Automatic Pet Litter Boxes

decision-helper

Litter-Robot 4 vs Neakasa M1 Plus: Which to Buy?

By Automatic Pet Litter Boxes Editorial

A gray cat with yellow eyes sitting on a wooden floor and looking up

The Litter-Robot 4 and the Neakasa M1 Plus solve the same problem in opposite shapes. The LR4 is an enclosed globe that seals waste and smell inside, and it costs about $699 [s1]. The M1 Plus is an open-top tray that rakes clumps into a sealed bin underneath, and it sells for roughly $380 to $550 [s2]. The LR4 hides everything behind a door. The M1 Plus stays open to the room.

Two questions settle most of this decision. Will your cat use a covered box? And how much does litter-box smell bother you? Price is the tiebreaker after that. For most homes the enclosed LR4 is the better box. For a cat that refuses anything with a lid, or a cat too big for the LR4, the open M1 Plus is the one to buy.

Check the current price on Amazon

Litter-Robot 4 vs Neakasa M1 Plus at a glance

SpecLitter-Robot 4Neakasa M1 Plus
DesignEnclosed rotating globe [s1]Open-top rotating tray [s2]
Priceabout $699 [s1]about $380 to $550 [s2]
Cat weight range3 to 25 lb [s1]2.2 to 33 lb [s2]
Cats supportedup to 4, with per-cat weight tracking [s1]multi-cat, no per-cat tracking [s2]
Litterclumping clay only [s4]fast-clumping scoopable only [s2]
Odor controlsealed globe plus carbon filter [s1]sealed waste bin; litter bed stays open [s3]
Health trackingSmartScale weighs each cat [s1]usage and litter-level only [s2]
Warranty1 year; $100 for 3 years [s1]2 years [s2]
Ratingmature, multi-generation record [s6]4.2 out of 5 across ~1,640 Amazon ratings [s3]

What the Neakasa M1 Plus does well

The open top is the whole point. Plenty of cats hesitate at a covered box or a globe they have to step into, and the M1 Plus removes that objection. Reviewers who tested both boxes report cats taking to the open tray almost immediately [s3]. If your cat has ever refused a hooded box, that alone can decide this.

It also handles big cats the LR4 turns away. The M1 Plus is rated to 33 pounds, against the LR4’s 25 [s1][s2]. A Maine Coon or a heavy 20-pound cat fits the Neakasa and does not fit the Litter-Robot comfortably.

The M1 Plus runs roughly half the price of a $699 LR4 [s2]. You give up features at that price, but the core job of sifting waste into a sealed bin still gets done. The unit also carries a 2-year warranty, longer than the LR4’s standard one year [s1][s2].

Check the Neakasa M1 Plus price on Amazon

Where the Litter-Robot 4 pulls ahead

Odor is the LR4’s biggest advantage. The sealed globe and carbon filter keep smell contained between weekly drawer empties, and testers describe near-zero odor in the room [s6]. The M1 Plus seals the collected waste well, but the litter bed itself sits in open air. The same testers noticed smell escaping from the open tray, most of all first thing in the morning [s3][s6]. In a small or closed room the enclosed box wins by a wide margin. That gap shrinks where the air moves more freely.

The LR4 also tracks each cat’s weight through its SmartScale and logs visits in the Whisker app [s1]. The Neakasa app covers the basics, showing usage and litter level, but it does not weigh individual cats [s2]. If your cat has kidney disease or a history of urinary trouble, a drop in weight or a change in bathroom habits can warn you of a flare-up early. A healthy single cat will not miss the feature.

Then there is the track record. The LR4 is several product generations deep and has a reputation for lasting [s6]. The M1 Plus is a newer, cheaper unit, and its reliability reputation is thinner, which is the next thing to understand before you buy one.

The open-top tax

The M1 Plus pays for its lower price and open design in a few ways.

Litter tracking is the worst of them. An open tray with no tunnel to catch paws scatters litter, and the M1 Plus is near the bottom of the category here. Owner reviews report litter thrown up to three feet from the box even with the included mat [s3][s6]. If tidy floors matter to you, plan on sweeping.

The sensors need cleaning. The waste-bin sensors that tell the M1 Plus its bin is full get dirty over time and start throwing false “full” errors, usually somewhere around the third to seventh month of use [s5]. When that happens the box stops mid-cycle until you wipe the sensors down. It is routine maintenance rather than a breakdown, but it is maintenance the LR4 does not ask for.

Urine can leak at the seam where the interior mat meets the tray. Neakasa ships silicone stickers to seal it, and some owners add tape [s3]. It is a minor annoyance, but it is the kind of thing a $700 box is built to avoid.

A note on which Neakasa you are buying

Neakasa sells the current unit as the M1 Plus. An older model, sold as the bare “M1” back in 2021, had a defect where a sensor magnet could slip out of place and let the drum over-rotate, and it was linked to confirmed cat injuries [s5]. Neakasa fixed it in hardware on the Plus by redesigning the motor gear so the drum cannot over-rotate [s5]. Buy the model labeled M1 Plus, and check that the listing says “Plus” before you order. The link in this guide points to the current M1 Plus.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Litter-Robot 4 if smell is your main worry, or if the box will live in a small closed space like a bathroom. The per-cat weight tracking is another reason, worth having for a cat with a health history. It is the better box on the things that are hard to fix later, and the enclosed design is why.

Buy the Neakasa M1 Plus if your cat won’t touch a covered box, or if you have a cat heavier than 25 pounds. A tight budget is the other big reason to choose it. At close to half the LR4’s cost, you accept more litter on the floor and a little sensor upkeep in exchange for a box your cat will use.

The M1 Plus is a fair value pick. Do not read it as a Litter-Robot for less money. It gives up odor control and tidiness to win on price and cat acceptance, and for the right cat in the right room, that is a trade worth making.

Check the Litter-Robot 4 price on Amazon · Check the Neakasa M1 Plus price on Amazon

Frequently asked questions

Is the Neakasa M1 Plus safe for cats? The current M1 Plus is. An older unit sold as the plain “M1” had a defect that could let the drum over-rotate, which Neakasa fixed on the Plus by redesigning the motor gear [s5]. Buy the model labeled M1 Plus and confirm the listing says so.

Which is better for a large cat? The Neakasa M1 Plus. It is rated to 33 pounds, while the Litter-Robot 4 tops out at 25 [s1][s2]. A large or heavy cat fits the open tray more comfortably than the LR4’s globe.

Does the open-top design smell more than an enclosed box? Yes. The M1 Plus seals its stored waste, but the litter bed stays open to the room, so odor escapes more than it does from the sealed LR4 globe, especially in a small space [s3][s6]. In a well-ventilated room the difference is smaller.

Can I use any litter in either box? No. Both take clumping litter only. The LR4 wants clumping clay [s4], and the M1 Plus needs a fast-clumping scoopable litter and rejects wood-pellet or non-clumping types [s2].

Is the Neakasa M1 Plus worth it over the Litter-Robot 4? For a budget buyer, or a cat that won’t use a covered box, yes. Most other homes are better served by the LR4, which earns its higher price on odor control and health tracking [s3][s6].

Sources

This guide draws on both manufacturers’ product documentation and independent hands-on testing. Owner sentiment here comes from published testers and aggregated retailer ratings rather than forum threads, which were not reachable when this was written. Prices are current as of publication and change often.

Check price on Amazon