PETKIT Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray, PURA MAX Extra Large
PETKIT Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray, PURA MAX Extra Large Automatic Cat Litter Box, Odor Removal, APP Control, xSecure, Smart Robot Toilet with Closed Sandbox for Multiple Cats
From the brand
DOG WATER BOTTLE WITH FILTER
| Weight: | 12.8 kg |
| Size: | XL |
| Dimensions: | 78 x 60 x 60 cm; 12.8 Kilograms |
| Colour: | V1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | Yes |
| Dimensions: | 78 x 60 x 60 cm; 12.8 Kilograms |
| Size: | XL |
I’m hoping my experience with the 1st customer service agent was bad luck and so I’ve altered the rating back up a bit.
Hopefully a new base will come out for this machine that’s not susceptible to becoming non-stick.
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Update – Petkit have reached out and are going to replace the bottom part of the tray, there is unfortunately a 1 month wait on the part however.
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I have had this item about 6 months, from the 1st day, it’s been a great robot but has one major flaw I can see. The base is not non-stick… No matter what litter you have, it’s going to stick to the bottom making it something you have to scoop every day anyway. (Tried all the brands, now on ‘Cat’s best’)
Contacted customer service and got ‘Haidee’ who 1st didn’t read the message and sent me self help for a leaking base. I am on email 5, and basically have been told to play with the settings and get lost.
I first bought one of these a couple of months ago and it does what it says on the tin – it’s easy to setup, my cats have got used to it, it’s pretty easy to clean (although it does occasionally have the urine-puddling problem beneath the drum that you can easily google about), it’s very quite in operation, and the app that comes with it (at least the iOS version anyway) – is simple to use and informative. I have five cats, and it has learnt to recognise each one.
Five cats means 6+ standard litter trays and maybe 20-30 minutes *per day* keeping those clean – and at any one point in time you can guarantee one of them has something in it giving off an unpleasant aroma. Desperate to save time, I thought I’d try one of these. And it works. I maybe need to top the litter up (30 second job) once every 2-3 days, and I need to empty it and fit a new waste bag (2 minute job) every 4-5 days. The time saving alone on this for me justifies the price. But also – they’re always clean. I don’t come home from work anymore to be greeted by that “the trays need emptying” smell anymore.
It did take my cats a week or two to get used to it – so be patient. At first I just put it where one of the old trays was, put the old tray next to it, and mixed a bit of litter from the old tray with the stuff in the machine. Then I removed the nearby normal tray after a few days, then another normal tray a few days later, and so on. Once the cats have learned that this one is always clean, they get quite fond of it.
I thought after 2.5 months of use I should finally write a review. It won’t be as detailed as the aforementioned review, but it’s my verdict.
I really like this product. Yes it isn’t cheap. But the quality of life for me is that I don’t have to tend to the tray every day. I can generally get almost a week before the bin needs emptying and that just requires pulling out a drawer, disposing of the bag, and putting a new bag in. Simple.
For my cat he gets a fresh tray every time. Of course it can’t get rid of every speck of matter, but fundamentally the tray is clean each time. Which has to be nicer for him. He also as result kicks litter about less due to not trying to find a ‘clean spot’. Oh he still gets it all over the place, he’s a cat, but it’s reduced.
It also means it’s constantly cleaning. So if he goes while my friends around, I don’t have to worry about immediate action – the tray is on the case.
There is also a mat in the Pura Air version. It’s fine, it catches some of the litter. I’m not sure if it’s just easier to vacuum as getting litter out of the mat then I find creates more of a mess. My cat also is using it as a scratching mat, so it’s already missing a chunk.
It does require a deep clean every now and then, which I typically do once a month. This is a reasonably involved process, but I find takes me about 30 minutes (not sure how someone took two hours in their review). It does involve removing the old litter (you fix a piece of plastic inside, then it does it automatically) and ideally involves taking the main assembly off and giving it a good clean inside. I use wet wipes as they are quick and also disinfect it. You will find that there are smears that need to be cleaned away, there’s no way around that and it is a bit cumbersome, there’s no two ways about it. But again it’s still better than doing this on a constant basis. It’s now a focused once a month activity.
You may wonder the two types, I found it confusing when purchasing. The one with N50 is a odour neutraliser that you install in the waste container itself. The Pura Air is a device that fits inside the main assembly so it should trigger each time it’s used and you can schedule bursts too. Or trigger them manually. It’s effectively like air spray, so a perfumed burst and the cat doesn’t seem to mind it.
