loo Too, Neakasa M1, and ZHMZ G1 — three robotic litter boxes that are designed differently from the acclaimed one from Whisker.

Obviously, I have my preference between them all, but the value of an automated litter box really comes from our four-pawed critters who are actually using them day in, day out — and perhaps a few of my own opinions. In addition to making cleanup a breeze, today's smart litter boxes also offer insights to your cats' habits, like how frequently they go and how much they way, thanks to their respective apps.

Best robotic litter boxes — quick list

The best robotic litter box overall

The litter robot our cats used the most was the Neakasa M1. With an astonishing 51 times in a one-week span, this one takes the crown as our cats' favorite robotic litter box. I’m honestly surprised by this revelation after digging up the data in the app.

I was initially skeptical because of its open design, which does scatter more of the litter when my cats dig around and exit it. However, I suspect the open design makes them feel more comfortable because they’ve not confined to a small space much like the other three models.

The cleanup mechanism is also very different, as it pretty much flips the entire container upside down — making it easier to dislodge those tougher, stuck-on clumps of litter. Furthermore, it has one of the largest waste containers as well.

I wasn’t optimistic about the Neakasa M1 when I first set it up, but now I understand why our cats prefer using it the most over the others. Sure, I’m still forced to whip out the Dyson to cleanup the surrounding area when they rocket out of it, but it does come included with a netted mat that helps with containing the litter.

The smartest litter box

With a much wider entrance, I’m not surprised that my cats use Whisker’s Litter Robot 4 more than Leo’s Loo Too. They’ve been using it for more than a year now and it’s still holding up nicely, but I find proper maintenance is needed to keep it in tip-top operation. That’s because sometimes it makes a high-pitched squeaking sound when it’s cleaning, so maintenance is key with this one.

But despite that, I love how it features interior lighting for my cats to find the entrance when it’s night out — as well as an elevated stepping area that lets them in and out more easily than the other two. The Whisper app also has the same pet weighing feature that can distinguish one cat from the other.

Due to its taller height, my cats have a lot of room to do their business. That’s why I’m not shocked that they’ve used it an astounding 30 times in a span of a week. It’s almost triple the amount of use than Leo’s Loo Too, which I again suspect is due to its larger interior. Paired with a bigger waste bin, I’m not emptying it as much. I also like that it’s the only one that can still let me manually do a cleanup even when the app tells me the waste bin is full. Usually there’s still room for one or two extra cleanups from my experience, which is why I mention this.

Very recently, Whisker released a new add-on accessory called the LitterHopper, which will automatically refill is the litter level is low. Usually I'd have to do this when the app notifies it's low, but the LitterHopper holds up to 13 cups of litter so I don't have to do it as much. If that's not enough, there's an assortment of accessories to choose from as well, like a ramp or larger cover to put over the entrance.

Best robotic litter boxes for small spaces

With Leo’s Loo Too, I personally love how this automated litter box contains messes the best. I’m not even referring to number 1s or 2s, but the unintentional pieces of litter that’s scattered as they’re digging around inside and subsequently leaving. It has the smallest opening of the bunch, which does the best to contain all of the unintentional scattering — albeit, it’s a bit cramped on the inside.

Through the connected app, it notifies me whenever one of my cats uses it, along with weighing them as well. Weight measurement is one of the features that sets apart smart litter boxes from your ordinary ones, as they can be helpful in giving you clues if your cat’s weight is fluctuating.

In total, my cats used Leo’s Loo Too robotic litter box 11 times. Despite being the one they use the least, I still like how it keeps the surrounding area cleaner than the other two. I just wish it were a little taller because I think the cramped interior makes one of my cats apprehensive using it. Additionally, it has the smallest waste bin too, which means more downtime if I’m not quick to clean it up.

Most affordable robotic litter box

The ZHMZ G1 Orbitie is an impressive self-cleaning litter box (or orb, in this case), according to my colleague Ryan Epps, whose cat Jiji tested it out. It proves its mettle with several enticing features, namely an extensive app that can remotely operate the litter box over Wi-Fi, which is incredibly intuitive. Ryan's able to check on litter volume, or get alerts if the waste undercarriage is full and needs to be thrown out.

Jiji, his tuxedo cat, really enjoys its orbiting cleaning cycle. It took him a while to get used to it, but uses the ZHMZ G1 Orbitie all the time now with no problems. The robotic litter box has special weight sensors that pick up when his cat’s inside, plus infrared detection on the outsides so it never trips up in its Jiji-detection.

Setup was pretty simple, but did take around 45 minutes. The Orbitie also comes with everything you might need, including a litter matt and four-month supply of waste bags. Ryan's two major complaints are that the waste bin, which nestles easily under the litter box, doesn’t dispel smell as well as you might hope and it can be loud even at 35dB — added with app functions that make a loud beeping sound when activated.

These are minor inconveniences at most in the grand scheme of things and easy to ignore if your aim is to simply limit your time cleaning the litter box to begin with. It’s also slightly expensive, but is cheaper than a lot of other offerings on the market.

How we test robotic litter boxes

As much as humans have a say in this matter, we actually got our cats to test and use these robotic litter boxes for a span of a week. We also make sure to give them access to a standard litter box to see how often they use the robotic one instead, so we can gauge their preference.

Additionally, we look at how much litter and waster they can store because the more they can hold, the fewer trips are needed to refill and empty them out. While most of the robotic litter boxes say that they work best with their own plastic waste bags, we found that 13 gallon plastic bags to fit nicely in most of them.

We also test out their smart functions, like how accurate they are with measuring our cats' weight. most importantly, we inspect how well they clean up after our cats by watching out for any mess that don't get picked up.

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