TailTested

Best Stainless Steel Litter Boxes: Open and Enclosed

By TailTested Editorial Team · Updated · 6 min read

Kirecoo stainless steel litter pan, our all-steel open pick, with a smooth rim and rounded edges

Not every box sold as stainless steel is steel all the way through. The Kirecoo, rated 4.6 stars from 2,999 ratings, is the one pick whose listing describes a single stainless steel pan and no plastic part. The Vivifying XL is the pick if you want a lid and a door. The WoofiGo XL is the tallest box sold as open-top, at 12.01 inches (a bullet heading says 5.98-inch high sides), but only its pan is steel: its bullets put the wall in ABS plastic.

If you are weighing the enclosed one, the ASPCA says most cats don't like lids on their boxes; our litter guides carry the same caution.

Our picks

  1. Best All-Steel Open Pan: Kirecoo Large High-Sided Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box · Amazon
  2. Best Enclosed Box: Vivifying XL Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box with Lid, Side Entry (Black) · Amazon
  3. Best XL Box (Steel Pan, Plastic Wall): WoofiGo XL Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box, High-Sided Open Top (Dark Gray) · Amazon

How we picked

We searched Amazon for stainless steel litter boxes on October 25, 2026, set aside sponsored results and kept listings rated at least 4.5 stars on 1,000 or more ratings; 15 cleared that bar among the first-page results of our search, which is a sample, not a census. We opened five and read which parts are steel, the size, the entry, what is included and the seller. We set aside a listing first available on September 11, 2026 that already showed 4.8 stars from 1,120 ratings, a lot of ratings for a listing that new. We also set aside an enclosed AIPERRO box: its listing says it is made of stainless steel and it has far more ratings than the Vivifying (4,389 against 1,151), but it gives two different heights, 11 and 17 inches, lists itself as a pan box despite its lid, and does not say where the cat gets in, while the Vivifying describes its door and setups.

Steel or plastic, the routine is the same: our guide to how often to change cat litter covers scooping, washing and full changes. If you would rather hide the box, see our litter box enclosure picks, and if your cat has stopped using its box, start with why a cat pees outside the litter box.

1 Best All-Steel Open Pan: Kirecoo Large High-Sided Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box

Kirecoo open stainless steel litter pan with rounded edges

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2,999 ratings on Amazon (as captured Oct 25, 2026)

  • 17.52 x 13.58 x 5.9 inches, with 6-inch sides
  • Open top, with a smooth rim and rounded edges
  • Kirecoo says the steel does not hold odors and that waste slides to the bottom
  • A single pan; the listing mentions no scoop or mat

The Kirecoo leads this page because it is the one pick whose listing describes the whole box as one stainless steel pan, which it calls a solid metal box, and names no plastic part. It is also the smallest box here. Its title says high-sided; the sides are 6 inches. The listing pitches it both ways, as accessible for small cats and kittens in one bullet and suited to big adult cats in another, and the same bullet that calls it open-top also calls it a top-entry box.

Check it on Amazon

2 Best Enclosed Box: Vivifying XL Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box with Lid, Side Entry (Black)

Vivifying black enclosed stainless steel litter box with a door

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1,151 ratings on Amazon (as captured Oct 25, 2026)

  • 22.8 x 15 x 14.8 inches, sold as XL, with a lid
  • Three setups: fully enclosed, semi-enclosed or door-open
  • Thickened stainless steel, the listing says; assembles without tools
  • Scoop and four slip-resistant pads included

The Vivifying is the pick if you want a lid. Vivifying says the removable front door eases the change for timid kittens, senior cats and cats new to covered boxes. That is the brand's pitch: the ASPCA and Cornell say kittens and older or arthritic cats may need a box with low sides, and this one stands 14.8 inches tall with a lid (see side height below). It has the thinnest rating base of the three. The title says side entry while the bullets describe a front door, and a bullet sizes it for cats up to 16 pounds while the spec table lists a 110-pound weight capacity, without saying what that figure refers to.

