Litter Robot Review: Litter-Robot 4 vs 5, 5 Pro and EVO

We have not run our own trials of these units. Our verdicts draw on:

• Whisker's own specifications and comparison charts, checked in October 2026.
• Consumer Reports, which named the Litter-Robot 4 an Editor's Choice in April 2025 after its testers used it at home.
• Independent reviewers such as Petful, who compared the 4, 5, 5 Pro and EVO side by side.
• Owner reviews on Whisker's store and big retailers, where we look for repeated praise and repeated complaints rather than single stories.

The Litter-Robot 5 is an evolution, not a reinvention. According to Whisker, the main changes are:

• Bigger cats: weight range rises to 3 to 30 lb, and the globe is up to 19 inches tall inside.
• More cats: rated for up to 5 cats versus 4.
• Bigger drawer: about 10 days between empties for one cat versus about 8.
• WasteID: the 5 can tell what type of waste was left, useful for spotting changes in habits.
• Screen: an LCD replaces the 4's light bar codes.
• Any floor: no carpet tray needed.

The 5 Pro adds two 1080p night-vision cameras and AI cat identification through the Whisker+ subscription. The EVO goes the other way: smaller, cheaper and limited to two lighter cats.

Common praise across owner reviews and Consumer Reports: daily scooping disappears, odour is better contained than an open tray, and the app's visit and weight history is genuinely useful for multi-cat homes. Consumer Reports testers said cats adjusted within a few days.

Common complaints:

• Size. These are big machines, and Consumer Reports found the Litter-Robot 4 did not fit testers' preferred spots.
• Ongoing costs, especially Whisker's own drawer liners (about $25 for 25 according to Consumer Reports).
• Litter fussiness. Clumping litter works best, and one Consumer Reports tester had to switch brands.
• Subscription creep on the 5 Pro, where the best camera features sit behind Whisker+.
• On the older, discontinued Litter-Robot 3 Connect, Petful notes cycle errors appearing after three to five years. That history is one reason buyers ask about long-term reliability, so register your warranty.

US list prices in October 2026 were $599 (EVO), $699 (Litter-Robot 4), $799 (Litter-Robot 5) and $899 (5 Pro), with financing advertised from $44 a month on the 4. In the UK, Whisker lists the Litter-Robot 4 from £699 and the Litter-Robot 5 from £899.

• Trial: 90 days in-home. In the UK, Whisker says you get a refund of the purchase price and pay only the return shipping.
• UK cover: a 2-year WhiskerCare plan is included, covering accidental damage, power surges and breakdowns. A 4-year plan costs £109 and is included in most bundles.
• Refurbished: Whisker sells refurbished Litter-Robot 4 units, seen at $599 in October 2026.

For many owners, yes, but only if you will use it for years. A Litter-Robot 4 costs roughly the same as several years of standard litter trays, liners and scoops combined, so the value comes from time saved and fewer smells, not money saved.

It makes most sense if you have two or more cats, work long hours, have mobility problems that make scooping hard, or want visit and weight data. It makes least sense for kittens under 3 lb, cats that already refuse covered boxes, or tight budgets.

• PETKIT Purobot Ultra (around $799.99): camera plus automatic bagging of waste, for cats 3.3 to 22 lb.
• PETLIBRO Luma (around $599.99 / £699.99): free live camera view, cats 2.2 to 22 lb.
• PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin (often around $340): cheaper rotating design with mixed owner reviews.

See full details in our self cleaning litter box comparison.