Mealtime may be your dog’s favorite time of day, but what can you do if you have a busy schedule, and you are often away from home at their preferred feeding times?
The best automatic dog food feeders are a great alternative to simply putting down an extra bowl of food and hoping for the best. These portion-controlled feeders will dispense between 1 and 6 smaller meals a day, helping you to prevent your dog from becoming greedy, bloated, and obese through free feeding.
Before we review the leading models in this vertical, here are some tips to help you choose the right one.
As long as you keep these pointers in mind, you should find it easy to compare the automatic feeders we highlight below. Dive in!
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The 13 Best Automatic Dog Feeders
1. Our Pick PetSafe Dog Food Dispenser
Features
Choosing the best automatic dog feeder can be challenging with so many poor quality models flooding the space. Fortunately, our favorite from today’s offerings gives you everything you need from a brand with decades of experience helping pet parents like you.
Whether you’re looking to manage your furball’s weight or to keep him fed when you’re at work, this programmable feeder delivers in fine style. It allows you to schedule up to 5 small meals for your dog to keep him going throughout the day without any risk of him overeating.
Each compartment has room for a cup of dry kibble or semi-moist dog food. By encouraging your pooch to eat several small meals instead of stuffing his face once or twice a day, you should prevent any issues with obesity developing.
The removable tray is easy to keep clean and safe to pop in the dishwasher. We recommend placing it on the top shelf for best results.
Build quality is rugged as you would expect from PetSafe and you can expect this automatic feeder to keep your dog happy and healthy even when you’re away from home for prolonged periods.
2. PETLIBRO Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
Next up comes another nifty pet feeder that allows you to provide your pooch with food for up to two days, perfect if you’re heading away for the weekend.
The generous capacity is perhaps the main selling point here. You can fit up to 25 meals for your pups inside with the confidence of knowing your dogs won’t chow it all down in one.
You can completely customize mealtimes and portion sizes to meet the needs of your furry friends. The capacity makes the model a great choice for owners of bigger, hungry dogs, or for multi-pet households. The feeder is also suitable for use by cats.
If your hound is reluctant to eat at times, encourage him to do so in your absence by recording a brief audio clip to accompany his food being dispensed. The sound of your voice should relax Rover and coax him to eat.
Although this feeder is made of plastic, it looks attractive and is built to stay the distance. In a sea of low quality pet feeders, this model makes a refreshing change.
3. WOPET Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
WOPET is a new brand in the pet vertical and their tech-driven gear might not be cheap, but it stands up to the leading names in this space. What do you get for your money, then?
As with all the models we review today, you can take advantage of automated feeding to ensure that your pet doesn’t gorge on food when you’re away from home. Instead, you can schedule up to 4 feeds at customizable times of the day, allowing you to tailor feeding to the needs of your furry friend.
Like most of the best automatic feeders up for grabs, this model comes with a voice recording feature. Comfort your furball from a distance every time his food is administered by this feeder.
There is an LED that lets you see all key information at a glance. This model is not among the easiest to use, and you may run into a few glitches with the settings until you become accustomed to the menu.
As an added bonus, this model has a 20-cup capacity that makes a great fit for households with more than one pet, or for pet parents who have dogs with bigger appetites.
4. WellToBe Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
Next up is a mid-sized pet feeder that makes a great choice for multi-pup families or for owners with small or medium breeds at home.
The feeder can accommodate up to 13 cups of dry kibble or semi-moist food. This is the same as most regular feeders, so think twice if you were planning to load up the feeder with wet dog food.
Unlike the model above, this unit couldn’t be easier to use. You’ll find no problems programming it even if you are not the biggest tech-lover.
Another benefit of this feeder is the fact it is just as easy to keep clean as it is to program and use.
Food jams are mitigated with intelligent technology baked in to prevent this. A sensor will alert you if the food bowl is full, and you’ll see a flashing blue light when it’s time to top up the feeder.
The automatic feeder comes with a power adapter included as well as the ability to use backup batteries. The unit requires 4 x D batteries, and these do not come bundled with purchase.
Overall, this is an automatic feeder that is design-driven and loaded with tech, and also reliable and long-lasting. What’s not to love?
5. VOLUAS Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
VOLUAS might not be the first name that springs to mind when you think of pet gear, but this automatic feeder is one of the most effective in a crowded vertical. Even better, if you act quickly, you’ll grab a real bargain as this feeder is currently heavily discounted.
You benefit from both wireless and battery functionality with this model, ensuring that your pooch will never be deprived of food when you are out at work.
First, you’ll need to choose from a trio of commanding colors to suit the décor of your home. this model is finished in an opaque white. You must also choose between this 4-liter model and a larger 6-liter variant.
Programming the feeder is simple and the controls are very user-friendly. You can program the feeder to dispense anything from 1 to 4 meals. You can also fine-tune the portion size, with a class-leading 40 different options baked in. Personalize feeding time for your furball, even when you’re away from home.
