Review on 🐱 Catit SmartSift Cat Litter Box 50685 - Tan, 1 Count (Pack of 1) - User-Friendly Litter Box for Cats with SmartSift Technology by Amanda Nunez

Having owned countless litter boxes over the years this is without a doubt the best litter box I have ever owned. Yes, that's a high rating. Especially when you consider that I was initially very hesitant to purchase this cat sieve box due to the many mediocre reviews here on Revain. In my experience to date, I have generally been able to rely on reviews (positive or negative) from loyal Revanes, which align very well with my own experiences. Therefore, despite such reservations and somewhat against my common sense, I decided to place an order. For around $60, I figured that if it didn't suit my needs, at least it wouldn't be too much of an investment. I was also planning to try the Litter Spinner. If SmartSift wasn't satisfactory I would turn to a Mur-Van cat litter spinner. In the past, all the new and innovative boxes I used were replaced with the obligatory cat pan that required constant and tedious cleaning. I was looking for a better, smarter solution. One of my previous purchases included a box of Omega Paw that you turn over (tip the box over) to sift through clean trash. It lasted about 1 week before I started using it like a regular tablet. Why? The brackets holding the sides were broken, and the overall construction seemed substandard - to the point that when I rolled the box, debris was strewn everywhere. And just the act of physically rolling the entire box was just awkward and awkward. I also bought an older version of Litter Robot. At first it seemed like the holy grail of trays. But I soon encountered electronic goblins. As I walked past it, I suddenly noticed a lot of flashing lights reflecting annoying and known technical glitches, which inevitably led to a lot of frustration and troubleshooting. The usual case was that the drum stopped midway through its cycle. Or questions about the sensitivity of kicking the drum. And those weren't the only problems. The trash can was small and had to be emptied frequently. I remember dreaming back then about a manual version of the Litter Robot that would allow me to spin the drum by hand (the clue suggests the music) to completely bypass any temperamental electronics. Basically, I wanted NO PCB, manual controls, and a $300 price drop. It should be noted that newer versions seem to be more reliable. But I don't want to risk playing over $400 again to find out. Considering the financial losses, this turned out to be the worst tray I've ever bought. In the end, I went back to the tried and tested tray. Then I tried CatGenie. Once again I hoped it would be the one. It was smart and innovative. But my cats just wouldn't go for this stuff, even after carefully and meticulously exhausting every suggestion the manual has to get the cats to accept it. Additionally, I've found that when moving solid litter from a regular cat trash can into the CatGenie pan and running the cycle, the filter scoop will automatically shake to remove excess plastic waste before discarding it (as intended), but then too shaking the waste off the scoop and back into the pot, where they're finally heated during the drying cycle and baked into a stinky easy-bake-oven-like cake. These problems and the fact that the consumables were too expensive forced me to unfortunately go back to the simple cat pan. After reading all the reviews on this site I wanted to make sure I was well equipped and well prepared to try this litter. If that didn't work, I wanted to make sure it was something to do with the box itself and not the quality of the filling. So based on the suggestions I made sure to buy some Exquicat Crystal Filler as well as some Arm and Hammer Clump and Seal and add some Precious Cat just in case as Revain claims these products seem to clump well. My usual Odor Buster cat litter is clumpy clay litter and it's fantastic. However, I wanted to have some options available in case troubleshooting is needed. My experience? I have junk in the basement next to the washer and dryer. First, I never use a plastic bag in the pot itself, despite the instructions recommending it. As can be seen from these reviews, the box works much better without it. I only use the plastic wrap for the trash can. I also removed the cat door as well as the filter at the top of the box to let in more light to better mimic the openness of the cat box my cats are used to. The door and the filter seemed completely unnecessary to me. Removing it also gave me better control over the litter level, making it easier to refill the bowl with fresh litter when needed. I love the fact that I can just let go of the handle and SLOWLY rotate it back and forth to sift. Nice and simple. Only move the handle, not the whole box. Brilliant. Just make sure you do this slowly and DO NOT overfill the bowl. Otherwise you will lose fresh manure when sifting. The quality also seems very good. When assembling the product, be sure to insert the lever into its seat with some force to prevent the lever from loosening later during use. I find this box easy to take apart and wash. Everything just seems well thought out. It's hard to believe I'm saying this, but I'm really enjoying going through the trash right now. The box also stays cleaner longer and my cats seem to like it - they get used to it very quickly. I've only used Odor Buster Fillers (didn't have to try other fillers) and it works well. Sometimes there are clumps that stick a little more stubbornly to the bottom or sides of the tray (as other reviews have described), but I use a dustpan to knock them out quickly when this happens. It's quick and painless. And to be honest, this sticking has always been common with every tablet I've had, so SmartSift is no different here. I also like that the trash can is big. I thought I might need another SmartSift with three cats, but I found I could easily get by with just one. I empty the trash can every week and dispose of the trash with my regular trash. I was also pleased that there is practically no smell. Of course, this can have something to do with the choice of bedding, but a well-closed rubbish bin certainly helps in this regard. The big surprise for me was how much money I expect to save in the long run. So far it looks like I'm going to cut my bedding costs by 2/3. I used to throw away so much rubbish. It's definitely an added, unexpected bonus. In general, as you can imagine, I am very satisfied. I'm so glad I bought another one as a gift for a friend who has 2 cats. What can SmartSift do even better? It would be great if it was offered in a slightly larger version, allowing for more than the usual 3 inches of junk to fit into the tray. That being said, I've noticed that a lot of reviewers here have commented on how uncomfortably large this box is. Ironically, many reviewers have also complained that the internal litter box is too small. Resizing the tray will likely increase the overall size of the box as well. Additionally, some litter boxes are now available with smooth, non-stick surfaces, making litter fall even better into the bottom bin. I see this as the most important simple tweak that could be made to improve its functionality. Also, there really isn't much to criticize here, if there are any issues I'll definitely update this review. *Update* - April 8th, 2017 I've had SmartSift for 3 months now and still love this tablet very much. He is perfect? no But neither is the new Honda Civic. Just as the Civic performs so much better and represents such a major technological leap in comfort, efficiency and functionality over the horse-drawn carriage, one can't help but feel that this product represents a revolution in trash cans. I hope that incremental design improvements are made over time to correct what I see as minor flaws in a great time and effort saving litter box. My suggestions for improvement outlined above - in my original review - stand. Overall, however, I am very satisfied with this product. And my friend who I bought another one for is also mentioned in my original review. Fundamental moments? Well, a few days ago I ran out of my first garbage bag, so with this box I've effectively reduced my garbage consumption from one 15kg bag a month to one bag every three months. Considering the reasonable initial cost of this product - in 3 months I've saved almost enough stuffing to cover the initial cost of the box. SmartSift not only saves time and effort, but also helps me save money and reduce waste.