Litter Genie and Litter Genie Plus are identical products, except Litter Genie Plus has an antimicrobial on the pail and comes with a cartridge that lasts 10 weeks instead of 8 weeks, therefore, it is slightly more expensive.
The Litter Genie XL is identical to the Litter Genie but has a taller canister, so it holds more cat litter and the bag doesn’t need to be changed as frequently.
To get a general idea of how all Litter Genies work, check out: HOW DOES A LITTER GENIE WORK? It answers some of the common questions about the product.
LITTER GENIE SIZE COMPARISON
| LITTER GENIE | LITTER GENIE PLUS | LITTER GENIE XL |
|---|---|---|
  |
  |
  |
| 9.5″W x 8.5″L x 17″Tall
(same size) |
9.5″W x 8.5″L x 17″Tall
(same size) |
9.5″W x 8.5″L x 22.5″Tall
(taller) |
PRODUCT FEATURES: LITTER GENIE VS LITTER GENIE PLUS VS LITTER GENIE XL
| PRODUCT | PRICE | ANTIMICROBIAL | PAIL CAPACITY | INCLUDED CARTRIDGE LASTS | SCOOP INCLUDED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LITTER GENIE | LOWEST |
NO | 14 DAYS | 8 WEEKS | YES |
| LITTER GENIE PLUS | MID |
YES | 14 DAYS | 10 WEEKS | YES |
| LITTER GENIE XL | HIGHEST |
NO | 21 DAYS | 8 WEEKS | YES |
Each version of the Litter Genie uses the same refill cartridge. The Litter Genie Plus does come with a cartridge that contains more plastic liner, however, when it’s time to purchase refills individually, there isn’t a Litter Genie Plus refill cartridge or a Litter Genie XL refill cartridge.
BUY THE LITTER GENIE IF…
You’re looking for the most affordable option, have a small space, and/or only have one cat. You can of course use the original Litter Genie if you have more than one cat, it will just fill up faster and need to be changed more frequently.
BUY THE LITTER GENIE PLUS IF…
You don’t mind spending a few extra dollars and want a little more odor control. It includes one cartridge that lasts 30% longer than regular cartridges so you do get an additional bang for your buck aside from the added antimicrobial.
BUY THE LITTER GENIE XL IF…
You want to go longer between needing to change the plastic liner/bag or if you have multiple cats in the household and more kitty litter to scoop. This canister is about 5” taller than the Litter Genie and Litter Genie Plus.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LITTER GENIE AND LITTER GENIE PLUS
The Litter Genie Plus is the original Litter Genie with an added antimicrobial. An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth.
Litter Genie’s website claims the Plus’s pail has an added antimicrobial that inhibits odors caused by bacteria on the pail. They’re not claiming it reduces the bacteria on the pail, or the transfer of bacteria to you when you touch it, they’re simply claiming it inhibits odors.
The added agent is beneficial, but if you don’t want to spend extra money on the Litter Genie Plus, you can simply get in the habit of washing the Litter Genie each time you change the litter and wash the litter box. This should be done whether you own the Litter Genie Plus or the Litter Genie, to kill the bacteria.
You can use the same process as cleaning the litter box to get rid of odors and disinfect (read about that here).
The other perk of spending a few dollars more on the Plus is the refill cartridge that comes with the Litter Genie Plus. It has more liner in the cartridge and lasts “30% longer” than their regular refill.
CAN YOU USE STANDARD LITTER GENIE REFILLS IN LITTER GENIE PLUS?
You can use standard Litter Genie refills in the Litter Genie Plus. In fact, Litter Genie currently only makes one type of refill cartridge that contains 14 feet of plastic liner. The Litter Genie plus comes will a cartridge that lasts 10 weeks (instead of 8 weeks with a regular cartridge), but those cartridges aren’t sold separately.
Once the cartridge that comes with the Litter Genie Plus is done, you must purchase a regular Litter Genie refill cartridge.
There are new options on the market for refills, that are cheaper than the brand name.
Please be aware, some customers who own the Litter Genie XL stated the non-brand name refills don’t fit in their XL model. The lid doesn’t fully close.
LITTER GENIE XL SIZE DIFFERENCE
The Litter Genie XL is the same width and depth as the Litter Genie and Litter Genie Plus, but the XL is 5.5” taller. Keep in mind, you can’t fill any of the Litter Genies to the very top with dirty litter. They each have a top compartment that holds the refill cartridge, and contains the funnel and divider. This section is about the same size for each version.
WHAT HOLDS MORE: LITTER CHAMP OR LITTER GENIE XL?
The Litter Genie XL is 9.5” wide, 8.5” deep, and 22.5” tall, while the Litter Champ is 10” wide, 9” deep, and 19.25” tall. So the Litter Genie is 3.25” taller, while the Litter Champ gains 1 inch in width/depth.
| LITTER GENIE XL | LITTER CHAMP |
|---|---|
|
  |
| 9.5″W x 8.5″L x 22.5″Tall | 10″W x 9″L x 19.25″Tall |
Keep in mind, neither canister can be filled right to the top as the top portion of both canisters holds the refill cartridge. Although the Litter Genie’s refill cartridge isn’t as deep, the canister’s divider (that temporarily seals the bag closed) tilts down, so the bag can only be filled to about 7 or 8” below the top of the canister.
