No one likes to deal with cat poop, but if you’re not ready to shell out for an automatic litter box, you can still make the job easier with a container designed for litter scooping—typically known as a litter disposal system—that will work with any litter box. We tested multiple litter disposal models to find the best one to keep next to your litter box.
The Litter Genie Plus was our favorite way to manage cat litter for years, but the newer Litter Genie Easy Roll improves on it in almost every way. The open top of each bag fits over four notches on the inside of the Litter Genie lid, so when it’s full, you lift it, tear the full bag off the perforated roll, which separates easily with no risk of ripping, and tie off the top for disposal. The 24-bag Easy Roll refill cartridge is suitable for six months of scooping, or about a bag per week, making it more cost-efficient than the standard Litter Genie refills, which are sufficient for two months of scooping.
-
![A close up of the open lid on the Litter Genie Easy Roll Cat Litter Disposal System]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
-
![The Litter Genie Easy Roll Cat Litter Disposal System and a litter box on the floor]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
Compared to its predecessor, Easy Roll bags tend to be slightly smaller than the standard Litter Genie size-as-you-go waste bags, making them harder to overstuff—something our tester noticed—and they can sometimes pull loose from one or more of the tabs holding them open, which typically only happens when a bag is nearly full, though it never completely loosen or fell back into the receptacle. Also, it’s unlikely you’ll find cheaper generic refill bags that will work with the new system given the fresher proprietary design of the Easy Roll.
Yet despite these minor downsides, we think the Litter Genie Easy Roll is the best disposal system we’ve encountered—with its sleek design and big friendly buttons, less flimsy plastic, and improved trap door—the whole package is a little more pleasant to use than the original Litter Genie. However, we wouldn’t mind some more color choices!
Available with 24 bags, or in a bundle with 48 bags
Final Verdict
After testing for months in a two-cat household, the Litter Genie Easy Roll is our favorite litter disposal system. It’s got an updated design that makes it easy to replace bags, seal away stinky litter, and dispose of cat waste as simply as possible. We think it’s the best option out there.
While we recommend the Litter Genie Easy Roll for most cat owners, there are a few other models you’re likely considering, and we have thoughts on those too.
How We Picked
We tested four litter disposal systems under real-world conditions, sending them to experienced volunteer testers for an initial multi-week trial. Testers took detailed notes, following a methodology written by our research and testing team. We’ve followed up with testers ever since, and now have insights after years of use.
Our most valuable data came from a testing household that has tried out dozens of litter scoops, litter boxes, waste bags, and other methods of dealing with cat litter. The two cats living there sure do like to pee and poop a lot. This tester had a Litter Genie Plus they used for years but swapped it out for a Litter Genie Easy Roll and came away impressed with its myriad improvements.
What To Look For
Included Litter Scoop
Many disposal systems come with their own litter scoop and may work less efficiently with your favorite litter scoop. For example, we love the DurAnimals DuraScoop, but its wide shovel is probably too large to work well with the narrow trap door on some litter disposal units and it also won’t fit in a holder on the side of the Litter Genie. This typically isn’t a dealbreaker—just keep your preferred scoop hanging on a nearby wall hook—but some models, like the Litter Champ, have a hook that most scoops can hang from.
Poop Contact Points
The best litter control systems are designed to minimize opportunities for contact with cat waste. Despite having to lift the lid manually, The Litter Genie Easy Roll, for example, has a lid that’s unlikely to make direct contact with poop, though the rim around the inner portal requires occasional cleaning with a paper towel and ammonia-based cleaner. There’s also a trap door on most cat litter disposal units, which can either be opened from the outside or by pressing down on the door with your litter scoop. We much preferred the trap door on the Litter Genie, which is always separated from cat poop by the liner bag.
Odor Fighting Features
Some litter disposal systems include a charcoal filter built into the lid to absorb odors, though our favorite doesn’t (instead, the Litter Genie advertises an antimicrobial, odor-eating additive built into its plastic pail). While odor-fighting features are always welcome, we were unable to evaluate their efficacy with any precision. Instead, the biggest odor-minimizing factors were built into the design, by preventing your nose from confronting the primary waste compartment. Surprisingly, we found that the receptacles with the best odor seals were sometimes the smelliest because odors were trapped and then released in a big burst upon opening.
