Leo’s Loo Too hit the market in 2021 and quickly sparked buzz in cat owner circles and online forums. A common thread in these discussions was the question, “Does Leo’s Loo Too measure up to the Litter Robot 4?” You can check out more options for automatic self-cleaning cat litter boxes here.
It’s time to put these two popular automatic self-cleaning cat litter boxes to the test and see how they compare:
Design:
- Evaluating the aesthetics and functional aspects.
- How well each fits into a modern home setting.
Ease of Cleaning:
- The simplicity (or complexity) involved in maintaining cleanliness.
- Frequency of required cleaning for each model.
Material:
- Quality and durability of the materials used in construction.
- Any eco-friendly or pet-safe materials.
Size:
- Comparison of the dimensions and space requirements.
- Suitability for different cat sizes and multiple cat households.
Smart Features:
- Analysis of tech integrations like app controls, sensors, and automated functions.
- User-friendliness and reliability of these features.
Price:
- Cost comparison and value for money.
- Considering long-term investment and potential savings.
This in-depth comparison review is great for you if you’re still unsure of which of the two cat litter boxes to buy, or if you’re thinking about switching from one to the other. Let’s dive in!
Leo’s Loo Too VS Litter Robot Comparison
One last very quick note- this post was originally written by Claire back in 2022, shortly after Leo’s Loo Too first launched. We decided it was time for an update since both products have been out for a while. I’m testing both models in my own home right now with my three cats (well, 2.5 cats, since one is a kitten). I left most of the original info in the tables so you can see two different perspectives (Claire’s in the tables, and mine beneath them).
Design
In terms of style, both Leo’s Loo Too and the Litter Robot 4 look amazing in your home. The “winner” depends entirely on the aesthetic that you’re going for.
I personally love the cute design of Leo’s Loo Too. It’s very “kawaii” (which literally means “cute,” so I realize that was a bit redundant). I love that it comes in pastel colors. The pink is beautiful, although I was on the fence between that and the minty green! Another thing I love is that the material is matte, so it doesn’t show every single streak.
The Litter Robot 4 is a bit “sleeker” and more modern-looking overall, though. It only comes in black and white, and the outside is glossier than Leo’s. So it’s more likely to show streaks, but it’s also a bit easier to clean (on the outside, we’ll talk about the “internal” cleaning in a moment).
Ease of Cleaning
Both Leo’s Loo Too and Litter Robot 4 are equally easy to clean. They both feature silicone material inside the litter box. If something gets stuck to it (which happens from time to time), just reach in with the scooper while it’s going (which will cause it to stop) and knock it off.
As self-cleaning litter boxes, there’s very little to do in terms of scooping. In fact, aside from knocking loose a few stuck bits, I haven’t touched my scooper since I got them. As far as the rest of the cleaning goes, just open the drawer every few days (the app will let you know when to do it), pull out the bag, plop a new one in there, close it up, and voila. Done!
Material
I agree with Claire’s assessment that both options offer up durable and long-lasting materials. I do think that some external parts of the Litter Robot 4 are slightly more likely to break than Leo’s Loo Too. On the outside, Leo’s basically has two parts that snap together. Obviously, the “guts” are a bit more complicated, but externally there’s really nothing sticking out that can break off.
That said, I don’t think that the Litter Robot 4 will necessarily break sooner. But it has more removable pieces (the lip comes off and is a bit trickier to get back on), so theoretically it could break more easily. Does that make sense?
Size
Both options are about the same size. The boxes that they came in were exactly the same size. I know this because they were both sitting in my dining room for weeks because the cats decided they made nice beds.
The Leo’s Loo Too fits right under the counter in my dining room area (we don’t eat in the dining room, it’s actually my office, so it’s not as gross as it sounds). It’s hard to describe, so here’s a pic (taken before I added the litter):
The Litter Robot 4 is in my laundry room. Fair warning, my laundry room is an absurdly green color. I swear, I did NOT pick that paint color. I rent this place. 🙂 The laundry room is fairly small and cramped, yet I still have plenty of space with the Litter Robot in there.
Safety Features
I’m going to have to give this one to Leo’s Loo Too. Both boxes do automatically detect your cat and stop when kitty passes the “threshold,” but I feel like Leo’s Loo does it faster and more efficiently. My cat Zoe was fascinated the first time it went off. She’d stick her face inside the drum and it would instantly stop. She’d step back, it would wait a moment, then continue. She did this over and over (and over and over and over) again for 10 solid minutes before the poor Loo finally managed to finish a cycle.
I also like that Leo’s Loo gives you more control over the timing of the cleaning cycle. With the Litter Robot 4, you have a choice between 3, 7, and 15 mins. With the Loo, you can just tell it exactly how many minutes you’d like it to wait. I have mine set to 10 minutes. I went with that after reading what others said. It’s enough time to let the clumps fully form, yet not so much time that you have stinky kitty pee sitting in the dome 5 feet from where you work all day.
