LavvieBot - First Impressions / Review

There are many robotic litter boxes out there. In this blog, you can find initial impressions of the LavvieBot self-cleaning litter box, from the design perspective to the overall experience.

Design & Aesthetic

The first general impression of the LavvieBot is that it’s very well made. The aesthetic is compact and fits well with room decor, similar to that of an LG front loading washing machine with a pedestal. Given that the function of both is “cleaning” it sort of makes sense. It's made for easy placement in either a public or more secluded spot. The rectangular styling of the LavvieBot certainly sticks out less in a home as upon first glance it appears to be an appliance (possibly for humans) which means I’m comfortable placing it in more trafficked areas of my condo.  

An often overlooked aspect is the user guide, which in this case is very well done. It helps to understand all the options on the LavvieBot and guide you where to installed the litter box.

Features & Functionality

The top opens to allow litter to be easily added, and the bottom drawer is easy to remove and doesn't block at all. No need to be on your knees to fill the litter and the whole process takes a few seconds. Buttons are well labeled (English only) and the icons above each are appreciated. Having never owned an automatic litter box, I had to look up to see if normal litter or special litter was needed and the manufacturer simply indicates it’s important to use “only natural litter with small particles”. The manual also mentions using “clumping litter” specifically and NOT pellets or silica gel. Power on/off is easy, simply plugging in the wall adapter turns it on (and removing it would turn it off). 

Setup of the litter box

Unboxing and setup was a breeze, but it’s important to note the unit is not lightweight (imagine carrying a 50” television). There is a recessed handle on the rear, and the opening can be used as a second hand hold, so moving it around is possible and easy. 

The unit I received had the step, power adapter, deodorizers etc. in the waste bin (so don’t worry if you don’t see them in the main packaging). All openings are taped shut, and after removing them, you can see which areas are accessible. The top lid uses gravity to stay in place, as does the grey “extra” litter storage bin just underneath. The “sifter” below that is also removable without any tools. The waste drawer at the front bottom doesn’t have a latch and is easily removed and put back in place. Only one side of the LavvieBot opens (manual switch is set to open or locked and is similar to the side opening of a computer tower) and you can see which side because it’s the only one with a knob. Given that my cat is aging (estimated 16 years old), I was a bit worried about how high the opening was, but fortunately she’s still agile and had no problem. A simple injection-molded step would have been nice to include nevertheless.

Maintenance

So far, the APP has been great and was easy to pair with my Galaxy (Android-based) phone. I had been initially hoping to use old plastic grocery bags, but it turns out their opening is too small to fit around the rectangular opening of the drawer. Although I like that the official LavvieBot bags are biodegradable, I’ll still see if I can find something compatible locally. 

Conclusion

The LavvieBot is very convenient for the day-to-day life. The technology used here is impressive and hoping it lasts without issues. Hopefully will be able to give a long-term update in around a year. 

Sources

• https://www.robotshop.com/products/lavviebot-s-robotic-litter-box
• https://www.lavviebot.com/en/home.html
• https://www.robotshop.com/media/files/lavviebot_s_user_manual_2021_eng.pdf