I found smells a bit more noticeable when my flat was 32c, as you’d expect. Now it’s cooler I can’t say I notice anything. I find the air spray seems to work when it wants to, and has stopped working again. I won’t be replacing the sprays in this as I don’t really feel the need or that they’re reliable or effective. I will just get a reed diffuser and put it near the tray if I feel the need in future.
I have very few grumbles with it really. Some litter doesn’t go quite into the waste receptacle, so when you pull out the drawer there’s always some debris to sort. But it’s not a big bother. The sprays as I said not that effective. And the mat is really a toss up of if you want it or not. As such the N50 version may work for most people.
But I can’t really find much to fault. This is a well thought out product that makes our lives easier and more pleasant.
-The deodorizer which keeps the room smelling nice.
– Kitten mode/manual mode. If you have any kittens in the house just turn this on and it’s safe to use.
– Sensor for if your cat/kitten/child approaches the machine it instantly stops and won’t start again until they move.
– It weighs your cat and tells you which one is using the litter box!
– It’s super quiet ( see video ) and the loudest part is just the litter moving about but if you’re in another room you wouldn’t hear a thing.
– There’s a light inside for night time which you can turn off/on on the app.
– It’s so easy to empty and clean.
– Spacious inside for your cat.
– You can control EVERYTHING ( light, the spray, clean) from your phone so if a cat/kitten poops inside and you are chillin on the sofa you literally just open the app and select ‘clean now’.
– You can use ANY clumping litter.
The only thing I don’t like at the moment is sometimes it’s not connecting to the app but I think it’s something I have done/not doing properly. Otherwise it’s absolutely perfect and I wish I had it sooner. I WAS going to buy the litter robot originally but after reading some reviews/comments I decided this was better and I’m so glad I did as it’s saved me a few 100’s and does the job perfectly. My mischievous pair love it and took to it right away.
Following an earlier less favourable review PETKIT got in touch via email and resolved my issue. They sent instructions and a photo of how to find the code needed to unlock the app. Tonight I was able to access the app and I believe I’ve now set automatic cleaning. Ideal!
We have three cats and so had four litter boxes on the go at one point, as well as a cat who was particular about who used ‘her’ litter box, which caused some accidents on occasion.
We decided to invest in this and we’ve not been let down.
Positives:
1. It’s always clean, meaning our fussy cat hasn’t had a single accident since we got it! This was the biggest winner for us.
2. Easy to empty the waste bin, it even notifies you when it’s full.
3. The ammonia absorber in the waste bin works really well, the smell isn’t noticeable, unlike as it was with regular litter boxes.
4. It’s super quiet, it did confuse the cats at first but they quickly got used to it.
5. The app is very informative and we can easily use this data with our vets, as we’ve noticed our fussy cat has a weird visitation pattern compared to the rest.
6. You go through far less litter than with a regular litter box.
Neutral/Constructive:
1. One of our cats likes to pee up the side of the wall sometimes. This means litter gets stuck to the side of the barrel over time and doesn’t go into the waste bin. This means more frequent cleaning that we anticipated, as well as the smell when it does build up.
2. It’s not easy to clean the cylinder, we’ve found a method using either our walk-in shower or an outside home pressure washer. It also takes some time to dry. I recommend air drying.
3. You’ll need to experiment with the right cat litter. We used clumping wood pellets initially but switched to clumping clay as that gave us the cleanest result.
Overall we’re happy. There’s never going to be a perfect solution but having an accident-free and cleaner experience for our cats was well worth the investment!
So, what do I think of it? It was quite difficult to set up, especially the app and the WIFI but once I got my head around it all, with the help of my children, it worked okay. I’d have to say that it can be a bit temperamental, like it took me a while to work out how to put the machine into maintenance mode and to recalibrate the weight after adding litter. The app is not particularly intuitive and you just have to use it every day to get used to it. I am still learning. It has nice features, like it tells you which cat has been in and when (provided you’ve added the cats’ details to the app such as the name of the cat and its weight.) There is also a big Q&A section here with customer questions and answers, so it is worth reading through them if you are stuck.
What do the cats think of it? Well it took about a month for the cats to get used to the box and to use it regularly. At first they wouldn’t use it at all, it was several days before it was used even once. They got startled every time it went into cleaning mode and the tray’s barrel starts to rotate but now they are used to it. I have set up the tray to clean itself and empty the litter 2 mins after the cat has finished its business. Now the cats are using it several times a day.
