The Best Cat Litter Boxes We Tested for Every Kind of Feline (and Owner!)

Kayla Blanton is a freelance lifestyle writer, editor, and reviewer of seven years and a proud cat mom to three very spoiled rescues. She’s previously covered pet content, and she grew up with cats, so she has a good understanding of their finicky tendencies and special needs. 

Finding the best cat litter box is a trying journey, but the final discovery is so rewarding. If I can speak for all cat parents, creating an environment of maximum comfort and ease for our fur babies is the ultimate goal — and that’s especially the case for their bathroom situations. No one wants a scary, unclean, or uncomfy place to do their business!

Cats can be particular about their litter box setup, which means the right one for yours may not be the same for another. That’s why we tested an array of litter box types — automatic, stainless steel, hooded, open, and others — with a variety of cats in different living situations to see how each style held up.

Keep reading to see how the (litter) dust settled.

Best Automatic Cat Litter Boxes

Litter-Robot 4 Core Bundle by Whisker

There were only green flags for our tester who spoiled her two cats with a Litter Robot 4, which ran a cleaning cycle after every use and always gave them a fresh spot to relieve themselves. Waste collects in a sealed-off drawer that contains odors and only needs to be emptied once a week or so. An app monitors your cat’s weight and bathroom habits and reminds you to empty the drawer. It’s a pretty big piece of equipment, which may cause issues for small space dwellers, but the convenience it offers makes it our top choice for automatic litter boxes. 

PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box

This box uses a mechanical rake to push waste into a covered trap 30 minutes after each use, a regimen that our tester said virtually eliminated odors from the room in which it sat. The only cons were that the litter well is shallow, and the waste trap is a little finicky to empty, which may cause spills until you get the hang of it. Those minor snafus did not deter our love for its ability to do the most important tasks of keeping the box clean and the home smelling fresh.

Best Cat Litter Boxes Under $100

Smart Paws Extra Large Jumbo Cat Litter Box

If you’re looking for a basic litter box to get a new cat acclimated, or you have multiple cats and need a budget bin to stock up on, this is your pick. It’s a notch up from a traditional litter pan in that it’s open concept but has high sides that contain litter when cats kick and scratch at it. Our tester switched from a covered box to this one with two cats and found, to their surprise, that it contained litter better. The only con is that the box doesn’t control odor well due to its open-top design.

Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box

This box offers the odor control of a covered box with the cleaning convenience of an open one. Hooded box owners know the struggle of having to remove and then relatch the cumbersome dome to scoop out litter, but this rectangular box has a flat lid that lifts and stays in place during the daily chore — a little difference that makes a big impact. The enclosed litter kept our tester’s kitchen floors much cleaner for longer thanks to minimal tracking. Plus, there’s a holster attached to hold the scoop.

iPrimio XL Stainless Steel Litter Box with Enclosure

Plastic boxes can hold on to odor and residue after a while, but a stainless steel bin is easy to keep squeaky clean. We found that this box was lightweight enough to transport outside for a rinse-down. Its high sides and low profile offer the best of both worlds: It’s secure enough to contain litter scatter but isn’t an eyesore. The high-sided rim is also removable for easy scooping. Our tester’s large cat had plenty of room to comfortably do his business and even used the rim to clean his paws.

Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box

The hood of this litter box is clear, which gives your cat visibility and can help it from feeling trapped inside. However, the top still works as an effective shield against spraying and litter spew. We found the lid to be high enough for an average cat to stand comfortably tall and move around while burying waste. It also comes in an array of fun, bright colors. 

Best Cat Litter Boxes Under $50

Catit Airsift Jumbo Hooded Litter Pan

A cat box with a door can provide another layer of odor protection, as long as your cat doesn’t mind letting themselves in. Our tester’s cat took some coaxing to enter initially, but they quickly got used to it. We love the fact that the litter had fewer chances to escape. We also enjoy its handle for easy transport around the house and for cleaning, as well as a built-in top vent with an air filter pad for even more stink-stopping power.

Arm & Hammer Sifting Cat Litter Pan

With the addition of a vented pan, a simple change to a normal litter pan design turns a basic box into an innovative machine. How it works depends on the kind of litter you use, but it can sift both soft litters like clay and pellet litters. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but the box eliminates the need for scooping. Simply sift the entire box’s contents through the vented pan and discard what’s left inside it — our tester picked up this method quickly and found it easy to do.

Other Cat Litter Boxes We Liked

There are some litter boxes we tested and liked, but didn’t love. These run the gamut from basic and budget-friendly to ultra (almost unnecessarily) fancy. Still, any of them would get the job done, depending on your needs.

• Litter Genie Cat Litter Box
• Tidy Cats Purina Non Clumping Litter System
• Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box
• Tuft + Paw Cove Litter Box

How We Tested

We tested over 20 litter boxes with real cat owners who have specific litter box preferences and needs. They introduced the new boxes to their pets over the course of four weeks and tracked how easy it was for the cats to use, how easy it was to clean, how well it contained odor and litter, and how it lived up to its claims and price.

Goes Well With

This isn’t the only cat-friendly subject PEOPLE testers and editors have covered. Once you pick out your new litter box, you’ll want to ensure you get the best litter possible for it, and a hand vacuum isn’t a bad idea to address the inevitable, occasional mess. Once your kitty adjusts to the new set-up, a cat toy is in order for their good behavior. We don’t make the rules!