Every cat owner will agree the reason they got a cat in the first place was that they were cute and wanted to play and cuddle up with them.
But the one thing they don’t consider is the mess that comes with it – specifically, the litter box.
Unlike cuddling with your kitty, cleaning out a cat litter box isn’t cute. Far from it, it’s an unpleasant and often smelly chore that most prefer to skip where possible.
But what if you could get a device that did all this cleaning for you?
If you’ve ever looked into the world of self-cleaning litter boxes, you’re sure to have come across the Litter-Robot.
Litter-Robots are up there with the best self-cleaning litter boxes in the world – and they’re hard to beat! Its globe rotates, separating the dirty litter from the clean, and collecting the cat waste into a sealed drawer you empty occasionally.
But now Litter-Robot 4 has come out – it’s newer, it’s got a sleeker design, and it’s got some additional features… But is new always better? Let’s see how it compares to its previous model.
Litter-Robot 3 was a resounding success, and its successor had some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, it delivers on its promises, including upgrades and extra features to make your life easier – but does that mean Litter-Robot 4 is the right cat litter box for you?
Comparison Table
This table will give you a quick glance at all the main features of both Litter Robots 3 and 4 so you may get a general idea about their differences!
Core Feature Differences
With a range of upgrades, Litter-Robot 4 has some key differences from the Litter-Robot 3 that are worth highlighting.
QuietSift™ Operation
One of the most noticeable changes is how Litter-Robot 4 has a much quieter cleaning cycle.
This is all thanks to QuietSift™, their patented technology. It’s less likely to disrupt nervous cats and won’t interrupt you if you’re sleeping or working from home – even if it’s in the next room!
On the other hand, Litter-Robot 3 is by no means particularly loud, but you can still hear the motor clearly even if you’re in the next room.
So, if silence is a priority for you, Litter-Robot 4’s QuietSift™ does the trick perfectly.
Sifting Screen Upgrade
Litter-Robot 4’s sifting screen is a new addition that prevents the cleaning cycle from kicking out litter dust.
This excellent feature results in fewer particles floating in the air, meaning less dust to clean from the robot and the room.
Perfect for clean freaks and anyone with allergies or sensitive lungs!
Sensors for Cycle Activation
As expected from the newer version, Litter-Robot 4 comes with some impressive new technology, specifically two groups of sensors.
There are three motion sensors located at the entry of the globe. These detect when your cat enters and leaves the cat litter box, activating the unit to start its cleaning cycle.
The other type is a weight sensor at the bottom of the unit. This detects when the cat is inside, able to monitor which cat is using the box and when it leaves.
Litter-Robot 3 also has a weight scale sensor to track when your cat goes in and out of the unit, but not the additional sensors in the entryway.
Nightlight Location
Litter-Robot 3 Connect includes a nightlight on the underside of the bonnet. While this positioning isn’t too problematic, there’s a risk of it getting damaged whenever you remove the bonnet.
Litter-Robot 4 also has a nightlight, but this one is located in its entryway. This light illuminates the litter bed, making it easy for your cat to find its way even in the dark.
Design
Although Litter-Robot 4 has a rounder entryway, it’s still more compact than Litter-Robot 3, making it easier for you to find somewhere it fits in the house. It has a sleeker, more minimalist, and modern design, coming in either black or white.
Litter-Robot 3 is admittedly a slightly larger device, but it does also have two color options, either gray or beige.
Price
Obviously, the more outdated Litter-Robot 3 and Litter-Robot 3 Connect are the less expensive options – but neither is cheap. Litter-Robot 3 comes in at $499, while Litter-Robot 4 costs $699.
Although these are state-of-the-art self-cleaning litter boxes, they come at a premium price and are only for those who have a large enough budget.
Still, if money is a concern, the Litter-Robot 3 Connect still has plenty of features that make its pricing competitive and worth it.
Litter-Robot 3
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Accessibility
Both models include accessibility options. Litter-Robot 3 includes a step to help older cats climb in if they’re unable to jump and even a ramp for cats with more extreme mobility issues.
It’s worth noting, however, that this ramp isn’t compatible with Litter-Robot 4.
Still, the entryway is larger in Litter-Robot 4 which may be more comfortable for some cats. On the other hand, Litter-Robot 3’s narrower entrance gives your cat more privacy.
