Litter-Robot 5 Review – Tested at Home in Real Daily Use

After using the Litter-Robot 5 daily, I can say it’s more than a quiet upgrade — it’s a redesign focused on convenience, stability, and smarter waste management.

This unit was provided to me as a free sample for review purposes, and I’ve been testing it in daily use to see how it performs in real conditions. Below, I share what changed and why these improvements have made a difference to me, day to day.

Overview: What Makes It Different

To me, the Litter-Robot 5 reworks nearly every part that used to take extra effort — and it’s clear the updates came from listening to real cat owners.

Setup & Assembly Experience

My box came with the Litter-Robot 5 assembled, the waste drawer, the step and AC adapter. The waste drawer needs a quick assembling that doesn’t take a minute, but needs manual strength. The Robot 5 includes the fence that comes already installed, something that used to confuse many cat owners trying to install the fence on the Litter-Robot 4. So much so, that I posted a video tutorial on how to do it. It’s great to see that the brand listened to real user feedback and saved this step (and money).

Practical details that stand out:

• The Litter-Robot 5 can be placed anywhere in the house now. I tested it on carpet and it works well. So no need for extra accessories.
• During setup, I noticed the litter chamber is slightly deeper than before, increasing its capacity without making the unit bulkier. I had to pour much more cat litter than usual.

Noise & Operation in Real Use

Noise Level

At night, I can hear the Litter-Robot 5 from my bedroom, and it sounds like a mosquito buzzing sound, just like before. I notice that when it’s too cold at night the hum becomes a tiny louder but not much. I usually set the unit on Sleep Mode when it’s too cold, because we sleep with Sophie to keep her warm, and have a litter box in the bedroom that she can use if she needs. In the daytime, the sound level feels about the same as before — low and steady. But I don’t really notice it that much because the location of our Robot is away from the living areas.

Operation Smoothness

The Litter-Robot 5 works as expected, so far so good. What I noticed is that the opening of the globe, where the waste drawer falls through is wider. This may explain why so far no clumps have been missed from falling into the waste drawer. I will update if I encounter any issues.

What’s Really New with the Litter-Robot 5

LCD Screen & Real Time Data

What surprised me the most when I received the Litter-Robot 5 was the LCD screen, I was curious. And here’s how it works: Every time my cat uses the litter box it displays in real time all the status of the cleaning cycle process, from my cat leaving the litter box until the cleaning cycle is finished. Now I don’t rely solely on my phone to check those details. I like that. Here’s what you’ll see:

So now you can simply take a look at the panel and know if you need to empty soon or refill with cat litter. Sometimes my cat does her business when I am not around and I miss this info because since it’s a real time data, when it passes it’s gone— at least on the screen— not on the Whisker app. But when I am around I can take a look and see the details.

Smart Recognition if Your Cat Does #1 or #2

Now I know if my cat defecates or urinates, thanks to the Litter-Robot 5’s new sophisticated sensor that recognizes the type of waste, cool, isn’t it? So now I can monitor my cat’s elimination habits and know if my kitty is pooping or peeing normally. My cat Sophie is 10 years old and I have to keep an eye for potential UTI issues or constipation. Here’s a video of my cat using the Litter-Robot 5:

Watch How the Litter-Robot 5 Works

Odor Control & Environmental Performance

Odor Test in Warm vs Cool Rooms

So far I have tested my Litter-Robot 5 in mild, cool and cold room temperature. The times that I have pulled the waste drawer I don’t have to turn my face away, so that’s a good sign. The real test will be next summer but I am confident that it will be much better. I noticed that the globe has a built-in system designed to improve balance and overall performance, next to the carbon filter. This system seems to work well. With the included carbon filter I haven’t smelled anything, but I will update in a few months if this is not the case.

Environmental Factors That Affect Results

Humidity mixed with hot temperature affect odor control performance, but I haven’t tested this condition with my Litter-Robot 5 yet so that is something I still have to see. The weather’s been slightly warm to cool lately and my unit hasn’t built up odors.

Cleaning & Maintenance

How Easy It Really Is

I felt the process disassembling and reassembling for cleaning much smoother with the Robot 5. Taking it apart doesn’t require force or guessing — the sturdier bonnet can be hung-open now to lift the globe.

The clips are improved so everything clicks back into place with clear alignment. I can clip the bonnet back on with one hand! Additionally, the rubber liner is smoother now so it’s easier to wipe clean or brush off.

Maintenance Details

• The bottom of the globe now includes a built-in compartment that contains a balancing component with some weight. Special care is needed when cleaning that area to avoid letting water in.
• The waste drawer detaches from the step so you can fully submerse the drawer. You will need hand strengh to detach it.
• Cleaning the sensors is not crucial anymore to keep the cat detection system working. The Litter-Robot 5 now somehow “sees” the cat so if the sensors are dirty, the unit is still safe. I have never had an issue of this type, but this is a detail worth mentioning.
• If the LCD screen gets dusty I use a lens brush and if there’s finger print marked I can use a clean microfiber cloth.

App Features & Smart Tracking

When checking my Litter-Robot 5 on the Whisker app I see the same menu navigation that I am used to: Status, History and Controls. The Status and Controls remain the same, with same options. What changed is how the menu “History” looks.

What Changed in the App

When tapping on the Litter-Robot’5 “History” on the app, I see now “Yesterday’s Waste Overview”. Here I can check at a glance how many visits my cat made to the litter box the day before, and how much feces and urine were collected, in cups. Further down I can scroll the activity log and track Sophie’s weight, plus the “Bathroom Visit” that I can click for more details of how much feces or urine she did, in cups.

Living With It: Small Things That Matter

• When I grab the empty globe and flip it, the balancing component at the bottom feels slightly loose, which is a bit unusual.
• I can empty the waste drawer less frequently now, because the new one is larger.
• My cat Sophie took to the Litter-Robot 5 immediately, something she has never done in the past. Now, she even uses it without the ramp, something she refused to do with the previous model.
• The Litter-Robot 5 looks much nicer, cleaner, and neater in my laundry room.
• With a colored light bar sometimes I didn’t know how to troubleshoot. Now I clearly read on the screen the messages of what’s happening with my Robot.
• The new recessed buttons feel less responsive. I actually preferred the older raised ones — they responded faster with just a light touch.
• None of the accessories  I have from the previous Robot suit the Robot 5. The exceptions are. the litter mat, the liners, and the OdorTrap.

Final Verdict

The Litter-Robot 5 isn’t trying to reinvent anything — but it does refine every annoyance the first version had, plus adding smart sophisticated technology to have deeper insights of your cat littter box behavior. The new version is sturdier, smarter, and easier to assemble, making it a true upgrade. The waste ID sensor needs a tiny refinement to be 99% accurate but the sensor works well, regardless.

If you already own the previous Robot version and it’s working fine, you don’t need to rush to replace it. But if you are looking for a multi-cat solution for up to 5 cats, the Litter Robot 5 may be an option worth considering.

More details, availability, and estimated shipping dates are shown on the official website.

---

Editor’s Note — October 21, 2025:
Early promotional visuals showed a lighted compartment described as a multi-layered carbon filter, which appeared to suggest an additional filtering system. After launch, it became clear that this area actually serves as a balancing component that stabilizes the globe during rotation. All other observations and test results in this review remain accurate to my hands-on experience.