Litter-Robot Automatic III Open Air
Good when it worked
The litter robot is a brilliant idea that’s been poorly engineered, the parts used are not made to withstand the environment it’s being used in. We have had one for 2 and a half years, in that time it has probably worked properly for less than 6 months, the warranty process is arduous as you have a choice of either sending the box off for 2 weeks for repair or repairing it yourself. The warranty lasts for 18 months and the day that 18th month passed they wash their hands if you even if you’ve had continual problems from the day of purchase.
Is...
Read moresues we’ve had include sensors breaking 3 times, pinch sensors corroding and not working twice, buttons stopped working three times, on the last time it was nearing the end of the warranty so they sent new buttons which didn’t fix the issue and they then said I had to pay for parts to fix it even though the issue was from before the end of the warranty period, the buttons probably worked for less than 6 months of the entire 2 years we had the box meaning we couldn’t reset it or empty the box, it had to be rotated by hand to empty or switched off and on at the wall to reset, Hood detectors have now stopped working so we’ve moved over to another box now, during this time we’ve spent maybe 12 months rotating it by hand or emptying it as a normal litter box if you add up all the seperate down time. I understand that the warranty is what it is and the way they deal with the warranty is actually fair, you can’t expect them to replace it so the only options are to send it off or replace parts yourself, the issue is this is a time saving device, sending it off leaves the cats with no box and the product itself comes with instructions on getting the cats gradually used to it and they then expect you to remove it from the house and use a normal box immediately in order for the repair, and repairing it yourself although not difficult is time consuming which defeats the entire point of the product, I think I’ve probably dismantled this thing 20 times over 2 years trying to resolve issues, I’ve had to replace the screws holding the motor cover on as they are corroded and the plastic they screw into no longer takes the screw. If this product was engineered better with protection for the corrosive parts it would be a great product but as it stands we basically spent $1000 on a box that worked for less time than it was broken for 2 years. Very frustrating considering the issues with this box could so easily be fixed with better design, it’s a litter box, why use corrosive materials so close to the litter which are vital to its operation and why install a PCB in the open next to the litter draw, it’s almost as if these have been installed as planned obsolescence as i’m an electrician not an engineer and i could have created alternatives for the pinch sensors and location of the PCB which would prevent this. Also repair and replacement of these parts are not in easy to reach places and are difficult to repair, another issue that could easily be designed out by just allowing the top and bottom half of the base to be dismantled into 2 halves Brilliant product when it worked though, hopefully the new bid which works in the same way for less money will be better as it already looked better engineered so hopefully the cat link pro won’t be as much of a disappointment as the litter robot, it’s looking good so far and has more features for a 3rd less costPurchased for $1,000.
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Don’t waste your money
Great when it’s working. Non of the buttons work, it will not cycle. I have emailed for assistance without any response. Don’t waste your money!!
- Value for Money
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Dear Amber, Im sorry to hear you have an issue with your Appliance. I have tried to locate your eail but we dont seem to have anything from you. Please email [email protected] and we will po...
Read moreunce to assist. Note that Cat Evolution provides warranty and customer support for Australia and New Zealand, but may also be able to provide you some initial assistance if you are elsewhere. If you need support outside of these areas, please get in touch with the manufacturer whisker.com for your closest assistance point.
Great to hear. They also have a chat feature and FB page, in case you need other avenues to get assistance!
Dfi sensor issues
Good at start when works however have (what appears) a common dfi blue light sensor error. No amount of online troubleshooting has reolved. Too exp for this to be happening.
Purchased in at Other for $850.
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Sorry to hear you have a problem Dave. Please get in touch directly at [email protected] for assistance. Online trouble shooting is very helpful to a point, but we can provide direct assista...
Read morence to resolve issues, which is faster if you need assistance. The also Robot is designed for self installation of parts, which is very unusual for an appliance. We can provide options for repair at workshop should self installation not be suitable, with workshops currently located in WA and NSW.Questions & Answers
I just purchased the open air connect machine. I have downloaded the Whiskers app which is supposed to support Australian customers now… However all the app does is directs me to the USA LR store on line then reroutes me to the AU cat evolution store store which is not an app nor provides links or connection to the litter robot. Getting super frustrated with the really poor instructions for Australian users.
Hi, I don’t have this one, however I have called cat evolution for advice on a couple of things and they were so helpful!
Thank you so much Jenny! It’s always a purrleasure to speak to lovely cat people!
For the App, there has been a rebrand from AutoPets to Whisker, which has led to some issues with locating the correct link. If you need help, just ask at [email protected]. For Apple, this ...
Read morelink is correct currently. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/whisker/id1475805212
Hi
I understand everyone seems to be happy about the less smells associated with Litter Trays but does the count for the 'Wee smells' as well ? Everyone seems to mention the 'poo smells' being better. My issue at the moment with a sifting pellet litter tray is that the 'wees' that go through to the bottom smell and we are continuously cleaning for this reason etc.
Thanks
The ‘poo smells’topic is more common as its a pervasive odour and at times very potent. Pee smells are also addressed by the same process. Basically the Litter-Robot scoops out clumps, be it poo or pe...
Read moree, and deposits into the waste drawer, removing from the open air. Quality of the litter does affect how well the odours are locked in once clumped and in the waste drawer, with fast efficient clumping good. In addition additives such as carbon or activated charcoal in the litter will work further on odours between deposit and disposal.
What brand of clumping litter does everyone use in their litter robot? Do you use the Catevolution one or another brand?
I just use the Trouble & Trix litter from Petbarn. They have a few different scents. Works a treat!
I have used a few.. catsan clumping, tidycats, and so phresh have been the best.
it does depend a bit on your cat and their habits which would work best for you.
A non-digger may need something different to a vigorous digger for example.
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Details
| Category | Cat Litter |
|---|---|
| Litter Type | Clumping |
| Material | Clay |
| Biodegradable | No |
| Disposal | Rubbish Only |
| Odour Control | None |
| Manual | Download manual |
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Extra Information
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Dear Dan, thank you for your valuable feedback, and sorry that your experience has not been successful with the Litter-Robot. As you have mentioned, the Litter-Robot is designed for self installation ...
Read morewith full support provided, which is unusual for an appliance. Support assists in diagnosis of issues, with the large amount of information on the internet making self diagnosis difficult but fast track is to get in touch with the company purchased from asap. The repair options are at customer's choice to have parts sent, or to have a workshop review and repair of the appliance should there be an issue, and are fully covered for manufacturing defects for 18 months warranty (longer than many appliances). Self installation provides faster repair if the customer wishes to try the option, with backup of sending for review and repair if the installation is not successful. The review and repair process does mean the appliance is out of use due to travel to the workshop locations, but is a comparably short period of time with workshops located in Australia (WA, NSW and SA). As a note, a key component to the appliance working well is good clumping clay litter with low dust. Good clumping clay litter locks in uric acid (cat urine component) reducing maintenance issues and also assisting with odour containment. The metal parts that can be subject to corrosion and wear from litter in use, number of cats, and climate, are inexpensive to purchase and self replace, for appliance longevity after warranty. The main circuit board is located away from the usual path of litter or cat deposits, behind the control panel (buttons). Access to the base does require removal of screws but once unscrewed separates into 2 halves for easy access. As a further note, the DFI (drawer full indicator sensor) is currently under review and an updated version, backwards compatible, should be available soon following manufacturer testing processes.