6 Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Cats and Dogs

Pets are an amazing source of positive energy and entertainment. You can play around with your pets for as long as you want and care for them in the best possible way when you’re around. But, what if you cannot be around all the time? If your work involves a lot of travel, your pet’s eating habits may take a hit. To counter this issue, we’ve come up with a list of the best automatic pet feeders you can buy.

best automatic pet feeders

A smart pet feeder can automatically dispense food at regular intervals. So, even when you’re not at home, your pets can eat whenever they want without relying on you. There are several types of automatic feeders for cats and dogs. From simple ones with a timer to sophisticated ones with cameras. We’ve listed them all to suit everyone’s needs.

Before we delve into this guide, here are some articles that may gauge your interest:

1. Best Manual Food Dispenser: VaygWay Pet Feeder and Waterer

  • Capacity: 3.7L
  • Breed Recommendation: Small breeds
  • Bowl Material: Non-toxic plastic
Vaygway feeder

With an easy-to-use and easy-to-clean design, VaygWag Pet Feeder and Waterer’s motto is convenience. Despite no use of electricity or battery in this feeder, it comes with a self-dispensing feature. Made up of premium material, the dispenser ensures the safety of stored food.

The non-toxic plastic build of the VaygWay Pet Feeder provides a safety edge to the product. This would protect any plastic leeching into your pet’s food. Along with safety, the self-dispensing feature of this product enhances user convenience and your little pet’s accessibility to food.

It is important to note that the only smart aspect of this pet feeder is its self-dispensing property. However, users in the reviews section expressed that the feeder doesn’t dispense food like it states and they had to manually dig out the food in the dish at times. Also, note that some consumers complained that VaygWay’s pet feeder is too small for big dogs.

On the brighter side, users claimed that this feeder is sturdy. This would ensure that your furry friend doesn’t knock it over while playing around.

2. Best Pet Feeder for Small Breeds: Seven Lady Automatic Dog Feeder With Timer

  • Capacity: 3.5L
  • Breed Recommendation: Small breeds
  • Bowl Material: Food-grade steel
dispenser with timer

As a stark contrast to the VaygWay pet feeder, the Seven Lady automatic feeder with a timer has a self-dispensing feature in the true sense. Running on a USB-C adapter, this feeder delivers your pet’s meals at pre-set time intervals. Interestingly, if there’s a power outage, the feeder can run on AA-powered batteries.

The USP of this product is its automatic food dispensation. With the aid of four keys on the Seven Lady Automatic dog feeder, you can schedule timings and portions of food for your pet.

You must note that some reviews mention that scheduling the meals and setting timing could be confusing initially. However, users trusted the product after overcoming that problem. Also, some users have reported that their gluttonous pets eventually ripped the lid off the feeder, so beware!

Are you worried that Seven Lady follows VaygWay’s suit in self-dispensation? Fear not. As this product comes with an anti-clog feature. With the help of this automatic pet feeder, you can enjoy your trip carefree or tend to your 9-5 without the fear of your furry friend’s hunger pangs. Some users have also mentioned that it’s among the best automatic cat feeders on a budget.

3. Best for Customization: Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder

  • Capacity: 6L
  • Breed Recommendation: Medium-sized breeds
  • Bowl Material: Stainless steel
petlibro feeder

Customization is synonymous with the Petlibro Automatic Feeder. Right from personalized meal scheduling through an easy-to-use LCD interface to customized voice recordings, this product is an apt replacement in your absence.

Feeding your pet is an intimate task. But, if you’re on a business trip and can’t share the feeding moment with your little one, this unique product by Petlibro provides custom recording. So, even when you’re away, your pet can listen to your voice while the food is being dispensed.

To curb your furry thief from snapping off the top of your feeder, Petlibro provides a lock lid system to protect the granary. On the front of anti-clogging technology and dual power features, this product follows trends set by the Seven Lady feeder.

4. Best Pet Feeder for Two Pets: Petlibro Automatic Dual Pet Feeder

  • Capacity: 5L
  • Breed Recommendation: Any breed size
  • Bowl Material: Stainless steel
two pet feeder

When you have two pets, a battle for the first morsel of food is inevitable. So, this automatic pet feeder by Petlibro provides two meal bowls. To prevent your furry friend from getting any chubbier, the built-in infrared sensor inside the food outlet stops the flow of food if the outlet is blocked. Notably, Petlibro’s Automatic Pet Feeder comes with technology to keep the food fresh and crunchy.

