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UPDATE: Mar. 11, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT This review was originally written in January 2023. Since then, I’ve gone from one cat to two and have added a Litter-Robot to the mix in my household. In November 2025, we switched to the ScoopFree Crystal Plus model, though it essentially functions identically to the older Legacy Pro model. This review has been refreshed to encapsulate my overall experience with the PetSafe ScoopFree series.
I have the smallest Litter-Robot, and it could easily still be a tight squeeze for many home or apartment layouts. That’s not the only reason so many people are looking for a good Litter-Robot alternative. A $600 to $800 automatic litter box is hardly a casual purchase, and a lot of cats (including one of mine) are sketched out by the big enclosed rotating designs. Luckily, the PetSafe ScoopFree exists.
Litter-Robots may not be for everyone, but automated scooping definitely can be. In size and shape, the PetSafe ScoopFree is essentially like putting a self-scooping grate on the traditional rectangular litter box that your cat is already used to. Three and a half years ago, that was the sole litter box setup for my cat, Sansa. Since then, Sansa has gotten a sister named Leota, and we’ve expanded to a second automatic litter box. We had the Leo’s Loo Too for three years, and are currently trying the Litter-Robot Evo.
Sansa wanted me to tell you that she does not vibe with those big scary litter boxes, and that I better never get rid of the ScoopFree. Leota is chill with either. As the person who has to maintain both litter boxes, I have a lot to say about the PetSafe ScoopFree experience.
This ScoopFree is a great option for limited floor space
It’s abundantly clear that apartments do not design bathrooms with cat owners (who can’t put the litter box in the common area) in mind. I was able to slide the ScoopFree right between my toilet and cabinets, taking advantage of the small amount of open space for my cats to sit comfortably while they do their business. (My cats don’t mind having no hood, but PetSafe does make a covered version of the ScoopFree.)
Sansa was intrigued by the ScoopFree in 2023.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Sansa still chases the grate on the new ScoopFree model in 2026, and she has a sister.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable
We had the PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Legacy model for three years until a plastic piece of the lifting lid snapped off. Sansa messes with the lid constantly, so I think it was more her fault than it was the build quality. At any rate, we switched to the PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Plus, which functions identically, minus the screen that tracks scoops.
How does the PetSafe ScoopFree work?
The PetSafe ScoopFree uses motion sensors and a metal grate to keep the litter bed clear. A few minutes after your cat has finished its business, the grate slowly rakes the length of the box, pushing any solid pieces into the covered compartment. (The moving grate gets a butt wiggle and pounce out of Sansa every single time.) The compartment’s cardboard lid attaches magnetically to the hood-shaped end of the litter box and lifts by itself when a new scoop is coming in. The absorbent crystal litter contains silica gel that soaks up urine and dries out droppings to prolong the stench.
Refills consist of a new cardboard tray, bagged litter, and a lid that can go on the old box.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Inserting the new tray takes seconds, and then the litter is ready to be spread.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Swapping trays is quick and easy. The only permanent piece of the litter box is the frame, attached to which are the grate and the plastic waste compartment lid. The entire bottom of the litter box is disposable, and you’ll be changing it out for a new one every couple of weeks, depending on how many cats are using it. To perform the switcheroo, the ScoopFree frame needs to be lifted completely off of the old tray and set elsewhere while you place the new tray and add litter. (This is always a struggle with limited floor space, but I make it work.)
To ensure I’m getting the max number of days out of each tray, I “refresh” the current tray every few days by scooping any turds out of the compartment and any super mushy litter from the bed. To me, the recommended number of days between tray changes applies more to the cardboard’s level of sogginess, which can hold up for the full month. But the ScoopFree will definitely start to smell earlier than any of the recommended tray swap windows, so I’ve learned to just maintain the ScoopFree based on vibes.
Some ScoopFree models have a screen that tallies each scoop so that you know when a tray is nearing its soil limit. The ScoopFree Crystal Plus model I have now just flashes a red light and will simply refuse to rake once the current tray has hit 50 rake cycles. Sensors in the frame scan each tray, so the ScoopFree will know when you’ve replaced the old one with a fresh one.
The old tray can simply be thrown away. That’s super straightforward unless you’re dealing with a trash chute with an arbitrarily small opening, like the one in my apartment. The monthly trashing also feels crappy if you care about the eco-friendliness of it all, which I do. More on that later.
