
Littermaid Reviews
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About Littermaid
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Littermaid designs automated litter boxes and accessories for cat owners. Its products feature self-cleaning mechanisms, odor control systems and easy maintenance. Littermaid’s aim is to make pet care more convenient and hygienic.
- Keeps litter clean
- Convenient for busy pet owners
- Positive pet adaptation to product
- Frequent malfunctions reported
- Poor customer service experiences
- High cost for unreliable products
Littermaid Reviews
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Reviewed March 21, 2014
More work than a regular cat box. Rack does not scrape deep enough in box therefore everything accumulates right at edge just before receptacle. Experimenting with multiple "premium cat litters" made no difference. A big waste of money and extra time.
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2014
I purchased a LitterMaid about 17 years ago and used it through the years for 5 different cats. It has been the best purchase I ever made. Our cats loved having the box clean every time they stepped into it. It did have a few drawbacks: it was loud and the little plastic inserts did not last very long because they could not handle the weight of the cat debris raked into it. A year ago the track started hanging and it would no longer clean the box. That is when I realized how good a job it had been doing all these years. I wish I could get this one fixed or find a good one that works this well. They sure knew how to make them back then and I miss having it work and so does my cat.
Reviewed Nov. 26, 2013
I purchased the Litter Maid litter box in October 2013. It is not only poorly designed it is cheaply constructed at a consumer cost of $130.00 The flimsy PLASTIC TRAY SERVES NO PURPOSE ASIDE FROM AN ADDED PROFIT MARGIN FOR THE COMPANY (THAT'S HOW PRINTER COMPANY MAKE THEIR MONEY BY OUR PURCHASE OF CARTRIDGES). IT TAKES 6 MINUTES LONGER THAN A REGULAR, Standard Litter box cleaning. The cat cannot urinate as it will stick to the rail comb and has to be removed manually. In short it is one of the worst purchases I ever made and I will let Petco know.
Reviewed Nov. 11, 2013
We've had our LitterMaid Elite for almost a year now. We've only had 2 issues with it, the rake at one time wouldn't run the whole cycle. We took the top of the box off, cleaned the tracks and it worked fine. And for a little while, it kept turning itself off. We are still not sure why, but it's working fine now. My biggest complaint is finding replacement parts. My teen took the box out for a hose down (helps with the sticky litter on the bottom if you hose the littler compartment every few weeks), and I don't know what she did with the part that holds to waste receptacles and the hinged lid. So, now we can't use the box on auto scoop because there's nothing to hold the parts in place. I've looked all over and can't find them. You'd think LitterMaid would have the parts on their site.
Reviewed Sept. 19, 2013
I purchased 2 LitterMaid 580s at least 8 years ago. One of them quit working because I cleaned it wrong (I got water in the sensor). I called the company before I realized that it quit working because of my stupid mistake and they replaced the litter box, for which I am grateful and slightly ashamed of myself for breaking it to begin with. Anyway, these two litter boxes have functioned perfectly all this time, never had any problem with them that was not my own doing, like not cleaning them often enough and too much litter.
Of course, you have to scrape the bottom of the box depending on what kind of litter you use, it clumps hard and adheres to the bottom of the box. I have switched to Scoop Away and am very happy with it. Now, one of my litter boxes after continuous use for at least 8 years has broken, the electrical wire that goes to the raking arm broke. So, I'm shopping for a new one. After reading the reviews, I sure hate to put out the money to buy another one if it's going to work so badly. But, I'm leaning toward buying a LitterMaid 680. Hope it works out as well as the old ones.
Reviewed Aug. 27, 2013
Some parts broke and finding replacements was hard... However, I was more than satisfied with the initial product. Why can't I find it on the Internet for less, as most of my stores have quit carrying it??
Reviewed Aug. 26, 2013
We have purchased a Littermaid product in the past and have not had any problems; however when the original product stopped functioning properly, we decided to purchase another one. What a mistake!!! This is just JUNK! It would not clean the litter box the way it should. We had to always use the rake to clean it completely. Additionally, we went through a lot more litter as it would spill out of the bottom by the holding tray. We spent a lot of money on this product and we are very angry that it is not working the way it should. I will NEVER purchase another product from them again. It was a real waste of our money!!!
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2013
It worked great for a while, but soon after the warranty ran out, it would jam at the least amount of resistance. It got to the point where I had to move it along in order for it to run to the emptying tray. At first it had no problem returning to the starting point, but after a few weeks it would jam on the return trip too. Very disappointing.
Reviewed July 6, 2013
The new corn litter isn't worth a hoot compared with your original! The clumping is mediocre/not as good, and it tracks around the litter box easier. Why not give consumers a choice and bring back your original litter... PLEASE!
Reviewed June 16, 2013
I replaced my litter box that had lasted over 2 years with the same new model, and it lasted 10 days. It keeps stopping in the middle of the box and despite resetting, continues to do the same thing going over and over. I am unable to obtain an address or number to contact the company.
Reviewed June 6, 2013
My first LitterMaid purchased in the 90's worked very well for a long time. Second one purchased (Litter Maid LM 580) gave up the ghost in what I considered a much too short a time (less than a year, I think). It had a broken wire, which could not be repaired, so I backed off them for a while. Then it became too hard for me to bend over to scoop litter boxes, so I bought one about 6-8 weeks ago. Well it stopped working a week to ten days ago after having worked only long enough to fill one waste receptacle. I have repeatedly gone through cleaning and reset procedures, and it still has the bar stuck in the middle and a blinking light!! I regret wasting my money (I am a retired senior on fixed income). It certainly has been a huge disappointment!!! Never again!!
Reviewed May 9, 2013
My first experience with a LitterMaid was in the mid-90s. It was great, so when I bought another one within the past year, I was disappointed because I had to clean the litter box more than the LitterMaid did. It left huge clumps. I guess I should have known better when a litter shovel was part of the package. I am not one who likes to waste my money, but I feel that I have and this was not 10 or 20 dollars. It was over 120 dollars. I know I have had it long enough that I can't get my money back, but I wanted to warn people before they spend a lot of money on a product that, to me, isn't worth it. I gave it a chance thinking I just needed a different kind of litter, but that didn't matter. I bought good clumping litter and it didn't make things better.
Reviewed May 3, 2013
My original LitterMaid box lasted 5 1/2 years and never had any problems. It stopped working in May of 2012, and we had such a good experience we ordered another one. Wow! My new box arrived in June of 2012; it lasted 5 months. We returned the items requested to LitterMaid and waited for a new box to arrive. After 6 weeks of waiting and no box, I called LitterMaid again. I was then told the boxes were on back order, but I should have a new one in about 2 weeks.
After finally receiving the new box, it lasted maybe 3 months. I called again and requested a refund and was told it would take 3-4 weeks. Once again, I sent back the required items. Here it is 7 weeks later, and I still do not have my money back. I called today and was told that it would take 8-10 weeks more. Really? I can't believe these people are still in business with the crappy product and crappy customer service. If you think of purchasing anything from LitterMaid, think long and hard and do not do it.
Reviewed March 20, 2013
I bought a LitterMaid less than a week ago because I broke my back in a car accident. Bending is not possible. I haven't had the stupid thing not even 1 week and it didn't work. Waste of my money that is limited at this time for a wastebasket that takes electricity to run and then it doesn't! I bought it the 15th of March and it stopped on the 18th. Three whole days for garbage. I will never buy again and definitely will not recommend to anyone!
Reviewed Jan. 19, 2013
We purchased the LitterMaid Elite, thinking it would save us time and money caring for our 3 cats. Boy, were we wrong! The motor to scoop the waste into the basket is horrible. My wife actually has to scrape the bottom of the litter pan twice a day to keep the machine from jamming and stopping. And don't get me started about the cheap plastic waste containers. The disposable lid never stays onto the opening lid. It leaks litter behind and underneath the waste container so the smelly urine litter still is outside the container. We purchased the additional privacy tent thinking it would contain the litter more, but it actually does no good. In fact, it is a pain to put together and you have to remove it every time you do a full litter change. The scoopable litter that the manual says you have to choose from are very expensive and really does no difference in the scooping mechanism's operation because all of it jams the motor. Stay away from LitterMaid! You will waste more money, time and frustration.
Reviewed Dec. 10, 2012
I would not buy another LitterMaid. I have an indoor cat and it is full after 3 days. This might be okay for an outdoor cat but not one that is indoors all day. It is also very loud and does not even out the litter after the cat uses the box. You also have to use the scoop everyday in order to pick up the medium pieces after use as well. It is also a very large and bulky unit and does not fit in a small apartment or area, as well as a regular litter box.
Reviewed Nov. 20, 2012
Day 32 and on my second LitterMaid box (purchased both at Walmart). Day 1 of second unit and the motion sensor does not work right out of the box! Customer service wants me to return it to them, but I'm going to bring it back to Walmart because it's easier to do so. First one worked fine until day 30 and the flat power strip came off the power supply internally. It is only taped? Very poor quality unit and all of their models (even the $175 model) are made the same way. According to customer service, they just have more options on them. I wish there was another company out there that could build something that would last. I will continue to return them until my warranty expires, then go back to manual. Not worth the money!
Reviewed Oct. 13, 2012
LitterMaid keeps breaking. I am on my third one. It seems like the company builds these machines to fail. I tore the first one apart, thinking I could fix it; but all the plastic parts and springs were stripped, so I threw it away. My second one just failed as the internal mechanism started sounding like machine gun inside - obviously internal plastic mechanism that just wore out. You would think that if we can put man on the moon, they could build a machine that would last longer than 2-3 years, but then the company may not be profitable.
Reviewed Sept. 29, 2012
After searching in vain for a replacement LitterMaid litter box, we purchased an "elite" model that cost over $150. It worked great, for about a month. Now the sleep light keeps coming on and it will not work. A call to customer service and I was told how to reset the unit and once again, it worked, for about a week. I hope I never buy such an ineffective product again.
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2012
I recently posted a complaint similar to others about the poor customer service I got when my Littermaid litter box broke and I read several complaints that were the same. I recently got on the United Pet Group website and sent my complaint to them. My email was forwarded and the problem was solved in less than a week.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2012
I had a Littermaid a few years ago that I loved, although it stopped working after a year. I finally decided to shell out the money to purchase a new one last year as my elderly cat started becoming prone to urinary tract infections and having a consistently clean box would help prevent this. A month after purchasing it, this one stopped working too! I called the company and they had me run through a few tests to try to fix it. Upon hearing the motor on the box try to work, the rep realized this was a major problem and said they would send me a replacement. However, I had to cut several wires and mail them in, so that they knew the box I had could no longer be repaired.
