LitterLocker® Design Plus Pail Starter Kit Product Review

In July 2018, I was approached by AngelCare, the maker of the LitterLocker, to see if I would be interested in reviewing their product. I happily agreed because I was familiar with their products. Unfortunately, at the time, they thought I was located in Canada. 

So when I sent them my address in the USA – they apologized and said they were only looking for Canadian influencers to review their products. I said it was no problem and that if they decided to expand their scope, I would be more interested in reviewing their products.

In November 2018, they reached out again to see if I was still interested – and I was. Thank you to AngelCare for giving this American the opportunity! It took us a while to get all the details sorted, but we finally received the product to review, and I am glad we did.

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They sent us their LitterLocker® Design Plus Pail and their LitterLocker® Litterboxes. This review is for the LitterLocker® Design Plus Pail, and next week will be our review of the LitterLocker® Litterboxes.

We received 2 sets of the following:

• LitterLocker® Design Plus Pail (with scoop holder and scoop)
• LitterLocker® Fabric Sleeve
• LitterLocker® Refills

LitterLocker Plus with Sleeves Litter Disposal System Unboxing Video

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I asked AngelCare to send two of everything because I have two litterbox stations in my house and firmly believe that even 1 cat household should have at least 2 litterboxes. I have 5 litterboxes for my two cats. As you can see in the photo, the LitterLocker® Design Plus Pail Starter Kit includes a refill, scoop, and scoop holder.

As you saw in the unboxing video above, they are super simple to set up – and come nearly fully assembled. It’s nice that the litter scoop and holder can be installed on either the left or right side of the unit – so that you can have it orientated however you need to have it orientated in your space.

Packaging of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

The packaging of the LitterLocker is minimal but enough to ensure everything stays safe. It’ll arrive in a cardboard box and won’t need much extra protection since the unit is very robust and self-contained, which is good as it means there’s not much waste. All accessories are hidden inside the LitterLocker pail, which is kept secure with a recyclable cardboard surround.

Image of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

Box Contents

If you buy the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit, you get the pail, along with the litter scoop and holder. Also included are three sets of refills and a decorative fabric sleeve for the pail. There’s also a single-sheet set of instructions to explain how to set up the pail.

The LitterLocker is sold in the USA – probably will only have the pail, the scoop and holder, and 1 refill cartridge.

Assembly Required

There is minimal assembly required when you first receive your LitterLocker Plus. After that, the main unit is ready to go, and you need to remove the top so that you can take out the accessories and install the first refill cartridges. Once that’s done, and the top is replaced, it’s ready to be used.

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Size of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

The unit measures 22.3” tall by 17.6” wide by 16” deep. There’s a smaller version available, too, the LitterLocker Design, which is a little shorter at just under 18” tall, but just 9.5” wide and 9.3” deep. It’s big enough to hold a few days of scoops before changing the bag, depending on your number of cats.

It’s worth noting that the new Litter Genie XL that’s been released is very similar to the Litter Locker Design Plus, except that it’s taller. Hence, it’s a good option if you want the biggest bin to hold the most waste.

Best Benefit of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

The main benefit of the LitterLocker Design Plus is the AIR-SEAL technology, which helps prevent odors and bacteria from escaping. Essentially the bin has two compartments – a main lower compartment that stores the used litter and a top compartment where you put the scooped litter above a spring-loaded shelf.

That shelf is what keeps the lower compartment sealed. When you open the pail and dump any scooped litter and waste, you close the lid before pulling back on the shelf. This means you never have to expose the old litter to the open air – that shelf will keep it pinned closed, even when opening it to access the top area.

Then once it’s full, you cut the bag and tie it off.

Pros of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

• Locks in odors and bacteria pretty effectively
• Really easy to replace cartridges
• Simple white design, or use a fabric sleeve

Cons of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

• Refills are expensive – aftermarket refills end up being better.
• Included scoop is OK but would benefit from triangular tines like the Litter Lifter. See what I did with mine here.

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LitterLocker vs. Litter Genie

I have had the American equivalent of the LitterLocker, the Litter Genie, for a few years now, so I knew more or less what to expect. Edgewell (Litter Genie) has exclusivity in the USA, whereas AngelCare has it in Canada.

I prefer the design of the LitterLocker over the Litter Genie – not only aesthetically but hygienically too. The top of the LitterLocker can come completely off for wiping off or soaking in the sink if need be – whereas the top of the Litter Genie is always on the unit, and removing the part on the Litter Genie where you have to replace the refill cartridges SUCKS!! 

The LitterLocker, however, is designed smartly, and it’s super easy to remove the top to put the refill cartridges in. Also, when removing the waste bags, the Litter Genie opens in half when you want to clean the bag. In contrast, the LitterLocker allows you to lift off just the top to access the bag, etc.

I much prefer the design of the LitterLocker over the Litter Genie for all of these reasons. And I am sorry that my fellow Americans do not have access to buying this design as quickly as Canadians and Europeans do because it’s far superior to the Litter Genie design.

Much like the Litter Genie, the LitterLocker Design Plus litter disposal system effectively locks in odors and bacteria using AIR-SEAL technology. The refill bags are multi-layer and keep your home odor-free. 

