Accessories

Great for a condo/apartment cat
I had two indoor cats in an upstairs condo where the nearest Dumpster was essentially a block away. Putting the litter waste in the garbage can was not an option since we didn't want to have to take out the garbage every night since it was a rather long walk and there was no area to put the waste where it wouldn't stink up the house. This worked wonders at giving us an odorless place to empty the litter and didn't require a nightly garbage run. I had never thought of using a diaper genie, until we had kids, and then I figured that would have been a good alternate solution, and the refills (about $7-9 and they last about 4-6 weeks for two cats) might not cost as much.

Now we live in a house and it's not such an issue to take the trash out nightly, but when we lived in the condo it was key. Some reviews are right that it's a pretty cheap unit though, flimsy plastic and not too durable. That said, it lasted about 6 years before the inner part broke and we bought a new one, although we easily could have made do in the new house.

I would not recommend this for more than two cats though as it would fill up too quickly and use quite a bit of the insert to make it economical or environmentally sound. I try not to cut the waste and the plastic out, but rather I cut the very end (which is knotted off and threaded through the middle) or untie it, and pour the waste out of the plastic insert so I can reuse the insert. Sometimes, the plastic gets a hole in it and I don't have a choice, but I don't feel too green that way.

All in all, I really like this product except for the cost of the inserts and the environmental impact of using it. You might also consider a Diaper Champ, which uses standard grocery store bags, but I cannot attest to its odor control ability.

I LOVE this product!
I bought this product because I couldn't afford a self cleaning litter box, so I bought this as an alternative. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This is actually better than a self cleaning litter box. I had a Litter Made box in the past and the rake would alway get dirty, so you still had to clean it. Regular scooping would clog the toilet or I would have to go all the way out to the apt trashcan. Anyway, back to the product. This is a GREAT invention. I have one cat and the cartridge lasts 3-4 weeks. And it definitely locks the odor in. My kitty always has a clean box and we never ever deal with the odors. I am very thankful for this invention.

Works great!
Before I purchased the Petmate Litter Locker Plus I read other reviews. I almost didn't order it after reading some negative comments. I have been using this product and it works great. It became obvious that the people that wrote negative reveiws didn't take the time to understand how this product works. It is easy to set up, empty and clean. I clean my cat box daily and the first cartridge lasted a little over a month. I am very satisfied with this product and would recommend it.

Great at controlling odor!
I love this thing. I've used it since Nov/Dec 2007, and have not had problems with odor or tears/rips in the bag. It is a matter of reading the instructions, some common sense, and setting it up properly. I throw out a filled bag every 2 weeks, and a catridge lasts about 2 - 3 months for my 1 cat. I'm still on my 2nd cartridge!!! The trick is to let the waste drop into the knotted end of the bag and then turning the wheel a half-turn to lock in the odor; and the next time, just scoop waste into it, close the lid, open the top half and readjust the bag to let the "new" waste drop into the end, rather than waste 6 inches of the bag with each half-turn of the wheel. I've used the Diaper Genie II refill cartridges as well, as they're more easily found in stores, and costs about $5 at Target.

I think those who posted negative reviews did not set it up or use it correctly. I have not had odor from it even when I forget to turn the wheel sometimes, after scooping waste into it. The lid and plastic bag keep the odor locked in. But when I do remember to turn the wheel, there is no odor when the lid is opened. I think the newer batches are more flimsy - I bought mine off ebay as a used item, and a few months later, bought a new one from Walmart as a gift for a friend. I opened the box to check that everything was ok, and found the new one to be made of thinner plastic and the parts just did not fit properly.

Warning: In the summer, you might want to throw out the stored litter/waste more frequently. I found maggots (sandfly maggots, maybe?)all over the inside of the lid and inside the bag the other day, after only a few days from the last change - ewww! Spent an hour cleaning it up with hot water and bleach!

Love this
Why didnt i think of this!!! It is great... and locks hte oder in so haivng the cat box in living spaces isnt an issue...woudl recommend it to anyone!!!