Maintenance: I find I need to empty the litter bag twice a week, or it begins to be niffy, even with the de-odoriser, and I advise giving the inside of the barrel, litter bag tray and inside drawer a quick clean with a wet cloth or some wipes each time you replace the litter bag. You can also get the system to de-odorise with spray (at the press of a button, using the app) which helps. If the litter bags fill quickly, I find opening the litter bag drawer and giving a quick shake allows the litter to settle , which means the bags last a big longer. The trade-off is it can start to smell. I also find that when the cats jump out of the box, they shake the litter off their paws and a little bit goes on the floor. The cats started peeing on the floor because they associate litter as somewhere to do their business. So you will need to sweep litter up regularly, or buy a mat that catches the litter and you can shake the mat outside. That said, when I used to use a normal litter tray several years ago when the cats were kittens, the dirty litter would fly absolutely everywhere, even up the walls and stick there, when they would bury what they’d done, so the barrel does keep this to a minimum, thankfully.
Overall, I wouldn’t say this is a completely perfect product, but when I think of having to manage a litter tray manually for three grown cats, the terrible smells, the dirty litter up the walls, this system is a godsend. You do have to do your bit to maintain the system though, monitor it regularly, a little bit of manual cleaning regularly, to get the most out of it. Just like your dishwasher or washing machine needs going on a cleaning cycle or adding salt occasionally.
So far this is proving to be very good and all the cats have liked it.
Look this Litter bin is great
My only criticism is a lot of money for this product felt it could be a bit cheaper that’s all but fantastic machine saves me a lot of work five star all round
Bought this for our two large ragdolls and it has been worth every penny so far. They were initially very hesitant, especially when we put the cleaning cycle on to get them used to it! Reduced their old trays one at a time and now they only use the PuraMax. Once they realised that its always clean they were chuffed!
Pros – clean for the cats, less work for the cat parents! App is brill, we empty the tray probably once a week, there is zero smell from the tray, just needs a little wipe down once a week to keep it spotless.
Cons – make no mistake it is absolutely massive, we have it in our downstairs WC and it takes up half the floor space and its not a small room. It doesn’t come with the little odour bar, that’s separate, for the cost that should be included. The cats have to jump down out of it which does get litter on the floor but if you use the mat included then its fine. We had one day where it wouldn’t connect to wifi but it seems to have been a one off.
We’ve had this now for 3-4 weeks, it was the best thing I could buy for the cats and for us as the cleaners. The cats took to it immediately, the smell and mess has reduced by 99%. It is great coming home or waking up to a tidy house. I truly recommend it.
Bought the Pura Max X on 2022. Does just what it should in an efficient and effective manner. Previously had a Litter Robot but this is better.
However it did develop a fault. This is always a test of a company. I contacted Customer Services and was contacted by Christian. Due diligence was done on Christian’s part – asking questions etc. I provided all requested information. Without a squabble or any sign of denying the issue, a complete brand new device arrived on my doorstep. You can’t argue with that! Excellent service and the cats are happy again.
Very easy to set up, literally has changed my life. Coming downstairs each morning to a normal smell instead of pee and poo. Literally changes your life if your have multiple cats
It works well, until it stops ! When the waste bag is full, it stops working as expected – but if the cats use the box – it can clump on the bottom – getting rid of it is a huge task – setup the app, as soon as it warns – empty the bag.
Suitable for smaller cats – my ragdoll has a love hate relationship with it, though it maybe just my cat doing this .
We have tried lots of different litters to get the best from this product – initially we used the wood pellets, this is what we used in the previous litter trays; However, this seemed too big for the red sifter at the back & we lost most of the litter each time it cleaned.
We then used non clumping litter.. just, no… total fail – The inside got revoltingly filthy really quickly as did the red sifter & it smelt really bad.
We then tried clumping litter – this is pretty much the answer – the red sifter does exactly what it should & the clumps are cleaned away perfectly. We have still had lots of marking on the inside rear of the machine – We have added 50% scented silica litter & we have the perfect solution, the silica addition has reduced the marking & cleans just as well as the 100& clumping.
We didn’t get an N50 filter included – (which for the price really should have been)- so we have cut up a foam dish sponge & soaked it in Dettol antibacterial solution – again perfect! – We also use Dettol antibacterial to refill the Smart spray bottle – also Perfect.
We have gone from 5 litter trays to this one automatic cat litter box – we remove & replace the bag each day (3 cats !) it simply lifts out – pop the new bag in & away they go.
I was worried the cats would be frightened by the noise (after reading some reviews) – I should not have worried at all!!! It is so quiet! The cats are always watching it clean & causing it to pause which we love as it just shows how safe it is. One of our crazy cats likes to go in when it is mid clean & it pauses – she uses it & off it goes with the clean again.. I cannot praise this item enough!
Once a week we take the whole unit out of the housing, take the smart spray off & give it a good clean & dry… so much easier than the old litter trays!
We also love the mat that IS included, again, really well thought through & works perfectly – such a clever, simple design!