After a few weeks of waiting, I called back. They explained that the box was on backorder, so it could take up to another few weeks to receive it. Another month passes and I call again, only to be given the same answer. This time, I was assured it would be 6-8 weeks. So, I call again after another two months only to still be told the same thing! I asked if there was any way I would just get a coupon/voucher so that I could go pick one up in the store, as my local PetSmart had it in stock - but was told this was not possible.
I decided to give one more shot at waiting. Again, after hearing nothing for another two months, I called, once again to be told they had the same problem. This time, I asked if there was another model they could send me, as I had spent a lot of money on the machine only to have it work for a month and now to be several months waiting for a replacement. They said no because all the models were on backorder. They also said they had no idea when they would be back in stock and never did. And although they say "6-8 weeks," they really don't know if this will actually be the case. The best they could do was send me a refund if I didn't want to wait any longer. I agreed. They said it would be sent by the end of the week.
I now went through the same problem trying to get the refund. After a month, I called and they said whoever took the call forgot to process the refund! They assured me it would be sent again the next day, and that I would be emailed when it was. I never received an email so I called two weeks later only to be told that it was not put through once again! I called every week or two for the next few months, asking to speak with supervisors, only to be told that it was "in process" and should be sent "by the end of the week" every time. Finally, after having to get really angry and demanding why I was being continually lied to did I finally receive my refund. The whole process took 10 months! This was completely ridiculous and unheard of.
While I actually like the product, this ordeal and disrespect I received from their company will prevent me from ever buying a Littermaid again! I have since purchased the SmartScoop which I like better. Also, I did have an issue with the SmartScoop but they sent me a replacement part for my unit in three days of speaking with the very friendly customer service woman! Pick SmartScoop over Littermaid if you are buying an automatic litter box!
Updated review: Aug. 31, 2012
I recently got on the United pet group web site I sent an email about my experience with the litter maid customer service. The email was forwarded and I got a response with in an hour and in just a few days my problem was resolved.
Original Review: Aug. 18, 2012
We bought our Littermaid in November; it broke in January. I was told a replacement would be sent in a month. After a month, I called back and it was on back-order. I called back months later and they changed manufacturers for more weeks. I called back again and I was promised and assured it would be here the second week of August or I could get a refund. At this point, the second week of August was 3 weeks away and a refund would be 6 to 8 weeks. All this time they had my money and I had a broken litter box.
I called yesterday (the third week of August) and again they were on backorder. Every time I had to initiate the call, no one updated me and they only thing I got was, “I understand.” But now a supervisor says I will have a refund by the end of next week. After all the month of promises and assurances, do I think that will happen? No. The first Littermaid I had years ago was awesome. This one was terrible and they provided the worst customer service I have ever had. Plus, when you call, you have to wait 2 minutes or more to talk to someone.
Reviewed Aug. 15, 2012
I have liked using the Littermaid when the first ones came out. The first one I bought lasted over 6 years and used by 3 cats. The second was identical to the first one and I liked it very much. Thereafter, the new one, Littermaid Elite Mega, does not work very well. It does not scoop up the litter because the rake rises and leaves it in the box. I end up scooping it up as if it were an ordinary box. I think I wasted over $150.00 for something that I am doing myself with a pooper scooper. Nothing compares to the very first ones sold. I would rather have one of those again if I knew where to get them.
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2012
I had a cat box under warranty. It broke. I sent all the required pieces of the box to the product warranty company, I have a case number. I overnighted the wires, parts and pieces as directed. It has been two months. I call every week and they do not have the product. Do not buy from LitterMaid.
Reviewed July 28, 2012
I also had the older model for about 6 years. I loved it, never had any problems. It was quiet. It was effective. Never did I walk by and there be any sign of urine. At one point (sounds gross), it was next to my kitchen table (I never used that room). I had a dinner party and forgot to move the box. Well, it went off during dinner and someone said, "I'm sitting right next to a cat toilet and I would have never known." With that said, it broke. I was so upset. I tried fixing it several times and nothing. I assumed it was old and had its day, so I upgraded to the new model. What a huge mistake. I didn't really have the money at the time but the first one had been the best investment I've ever made so I pulled the money together and got it. Less than a week later, I could hear it running but every time I walked by, it was full. So I sat and watched.
The cat would go and the motor would run but the rake would not move. I tried the reset. I took it apart and cleaned it and nothing. I tried the button thing. I could hear the motor switch direction but the rake did not move so that was not the problem. I have called customer service since it happened (I'm sure not a record) 67 times and nothing. If anyone has any advice on fixing it, I would love to hear it. Otherwise, if someone does get a civil suit together, I'm all in. In this day and age, to charge as much as Littermaid is charging for a product they know doesn't work, these companies need to be taught a lesson. I'm tired of spending money on ** that doesn't work.
Reviewed July 22, 2012
I have purchased a number of these through the years ranging in prices from $90 and up. The most recent one I purchased did not last two weeks and it has already malfunctioned. There is a lack of customer service at the Littermaid company.
Reviewed July 19, 2012
I am getting the same runaround as everyone too! I sent mine in December of 2011, it is almost August! I am making a Facebook page dedicated to the problems I am having with this company and my boxes/refund. I think I have a better chance of getting a unicorn in the mail. Hopefully, we can file some kind of lawsuit against them eventually. I mean, there are enough of us! Any lawyers interested in this?
Reviewed July 9, 2012
LitterMaid Classic series litter pan - The first classic series litter box I bought lasted less than one day. The rake stopped moving. I took it back to Walmart and exchanged it for another one. I thought maybe it was just defective. The replacement lasted a couple of months and the same thing happened. I called the customer care line and followed the advice on the automated troubleshooting system to reset the rake back into the starting position. Nothing worked. I couldn't even speak to anyone about it. Every time I called, a recording informed me that my call couldn't be taken at this time and to please call back another time. This is the first motorize LitterMaid box I have purchased and it will be the last LitterMaid product that I'll ever purchase.
I am extremely disappointed with the product. If this product is bad, how can I ever trust any other LitterMaid product? I am now a dissatisfied former customer. I'll be sure to tell everybody about my experience with this company's product!
Reviewed June 28, 2012
LitterMaid (really Fox International) is finally shipping replacement products. This is after they have been backordered for six months. If you don't get a replacement product in a timely manner, demand a refund. They would be in breach of contract if a replacement is not shipped timely.
Reviewed June 15, 2012
Allow me to start off by saying how totally insensitive your phone representatives are in trying to help your customers. I’ve been waiting for what seems like forever to have my Litter Maid Cat Litter Box replaced. It is completely unsatisfactory that a customer should have to wait this long. And to top it off, the date keeps getting pushed back further and further and your representatives could care less. Your company didn’t wait to take my money when I bought your product, so why should I have to wait this long to replace your broken product? This is wrong and you should consider how long I’ve had to wait and do without my product. So what is Litter Maid going to do about it?
Reviewed June 5, 2012
I had the same thing happen to me as Donna. I went through 2 Littermaid units and returned them to the store as they failed within 30 days. The last one I thought was going to last so I threw away the box. I mailed in the parts to LM as requested in 12/11. A few months later, I called and was told March. When I called back again, I was told June. Six months to replace a defective unit? Obviously, there is no good reason for this. Obviously, they are in breach of their warranty contract. They really don't even care. I've also not seen new units in stores. My guess is that this division is going out of business, probably due to a terrible product. The unit is a piece of junk and the company is worse.
Reviewed June 2, 2012
I have been a Littermaid believer for over 10 years. I have told all my friends how happy I am with the product. I am very disappointed in the newer models of Littermaid. They don't really clean, and the rake gets stuck. I have to clean it by hand regularly. The older model was quiet, efficient and I loved it. I won't buy another one. Although I will miss the idea of what they used to be, if I'm cleaning the box by hand anyway, why?
Reviewed May 25, 2012
I received for Christmas December 2011 three brand new LM680 Littermaid boxes. After installing them a couple of days later, we noticed one of them didn't sound right when the motor ran. Within a week, it stopped working altogether. I called Littermaid Customer Service, and after several frustrating minutes, they determined the unit was bad and said if I sent them the black battery holder, the end of the power cord and the sticker from the inside of the unit, I would get a full replacement.
I mailed that to them on January 18, 2012, with my claim #. By mid-February, I still had heard nothing so I called back to Littermaid Customer Service and was told the unit was on back-order and I was "guaranteed" to have the unit by the end of February 2012. When by March 13th I still had heard nothing, I called again and was told that they still were on back-order, and I would be "guaranteed" to receive on by the end of March. On April 17th, I called again, and was told it would be June before I would see a new unit, but this time it was "guaranteed" to arrive. Yeah, right! At that time, I was so frustrated that the customer service rep agreed that if I fax in my receipt, that they would just refund me instead of sending me the unit.
By this time, the 2nd box had stopped working. And the rake was stopped dead center in the middle, so the cats can't even get in the box now. I faxed them a copy of my receipt on April 18th, 2012, and waited again. By May 21st, I called back to customer service and was told that my fax was received and the refund was authorized on May 17th, one month after they received my fax(!) and it would take 4 to 6 weeks to receive the refund! Two days later, I called back to Littermaid and a very snooty customer service rep refused letting me speak to a manager and told me I would be getting my replacement unit by the end of June. I explained that two days prior, I was told I was getting a refund. She said she had nothing in her notes about that, but I was "guaranteed" to receive the new unit by June 30th.
At this point, I told her that since the 2nd unit is now broken, was I going to have 6 full months before they refund or replace that one. She said if I fax them a copy of the receipt, that I will be "guaranteed" to get a refund for the 2nd one within 6 weeks. They already have a copy of the receipt! I faxed it to them on April the 17th. The Claim # for the 2nd one is # **. I doubt I will ever see a new unit or any refund back from Littermaid. This is a scam! They have been, "6 more weeks" for the last 6 months. I never get to speak to a manager. I have owned Littermaid boxes in the past, but sure, a few have stopped working within the 1st year. But, never have I had such bad customer service! Do not buy a Littermaid! They aren't worth the $129.99 you pay for, even the basic model!
