October
04
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PETLIBRO Luma Smart Litter Box Review: Is It Worth It for a Two-Cat Home?
With two cats, cleaning out the litter tray can be time-consuming, and let’s face it, it’s definitely not the most enjoyable part of being a cat owner. So, in the hope of making life a little easier, I decided to try the PETLIBRO Luma Smart Litter Box (£699.99 from Petlibro).
The first thing I will say is: this thing is huge! It really does take up a lot of room, so you’ll need to think carefully about where you’re going to put it. On the plus side, its size means the cats have plenty of space to comfortably do their business.
My shy cat surprised me
One of my biggest concerns was whether my cats would actually use it. One of mine is particularly shy, so I expected there to be a long adjustment period. To my surprise, she took to the Luma almost immediately, which was a huge relief.
I love the camera
One of my favourite things about the PETLIBRO Luma is the camera and the ability to keep track of how often the cats are using the toilet. With two cats, this is genuinely useful. You can see which cat has been using the litter box and how frequently, rather than having to guess. It’s probably one of the features I appreciate most about having a smart litter box.
Choosing the right litter is essential
This is something I wish I’d realised straight away. You really do need to use the right clumping cat litter with the Luma. I tried cheaper cat litters and they simply didn’t work for us. The litter needs to form a good, solid clump for the automatic cleaning system to work effectively. If it doesn’t clump properly, the machine struggles to separate the waste and you can actually end up with more mess and more smell. Once I switched to a better-quality clumping litter, I noticed a significant difference. So while the Luma might save you time, this isn’t necessarily a way of saving money. You need to factor the cost of decent-quality clumping litter into the running costs.
The smell took some figuring out
This was probably my biggest issue with the Luma. It took me several weeks to work out how to stop it smelling. At first, I actually thought the smell was worse than with a normal litter tray. The waste compartment does contain some of the odour, but in my experience it wasn’t as effective at controlling smells as I’d expected from the claims. Eventually, I found the combination that works for our two-cat household: good-quality clumping litter, changing the waste bag every day and completely dismantling and cleaning the litter box once a week. Once I started doing all three, the smell was much easier to control.
The bags can get expensive
There is another downside to changing the waste bag every day: the bags aren’t cheap. If, like me, you find that a daily bag change is necessary to keep smells completely under control, you’re going to get through a lot of them. That makes the ongoing running costs of the Luma higher than I originally anticipated. You’re buying better-quality clumping litter as well as regularly replacing the waste bags, so it’s worth considering those costs alongside the initial price of the machine. I would have liked the waste compartment to contain smells well enough that I didn’t feel the need to change the bag every day.
Does it actually make life easier?
Overall, yes — but with some reservations.
I don’t miss constantly scooping a traditional litter tray, and I love the camera and being able to monitor the cats’ toilet habits. It’s also wonderfully spacious, and even my shy cat was comfortable using it almost immediately. But I wouldn’t describe it as maintenance-free.
You’re essentially exchanging daily scooping for a different routine: changing the bag every day, buying good-quality clumping litter and giving the entire machine a thorough clean once a week. And because both the litter and the bags can be expensive, the convenience comes at a price.
Got Heart London verdict
There is a lot I like about the PETLIBRO Luma Smart Litter Box. The camera is brilliant, particularly in a multi-cat household, the cats have plenty of room and I was amazed at how quickly my shy cat accepted it. But there was definitely a learning curve.
The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that the litter you use makes an enormous difference. Cheap litter simply didn’t clump effectively enough for us. Finding the right litter, changing the waste bag daily and thoroughly cleaning the machine once a week finally solved most of the smell problems.
The downside is that this adds to the running costs. If you’re changing a relatively expensive bag every day as well as buying premium clumping litter, you’re going to spend a fair amount over the course of a year. Is it completely hands-off? No. Is it cheap to run? Not in my experience. Does it make dealing with two cats’ litter easier? Yes.
For me, the camera, automatic cleaning and convenience are the big wins, but I’d definitely recommend going into the purchase knowing that you’ll still need to clean it regularly and budget for those ongoing costs.
Catherine, Heart London Magazine