I give 5 stars but still the fact there was no N50 was a slight disappointment.
All three of my cats love PETKIT PURA MAX. Its perfect and i am so glad that i decided to buy it.
It might be pricey but its worth it.
it’s perfect except for the price obviously
i change the plastic bag every 3-4 days for two cats which is nothing compare to shoveling it manually everyday
pretty straight forward installation and operation
love it !
The cats took to this so well, 2 Sphynx cats notorious for pooping and weeing anywhere but the litter tray, which has been the bane of my life, and put strain on my relationship, as I had these cats before we got together, with all the change, house move they had not adjusted well. But this! Wow! It’s been so good, the cats have used it straight away and not had a single accident…..yet 😉
It’s also good to keep an eye on their weight and if there has been an accident else where in the house at least I can see who the culprit it due to their toilet monitoring!
I can clean it from work and keep an eye on the bin so if we are away can get someone over to sort it.
Very impressed!! Worth a buy!!
Time saver, deodorising and self cleaning. Wish I’d done it sooner!!
I have had many cat machines they have always had faults. But Not This One
NO SMELL
FULLY CUSTOMISABLE APP VERY GOOD
MANY FEATURES OTHERS DO NOT HAVE
Double rotation when cat has been
Best odour detection
Very Quiet
Plenty of space for your cats
Easy Cleaning
Looks like a litter tray easy low entry for cat
Better than any other automatic cat litter device
The company that supply this machine are first class and will answer any or your questions
I can not say enough about this fantastic produc
I poured over reviews, watched as many videos as I could.. shouldn’t have worried at all! It’s been fantastic. I did notice some saying that they’ve had problems with leaking, so I bought a pack of puppy pads to go under. So far so good! I’ve checked every week for leaking and I’ve not even seen a crumb of corn litter so far.
We took it slow for the first week and kept it in ‘kitten mode’ so that the cleaning sounds and movements wouldn’t startle them. During the next week I sat on the floor beside it while putting on the cleaning mode manually from the buttons on the front of the box. The third week I set it to double sift after 5 minutes, as Opal likes an extra clean box. They adapted perfectly, without any accidents!!
I’ve tried a couple types of litter so far. Amazon brand corn litter (knockoff of world’s best), wood litter (was used in their previous home), and a mix of the two. I Definitely prefer the corn litter as it clumps quickly and leaves the fewest streaks. Wasn’t fond of the wood litter as it would stick to the scooping arm, the walls, and was just all round unpleasant to deal with. I still wipe the inside down daily with a bleach free antibacterial wipe, but I’d rather that than scooping. Plus I’d rather not replicate the experience of nightclub toilets at 3am in my own home, let alone for my cats.. if you know what I mean. If they would prefer that sort of experience do use the wood litter! I’ll be trying the petkit branded litter soon and will update with results.
I did initially roll my eyes at the branded bags but the are indeed sturdier than most heavy duty binbags so I’ll definitely repurchase them in future.
For smells well.. it’s a litter box there are going to be times when they have an eye watering poop.. however it doesn’t linger like it does with old school litterboxes.. or even going to the toilet after my husband. Within around 3 mins the smell fades completely. Will absolutely repurchase the deodoriser in future. Its not cloying or pungent which is awesome because some overpowering scents can trigger cluster headaches for me.
As far as daily life goes you won’t usually smell it at all until the waste bin is full. Which takes about 3 days for 2 cats. Most visitors don’t even realise I have a cat, let alone two, until they see them.
With two big cats (5kg and 7kg), the bucket fills up in 3-4 days and the app alerts me it needs the waste collector emptying.
I cleaned the unit after the first week of use, mainly because I wanted to see how difficult it was to clean and the delay wasn’t quite right for my litter to fully clump so had left some tracking. Since, I leave it for 3 weeks before giving it a clean and could probably leave it longer.
It was reasonably straightforward to clean in the bathtub with the shower head and a little soap. Drying the unit on the other hand was a little more tricky as it has a few harder to reach crevices for big hands.
I adjusted the timing of the litter collection/cleaning to give my litter more time to solidify which prevented litter tracking around the drum.
I have increased the 1-minute to an 8-minute delay, this works well for my litter.
I read about the unit leaking, but can confirm after 5 months that for my two cats, this hasn’t been a problem.
My only negative is that the app was a pain to create an account with. It wouldn’t accept an email address (I tried with many) but I was successfully logged in using a Facebook login. (I created an account especially). But, once that was created I haven’t had any issues.
It cleans, it weighs my cats, sends alerts to empty the draw and to refill the litter. It really is a brilliant unit and I would happily recommend this to my friends.