Reviewed May 25, 2012
Back in March of this year, my wife and I were shopping at a Walmart store in Las Vegas and my wife wanted a LitterMaid for our cat. It worked for about a week and then it just jammed. I then took it back to the Walmart store and got a replacement. That worked well for about two weeks and then that stopped working also. I went back to Walmart, but this time they would not give me back my money. I then called LitterMaid’s customer care. They told me to send them a piece of the power cord and the battery compartment. This was done on April 4. As of yet, I have not received a replacement LitterMaid or my money back. Every time I call them I get a new line of **. I hope you can do something to help me. I am at my wit’s end. I paid $64.00 for that piece of junk. My wife and I are on Social Security and $64.00 is a lot of money to us. Please help.
Reviewed May 16, 2012
LME9000 - I should have known when I pulled this cheap plastic thing out of the box that it would not make us happy. I have had LitterMaid products for more than 10 years. The 980 was the best for my multi-cat family. I have owned a few of them because at one time, we were 6 cats. The 980 worked the best and was the quietest and still sturdy. This last box really stinks. I would trade the bells and whistles for another 980. I don't need it to have a sleep timer so that it won't be able to move if 2 cats use it at the same time within an hour. It broke up the "premium" clumping litter clumps. For the most part now, the box is never actually clean. It is cheaply built and I like nothing about it. I went to the website to see if I could get another 980 and they are out of stock. LitterMaid, I am very disappointed and angry.
Reviewed May 9, 2012
I have purchased LitterMaid products for several years and I bought 2 of the LME9000MW and have tried for quite some time to get help with the LitterMaid litter box. The pet store where I purchased the litter box would not exchange it anymore after the first time they exchanged it. The pet store told me to contact LitterMaid and let them know about my problems with the LitterMaid litter box. I did contact them on several different occasions for help. My machine has completely stopped working now, so I am back to hand scooping litter by hand and a useless few hundred dollars litter machine that should have been very useful to me, like the other LitterMaid litter machines I have purchased in the past.
I am disabled and in a wheelchair, it is very hard on me to have to go back to hand scooping, which is not right. The litter box should be working and/or they (LitterMaid) should have replaced the litter box. I would love for it to work because the other ones I had purchased over the years worked 100 times better than this one and they were a lot less expensive. LitterMaid has not helped me at all and also has no records of my complaints. Luckily, I kept my own records and now they can't even find where I registered my product. LitterMaid, do the right thing and help me! I cannot afford to replace the litter box with a new one because I am disabled and I am on a fixed income.
Reviewed May 7, 2012
I bought a Littermaid 680, which is a basic box, after reading the complaints about other models with bells and whistles. This thing never worked properly (rakes not going down deep enough to scoop the junk plus rake falling numerous times) and after 3 months of usage, it stopped working completely. It is a piece of junk.
Looking at the number of complaints, it seems like Littermaid litter boxes should be taken off the market. I registered this thing on ProdProtect/Applica site, so I filled out a form to get the situation resolved as this product is supposedly under 1 year warranty. The form will not get submitted and I am asked to call an 800 number which is not answered. I have spent half a day trying to figure out how to resolve this situation to no avail. Littermaid's 800 number doesn't answer either. I feel ripped off and am angry.
Reviewed April 22, 2012
Horrible box! I have been a LitterMaid customer for years. I had purchased two boxes before. I kept the last one until it died. Then I purchased the Elite box during Fall 2011. The tines on the rake do not reach the bottom of the box. I have to scoop the box daily. I even sprayed the bottom with Pam to keep the urine from sticking. I am using more litter than I have ever used with my previous LitterMaid boxes. After reading that people were having the same problems, I went and purchased the classic version. The Elite model is not worth it.
Reviewed April 15, 2012
I purchased this LitterMaid elite box after my old one "LitterMaid ultra" died. I had a fantastic experience with the ultra and thought the elite would give me the same great product. I had it for a month when I noticed the unit was not working properly. When I emailed my concerns to their customer service department, I was asked to make sure the box was assembled properly. Once I confirmed my box was assembled properly, I was told there was nothing they could do to help me.
It was disappointing to spend $100 on this unit. I still battle the self scooping combs to remove all the waste and find myself scooping litter waste on a daily basis. This is a poor, poor product. The LitterMaid ultra worked far better. However, at this point, I am not willing to shell out more money to a company that does not take care of terrible products.
Reviewed April 7, 2012
Strip out gears - This is the second Littermaid we have owned the first was great. Years of service, the new replacement is a piece of junk. The forks don't reach the bottom of the box and keeps falling off. We always watched how much litter we put because a little over the level line, watch out. More trouble cycle back and forth.
Reviewed April 2, 2012
I bought the LitterMaid Elite from PetSmart back in Dec. of 2011. I thought I'd be one of the lucky ones for whom this box works - not. After one month of iffy performance, the thing completely died. I called customer service - after waiting an hour on hold - they made me prove the thing was dead. I tried everything the agent suggested, nothing happened, still dead, so I sent in the list of things they wanted so they could send me a replacement box.
They received my package on Feb. 2, 2012, and as of the first week in April, they're still saying it's going to be months before they can send me a new one. To top it off, the customer service agent was rude and bossy, like this was my fault, and I was silly for thinking that a company should stand behind its product. If I can go to PetSmart and purchase a new one, why can't they go ahead and send me a replacement? They're being shipped from the same supplier - if you have them to sell, you have them to be able to send out to your customers waiting on replacements for broken boxes. They just want to keep snagging suckers, then walking away from their responsibility as a company to fulfill their warranty.
Reviewed March 31, 2012
The tines do not reach far enough into the litter to scoop the poop. I have to hand scoop daily. I had one of these before and it worked fine for a long time, but this new one is a bust. Checking the LitterMaid website, they show out of stock on their automatic litter trays and the online complaints I read are saying the same thing, so maybe they are doing something about it? They need to. They aren't worth it with the tines not doing their job! The unit works fine otherwise.
Reviewed March 21, 2012
The rake does not work forward. My box has never been used electrically since I got it. For the money, it is a huge waste. I had a Littermaid before and got help over the internet; I have it repaired twice and then the motor dies. I paid $191.00 for this on March 1, 2012. I need a whole new top that works. The whole Littermaid Elite is very poorly made. The waste container doesn't work the connections for the ramp and the cover of waste container is flimsy. I would never advise any one to buy this product again. Please respect this complaint and reimburse me the money or send me new workings. I cannot get anyone on the phone or internet to answer a call. Very poor service.
Reviewed March 11, 2012
This is the third Littermaid box we've had. The first two were great. The third one was a complete waste of money. It jammed up several times, then stopped completely. We kept it clean and couldn't find any reason for it to not work. It lasted less than a month. We only have two cats, so it's not like it was used hard. Needless to say, it's the last one we'll get.
Reviewed Jan. 25, 2012
My LitterMaid does not clean the litter. I have to clean it every morning. The rake goes back and forth like it is suppose to but does not do the job it is supposed to do. The rake does not go to the bottom of the pan to reach all of the dirty litter. I can understand it not picking up small particles, but my God, it’s supposed to pick up large clumps. Will someone explain this to me without beating around the bush? I have only one cat, but I just wish this LitterMaid would work like it is advertised. Thanks.
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2012
I am giving one star only because my old, old LitterMaid that I found years ago when a neighbor moved worked for years and I have no idea how old it was when I found it. That is the end of any praise I have for LitterMaid.
A few years ago I bought a large LitterMaid to set up while I went on vacation. By the time my 3 day vacation was over, I returned to find it had already quit working. I took it back to PetsMart and got a full refund.
I purchased a regular sized LitterMaid from Wal-Mart for $89.00. It worked for a few weeks and then started making a clacking noise and the "scooper" would not move back and forth. Unfortunately, I still have it sitting idle in the garage.
You would think I would know better but I went to PetsMart and bought the new Elite Mega with the ramp and the "new, more powerful motor". At checkout, I told the cashier that I was not sure if I should purchase it because I already had a different model at home that only worked a short time and I had returned another large one to PetsMart. She wished me luck and told me that the LitterMaids came back faster than they went out. I paid $169 (on sale) and took it home. I only used it for a short time and put it away. When my oldest one finally died I put the "new" one back into commission. It has hardly been used. At first it worked fine but after one month it will not operate. The fact that my old one worked for so many years and the newer ones have not lasted at all says to me that the company has cheapened the product.
I would not recommend buying one. Be afraid, very afraid of this product and it you do buy one, be sure to keep you receipts and the box. You will need them.
Reviewed Dec. 26, 2011
A few years back I purchased a Littermaid, it worked great for about a year and then it broke. I went to WM and purchased a new one, it lasted about 6 months. We have a cat that pees a lot, so about a week ago, I figured I would give it a whirl again. The Litterbox keeps getting hung up, so I scoop the pee and then it works. Well, today I cleaned the bottom tray, put it back together and made sure it worked. The cat went to pee, now it's hung up in front of the dump station. The light keeps flashing, I keep resetting it, but nothing. I called CS, but due to the holidays there is nobody at the call center. I'm gonna try back tomorrow and if there's still nobody, then I'm cleaning it up, taking it back to WM and get my $90 back.
Reviewed Dec. 23, 2011
I don't know why you didn't stay with the Littermaid you had for about 10 year. The plow that picks up the waste was a lot better. I don't know why you changed it. I don't use it anymore.
Reviewed Nov. 10, 2011
I bought the LitterMaid multicat litter box. A few months later, it stopped working. I called the company and a man told me that he may be able to fix it by phone but that didn't work, so he said to send the upc symbol, battery compartment and end of power cord and they would replace the unit. This has been a couple of months and I have not received another litter box. I will no longer buy another LitterMaid self-cleaning litter box again and I will let everyone know to buy something else. I am out $120 for a litter box that lasted two months.
I am very disappointed but I did purchase three litter boxes from Omega Paw for less than the one I paid for one LitterMaid multicat litter box. Buy an Omega Paw. All you do is roll the box back and forth and the debris goes into a scoop disposer that you toss.
Reviewed Nov. 2, 2011
I had purchased the model before they came out with the Mega Elite (for multiple cats). It was easy to take care of and it eventually died. I then bought the Mega Elite model (their latest model) more times than I can remember. Probably 4 or 5 times (I am ashamed to admit). However, I must say, it was because their customer service was so good and they kept thorough records of my complaints with each one (dates, etc.) that I got lured into it. They would warrant each purchase for a year (not a one lasted that long ) so I'd call them, they'd have me send them a $10 check, along with a piece of the circuit board from the battery compartment area, and in less than a week I'd have the new box. (By the way, the circuit board piece and the check required no extra postage at all.)
