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Welcome back to another edition of the self-cleaning litter box review series, In this post, I will be reviewing the ScoopFree litter system.
I will be covering all the major features of the unit and how it might positively benefit you over your old and smelly litter pan.
Scoopfree Product description
The unit is a fully automated litter box solution which will keep your cats sandbox cleaning demands well in order so you are not tied into cleaning your cats litter trey on a daily basis.
Its a set and forget system that has got all customers talking about its great features.
The unit was even proudly supported by Animal Planet as being one of the best litter boxes on the market.
The unit ensures an odourless environment with the use of SF signature disposable cardboard crystal litter trays, literally, all you have to do is load the ScoopFree litter tray and you are ready to go.
The SF features premium blue cat litter crystals which absorb any moisture and eliminates any traces of odor from emitting into the air.
Note: Premium litter crystals work differently to self clumping cat litter; clumping clay cat litter is used for clumping the waste, however, the blue crystal cat litter works in such a way that it absorbs the moisture and effectively dehydrates the cats waste.
As a result of this the crystal blue litter reduces all odors significantly.
What is blue crystal litter?
Crystal litter is a silica gel that starts in solid granular form and becomes a gel when it is exposed to moisture.
The gel dissolves and congeals when the cat urinates.
The cat uses the crystals like any other litter to cover its feces.
Like most other self-cleaning litter boxes on the market the ScoopFree litter trey features a smart Optical light sensor system which is able to detect when your cat has used the unit.
Once your cat has used the SF the sensor is engaged and enables the cleaning process, beginning with a 20 minute time delay before the cleaning cycle is engaged to ensure that your cat has cleared the unit.
If your cat does re-enter the litter system at any time during the delay timer is engaged or the cleaning process is active the SF litter box kills all operations and resets itself automatically until the cat leaves the box.
The Scoop free cleaning process is a worry-free and simple process, once the cleaning cycle is engaged the rake is in motion and collects all the dirty solids and waste and rakes the waste into the covered waste container which is located on the opposite end of the litter receptacle (Purple covered container), the rake then retracts back to its stationary position smoothing out the crystals with in the process.
All odors are immediately eliminated as soon as the dirty waste has come into contact with the crystals and disposed of into the waste receptacle.
The unit ensures a hands-free/Scooping free solution to people looking for an automatic hands-free solution.
The unit requires its own branded disposable cardboard litter trays, and its recommended to change the trays every few weeks as the cardboard trays start to go off with the consistent use.
The Design
The unit is constructed with a solid and robust plastic design and utilises a stainless steel rake for the scraping up of waste: which is really helpful as most other plastic rakes seem to break under pressure.
The unit has an easy to use programmable interface which allows you to change the delay time of the cleaning cycle as well as a day counter to keep track of how many times your cat has used the litter box in a day.
The units branded disposable blue crystal trays are treated to repel the cats urine which insures the cats urine does not soak into the cardboard.
Scoop Free Features
- Unit functionality which automatically disposes your cats waste with ease.
- Disposable branded crystal litter trays that absorb urine and moisture, leaving an odorless and clean result.
- You do not need to clean or do any maintenance to the Scoop Free.
- Box dimensions are 27.5 x 19 x 7 inches.
- Litter area dimensions 14 x 14 inches.
- Disposable litter trays are plastic sealed to prevent leakage.
- The premium litter trays include blue crystal cat litter
- Programmable interface for easy push-button functionality
- The cleaning cycle is activated after a 20 minute delay time after the cat leaves the litter box.
- 90 day money back guarantee.
How does the ScoopFree work?
The unit works in conjunction with specially designed litter trays that fit flawlessly within the units litter area.
The crystal litter used for the prefilled litter tray is used to soak up the moisture of cat urine and effectively stops urine odor in its tracks.
The cats feces are also affected by the crystal litter, soaking up the moisture and drying out the feces which ensures there is minimal odor.
Once the cat has done his business the advanced optical light sensor system located on the ScoopFree is activated which detects the use of the waste box.
Once the cat has successfully left the cat trey, the 20 minute delay period is engaged to ensure that your cat doesn’t re-enter the cat box during the automatic self-cleaning process.
After the 20 minute delay period is finished the rake mechanism is engaged for scooping up the dirty litter and feces into the purple covered waste container to complete the cleaning phase, stopping the manifestation of contamination to the unused litter.
The rake then retracts back to its normal idle stationary position running back over the litter, smoothing out the litter as it returns.-
Demonstration Video
How to set up the ScoopFree?
The unit is so easy to setup a child can do it, the unit is made up of 3 main parts that need to be assembled.
These parts include:
- Frame
- disposable litter tray (Blue Crystal)
- Frame lid
One of the first things you have to do is to set the tray’s lid under the litter tray as protection.
