In the world of self-cleaning litter boxes, there’s arguably no model on the market more coveted than the Litter-Robot 4, manufactured by Whisker. Although the category boasts plenty of trustworthy brands, the Litter-Robot has consistently been touted as the crème de la crème—and for good reason. From innovative Wi-Fi capabilities to real-time monitoring, cleaning up after your cats has never been easier or more efficient (or, dare we say, enjoyable).
Litter-Robot first entered the market back in the year 2000, but the most recent model—and the brand’s most technologically advanced to date—reigns supreme. In fact, our team spent five months testing all sorts of different self-cleaning litter boxes and proved as much. Ahead, I’m sharing my review of the Litter-Robot 4, which my two cats have been using for over a year. From overall design specs to ease of use, here’s my perspective—alongside some feedback from my cats.
Footprint: 22 x 27 x 29.5 inches | Weight: 24 pounds | Minimum cat weight: 3 pounds | Available colors: Black or white, with eight bezel color options
Pros:
- Unmatched, top-of-the-line odor control
- Ultra-quiet operation
- Advanced safety sensors
Cons:
- Larger than some other automatic models
- Relatively expensive
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Litter-Robot 4 Features
Pre-Assembled For Easy Setup
When the Litter-Robot 4 arrived in the mail, my first impression was, “This is massive.” The device and all corresponding accessories arrived in one extra-large box, and I realized right away that it was going to be a challenge to find a big-enough space to keep it out of the way in my small city apartment. That said, I loved that it came already assembled and ready to use with one simple plug of a cord. Setting up the machine was also extremely easy; it took me less than 10 minutes, thanks to an easy-to-ready instruction manual. All I had to do was plug one end of the cord into the wall and the other into the device, then press the “Start” button. After quickly running through a few more minor setup tasks, it was running seamlessly.
The Litter-Robot 4 also comes with an app to use so you can monitor things like waste drawer capacity and general cat usage data, but keep in mind you don’t have to use the app in order to use Litter-Robot (I often forget I even have it).
A Sleek, High-Tech Design That’s Ideal For Multi-Cat Households
The Litter-Robot 4 is a particularly excellent option for homes with more than one feline friend. In fact, this device can actually accommodate up to four cats. The Wi-Fi-enabled machine has a large waste drawer that reduces the frequency with which users need to empty it, and it has capabilities for real-time monitoring of waste drawer fullness and litter levels, too—meaning it will quite literally let you know (via both the app and an indicator light) when you need to add more litter or empty the waste drawer.
Other standout features include a patented sifting process to efficiently separate waste from clean litter and keep dust to a minimum, an advanced odor trap system to limit waste odors and real-time monitoring technology. The latter not only tracks litter levels, but even monitors your cat’s weight to determine which cat is using the litter box at any given time. Finally, a back-up battery system ensures that the device can still operate even if the power goes out.
From an aesthetic perspective, the Litter-Robot 4 is also, in my opinion, the best-looking litter box on the market (which is a good thing, considering its large size). The device comes in both a black and a white color choice, with eight different options for bezel colors, including everything from lilac to marble.
Easy And Straightforward For Both Cats And Owners
From an owner’s perspective, the Litter-Robot 4 is incredibly easy to operate. A panel of buttons next to an on/off button indicate what stage the Robot is operating in at any given moment; users see a different color depending on each cycle. A blue light, for instance, means the machine is ready to use, a red light pops up to indicate a cat is nearby (and therefore pauses any motion for safety) and a yellow light appears if the ‘bot enters the cleaning cycle and the drum is rotating. The interior of the machine is lined with gray rubber and a marked litter line, so you know exactly how much litter to use.
The sifting grate is another helpful feature. After your cat is finished doing their business and hops out of the machine, the drum slowly (and very quietly) rotates to efficiently remove the litter clumps without discarding any of the clean litter. The litter clumps then fall into the odor-controlled waste drawer before the machine spins back to its original configuration, ready to be used again. Even with two cats, I rarely have to empty the waste drawer more than once a week, and other than that weekly empty, there’s little to no maintenance required on my part. The exception: a full cleaning of the machine every several months, which involves unplugging it and fully taking it apart to clean each piece thoroughly. I wipe the exterior clean with a wet rag every couple of weeks to remove some of the built-up dust particles.
Helpful 90-Day Return Policy
To my dismay, only one of my cats enjoyed the Litter-Robot 4 at first. My male cat, Bear, loved the machine from the get-go, and his curiosity continues to keep him obsessed with it. In fact, I find him hanging out in the drum all the time, even when he’s not actually using it. Bear just genuinely seems to love the Litter-Robot and “bonded” with it immediately.
Meanwhile, Bear’s sister, Beulah, had the exact opposite reaction. She was absolutely terrified of the device, and despite my attempts to help her out, she refused to go anywhere near it (as a result of her fear, she even peed on my bed several times). On the Whisker website, the brand provides helpful advice for how to acclimate your cat to use the Litter-Robot; I decided to take their suggestion and unplug the machine for a couple of weeks entirely. This worked: Beulah was no longer scared off by the noise and movement of the drum, and we haven’t had any accidents since.
But it’s worth nothing that not all cats will love their self-cleaning litter box as much as you do. For that reason, Whisker offers a 90-day return window to get your money back in case the experiment with transitioning to a smart machine goes awry.
So, what’s my overall verdict? I highly recommend the Litter-Robot 4. It’s been a game-changer in my household, and despite its large size and hefty price tag, I’ve had a great experience adding this self-cleaning litter box to my arsenal of kitten products. Now, if someone would only develop an automatic cat brusher, I’d have it all.
Is It Worth Getting A Litter-Robot 4 Over A Litter-Robot 3?
Based on the results of our team’s tests, yes: It’s worth the $150 price difference between the two models to splurge on the Litter-Robot 4 vs. the Litter-Robot 3. The Litter-Robot 4 offers better odor control, a bigger waste drawer and upgraded design elements. It’s also technically smaller, but it’s worth noting that this is still a very large device. Finally, the Litter-Robot 4 is a better choice for multi-cat households.
My Expertise
I’m the features director at Forbes Vetted, and I’ve been covering a wide array of topics in the lifestyle space for close to two decades. I’ve owned the Litter-Robot 4 for a year now, and my two cats use it daily; I’ve also been testing products for more than seven years, and I’ve been some form of a cat mom for three decades. For this story, I leaned on my extensive product-testing background coupled with my personal experience as a cat owner (but let’s be fair, the cats really own me more than I own them).
