Purrclean Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box Review

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

The Purrclean smart self-cleaning litter box is designed with a touch screen system, an app that monitors your cat’s bathroom habits, and several safety sensors.

However, it’s also one of the more expensive automatic litter boxes on the market. Are the technological features worth it, or is the Purrclean overpriced? In this unbiased review, I’ll discuss my experience and help you decide whether it’s the right choice for you.

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Ratings

Ease of Cleaning – 3/5
Odor Control – 3.5/5
Appearance – 4.5/5
Construction – 4/5
Price – 3/5

Overall Score: 3.1/5

Why Trust Cats.com

I tested the Purrclean automatic litter box for around six weeks in my multi-cat household. Although I have seven cats, only three are small enough to use most self-cleaning litter boxes comfortably.

During testing, I noted my cat’s reactions as well as my own hands-on experience with the product. Things I consider when reviewing an automatic litter box include user friendliness, scooping abilities, and whether or not the machine is easy to deep clean. I also test with large amounts of fluids to see whether the litter box can handle big clumps.

I also look into what other people think of the product and brand, since what works for me won’t work for everybody. I want to know how the litter box performs in a variety of conditions so that I can provide you with the best recommendation possible.

Purrclean Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box and Instachew Overview

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

Instachew is a pet product company with a focus on smart technology and convenience for pet parents. Their app, Instachew Infinity, is at the forefront of their advertising.

The company sells a range of products for dogs and cats, including pet cameras, travel gear, and the Purrclean smart self-cleaning litter box.

This automatic litter box came onto the market in 2020 and includes a host of technological and safety features including its touch screen, app connectability, and 12 sensors to detect when your cat is in or near the box.

Purrclean Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box Features

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

Instachew centers their smart technology, and especially their app, when advertising this product. I found the touch screen convenient and simple, but the app is less so. Several users, including myself, had issues connecting it to the litter box. Some also found it confusing to use.

Once connected, you can set up a cleaning schedule, scoop or empty the litter box, monitor your cat’s litter habits, and more.

Another primary feature of the Purrclean is its large number of safety sensors. In addition, the drum turns from side to side when scooping and has no door. So, even if all of these sensors were to fail, your cat wouldn’t get stuck inside.

The machine runs quietly, features an air purification system to control odors, and has a large waste bin located at the bottom of the litter box.

Although Instachew focuses on owner convenience, this litter box isn’t the easiest to deep clean. We’ll discuss this more in depth below.

What We Like:

Easy to use touch screen
Scoops quietly
Weighs cats and monitors their litter habits
Made with 12 sensors for cat safety

What We Didn’t Like:

Not made for large cats
Difficult to deep clean
Drum is difficult to reinsert after set-up and cleaning
App is challenging to connect to and sends excess notifications

What Did Our Test Cats Think?

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

The Purrclean smart self-cleaning litter box was difficult to set up from the start. I had a hard time removing the drum in order to set up the machine, as well as getting it back in place after. You have to lift it up while pressing it in at just the right angle, which can be a challenge.

I was pleased with the touch screen on the litter box itself, which functions well and is easy to use. However, I spent a long time trying to connect it to the app. In the end, I had to follow the troubleshooting steps in the instruction booklet, which did work!

This litter box is quite small, but most automatic litter boxes are. Only my smallest cats would use it. The litter box sends notifications whenever a cat goes near the litter box, which seems unnecessary. The pop-ups quickly become annoying in a small space, or if the box is in a highly-trafficked area of the house.

That said, I do like that the litter box senses when cats are nearby. It actually has a dozen safety sensors, and it’s always nice to see a product prioritize safety–especially with other products on the market having safety issues.

The last problem I had was when it came time to deep clean the machine. Aside from the drum issues, the interior liner seems to be glued down. If it needs to be cleaned, you have to deal with the entire, bulky drum instead of simply removing the liner itself.

Overall, I liked this litter box and would recommend it for small cats if not for the price. Personally, I think that there are plenty of cheaper automatic litter boxes on the market with similar features, including app compatibility. Some of them are even easier to deep clean!

The Purrclean smart self-cleaning litter box

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

What Do Customers Think of the PurrClean Smart Litter Box?

Positive Reviews

“This product was exactly as described. It was on back order so it was a little late shipping but I received it just a couple of days later then the original delivery date. My cats love it and I would recommend it to anyone but especially people with multiple cats.” April Stuckless review on Amazon (May 17, 2023)

“This smart cleaning cat litter box is an absolute lifesaver! It automatically scoops the litter, keeping everything clean and odor-free with minimal effort on my part. My cat took to it right away, and I’ve noticed a huge difference in how fresh the room stays.”Shams review on Chewy (Aug 16, 2024)

Reviewers mostly agree that the litter box is convenient and runs very quietly. Several say that it functions better than their old self-scooping litter box, and some note that the odor control works very well for them.

Negative Reviews

“Not big enough for a normal size cat. They get in and can’t turn around so they pee out the opening and down the front.” Sherry review on Chewy (May 15, 2024)

“I had high hopes for this automatic cat litter box, but it turned out to be a major letdown. The construction feels cheap, and the app is even worse. It barely syncs with the litter box, and the few ‘hands free’ features it offers hardly work.” Catty on Chewy

The most frequent customer complaints include issues with the app connecting or functioning, the bulkiness of the machine, and the entrance or drum being too small. Some reviewers had issues with the drum getting jammed in shipping, which meant that they couldn’t remove it in order to set up the litter box. Others noted that the deodorizing system didn’t work well or that urine leaked from the drum.