This happened repeatedly until I finally said enough is enough. It's been over a year that I've been without one and I'm about to try again because I found a chute/cabinet "thing" (online) that the box sits on and the chute, replaces the plastic receptacles and there's no spilled litter underneath as a result. It's $149 and I haven't read one bad review about it. Nothing but really good reviews as a matter-of-fact! I'm sure I'll regret it but if I don't check it out, I'll regret that also. What can I say?
Reviewed Oct. 28, 2011
This Littermaid Catbox is the worst piece of *** I ever had. I had previous models but this one is the worst. The rake never gathers the litter so you end up with a dirty catbox. So what's the point of having a self-cleaning litter box int the first place? For some reason when it does run, it flicks the top of the receptacle area so then the whole house smells of dirty cat litter. The rake comes off all the time. They have the wost customer service. When I have needed to replace one that broke 24 hours after I set it up, I was told to cut off the rake and send it back to them and they would send me a new one in 4-6 weeks. Thank God Amazon would take it right back without the 4-6 week delay.
Reviewed Oct. 19, 2011
This Littermaid Elite is a terrible product; it doesn't work as promised and it's more work than a pan of litter. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone! The rake just slices up the litter and the clumps from the urine aren't taken out. What a rip-off!
Reviewed Oct. 11, 2011
I also owned older version of self cleaning litter box. It worked great but the motor stopped. Now the newer version is awful. There is no scooping action at all. It pushes litter out to the edges. It is much louder than the older one. I hate it. I regret buying this one. How can I return a used litter box? It's very disappointing!
Reviewed Oct. 9, 2011
I have had the previous model for about 14 years. I never had a problem until the motor finally died. Being thrilled with the first self-cleaning box by Littermaid, I immediately went out to get a new one.
It is the worst thing on the face of the earth! It does not clean out the droppings, but slices them into little pieces. The urine sticks to the bottom and you have to scrap it off. The entire box is messier than a plain litter box and a lot more work to clean up. I will never buy Littermaid again! In the meantime, I will have to redesign this box until I find a better company to give my money to.
Reviewed Oct. 4, 2011
I purchased a LitterMaid Elite. I previously had a LitterMaid Pro that I dearly loved, and the Elite model was a huge disappointment as there was constant odor and spillage of the litter under the tray, which did not fit well. I have recently replaced it with a manual scooping litter box.
Reviewed Sept. 19, 2011
I agree with all the complaints I have read about the LitterMaid Elite Series for multi-cat households. I, too, had the older version--LitterMaid Pro--and it worked fine, was sturdy, and not too messy. The Elite Series is a piece of junk! It is very flimsy, doesn't stay together so you can't pick it up easily, doesn't clean out urine clumps, leaks litter from where the top and the bottom meet, and where the litter tray meets the box. I am so sorry that I bought this "newer, better" version. I am glad that I kept the old one.
Reviewed Sept. 18, 2011
I owned an original LitterMaid for almost 13 years. Actually, I owned two over that period. They worked well. When my current one died of old age, I purchased the Elite, which was all that I could find. It is a piece of junk. Sand is poured under the box. The pieces keep falling off. Urine sticks to the sides instead of being pushed into the bin. I am junking it and kissing $120 good bye. I don't know what I will replace it with. But I am terribly disappointed with a company that could cheapen their product this much.
Reviewed Sept. 16, 2011
Automatic litter box stopped working 30 days after purchase. Eight runaround emails later and no return phone calls (which were promised in emails), I still have a broken litter box that I paid $175 for. I basically had to break apart the unit to find the things they want returned (at my additional cost). Some of them do not exist in the unit. Now on the 8th email, they were basically giving me the runaround verbatim from the first email.
Reviewed Aug. 28, 2011
I have had a couple of LitterMaids for years, so I decided to buy the eliteMLE5500 when my other one died. I hate it; hate it every day it is being used. I still have to scrape out waste because the rack does not get it all, and the urine sticks to the pan. It is useless for the money we pay for them! I am going back to the older style, at least they work right. I am so fed up with the elite model that I am ready to throw it out the door, and I only have 1 cat.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2011
It's the same sad story. I owned the LitterMaid box for one year. The string got caught in the tines. Since it was under warranty, they replaced it. I always had to clean the box with a scooper because the tines never seemed to clean it up. Finally, it stopped working. I called to complain and they offered me another one for $99. I'm back to a simple litter tray and I'm scooping. It is way easier and a lot less messy! What's up with this company?
Reviewed July 2, 2011
The new litter replace cardboard - one soak right through. Now I needed to clean my rug. I am still happy with the LitterMaid but not with the cardboard replacement. You need to do a better study of this replacement. I would like somebody to call me or replace my money for the pans and carpet cleaning. Thank you.
Reviewed May 16, 2011
I have purchased the Littermaid Elite self-cleaning litter box, not once but four times over the past 10 years. These things are a piece of junk. My first auto litter box was by Sharper Image and it lasted a very long time. When it finally gave out, I have been on a serious love-hate relationship with these litter boxes. They stink. I am back to the old fashion box with litter—hand scooping it and laughing at myself that I actually have spent over $400 on four separate boxes that eventually gave out.
They are a mess! Not only do they eventually give out, but the rakes collect excrement and it is just gross. I just cannot believe that people like me continue to spend money on this **. $400 in 10 years is just too much to spend for restroom accommodations for a cat. I think that people should just be informed that the cost of these boxes and the longevity of them are not worth it.
Reviewed May 9, 2011
I've had 1 littermaid, it worked great. My wife bought a LME 5000 before the old one stop working. I didn't want to use the LME 5000 till the old one quit working. So it set in the boxes for months. I got tired of the new one in the way. So I started using it. I've tried 3 different cat liter & the LME 5000 is junk. I have to remove the litter more than it does. If it does work, it drags out way to much litter. I've given up on the LME 5000 & went back to the old one. There has to be someway to exchange this LME 5000.
Reviewed May 6, 2011
Had original LitterMaid for 10 years. Finally wore itself out. Bought new & improved model. Not true. Owned this model for 15 months. Motor was always weak and seemed to lag. Cleaning out litter box after being away on vacation. Upon noticing the unit had no power and noticed plug unit looked like it had been broken apart. Looking at it closer, it exploded. No breaker was triggered. We are lucky there was no fire as the adaptor and wires were completely blackened on the inside and melted.
Reviewed April 14, 2011
The Littermaid rakes stop at the receptacle end of the box. I have replaced two of them. I believe the company is not being responsible with their product. The litter box cost $185. A considerable amount of money. I am quite frustrated as it appears many other are as well with this company.
Reviewed April 1, 2011
I bought my original Littermaid automatic litter box about 9 years ago. I replaced the first one after about 4 years with the same model. In Dec.2010, the replacement unit gave out and I was unable to find a basic Littermaid box at the pet store. So I bought an Elite model with the clock on it and some other fancy options I don't use.
The quality for the Elite model is cheap compared to the original. It was more difficult to figure out how to put it together. It is much flimsier. The metal rake pushes the waste only to the edge of the waste receptacle instead of up and over the waste receptacle like the original model did. The waste receptacle is supposed to fit with "no gaps" but the replacement receptacles are so flimsy that within a couple cycles of cleaning, it gaps in the middle and I get a pile of litter and small pieces of waste falling down between the body and the receptacle onto my floor. It's a big pain to clean it up. This unit retailed for about $130 but with a coupon and sale I got it for just under $100. It is the worst $100 I've spent. The only nice thing about it is the rake is easier to get to & take off to clean than the original model but that one thing doesn't make it worth the extra money the fancy model costs. I won't ever buy another one!
Reviewed March 5, 2011
I bought the LitterMaid self cleaning mega litter box to replace my old one and it is the worse thing I've ever bought. It is very cheaply made, comes apart easily and does not clean box. The rack spicks are too thin and does not scoop up litter. I've tried different litter but nothing works. I wanted to return it but didn't have the box. My old LitterMaid box lasted 5 years and cleaned well. It was made a lot better and had locks on the sides. The gear on the rack wore out and couldn't replace it. This was a good automatic litter box. I even tried to put a screen on the rack but it didn't work. They need to fix this problem. I am not happy with this product. I will call the service department Monday.
Reviewed Jan. 24, 2011
After using LitterMaid automatic litter machines (four of them), I decided to get a new one. I bought a LitterMaid (Model: LME5000) Elite self-cleaning litter box. This is the worse LitterMaid that I have ever used. The new and improved is the new and improved piece of junk. I bought it at Target and am still within the 90 days so I am going to clean it up and see if I can return it. I am out $100.00 because of this purchase.
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2010
Well, I received my Litter Maid (new) with purchase of my new house! I thought this is great --not! This Litter Maid works like **! It worked for one stinking day. Now, it wont rake and beeps constantly. I had the original and it was a good unit, but this XL sucks big time! I'm physically disabled and can't clean the cat box alone! Help!
Reviewed Dec. 5, 2010
I have purchased three of their automatic litter boxes. The first one worked great but the motor burned out almost immediately after the warranty period. The second one also quit working again just after the warranty expired. The last one is the "Elite" model which is a different design. It is lightweight plastic whose sections do not fit tightly. Litter spills under the tray during scooping. The disposal tray top does not stay in place and allows odors to escape. This box is of poor design and is more trouble than manually scooping. I am so frustrated in the poor design that I am throwing this product out and will purchase a competitor brand.
Reviewed Nov. 24, 2010
I bought a self cleaning cat box at a local store, and have regretted it since the second day! It is supposed to clean itself by raking the soiled litter into a covered container after the cat exits. Well, it does rake the litter, but not just into the container. There is kitty litter all over the floor, and it doesn't just rake the soiled litter, but the good litter into the container as well. I am using the litter made by Littermaid, so unless they make faulty litter too, they can't complain about my comments. They charge $12.00 for a small bag of litter, to put into a messier kitty box than I had, scooping by hand. I would not recommend this product to anyone. It is a terrible product. It is in no way more convenient. It is in fact more work, and a bigger mess than scooping yourself.
Reviewed Nov. 19, 2010
I purchased my Original Littermaid Self-scooping cat box about 6 years ago. It lasted for 5+ years. When it broke in June 2010, I went to Wal-mart and purchased the current model. It broke in Oct 2010. As I was tired of replacing this unit at a cost of $90.00 each, I called customer service. After a 7-minute wait time, I spoke to a gentleman who led me through the various fixes but nothing worked.
At the end of our conversation, he offered to replace the unit. All I had to do was peel a label, cut the battery holder off, cut 3" of the power cord off, write a $10.00 check, find my receipt and mail all of these items at my expense to some place called ACP in Ohio. Then it will be 2-4 weeks before I would receive a new unit. Meanwhile, I have no working box which means I have to scoop litter daily.
