The **Littermaid LME9000 Elite Mega Self Cleaning Litter Box with Ionic Air Cleaner **is a okay product. I purchased this product about 6 months ago, at first it worked great but as time went on the machine started to get louder and louder. After trying several different cat litter brands to use with this machine I finally found one brand that didn't turn to clay. I like the fact that it automatically scoops waste out of the cat box and is less work then cleaning out a regular cat litter pan. I also save on purchasing cat litter each month because i don't have to buy it as often. And with the Ionic Air Cleaner the cat litter box smells alot better than if you were using a regular cat litter pan. My cat also seems to enjoy fresh clean litter every time he uses it. Also my cat enjoys watching the machine scoop out the waste, he tries to pounce at it. Which is another benifit of this machine, it will stop and retract if something gets in it's way.

RandyKessel

Bangor, WI

First I'd like to go on the record saying that I bought a Littermaid five years ago and LOVED it!  My cat isn't an overly messy animal, so it lasted for quite a while with moderate use.  Finally the rake just siezed up and refused to work anymore and I'd gotten another cat on top of the first, so I figured I'd better go and just buy a new one.  I ended up with this machine.  It did not work right from day one.  The rake siezed up on ANYTHING and would return to the "home" position...even on the stuff it was supposed to rake up!  And it was terribly noisy.  Complaints to the company were just blown off and I was told that it was just how the new model worked.  I just assumed that it was a bit more sensitive than my previous model, snarked a bit under my breath and just moved on with my life.  Fast forward ONE DAY after the 90 day full return period was up on the thing and voila it dies a sudden instantaneous death on me.  I called the company and was told that because the 90 days was up they couldn't give me a full refund, but they'd fix it (maybe) if I shipped it to them.  Once I explained that I lived in Alaska and it would cost me 50.00 one way to send it, they told me I'd have to pay return shipping on the item ahead of time too!  So, for a 120.00 item (I got it on sale) I'd have to pay them 100.00 to MAYBE fix it?!?  I was furious and from that time forward I've told everyone I know not to buy one of these machines.  Their customer service is terrible and I was NOT impressed at all.  I just switched back to the good old manual scoop cat box and while my cat isn't as impressed with watching me scoop the catbox as watching it rake itself, but she got over it.

shadowcatrules

Wasilla, AK

 Littermaid LME9000 Elite Mega Self Cleaning Litter Box -  This is the second Littermaid item I have purchased.  This one is basically a good idea that could use lots of refinement. The unit was a confusing to assemble, mainly because the instructions weren't great. But I eventually figured it out. It does perform mostly as advertised, but I have two main gripes with it. First, it makes a terrible amount of noise when it's raking into the receptacle. The first few times, I thought someone was shredding a document, as it sounds almost exactly like a paper shredder, only the growling and whining noise goes on considerably longer. Fortunately, it's located in another room, but for people who keep the litter box in the bathroom near the bedroom, it would really be a problem. Second, the unit is designed with thin disposable plastic receptacles and air cleaners that cost a fortune for what they are and don't hold very much. The box comes with four of each, and while I'll probably get some more because there's really no choice if I want to keep using the box, the pricing is outrageous.   A more minor issue is that the unit seems fairly flimsy, but only time will tell if that's actually a problem. Also, the rake mechanism speared a clump on one of the passes, and I'm not sure why, as the litter level seemed okay. Be forewarned that the tolerances for the litter levels are fairly narrow, and if you fill it too full, it sweeps perfectly good litter into the receptacle, wasting litter and precious space.  At this point, I am not as happy with the item as I would like to be and almost feel that the older version was better (my sister-in-law is using that one and having no problems).  Oh, and the plastic receptacles if not exactly in place, you end up with lots of litter and waste on the floor below it.  

debbiwilson

Centreville, VA