Similar to Littermaid, is also a rake-type auto litter box that does not require special receptacles and also uses a carbon filter.

Design – How it works
SmartScoop® is an open pan auto litter box that uses a metal rake. The motor attaches to the top of the pan on the long edge and traverses the box from one end up to the waste receptacle and back. Fifteen minutes after the cat leaves, the motor drives the rake across the box. When it reaches the waste receptacle, the rake lifts up the waste and rotates toward the top of the box. The receptacle opens and the waste slides down the rake into the receptacle. The receptacle is lined with any type of bag, or a scented SmartScoop® bag that is fitted to the receptacle. The lid of the receptacle has a carbon filter to help with the odor.

Construction
SmartScoop® is solidly constructed and easy to assemble. The receptacle is a bit small; it needs to be emptied once a week with one cat (according to the manufacturer). This means it will require more frequent emptying with multiple cats. I could not find very many complaints about breakdowns, which is good because if you want a roomy open pan style box but you do not want to use crystal litter, SmartScoop® is one to consider. Littermaid is another open pan style box but there have been lots of complaints about newer Littermaid models breaking down prematurely. In Comparison to PetSafe Simply Clean, SmartScoop® auto litter box is still a lot easier to maintain.

The SmartScoop® comes with a ramp which is useful if your cat gets old or has trouble climbing in the box. I think it may be too steep to be useful, though, and if this turns out to be the case for you, it is very easy to remove it and save space.

The old SmartScoop® design had a few significant flaws that are now corrected in the new model:

1) The rake would fling the waste and it would miss the receptacle and end up on the floor,
2) users complained that the tines on the rake were too far apart and small pieces of waste would be left in the box. This created additional odor and mess. The rake tines are now closer together so this is no longer a problem.

One flaw that is still present in the new design is that the rake does not reach the sides or bottom of the box. This is a problem for users whose cats urinate on the sides or in the corner of the box. Users also dislike that it does not reach the bottom because a caked layer of urine collects and this creates a cleaning chore.

However, you can get around this problem by keeping a putty knife handy and use it to scrape the caked waste from the bottom and side into the middle of the litter for raking. Look at it this way, no auto litter box is perfect, even the highly-rated, ScoopFree® auto litter box benefits from some redistribution of the crystals between tray changes. If you are going to put up with some deficiencies, it is better to know what they are before purchasing so you can decide whether you want to deal with them up front.

Odor Control
SmartScoop® is an open pan design and since a hood is not available, odor performance is worse than an auto litter box that has a hood. The litter always collects litter particles that contribute to odor. However, since it has a carbon filter in the receptacle, the strong concentrated smell from the collected waste is minimized. Odor performance is way better than a litter pan.

Cleaning
Cleaning is the same as all auto litter boxes that use clumping litter. It is necessary to disassemble it and clean the litter area and receptacle periodically with a mild soap such as Dawn® Dish Detergent. Disassembly is not too difficult. No screws are used to hold it together.

Power Consumption
The SmartScoop® auto litter box plugs into a standard wall outlet with a cube-shaped DC transformer plug. A household extension cord can be used if needed. Power consumption is similar to all auto litter boxes. It does not cost much to run the SmartScoop®.

Noise
SmartScoop® is a bit noisier than other auto litter boxes, but half as loud as the Littermaid, according to tests performed by the SmartScoop® manufacturer. Since SmartScoop® is a comparable style as Littermaid, if you are a current Littermaid user and you are replacing your old one or purchasing an additional auto litter box I am sure you are pleased to hear that the SmartScoop® is quieter!

Warranty
SmartScoop® has a one year warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee, if the box is purchased from the SmartScoop® web site. If it is purchased from a store or another site, the return policy depends on the policy of the store or site. .