Reviewed Nov. 3, 2010
The roller on the rake assembly for the Littermaid Elite automatic cat litter box broke and caused the rake to continue the raking cycle until I discovered this and turned the unit off. I have read many reports on this website stating that this manufacturer does not have replacement parts. I emailed the manufacturer's customer service and was given the website (http://www.foxpartstore.com). This website has replacement parts for multiple models and for other household items. The cost was small and shipping is free.
Reviewed Oct. 25, 2010
Wish I had stumbled upon these complaints 3 months ago before I wasted nearly $200.00 on the Elite! Never have been very impressed with the model considering the cost. I also have had issues with the rake getting stuck and then this morning, one of the plastic pegs broke off the rake frame after the device tried to run and run and run. I thought it should've lasted longer than 3 months - but oh well, guess I'll simply order a replacement rake - guess not.
Reviewed Oct. 19, 2010
Purchase the LitterMaid elite self cleaning pan from Target on 9/22/10. Does not work as stated. Does not rake the dirty litter to the box, does not rake all of the clunks to the waste receptacle. This product is defective from the beginning, should be taken off the market for false advertising. Advise anyone not to purchase this product. Paid $107 which was a waste.
Reviewed Oct. 1, 2010
I needed a replacement part for the LitterMaid Elite Mega Model LME 9250. I was told LitterMaid does not provide the replacement part. I have to purchase a whole new LitterMaid which I will never do again.
Reviewed Oct. 1, 2010
I too am having problems with the rake not going through the cycle without some help from me. But also one of the plastic rollers has broken so it won't go back into the "sitting" position by itself. I'm looking for a replacement rake.
Reviewed Sept. 19, 2010
My name is Donna. I live in Long Beach, CA. I'm so glad I saw this website while trying to get a replacement part for the Littermaid elite cat box. Ditto plus more. I had one of the first Littermaid boxes when they first came out. Like everyone said it was really great. Had no problems with it at all. During our remodeling, the AC adapter got lost. I tried to contact the company for a replacement but wasn't successful. So I had to buy another.
I have 2 cats so I went for the larger one. Or so I thought it was. Sorry to say it was smaller than the old style for 1 cat. Box configuration is really bad. Litter falls out, rake gets stuck and keeps on going and going and going. My big problem is the little wheels that roll the rake back into it's holding position. Now, the entire rake assembly is out of whack by about 1 plus inches. So we're trying to make a new wheel to help it last a bit longer.
Next one I get, will not be a Littermaid product. I'm right on board if people want to file a class action against the company. I could use the money to buy another one, a better one. You would think if you have a good product, stick with the old model. Guess it's all about dollars and cents. No doubt they probably make this product in some foreign country, that doesn't even like cats. Here's a good motto: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! My gosh, I spent almost $200.00 for the **** thing.
Reviewed Sept. 16, 2010
Just like everyone else, I had issues with the Littermaid Elite. The metal rake had issues cleaning up the waste, and constantly got stuck. It finally died after the rake got stuck in the middle of cleaning. We were out of town, so who knows how long it kept running. I am now using it like a normal litter box, and just ran to Petco to purchase a plain old litter box.
I would like to say I've owned 3 or 4 Littermaids over 14 years, and this is the only one I had issues with. The plastic rake on the older models was much better than the metal rake on the Elite. Plus, I didn't like that the rake did not stop running after it hit an obstacle. Luckily it didn't heat up and burn anything!
My suggestion is don't purchase the Elite model.
Reviewed Sept. 16, 2010
I bought an automated litter box from Littermaid. I bought the top of the line item which is $189.99. It broke after a couple months, so they sent me a new one. That one broke and they sent me a smaller cheaper one that retails for about $109.99. I told them and they sent me the same cheaper one. I bought the larger one because I have multiple cats and the larger one is for large multiple cats. The smaller one is for 1 small cat. I have called 3 times to get this corrected. They are sending an inferior product that makes a mess. I spent good money on the correct one and now they are not honoring their warranty.
Reviewed Aug. 30, 2010
I have had a LitterMaid litter box for 10 years and had no problems with it. It finally crapped out, so I bought a new LitterMaid Elite. What a disappointment! More litter ends up underneath the liter box than in the holding tank. The whole thing is poorly designed. The only thing good with the new design is the ability to take the rake off. They need to go back to the old design. I will never buy another one of these again.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2010
DITTO! I am as Furious as my cats are. I have a LitterMaid plus and thought getting an "Elite" when I got a second cat would keep them (and me) both happier. The "Elite" is a piece of garbage. I've turned it off and line it with a box liner. What a waste of $169. No response from complaint department. What a bunch of losers. Time, expense, yeah, physical. I got it because I love the cats and rescued the two of them from shelters, but I can't climb the stairs everyday or lift--one arm!
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2010
I bought a litter maid and had it six years. I think it just wore out. I bought another litter maid, the "new improved" Elite LME 9000 in April and it didn't work a week. The plastic lid with the two tabs that stick up through the plastic holes will not catch and stay and the plastic catch tray would not fit. The rake would push the waste up to the tray and push it on the floor or on the lid which kept falling out of the two holes that didn't fit to start with. That's the worst product ever and should be recalled.
Reviewed Aug. 16, 2010
We purchased a LitterMaid automatic cat litter box 8 years ago. It worked great for years. So, we decided it was time to purchase a new one due to it seemed to be running out of pushing power. We purchased the new LitterMaid box in April 2010 at Wal-Mart in Aberdeen, WA. This new LitterMaid electric box is just horrible. It won't work any way near the old model. We are going to put it in the garage and just use a regular litter box instead. We hope to be compensated for the price we paid and are willing to exchange the box for the compensation. Thank you very much.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2010
This is the 3rd LM680 I have acquired. The first lasted almost a year, during which time the rake would stop just short of returning to its home position and refuse to move until I left it unplugged for a few days at a time to reset it. This happened numerous times. Each time I was about to return it to the store when it would start working again. The day before leaving on vacation it had stopped again, so I bought a new one to help the sitter. She reported on my return that it had stopped working the first week. Wal-Mart refunded it and I got another. This last one lasted for one week. Today I got on the Littermaid Customer Service website to seek help. The form required a "Date code" before it would submit. The site told me first to look in the battery compartment for the code. There was none. Then, when I tried submitting again, it said the code would be printed on the "metal blade" of the power supply. Wrong! Since I can't even tell them, I'm telling you.
Reviewed July 28, 2010
I, like everyone else, had the old LitterMaid for about 12 years. It finally died and I bought the new and improved, elite one. It is the worst! It, like everyone says, does not pick up anything. I clean it all the time, use the correct kitty litter and hate this thing. I was just writing to the company when I found this website. The part I loved, the rake, that comes out doesn't work. It should be sitting lower and the blades need to be stronger. I also get a ton of litter underneath the pan. Weird. The old one was so much better.
Reviewed July 26, 2010
I have talked to numerous people at this outfit. Do not pay over $100 for the Littermaid elite. Mine ran for 23 hours before I turned it off.
Reviewed July 21, 2010
I recently bought a Littermaid Elite. I had a regular Littermaid I had for about six years that had stopped working properly. Since that one worked a long time, I thought I would get another Littermaid but for more cats, since I now have three cats. I liked the idea that you could take the bottom half off and clean it easier. It cost me about 128 dollars and I have barely had it for two months and it quit. All it does is both lights blink but before that, it had a difficult time just even scooping out the litter. I went in to see and it would only that the cat had pushed more litter to one side after they went. One cat hates this one for some reason. When it scoops, the litter ends up going through the cracks where it is put together and I have a pile of litter under the catcher that I have to clean up every time.
Now, no matter what I do, all it does is blink both lights. I should have ordered the kit to try and fix my old one because the motor still worked; only thing wrong was that the cord wouldn't go back and it would tangle up. Both myself and my partner have difficulty bending over the litter box for scooping and it was a great idea if we went away for the weekend. We didn't have to pay for someone to come scoop out the litter box now. So it would have helped financially.
This is worst made litter box I have ever bought. I lost $128 during this recession that I can't get back. Money is tight since they have cut my hours at work.
Reviewed July 4, 2010
My LE9000 works fine for two cats. Oh, you have to change the collection bag once a week and also clean it once a month but it does not look nor smell like a litter box.
Reviewed July 4, 2010
I have purchased three litter maid self scooping cat boxes. I have purchased the elite, and two of the classics. The cat boxes do not even last a year before they stop scooping. The elite does not even scoop the urine or the feces out of the box. I have tried the cheapest to the most expensive litter to make the boxes work correctly, with no results. At this time I am forced to go back to using the old scoop by hand boxes. My daughter also had the elite, which I purchased for her, and it also failed her immediately. I will never purchase another litter maid again.
I have a bad back and I am unable to bend constantly to scoop out the box, however, now I am forced to go back to the scooping myself. I am also out at least $400 dollars for the purchase of the litter maid self scooping cat boxes. I have also got to replace carpet, due to one of my cats being unable to use the boxes, because of there inability to clean themselves. I also fear that I may have to get rid of one of my cats because she has now been using the floor as her litter box.
Reviewed June 27, 2010
The Littermaid was the worst purchase I have ever made. It costs $100 and I am on a limited income. I bought the Littermaid box because I am physically limited, and cannot lift anything over 5 lbs. Littermaid advertises its product as self-cleaning. Their TV ads show the ease with which it offers. Everything about them is a fraud, a deception and disingenuous at best. I have had to clean it out every other day -- including lifting the box -- because, among other things, it does a poor to low job of self-cleaning. The expensive litter is not absorbing the waste, so some is always left behind. There is always used litter in the track of the rake.
The rake doesn't always work and at times it doesn't stop working, even when I put weight (like a cat's body weight) down. It kept moving. I had to turn it off so the cats wouldn't be injured. There is always urine on the floor of the pan under the litter. Stool gets caught in the rake. Now I know what the "suffering" is in tort. I have only had this box for a few weeks. I bought it when I came to PA to help with a ** sister who had an operation and subsequent physical therapy. I don't have time or the leftover physical and emotional stamina to spare to deal with this nightmare. I feel duped. I was duped.
Reviewed June 26, 2010
We purchased a Littermaid Elite automatic litter box. It did not work right from the beginning. It got hung up almost every time it tried to clean. The older model was much better. I have used it for six months, not very happily, but now it won't work at all. The cleaning rake won't move at all now. The motor runs constantly but the rake doesn't move. This product is very inferior and the cost is $100+.
