Litter Genie Review: Standard, Plus Or XL (And How To Use It!)

In this Litter Genie review, we’re going to be looking at a product designed to simplify, and even improve the way you deal with cat litter. Ultimately, there’s no “fun” way to keep cat litter trays clean. However, with something like the Litter Genie, you can make things a little more manageable. 

The Litter Genie is a simple (but effective) system for managing cat waste and keeping your home smelling fresh. It’s basically a diaper genie, with a self-contained bag distribution system that keeps odors contained. This means that you can simply scoop your cat’s litter and get it out of the way as quickly as possible. There should be less need to refill your cat's litter tray whenever you use this system so it should mean you save on litter.

The Litter Genie comes in 3 sizes which are essentially the same in design and with mostly the same features apart from the amount of cat litter waste they can hold.

For most cat owners, especially those with only one cat, the standard Litter Genie is the one to buy.

The Litter Genie (recommended by market leading names like Jackson Galaxy), promises cat owners a (mostly) odor free way to get rid of that excess cat waste. It’s affordable, easy to use, and wonderfully effective. Let’s jump into this full Litter Genie review.

What is the Litter Genie?

The original or standard Litter Genie is the flagship product of “Litter Genie” – the cat accessories brand. The company also sells a Litter Genie cat litter box, with the promise of easy emptying and refilling. There’s also a range of Litter Genie designs, including the Litter Genie XL, and the Litter Genie Plus. 

The Litter Genie is a simple concept. If you’ve ever used a diaper genie – it’s essentially the same thing. On the outside, the Cat Litter Genie looks like a compact trash can. The top half of the design features a bag cartridge which dispenses a long bag that’s open at both ends.

How To Use Litter Genie

The trickiest part of using a Litter Genie, in our opinion, is getting this set up, but lukcily the Litter Genie instructions are actually pretty simple. The Litter Genie refills slots into a specific part of the pail, and you need to follow the Litter Genie instructions to feed the bag past a slider, into the base, and then tie it off at the bottom. 

Once you’re set up, you can use the scoop included to sift through your cat’s litter and drop the clumps into the top section of the pail. Pulling out the handle allows the scoops to drop into the bottom of the bag. The handle retracts when you release it, sealing in the litter, and the smell.

When the genie is full, you can remove the top half of the Litter Genie to access the bag underneath. There’s a razor in the middle of the pail so you can cut the bag off the rest of the strip, tie it up, and throw it in the trash. After that, you simply set up a new Litter Genie refill.

Litter Genie Review: Does it Work?

The good thing about the Litter Genie, Litter Genie Plus, and Litter Genie XL, is they’re great for any kind of litter disposal system. You don’t need to use specific Litter Genie cat litter to benefit from this device. The Litter Genie does take a few minutes to figure out at first, but once you get it set up, the benefits are immediately obvious. 

After only a few days of using this device, we immediately noticed that the whole litter area smelled a lot better and was more appealing to our kitties too. The bag is also much easier to deal with. We used a single device with two cats, and we found we only had to empty the system around once every couple of weeks. Each bag cartridge can last quite a while. 

The Litter Genie refills are a little expensive, but it’s worth remembering that you’re getting something that’s going to eliminate a lot of the horrible odor from your home. Importantly, you also get a product that’s completely dog and children proof, so there’s less risk to worry about too. Even bigger cats are going to have a hard time knocking this device over or causing any mess. 

For reducing odor, the Litter Genie definitely works. If you don’t mind carrying your device between litter boxes, the Litter Genie XL is a good pick for multi-cat households. However, you might want to consider getting multiple litter genies for the best convenience. This way, you can keep a Litter Genie next to each of your cat box locations.

Whether you’re using one Litter Genie or multiple, you can rest assured that your device will quickly and conveniently block unwanted smells from wafting through your home. You also get the extra benefit of keeping your cats happy with a clean bathroom space. This could reduce the risk of urination outside of the litter box.

Litter Genie vs Litter Genie Plus

One thing you may struggle with when shopping for your Litter Genie, is whether to choose the standard Litter Genie, or the Litter Genie Plus. The Litter Genie XL is just a larger version of the Litter Genie, intended for households with multiple cats.

Both the Litter Genie as well as the Litter Genie Plus include a lot of similar features. For instance, both products make it quick and simple to clean out litter trays and keep your home smelling great. You can easily clear out unwanted litter with these devices without having to fully empty out the litter box. The more you use the system, the cleaner your cat’s bathroom is. This could even discourage peeing outside of the litter box for some cats.

