The Neakasa M1 Plus is worth a look if you have a larger cat or a multi-cat home and the idea of an enclosed robot feels too cramped. The open-top design is its biggest draw, and feedback from the supplied sample suggests it genuinely helps hesitant cats adjust. The main trade-off is that a few owners have run into operational hiccups, so keeping a backup plan is wise.
According to the listing, the M1 Plus uses a 6-array rotary infrared system to track a cat’s position, and the open top is meant to feel safer for bigger breeds. In the feedback we reviewed, that design paid off. One owner of a long-bodied sphynx who stands up to pee said this was the only automatic box that made sense for him, and another with a very tall cat reported both of their cats took to it immediately. The quiet motor also got several nods; multiple people noted their cats weren’t startled by the cleaning cycle, and one person said their felines hopped in before setup was even finished. Odor control is another bright spot. Several reviewers were surprised that they only noticed smells when opening the sealed waste drawer to change the bag, not while walking past the unit.
On the practical side, the experience isn’t universally smooth. A couple of owners described the unit freezing mid-cycle, which required unplugging and rebooting the machine. One person with ten cats loves the box but had a sensor issue that needed a replacement part, though they praised the quick customer service response. There is also mixed feedback on mess containment. While the included mat helps, one reviewer with multiple cats still sweeps up flung litter twice a day, and another mentioned their cats simply skirt around the mat. A few people noted that the machine’s weight and assembly can be a bit unwieldy for one person, so it may not be a set-it-and-forget-it solution for someone with physical limitations.
Before you buy, know that the app connectivity is a big part of the experience. The listing notes it works with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and the feedback we saw shows the app is genuinely useful for tracking weight and bathroom habits. However, one reviewer pointed out that if your Wi-Fi drops, you have to manually reconnect the box by re-entering your password, which can be a nuisance. Also, if you have a very small cat under 3.3 pounds, the listing mentions a dedicated Kitten Manual Mode, but you’ll want to supervise those early introductions.
This article is based on a limited administrator-provided Amazon buyer-feedback sample and does not represent every consumer. If you have a large, stand-up pee-er or a cat who hates enclosed spaces, the Neakasa M1 Plus seems like a strong contender that can genuinely reduce daily scooping. If your household has unreliable Wi-Fi or you want a completely hands-off, glitch-free experience right out of the box, you might pause and keep a traditional litter box in the rotation.