Reviewed June 19, 2010
I had the original Littermaid self cleaning litter box which lasted 10 years and finally gave out. I obviously purchased another one and thought I'd not have problems. After a week of having the Littermaid Elite, we started having issues with the rake. I thought it was because of the amount of litter in the tray, but I was following the instructions and wasn't filling past the line. After a month, I had to turn the unit off and start cleaning it out myself. The rake would go an inch, back up and start over, go an inch, back up and start over.
There was no shut off. I was scared it was going to catch fire while we were away so I just turn it off. I really hope this product is pulled off the shelf and some restitution is given to those who have purchased the product. Given all the complaints filed, it obviously doesn't work and isn't worth $100+. This product doesn't work as promised. We're out the full cost of this product purchased at PetSmart for $100.
Reviewed May 22, 2010
I purchased my Litter Maid Elite because after 4 years my original one stopped working. I had my new unit 4 weeks when the sensor stopped working. I paid over $100.00 for the unit. I purchased it at Target. They would not take it back because it was just over the 30 days. After reading so many complaints about the company that makes this product, I am surprised that some action hasn't been taken against them at this point. I am self-supporting and do not have extra money to spend to replace products that do not work and have no oversight. I paid over $100.00 for this product and cannot afford to purchase a replacement. If a company makes an inferior product continuously, they should be replacing them at no cost to the consumer.
Reviewed May 20, 2010
I thought it would be good if someone 'over the pond' chipped in. I read the comments on this website before buying a littermaid LME9000 and ignored them at my peril! I bought a new unit off eBay at quite a good price. It worked brill and I was really pleased. Until 4 days later when the rake just started going forward an inch, back an inch on the spot all the time. There is nothing jammed or stuck, no reason it should not work after 5 days. So now I have to box it up (a pain in itself! ) and try and get the eBay seller to take it back! Good idea if it actually worked!
Reviewed May 20, 2010
Littermaid elite mega: I ordered it from Petco online. It lasted 8 days before the rake broke off. I contacted the company, and they wanted me to pay to ship out a replacement. I already spent $180 on a cat box that lasted 8 days. How many times should I plan on sending them money for shipping?
Reviewed May 15, 2010
I got the LitterMaid Elite for my two cats to make cleaning easier on me. Not a chance! The LitterMaid Elite wastes cat litter by dumping it over the sides right before the holding container and I only fill the bottom to the fill line, plus, it always leaves urine on the bottom of the tray. It also smears and smashes cat feces against the walls of the tray, the rake and the lid of the holding container when the lid doesn't open soon enough, not to mention it gets stuck 50% of the time. They have replaced the unit three times so far and they seem to be getting worse.
You don't save time or money using LitterMaid automated litter boxes. It requires attention at least three times a day, compared to once a day and a thorough cleaning (soap and water) once a week compared to once a month with a normal litter box. I compare the sound of the motor to that of a cheap hair dryer. I've been buying at least 25lbs of premium clumping cat litter every two weeks just to keep the ** thing filled. I went back to the regular "do it yourself" cat box and it's much better. You never know how good a product was until you've tried something worse.
Reviewed May 2, 2010
Litter Maid Elite. It is all true as described by others. I spent over $150 on the Elite unit, right out of the box, the machine has issues. By the time, I realized my cats had already used it. Litter Maid sent a one time replacement, after receiving the circuit board, after paying for shipment of the circuit board, 2nd day air UPS, I received the replacement 2 weeks later. The machine is under powered and noisy. After a week or two, scratch caused by the cats covering on the bottom of the main tray, provided a key for the recommended litter to adhere, causing the machine to jam, not complete its cycle, obviously useless.
Having previously owning the Scoop-Free machine, I switched from using the recommended type clumping litter, to the Scoop-free type crystals. The Litter Maid has been using the Crystals now for a year with no problems. However, the Photo eye sensor has been, and continues to be unreliable, fails to sense the cat. A manual cleaning cycle is required every couple of days or so. I would not recommend the litter maid to any one. Save your money, try other solutions. Don't buy a litter-maid.
Reviewed April 9, 2010
I purchased the Littermaid LM680 self-cleaning litter-box. It lasted 3 days and did exactly as the other complaints here have said. I didn't have the box but still had the receipt. Walmart was kind enough to let me exchange it for another one. This second one has lasted for about 3 weeks and the same thing has happened. Of course, customer service has you do all the "trouble-shooting" steps, to no avail. Imagine that! I, like so many others, had one years ago and it was awesome.
That is why I purchased another one. I was even confident that when I returned the first one, the second one would be great. Sometimes, a "bad seed" makes it to a store shelf. However, I am now convinced that society today is only interested in "quantity" and could care less about "quality". As long as there are trusting people like me who are willing to purchase items of this expense, thinking they are getting a good deal! Stress, aggravation, having to spend more money to replace existing malfunctioning product.
Reviewed April 1, 2010
I am on my second Litter Maid Elite and I can tell you I would never purchase another! I had the old Litter Maid and it was great except it was hard to clean. When I saw the Elite, I thought it was worth spending the extra money to get this new litter box, boy was I mistaken. They where very nice and sent me a new one, but I had to spend the money to send in the computer chip. The sent me the Litter Maid Elite and this is worse than the one I had before. Do not, I mean do not think just because it looks great it will work. It has no power and would push a pea. I spoke to Fred and he was nice but did tell me that the complaints are pouring in. Keep scooping, save your money.
Reviewed March 26, 2010
We had the original Littermaid self-cleaning box and it worked great, even with three cats. The motor eventually wore out after several years. Then, we purchased the Littermaid Elite and it was terrible! I had to clean out the litter box constantly. It appeared that the motor wasn't powerful enough to scoop even the smallest amount. Then, the grate would only go halfway and that was after I had taken most of the kitty litter out! Don't waste your money on this product! I wish we had the original one again!
Reviewed March 23, 2010
In 2002, I had one indoor cat and purchased a Littermaid for the self-cleaning aspect and it was a gem! Our household grew by 2 cats and the automatic litter box would not work anymore. I thought this was due to the additional traffic and gave it away. For years, I have been scooping and felt destined to do so until recently while at a pet shop, I saw the Littermaid elite for multiple cats. I was so happy, I purchased the machine, additional receptacles, and plenty of the "correct" litter. I could not have been more disappointed.
The machine only dumped for 1 week into the receptacle and will no longer work a full cycle without jamming. That annoying noise can be heard all through the house as the motor runs over and over again until someone clears the jam (too much litter gathered in one spot usually; I can't get my cats to level off the litter when they have completed their business) or it finally stops with a flashing warning. The machine is over $100 and I feel that I have been ripped off!
Reviewed March 9, 2010
We purchased the older LitterMaid Elite model with the clock/timer. It worked lovely for about 8 months and then began getting stuck midway. We used the proper litter and tried all the troubleshooting "tips" the manual had. Nothing helped. You'd think for a $100+ product, it would at least be able to rake up a clump of cat urine. We got the newer model Elite one, but this one doesn't have a clock/timer. Not sure why they took that away as it was actually pretty handy. This unit lasted less than 2 months. It barely made it over a 1 month, really. Same thing again, rake would get stuck midway and just sit there making that loud grinding noise.
We ended up having to unplug it and use it as a regular litter box. What a joke. When it worked, it worked lovely. This was partly why we purchased it. I have Lupus and with my immune system, I shouldn't be cleaning out the litter box. The LitterMaid was a wonderful solution to this. But considering how worthless it turned out to be; now my husband has to clean it out every day. What a huge waste of money.
We're sorely disappointed and after our friends have heard about all the trouble we've had with the bloody thing, they are too. It's appalling to see so many complaints of the exact same problem and the company seems not to care - in fact, they produce "new" models made of even shabbier material. Obviously, they need new leadership or something to change how they're doing business.
Reviewed Feb. 20, 2010
I had purchased a LitterMaid model LM500 self-cleaning cat litter box which is the older unit and I was using it with three cats and never had a problem till it finally gave up after about 5 years of service. It had the plastic tines to scoop out the litter and worked just fine. After it finally did quit I ended up purchasing their newer model LME5000 with the metals tines to scoop out the litter. I now have only two cats and this unit has now quit before having it in use less than a year. The rake assembly will only go about half way and then return to the home position and then try again till it finally stops and the green light is flashing, indicating a problem or a cycle that hasn't been completed.
I emailed LitterMaid to see what they suggested might be wrong and they replied that I was using the wrong litter when I mentioned in the email what litter I was using they in turn gave me suggestions of which litter to use. They must not have read my email completely because one of the litters they recommended is what I am using. After further investigating the unit itself I found that under the rake assembly where the ribbon from the photo eyes attaches the bracket holding the ribbon in place is broken and puts the rake assembly in a bind when it goes half way down the track of the litter box and then returns to home.
This unit is junk and I have no idea what to do with it. I do not have the receipt from when I purchased it, and I have used it enough I don't think the store from where I purchased it will take it back. I am now in a position of cleaning the litter box twice a day after spending more than $100 for a piece of junk that doesn't do what it claims it will do. I have tried to search on the internet to find replacement parts and so far have had no luck. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Reviewed Feb. 11, 2010
I have gone through several Littermaid litter boxes. I love the concept, but they do not last! For the price, I should get more than a couple of months of use. This is very upsetting!
Reviewed Jan. 29, 2010
My husband and I bought the older version of the Littermaid and it worked great for a while, but then wouldn't stop cycling. We returned it to the store from which we bought it, and we upgraded to the Elite model. The Elite model doesn't work as well, and we wish we hadn't spent the extra money. It dumps a lot of litter on the floor, which is quite messy. Also, the metal tines aren't as effective as the plastic ones on the older model, so we end up doing some of the scooping ourselves. We're looking for a different self-cleaning litterbox to add to our home, because we will not purchase another LitterMaid Elite, and the older model doesn't seem to be available for purchase in pet stores anymore. A lot of extra mess to clean up, and wasted money on a product that doesn't work very well.
Reviewed Jan. 24, 2010
This is the 3rd model that has broken within 30 days. I do not want to clean litter and thought the idea was great. The first model broke and I did not have the receipt. The second purchase did not work and was returned within 10 days. The 3rd purchase just broke within 35 days. I will find my receipt and return it to the store. This is totally unacceptable, poor quality and very expensive. It does not work.