The Litter Genie and the Litter Genie Plus also last for quite a while. You shouldn’t have to empty your litter as often with these devices, which means less time running back and forth with bags of waste. However, there are a few differences to consider, such as:

The Litter Genie basic model is ideal for beginners who don’t want to spend a fortune on litter cleaning gadgets and accessories. If you already know about the benefits of the Litter Genie and you want to take them to the next level, you can look at the Litter Genie Plus instead. We’d definitely recommend the Litter Genie XL for homes with 2 cats. If you have more than 2 feline friends, it might be worth buying multiple smaller Litter Genies so you can keep them beside each litter tray.

Litter Genie Review: Ease of Use

If you’re buying a system to make cleaning and managing litter trays simpler, then ease of use is going to be high on your list of priorities. The biggest issue we had with the Litter Genie was the initial set-up. Even with the Litter Genie instructions to help us, we had some trouble figuring out how to get everything securely put in the right place.

The latch section will snap back into place so you can’t smell that horrible litter when you close the lid. 

We were particularly fond of the fact that there’s an easy cutting system at the top of theLitter Genie, to help you get rid of everything when your bag fills up. You don’t have to go track down a pair of scissors when your device is full.

We’d definitely recommend using non-clumping cat litter if you want to make using the Litter Genie as simple as possible. With non-clumping litter, you can easily sift through and remove waste without filling the bag with too much excess litter. This should save you money on cat litter and Litter Genie refills. Plus, it means you don’t have to refill the tray as often.

Litter Genie Review: Value for Money

As quite a simple product, the Litter Genie might seem a little expensive at first. The basic version of the product is the cheapest, at under $20, while the Plus is a little more expensive. The most expensive product is the Litter Genie XL, but it’s well-worth the extra investment if you have multiple cats to care for. Overall, none of these devices are going to break the budget too much, and most will come with a set of Litter Genie refills too. 

The most expensive part of using the Litter Genie, is stocking up on more than one Litter Genie refill. The bags are a lot more expensive than simply placing a standard trash bag in your trash can. A couple of Litter Genie refills can cost the same price as the basic box. However, theoretically, the experts say that you should get around 4 months out of two refills – so it might not be too bad. 

If you have multiple cats and you scoop a lot of boxes on a daily basis, the Litter Genie would fill up far too quickly. You could always consider finding a way to rig your Litter Genie with some regular trash bags to cut costs. Even a standard bag in the Litter Genie system should hold in more of the smell and make it easier to empty your cat litter boxes. 

Some people have already shared their own Litter Genie hacks online, such as:

How Long Should Litter Genie Refills Last?

We’d recommend looking into some Litter Genie hacks, like using your own bags, if you're trying to keep your home as frugal as possible. Although the Litter Genie refills can last up to 2 months in a single cat household, the actual timeline will depend on a few things. If you have multiple cats who use the litter tray a lot, you’re not going to get nearly as much time.

A few of the things that might affect how long your Litter Genie refills last include:

Litter Genie Review: Finishing Thoughts

Investing in a Litter Genie will definitely make your life easier if you’re sick of constantly scooping your cat’s tray. You don’t have to grab a plastic bag and hit the trash can every time you notice an increase of waste in your cat’s litter tray. This product saves you a lot of time, while improving the quality of life for your kitties. After all, no-one likes a filthy bathroom. 

Aside from simplifying things for you, the Litter Genie also does a great job of trapping odors and germs, so you don’t have to smell the repercussions of your cat’s diet every day. There are multiple mechanisms in place to lock the scent into the Litter Genie as soon as you close the lid. The whole thing is also safe to have around dogs, bigger cats, and children, because even if you knock it over, there shouldn’t be a disastrous mess to clean up. 

We were even quite impressed by how attractive the Litter Genie can look. If you get the Litter Genie Plus, you’ll have more color options. However, either way, you’re going to have a system that hides easily within your home, thanks to it’s sleek and compact design. 

The biggest problem with the Litter Genie for most people will be how expensive it can be to stock up on refills. The special bags in your Litter Genie don’t come cheap, which means you’re going to have to spend quite a bit of cash on staying “topped up”. On the plus side, you can always use the Litter Genie hacks online to save cash, like using different trash bags. 

The initial set-up of the Litter Genie is a bit of an issue too. Figuring out the latch door and getting the refills slotted into place can seem a little complex. After that, you need to figure out how to tie the bottom of the bag in a way that’s not going to take up too much of the expensive plastic.

If you have multiple cats who go to the bathroom a lot, the Litter Genie might be a bit of a waste of time, as you’re probably going to have to run around with a trash bag every so often and clean out litter trays regularly either way. Since there’s no handle on the Litter Genie, it’s not super easy to carry from one litter tray to the next.

For most people with 2 or fewer cats, the Litter Genie will be a great investment, ideal for keeping your home smelling fresh, and your feline friends happy. If you have more than two cats, or you’re on a very tight budget, the Litter Genie may be a little less practical. If that's the case why don't you have a look at some of these best dust free cat litters.