Self-cleaning litter boxes compared: cat weight range, waste bin and app
You are thinking about a self-cleaning litter box and the choices range from rake boxes with disposable crystal trays to large rotating drums with an app. Which one fits your cat's weight, how much waste does it hold, and what will you be doing each week to keep it running? This page compares five current boxes on those points.
What we compared and why
- Stated cat weight range. A box that states a range is telling you which cats it is built for. Check your cat's weight against both ends, the minimum as well as the maximum.
- Waste bin size. A larger stated bin holds more before you empty it. The days between emptying depend on how many cats use the box and the litter, so we compare the litres only.
- Litter system. Crystal-tray boxes run on the maker's own disposable trays; drum and rake boxes with a waste bin use clumping litter you buy separately and usually a bag or liner in the bin. This decides your weekly routine and what you keep buying.
- App control and open top. An app lets you start or schedule cleaning from a phone. An open top suits a cat that avoids covered boxes; a hood or drum entry suits a cat that kicks litter out.
The models compared
| Model | Cat weight range stated | Waste bin stated | App control named | Open-top design named | Uses crystal litter trays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Classic (PAL00-17296) | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Yes* |
| PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro, uncovered (PAL00-16805) | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Yes* | Yes* |
| PETKIT PuraMax 2 (P9902) | 3.3-22 lb | 7 L | Yes | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing |
| Mimfam automatic litter box (AS11) | Not stated in listing | 10 L | Not stated in listing | Yes | Not stated in listing |
| Cumrige automatic litter box (M2) | up to about 16.5 lb* | 15 L* | Yes* | Not stated in listing | No* |
Table values are read from each product's current Amazon listing at the time of this page's build and normalised to one unit by us. "Not stated in listing" means the listing does not give the figure; "Listing gives two values" means the listing states it two different ways, so we show neither. Values marked * come from the maker's own spec page, linked under Sources.
We earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never decide which products are listed or how they are described.
PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Classic (PAL00-17296)
Who it fits: You want a rake box with no bin to bag: waste stays in a disposable crystal tray that you lift out and replace.
Skip it if: You want to keep using your own clumping litter; PetSafe names its ScoopFree crystal litter for this box.
PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro, uncovered (PAL00-16805)
Who it fits: Your cat prefers an open box and you want the disposable crystal-tray routine; PetSafe lists this uncovered version with a hood offered as an option.
Skip it if: You want app control or a stated waste bin size; neither is given for this box in this table.
PETKIT PuraMax 2 (P9902)
Who it fits: Your cat is within the stated 3.3-22 lb range and you want app control with clumping litter.
Skip it if: Your cat avoids enclosed boxes; this is a covered drum design rather than an open top.
Mimfam automatic litter box (AS11)
Who it fits: You want an open-top design with a stated 10 L waste bin and do not need an app.
Skip it if: You want to start or schedule cleaning from your phone; app control is not named for this box.
Cumrige automatic litter box (M2)
Who it fits: You want the largest stated waste bin in this table with app control, for a cat within the weight Cumrige gives on its own page.
Skip it if: Your cat is heavier than Cumrige's own stated figure, or you use crystal litter, which Cumrige does not recommend for this box.
How this comparison was built
The figures come from the current listings and, where marked, from the makers' own product pages. We have not set these boxes up or used them with a cat, and the order of the table is not a ranking. When a listing says the box has a sensor, we report that as a named feature only; we cannot tell you how well it works.
Check your cat's weight against the stated range
Weigh your cat before you compare: hold the cat on a bathroom scale, then weigh yourself alone and take the difference. Then check both ends of each range in the table.
- The top of the range. If your cat is near or above it, the box may be too small to enter and turn in. Cumrige's own FAQ makes this point for the M2: it says the box suits cats up to about 16.5 lb and asks owners of larger cats to check that the cat can enter and turn around, giving the entry width and interior size. The Amazon listing for the same box states a much higher top weight, so the table shows Cumrige's own figure.
- The bottom of the range. A box that states a minimum is telling you it is not meant for cats under that weight. PETKIT's listing for the PuraMax 2 gives 3.3 lb as the minimum and pairs it with an age: not for cats under 6 months. (PETKIT's old PuraMax 2 web address now opens a newer model's page, so for this box the listing is the source.) For a kitten or a very small adult cat, a box with a minimum above your cat's weight is not the one to buy now; the makers' pages, not this table, say how to run the box for a young cat.
- No range stated. Several boxes here state none. That does not mean they suit every cat; it means you cannot run this check from the listing.
What each design asks of you
The five boxes fall into two routines, and the routine is what you live with.
Crystal trays (both PetSafe ScoopFree boxes). These boxes clean automatically within a tray filled with crystal litter. PetSafe describes the trays as disposable with a plastic lining and names ScoopFree crystal litter for these boxes. Your routine is to lift out the whole tray when it is due and put in a new one. There is no waste bin to bag, but you keep buying the maker's trays or refills, and you cannot switch to the clumping litter you use now.
Clumping litter with a waste bin (PETKIT, Mimfam, Cumrige). These sift clumps out of ordinary clumping litter and drop them into a bin. PETKIT's listing describes the PuraMax 2 as an automatic drum box with a waste bin; check the manual for the litters PETKIT names for it. Cumrige says the M2 works with most clumping litters and does not recommend non-clumping crystal litter. Your routine is to empty or change the bin bag when it fills, and top up litter as it is used. You keep choosing your own litter, and you buy bags or liners for the bin (Cumrige sells liners for the M2).
Waste bin size
The table gives the stated bin size where one exists: 7 L on the PETKIT, 10 L on the Mimfam and 15 L on the Cumrige, the largest here. A larger bin means fewer emptyings for the same use, but the days between emptyings depend on the number of cats and the litter, so we do not convert litres into days.
Open top, hood and app
The PetSafe Crystal Pro (uncovered) and the Mimfam are open-top designs in this table. The PETKIT and Cumrige are enclosed boxes the cat enters through an opening (Cumrige's FAQ gives the M2's entry width). If your cat already uses a hooded box without trouble, either works; if your cat avoids covered boxes, start with the open-top rows.
App control is named for the PETKIT and the Cumrige. Cumrige's FAQ says the M2's core cleaning works without Wi-Fi and that the app is needed for its remote and scheduling features. If you will not use a phone app, the Mimfam and the two PetSafe boxes do not depend on one.
Which one if...
- You never want to handle a bin bag: a PetSafe crystal-tray box, if you accept buying its trays.
- You want to keep your own clumping litter: PETKIT, Mimfam or Cumrige.
- You want the largest stated bin with an app: Cumrige M2, for a cat within its stated weight.
- You have a small or young cat: check the minimum first; the PETKIT states one.
- Your cat avoids covered boxes: the open-top rows.
What this page does not tell you
We have not used these boxes, so we cannot speak to noise, jams, how well the sensors work, or how cats take to each design. We make no claim about smell or cleanliness. Figures can change on the listings and the makers' pages after this page was built.