HOW TO OPEN LITTER GENIE XL
To open the Litter Genie XL, you must remove the lid and funnel, which come off together. There is a small handle/ledge at the top of the unit, on the back, just below the hinge of the lid. Pull up on the small handle/ledge to remove the funnel and lid, exposing the ledge the cartridge sits on.
Set the prepped cartridge in the canister and make sure the plastic liner is folded tightly down into the canister so there isn’t excess plastic getting in the way of snapping the funnel back on. Place the funnel piece back on top of the canister and press down until you hear it snap back into place.
To open the Litter Genie XL to gain access to the bottom part of the canister and to change the bag, grab onto the front handle (the handle you pull on to let waste drop into the canister) and pull it slightly towards you. While keeping the handle in that position, push the top of the canister up so it can fold back.
Once you’ve changed the bag, pull the front handle slightly towards you and fold the top part of the canister back to close it. Release the front handle to lock the top in place.
CAN I USE A STANDARD REFILL IN A LITTER GENIE XL?
A standard Litter Genie refill can be used in the Litter Genie XL. In fact, there is only one refill cartridge offered by Litter Genie. The Litter Genie XL pail is 22.5” tall and a refill cartridge has 14 feet of plastic liner (168”).
Litter Genie’s website claims an XL can hold up to 21 days of dirty kitty litter and a cartridge lasts 8 weeks (this is based on one cat). But of course, those numbers will depend on how many cats you have and how much waste your cat(s) produces.
The XL pail is 22.5” tall and there is 168” of liner, which means you can change the liner approximately 6 or 7 times with a full bag (and depending on how much plastic you use to tie a knot).
On the other hand, the Litter Genie and Litter Genie Plus are 17” tall and will allow you to change a full bag 8 or 9 times.
Refill options:
Please be aware, some customers who own the Litter Genie XL stated the non-brand name refills don’t fit in their XL model. The lid doesn’t fully close.
LITTER GENIE REFILL HACK
The most common complaint about the Litter Genies is the cost of the refills. You can find them in 2 and 3 packs and save a bit, or stock up during sales. But generally, each refill costs around $9-$10. This cost has many cat owners wondering if they can use something other than the Litter Genie plastic liners.
You can use any type of plastic bag, such as a kitchen garbage bag, however, you must hold onto the empty refill cartridges, as you’ll need one to hold the plastic bag in place.
Be sure the bag you use is long enough that it reaches the bottom of the canister.
I’ve tried using smaller “doggie bags” meant for poop, but they’re much shorter. As litter and waste fill up the bag, it starts to pull down and the top of the bag comes loose from the empty cartridge.
A plastic grocery bag is also too short.
I’ve found a small white kitchen bag works best.
If you don’t have an empty cartridge, you can either go buy a Litter Genie refill cartridge, use the liner and hold onto the cartridge, or mockup a cartridge.
You’ll need to create the same shape as the cartridge, making it small enough to fit within the canister, but big enough that it will sit on the ledge inside. You’ll have to get creative, but perhaps carving a piece of Styrofoam into the refill cartridge ring shape would work.
Alternatively, you can use the same liner over and over again by emptying the contents of a full liner into an empty garbage bag. This will require you to temporarily seal the bottom of the plastic liner. You may still tie a knot, making it tight enough to hold the litter, but not so tight you can’t untie it.
Other ways to temporarily close the bottom of the liner are:
- Rubber bands
- Chip clips
- Twist ties
When the plastic liner is full, place a garbage bag under the bottom of the liner and pull the garbage bag up over the liner so it catches all the waste. Gently open the liner so the waste falls into the bag.
It’s important to wear gloves during this step so you’re not touching the cat waste.
Also keep in mind, the bag you’re constantly reusing will start to smell after several uses.
IS A LITTER GENIE WORTH IT?
A Litter Genie is worth it if you want to reduce the cat litter odors in your home, while making fewer trips to the outdoor trash can. It makes it easy to scoop kitty litter each day and fill up the container without having to worry about the smells taking over your house.
It’s important to remember, a litter box should be scooped, at minimum, one time per day. Ideally, each time your cat goes to use the litter box, so there aren’t any clumps of waste in it.
If you have multiple cats in your home, you likely need to scoop multiple times per day. The Litter Genie makes it easy to remove the waste from the litter pan and trap those odors without having to remove the waste from your home.
CAN I USE A LITTER GENIE FOR DOG POOP?
Although the Litter Genie wasn’t designed to hold dog poop, you can put dog poop inside. If the dog poop is already inside doggie bags, it makes it easy to drop the waste into the canister and the extra layer of plastic will help keep even more smells inside.
Also, keep in mind, if you have a dog that likes to head to the litter box for a snack, the Litter Genie will help keep your dog away from the cat poop, once it’s scooped out of the litter box (here are more tips to stop your dog from eating cat poop). Even if your dog is able to knock the Litter Genie over and open the lid, the divider is spring-loaded and stays closed, so your dog won’t have access to the waste.
I hope this article has helped explain the features and benefits of the Litter Genie, Litter Genie Plus, and Litter Genie XL 🙂
