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Find the best stainless steel litter box for your cat, by reading the pros and cons of these top 3 litter boxes from iPrimio, Ohmaker and Yangbaga. You can also read about the benefits and disadvantages of stainless steel litter boxes in general, to help you decide if this type of litter box is the right choice for you.
Disclaimer: Some links included in this post may be affiliate links, which means the site earns a small commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you).
The durability of stainless steel litter boxes is a pretty sweet benefit – and it helps with the biggest con too, which is the price. It does cost more to buy a litter box made of stainless steel than a basic model that is made of plastic, but unlike the cheap plastic kind, stainless steel litter boxes do not need to be replaced every few years. It could even be the last litter box you ever have to buy. If you do decide that you are willing to pay more upfront, it could actually end up saving you money in the long run – and help save the planet!
Do you want to say NO to plastic, and end the cycle of plastic litter boxes going to the landfill? Keep reading for more pros and cons of stainless steel litter boxes, or jump to the top 3 section to find out more about each individual model.
Pros and cons of stainless steel litter boxes
Before looking at each of the top 3 litter boxes individually, let us investigate the general pros and cons that apply to all of them. After all, are stainless steel litter boxes really better than plastic? Obviously they are more eco friendly, but what about performance?
Pros of stainless steel litter boxes
- Odor-free
- Does not absorb odor like plastic
- Long lasting
- Could be the last litter box you have to buy
- Eco friendly
- Sustainable material
- Can be recycled
- Hygienic
- Does not harbor bacteria or mold like plastic
- Easy to clean
- Modern design
Cons of stainless steel litter boxes
- Price
- More expensive than many plastic litter boxes
- A more inexpensive alternative would be the DIY-route: DIY stainless steel litter box
- Not widely available
- Not common in brick and mortar pet stores yet
- Have to order online without actually seeing the product first – this also means it could get dented during shipping, so return policy and customer service matters
- No fully hooded models yet
- See fix here: DIY Hooded Litter Box
- One brand offers a screen (iPrimio)
Even though most cats prefer an open litter box, that might not true for your cat. And if your cat happens to be a “digger”, you might want to keep the litter from scattering everywhere. None of these litter boxes have a hood, but if you want a stainless steel litter box that is covered, you can find the solution in the DIY Hooded Litter Box-section.
Top 3 stainless steel litter boxes
iPrimio Ultimate Stainless Steel Cat XL Litter Box
This litter box from iPrimio is the most “tried and tested” stainless steel litter box out there. It currently has over 800 ratings on Amazon, and has received close to 5 stars.
It is also the only litter box that is kind of “hooded”. Meaning it has a screen (sold separately) that can be attached to it. The screen adds another 6 inches, making the litter box a total of 12 inches in height – the top is still open, but it should be enough to minimize scattered litter from eager diggers.
Pros
- Established brand with many happy customers according to ratings on the Amazon product page
- Possibility of extra high sides with the screen
- Large size: 23,5 x 15,5 x 6 inches
- Fits jumbo litter box cover for DIY Hooded Litter Box
- Non-slip: Yes
- Safe rounded edges: Yes
- Additional options
- iPrimio scoop holder that can be attached to the litter box
- iPrimio litter scoop
- iPrimio 6 inch litter box screen
- US based company
- Has video on the Amazon product page that clearly shows you what the litter box looks like. There are also several good customer photos.
Cons
- The screen option for the litter box is made of plastic
- Some customers have complained about brown residue on the litter box. iPrimio says this is the result of the bending machine that rounds edges for safety.
Where to buy
Available on Amazon.com, where you can also find more photos and information about this stainless steel litter box, including reviews from customers.
Ohmaker’s OhmBox
Pros
- Gives to charity
- A portion of the profits goes to the MEOW Foundation. This is a registered charity that helps rescue and find homes for cats.
- Large size: 23.5 x 15.5 x 6.1 inches
- Fits jumbo litter box cover for DIY Hooded Litter Box
- According to the brand, the size is “excellent for single or MULTI-cat families“
- Non-slip: Yes
- Rounded edges: Yes
- There are several good customer photos on the Amazon product page that makes it easier to visualize how it will fit in your home.
- Some photos even have cats next to – or in – the litter box, so you get a better idea of the size for your own cat.
Cons
- Possibly plastic film wrap
- The sides of this litter box are actually white. There are several materials that could be the reason for this, but one that fits well with the price point of the litter box, is plastic or vinyl film wrap. If Ohmaker has had the same issue with brown residue as iPrimio, then wrapping it in plastic would make it more aesthetically pleasing to the customer. Please note, however, that this is pure speculation. The product page on Amazon does not currently say anything about what the white material is, or why they have chosen this as a design feature.