More We Recommend
The Litter Genie has a useful capacity, is excellent at managing scents, and is simple to use—once you get used to its unique system. To use the Litter Genie, just open the lid, dump waste in the funnel opening on top, and then pull the handle on the front to open the gate into the bagged receptacle below. The gate is spring-loaded and will snap shut again when you let go, pinching the bag closed against the back wall of the Litter Genie, which is enough to tamp down odors but doesn’t create an airtight seal that retains moisture and smells.
-
![A person dumping cat droppings into the Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
-
![The Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System and a litter box on the floor]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
Litter Genie bags are built like a long tube—making the bag-changing process a bit more involved—so you pull about a foot of the bag out of the refill (a standard refill contains 14 feet), then use a simple overhand knot to tie it off at the bottom, forming your waste bag. Push the refill into the top, pull the waste bag down through the spring-loaded gate, and you’re ready to scoop. When the receptacle is full, you crack it open, pull a little more bag down to ensure enough slack to tie it off at the top, then cut the tube with a little guarded blade (similar to a utility knife blade). Tie the top and take it all away.
Although we had reservations about both ends of a giant bag full of poop reliant on knots, using the Litter Genie quickly became second nature, and we never once had a knot slip, which attests to its reliability even after more than a year of use. The device does require its own set of bags—normally costing $7 to $10 per refill (depending on whether you buy them individually or in multi-packs), with each refill lasting about two months. But they are widely available across retailers, so anyone willing to shop around a little can find some great deals—plus there are several off-brand refills that are even cheaper and work just as well in our experience.
The Petfusion Portable Cat Litter Disposal lets you use bags of your choice, clipping each bag onto an inner basket that then nests inside a utilitarian receptacle with a convenient carry handle. While not a complete “litter disposal system” like our favorite, the Litter Genie Plus, the Petfusion receptacle is an excellent alternative to keeping a small trash can next to your litter box.
The main downside is that the receptacle is fully opened when scooping—exposing you to stinky cat litter. The lid’s silicone gasket creates a virtually airtight seal designed to lock the top down, which is great for tamping down smells when the Petfusion litter disposal is not in use but locks in smells and moisture, making the stink that much worse every time you open it. The charcoal deodorizer built into the lid is a nice touch, but not a perfect solution.
However, the Petfusion may well work better for people who aren’t interested in futzing with proprietary bags or tying off bags of cat waste into neatly knotted packages. If you are looking for a container best suited for emptying directly into an outdoor garbage can or dumpster, this is a convenient option. It also works well if you have to carry around a waste receptacle to multiple litter boxes.
Available with or without an attached bag dispenser
The Litter Genie XL has a bigger footprint—a little more than 5 inches taller than the Litter Genie Plus—and uses the same refill cartridges but lets you spool out a larger bagged receptacle which holds about 50 percent more waste. That’s 50 percent longer before you have to empty it—sounds like a no-brainer, right?
Here’s why it’s not: A full bag of cat waste in a Litter Genie Plus is already an unwieldy burden—weighing as much as 10 pounds—and a decent maximum for the amount we want to handle at any one time. Also, the big bags that come out of the Litter Genie Plus are already enough to put a serious strain on standard kitchen garbage bags. For most people, the Litter Genie XL is simply a little too much, though it might be a good pick for a cat rescue or other unusually numerous, multiple-cat scenario.