I love the fact that I don’t have to constantly clean up his poo, my concern is that I’m not sure how long he will fit in the unit for. He is currently 6 months old and the unit is saying he’s 5.7kg. If I have a litter tray out, I think he would go to use the tray first, but he seems happy enough using this at the moment. He still goes back in to bury his poop.
I have to empty the poop tray once a week and I’m using the Petkit bags which makes it easy to dispose of, but I’m sure you can use any litter bags.
I am also using the petkit tofu litter – I like that it comes compact (like a ream of A4 paper) but it seems to last a long time. It also clumps really well.
The expense of these will put a lot of people off, but I do believe I am using less litter and I’m not constantly thinking that I have to clean out a litter tray. The App also alerts you if your pet has used the box and you can either do a manual clean or set the timer to run the clean so many minutes after your cat has used the box.
Both my cats (one is an outdoor so she goes and does it in nature), love to watch the machine cleaning – it doesn’t make too much noise. So I would recommend it, my only watch out at the moment is whether Loki will become too big for it.
Cats love it, no smell, a lot less tracking and always clea
This is a great cat litter – works brilliantly and no smell at all. Haven’t been able to score on how easy it is to clean, because nearly a month in I haven’t yet needed to – have only had to empty litter bag once and replace. Would highly recommend and PetKit really responsive re questions, seller also checked all was well.
We recently bought a ragdoll kitten, and everytime we walked into the house, after she had been to the toilet, it absolutely stunk of dirty litter. I spent most of my day clearing out the contents of her business, and what she’d eaten over the course of the day, and each morning, when coming downstairs. It really wasn’t pleasant if she’d been overnight.
Since buying this it’s been fantastic. Not once have I had to change the bag this week, but it’s totally changed the smell of the house. I’m far from lazy, but changing litter is just an absolute chore. Using this, the litter also stays useful and fresher longer, as it’s constantly and immediately sifted. A five star item. Brilliant!
This is amazing! Cats took a few days to get used to it. The smells have gone, should have brought one years ago. Delivered quickly and like the idea of the pin to confirm delivery. Very easy to assemble in a few minutes. Very sturdy does the job once again amazing bit of ki
It’s quiet but the waste moving to the waste drawer is weirdly loud, I guess because the clumping litter has solidified it.
She used to be obsessed with it because it’s new and would go in 25 times a day, it’s now about 4, where 2 times is her playing lol. The sensor is good though and it will stop if she comes close to it.
Cleaning the unit was ok, better than cleaning a traditional box but this is a bit fiddly.
Odours are eliminated with the spray, so I will rebuy that. I use Everclean litter because the price of theirs is laughable. I also found cheaper liners with similar dimensions to the one they sell, elsewhere on Amazon.
Only downside is the litter tracks a lot even with the mat, but that is due to my cat making sandcastles for fun.
Not having to scoop every day it is a blessing, the Pura Max is also very quiet, the cats did not notice it was self-cleaning until the clumps were released in the waste compartment. Then they sat in front of it mesmerized by what was happening and very curious as what was going on behind the box 🙂
Also, this litterbox keeps the smell in even when the waste compartment is full. Considering the majority of my cats are using this box I would say that this is a major plus. Also, one of the cats that I foster came to me with some litterbox issues and at the time she was leaving me presents outside the normal litterboxes. Since I have introduced the Pura Max, she is using it regularly 🙂 no more unwanted presents outside the box.
I like that the app let me know when the waste compartment is full, the deodorant needs changing, or the litter needs to be topped up. I find handy that I can customize the schedule and it let me know in general when the cats are using the box and all activity.
In regards with the timing that the box waits before starting the cleaning, after the cat finishes to use it, I have changed from the 2 minutes to 5 as I found that some of the clumps when removed were still too soft and they did stick to the walls or did not go through the waste compartment but instead going back into the clean litter.
I cannot find many cons apart that at times I find difficult to top up the litter especially if the boxes of litter are too big, but I got around by re setting the litter box that automatically takes up the opening, so it is easier for me to purr the litter in. The other con is that it can be awkward to deep clean but again this litterbox is easy to take apart and clean the parts. Considering I do not do it every day I can live with it.
All in all, I am very happy with this litterbox, and I only wish in time to be able to afford another one and finally get rid of the other boxes I have left.
This box is also very stylish and looks good in the cat’s room. I am recommending it to all my friends that are cat parents as it makes life much easier.
Bought for my two ragdolls and it is a total game changer.
It is amazing and my cats took to it so easily. It has made life so easy.
I managed to assemble every aspect of this myself and even connected it to the wifi via the app. It’s easy.
