The New LitterHopper Refiller Takes the Automatic Litter Box Game a Step Further (2024)

There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.

The Product on Trial

The Litter-Robot 4 LitterHopper Accessory

The Tester

Eunice Lucero-Lee, cat overlord wench, poop-scooping enemy

The Brief

Quick context: I’ve had The Litter-Robot 3 since I got my cat in 2019, and then beta-tested and reviewed the Litter-Robot 4 in 2022, declaring the latter a leaps-and-bounds improvement on its predecessor. From its sleeker, décor-forward, and more lightweight (and therefore maneuverable) frame to its whisper-quiet, virtually odor-free tech, as well as its thoroughly more intuitive app experience, there was no going back to the previous model — even with that price tag.

The brand has come up with several add-ons to its portfolio of automated pet appliances since, including an automatic kibble dispenser. The latest in this line of chore-reducers is the LitterHopper.

So, What Is It?

The LitterHopper is an attachable litter refiller that maintains the optimal level of litter inside the Litter-Robot globe. As everyone knows by now, the Litter-Robot 4 is an automatic, self-cleaning litter box for cats — a near-indispensable tool these days since many pet owners will attest that cleaning out the litter box is one of the least appealing aspects of having a cat, especially one that’s kept — and therefore, poops — indoors.

There are countless products dedicated to making litter box chores easier and more sustainable for pet owners — from color-changing litter that can detect the health of your pet to flushable litter made of walnut shells that are safe for apartment plumbing — but few can compare to freedom from scooping and odors that the self-cleaning Litter-Robot offered. And now, with the advent of LitterHopper, we’re even better at closing what I now call the “scoop-loop,” or the number of chores needed to maintain a clean litter box.

The Litter-Robot’s concept is simple: You fill the globe-looking interior with clumping litter as you would any regular, manual litter box, using an inner fill line as a guide, and it rotates a few minutes after each use, sifting away clean litter back into the globe and dumping used litter and clumps into a dedicated waste bin configured into its base — pretty much like a drawer you pull open and empty out every week or so. An indicator light on the Litter-Robot flashes if the bin is full and needs to be emptied — which, for a one-cat household, is typically around 10-15 days (a far cry from the daily poop-scooping and waste disposal that experts recommend for a clean, hygienic litter box). The waste bin is lined with a transparent liner you can get from their website (or Amazon), which makes for easy, straightforward disposal into your trash once full.

A LitterHopper streamlines this process even further by cutting out any middlemen in the refilling process. It attaches behind the globe and dispenses litter as needed, AKA whenever a sensor detects the litter bed at below optimal levels. This removes any guesswork and automates the process of refilling the globe, making the entire litter box chore even less of a hassle for a pet owner.

The Setup

The main components of the LitterHopper bundle are the dispenser itself (imagine a cereal dispenser that can hold 13 cups or 3.25 liters of litter), a new Litter-Robot 4 bonnet designed to be compatible with the Hopper, an anti-tip guard that attaches to the bottom of the Litter-Robot 4, and a LitterHopper key, which is essentially a funnel that pours the litter from the Hopper into the globe.

The brand recommends a set level of litter in the globe at all times; it has an indicator line on the inside that’s easy to follow, literally like a measuring cup. This level decreases each time litter is sifted, clumped as waste, and thrown into the bin, so you’d have to top up maybe once or twice a month to keep the level optimal.

It’s this manual top-up that the Hopper does away with. Upon setup (instructions were provided via a QR code in the package, and the assembly took me about 30 minutes to do by myself), you need to connect the LitterHopper to your app. Doing so alerts you when the Hopper is empty, an overall process that means way less frequent litter exposure for the humans involved.

Once fully assembled, the LitterHopper dispenses whatever amount the sensor deems necessary directly into the globe, so the litter bed is always at the same optimal level. The first few dispenses may have spooked my kitty a bit, but she’s thankfully used to it now — and we’re both a tad happier for it.

A Nice-to-Have

The Litter-Robot is a now-iconic product that has since revolutionized the litter box industry, and we all know it; I immediately understood what other cat owners were telling me about how it would “change your life.” The mere fact that I didn’t have to freshen up her litter every 1-2 days was already a huge improvement, not to mention instantly noticing the significant decrease in pet odor and litter tracking in my living room. It’s quiet, effective, odor-controlling, and comes with a delightful app that not only alerts you when your kitty uses their Robot but also how much they currently weigh (something I really appreciate since our vet weigh-ins were never, um, breezy). The Litter-Robot has fully automated one of the worst chores involved in pet ownership, and for that, we are all grateful. The advent of the Hopper makes the experience even simpler if that were possible. I also found it super clever that once the LitterHopper synced to your Whisker app, you could choose from a drop-down of litter brands to make calibration even more precise.

Funnily enough, during a routine top-up of litter, before I had the Hopper, I actually thought to myself how nice it must be, in a magical world, to have the Robot refill itself as well. Wouldn’t you know it — not only am I apparently psychic AF (!?), but the brand is most definitely on top of its sticky points and knows which parts of the scoop-loop can be constantly improved upon. The Hopper is an amazing add-on to the Litter-Robot experience if you have the budget for the bells and whistles.

The Closing Argument

I will concede that at $99, this accessory might easily be considered a skip for those already balking at the Robot’s $700 starting price (which can bump up even higher depending on new customization features, like special colors). However, I envision the Hopper to be such a boon for multi-cat households that clump and go through their litter quicker, as well as for busy owners who frequently travel or even for pregnant or asthmatic people (it me!) who want to minimize contact with litter dust as much as possible.

Also, having it means you have one less chore to do on a bi-monthly basis, and, hey, every little bit helps! As a helicopter cat mom, I am all for improving the quality of life of my daughter (yes, I birthed her — no questions), but if it makes your life easier, too, why not?

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