- Does not offer screen or hood for the litter box
- See fix in the DIY Hooded Litter Box-section
- General cons of stainless steel litter boxes also apply
Where to buy
Available on Amazon.com, where you can also find more photos and information about this stainless steel litter box, including reviews from customers.
Yangbaga Stainless Steel Litter Box
Pros
- Large size: 23,5 x 15,5 x 6 inches
- Fits jumbo litter box cover for DIY Hooded Litter Box
- Non-slip: Yes
- Rounded edges: Yes
- There are several good customer photos on the Amazon product page that gives you a better idea of what the litter box looks like, and how it will fit in your home.
Cons
- Does not offer screen or hood for the litter box
- See fix in the DIY Hooded Litter Box-section
- General cons of stainless steel litter boxes also apply
Where to buy
Available on Amazon.com, where you can also find more photos and information about this stainless steel litter box, including reviews from customers.
DIY stainless steel litter box
As mentioned before, these are not the cheapest litter boxes. Compared to plastic, stainless steel litter boxes can be on the higher side of mid-range in price.
Understandably, this can keep some cat owners from making the initial investment. Especially for multi-cat households, that need more than one single litter box.
If you want the benefits of stainless steel, but hesitate because of the price, then this DIY is a great option to consider.
Use a large stainless steel pan that is deep enough, about 6 inches, and do a minor tweak to turn it into a litter box. Since the pan is made of stainless steel, you will still get the same benefits such as better odor control and longevity.
This steam pan in stainless steel is not far off when it comes to size (20.9 × 12.9 × 6.1 inches) :
The size is right, the price is better and the material is the same… What does that leave for the DIY to fix?
You might have noticed that the corners are not rounded on this steam pan. As some photos from the customer reviews show, the edges of the pans are a bit sharper than what is ideal for a litter box.
The solution to this problem can also be found in the reviews section: Duct tape. One customer has even shared a photo of an altered steam pan – having simply covered the sharp edges with duct tape, making them safe to be used by a cat.
Take a look at the photos in Amazon’s customer review section to get a better idea of what the steam pan looks like, or just check out the modified pet friendly duct tape version by clicking here.
Where to buy
Available on Amazon.com, where you can also find more photos and information about this stainless steel litter box alternative, including reviews from customers.
DIY Hooded Litter Box
The easiest fix would be to choose the iPrimio stainless steel litter box, since the brand offers a screen for it. Unfortunately though, the screen in made of plastic, so that part of the litter box will not be eco friendly.
Easy peasy and eco friendly
Another easy – and inexpensive – fix is to simply place the stainless steel litter box into a large cardboard box with high sides.
However, something a little more permanent might be nice. Something that is eco friendly, will last for a long time, keep the litter from scattering everywhere AND preferably look nice too.
Permanent fix for a covered litter box
So here is the fix that checks all of those boxes: A litter box cover. Also called a litter box enclosure. In short: Stainless steel litter box + litter box cover = hooded litter box.
Because these top 3 stainless steel litter boxes are on the larger side, it is important to make sure that the litter box cover will fit it.
The ecoFlex Litter Loo from New Age Pet has a 10 Year warranty and comes in five colors. It also comes in two different sizes: Standard and Jumbo. The jumbo-size is large enough for all the litter boxes listed here, so you can take your pick. Measurements for the interior are 28,4 x 22,4 x 25,2 inches, and the exterior measures 30,0 x 24,0 x 28,9 inches.
On the plus side, your cat will have more space than with most regular hooded litter boxes.
Oh, and it will hide the litter box area too, and just look like a regular piece of furniture. Even though the stainless steel litter box looks very sleek and modern, you might not want a constant reminder of its “contents”.
Where to buy
Available on Amazon.com, where you can also find more photos and information about this litter box cover, including reviews from customers.
DIY all the way
Yet another option is to go all out with the DIY part. One creative cat owner turned a secondhand dresser into a “litter box keeper”, as she calls it. You can read the step-by-step instructions, and see photos of how she did it in this blog post: Little Dresser Turned Litter Dresser (realitydaydream.com)
Upcycling a piece of furniture into a litter box cover is great for the environment, and it would also keep the litter from scattering while looking nice as well. Finding a large enough drawer might be a little tricky though, but maybe a nightstand or cabinet would be better?
No matter what you choose to use as a cover for your stainless steel litter box – good luck on your quest towards a more eco friendly litter box area – and get the exact interior measurements!
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