Neakasa M1 Plus review

What the M1 Plus is—and what “open top” does not mean

Neakasa’s M1 Plus is an open-top automatic sifter built around a moving litter chamber and waste drawer, rather than a fixed rake crossing a tray. That distinction matters if your cat prefers to see over the sides: the M1 is not a closed globe to crawl through. It is still a powered box with a chamber that moves during cleaning, so a cat must accept both its footprint and its motion. A spacious opening may feel less confining than an enclosed drum, but it does not guarantee that every cautious cat will use it.

The current U.S. listing calls this the “M1 Plus Open Top Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box,” and the base SKU is m1plus-us-grey. That same listing offers packages with a step, an AirStep odor-control step, or a high fence. These accessories solve different problems: a step changes the approach, AirStep combines a step with odor-control media, and the fence is meant to contain scatter or high urine. They do not change the main separator. Do not assume a photograph of a ramp or fence depicts the gray base package.

Fit and litter are the first real filters

Neakasa’s current page gives a 2.2-pound lower guide and a 33-pound upper guide, a 7.17-liter litter load and an 11.23-liter waste bin. Its headline also advertises waste storage “up to” 14 days. That is not a schedule to leave the drawer unchecked. The generic M1 manual linked from the Plus page is an earlier document, identifies an older model and advises more frequent emptying. Use the maximum as a capacity claim, not a travel guarantee; cat count, diet, clump size, odor tolerance and liner placement all change the practical interval.

Use fast-clumping mineral or bentonite litter that can pass the sifting screen. Neakasa’s M1 materials set small particle limits—up to 3 mm in diameter and 10 mm long—and warn against non-clumping litter, highly absorbent materials, newspaper and large wood pellets. A bag labeled “clumping” is not automatically compatible; long fibers or oversized granules may not separate cleanly. If your cat needs crystal, paper or large-pellet litter, another cleaning design is a better fit than trying to make this one work.

The current M1 Plus page lists 22.83 inches wide, 19.69 deep and 26.83 high, but related comparison and diagram content has shown other dimension sets and axis labels. Use the listed dimensions as a planning starting point, not a tight-cabinet guarantee. Measure the approach and waste-drawer service space too. The stated 13.86-inch entry is not low. An included step can change the climb but does not erase the machine’s height or make automatic operation suitable for an underweight kitten.

App convenience comes with unanswered details

The product page advertises app use, tracking, notifications and scheduling on iOS or Android, along with infrared and weight-based safety sensing. Current page material gives inconsistent sensor counts, so this assessment does not use a precise number as a buying advantage. Wi-Fi is needed for connected features, but the accessible exact U.S. listing does not establish a band requirement. If 2.4 GHz or dual-band compatibility is essential, get a model-specific answer before purchase. An activity log is a record of use, not a diagnosis or proof of which cat visited.

The linked generic M1 manual describes a Kitten Mode that suspends automatic cleaning for small kittens and some vulnerable cats. Because the document identifies an earlier M1 model rather than the current Plus SKU, it is a conservative warning, not proof that every current menu is identical. The current listing’s minimum automatic weight is the better matching boundary; exact minimum age remains unconfirmed. Do not treat an essential age requirement as satisfied by a product-page phrase such as “for cats of all sizes.”

Which package and which household?

The M1 Plus is most plausible in a home that wants an open-top clumping-litter sifter, accepts a high entrance and will empty the drawer and wash the chamber regularly. App access may help maintain a usage routine, but it does not remove inspection, liner changes or cleaning. Choose a step package for the approach, AirStep for a step plus odor media, and the high fence for scatter or urine containment. The accessory should fit the cat’s need, not simply the biggest package image.

For a white related option, compare the M1 Lite Plus. It follows a similar open-top plan, but the exact Lite page provides less usable physical fit data; do not copy the Plus dimensions onto it. The M9 takes a different open-view tilt-safe approach and lists a lower entry, but its litter restrictions are narrower and its one-cat waste estimate is shorter. If a numeric cat-capacity rating, an exact age rule or tight-room fit is essential, unknown information is a reason to keep comparing rather than assume that an open design will suit your household.