Petlibro provides a desiccant bag, sealing strip, and patented rotor which ensures the freshness of your pet’s food. Unlike the previous product by Petlibro, this pet feeder helps you schedule your pet’s meal with the help of an easy-to-use LED panel.

Interestingly, this product is flexible on the portion sizing front. You can either ensure equal distribution of food in both bowls or varied food quantities as per your pet’s appetite.

Of course, even this product by Petlibro adds a touch of customization with the ten-second meal call. Most users seem content about the Petlibro Automatic Pet Feeder and have spoken volumes about how it has helped them immensely with feeding two cats together. It’s easily the best automatic feeder for multiple cats and dogs.

5. Best Feeder With Camera: Wansview 4L Smart Feeding Solution

  • Capacity: 4L
  • Breed Recommendation: Any breed size
  • Bowl Material: Stainless steel
pet feeder with camera

Watching the little ones enjoying their treats is a pleasurable moment. If your work or travel plans are hampering you from viewing this cute sight, the Wansview smart feeder’s 2K camera helps you remotely track if your pet is well-fed on a dedicated app.

The Wansview Cloud app is an exclusive application built for Wansview pet feeders. Right from remote access to your pet’s feeding to timely notifications of your pet’s feeding activity, the app saves you from the anxiety of whether your furry friend is well-fed during your absence.

However, some users have complained that the night vision captured by the feeder’s 2K camera is blurry. Apart from recording, the camera even allows for two-way voice interaction. You can call out your pet’s name and talk to it via the dispenser, which is neat.

Thanks to all the fancy features, the Wansview pet feeder is one of the best-rated products on this list. Users are happy with its functioning and haven’t reported any glaring issues with the product. If you want the extra benefits of the camera, the Wanview dispenser is the best automatic dog feeder in terms of being close to your pet even when you’re away.

6. Best Food Dispenser to Control Portion Size: PortionPro Rx Meal Scheduler

  • Capacity: 3.8L
  • Breed Recommendation: Any breed size
  • Bowl Material: Pet-safe plastic
RFID pet feeder

Despite having a single bowl, the PortionPro Rx meal scheduler is made for multiple pets. How, you ask? Well, the brand has incorporated a smart mechanism using RFID tags. This mechanism also helps in preventing obesity due to overeating.

The PortionPro Rx feeder comes with multiple RFID tags that you can attach to your pets’ collars. You can then program the feeder to dispense a certain amount of food in a specific time period when it detects a specific tag. For example, if your dog with a blue tag goes near the machine every 4 hours, the feeder will detect the tag and dispense a proportionate amount of food.

However, if your dog with a red tag goes near the machine at this time, no food will be dispensed. This is a smart feature that has been implemented well as per reviews. Since you can set the time frame in which the food should be dispersed, your pet cannot have multiple meals at once. This prevents obesity.

Thanks to the smart features, the PortionPro Rx meal scheduler will set you back a good amount of money. But, it’s important to understand that the patented technology used is expensive. So, if you need the RFID tag feature, the product is well worth it.

FAQs for Automatic Pet Feeders

1. Are automatic pet feeders safe?

All the pet feeders mentioned on this list have food-grade plastic or steel bowls. These materials are safe for your pet. You can also set timers on most of them to prevent overeating.

2. Do automatic pet feeders serve the right proportion of food?

Some feeders allow you to set the proportion of food for your pets. This gives you minute control over the serving since you know what is best for your little friend.

3. What type of food can automatic pet feeders dispense?

It’s important to note that all the smart pet feeders mentioned above can only dispense dry food. You cannot use wet food with these feeders.

Keep Hunger Pangs at Bay

You wouldn’t want your hungry pets to wait with an empty stomach till you’re back to feed them, do you? If you work long hours or travel frequently, it’s best to get an automatic pet feeder so your pet can eat on time. This way, your pet remains happy with the right nutrition and you stay happy because you know your pet is eating on time.

Last updated on 02 June, 2023

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