SmartScoop Video

Pros
• Works okay, but not quite as good as other auto litter boxes
• No special receptacles required
• Open pan style; most cats use it right away
• Less break-downs reported than Littermaid®
• Uses any clumping cat litter, but premium litter is recommended by some users
• Reasonable odor control since there is a carbon filter for the receptacle
• Good solution for large sized cats
• Nice rectangular shape and low profile increases placement options
• Relatively easy to maintain and clean
• 30 day return policy when purchased at the manufacturer’s site

Cons
• Receptacle is a bit small and requires more emptying with multiple cats
• No hood is available to avoid litter scatter; additional sweeping and cleanup is needed
• Users that had problems with it really hated it
• The price is a bit high compared to PetSafe Simply CleanTM it is easier to maintain.
• Rake does not reach sides, corners or bottom of the box but this can be resolved by keeping a putty knife handy to scrape the caked litter into the middle and avoid jams

Conclusion
SmartScoop is a good rake type litter box that actually works pretty well. I know there are a lot of strongly worded negative reports from users about the SmartScoop®, but like any product, you can always find good reviews and bad ones. Assuming you decided to use a box that takes clumping litter, if you want the most trouble-free box, then you should cough up the money for a Litter Robot.

PetSafe Simply CleanTM is a good alternative for a low cost auto litter box, but it requires more complicated maintenance so it may not be right for you. If you have decided on a low cost auto litter box and have ruled out PetSafe, you can compare the SmartScoop® to the Littermaid® and decide what makes the most sense for your situation.

ScoopFree^® is one of the few automatic litter boxes that use crystal litter. Beautiful blue crystals lock in the odor, similar to a baby’s diaper. It is a rake-type box, but since the crystals dissolve when the cat urinates, many of the malfunctions seen in other rake-type boxes are non-existent with the ScoopFree^®.

Design – How it works
ScoopFree^®’s patented design uses a stainless-steel rake and disposable cardboard crystal litter trays. Crystal litter is a silica gel that starts in solid granular form and becomes a gel when wet. The gel dissolves and congeals when the cat urinates. The cat uses the crystals like any other litter to cover its feces.

Optical light sensors detect the cat and the rake starts automatically 20 minutes after the cat leaves the box. The rake slides right through the congealed crystals, sifting the feces under a small cover in the tray. Then it flips over and rakes the crystals again to smooth them out. After a few weeks, the litter becomes saturated and starts to smell so the tray must be thrown out and replaced. The starting time can be adjusted to 5 or 10 minutes delay using the control panel.

Scoopfree Demo

Construction
The ScoopFree^® automated cat litter box consists of two parts. The top part is much like a frame and it sits on top of the bottom part, the disposable crystal litter tray. The plastic is quite solid and robust. The crystal litter tray is made from cardboard that has been specially treated to repel the cat’s urine. That is, urine does not soak into the cardboard.

However, a competing company has started selling disposable crystal litter trays that fit the ScoopFree^® box. These trays are called ScoopMaid^®. The trays perform terribly because the cardboard is not treated the way the ScoopFree^® cardboard is treated. That is, the cat’s urine may soak into the cardboard, creating odor and mess. There is a very good YouTube video that demonstrates the problem.

Many users complain about the cost of the ScoopFree^® crystal litter trays. One industrious user developed a solution – a reusable tray called the Forever Litter Tray^®. The Forever Litter Tray^® is a non-disposable tray that users refill with crystal litter. The litter is dumped when saturated and the tray can be washed out. Alternatively, the tray can be lined with a garbage bag to reduce the cleaning effort.

Odor Control
Odor experiences are mixed. Many users are impressed by the crystal litter odor performance, however a significant number of users complain about it. I am sure the urine odor performance is great while the tray is new, but when the tray begins to saturate, then urine odor becomes a problem. The manufacturer recommends stirring the crystals periodically; perhaps the people who complained about odor did not do that.

In addition, there is no odor control for feces because the feces are scooped under the cardboard cover and sit there building up until the tray is changed. A good work-around for this problem is to scoop out the feces periodically to avoid the odor and extend the life of the tray.

If you have a cat that does not cover its feces, you will probably change the rake delay to 5 minutes to hurry-up the cleaning cycle. It’s a good thing they made the rake delay programmable!

Cleaning
No cleaning is necessary when you use the disposable trays! This is one of the major advantages of the ScoopFree^® automated cat litter box. All you have to do is wipe down the plastic with a cloth and replace the tray when needed. If you decide to use the Forever Litter Tray^®, cleaning will be needed once the litter saturates. Simply wash it out with a mild detergent, dry thoroughly and refill it with crystal litter, or line it with a garbage bag.

