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Nikol Slatinska Nikol SlatinskaCommerce Shopping Writer at Apartment Therapy I've loved magazines for as long as I can remember, which is what motivated me to study journalism in college. My proudest accomplishment since graduating has been landing a job in New York and moving to the city of my dreams. In my role at Apartment Therapy, I'm most passionate about making my home look organized and sophisticated and helping our readers do the same — often at a discount. Although I cover my fair share of newsy pieces and sale posts, my work focuses on long-form service articles that help our audience make informed shopping decisions.In my free time, I enjoy reading about fashion and design, watching reality TV, and exploring New York.
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Before I moved in with my current roommate, I had never cleaned a litter box before. But she owns two cats and travels somewhat frequently, so I finally had a go at it for the first time this spring when she was out of town. To be totally honest, I was expecting the task to be a gag-inducing nightmare, but thankfully, it wasn’t all that bad. The worst part was merely the frequency of the job. When she traveled for two weeks — the longest she’s been gone thus far — our other roommate and I alternated scooping days, so I ended up having to clean the box a total of one week. Each time, I found myself thinking there had to be a better way — it’s 2024, after all. As it turns out, there is, and it comes in the form of the self-cleaning Litter-Robot. In case you’re not familiar with this ingenious device, our former managing commerce editor reviewed the ultra-popular machine last year, noting that its design freed her from having to poop-scoop ever again.
My roommate got her own Litter-Robot a couple of months ago, and it has, indeed, been a game-changer. The only annoying bit of litter box scooping that was left over was the litter refills. But that problem is now solved, too! The Litter-Robot brand recently launched a new accessory, meaning you’ll rarely have to lug a heavy bag of litter from here on out. Suffice it to say, my roommate and I are both in love with the all-new LitterHopper.
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What is the LitterHopper?
The most important thing to know about the LitterHopper is that it’s only compatible with the Litter-Robot 4, the latest version of the machine. The add-on holds up to 13 cups of litter at a time and automatically refills the robot’s globe when it senses that litter is low. My roommate has the Litter-Robot app, so she already knew when the machine’s waste drawer needed to be emptied. Now, she can also monitor how much litter is left in the hopper and be alerted when it needs to be filled again. Whereas she used to have to refill her cats’ old litter box about once a week, now she doesn’t have to do it nearly as often. Another important thing to know is that if you already own the Litter-Robot 4, you’ll have to dispose of its old bonnet, or the part that covers the back, because that’s where your new hopper will go. “I definitely didn’t expect to entirely replace the hood,” my roommate Celeny said. “It comes with a whole new hood, and that became a good opportunity to clean out the inside of the machine.” That being said, if you buy the Litter-Robot and the hopper together, you won’t have to do that. The hopper comes in black or white and is currently available for sale, but it won’t ship until the end of July.
Why I Love the LitterHopper
My roommate received and installed her LitterHopper on July 15, which was more than a week ago at the time of this review’s publication. She told me that she hasn’t had to refill it so far and that the litter volume has only dropped an inch since then. “It has only dispensed litter a few times since that day, but it’s at optimal capacity,” she said after checking the app. As for the installation of the hopper, Celeny said it was intimidating at first, but the video guide was helpful. Since then, it’s been smooth sailing. “It’s really quiet; I haven’t heard it dispense at all,” Celeny added. “The relief from not holding the mental space to remember to check in on the litter is refreshing! I also don’t have to worry about asking you guys to come in and refill it when I’m traveling.”
As someone who dreads lifting heavy objects, I also appreciate the LitterHopper. Not only was it a pain to drag a 30-pound bag of litter from the storage closet to Celeny’s room if I was on duty to refill the old box, but trying to pour new litter into the box was also difficult. If the bag was still pretty full, I’d always come close to accidentally tipping it all the way over and pouring litter all over the floor. With this brilliant new accessory, cat owners (and their roommates) will never have to bother with such frustrating chores again. If you ask me, the peace of mind alone makes the hopper totally worth the buy.
Buy: LitterHopper, $99
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