Pet ZoneSelf Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box - Smart Scoop Cat Litter Box with 6 Bags & Carbon Filter for Up to Two Cats 6-16 Pounds

I've had this automatic box for around 10 months, and overall it is great for the price. Sure you could spend a few hundred more on something truly lavish, but this thing accomplishes a very simple and very important goal: I no longer have to worry about cat litter every single day. I can forget for a couple days and the machine has me covered. And at first I was disappointed that it doesn't have a cover, but believe me, you wouldn't want a cover. You need to be able to see where the machine makes mistakes.As I mentioned, the machine sometimes misses things. Sometimes chunks of stuff will end up stuck just out of reach of the rake, right on the very edges of the box. So you need to give it a helping hand there, and you also need to go in to the box 2-3 times a week and clear up any clumps of litter that might be solidifying in the corners of the box where the rake doesn't really touch directly. Sometimes if your cat wants to use the exact same spot in the box all the time, you'll end up with the storage box overflowing just in that one spot, with nothing else in the rest of the reservoir. So really it's wise to attend to the storage box and help remove clumps as soon as you notice it.And there's another reason you want to empty the storage box fairly frequently: the smell inside.So yes, realistically you're going to want to empty the box every couple of days, but the fuller it gets, the worse the smell gets, and it gets really bad if you let the box fill up. I would recommend just thinking of all that storage space as 'insurance' for two-day vacations or if you forget for a while.I only noticed a couple problems.One, where the motor wasn't able to return fully to its docked position, and I got an amber light warning. I found out I had just carelessly allowed some litter to build up on the platform that the box sits on while docked, so it was interfering with the motor.And second, if you get a power outage, you will need to press the power button again manually. The machine does not turn itself on again after a power outage!Once I figured that out, it's been smooth sailing ever since. Fantastic product.

UPDATE TO PREVIOUS 5 STAR REVIEW;I bought this box on January 9, 2015 and it started malfunctioning in August. Intermittently, the box will rake to the end, and then do a little dance and error out with the box held wide open (talk about smelling bad). The rake will not return on it's own, requiring me to power cycle the unit. Even that doesn't always work, you have to repeatedly power cycle it until it finally decides to return the assembly to the ready position. At first, this would only happen about once a week, but now it is multiple times a day. Being a fairly mechanical person, I pulled it apart to see if there was something stuck or perhaps debris stuck in the gears. No such luck. Also, the advertising of metal gears is very misleading. Yes, there are some metal gears, there are also some plastic gears. I considered buying another one, but after skimming through the reviews, it appears this is not an uncommon issue. I will purchase another Littermaid instead as my previous Littermaids lasted years instead of the months I got out of this unit!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you have use a LitterMaid, you know the pros and cons of automatic litter boxes. This box is far superior to the LitterMaid variation in the following ways; It is FAR quieter, easier to empty, and feels much better made. Instead of using bins that you have to properly align with tabs, this unit uses a permanent bin that you put a trash bag around. When it is time to empty it, you simply remove the bin using the handle, then peel the bag from one end of the bin and roll it down to the other end. This traps the mess in the bag, you never get your hands in the refuse. Put the bin in a new bag (a plastic grocery bag works just fine), and drop the bin back into place. Such a simple solution to this messy job. With the LitterMaid, I hated this job. You could never avoid getting crap on your hands, and the bins were a pia to reinstall. With this unit, it is a five minute frustration free job. As far as the litter goes, I suggest Tidy Cats hard clumping litter. This litter works perfectly with this unit. Do not fill the unit above the upper line of the pan. I have three large cats (MainCoon, Angora, and a Blue Russian), and this box is more then up to the task.The only two downsides I see with this product are the charcoal filter does not stay in place, and you must leave room on both sides of the unit as the motor and guide rails are on the outside of the box.Answers to a few questions I have seen posted;1. The attachment on the end of the box is to help release sticky refuse from the rake as well as to insure larger clumps do not roll off the end of the rake.2. If your cats pee on the rake, turn the box around. They are aligning themselves with your walls, not the box.3. If the clumps are sticking to the bottom of the box or are breaking apart, use a better litter. Again, I suggest Tidy Cats hard clumping litter. I tried their feather light product with my old LitterMaid, and they broke apart instead of being raked. In fact, I have tried several different litters over the years, and, in my experience, Tidy Cats simply works best with automatic litter boxes.4. All of the automatic litter boxes I have used do not rake all the way to the edges. This is not usually a problem, but can cause small pieces of refuse to be left in the box. Your cat will adjust the litter without your help, this will cause the missed pieces to eventually be picked up.To sum it up, this is the best automatic litter box I have used. Is it perfect, of course not!