Convenience in Cleaning
Since the whole point of a self-cleaning litter box is to minimize cleaning, naturally, you want the box itself to be easy to clean too.
When cleaning out the waste drawer, it’s easiest with Litter-Robot 4’s real-time level tracking, sending notifications to the app when it needs emptying.
But when it comes to wiping down the robot, this is a simple chore for either model, allowing you to wipe down components easily. The Litter-Robot company themselves recommends you clean the globe portion of the device every one to three months depending on use.
App Differences
Nowadays, we expect everything to be able to link up to our smartphones.
Although the Litter-Robot 4 connects to the Whisker app on your phone with no problem, only the Litter-Robot 3 Connect version can do this too.
But is it even necessary to link up to a litter tray?
Waste Drawer Real-Time Tracking
The Whisker app gives you warnings about how full the waste bin is, letting you know when you need to empty it without having to check frequently.
Litter-Robot 4 shows you in real-time on the app how full the waste drawer is using all sensors available to determine how much is deposited and give an accurate reading.
Litter-Robot 4
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Litter-Robot 3 Connect can also link up to the app to show you waste drawer levels, but it’s not in real-time or as accurate. Instead, you reset the gauge when you empty the drawer and the device makes an estimate based on the number of rotations it makes during each cycle.
Real-Time Litter Tracking
Like with the waste drawer level tracking, Litter-Robot 4 also uses its smart sensors to show you on the app how much litter remains, while Litter-Robot 3 Connect can also give you an estimate. It shows a blue bar when the cat litter level is optimal and a red bar when it’s running low.
The frequency you need to refill with litter largely depends on which cat litter you use, so use the best cat litter for the Litter-Robot.
Recording Cat Weight
This is certainly an upgrade for Litter-Robot 4. Although both models include a sensor at the bottom of the unit that measures your cat’s weight, Litter-Robot 4 measures the weight and sends it to the Whisker app.
If you have a household with multiple cats, this lets you work out which cat uses the litter box, allowing you to find out if one uses it more than usual. It can also let you monitor your cat’s weight to track its health.
Customizable Night Light
Although cats have excellent night vision, they can’t see in absolute darkness. That’s why both Litter-Robot 3 Connect and 4 both have nightlights, although in different locations.
But where they stand apart is the customization options.
Litter-Robot 4 allows you to customize the nightlight via the Whisker app, letting you turn it on, off, or on auto mode which turns on automatically when it gets dark. You can also choose between low, medium, or high light intensity.
Litter-Robot 3 Connect also lets you customize, but only gives you a choice between off and auto.
Customizing Sleep Mode
You can put Litter-Robot 4 on standby for as long as you want, programming it to stop operating during specific hours of the day or night if necessary.
You can change the timings and allow for different settings on weekdays and weekends.
You can also do this with Litter-Robot 3 Connect, but it has less flexibility and can only be put on sleep mode for eight hours at a time.
Odor Management Differences
The best part of a Litter-Robot is not having to clean out the litter box so often, but another huge bonus is how it reduces the smell that lingers.
Both models are effective at doing this, but Litter-Robot 4 is even more so.
Carbon Filter
Litter-Robot 4 has a carbon filter in the filter compartment at the bottom of the device, right above the waste drawer. This is an ideal location because it traps odors before they have a chance of seeping out through the drawer.
This is better than Litter-Robot 3, where the carbon filter is instead fixed just in front of the waste drawer. While this still reduces odors, it’s not as effective as Litter-Robot 4.
Odor Trap Pack
The OdorTrap from Whisker is made specifically to help Litter-Robots control odors effectively.
Litter-Robot 4 comes with the OdorTrap bag already inserted in the compartment, ready to go and control odors.
However, with Litter-Robot 3, you need to buy the OdorPack Pod yourself to attach the bag to the inner wall of the waste drawer.
Waste Drawer
The waste drawer is the most essential part of Litter-Robots when controlling odors. Both models are effective, but Litter-Robot 4 improves it as much as possible.
Litter-Robot 4’s waste drawer is tightly sealed to control odors more effectively.
Even better, it’s a bigger drawer, allowing the robot to collect more waste so you can empty it less frequently.
Multi-Cat Design and Safety Differences
Litter-Robots are ideal for multi-cat households.
But whether you have just one or a whole clowder of cats in your house, you need to ensure that any automatic litter box is safe for them to use.
SafeCat™
Litter-Robot 4 has a variety of safety features – more than its predecessor.
