Dr. Elsey's Ultra is the strongest all-around pick in this comparison for dust-sensitive homes.
The gold standard for dust-free clay litter. Rock-solid clumps, very low dust, and excellent day-to-day usability.
Fast-forming hard clumps with baking soda odor help, making it a strong mid-range clay pick if you can tolerate moderate dust.
Ultra is the cleaner litter. HardBall is the cheaper way to get clumps that set fast and come out in one piece. HardBall pours many times the dust Ultra does, and avoiding that is most of what the extra money buys.
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 | Dr. Elsey's Ultra | Arm & Hammer HardBall | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust weighed per pourDust caught on a filter and weighed while the bag goes into the box. Lower is better. | 0.03 mgbetter | 0.48 mg | 0.45 mg |
| Clumps that survived the drop testShare of clumps still whole after a three-foot drop. Higher is better. | 98%better | 87% | 11 points |
| Granules outside the boxCounted inside the 12-inch ring around the tray. Lower is better. | 18 granules | not measured | only one side measured |
| Bag priceWhat the tested bag cost. Bag sizes differ, so read it next to cost per pound. | $20.99 | $19.99 | $1.00 |
| Cost per poundBag price divided by what is in the bag. Lower is better. | $0.52better | $0.53 | $0.01 |
| 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 ammonia after one day and ammonia after three days, 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: Dr. Elsey's Ultra's weakest area here is tracking.
Best dust control here at 0.03mg per pour.
Strongest odor control in this set with strong unscented control.
Clumping is a real edge: rock-solid.
Scroll sideways to see every litter. Scores are editorial judgments out of 10.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.4Excellent | 8.5Very good |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $20.99 | $19.99 |
| Weight | 40 lbs | 38 lbs |
| Cost / Day | $0.43 | $0.47 |
| Performance | ||
| Dust Control | 9.4 0.03mg per pour | 6 0.48mg per pour |
| Clumping | 9.8 Rock-solid | 9 Hard and fast |
| Odor Control | 8.5 Strong unscented control | 8 Baking soda support |
| Tracking Outside the Box | 7.2 Moderate | 6 Moderate |
| Value for Cost | 8.8 $0.43/day · $20.99 | 8 $0.47/day · $19.99 |
| Features | ||
| Type | Clumping Clay | Fast-Clumping Clay |
| Flushable | ||
| Scented | No | Yes |
| Our Verdict | ||
| Best For | Dust-sensitive homes | Fast hard clumping on a mid-range budget |
| Read ReviewCheck Price | Read ReviewCheck Price | |
Dr. Elsey's Ultra makes the most sense for dust-sensitive homes.
You want the cleanest clay experience with hard clumps and low dust.
You need flushable or lightweight litter.
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 dust-sensitive homes better.
The nearest options to this matchup on score and on price.
Weighed 0.04mg per pour and runs at $0.56 a day.
Weighed 0.04mg per pour and runs at $0.55 a day.
Runs at $0.80 a day. Its dust was never weighed.
Dr. Elsey's Ultra 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.
Dr. Elsey's Ultra runs at $0.43 a day against $0.47 for Arm & Hammer HardBall.
Dr. Elsey's Ultra scored higher: strong unscented control, against baking soda support for Arm & Hammer HardBall.
Dr. Elsey's Ultra keeps more litter in the box: moderate, 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.
Ultra gives you the hardest clumps and the lightest dust for less money.
Ultra is scoopable clay. PrettyLitter is crystals that change color to flag a health problem.
Buy Ultra unless your cat has stopped using the box, which is the one job Cat Attract does better.
Super Scoop is the cheapest honest way to keep a box going. Ultra is what you buy when cheap keeps leaving broken clumps in the tray.
Ultra if you want the box to stop smelling of perfume and stop clouding when you pour. Fresh Step if you want it in the cart tonight.