Check it on Amazon

3 Best XL Box (Steel Pan, Plastic Wall): WoofiGo XL Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box, High-Sided Open Top (Dark Gray)

WoofiGo stainless steel litter pan set in a dark gray plastic wall

4.6 out of 5 stars from 4,213 ratings on Amazon (as captured Oct 25, 2026)

  • 23.62 x 15.75 x 12.01 inches, sold as XL
  • Stainless steel pan buckled into an ABS plastic wall, per the bullets
  • A pedal the listing says keeps litter from being carried out
  • Scoop included

The WoofiGo has the most ratings of the three and is the tallest box sold as open-top, but only its pan is stainless steel: the bullets and parts list put the high wall in ABS plastic, while the title sells the whole box as stainless steel. How high the sides are is unclear. One bullet is headed 5.98-inch high-sided enclosure and then gives the height of the box as 12.01 inches, without saying what the 5.98 measures.

Check it on Amazon

At a glance

BoxStyleSize (per listing)Steel partsSold by
KirecooOpen pan, 6-inch sides17.52 x 13.58 x 5.9 inThe whole pan; no plastic part listedKirecoo Direct
VivifyingLid and removable door22.8 x 15 x 14.8 inStainless steel (not broken down by part)Vivifying Direct
WoofiGoOpen top, sold as high-sided (spec says covered)23.62 x 15.75 x 12.01 inPan only; wall is ABS plasticAmazon.com

Specs as stated on each Amazon listing on the capture date.

What to look for

Which parts are steel

A box sold as stainless steel may not be steel throughout. Kirecoo describes one steel pan, Vivifying lists stainless steel without saying which parts, and WoofiGo's wall is ABS plastic around a steel pan. All three listings say steel resists odors better than plastic, and none gives a measure; the ASPCA's advice to scoop at least once a day applies to any box.

Open or enclosed

WoofiGo and Kirecoo are sold as open-top, though WoofiGo's spec table calls it a covered box and Kirecoo's bullet also calls it top-entry. Vivifying lists three setups: fully enclosed, semi-enclosed and door-open.

Size for your cat

International Cat Care says the ideal tray is one and a half times your cat's length from nose to base of tail, and that large breed cats may find smaller hooded trays challenging to use. Kirecoo is 17.52 inches long; WoofiGo and Vivifying both run close to 23 by 15 inches, and Vivifying's own listing asks you to keep in mind the space it will take up before ordering.

Side height for older cats

The ASPCA says older, arthritic or very young cats might have trouble with certain types of litter boxes and suggests one with low sides; Cornell says young kittens, elderly cats and cats with mobility problems need boxes with low sides, and International Cat Care suggests at least one low side for an arthritic cat. All three picks are sold as high-sided. Kirecoo's sides are 6 inches, Vivifying is enclosed and 14.8 inches tall, and WoofiGo's box is 12.01 inches tall, though a bullet heading gives 5.98 inches for its high sides.

The bottom line

  • Best all-steel open pan: Kirecoo is the one pick whose listing describes a single steel pan and no plastic part; its sides are 6 inches.
  • Best enclosed box: Vivifying adds a lid and a removable door, with three setups, on the thinnest rating base.
  • Best XL box (steel pan, plastic wall): WoofiGo has the most ratings of the three and the largest listed footprint, 23.62 by 15.75 inches; only its pan is steel.

FAQ

Is one XL box enough for two cats?

WoofiGo calls its XL the best choice for multi-cat homes, but the ASPCA and the Animal Humane Society both advise one box per cat, plus one extra. For two cats that is three boxes, whatever their size.

How much litter goes in a stainless steel box?

None of these listings says. The ASPCA says most cats like a shallow bed of one to two inches, and the Animal Humane Society says around two inches.

How do I clean a stainless steel litter box?

The listings say only that the steel is easy to clean. The ASPCA's advice for any box is warm water with unscented soap, baking soda or no soap, and it warns against scented cleaners because a cat could come to dislike the smell.

Can I take the lid off the Vivifying?

The listing describes taking off the front door for a door-open setup, but it does not say whether the lid comes off. That matters if your cat stops using the box: the ASPCA suggests removing covers and liners.

Which box suits a cat that pees high?

WoofiGo is the tallest box sold as open-top (see its height above), Vivifying is enclosed, and Kirecoo's listing says the box is particularly suitable for cats that urinate high or kick litter, though its sides are 6 inches. Urine on walls or furniture rather than over the edge may be spraying, which the ASPCA says has an entirely different cause and treatment, and a cat that starts going outside the box should see a vet first; our guide to a cat peeing outside the litter box covers both.

Editor's note: Ratings, specs and sellers are from each Amazon listing as captured on October 25, 2026. Listings change, and when this page and a listing disagree, the listing is right.