Littermaid LM580 Classic Self Cleaning Litter Box Review

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Cat owners know that finding the perfect litter box after reading good reviews is crucial to any cat’s wellbeing. Additionally, a litter box can make an impact on your home environment and should be chosen carefully to prevent odors, tracked litter, etc. With a low-quality litter box, you may find yourself struggling to keep your cat happy and areas of your home clean.

It’s no wonder that the LM580 Classic and the LM980 Mega are considered some of the best self cleaning litter box models like our Litter Robot ratings & reviews among cat owners we review; it takes scooping the litter box off of your to-do list by completing the chore automatically. With a cleaning cycle that’s designed to remove waste without disturbing your cat’s habits, the LM980 Mega litter box may be the perfect fit in your home. This automatic litter box is a good pick if you're on a budget; if you're looking for something better, you can check out this Cat Genie review.

Continue reading for a complete review of the Littermaid litter box to help you decide whether it’s right for you and your cat.

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Quick Navigation
What Is the Littermaid lM580 Classic?
Main Features
how does Littermaid work?
what's included when you buy a the lM580 litter box?
Pros And Cons
Tips and Tricks
Conclusion

 

What Is the Littermaid lM580 Classic?

It is an automatic, self-cleaning litter box model that’s designed to minimize your daily chores by cleaning up after your cat. It has the traditional square litter box shape and measures 14” by 14”, but uses an automatic rake to complete a cleaning cycle once your cat has left the box, often getting great reviews. The used litter is filtered out by the rake and moved into a waste receptacle within the Littermaid litter box.

The Littermaid LM580 and LM980 mega self cleaning litter box is made for households with just one cat under the weight of 15 pounds. Multiple cats or a cat over 15 pounds may produce more waste than the box can handle. This litter box was also designed with busy professionals or frequent travelers in mind. If you’ll be leaving your home for just a few days, the litter box can help you avoid hiring a pet sitter by taking care of the litter box in your absence.

Main Features

The LM580 Classic litter box has a selection of impressive features that make it a leading product in the pet industry. These features include:

Review Of The Motion Sensors 

The Littermaid LM580 and LM980 Mega from our review makes use of motion sensors to start the cleaning cycle at the right time and avoid scaring off your cat. After being blocked for a minimum of 10 seconds as your cat uses the litter box, the sensor waits for ten minutes of being unblocked to ensure that your cat is completely done. Then, the cleaning cycle is initiated. The motion sensors guide the cleaning cycle and ensure that this self-cleaning litter box works at the right time; they’re an integral part of the overall litter box system that we reviewed.

Removable Automatic Rake

This self-cleaning litter box according to our review uses an automatic rake to filter out waste and clean up after your cat. The rake works by moving forward and backward across the box. Any clumped litter is raked into the waste receptacle, which minimizes odor. You have the option to remove the rake, enabling you to clean it or use this product as a regular litter box.

Safety Bar

With any automatic litter box, you may be worried about the system getting blocked and malfunctioning; make sure you read customer reviews and opinions before you buy one. That’s why the LM580 Classic and LM980 Mega have built-in safety bars, which prevent the rake from becoming blocked. The safety bar will stop the rake before it hits a clump that’s too large to manage. 

Extra High Side Walls

Some cats tend to kick around litter and waste while they’re using the litter box. The LM580 Classic and LM980 Mega were designed to avoid this issue with extra high side walls. The walls will stop litter from going outside of the box and into your home, based on our review of this self cleaning model. This also saves you the time and energy that would have to be spent cleaning up litter and waste around the box.

Dual Power Option

This automatic litter box comes with a dual power option. It operates using either current in AC adapter mode, or 8 D batteries. The batteries serve as a backup power option if the AC adapter mode isn’t functioning.

Sleep Timer

If you’d prefer that the litter box didn’t work at night while you’re sleeping, you can make use of the optional sleep timer. It may be used to deactivate the cleaning cycle overnight, allowing you to rest without the sound of the litter box interrupting your sleep.

Carbon Filters

Included with your purchase of this litter box are carbon filters for the waste receptacle. These filters work to manage odors and keep your home smelling fresh.

Option To Add The Paw Cleaning Ramp

Cats often leave the litter box with dirty paws and may track litter throughout the house. This litter box is compatible with a paw cleaning ramp that catches debris as your cat leaves the box, preventing any waste from leaving the box. Note that the ramp must be ordered separately.

how does Littermaid work?

The Littermaid LM580 Classic and LM980 Mega litter box operates using a reliable drive mechanism. It has an automatic cleaning cycle to keep up with your cat’s waste, reducing odors in your home and cutting down on your to-do list.