If your dog is reluctant to eat or suffers from separation anxiety, record a brief 10-second audio clip and he should feel soothed by the sound of your voice.
Aside from some difficulties inserting the batteries, we feel this is one of the best models in a glutted market segment. Does it make the right choice for your pooch, though?
6. Amazon Basics Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
Something different up next with an entry from Amazon Basics, the value-driven line of essentials from the world’s most famous online marketplace.
You first need to choose from the following variants:
- Automatic feeder
- Automatic feeder and waterer
- Waterer
This set features both feeder and waterer, allowing you to meet all the nutritional needs of any dogs and cats in your home. This model is suitable for use by canines or felines.
While this is not the most aesthetically pleasing of the feeders on our shortlist, the rugged construction means you can expect a lengthy lifespan from this model.
You will have space inside the feeder for up to 6 pounds of dry kibble. The water dispenser has a 1-liter capacity making this set-up most suitable for households with small or medium breeds, and perhaps a cat or two in the menagerie.
The transparent build means you can easily check the levels of food and water at a glance. Both the feeder and waterer use gravity feed to ensure that your furry friends stay fed and watered without being encouraged to overeat.
If you are more concerned with function than form, we strongly recommend this value-packed automatic gravity feeder.
7. PetSafe Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
With PetSafe, you can place your trust in a brand that’s been producing some of the best pet accessories since the late 1990s. How does this automatic feeder shape up, then?
The first benefit of this model is its flexibility. You can load it up with kibble or semi-moist dog food, mixing up Fido’s diet.
You will have the freedom to schedule of up to 12 meals a day, more than enough for all breeds. You can adjust the portion sizes, doling out as little as 1/8 cup or as much as 4 cups of food per meal per dog.
While some dogs can be trusted to free feed, many breeds will simply wolf down all the food that’s been provided. This is not the healthiest way for dogs to eat. Take advantage of the programming onboard to give your furball the small and frequent meals he needs to stay healthy, even if you’re away from home all day.
The design of this feeder should prevent all but the most committed hounds from getting food before it is due.
With dishwasher-safe components streamlining clean-up, there’s not much to knock about this efficient automatic dog feeder.
8. Pawple Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
While we appreciate that you’re not buying a pet feeder mainly for the way it looks, if you plan to locate the unit in a busy family area of the home, it doesn’t hurt when the design helps it to blend in. Luckily, you get more than just attractive design here, though.
You can load in up to 7 pounds of dry food, enough to keep more than one dog going throughout the day. If you like to feed your dog semi-moist food, we suggest exploring some of the multipurpose models we review above and below.
Although you get a great deal of latitude with programming portion size, we run into a few problems here. Check the portions closely until you are confident the feeder is delivering your preferred amounts of food for Rover.
Not only is this model a cinch to use, but it’s just as easy to keep clean, with dishwasher safe components offering the option of hands-free cleanup.
Made from a rugged ABS, this feeder is built to last, and it also costs far less than you might imagine.
9. WOPET 6-Liter Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
Another fine model from WOPET is next in line as we near the end of our roundup of automatic dog feeders.
This is a smart feeder that comes with WiFi connectivity, so make sure you are comfortable with basic tech before committing to purchase. Program your pet’s feeding from your smartphone wherever you are and stay connected to your furry friend, even if you’re away from home for hours on end.
As you would expect from such a tech-laden piece of kit, you can also add an audio recording of your voice if you need to comfort your pet remotely, encouraging them to eat rather than mope or become anxious about your absence.
The generous capacity of this model gives you the ability to provide your furball with up to 15 portion-controlled meals. By dispensing small meals frequently, you will keep your dog happy, healthy, and never hungry.
While there is not much to complain about with the feeder, the customer support department has a reputation for being unhelpful and unresponsive.
10. WOPET 7-Liter Automatic Pet Feeder
Features
Another model from WOPET’s deep bench next with this oversized feeder ideal for pet parents with large breeds or more than one dog that needs feeding in your absence.
This is one of the largest capacity feeders we review, giving you the freedom to load in up to 20 meals for your furry friends. This allows you to schedule between 1 and 6 meals per day, depending on the nutritional needs of your dog. Like all controlled feeding systems, you should find this model helps with weight management, especially if your dog is prone to gorging on food when you leave enough out for the whole day.
The WiFi-enabled unit only works with 2.4Ghz networks. If your WiFi network is exclusively 5Ghz, we do not recommend this model.
There is a camera baked in that allows you to communicate with your pet remotely. While this is certainly fit for purpose, the resolution is low and poor quality, even though it is marketed as a highly effective HD camera.
You can also add up to 10 customized voice messages for Spot, making this one of the most interactive of all the automatic dog feeders we review today.