Then, lift the trey and slide the crystal litter pan underneath, you should hear a “click” that means the sensor is on the waste trap are connected to the ones on the litter tray.
Important information
As I have detailed the Scoopfree utilises disposable litter trays, however it is important to make note that there is another competitor providing a cheaper litter tray solution for the unit.
These cheaper litter trays are called 😍 ScoopMaid and they perform terribly in comparison to the branded litter trays, because the cardboard is simply not treated with the same plastic urine protection film as the litter trays, there has been many complaints from users confusing these cheaper litter trays to be ScoopFrees litter trays.
If you looking to SAVE SOME MONEY! using a reusable tray to replace the expense of disposable litter trays, there is a new product called Forever Litter Tray,
The Forever Litter Tray is a non-disposable solution to the SF which can save you hundreds of dollars in disposable litter treys.
Cat owners can refill the tray with premium crystal cat litter and change it every time the box needs to be cleaned.
Tips and Tricks and best practices
To save money without having to use disposable litter trays there is a non-disposable solution called the Forever Litter Tray made specifically for the Scoopfree litter box system.
For a bigger size trash receptacle there is another extension on the market called the Litter bagger by ScoopFree
This unit works in such a way that the ScoopFree litter container is placed on the top of the Litter Bagger (See Picture on the right)The standard waste receptacle bag is removed from the unit freeing up a hole where the waste falls into the litter bagger.
The litter bagger possesses and easy to use bagging system which frees you from handling any waste ever again.
The litter bagger has been receiving raving reviews and makes the waste automatic managing system a real breeze to work with.
- This unit is a big unit and I recommend having some free space to put it.
- If your cat is a notorious litter kicker or he/she likes privacy, there is an additional
extension hood that can be bought with the SF or as an additional purchase.
The Hood is highly recommended for cats who tend to kick litter out of their trays, however, the hood does not cater well to larger sized cats.
- I highly recommend placing a mat on the entrance or the perimeter around the cat box, this will stop litter tracking through out the household.
- It is a good idea to occasionally stir the crystals in the waste receptacle if your cat in known to urinate in the same spot every time.
- Lastly, make sure that you avoid using disposable trays longer than the recommended use, otherwise, this will result in leakage from the cardboard trays and it will start to smell.
- No need kitty litter mats
Pros:
- Very solid and rugged design, built to last.
- Easy to assemble and setup.
- Reliable system.
- The cleaning process is a lot quieter.
- 20 minutes delayed cleaning functionality, waste is dried out before the Scoopfree’s rake starts cleaning the litter box.
- Significantly reduces cat waste odors in the household
- Safe for cats to use thanks to the automatic optical sensory system.
- The walls are at a sufficient height to combat most litter kicking cats.
- The blue crystals litter allow the waste to dry out and reduce any odor occurrence.
- Long power cable.
- Blue crystals do not stick to the cats paws as often as most other kitty litters.
- It possesses an automatic reset cleaning cycle if your cat re-enters the litter trey during or before 20 minute period.
- The on-board program allows you to adjust the time delay when the cleaning cycle starts.
- There is a counter that keeps track of your cats daily use of the cat box.
- Additional attachments which will save you more money in the long run, check out the ScoopFree Hood
Cons:
- The system can be seen to be expensive to maintain especially when using the pre-filled disposable trays.
- Clean litter also seems to get mixed up with the dirty litter when it is getting scraped into the waste container.
I recommend the unit to:
- Multiple cats, no more than 3 to 2 cats .
- Easy to integrate into the cats toilet routine.
- If you cannot afford the disposable pre-filled trays but you are willing to replace the filling system with its alternatives described above.
I don’t recommend the unit to:
- If you are not willing to spend money on pricey pre-filled litter trays every 2 weeks.
- If you are on a tight budget and not looking to purchase on extra additional attachments.
Final Conclusion
The unit system is a great unit, and stands up against most of the other self cleaning litter box brands on the market.
The unit uses blue crystal litter which absorbs cat waste efficiently along with knocking out any smelly cat odors that come with it, however there is a limit to the blue crystal litter as it starts failing to absorb the urine as the time goes on, which leads me to say that you have to change the litter trays every few weeks of use (As directed by the manufacturer).
The downside of the SF is that it requires a lot of pricey disposable litter trays to maintain the use of the unit, however this can easily be avoided with the purchase of the additional reusable litter tray call the Forever Litter Tray available for the unit.
Litter bagger.
attachment which enables more waste to be collected.
This type of cat box can be used by multiple cats however i would recommend 2 – 3 cats could comfortably use this litter pan with ease.
Go to the previous post about the LitterMaid Elite Reviews | Read more about the SmartScoop Reviews
