Are stainless steel litter boxes worth the extra cost?

Specialist communities on r/CatAdvice and r/BuyItForLife strongly favor stainless steel for odor control and longevity — plastic absorbs urine smell over time, while steel doesn't. The downsides cited are price, weight and the lack of integrated lids on some models. For multi-cat households or owners who replace plastic boxes every 1–2 years, the cost typically pencils out.