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2010
I purchased 3 of the regular LitterMaid litter boxes and was generally pleased. I recently purchased the new model LitterMaid Elite Mega and it is not a good product at all. I have to unclog the litter twice a day as the rake stops at the clumps and will not deposit them. The LitterMaid would not stop recycling so I had to return to the store and they replaced it. The replacement works as long as I'm here to unclog it morning and night. What's the use? I was pleased enough with the first 3 units, but will not purchase another unless they acknowledge the product is faulty. I logged a complaint on their website.
Reviewed Jan. 16, 2010
I bought a unit the on 2nd week of December. Besides the cat getting the electric cord tangled in the rake on Christmas, now the darn rake won't move. What a waste of money! Don't buy this.
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2010
I purchased a Littermaid Elite self-cleaning litter box in July 2009. It broke in October 2009, and I purchased a replacement. The replacement worked for 2 months, and then broke in January 2010. Both times, contacting the company's customer service line was unsatisfactory, and resulted in an offer to replace the unit(s), as they were under warranty, and registered online, provided that I cut off various pieces of the units, wrote a detailed letter describing what was wrong, included a check for $10 to cover their shipping costs. The Littermaid Elite costs $129 at PetSmart, so I am now out $260.
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2009
I just bought two of these things because I just got two cats. One worked for two weeks and the second broke down a week later. I spent a total of $180 for this product and it didn't even last a month.
Reviewed Dec. 21, 2009
I purchased two of the new supposedly multi-cat LitterMaid Max and Chloe model. I had the old version and used it until it gave out. I am shocked at seeing the same complaints I have already posted, along with the fact that it doesn't work as well as the old one. They didn't increase the size of the receptacle. So multi-cat plus same size receptacle as one cat equals mess and needs to replace the receptacle quicker. At some point it actually stopped working altogether because the thinner metal spines wasn't cleaning the box.
I spent $165 each on the machines. By the time I realized that it wasn't working, the 45-day return time from Petco had expired and I did not have the original packaging that it required to request a return. Who would keep those huge boxes?! So now I am using two very expensive litter boxes as regular $15 litter boxes.
Reviewed Nov. 24, 2009
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Reviewed Sept. 3, 2009
We purchased a LitterMaid mega liter box from Wal-Mart. A number of months later, the motor stopped working. We called LitterMaid to get a new unit under the warranty. The person on the phone wanted me to remove a lid next to the battery compartment. This lid did not exist. I tore the unit apart to gain access to the electronic circuit board to remove the IC chip they wanted. There were 2 chips on the board, and they were both soldered in. Now, the supervisor wants me to mail them the circuit board. None of the parts they wanted exist in this unit. No one should ever buy this product or any item made by LitterMaid. They have no idea about what they are talking about.
Reviewed Aug. 25, 2009
LitterMaid's quality is hit or miss at best, mostly miss. I have used them for years and max life is a year. I had a replacement last just a week. My Elite just got dumped after a year, gears were stripped, tries to cycle. Spent a lot of time trying to repair, but most important components are sealed. Made to fail. In the past, I have been able to correct cycling issues with the reset button. Have any of you tried that for your problems? It's not in the manual. I found one of the old style for $80 online and seems to be working okay. I would never buy another and hope somebody comes up with a better system. If it works, I would gladly pay more.
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2009
Over the years, we've had two or three Littermaid cat boxes. They had their own idiosyncrasies, but for the most part, they worked well. The last one finally broke after two or three years, so we bought the new "upgrade," Littermaid Elite. The new system is completely different than the old. While its physical appearance may seem fancier, the product just doesn't work. It is no better than a manual cat box, which you can buy for $10.
The new rake is made of metal tines, which stick to the feces in the box. Cat pee also collects in areas, and even with the correct litter, the rake just breaks up the clumps and leaves them there. Feces is simply dragged back and forth and left in the tray. Some of it gets into the bin, but you have to manually scoop the rest of it out, defeating the whole purpose of buying this expensive machine to begin with.
Another flaw to the new design is that the crap in the box is simply shoved into the bin. While this might make sense at first, the tines of the rake ride on a track that slightly lifts them up in the process, allowing the crud to stay in the box while the tines simply pass over it or stick into it. Such design flaws are unexplainable. The rake should be positioned behind the poop and push it, not sit on top of it. The volume levels of litter are correct in our box. A plastic track for the rake may be the problem, but the old box never had such problems at all.
I heard that Littermaid has been bought out by another company, and it seems that whoever is now responsible for their products had no idea of what they're doing. The rep at Littemaid suggested using a non-stick spray on the tines and the box every 30 days(!). That would mean a lot of unnecessary work. We are planning on returning the unit and hope to find one of the older models that worked. It was a good product but not anymore.
Reviewed July 31, 2009
I had a LitterMaid cat box for years and years. It finally broke after about five years of two cats use. I bought a new LME5500 almost a year ago and it works fine.
Reviewed July 18, 2009
I purchased the LitterMaid self-cleaning litter box at Wal-Mart in Shelby N.C. The device stopped working less than 60 days after purchase. The device is plugged in and the on/off indicator lights up when it is turned on and goes out when it is turned out. However, the motor on the device does not function - it will not even make a sound like it would be trying to engage. I am very dissatisfied with this product. I have purchased LitterMaids in the past and they have lasted for at least 2 years before malfunctioning. I always keep the litter just below the full line, yet well above the fill line. The previous products I purchased had the Ionic Breeze built-in yet I believe this part of the product did not perform well. So this time, I purchased the LitterMaid without this extra feature. I would hope the company would replace my device since I have had it so short a time.
Reviewed July 5, 2009
I know of several people who have this product. I only wish that I had consulted the above complaint website before I purchased this product. It is a piece of junk. Not only was it difficult to put together but it just doesn't clean the litter box like it says. I still have to remove the urine and fecal matter. What good is it anyway?
Reviewed June 18, 2009
I purchased a LitterMaid 500 in November of 2008. It was the second machine that I have had. I loved the first one. This one has been nothing but trouble. It will run continually until turned off and then I have to take it apart to get it all straightened out. Since I am gone all day, this is not good for the cat not to have his litter box all day long.
Reviewed June 16, 2009
We had the previous LitterMaid self-cleaning litter boxes. All of them worked with a few hitches every now and then. We had been buying their product since 2000. After our last MultiCat box broke, we decided to go to the store and buy their elite product, figuring the newest product would be an upgrade. Boy what a mistake! The first machine that we bought from Target had the motor installed backwards. Once we completed assembly and plugged it in, it kept making a noise that the motor was starting but wouldn't go anywhere.
I looked at it carefully and found that the rake was trying to go backward. I called customer service, and they told me to return that to Target and get a new one. We did that. After assembling it, we found that not only the new product was horrible, it seemed like they stopped doing quality assurance on their products. I am not sure if their engineers are still working at their company, because no one can go from a good working product to the P.O.S that we bought recently.
The new product was horrible even with their recommended special litter. It never cleaned the box if one of our cat passed a lot of urine. The motor had no power, it would hit the clumped up litter and start going back to reset. You all know what I am talking about.
So I resorted to cleaning big clumps with a hand rake, but then in less than 30 days of buying the new one, the motor decide to quit altogether. When we called the Customer Service rep (very pissed, I might add), he was so rude. When I asked to speak to his supervisor, he actually said to me "Why? What would you like to say to him."
I was so mad. I informed him that I will never ever buy another of their product, because I essentially bought the most expensive manual litter box ever. He basically said, "If you don't have anything else, then I have reported your incident. You can return it back to Target." informed him that my cats have been using it for the last month and that I can't return a used product to Target. He replied, "Well then, I can't do anything about it."
Do not be fooled. If you had their old product, it was good. This new product is made with cheap plastic parts that break within days of use. Maybe, they sold the company to some mainland Chinese operator who is making cheap, worthless products and selling them here.
Reviewed May 25, 2009
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Reviewed April 23, 2009
I love LitterMaid litter boxes. I've had about three over the last 10+ years. I'm about to buy one for my grandmother for Mother's Day. I don't use the clumping litter, but a harder-to-find, specialized kind. It's about $5 for 4lbs, lasts about 2 months and I clean the litter box every other week but it won't actually get full for a full month with one cat. This is the only litter box my cat has ever known and he's perfectly fine with it. I currently have an older model, at least 5 years old. It still works perfectly.
Reviewed April 20, 2009
This is one of most useless products I've ever purchased and I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a product before. The rake barely scoops any of the waste and when it does half the time, the waste gets stuck in the rake. When it scoops, it's so loud and sounds so strenuous. It sounds like the whole thing might just blow up. I scoop more of the poop out of the box than the rake does. It makes me so mad just to think I purchased such a useless piece of equipment. Those scammers got their $130.00 out of me and I hope it comes back to bite them later.
Reviewed April 17, 2009
Well, I bought the LitterMaid box from Wal-Mart. After 3 days, the rake just stopped and never ran again. So luckily, I still had the box. As soon as I walked into Wal-Mart to return it, the lady at the counter said, "Go ahead and grab another one," and I said, "Excuse me." She said the rake not working is what most of the complaints are about the litterbox. So after I got home with the new box, it was so much quieter than the other one. So I was thinking maybe that one was just broken from the beginning. And a month later, I am looking up Wal-Mart's return policy without a box and came across this site. Well, I will be off to Wal-Mart tomorrow hoping they will return it without a box if not I am out $100 and a lot of frustration!
Reviewed April 12, 2009
I have had a Littermaid for over 8 years. Well I have had two of them. At one point it stopped to function properly then I found this guy on eBay who had written a repair manual. I fixed it within minutes! Best Litterbox ever!
Reviewed March 31, 2009
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Reviewed Jan. 3, 2009
Bought a cat litter box (LitterMaid) automatic litter cleaner, but never worked good. I think they should be made to recall these inferior LitterMaids, refund people's money or a gift certificate. I had one a few years ago and it worked great till the motor burnt out and then I purchased this mega one and it's terrible. Makes more mess than the cats. I read the reviews and there are a lot of unhappy people over these litter boxes.
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2009
I have owned a LitterMaid since they first came out and I have never had a problem. My first LitterMaid quit working five years after I had it. I called the 800 number and they sent me a replacement for free. If people are having trouble with the rakes not working, you may be putting too much cat litter in the box and if you use silicone spray on the rakes, it keeps the litter from sticking on the rakes. You have to use fine cat litter and you do not need much. Do not go over the line that is marked in the litter box. Reading the manual helps. It gives you a lot of good types.
