Do you often miss your pet’s mealtime? Or are you unable to hire a pet sitter when you’re away from home? Then, it might be worth investing in an automatic feeder for your cats or small dogs. These machines dispense dry, wet or semi-moist food on a set schedule, ensuring your pets don’t miss their meals and snacks, even when you’re not around. Many of these devices are affordable and dishwasher-safe, and can accommodate a range of kibble shapes and sizes. We picked the best options, based on user ratings and reviews, so you can skip the research and get straight to stocking snacks for your pets. Purchase the feeder with Amazon Prime and get it as soon as tomorrow.
1. Best Overall: PetSafe 5-Meal Pet Feeder
Pros
- Easy to program
- Portable design
- Compact, pet-proof design
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons
- Limited programming options
- Battery powered only
Simple and elegant, this digital pet feeder by PetSafe has five segmented bowls, with each section able to hold up to 200g of dry and semi-moist food. You can schedule the meals up to four days in advance, and use digital timers to set the time of your pet’s meal in one-hour increments. Reviewers say it’s completely tamper-proof, so no prying paws can get to their food ahead of time – the cover rotates to reveal a portion of food at a set schedule. Reviewers also say it’s easy to carry with you on trips, and it’s very quiet when it clicks open. Do note that since it doesn’t provide a lot of flexibility with programming, it’s best for pet owners who like to stick to a regular feeding schedule, or who want a no-frills device.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a 2-year warranty.
2. Best Smart Pet Feeder: WOPET Automatic Smart Pet Feeder
Pros
- Useful app and notifications
- Precise portion control
- Battery back-up included
Cons
- Initial set-up may be finicky, reviewers say
If you’re looking for something that’s bigger and has smart functionalities, WOPET’s pet feeder is the way to go. Reviewers say the feeder insists on a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection, rather than 5GHz, but once you get over this set-up hitch, it’s a smooth performing device that has an attractive interface. You can program up to 15 meals a day, build weekly schedules, and even control portion sizes – they’re dispensed in 5g units. The app is incredibly useful – it tracks when the meals are dispensed, and notifies you if you’re running low on food, or if the meal could not be dispensed because the bowl is already full. WOPET’s considerable six-litre bowl is visible through a semi-opaque hopper, so you can easily see if it needs to be refilled.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh42.85 for 12 months with select banks.
3. Best for Wet Food: Cat Mate C300 Automatic 3-Meal Pet Feeder
Pros
- Suitable for both wet and dry food
- Easy-to-use digital timer
- Tamper-proof design
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons
- Battery-powered only
Similar to our top pick, but with an added bonus, Cat Mate’s Pet Feeder uses a rotating, multi-sectional tray to dispense food. This is ideal for wet food, since you can load the compartment yourself and schedule when you’d like your cat to eat it. Reviewers like the addition of an ice pack beneath the device’s rotating tray, since wet and canned food spoils more quickly than dry food. The feeder serves up to three meals a day, and its tamper-resistant design means you can rest assured your pet will be well-fed at the right time, when you’re away. Do note that the device uses batteries only, so there’s no failsafe if it runs out of power when you’re not around.
4. Best for Multiple Pets: WellToBe Automatic Pet Feeder
Pros
- Large food storage capacity
- Anti-clog design
- Includes built-in voice recorder and speaker
- Desiccant included
Cons
- Voice recording must be set up for the device to work
Are you a pet parent to more than one dog or cat? WellToBe’s automatic pet feeder is a great choice. It operates by dividing the food into half and dispensing it simultaneously into stainless steel bowls, via a two-way splitter. Reviewers enjoy using the voice recorder – they call their cats or dogs for meal time as they usually do, through a 10-second recording, even if they’re not at home. But if you’d rather not hear your voice from another part of the house on weekends, you can disable the recorder, as well. The device accommodates up to six meals every day, and you can customise the portion sizes. The feeder holds 13 cups of dry food before it needs to be refilled, and the food stays fresh for longer, thanks to the inclusion of a desiccant in the lid.
5. Best Budget: ZERIFAM Automatic Pet Feeder
Pros
- Large, six-litre capacity
- Built-in infrared sensor
- Built-in voice recorder and speaker
- Battery back-up included
Cons
- Does not accurately portion food, reviewers say
Through easy-to-customise meal times and portions, ZERIFAM’s automatic pet feeder offers great value for its price. It features a large, six-litre food tank, and offers both a 5V DC adapter and battery back-up, so that you can rest assured your pet is fed, even if the power is out. The built-in infrared sensor helps alert you when food is running low, or if gets clogged. Reviewers like that this budget option even has some premium features, like a 10-second personalised voice recording function, and both programmable and manual feeding capabilities. However, some pet owners have found that the device doesn’t precisely portion food while dispensing, which may affect pets who are on a diet.
Bonus: Apply a 20 per cent coupon for more savings.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission from Eros.