The automatic raking isn’t the fanciest, but it’s still so convenient
I’ve gone on countless overnight, long weekend trips, and weeklong vacations in the past three years with a PetSafe ScoopFree. And let me tell you: Not having to make arrangements for litter box upkeep rocks, even if the ScoopFree may smell a little bit worse than a Litter-Robot does when you get back. Taking periodic excursions out of the equation for a sec, the ScoopFree’s self-scooping is also clutch when you’re home, feeling lazy, and just need to offload a chore or two. (The automatic litter box and robot vacuum combo is chef’s kiss.)
While I technically have roommates who will take care of my cats while I’m away, it’s always nice to sweeten the deal with, “But you won’t have to scoop the litter box!” The same surely goes if you’re looking for a friend to come over to cat sit, or finding a sitter on an app like Rover.
Can you use any litter in the ScoopFree litter box?
PetSafe obviously recommends that you use its branded crystal litter. That’s easy enough since a bag of it comes with each tray refill. But if you have the reusable stainless steel tray like I used to, you’re safe to branch out to other silica crystal litters. I always just bought whatever brand was in stock at Target.
The main thing to know is that the PetSafe ScoopFree does not work with clumping litter. Dried clumps of pee quickly get too heavy for the rake to pick up, or the clumps get stuck to the bottom of the tray. It’s just a matter of time before a rake error occurs.
I had a little bit of luck with more sustainable non-clumping options like ökocat paper litter and Naturally Fresh walnut litter, but they get gross and dissolve into powder pretty quickly. Most natural non-clumping litters are pellets, which often piled up at the end of the litter box instead of falling through the grates to create an even layer.
Downsides: Light manual upkeep is needed every few days
The PetSafe ScoopFree litter box doesn’t mask the smell as well as a Litter-Robot and its filter do. So while my Litter-Robot is pretty much odorless and hands off until the drawer needs to be emptied, my ScoopFree requires a light refresh every few days between tray changes to keep it from stinking.
The blue litter mixed with pee turns green and melts down into the texture of kinetic sand. Since it’s not clumping litter, the soggy dissolved crystals just sit there for the cats to step on until you scoop that area — and of course, one of my cats pees in the same exact corner every time. If I were to leave it completely untouched for the 10 to 15 days that PetSafe claims for two cats, I’d need a gas mask to enter my bathroom. This might be less of an issue if your litter box is in a basement or a room that’s not used daily.
To be clear, I personally don’t mind light scooping once or twice a week, even if taking the whole frame off is a little inconvenient. The automation is still so clutch for overnight or weekend trips, and it’s better than scooping a traditional litter box every day.
The “disposable” aspect isn’t eco-friendly and involves recurring costs
Any product banking on being “disposable” as a selling point should be concerning on sight for anyone who cares about the planet — the one that, you know, makes it possible for you to live a life with a pet in the first place. Let’s also consider the animals whose habitats are being taken over by the local landfill.
It’s good that the ScoopFree trays are cardboard and not plastic, which would take hundreds of years to decompose. Though I understand why the tray’s shiny coating is necessary for preventing sogginess, I do question the cardboard’s ability to biodegrade normally. In general, crystal litter is one of the least environmentally friendly litter types.
I felt better when I made the switch to PetSafe’s stainless steel litter tray. It’s $50 upfront, but you’re then off the hook from buying new $25 tray refills each month. This also means that you won’t be receiving the bag of litter that comes with each cardboard tray, so you’ll have to buy full bags of litter every so often.
Tray refills go for $25.99 each or $74.99 for three. That $26 per month may not be a totally egregious bill for a one-cat household only using one tray per month. But it’s significantly costlier than a traditional litter box setup — $26 could get you like 80 pounds of clumping clay litter. The recurring cost adds up even more for multi-cat households that require more frequent tray swaps.
Is the PetSafe ScoopFree worth it?
If a $600+ Litter-Robot isn’t feasible for whatever reason, you’re not sentenced to a life of daily litter box cleaning by default. I’ve recommended the PetSafe ScoopFree to countless people in real life who had no clue that this in-between option existed.
The PetSafe ScoopFree successfully decreases your interactions with the litter box each week. It correctly recognizes when your cat has gone to the bathroom and effectively rakes solid waste, leaving behind a clean, smoothed-over bed of crystals. However, the convenience also comes with recurring costs of pricey tray refills and way more trash than your traditional litter box ever produced. In my experience, the ScoopFree also requires light upkeep by hand every few days to divert the smell. Despite its quirks, the PetSafe ScoopFree is a worthwhile upgrade from any manual litter box.