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2008
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Reviewed Oct. 21, 2008
What a rip off. A 200.00$ rip off. The machine does not scoop the mess. The rake can't handle the waste on one cat. I had the previous model and it worked great. After a few years it broke. I hurried to replace it with the NEW and IMPROVED model - what a waste of my hard earned money. You can bet I will not buy anything from Litter Maid again and I tell my Friends to avoid that machine like the plague.
Reviewed Oct. 18, 2008
After 10 years of having a LitterMaid cat box I decided to replace it with the newest model, a LitterMaid Elite. This product in no way compares to the older model. It does not clean the litter, it just rakes over the waste and keeps going. I tried changing the litter, filling it up more, but nothing helped. In order for the rake to clean, the litter was too high and then it just went back to starting position.
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2008
We have been Littermaid users for many years. When we first started buying the unit, it would last a few years but lately we came to expect a unit to last 7 months to a year. In recent months we have gone through 5 or so units. Some lasted a week or two, others never worked right out of the box. PetSmart where we purchased the unit has been really good about replacing the unit but it is frustrating to say the least. We have been researching other units and none seem to be problem free. We were told they make the units in China now and the product cost is so low that Littermaid just expects they will "crap out" (pardon the pun) in a short period of time. At $170, they can afford to replace them but it is time consuming and irritating to the consumer.
Reviewed Oct. 13, 2008
Okay, so I bought one of the original LitterMaids way back when. 1997! Loved, loved, loved that unit. Never had a problem. It worked for nearly eight years before it finally gave out. Had I kept with one cat, it would probably still be working. A friend of mine gave me her recently purchased unit in 2004. Her cat hated it, but with 3 cats of my own, I welcomed having the newer unit. Only problem one as soon as my own unit went out, the newer one soon followed. I was able to get the unit replaced with the $10.00 S&H fee. No problem...only the replacement unit lasted all of four months before it went out. Like another consumer referenced it was like no power was getting to it.
So back on the phone I am with LitterMaid, couple of suggested tests, piece of the wiring, and another $10.00 and I was off to the races to try the Elite model. Putting the thing together was a breeze and I like the rake unit. It completely comes out as compared to the original model where the rake could not be removed for cleaning, etc. This unit last about 4 months. $10.00 again later and the Elite unit was replaced. Rake rollers broke, spent more in shipping than on the replacement rake, but off I go again. This unit lasted just at a year - whew! It's problem, it won't stop raking. Swear to god the rake just keeps sweeping. Swept so much that one of my three cats risked relieving itself while the unit was still raking!
Called LitterMaid. Out of warranty this time. Tried the reset buttons - there are two and sooooo conveniently placed under along the track so that the unit has to completely disassembled to get to them. Of course trying to have the unit run and hitting both resets at the same time...quite the challenge. AND this does not work! Back to scooping manually daily (sometimes five times a day!) Maybe I will try the CatGenie.
Reviewed Oct. 13, 2008
I have been using Littermaid since 1995. My original product lasted many yeas and I had 5 indoor cats! It seems that the design or components have changed. Each subsquent box has not had as long a life as the first.
I purchase my boxes at the big national discount store for less than $99.00. I also use only the cat litter from the big national discount store's members only store. It comes in a 35 lb recyclable plastic container and clumps quickly- so there is no mess and no burned out motor. I have also learned over the years that you cannot fill the box to the marked fill line - it is too full. I use the plastic waste containers until they WEAR OUT - I remove them, empty them and put them back in.
When a box malfunctions, I call Customer Service (I keep the receipt in the battery compartment) and they have replaced them at little or no charge. The big box national discount store will only replace or refund electronics (this is considered electronics) for 90 days.
I hope this information will help some of the others out there!
Reviewed Sept. 24, 2008
I have been using Littermaid litter boxes since they first came out, and Ive always been satisfied with the product. Considering that they last about 4-5 years before they die, and I own two at all times, I have owned many units over the years. That brings me to my present problem. One of my Littermaid units needed to be replaced a couple of weeks ago. The second one has now broken and needs to be replaced also. I bought newly designed unit which is blue and slightly larger than the older model. Instead of buying a unit that was totally put together, apparently now the only way to buy a Littermaid is in pieces which I then had to assemble. Im sure there was a good reason to change the design and make it necessary for the new owner to put it together.
I am having significant problems. Ive had to change the litter I am using because the Fresh Start litter that Ive always used caused the litter to stick to the bottom of the box. Thus, it kept trying to work (over and over) but was unsuccessful. (I asked at the pet store if there was another litter that would be more successful, and they told me to use The Worlds Best Litter which of course costs more.) So I was spending lots of time scraping the bottom in order to get it to work.
In the meantime, instead of having a switch to turn the unit off and then on again, I now have a clock which needs to be set every time. I guess I could put batteries in it, however, Ive never had to do this with my old units. I guess the night mode is a good idea, however not for my cats. They are used to standing outside the litter box waiting for it to turn on after they have used it. I couldnt convince them that this feature was good for them, so I am not able to use it.
Reviewed Sept. 22, 2008
I purchased the LitterMaidTM Elite Mega - Advanced Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box (Model: LME9250). It was the worst decision I ever made! This product does not work how it claims it should. It consistently gets stuck when trying to scoop the litter. It just mashs the clumps of littler so they become a mess of small littler clumps spread throughout the litter. 95% it can not get the littler into the waste basket. And the waste baskets always crack and break or the lid falls out so then the waste gets scooped on top of the lid.
Since it always gets stuck and is not powerful enough to actually scoop through the clumps of litter it shuts it self down, so I no longer have an automatic cat litter box. I have a nasty mess that is worse than my original plain cat litter boxes, that I have to scoop multiple times a day. The litter box makes such a mess, it throws litter all of over my floor, litter falls through the cracks... And there is no reset button, so everytime it gets stuck, I have to turn the power off to get it to automatically scoop again, only that means that I have to reset the time and sleeper everytime!
I could continue to complain but now I know to check before I ever purchase any other product. I am so mad, I spent over $200 on a mess maker not a solution. The only reason I decided to purchase the product is because I am so busy with work that I am away from my house.
$218 lost on a product that doesn't work.
Reviewed Sept. 20, 2008
I've had my current littermaid for 3 years without a problem. The previous one worked well, but I was lazy and threw it out when we moved (preferring to purchase a nice new one.) The only issue I find with it, is that the rake occ. gets wet litter clumped to it. After the litter dries, a quick wack with a scoop and it falls off. There is an occ. time where litter sticks to the bottom (if we let the litter level go down too low,) but again, a quick flick with the litter scoop and all is well again.
I'm shocked at what others have gone through since we've not had those experiences. We are facing another job related move next month and again, I'll pitch the one we have and purchase new for the new house. In researching the various models, I came across your web site. Now I'm hoping that all goes well. Of particular interest is the new models with the removable metal rake
I love the convenience
Reviewed Sept. 18, 2008
I bought two standard litter maids and 1 elite. The litter gunked up from pee and it clogged the rakes. That burns out the motor. The company replaced two of the burned out units at no charge. I have succeeded in modifying the litter maid elite so that it will no longer get jammed in the pee saturated litter. I believe that all of the models of litter maid can be modified by the owner or by the company inexpensively and will not have the problems that the current models have.
I lost two litter maids, one standard and one elite but the company replaced them at no charge. So I guess that I broke even.
Reviewed Sept. 16, 2008
I can see that I've made a huge mistake in purchasing the Litter Maid litter box. I bought it the day before yesterday (9-14-08)and am already having serious problems with it. I filled the box with litter to just below the line as instructed. Within the first two uses the motor started whining and seemed to strain while moving the rake. Even though I know I did NOT overfill the machine I had to remove most of the litter to almost nothing before it would actually work properly. I thought I had solved the problem by removing the litter. Not so. A few moments later the rake began to continuously run and would not stop raking. I turned it off then back on again just for it to continue raking. I soon discovered that although in front of the rake was nearly bare, behind it all the litter had backed up against the wall.
I had to use the scoop and manually sift out the few clumps that were already there myself and smooth out the remaining litter. Then the rake finally backed into place and shut down. The next problem is that after every couple of uses the same problem kept reoccurring. I would have to come back in and scrape the clumped clay from the rake and sift them and put them in the little box at the front myself. Of course it was left on over night and this morning it was full of unsifted clumps. I went through the same process of cleaning it out and when I turned it back on it started the raking process immediately. This time when it reached the box that its supposed to dump into it seemed to catch on something and made this popping noise. Of course the result of this was everything that was actually in the rake was thrown across the room.
This has happened three times now. Also as many other people have mentioned, there is always a mess of litter on the outside of the box and I'm constantly vacuuming. I thought the whole point behind having this litter box was so that we didn't have to handle cat waste as much as the old fashioned way. This was not only a waste of money ($110.00) but of my time as well. At least the old way was as near to no fuss no mess as is possible with four adult cats. I would love to disassemble it and cart it back to Wal-mart and ask for a refund, but of course I not only threw away the receipt but I used the box to dump out the old box.
Reviewed Sept. 11, 2008
my littermaid product stopped working after only 2 months of use, i was given a hard time asked to speak with a supervisor and they were extremely ignorant
stopped working
Reviewed Aug. 15, 2008
I dont' see how this is going to help considering there is no power going through the switch and told them so. That's like turning off the mains to your house, then cycling a light switch to reset your VCR. It just isn't going to have any affect. Anyway, that's LitterMaid solution for what it's worth. I'll be returning this product and going with another brand.
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2008
Have 3 littermaids. In June 2008 the box purchased in 2005 and 2007 started having problems. I tried everything I could to fix the problems nothing seemed to correct the problem. I contacted Littermaid understanding the 2005 box was out of warranty but the 2007 box had just gone out of warranty when I contacted them. They have told me to call a number to get a special purchase price for the 2007 littermaid. I responded that I can not contact them during their hours and to please tell me what this special purchase price is. They have still not responded to my email. Littermaid can not tell me why a unit that is a year old dies just as the warranty ends and can not explain why a unit from 2004 still works?
The racking piece is stuck in the middle of the box. I have tried all of the suggestions by littermaid and the rake will not move from the location is stuck in.
Reviewed Aug. 9, 2008
I purchased the new and improved littermaid auto cleaning liter box and it is junk, the rake does not lift the liter and the plastic receptacles do not fit. the liter clumps under the rake. my orginal littermaid system lasted for 6 years. the improved version is cheap plastic. i'll go back to cleaning manually.
Littermaid Company Information
- Company Name:
- Littermaid
- Website:
- www.littermaid.com
