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Are you not a morning person, but your dogs are? Or do you travel a lot or work long days, making it hard to get home to feed the pups? Thanks to automatic dog feeders, you can rest assured Fido is getting the correct amount of food on time regardless of where his humans are.
At A Glance: Best Automatic Dog Feeder For…
Smart Feeder | Low-Tech | Multiple Pets |
---|---|---|
WOPET SmartFeeder | PetSafe Healthy Pet | SureFlap Sure |
Best Automatic Pet Feeders
The benefits of an automatic dog feeder aren’t only for convenience but also for portion control. We should also note that all of these allow you to schedule or manually dish out your dog’s food. And they all have the option to operate via battery if your electricity goes out (or your dog chews on cords). Here are our picks for the best automatic pet feeders. We also have some budget-friendly options below.
Best Smart Feeder: WOPET SmartFeeder Review
The WOPET SmartFeeder lets you remotely schedule your dog’s feedings (from one to six times per day) and check in on him during the day. The feeder stores up to six pounds of food, and you can set each meal for 1 to 39 portions (10 grams per portion). So if your dog likes to wolf down his food, this is a unique feature.
This pet feeder also has a real-time high-definition camera that lets you see and interact with your pet. You can even talk to him using your smartphone app.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Built-in camera via smartphone app | No night vision |
Two-way talk via smartphone app | Requires 2.4GHz network |
Can pre-record a message to play at mealtimes | |
Can run on batteries or be plugged into power outlet | |
Remote scheduling and viewing with iOS and Android apps | |
1-year warranty |
Pricing
Best Low-Tech Feeder: PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Review
If you don’t need a smart pet feeder synced to your phone, this PetSafe timed dog feeder is an excellent option. You can schedule up to 12 meals a day with this feeder, so it would work well for multiple pets eating the same food (as long as they don’t steal each other’s servings!). It also works excellent as an outdoor automatic dog feeder since it runs on batteries.
Portions range from 1/8 to 4 cups of dry kibble or semi-moist food. You can even select a “Slow Feed Mode” option, which dispenses the meal over 15 minutes to keep your dog from chowing down too quickly.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Does not require Wifi connection or internet | Power adapter must be purchased separately |
Holds up to 24 cups of food (dry or semi-moist) | Expensive for no smartphone capabilities |
Dispenses 1/8 to 4 cups of food per portion | No smartphone app |
Runs on batteries (or power adapter purchased separately) | |
Works with semi-moist foods too | |
BPA-free | |
1-year warranty |
Pricing
Best For Multiple Pets: SureFlap Sure Petcare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Review
Do you have multiple pets who are food aggressive? Or a dog who tries to eat the cat food (or visa versa)? Then this smart feeder by SureFlap is for your household. It identifies your pets by microchip ID or by wearing a lightweight RFID collar tag that opens the lid when detected inside the chamber. The bowl doesn’t dispense (like the other feeders), but then you’re not limited to dry kibble and can even mix in fresh food or medicine.
Be sure to check what type of microchip your pet has, as it’s only compatible with a few different options (or you can use the RFID, which comes with the feeder). There’s also the option to purchase colored bowls so you can more easily identify your feeders from each other.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
BPA-free plastic | Batteries not included |
Holds up to 13.5 fl oz of wet or dry food | Only feed one meal portion at a time |
Various colors available (sold separately) | Pricy |
Can pre-record a message to play at mealtimes | No two-way interaction or power adapter |
Wireless | |
Best for homes with multiple pets | |
3-year warranty |
Pricing
Budget-Friendly Dog Food Dispensers
Although these automatic dog food dispensers didn’t make our top picks, you may find one of these is a better fit for your needs or budget as they are a bit more affordable than our top picks.
Arf Pets Automatic Dog Feeder Review
The Arf Pets automatic dog food dispenser is another smart, WiFi-enabled feeder. This timed pet feeder allows you to remotely set up to four feedings per day and control portion sizes from 1 to 10 portions per meal (each portion is 24ml). It has a tamper-proof lid, and the kibble chamber and feeding tray are dishwasher safe.
This feeder also has a built-in microphone that allows you to pre-record up to 10 seconds of audio, allowing pet owners to “call” their pet when it’s time to eat.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Holds 16 cups of dry kibble | Batteries not included |
Variety of portioning options | Some complaints that the feeding schedule settings aren’t reliable |
Can pre-record a message to play at mealtimes | |
Battery operated or wall plugin | |
Remote scheduling with iOS and Android apps | |
1-year warranty |
Pricing
Iseebiz Hopper Review
Iseebiz’s Automatic Pet Feeder allows you to customize your pet’s feeding portion from 1 to 39 portions per meal. If your dog or cat has problems with portion control or you have problems with feeding them the proper amount, this smart dog feeder may be the solution. The feeder also features a built-in infrared detector to prevent overflow or clogging.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Audio recording microphone built in to pre-record up to 10 seconds | No two-way audio |
Holds 3 pounds of kibble | Programming is more manual than other feeders |
Backup batteries to use wirelessly or AC adapter | |
Made from BPA-free plastic |
Pricing
Pawple Automatic Pet Feeder Review
The Pawple automatic food dispenser for dogs and cats is an excellent value for its reliability and ease of use, and it gets excellent customer reviews. You can set up to four meals per day through its automatic timer and portion your dog’s food from two teaspoons up to four-and-a-half cups per feeding.
While you can’t link it to your smartphone, you can record a voice message to call your dog for mealtime. It runs on USB power and three D batteries (not included). The food tray is also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
BPA-free plastic | Batteries not included |
Holds 20 cups of dry kibble | A few customers reported that the portion control sizes weren’t accurate |
Wide variety of portioning options | |
Can pre-record a message to play at mealtimes | |
USB powered (or run on batteries) | |
Customer reviews for reliability and customer service | |
1-year warranty |
Pricing
- Feeder: $69.99
CleverPet Review
The original CleverPet Hub is no longer available, but a CleverPet V2 has been announced. We will update this article when that version is released.
Tip About Food Capacity Limits
You probably noticed that these auto pet feeders have food capacity limits. You probably won’t run into any issues if you have a younger pup or a smaller breed pup, but if you have a medium to large breed, you could be pushing it. Be sure to measure your dog’s kibble before purchasing one of these pet feeders to ensure it will work for your dog’s feedings.
Keeping Your Dog Hydrated When You’re Away
In addition to feeding your dog while you’re not at home, you want to make sure he’s staying hydrated with clean, fresh water. See our reviews of the best dog water fountains, from basic, battery-operated options to large-capacity water dispensers, outdoor drinking fountains, and more. A dog water bottle could also prove beneficial when you’re on the go. Also, if you’re super busy, you might consider a dog food delivery service to have your dog’s food delivered to your door regularly.
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