Litter Champ vs. Litter Genie Plus
Litter Champ
-
Foot pedal for upper lid
-
Opening into waste compartment accessed by pressing scoop on to door
-
Trap door unprotected by bag, can get messy
-
Carry handle
-
Longer refill bags (21 vs. 14 feet)
-
Front of waste compartment swings open for bag change
-
Included scoop with hook
Litter Genie Plus
-
Upper lid must be lifted by hand
-
Opening into waste compartment accessed by pulling spring-loaded trap door
-
Trap door protected by bag
-
No carry handle
-
More widely available refill options
-
Whole device opens from top for bag change
-
Included scoop with holder
The Litter Champ is very similar to the Litter Genie, but has one clear advantage: a foot pedal for lifting the top lid. It also has a door on the front that swings open, allowing for easier access to the bag for changing (just like the Litter Genie Plus, the Champ has a little blade inside you use to cut the bag and knot off a new receptacle).
Additionally, it has a carry handle on top, making this a good pick if you have to move your litter operation around between multiple litter boxes. Finally, the Litter Champ is a little larger with longer refills—21 feet versus 14 feet.
-
![A top-down view of the Litter Champ Disposal System with an open lid]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
-
![The Litter Champ Disposal System and a litter box on the floor]()
Credit: The Spruce Pets
However, we still prefer the Litter Genie for two primary reasons. The first is how you scoop litter into each device. The Genie uses a spring-loaded trap door that you open manually from the outside, whereas the Litter Champ uses a weighted door that you press down on with your litter scoop, which at first glance seems more convenient.
However, in our experience, it takes more effort, since you have to press down the door with the scoop, then shake the cat poop off into the bag. Plus, since you’re pressing the door downward into the bag, it can get messy and difficult once that bag is reasonably full and you’re pushing against a big pile of poop.
This system also requires you to have the top lid open to get your scooped poop into the bag, whereas with the Litter Genie, you can drop your scooped poop on top of the sealed compartment, then close the lid, then pull out the trap door, allowing the litter to fall into the bag without you ever having to interact with the waste storage compartment. Plus, the Litter Genie’s trap door is shielded behind the bag liner, unlike the Litter Champ, which has a trap door that touches scooped waste directly.
It’s a subtle difference, and the Litter Champ is better on several design points (we prefer how its waste compartment opens for bag changes, for example), but we found the Litter Genie to be easier to use overall. Plus, while both the Champ and the Genie are available from major retailers, the Litter Genie is more ubiquitous, making it easier to find deals on bag refills.
FAQ
-
What is a cat litter disposal system?
Litter disposal systems integrate waste storage with all the tools you need to tie off and replace a big load of litter, without ever having contact with that litter—most including a proprietary bagging system and litter scoop. The best designs will mostly shield you from subsequent confrontations with the smelly materials your cat leaves behind. Once the waste is scooped into the disposal system, subsequent steps will help you seal the waste into a bag that can be taken out with your normal trash.
-
How often should you fully empty your litter box?
While scooping litter should be considered a daily task, complete litter changes are not needed nearly as often. While full litter change timing can vary from household to household, typically you should be completely refreshing your cat’s litter and cleaning the interior of their litter box about once a month. This will ensure that smells won’t accumulate and that litter will continue to effectively clump and seal in odors.
-
What is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of cat litter?
The safest, most environmentally friendly way to dispose of cat litter is to tie it up in a small biodegradable trash or litter disposal bag and put it in the trash can. While you could perhaps compost some used biodegradable cat litter, it’s not advisable given its potential as a pathogen.
-
What should you never do when disposing of cat litter?
You should never dump cat litter outside because cat feces can carry various bacteria and toxins that, once introduced into the environment, can infect other animals and people. Also, you should never flush cat litter down the toilet, even ones labeled “flushable,” for the same reason. Pathogens can stay in the water supply even after being processed through a waste water treatment system.
Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
This article was written by Steven Asarch, a writer for The Spruce Pets. He has firsthand experience working with different feline products and taking care of two rambunctious felines. His cats are exceptional testers, who have tried out everything from automatic litter boxes to litter box liners. Steven has also written for The Spruce Pets about calming aids for cats, hairball remedies, robot vacuums for pet hair, pill pockets, and wand toys.
For a more expert perspective on how to best handle cat litter, he spoke to Co-Founders of Cat Behavior Alliance Rita Reimers and Linda Hall for this article.
#Favorite #Litter #Disposal #System #Easiest #Weve #Tested
