Choosing guide

Automatic litter box: choosing by “Tray type”

The tray type, enclosed, open, or semi-enclosed, affects both odour control and how easy it is for the cat to get used to the box. Enclosed trays are the most common and best rated option in our catalogue, while semi-enclosed trays remain a rarer choice with still few rated models.

By Romain Brunel, updated on 19 October 2026

Tray type: 3 options compared

Option	Models analysed	Median score	Median recorded price	Top rated
Enclosed tray	8	8.5/10	£280	PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2
Open tray	6	8.5/10	n/a	Neakasa M1 Plus
Semi-enclosed tray	2	n/a	n/a	n/a

Prices collected from retailers are for guidance only: they may have changed since, the current price is the one shown by the retailer. No price is shown for models sold only on Amazon. Amounts converted from reference prices in euros using a dated exchange rate.

Tray type: option by option

Enclosed tray

8 models8.5/10 at the median£280 median recorded price

Who it's for: For owners who want the litter and odours fully contained, the most common design in our selection.
Avoid if: Avoid if your cat is uneasy in enclosed spaces and prefers an open tray.
Our advice: The most widely represented design among the models we analysed, and the highest rated on average.

Top rated

PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2 8.1/10
Revo-Loo One 8.9/10

Filter 8 models

Open tray

6 models8.5/10 at the median

Who it's for: For owners whose cat prefers an open space, with easier visibility in and out of the tray.
Avoid if: Avoid if odour containment is a priority: an enclosed design handles this better.
Our advice: Fewer models analysed in this design, but with a rating close to the enclosed option.

Top rated

Compare 6 models

Semi-enclosed tray

2 models

Who it's for: For owners looking for a middle ground between an open and a fully enclosed tray.
Avoid if: Avoid if you want a clear rating reference: very few models in this design have a recorded rating.
Our advice: Only a couple of models analysed in this design, worth comparing carefully before deciding.

Filter 2 models

Tray type: your questions

Automatic litter box: choosing by “Tray type”

Among our 16 automatic litter boxes, the most common option is “Enclosed tray” (8 models). The table on this page compares 3 options: model count, median rating and the highest-rated model for each.

“Enclosed tray”: which model is highest rated among automatic litter boxes?

PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2, rated 8.1/10, is the highest-rated of the 8 models models with this option.

“Open tray”: which model is highest rated among automatic litter boxes?

Neakasa M1 Plus, rated 8.9/10, is the highest-rated of the 6 models models with this option.

Automatic litter box: other factors to consider

All models analysed →