It comes with a couple of rolls of litter bags and a couple of bottles of deodoriser.
I was nervous as hell buying this – I couldn’t believe I was spending 600 on a litter tray. I had tried regular trays but with two growing kittens – three litter boxes and daily scooping was still resulting in one cat, who likes an immaculate tray, wetting on the carpet.
After assembly, the cats took to it straight away and within the day it was the only litter box in the house. I started by using expensive litter, then tried the cheapest. Both had the same results so I figure I can get lots of the money back by the litter cost savings.
The machine is super quiet. It has sensor to stop the spin if a cat is in or around the machine. Changing the litter is super easy, adding new litter is too.
It’s supposed to have an anti stick coating, it doesn’t work so well so occasionally has to be taken apart and given a good clean of the plastics.
The first few weeks we had this the kittens were fed with commercial food. The waste needed emptying daily and it was hard to stomach having a litter tray in a downstairs room. It’s worth mentioning that the waste is sealed in a closed lid system so it does contain some of the smell.
We were advised to switch to raw feeding and all of the issues have disappeared. No waste sticking on the walls, no smell at all and two days before the waste needs emptying.
I really am so pleased with this product. It’s really helped with the trickiest issue of housecat ownership. The app is pretty cool too.
It is not a laziness reason for buying this litter box, I’ve been living in the apartment, and even I cleaned the litter box before work, I could smelled it specially in the summer after work.
There is no smell, waste box is perfectly sealed. Freshener works amazing not even for a littler box . Smells so nice.
The only one thing which I would improve in it, would be a closing flap while cleaning mode. My cat found it very entertaining, and sometimes he is going inside just for few seconds, waiting till cleaning mode start and trying to jump inside. But don’t worry, there is a safety mode, which stopping cleaning for a while when sensor detection see a cat.
Highly recommend
We got this for a new member of the family. A baby kitten. I was doubtful to start off. The only negative I have is that it won’t register the number of times the cat goes to the toilet or automatically clean it as it won’t register Max’s weight until he is 3kg and up. That being said, Max uses this a lot and after initially mixing his “original” litter with some clumping litter he was eager to try it out. He weighs 0.64kg and is still able to climb into the litter tray. I have the tray programmed to self clean at various intervals during the day and last one with deodorizer at 10pm at night.
Absolutely marvelous
As for its ability to do what it’s intended. My cat took a few sniffs to realise it’s a place for him to do his business. After that, he had no issues using it. As a matter of fact, he decided to have a nap inside the litter box before I could even put litter in it!! As for the cleaning, I’m pleased to say it captured all the poops and pees really well and I’ve never seen it miss any lumps. So short answer is, yes it works! Here is an overview of my thoughts:
– My cat who is around 5kg had no issues getting in and out and using it
– The waste is sealed and does not smell, and is easily removable
– Sensors do a fantastic job detecting if a cat is a near
– The litter box is clean after it’s used so my cat no longer can complain for it to be cleaned
– Cleaning the litter box itself is relatively easy as it can be removed from the base (I clean mine using a water hose in the garden)
– Looks very modern and futuristic
– There is a light attached to the spray which is really handy – it can be switched on and off using the app!
– You can configure everything in the app e.g. when to start cleaning after they have used it (I set it to 5 minutes just to let waste settle)
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who wants to pass on the responsibility of cleaning the litter every few hours to this machine. It saves me a lot of time, and I can now leave the house knowing I don’t have to worry about my cats litter. Albeit it’s a lot of money, but the time saved from effort and hassle will pay it’s self off.
If anyone is on the fence about giving this a go I would wholeheartedly recommend investing in it and giving PetKit’s new PURA MAX box a try.
It’s a sturdy machine, the main difference over a litter robot would be that this is a little more compact, nicer looking and most importantly QUIETER! Alot quiter than the LR. Each cycle to clean is shorter too.
I think this model Has probably been released in haste, as there are some minor issues. The opening to refill is smaller so clumping litter out of a box would need to be transferred.
The unit needs to have space away from walls to work and will not work on a carpet so needs a solid floor. The sensors are very on and off with the machine and I think once these issues are resolved it would be a brilliant machine.
Do I regret the purchase? NO!!
Do I prefer it over the LR? YES!!
Introduction
Let me first start saying that prior to this unit I had the Litter-Robot 3 (LR) Connect by Whisker for almost 2 months so I had ample time to understand what I think makes a successful and great automatic self-cleaning litter box: design, cleaning mechanism, cat sensor, noise, odour control, litter types, app connectivity, reliability, customer service and price.
