Neakasa M1 Plus Review: An Open-Top Litter Box for Big and Nervous Cats

Most self-cleaning litter boxes are plastic globes with a hole. That shape is a problem for two kinds of cat: the one too big to turn around inside it, and the one too wary to walk through a tunnel. Neakasa's M1 Plus is aimed squarely at both, and that focus is why it is interesting.

Why an open top matters

The maker's page lists a 13.86 inch entry height and a cat weight range of 2.2 lb to about 33 lb. There is no hood, so a large cat steps in over a low wall and sees the room while it does its business. Open boxes are generally easier for cats to accept, because nothing about them is new: it is a tray with a drum.

A review at TruthfulPaws calls it the only open-top automatic box that fits a 20 lb Maine Coon at a reasonable price, and says nervous cats adapt within days because there is no tunnel to learn. Not everyone agrees on size: one Walmart reviewer with a 28 lb Maine Coon called it very tight and wished for a bigger version.

The upkeep nobody puts on the box

Here the picture gets less friendly. Several owner reports, quoted in that same review, describe the waste-bin infrared sensors degrading around month 6 or 7. The sensors then report a full bin that is not full, and the drum can stop mid-cycle. One owner says the only fix is wiping the sensors, and the error returns.

We cannot reproduce months of use for a post like this, so read that as a pattern of owner complaints, not a measured failure rate. Treat the wiping as part of owning it, and check the 2 year warranty terms before you buy. Customer reviews on Walmart add a second complaint: urine can wet the sifting grate, litter clumps in the holes, and clumps pile up behind it.

Litter rules

The maker says to use fast-clumping, scoopable litter, bentonite or mineral, and to avoid non-clumping or absorbent types. TruthfulPaws names fine clumping clay as essential and says crystal, pellet and standard tofu litter perform poorly. If your cat is loyal to a pellet litter, this is not the box for you. If your cat accepts clay, you can still lose the odour benefit by letting the bin overfill: that review advises emptying every 3 to 4 days, even though Neakasa quotes about 14 days for one cat.

How we would set it up

Put it on a hard floor with a mat in front, in a spot the cat already uses, and leave the old box beside it for the first week. Fill the drum to the line with fine clumping clay, not past it, because an overfilled drum is what pushes litter out of the opening. The machine weighs 22.81 lb empty, so it will not slide around, and the 7.17 L litter capacity is modest, which means topping up more often than a large manual tray.

Give the app a day before you trust its numbers. It tracks bathroom visits and litter level and lets you run modes remotely, which is useful for spotting a cat that suddenly visits far more often. We would call that a prompt to phone a vet, not a diagnosis.

Cleaning, noise and the bag system

The drawer holds 11.23 L, and the Pull and Wrap system lets you tug the bag closed as you lift it out, which keeps the mess away from your hands. Safety is handled by six sets of infrared sensors and four weight sensors, and the box pauses when a cat steps in. Noise is quoted at 50 dB or lower, and one reviewer calls it quiet enough for a bedroom.

An open top also means litter flies. A reviewer's complaint that cats kick it out in all directions is the normal price of no hood, so a mat in front earns its keep.

Price and the cheaper option

At $379.99 on sale ($549.99 list), the M1 Plus costs about half a Litter-Robot 4, a point TruthfulPaws makes directly. Neakasa also sells the M1 Lite Plus, another open-top model, which is worth a look if budget matters more than size.

Verdict

Buy it if your cat is large, shy, or has rejected enclosed boxes, and you will wipe a sensor now and then. Skip it if you want a sealed box that traps odour, if you use crystal or tofu litter, or if your cat is closer to 30 lb than 20. It earns a mid-to-good score: the right shape for a hard-to-please group of cats, held back by upkeep.