The case for steel is simple. A plastic tray picks up claw scratches, those scratches hold urine, and after a year or so the tray smells however hard you scrub it — which is why plastic trays get replaced rather than cleaned. Stainless steel takes the same treatment without scoring, so it comes back to properly clean every time and should outlast several plastic ones.

This is the standard-sized version at 52 x 41cm, with the tray itself 14cm deep so litter can be laid thick enough for a cat to dig rather than scrape. The lid lifts away for cleaning, a deodoriser compartment sits in the housing to hold odour at source, and the entrance has a filter step that catches litter off paws on the way out. The frame supports up to 15kg without flexing, so nothing shifts underfoot as a cat climbs in.

• Overall 52.4cm long x 41.3cm deep x 42cm high
• Stainless steel tray 52 x 40 x 14cm deep
• Stainless steel with ABS and PP housing
• Lift-up flip cover for full-access cleaning
• Deodoriser compartment and litter-catching entry step
• 24.7 x 22.2cm entry; supports up to 15kg
• Includes a 20cm scoop and a deodoriser pack

If you are switching from an open tray, move it across gradually — put the new box beside the old one for a few days before removing the original. Cats object to sudden changes in this of all things, and a hooded box introduced overnight is the classic cause of a cat deciding the rug is preferable.

Who it's for: Anyone tired of replacing plastic trays that smell no matter what, and households wanting a litter box that reads as furniture rather than pet equipment.