Smart Features
Once upon a time when Litter Robot first launched, it basically JUST cleaned itself and that was enough. At some point, though, we came to expect A LOT more out of our pet tech gadgets. It’s fair, in my opinion, given that pet gadgets get more and more expensive every year. For the price that we pay, they should scoop poop, tell us how much our cats weigh, and let us track their potty habits.
As much as I LOVE Leo’s Loo Too (and I really fervently adore it), I have to give this one to Litter Robot. The ONLY reason it’s not a tie, though, is because my Leo’s Loo app never seems to get my cats’ weights right. When they say “Kitty just used the loo and weighs…,” the weight ranges from 2.6 lbs to 9.3 lbs. My cats weigh 4.6 lbs (the kitten), 9.6 lbs, and 14.6 lbs. I feel like this is probably an app-related glitch versus a Leo’s Loo glitch, and they are in the process of updating the app, so I’ll let you know if that changes.
Litter Robot 4’s app is also just a smidge more user-friendly. It connected to the Robot within seconds (versus a mildly frustrating experience getting the Loo to connect), and the interface is a bit clearer. I also like that I can add cat profiles to the Robot. Mind you, you can’t actually do anything with those profiles (at least not at this time). They’re just kind of there. But still, it’s a nice little touch.
Price
Ignore the pricing mentioned in the table, it’s a bit outdated. You can use the “Check Price” buttons to get the latest info. At this moment, though, the Leo’s Loo Too will run you $649 for just the box and $699 for a Starter Bundle. I HIGHLY recommend paying the extra $50. The litter mat alone is worth it! Seriously, they have THE BEST litter mat on the planet, and I’ve used a lot of them over the years. It also includes adorable little toys, and extra liners (which, by the way, fit the Litter Robot 4).
The Litter Robot 4 comes in at $699 for just the box. They have a few bundle deals as well, but they’re quite a bit more expensive ($749-879). Depending on which option you go with, the bundles come with litter, a mat, extra liners, and Odor Traps.
The Verdict
If you’ve reached this point expecting me to say “Buy X, not Y,” I’m sorry to disappoint. Choosing between these two popular automated self-cleaning boxes is difficult as they’re very evenly matched in terms of durability, function, and efficiency. Budget-wise, Leo’s Loo Too is a bit cheaper, but the Litter Robot 4 is also worth every penny (check the current price here).
That said, if you told me that the fate of the entire world depended on me choosing just one, I’d have to go with Leo’s Loo Too. But we’re talking “won by a hair” here, as they’re both outstanding options. Honestly, it’ll mostly come down to which design you like better.
Related: The Best Cat Litter Subscription Services
the litter robot is a nice robot but it’s not all that great mine lasted a year and a half before it started having trouble shooting problems and pinch default problems it’s been about three months since this happened and i’ve tried to contact troubleshooting services but they haven’t helped or called me back i’m considering getting rid of it because of all this. my cats can’t go to the bathroom without the robot having a dump position fault and staying on its side the whole night
LR is a piece of junk – I’ve had two over a year and they need a lot of maintenance. My warranty expired in late November. Exactly one month later, both robots quit working due to a poor design of the “pinch sensor” that is not covered and becomes corroded. Have to think that this is planned obsolescence since both stopped at the same time. There are many, many videos of people trying to fix this so this is a common problem. I tried to follow, but it didn’t work for me. So I have two robots that don’t work, they are big, heavy and ugly, and I cannot wait to get rid of them and try the Leo’s Loo. But, I’m out $1200. Just really hate reviews that say LR are dependable – they are not!!!
I have had the Litter Robot 3 for 2.5 years and let’s just say that it is a good thing that I splurged and bought the extended warranty. They have had to replace it twice and it is once again having tons of errors everyday. I asked the company if they will allow me to buy another extended warranty and they absolutely will not. That means in September of 2023 when it breaks – which it inevitably will – I am out of luck and I will have to purchase a new one. I will not be buying the Litter Robot. I have already started doing my research in anticipation of this upcoming unfortunate event. I travel all the time and an automated litter box has paid for itself many times over because I don’t need to pay someone to come over and scoop the litter. Well that is unless it breaks while I am gone, which has happened…
LR is junk. Within a month of purchase and setup, the pinch faults began to occur randomly and with increasing frequency. We have to leave it powered off due to curious cats interrupting the clean cycle. It’s powered on every morning to cycle and must be monitored as it will usually fault. A design to prevent cat entry during cycling would be much preferred over a sensor that malfunctions rendering the entire device useless. Watching Furbulous with baited breath.