heavy duty automatic dog feeder
If you have a large dog and a busy schedule, a heavy duty automatic dog feeder could help to make sure your Fido is fed while taking one more task off your “to-do” list. In the age of smartphones and “instant everything”, there are of course a huge range of options for you for automated dog feeders. We have summarized information for 3 different styles and price points in a simple table below.
heavy duty automatic dog feeder features
Here are some features and questions to consider as you look for the best dog feeder for you.
- Cost: As with most purchases, you likely have a budget in mind. You can buy feeders for as little as $25 or pay up to $175 or more. The more expensive models may have advanced features such as integration with your smartphone so you can schedule and control feedings from your phone. If you do not need those features, you can save money with a basic feeder that does not include technology.
- Capacity: How much food can the unit hold ? Will this work if you go away on a 5-day vacation ?
- Able to schedule and set size of meals: Feeders that support use with smartphones provide this feature. While this may be nice, consider that we have seen some reviews in which people complain of issues if the internet/wifi/electricity goes down in the house. Please consider this possibility as a slight risk to the “fancy power” of a high-tech enabled feeder. Probably rare but worth thinking about.
- Reliability: Is there any risk that the unit may not work (see above about wifi/electricity) ? Beyond possible concerns on models using electricity or wifi, some models have basic mechanical parts that get stuck and we have see reviews in which people say certain size kibble may get stuck .
- Ability to clean: Some models have dishwasher-safe parts. Some have very simple shapes and surfaces that are easy to wipe down. Others may be very difficult to clean.
- Ability to use outdoors: If your dog spends alot of time in an outdoor pen or doghouse you probably want a feeder that can be used outside. Some of the “modern” and high-tech units have sensitive electronic parts and would not last long outside.
- Able to use wet food: Many of the “new” dog foods Just Food for Dogs, Ollie dog food are fresh/raw/wet. Most feeders work with Dry food, only some work with semi-moist food.
- Able to use smartphone: Some of the new and more expensive feeders allow you to connect to them using your smartphone. You can schedule feedings, see how much food has been eaten and see how much food is left in the unit. This is pretty cool but comes with higher price tags and a small but real risk if your unit loses wifi and/or electricity.
review of self-feed pet feeders
| Manufacturers Direct Little Giant Chow Hound 50 | PetSafe Smart Feed Dog Feeder | AmazonBasics Food & Water Feeder | |
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| Price (as of date of publish) | $69.94 | $169.95 | $12.99 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year warranty | limited 1-year warranty |
| Works with Smartphone | No | Yes Works with iPhone/Android Schedule and monitor pets meals Works with Alexa Ask Alexa (hands free) to feed your pet |
No |
| Works with Dry or Wet Food | Dry food only | Can use Dry or semi-moist food | Dry food only |
| Able to Measure Portions | No | Yes Can serve from 1/8 cup to 4 cups per meal |
No |
| Capacity | 50 lbs | 24 Cups | 6 lbs |
| Easy to Clean | Yes Simple shapes and easy to reach areas |
Feeding components are dishwasher safe | Yes, plastic, easy to reach surfaces |
| Free Shipping | Yes | Yes | Yes with Amazon Prime |
| Unique Benefits | "old school" Heavy Galvanized Steel Can be mounted on wall or frame, has chute for food Rust-proof, can be used indoor and outdoor |
Can alert you to reorder food when pet food is low Can dispense meals in smaller chunks for pets that overeat or eat too quickly |
Transparent top section allows easy viewing of how much food is left VERY basic feeder, affordable, simple Could be used outdoors No high-tech parts having risk of failure |
| Customer Reviews | POSITIVE "had been leaving a plastic autofeeder outdoors which was also feeding all the squirrels in a five hundred foot radius...squirrels can't get into this" "it's REALLY nice to be able to pour in a 40 pound bag and know it's secure from rodents." "husband was worried about one of our labs over eating, but because the food isn’t visibly present, she only eats when she needs " NEGATIVE "The metal door did not shut completely, allowing the sparrows to feed" "The upper lid opens from back to front, and will not remain open without holding it. This makes it difficult to hold the top open with one hand and pour a 50# bag of dog food with the other" "One of our dogs uses it just fine. The other is too skiddish of the door flap so we have to prop the door open for her" |
POSITIVE "The build quality is decent. Setup was quite fast. Most importantly, in over a month, it has yet to miss a feeding" "Works well with big kibbles" "I did an extensive amount of research on various automatic feeders before settling on this one" NEGATIVE "will not automatically reconnect to wifi once it loses the connection" "feeder is noisy when it distributes food" "I have contacted the company twice, and they have promised to contact their tech people to call me. No one has." |
POSITIVE "Good size and works well" "Food bowl is very easy to fill up and lasts ages with a single dog" "Finally, a gravity feeder that works! I've had others that required a tap to get the food to keep flowing into the dish. There is no problem with this feeder. It never gets clogged" NEGATIVE "sections come apart easily and dry food goes everywhere if you're not really careful." "The top and bottom doesn’t fit tightly enough. A little push can topple the whole thing" |