Its SafeCat™ system has 3 motion sensors at the entryway, using Omnisense™, their patented technology. When the cat enters the globe, the sensors immediately recognize it and activate the cycle delay timer.
The SafeCat™ and sensors also kick in when your cat enters when the device is in the middle of a cleaning cycle, stopping it immediately for your cat’s safety.
While Litter-Robot 3 can also do this, it only has the weight sensor on the bottom of the unit, making it less reliable than its upgraded model.
SmartScale™
Litter-Robot 4 includes SmartScale™, a smart weight sensor that records your cat’s weight whenever they use the litter box.
This smart scale sensor lets the device recognize which cat is using it based on their weight.
Using this information, you can monitor any weight gain and see if a cat is using the litter box too frequently, potentially indicating a health problem early.
Entryway Dimensions
Naturally, it’s important for your cat to be able to get in the Litter-Robot to use it. That’s why Litter-Robot 4 has a wider design with more room than Litter-Robot 3, able to accommodate cats of any size more than its predecessor.
Litter-Robot 3 is still a good size, though. Its oval-shaped entry is narrower and harder for large cats to access, however, it also gives cats more privacy.
So, depending on how important privacy is to your cat, this might be more suitable.
Cycle Delay
You need to make sure the device won’t start its cleaning cycle as soon as your cat hops in – it’ll just freak them out and they’ll never use it again. That’s why a cycle delay is important to give your cat time to leave the litter box.
Litter-Robot 4 has customized cycle delays, allowing you to choose between 3, 5, 7, 15, or 30 minutes depending on what’s best for your cat.
Litter-Robot 3 also offers this, but is more limited, with a choice between only 3, 7, and 15 minutes.
Pros and Cons of Using Litter Robot 3
Let’s check a rundown of all pros and cons of Litter Robot 3.
Pros
- Carbon-filtered waste drawer controls odors
- Only needs emptying once every few weeks
- Control panel
- Easy to clean
- Ledge catches litter that falls out
- Tracking levels of waste and litter
- Notifications when levels need addressing
Cons
- Not all versions connect to Whisker app
- Cat must weigh at least 5 lbs
- Smaller waste drawer
- Louder without QuietSift™
- Less customization options
Litter-Robot 3
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Pros and Cons of Using Litter Robot 4
Now let’s look at the pros and cons of Litter Robot 4.
Pros
- Connects to app
- Excels at odor control
- Almost silent cleaning cycles
- More aesthetic design
- Extra sensors for added safety
- Easy to clean
- Larger entryway for cat’s comfort
- Doesn’t require frequent emptying
- Ledge catches loose litter
Cons
- No ramp accessory
- Occasional software issues
- Litter bed might be too small for bigger cats
- Expensive
Litter-Robot 4
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User Opinions: Which One Is Better?
Anyone who’s ever used a Litter-Robot swears by them – just look at any Litter-Robot review and you’ll see experts singing its praises.
Whether cleaning a litter box is a chore that ruins your day or just a minor inconvenience, Litter-Robots make owning a cat much easier – and who doesn’t want an easier life?
But is it worth getting one?
And if you already have Litter-Robot 3, is it worth upgrading to the newer model?
Both the Litter-Robot 3 and 4 do the same thing and are similar devices, but the upgraded features make a difference with their improved sensors, waste and litter level tracking, and quieter operation.
Although they’re all great improvements, they don’t make-or-break the device; so, if you already have Litter-Robot 3, it might not be worth upgrading unless any of these features would radically improve things for you.
However, if you don’t have a Litter-Robot yet, it’s worth taking advantage of the upgraded features with Litter-Robot 4.
Conclusion
After reading Litter Robot 3 vs 4 reviews, it’ll come as no surprise that the new Litter-Robot 4 ranks higher than its predecessor. It’s an improvement in several ways with various upgrades and added features, such as quieter cleaning cycles, better odor control, and a larger waste drawer.
But if you already have Litter-Robot 3 Connect, you might not see the need to upgrade.
Regardless, with thousands of positive reviews, they’re both very popular. Both models are excellent devices and come strongly recommended for all cat owners if you don’t already own one.
If you do already have Litter-Robot 3, you might as well upgrade to the new Litter-Robot if you have the budget. However, if you need a cheaper option, Litter-Robot 3 is still a terrific device that’s worth having.
