Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal is the strongest all-around pick in this comparison for budget shoppers prioritizing odor control.
A budget-friendly clay litter with aggressive odor control and easy store availability, offset by strong fragrance and more tracking.
Fast-forming hard clumps with baking soda odor help, making it a strong mid-range clay pick if you can tolerate moderate dust.
Two Arm & Hammer clays built for different things. Clump & Seal is about fragrance and a low bag price. HardBall is about clumps that set fast and lift whole. HardBall costs a little more per day, and neither one is a low-dust litter.
This comparison page is maintained by the ReviewCatLitter editorial team and grounded in the same scoring framework used across the published review catalog.
Choose between them on texture, clumping, dust and price. Then, if the room still tells you where the box is, Purrify is activated carbon you mix into whichever bag you chose. It is what we use in our own homes.
Read our Purrify guide to picking a litter for odor control.
Every figure below is a reading from our own test runs, not a rating. Where a run never took a reading it says so.
| Reading | Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal | Arm & Hammer HardBall | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust weighed per pourDust caught on a filter and weighed while the bag goes into the box. Lower is better. | 0.45 mgbetter | 0.48 mg | 0.03 mg |
| Clumps that survived the drop testShare of clumps still whole after a three-foot drop. Higher is better. | not measured | 87% | only one side measured |
| Ammonia after one dayParts per million above the tray, 24 hours in. Lower is better. | 1 ppm | not measured | only one side measured |
| Ammonia after three daysParts per million above the tray, 72 hours in. Lower is better. | 3 ppm | not measured | only one side measured |
| Bag priceWhat the tested bag cost. Bag sizes differ, so read it next to cost per pound. | $16.99 | $19.99 | $3.00 |
| Cost per poundBag price divided by what is in the bag. Lower is better. | $0.45better | $0.53 | $0.08 |
| Cost per dayWhat the box costs to keep running each day. Lower is better. | $0.43better | $0.47 | $0.04 |
| Cost across a yearThat daily cost carried over a full year of use. Lower is better. | $157better | $172 | $15 |
Neither run recorded granules outside the box, so those rows are left out rather than filled in from a similar bag. The full test data shows every reading we have.
Primary tradeoff: Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal's weakest area here is dust control.
Best dust control here at 0.45mg per pour.
Strongest odor control in this set with 7-day heavy fragrance.
It is also the cheapest daily option at $0.43 per day.
Scroll sideways to see every litter. Scores are editorial judgments out of 10.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.7Very good | 8.5Very good |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $16.99 | $19.99 |
| Weight | 38 lbs | 38 lbs |
| Cost / Day | $0.43 | $0.47 |
| Performance | ||
| Dust Control | 6 0.45mg per pour | 6 0.48mg per pour |
| Clumping | 8.1 Good | 9 Hard and fast |
| Odor Control | 9.1 7-day heavy fragrance | 8 Baking soda support |
| Tracking Outside the Box | 6 Tracks heavily | 6 Moderate |
| Value for Cost | 9 $0.43/day · $16.99 | 8 $0.47/day · $19.99 |
| Features | ||
| Type | Scented Clumping Clay | Fast-Clumping Clay |
| Flushable | ||
| Scented | Yes | Yes |
| Our Verdict | ||
| Best For | Budget shoppers prioritizing odor control | Fast hard clumping on a mid-range budget |
| Read ReviewCheck Price | Read ReviewCheck Price | |
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal makes the most sense for budget shoppers prioritizing odor control.
You want a budget-friendly clay litter with aggressive odor control and easy store availability, offset by strong fragrance and more tracking.
You need a formula that solves budget shoppers prioritizing odor control better.
Arm & Hammer HardBall makes the most sense for fast hard clumping on a mid-range budget.
You want fast-forming hard clumps with baking soda odor help, making it a strong mid-range clay pick if you can tolerate moderate dust.
You need a formula that solves budget shoppers prioritizing odor control better.
The nearest options to this matchup on score and on price.
Weighed 0.52mg per pour and runs at $0.35 a day.
Weighed 0.42mg per pour and runs at $0.40 a day.
Weighed 0.00mg per pour and runs at $0.52 a day.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal comes out ahead on the balance of dust, clumping, odor control, tracking and daily cost. Arm & Hammer HardBall is still the one to buy for fast hard clumping on a mid-range budget.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal runs at $0.43 a day against $0.47 for Arm & Hammer HardBall.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal scored higher: 7-day heavy fragrance, against baking soda support for Arm & Hammer HardBall.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal keeps more litter in the box: tracks heavily, against moderate for Arm & Hammer HardBall.
Choose Ultra if dust or fragrance bother anyone in the house. Choose Clump & Seal if the price of the bag decides it.
Clump & Seal is worth the step up from Tidy Cats if smell is the reason you are shopping. Tidy Cats is cheaper by the bag and easier to find.
Two perfumed supermarket clays. Clump & Seal holds smell down longer and clumps harder. Fresh Step is the cheaper bag and pours a little less dust.
Cat Attract is what you try when your cat is missing the box. Clump & Seal is what you buy when the bag price decides it.
Ultra is the cleaner litter. HardBall is the cheaper way to get clumps that set fast and come out in one piece.
Boxiecat is the quiet, unscented, easy-scoop bag. Clump & Seal is the cheap, heavily perfumed one.