Power Consumption
Similar to all automated cat litter boxes, the ScoopFree^® plugs into a standard wall outlet with a DC transformer type of plug. The power consumption is unremarkable and is nothing that will significantly increase your bill. The small transformer can be plugged into any household extension cord, if needed.

Noise
User complaints about noise are not very common, but of course you will find people who are bothered by the noise. Any product that has a motor will not be completely silent so I often wonder why manufacturers don’t use insulation to reduce/eliminate noise!

Warranty
The warranty for a ScoopFree^® is the standard one year, however, it comes with a very nice 90 day money back guarantee, even if the cat has used the box and regardless where you purchase it from (i.e. a store, online or directly from the manufacturer). The reliability track record is better than many automated cat litter boxes, according to user reports.

Patent Infringement
There are ongoing patent disputes between the manufacturers of ScoopFree^® and Litter Maid^®. The dispute resulted in ScoopFree^® losing some of its major retailer accounts, even though ScoopFree^® was exonerated. The Forever Litter Tray^® was unavailable for awhile due to patent infringement issues, but the issues have been resolved and the Forever Litter Tray^® is now available on Amazon.com. The patent concerns do not affect anything except the availability of the ScoopFree^® automated cat litter box. If it cannot be found in stores, it can always be purchased at the manufacturer’s or other online sites.

Pros
• ScoopFree^® Works well, many happy users
• Mixed reviews on odor control, but odor concerns can be solved
• No cleaning necessary! Just replace the trays.
• If you don’t like the cost of the trays, forego “no cleaning” and purchase the Forever Litter Tray®
• Forever Litter Tray® (by a different company) reduces cost for multi-cat households
• Good solution for large sized cats
• Optional hood available to contain litter scatter
• Nice rectangular shape and low profile increases placement options compared to larger automated cat litter boxes
• 90 day trial

Cons
• Low initial cost but high operating cost due to disposable trays.
• Silica Gel crystals do not decay in landfills
• Crystals tracked by the cat are messy to clean up if they become wet
• Crystal litter irritates some cats’ paws
• Odor control is fair due to mixed user reviews
• Feces may pile up on one spot under the cardboard; occasional redistribution solves this problem
• User reports about ScoopMaid® alternative litter trays that do not perform well
• If you decide to purchase the Forever Litter Tray®, cleaning is needed unless you line the tray with a bag

Conclusion
The ScoopFree® is the best automated cat litter box that uses crystal litter. The disposable crystal trays are convenient, but they are expensive and not very environmentally friendly. The Forever Litter Tray® is a very good alternative, if crystal litter is your preference. It’s good that a hood is available to reduce litter scatter.

The best way to decide if ScoopFree® is right for you is to research crystal litter from its real users via amazon. If you can reconcile the pros and cons of crystal litter, you might become one of the ScoopFree® automated cat litter box’s happy users!

Several years after the first electric litter box came out, I found out about the Litter Robot II. Compared to the “rake type” this one seemed like a good idea!

Design – How it works
A large spherical globe sits atop a base that contains a large drawer. The base has a sensor that detects when the cat is inside the globe. The globe is filled with any brand of clumping litter.

The sensor activates when the cat moves, causing the Litter Robot to wait. When the cat jumps out, the Litter Robot starts timing for seven minutes. Then the globe slowly rotates, sifting the litter through a heavy-duty screen. Clumps fall into the drawer below.

There won’t be other electric litter box works like the Litter Robot II because it is patented.

How Litter Robot LR II works

Construction
The construction of the Litter Robot LR II Electric Litter Box is impressive. The plastic is very thick and solid. The globe contains a thick, slippery, rubber liner that keeps urine from permeating the plastic and enables clumps to slide off easily. The heavy-duty screen has a thick coating of a similar, slippery rubber, preventing clogs.

The drawer is very large. Rubber grommets that hold the optional bag nicely; it never slips out. I also like that any type of bag can be used, or no bag at all. I use old shopping bags in mine, but frankly, they don’t fit the drawer that well.