It is super easy to use, and the refills are easy to replace. As you will see in our unboxing and final review videos below, the Design Plus LitterLocker is customizable with different fabric sleeves. We received two decorative sleeves – one with the wood look (as pictured) and one with cats. The sleeves are super easy to put on; they are machine-washable and 100% polyester. 

While the sleeves are cute and fun, I definitely prefer the all-white look for my house – but I kept them on while reviewing them to see how they went. I understand everyone’s opinion is different, but some might enjoy switching it out and being fun with it.

The LitterLocker refill cartridges remind me of those for the Litter Genie. In fact, I wonder if they are made in the same manufacturing plant, given how similar they are. I made a video of installing them because they can be tricky until you get the hang of them.

As you will see in the video, they are one continuous bag you cut off and tie off. I like this because you use only the amount of bag you need to use rather than one full bag without completely filling it up. You can see what I mean in the final product review video below.

GOOD NEWS! The new Litter Genie XL is the closest to the LitterLocker and is sold in the USA. I much prefer it over the Litter Genie because it’s the closest to the LitterLocker. And I prefer the LitterLocker over the Litter Genie.

The Durability of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

The LitterLocker Plus is solid enough for a plastic pail. The only part where durability would be a concern is the spring-loaded shelf since that’s the main moving part. However, it seems to be built well and should be durable enough to last long as long as the springs don’t wear out.

Troubleshooting for the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

The LitterLocker Design Plus is simple to use once you understand how it works. The cartridges offer one long continuous bag you knot to create an end, which you pull through to the bottom. Once the bag is full, use the cutter already part of the pail’s design to cut off the used bag part and create a new knot.

The only thing that takes some getting used to is replacing the cartridge, although it is pretty simple. Watch my video to see more.

Video of the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

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Ease of Cleaning

The LitterLocker Design Plus is easy to clean since the top completely comes off if you need to wash or wipe it down. Also, because of the cartridge’s square design, the entire bottom compartment is lined with the bag when used. So as long as you’re careful when depositing scoops of used litter, it should only ever be in contact with the inside of the bag.

The pail is made from a simple plastic that you can wipe down easily if there are any accidents.

Safety

There are no real safety concerns to using the LitterLocker Design Plus; since it’s a simple design and it uses a spring-loaded shelf, you can’t really access it in a way that you could get a finger trapped in there – it’s not likely that you would accidentally put your finger in there when you had the shelf pulled back.

The LitterLocker does offer mild safety benefits to your home since it helps to keep bacteria trapped in a sealed area. While the risk of bacteria from an open pail or trash can isn’t super-high, it’s still good to have it completely sealed away.

Jenny’s Personal Take Away

Overall, I like the LitterLocker Plus. I like the fact that it is all white. I never cared for the Litter Genie colors I had. Since the Litter Genie refills fit in the LitterLocker Pluses, I will keep them when I run out of the LitterLocker refills.

That way, I can still use the LitterLocker Pluses and have the refill bags. I will take off the fabric sleeves, though, because I don’t care for that look – but that’s just one of those “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” types of things.

As many of you know, I am the number one fan of the Litter-Lifter litter scoop – so any litter scoops without triangular tines aren’t my cup of tea. However, if I didn’t know about the Litter-Lifter, then this litter scoop and the litter holder were pretty nifty.

I like that it’s all together in one place – I wish the scoop had triangular tines to make scooping faster and easier with less dust. Overall, though, the scoop it comes with does the job and works better with the LitterLocker litterboxes than the Litter-Lifter can.

Price

When reviewing products, I’m not particularly eager to advertise an exact price because they can change anytime. However, for the Starter Kit, you can expect to pay less than CA $60 for the Design Plus Starter Kit, which is less than $50 US. If you’re buying the pail without the fabric sleeve and extra refills, you can get it for around $25.

Where To Buy the Litterlocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

LitterLocker is available for purchase in Canada and parts of Europe. In the USA? Grab a LitterLocker here.

You can’t get the Starter Kit in the US, but you can get the Design Plus pail and refills.

The new Litter Genie XL is the closest to the LitterLocker and is sold in the USA. I prefer it over the Litter Genie because it’s the closest to the LitterLocker. And I prefer the LitterLocker over the Litter Genie.

Discount on the LitterLocker Design Plus Pail Starter Kit

There aren’t any regular discounts for LitterLocker. Unfortunately, there’s no email you can sign up to. Still, it might be worth keeping an eye on their Facebook page if you do want a code – they haven’t posted on there before, but it’d be likely that’s where they would share any coupon or promo code. While no discounts are always-on, you can get free shipping if you spend more than CA$49 when you order.

FAQs

Conclusion

If you scoop your litter box and don’t have a system like this to put the waste in it, I suggest you look into it. It helps with odor control. If you live in the US, the Litter Genie is a similar option, with the XL being a taller LitterLocker Design Plus. In the USA? Grab a LitterLocker here. 

We received the LitterLocker Plus with Sleeves Litter Disposal System for review from the manufacturer and also asked that they pay a small review fee.  Receiving the free product and the review fee did not influence this honest post. Check out our other cat product reviews.