What you get:
– The PURA MAX
– A full set of waste liners
– Deodorizer system with 2 bottles
– Anti tracking matt
– Some cute stickers
Design
It feels like a futuristic product and something you would expect if you are paying circa 600 for it. It is only available in white however I feel it is a neutral color that goes well with any room. It has a mini OLED screen that tells you relevant information on the current status such as a countdown to when the PURA MAX (PM) will start cleaning itself, that’s weight or whether it has stopped. This is again better than 4 buttons only system of the LR where you literally need to have to learn what color (red, blue, yellow) means from the 4 buttons (power, cycle, empty, reset) and all the different combinations (holding two buttons longer, shorter, etc)
It is also easy to assemble and disassemble (the glover, waste area or other parts) should you wish to perform a deep cleaning. I like the fact that the included charger is a braided cable instead of a flimsy one like the Litter-Robot 3 Connect. In terms of performing a deep cleaning, I think PM would be easier as the unit and the glove are lighter and litter wouldn’t be in place it shouldn’t due to a superior sealing.
Overall, the size and dimensions are slightly smaller than the LR and space wise (entrance and interior space) similar to the LR or just slightly less.
Cleaning mechanism
This is the biggest different compared to LR and why I think PM is a clear winner. LR moves like a clock, clockwise (cleaning cycle) and counter clockwise (emptying). When cleaning it, it will move clockwise and litter and clumps will meet first the sieve/strainer pouch which it will let the unused clumping litter to be stored. Then it will reach a hole in the globe which will then allow the clumps to drop into the waste container. After that it will shift counter clockwise to return the litter to where it is. The bottom side of the globe is made of a type of rubber that should be anti-scratches however I can see that it was easily damaged as cats bury their droppings. My main issues with this mechanism is that:
1. The entrance to the LR is always exposed so cats can easily go in and out when it’s actually moving. This shouldn’t be happening if the sensor is active however I felt it was not always good at sensing them as it’s mainly through weight and the cat is already in. It took my cat almost 2 weeks to get used to it and a lot of trial and error. Not an easy transition from your traditional litter box.
2. Clumps will often times get stuck to the rubber bottom (regardless of whether it’s clumping or not clumping ones) it will not slide into the waste container. The worst is when the globe is cycling and the clumps are still on top and they fall either on your cat or inside the globe but then breaking the clumps into crumbles and getting mixed with the unused litter.
3. It is not entirely sealed so often times there would be litter outside the globe, at the entrance of the waste container, in the base, etc.
4. It actually takes 2 minutes and 30 seconds for a full cleaning, a rather long waiting time.
PR solves this issue the following way:
1. Instead of rotating horizontally, it is rotating vertically, so when the glove is going up, the entrance is sealed and cats cannot get inside. The clumps go through a larger holed strainer (so the cleaned litter stays at the bottom) before they are directed into a “mini sewage system” leading into the waste container when it moves down.
2. The clumps don’t get stuck to the bottom side. I think it’s made of a mix of a special fabric which is also scratch resistant.
3. The sealing is great and I have not seen litter getting into other places they shouldn’t be.
4. It takes about 1 minute and 40 seconds for a full cycle.
Cat sensor
LR cat sensor is mainly by weight (it measures the weight of the litter and if the cat gets in and there’s a sudden change of weight then it will activate). This could create many false positives as the cat only leaning but not getting in and not being as reliable as the infrared, thermal sensors and weight and other sensors of the PM. I feel the PM was a lot more reliable than the LR.
Noise
One of the main reasons why I did not like it the LR. It is very loud, even without counting the sound the litter and clumps make when the unit is shifting, you cannot sleep with it next to you. I left the LR in the corner of the other side of the room which and from my room which could be 8-9 meters away, we could clearly hear it cycling and don’t think it can be used at night time.
With the PR, it is almost like whispering, we cannot even hear it from the other room being in the same place that the LR was.
However, once the litter is added and there are clumps, I would say that none of then are suitable to sleep next to them however with the PM you could do it if left in the other room as I did.
Odour control
I genuinely don’t believe the waste container nor the carbon filters at the bottom of the LR makes any difference and it’s almost like a 30 hooded litter box. Like I mentioned earlier, the waste container of the LR is not fully sealed so odours will escape, I could easily smell it from far within 2-3 days (the odour can easily spread outside the room) and if you were to be next to it, it would be very noticeable.
The PR has done a better job, the waste container fills better sealed and does not rely on carbon filters but on a deodorizing spray that it is applied after the cat has gone into the unit. I’ve tried testing the spray and I feel it does a great job, it doesn’t smell like chemicals but something more “natural” and the cats did not hate that smell. I have also stopped using it just to see how good the odour control is and I am very pleased, I did not need to empty the waste container even after 5 days and I expect to only do it every 2 weeks although I would be happy with 1 week.