The overall dimensions are large compared to another electric litter box. Clearly, you have to have a large enough space to keep the Litter Robot. Forget about putting it under the sink where your old box was; it is almost 30 inches (76 cm) tall. It does fit nicely in a 2 ft x 2 ft (61 cm x 61 cm) corner, though.

Litter Robot Models
There are two Litter Robot models, the bubble model has a clear plastic window that sticks out the back of the globe, which is good to purchase if you have a large cat. I bought the standard model that is flush across the back since my cat is an average size. Extra large cats, like the Maine Coone breed, may not fit in the Litter Robot, but they can be trained to use it if they start as kittens.

Odor Control
One of the most impressive features of the Litter Robot II is its odor control. Unlike other electric litter boxes that have no or little odor control, the Litter Robot does an amazing job. There is a fuzzy ring that goes around the base and helps trap odor in the base. A carbon filter at the front of the drawer neutralizes the odors. It really works. The only time I smell anything is during the 7 minutes right after the cat uses it while the timer is activated.

Cleaning
Cleaning is very easy, considering that the globe just lifts off the base and the drawer just slides out the front. First, you press the “empty button” to drop the remaining litter into the drawer, and then you lift off the globe. There is nothing to unhook or unplug and there are no electronics in the drawer or the globe.

It’s a bit awkward to clean the globe, however, due to its size. It is too large for a sink so a bathtub or shower are the only other suitable indoor places. Alternatively, you can clean it outside with a hose. The base can just be vacuumed with a hose-type vacuum and wiped with a cloth. Water should not contact the electronics in the base.

Power Consumption
Similar to all electric litter boxes, the Litter Robot II plugs into a standard wall outlet with a DC transformer type of plug (small box about 2 x 2 x 2 inches or 5 x 5 x 5 cm). It does not take much power because it only runs for 2 minutes at a time. The small transformer can be plugged into any household extension cord, if needed.

Noise
Litter Robot II is fairly quiet. Like any electric litter box, the sound of the motor is repetitious and you can easily tune it out like you tune-out the sound of your refrigerator. I could only imagine it may bother a light sleeper if kept in the bedroom.

Warranty
The warranty for a Litter Robot is longer than many other electric litter boxes. It is 18 months. I’ve had my Litter Robot several years and never had a problem with it.

I’ve heard the customer service for Litter Robot is excellent. New parts are shipped and received within a matter of days. A three-year extended warranty option is available for an additional $50.00. I doubt it’s worth it, though, because very few problems are reported in general. Once your Litter Robot is out of warranty, you can send it back to the factory for a “tune-up” if something goes wrong. They replace the major components and ship it back for less cost than buying a new one.

Usage Tips
Don’t expect your cat to automatically know what the Litter Robot is for. Put the Litter Robot II near the old box (make him walk past it, if possible)Put a scoop of litter from the old box into the Litter Robot. Stop cleaning the old box and wait. Most cats are naturally attracted to their scent and will use the Litter Robot within a week because they do not like using a dirty box.

If your cat still does not use it, put some catnip in the globe and let him play. This helps him understand there is clean litter available. It won’t take long after that!

Pros
• Works by design; many happy customers
• Works well for multiple cats
• Low cost operation: the sifting system preserves litter and no special waste receptacles needed
• Excellent odor control
• Enclosed globe reduces litter mess to the minimum
• Easy cleaning
• Long warranty
• 90 day trial

Cons
• High price but you save money in the long run by not using special receptacles or special litter.
• Some risk of the cat not using it.
• 90 day trial is good, but it is expensive to ship back if it does not work out
• Larger size compared to other electric litter boxes
• Not appropriate for extra large cats, such as those over 20 lbs or a large breed

Litter Robot LR II Demo

Conclusion
The Litter Robot II is the best available electric litter box, by far. The high price is easily overcome by the savings on litter and receptacles. There is a three payment plan if you cannot pay for it all at once.

The risk of the cat not using it may also be overcome. Purchase a hood for your litter pan and train your cat to go in it the same way you would with the Litter Robot. If your cat uses a pan with a hood, training it to use the Litter Robot will be a piece of cake. Be patient while training; do not force your cat inside.

There are many elated Litter Robot owners on amazon, it is definitely worth a try!