Petkit Pura X Litter Box Review

Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

Intro To The Petkit Pura X Self-Cleaning Litter Box

The Petkit Pura X litter box offers a broad array of features, including an app that provides real-time notifications about your cat’s activity and weight, multiple sensors for maximum responsiveness and safety, as well as a rotating globe that cleans quietly and efficiently.

This self-cleaning litter box promises to outperform the Litter-Robot III, which is currently our favorite automatic litter box. And for $599, you’re right to expect a lot. But does the Pura X do what it claims, and is it worth the price?

After weeks of paws-on testing, we’ve concluded that the Petkit Pura X is a decent performer in all key areas and stands high above the rest when it comes to activity monitoring and reporting. But it’s not perfect, and it does have a few flaws that may be deal-breakers for most cat parents.

Why Should You Trust Us

Mallory Crusta, our head of content, tested the Petkit Pura X Litter Box over the course of several weeks with her two cats, Wessie and Forest. Here you’ll find an overview of her experience along with everything you need to know about this automatic litter box to make your own decision.

Specifications

The Petkit Pura X Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box is a cube-shaped device that measures 19 x 21 x 25 inches. The inside of the litter box measures 18 x 16 inches with an opening of 8.6 inches and that opening is 12 inches from the ground.

The Pura X also has a weight sensor with a readout so you can track your cat’s weight which all integrates with the Petkit Pura X app. With the app, you can control cycles, track activity, and many other features that you can expect for this type of litter box.

How Does The Petkit Pura X Litter Box Work?

The Petkit Pura X runs a cycle—see the display showing that the unit is in the middle of a cleaning cycle. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Petkit Pura X Litter Box both cleans your cat’s waste and monitors their health. It features a thermal sensor, infrared sensor, weight sensor, anti-pinch infrared sensors, smart detection, remote alerts, and an accident protection system. Unlike other automatic litter boxes that use just Wi-Fi technology, the Pura X employs a multi-sensor system to detect cats and can cycle automatically.

The Pura X also has a weight sensor display with a readout so you can track your cat’s weight which all integrates with the Petkit Pura X app. The app has all the features you’d expect from an automatic litter box app, including remote cycling, activity tracking, and various cycle adjustments.

Compared to other automatic litter boxes, though, it gives more in-depth information on how long your cat was in the box and how much they weigh. And by giving you the ability to identify individual cats by weight, it makes it easy to differentiate between each user in a multi-cat home.

You can also control most features from the litter box display itself if the app is not available. It also provides a log for your cat’s litter box activity.

How to Set it Up

When opening the box, you will get a power cord, adapter, deodorizer, waste liners, mat, and the unit itself. Included is a simple setup guide that shows you where to add the liquid deodorizer if you want to use it. Then attach the globe and add your choice of litter.

The liner should be placed in the drawer and it can then be slid into place at the bottom of the unit and the mat should be placed at the opening of the unit. Put the unit in the desired location and plug it in.

What Kind of Litter It Uses

The Petkit Pura X Litter Box can be used with any type of litter but they do offer their own litter which is a combination of soy and clay.  Any clumping litter will work though.

Cat-Friendliness

The Petkit Pura X is not a particularly cat-friendly unit, with a small entrance situated a full foot off of the ground. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Pura X is designed for cats under 18 pounds and has several sensors and one that is specifically set up to track when your cat goes in and out of the litter box. This allows the Pura X to determine when and if a cleaning cycle is needed.

The Pura X does have cat safety features that are activated when your cat walks onto the included mat. It senses your cat and stops when in a cleaning cycle. If your cat manages to get into the litter box without using the mat it will also sense his presence and stop.

Odor Control

The Pura X has a built-in odor removal spray that sprays a fine mist of liquid that neutralizes foul odors after every cleaning cycle. If you are not interested in the smell of artificial fragrance, this feature can be turned off.

In testing the Petkit Pura X Litter Box, we found it worked fairly well for what it’s designed to do but did leave some small clumps behind. During a cleaning cycle, the inner part of the Pura X will rotate and the litter will pass through the grates, while the used portions go into a bin.

Scatter Control

Scatter can be an issue and our cats were kicking litter into the gap at the opening. In order to clean this, we had to reach in and clean it out under the globe as well as try and remove it from all the crevices.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The Petkit Pura X waste drawer fills up quickly. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

The Pura X has a relatively small waste tray, and it fills up at least once a week with one cat. The Pura X will automatically cycle after a minute or two but can be delayed anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes. The cleaning function itself is similar to its competitors. The internal globe rotates, sifting clean litter into a storage compartment while separating clumps and waste into a waste compartment.

When emptying the waste tray you could probably go a week with one cat if it is your only litter box. The waste tray itself is a drawer at the bottom of the box and is not very big when compared to other automatic litter boxes.

In terms of cleaning the litter box itself, the process can be pretty aggravating because regular cleaning requires a full disassembly.

Using the App

The Petkit app allows you to control cycles, track activity, and more. It will also allow you to receive status reports at any time of the day.

The multiple sensors also allow you to monitor your cat’s weight as well as how long your cat is in the box. You can even set up multiple profiles if you have more than one cat in the home.

How Much Does The Petkit Pura X Litter Box Cost?

The Petkit Pura X Litter Box sells for $599.00 and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee as well as a 1-year warranty. The Petkit Pura X Litter Box is available on their website, and the price may vary slightly depending on where you live.

Our Experience With The Petkit Pura X Litter Box

The entrance of the Petkit Pura X measures less than 8 inches in height, giving cats very little space for entry. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com

After trying the Petkit Pura X for several weeks and evaluating its sensor performance, cleaning cycle features, and cat-friendliness, we’ve determined that the litter box is a decent performer, delivering a relatively efficient clean and not presenting too many problems along the way.

Our cats were a little hesitant when using the Petkit Pura X Litter Box due to the size of the opening, the inside dimensions, and the height of the opening from the floor. They eventually warmed up to it but chose to do their business near the opening and that would cause the litter to leak out of the front and stick to the liner.

When we first received the Petkit Pura X Litter Box there was a weight sensor error and when we contacted them they referred us to their email support. After many email exchanges, they did send out a replacement unit.  However, their customer reviews show many unsatisfied customers who did not have as good an experience.

Is The Petkit Pura X Litter Box Worth It?

Overall, the Petkit Pura X litter box works fairly consistently and does what it should do but its performance leaves something to be desired. Generally speaking, we found the Petkit Pura X Litter Box wasn’t quite as impressive as the Litter-Robot, which is its closest competitor.

Also Read: Litter Robot vs Petkit Pura X – Purchased And Tested

It does have a few features that other automatic litter boxes do not. In regards to the weight sensors, you are able to monitor your cats through the app which is useful in multiple cat homes.

That being said, there are a few things about this litter box that do not make it particularly cat-friendly.

First, the cat friendliness of the unit should be reconsidered. This litter box would not be a good fit for larger cat breeds and it is also 12 inches from the floor making it difficult for some cats to get in. Also including some kind of lip at the entry and sealing gaps would be much more effective for cleaning.

The litter waste tray fills up quickly and could be made a little bigger to go longer between emptying. The grates in the sifter are fairly large and the bottom is not attached to the inside of the globe. This allows smaller clumps to end up back in the litter tray.

We didn’t dislike the Petkit Pura X Litter Box entirely, but we do not think it is worth the $599 + price tag even with the Petkit app adding value. It works fairly well, but it doesn’t have the cat friendliness its competitors might offer. Also, the company’s customer service department could use some improvement.