Litter type
Both units recommend using clumping litter and LR recommend clay one. I don’t recommend using organic or corn based like World’s Best Cat Litter for the LR because it is incredibly dusty, it sticks to the bottom, it tracks everywhere and the smell is very bad. With PR however, it can be used with a mixed of litter but I have only used it with the Tofu organic plant based one supplied by PETKIT.
So far I am very pleased with it, it offers a better odour control than any other type I’ve used (silica crystal, wood pellets, world best cat litter corn), it is dust free or what I would really rate as 99% free (and not like others where 99% means still tons of dust), it smells good new or being soiled, clumps fast, strong and works perfectly with the PM. It does track a bit, similar to a silica crystals but better than clay or organic corn from World’s Best Cat Litter.
App, connectivity and function
The LR has a very simple and limited function, for instance you cannot put a sleeping time longer or shorter than 8 hours, you cannot set a delay that isn’t 3, 7 or 15 minutes, you cannot have a manual mode (so it cleans at your command, for that you need to turn on and off the unit whenever the cat goes in and out) and it doesn’t provide as many functions or analytics than the PM one. LR’s interface is simpler but not better in my opinion. I did struggle a bit more connecting to it.
The PM was a lot more straightforward and offers you many other options that the LR doesn’t with a slicker interface.
None of them support 5 Ghz Wi-Fi at this point.
Reliability and customer service
My LR needed to has its base replaced (the main unit that houses the cat sensor) within a week or so of receiving it. I will no longer detect the cat, therefore it would still need to be manually operated as it wouldn’t connect to the Wi-Fi either. I am not sure if this was caused because I was turning it on and off to operate it as a manual mode or it was just with that defect.
The newer base didn’t have that issue but it took me quite a lot of back and forth to have them agreed to send me the part, doing massive trouble shootings, recording videos, pictures, etc. Not a nice experience.
In addition, I also have the impression that some things that should be well aligned aren’t (when you pull out the waste drawer is not as neatly as it should be once closed)
The PM just worked straight out of the box and have not had the chance to speak to their team but having bought these from Amazon I get double comfort from PETKIT team and Amazon.
Price and value
I paid circa 650 for the LR (579) as in addition of the LR I bought the ramp (50) and the anti-tracking fence (25) however I feel that the ramp was a complete waste of money for a young kitten as they can easily get in and out and the fence I think the fence did keep some tracking away however if one accessorize is that useful, maybe it should be by default and not an extra?
The LR also came with a complimentary 2 waste liners. If you were to add the carbon filters (LR’s way to deodorize the unit) then you would need 30, another 25 for the full waste liners and 40 for the litter trap map. So basically you would need to pay an extra 120 for accessories that are essential for the LR (170 with the ramp) while PM gives you them for free and included in the price.
Total cost for LR
699 or 749 (with ramp)
Total cost for PM
599 (with a 9% discount now so it’s 545)
That’s almost 150-200 of savings compared to LR.
Conclusion
Is an automatic self cleaning litter box worthy? Is the PM worthy? is 500-600 a reasonable price to paid for an automatic litter box? Unfortunately we don’t have many choices and a new entrant could decide that you could get the same customer experience at 400 instead and I do feel there’s a market for a mid-price above 150-200 and under 500 but at this point it doesn’t exist so given the current conditions I would definitely say yes.
The way I think about it is whether I would do everything manually as if I was caring for a baby (feeding, cleaning, etc) or I can have a nanny (automatic or smart appliances to help with it?). A cat may use the litter box at least 4-5 times a day if you have one cat so double that if you have 2. For me, that time that is wasted doing repetitive things is gained for so it is definitely worth investing in a good automatic litter box that basically removes the scooping side of the equation and can do it in a quiet, inobtrusive, well designed way.
I feel sorry for those who are still using the LR and think that it is the market leading automatic litter (it isn’t) and have not discovered the PM because it is honestly better in every single away, I cannot find anything that the LR can do better than the PM (perhaps the 50 price difference, although at the time I am writing this review there’s a 9% discount so it’s same priced as LR). As a matter of fact, I feel the PM is just the next generation of the LR and removes all the issues that the current LR has.
There aren’t many good self-cleaning litter boxes in the market, even less at these price point of 500-600 and from the ones that there are, I genuinely believe the PETKIT PURA MAX is the best one.
I hope this review was useful to you, please let me know if you have any specific questions.
Can’t believe I didn’t know about these sooner…been a cat owner for 20+ years. This is the best investment I have made, pricey but hopefully worth it. Sleek design and easily cleanable….works silently I love it.