11. BELOPEZZ Smart Pet Feeder
Features
Even though BELOPEZZ is not the most recognizable brand in this market segment, we feel that this automatic feeder deserves a place on today’s shortlist.
The manufacturer recommends this unit for all breeds, and you’ll be able to pile up to 6.5 pounds of dry food inside. This translates to 15 meals, enough to keep your dog fed all day long.
As with many of the models we review today, this one allows you to record a brief audio clip, comforting your pup with the sound of your voice, ideal when you cannot be by his side.
If food remains in the tray, the feeder will not dispense more until your pet has cleared the tray.
In the event of a power outage, the feeder will run on 3 x D batteries. You will need to make provision for some of these as they are not included.
The construction is food-grade ABS plastic, meaning the feeder should have a long lifespan without introducing any toxins or contaminants into your doggo’s food supply.
12. Cat Mate Digital Pet Feeder
Features
Cat Mate is a brand that specializes in feline products but also caters to canines. How does this multipurpose pet feeder stand and fall, then?
The first thing that strikes us is the great meeting point of price and performance. Even the biggest model in the line is still very keenly priced, and you get build quality and functionality that puts many more expensive feeders to shame.
Like all the best pet feeders, this unit is very simple to clean. After all, most pet products that require tedious upkeep tend to get little use. The cover and bowl are both dishwasher safe, too, so you won’t need to scrub the feeder by hand.
Utilize the multiple compartments to load in enough food for 5 doggie meals throughout the day. You can program the feeder to dispense the meals on demand rather than tempting your pooch with bowls of food he may eat all in one go.
The major drawback of this feeder is the amount of noise it makes when it’s running. If you intend to place this near a communal family, you may find it bothersome. If not, we strongly recommend this cost-effective and efficient portion-controlled feeder.
13. PetMate Gravity Feeder
Features
Before we round out today’s showcase of the best automatic dog feeders, we have time for one more entry, this time the inimitable PetMate stable.
You’ll first need to choose between a couple of colorways and 3 different sizes to suit. This iteration is finished in blue and has a 5-pound capacity.
The one thing we certainly don’t like about this model is the fact it is not dishwasher friendly. Although the manufacturer claims it is straightforward to wash by hand, we did not find this to be the case. Buyer beware!
If you have several small pets at home or one dog with a large appetite, you will find the portion-controlled and programmable nature of this feeder prevents issues with overeating or pets being left without enough food.
This model is designed exclusively for use with dry kibble so make sure this meets your needs.
For pet parents with cats at home as well as dogs, this model is suitable for use by canines and felines, giving you a flexible and effective automated feeding solution for far less than you might imagine.
FAQ
1) How does an automatic pet feeder work?
An automatic pet feeder typically uses a programmable timer to dispense food at set times throughout the day. Some models might also include features like portion control and the ability to dispense wet food.
2) Can automatic pet feeders be used for cats and dogs?
Yes, automatic pet feeders can be used for both cats and dogs, but it's important to choose a feeder that is the appropriate size for your pet and their specific needs. Today’s guide focuses on models designed for canines.
3) How do I program my pet feeder?
The specific instructions for programming an automatic pet feeder will vary from model to model. Refer to the user manual for detailed instructions on how to set the timer and dispense the food.
4) Can I control the feeder remotely?
Some automatic pet feeders come with an app that allows you to control the feeder remotely. However, not all pet feeders are equipped with this feature.
5) Can automatic pet feeders be used for multiple pets?
Some automatic pet feeders have multiple food trays or compartments that can be programmed to dispense food at different times, although this is not always the case. We flag any models we review that are suitable for multi-pet households.
6) How can I clean an automatic pet feeder?
The specific cleaning instructions for an automatic pet feeder will vary depending on the model. Many models we review include trays that are dishwasher safe, streamlining clean-up.
7) What types of food can be used in an automatic pet feeder?
Most automatic pet feeders can be used with dry kibble, but some models may also have the ability to dispense wet food or doggie treats.
8) How do I know if the automatic feeder is running low on food?
Some automatic pet feeders have a built-in food level indicator, while others may alert you in-app when it's time to refill the feeder.
9) Can an automatic pet feeder be used while I'm away on vacation?
Yes, an automatic pet feeder can be used while you're away on vacation, guaranteeing that your pet is fed on schedule.
10) Are there any safety concerns associated with using an automatic pet feeder?
As with any pet product, it's important to choose a high-quality automatic pet feeder and to follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. Some automatic pet feeders may have small parts that could pose a choking hazard for very young pets.
Conclusion
If you arrived here at Rabies Challenge Fund today uncertain about how to compare the best automatic dog feeders, you should now have a clear idea of what to look for. Stick with any of the models we review today, and you can buy with your eyes wide open.
We have just reorganized and have a very aggressive content calendar for the coming months. We recommend bookmarking our blog and we suggest you pop back very soon for more informative guides on all aspects of pet parenting. See you soon!