The LM580 litter box follows this order to carry out its cleaning cycle:

  1. 1
    Once your cat enters the box, the sensor is activated. Your cat must stay in the box for a minimum of 10 seconds for the sensor to initiate the cleaning cycle.
  2. 2
    After your cat leaves the box, there is a set wait time of 10 minutes. The wait time is included to make sure that your cat isn’t in the box, or nearby the box, when the cleaning cycle begins. If your cat gets back into the litter box within the 10-minute wait time, the sensor will activate and the wait time will start over.
  3. 3
    After the wait time is over, the cleaning cycle will begin. The cycle entails the automatic rake sweeping forward and backward across the litter, pulling clumps of waste into the waste receptacle.
  4. 4
    Once the waste is contained in the receptacle, odors will be stopped from entering your home. You’ll be able to easily remove the receptacle to rid the box of waste.

what's included when you buy a the lM580 litter box?

The Littermaid LM580 Classic and LM 980 Mega come complete with everything you need to set it up and begin use in our review. When you make your purchase, you’ll get:

  • A removable automatic rake
  • Battery backup
  • 4 carbon filters
  • Litter measure
  • A removable litter tray
  • 4 sealed waste receptacles
  • A scoop for removing any clumps of waste left after the cleaning cycle


Pros And Cons

The Littermaid LM580 delivers many fantastic benefits, making it a leading choice in the pet supplies field. It does, however, have a handful of drawbacks to keep in mind before you make your purchase. You can also check out these reviews of the Litter Robot for one of the better rated alternatives on the market.

  • This litter box filters out waste automatically, which saves you from the task of scooping the litter box, which is a generally unpleasant chore. With cleaning the litter box off of your to-do list, you’ll have more time to relax, sleep, spend time with family and friends, or complete other tasks.
  • Waste from your cat is contained in the waste receptacle, which reduces odors to make the litter box less noticeable in any room around your home. The waste compartment makes use of the included carbon filters to further reduce unpleasant smells.
  • With automatic sensors, this litter box was designed to operate as effectively as possible. The 10-minute wait time ensures that your cat won’t be in the litter box when the cleaning cycle commences.
  • To keep your home as clean as possible, the LM580 Classic has extra-high side walls that keep litter from escaping the box. Even if your cat likes to kick around litter, you’ll find that this box minimizes mess and keeps litter where it belongs.
  • This automatic litter box operates with a non-invasive sound and offers the option of a sleep timer so that it won’t start the cleaning cycle overnight.
  • The removable rake features a safety bar so that blockages won’t be an issue. This also keeps the cleaning mechanism from breaking and needing replacement.
  • The rake is removable, making it possible for you to keep it clean. Plus, the rake is constructed with a plastic material that prevents litter and waste from sticking to it.
  • Assembling this litter box is quick and simple so that you’ll have it set up in no time.
  • Cats can be picky when it comes to litter boxes, and it’s possible that the automatic cleaning cycle with scare your cat off and keep him or her from using it.
  • The automatic rake may not catch very small clumps of litter, which may prevent the box from getting completely clean.
  • This litter box is set up to use replaceable waste receptacles, but the price of these will rack up quickly. You can always opt to use regular bags as a cost-efficient alternative, but they may not work as well as the receptacles.
  • While the safety bar is a good feature to prevent damage, it may become inconvenient if large clumps continue to block the bar and cause the cleaning cycle to stop.
  • The sensor may stop working if it becomes dusty. Given that the sensor initiates the cleaning cycle, dust could prevent the mechanism from working properly.
  • The seal of the waste receptacle lid to the plastic lid is weak, which may cause waste or odors to escape.

Tips and Tricks

  • Be sure to get good quality clumping cat litter to use with this litter box. Clumping litter will help to make sure that the rake catches all of the waste in the box.
  • When filling this box with litter, make sure not to overdo it. Overfilling the box with litter may put pressure on the motor or cause debris to fall outside the box during the cleaning cycle.
  • Choosing where to place the litter box in your home carefully. While it should be in a place that’s easily accessible for your cat, the area should also offer privacy. To keep noise and odor away from central areas of your home, choose a well-lit area with little foot traffic. Non-central bathrooms or halls could be a good choice.
  • If you need to reset the mechanism, locate the two reset buttons on either side of the box. Push both buttons to reset the system.
  • Be sure to check the box occasionally to see if the safety bar has stopped or if any waste wasn’t caught by the rake. Any remaining waste should be removed separately using the included scoop.

Conclusion

All cat owners want to keep their beloved pets as happy as possible, and we recommend it at the current price point. Finding the right litter box is a key step in maintaining a cat-friendly home, and the Littermaid LM580 Classic or the Littermaid LM980 mega self cleaning litter box review could be just what you’re looking for. With a sensor-activated cleaning cycle, removable rake, and extra-high side walls, among other features, this litter box meets the needs of busy pet owners and picky cats alike.


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Jackie Johnston

author

Jackie Johnston is the founder of Cat Word – a community of cat enthusiasts with a mission to spread as much knowledge as they can throughout the world on every aspect of raising and nurturing cats! In her spare time, Jackie loves reading and spending time with her two sons Logan and Christopher, and of course with their furry felines Simba and Max.

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