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A pet feeder with a dog next to it Credit: Reviewed
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The Best Automatic Pet Feeders of 2026

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A pet feeder with a dog next to it Credit: Reviewed

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Editor's Choice Product image of WOpet SmartFeeder
Best Overall

WOpet SmartFeeder

Check Price at WOpet

This WiFi-enabled model allows you to set and schedule mealtimes, sharing when your pet has been fed. You can also see, listen to, or talk with Fido. Read More

Pros

  • WiFi-connected
  • Remotely schedule up to 6 feedings a day
  • Recorded message to tell your pet it’s feeding time
  • 17-cup capacity

Cons

  • Expensive
Editor's Choice Product image of Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder
Best For Cats and Small Pets

Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder

Check Price at Walmart

This feeder is specially designed to suit cats (or very small dogs), with three chilled compartments that hold up to 11.5-ounces of wet or dry food. Read More

Pros

  • Uses ice packs to accommodate wet food diets
  • Intuitive settings
  • Easy to dissemble and clean

Cons

  • Only dispenses three meals
Product image of PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

Check Price at Amazon

It's nice this feeder doesn't rely on electricity - which isn't a given when you're away. Users can schedule up to five feedings, but dry food only. Read More

Pros

  • Has a built-in digital clock with LCD display
  • Removeable carousel tray is dishwasher safe
  • Runs on batteries

Cons

  • No option for keeping wet food cold
  • Not an attractive design
Product image of Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats

Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats

Check Price at Amazon

Holding 1.14 gallons of food at a time, this uncommonly chic feeder has a locking lid, that prevents pets from breaking in. Read More

Pros

  • Schedules up to four meals a day
  • Customizable portion sizes
  • Pre-recorded messages play during mealtimes

Cons

  • Doesn’t work with wet food
  • Features can be confusing to use
Product image of PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed 12-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed 12-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

Check Price at Amazon

This highly customizable feeder dispenses up to 24 cups of kibble in 1/8th to four cup increments, Its conveyor belt is designed to prevent food from getting jammed in the hopper. Read More

Pros

  • Customizable portion sizes
  • “Slow Feed” Option to preventing gobbling and bloat
  • Locking lid keeps pets from breaking In

Cons

  • Unintuitive settings
  • Regularly dispenses incorrect amount of food

  • WOpet SmartFeeder

  • Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder

  • Other Automatic Pet Feeders We Tested

  • Things to Look for in Automatic Pet Feeders

  • More Articles About Pet Gear on Reviewed

  • Best Overall WOpet SmartFeeder
  • Best For Cats and Small Pets Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder
  • Other Automatic Pet Feeders We Tested
  • Things to Look for in Automatic Pet Feeders
  • More Articles About Pet Gear on Reviewed
Sarah Zorn
Written by Sarah Zorn

Updated September 10, 2025

The Rundown

  • Our favorite automatic pet feeders are the WOpet SmartFeeder and the Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder.
  • Automatic pet feeders offer programmable schedules, portion control, and remote management via apps, ensuring your pet is fed consistently even when you're away.
  • Look for models with backup power, multi-pet solutions, durable design, and easy-to-clean, dishwasher-safe components for optimal pet health and convenience.

From the best dog leashes to the best poop bags, here at Reviewed, we're committed to testing our favorite pet products. Here: The best way to feed your pet. While we all recognize the importance of eating dinner together as a family, work commitments, last-minute obligations, and extended vacations often throw a wrench in our schedules. But where does that leave your pup (or kitty)? If you’re running late for supper, he can’t exactly stick a square of last night’s lasagna in the microwave.

That’s where automatic and smart pet feeders come in. By digitally configuring mealtimes (or, when it comes to smart models, using a dedicated app), Fido will receive perfectly portioned amounts of his favorite wet food or kibble at the exact days and times you choose, whether or not you’re around to manually open a can or scoop from a bag.

A black pet feeder on a blue background
Credit: Reviewed / WOpet
Best Overall
WOpet SmartFeeder

Admittedly, the WOpet automatic feeder is as low-tech as it gets, yet it’s still one of the best automatic dog feeders we tested. Yet when it comes to smart models, WOpet’s version ably demonstrates the benefits of having a WiFi-connected machine. Slim, shiny, and attractive, the 17-cup capacity hopper can be fitted with either a small or large food dispenser tray (both of which can be easily removed for refilling or cleaning), so you can accommodate the amount of kibble for any-sized pet.

And the common sense app sticks to the basics. The WOpet app's sole focus is scheduling regimented meals for your furry friend (Other feeders we used included social media elements unrelated to food, and we found it confusing). Up to six feedings per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks), ranging from 1 to 39 portions, can be remotely set or modified, meaning you have control over your pet’s mealtimes from anywhere.

You can record a message to let them know it’s feeding time, while the app will inform you precisely when and if they’ve been fed. The WOpet also has battery backup, in case you lose power to your home. Perhaps the most beneficial extra feature, though, is a night vision capable HD camera with two-way audio, which allows you to view and record video of your pet, as well as listen to or talk with your pet.

Pros

  • WiFi-connected

  • Remotely schedule up to 6 feedings a day

  • Recorded message to tell your pet it’s feeding time

  • 17-cup capacity

Cons

  • Expensive

Buy now at WOpet

These are the best automatic pet feeders available today.
Credit: YouTube / Cat Mate
Best For Cats and Small Pets
Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder

While you’ll want to go with a hopper-type model for larger dogs, wheeled feeders like the Cat Mate are ideal for pint-sized creatures. And the C500 has all the features needed for felines and friends on a wet food diet. Ice packs can be fitted under three separate compartments, holding up to 11.5 ounces of wet or dry food each.

The machine is easy to put together, take apart, and clean (with a dishwasher-safe lid and bowl). It's also straightforward to use thanks to a battery-charged digital timer, intuitive dials, the ability to make a voice recording for your pet, and an LCD that showcases all programmed feeds. If you’re looking for the best automatic cat feeder, then this is a solid pick.

Pros

  • Uses ice packs to accommodate wet food diets

  • Intuitive settings

  • Easy to dissemble and clean

Cons

  • Only dispenses three meals

$45.99 from Walmart


$54.69 from Chewy

Other Automatic Pet Feeders We Tested

Product image of PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder
PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

Encased in BPA-free camo-colored plastic, this certainly isn’t the sexiest model on the market. But it gets the job done, being seamless to set up, effortless to wash, and intuitive to use. It accommodates five pre-portioned meals at up to 1 cup each, which is a generous amount of food for a smart feeder intended for cats and small dogs. A built-in digital clock with LCD is simple to operate and always dispenses food for us at the exact time requested.

The model runs on batteries, eliminating the worry of electric malfunctions. Plus, a carousel tray can be quickly removed and popped in the dishwasher for effortless cleaning. The only downside is that it doesn’t come with ice packs or any other options for keeping wet food cool. So if you plan actually to run it for five days straight, it’s best to stick to kibble.

Pros

  • Has a built-in digital clock with LCD display

  • Removeable carousel tray is dishwasher safe

  • Runs on batteries

Cons

  • No option for keeping wet food cold

  • Not an attractive design

$59.99 from Amazon


$49.95 from Chewy

Product image of Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats
Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats

With its sleek black and white build, the Arf is surprisingly attractive for a machine not generally known for its looks. Holding 1.14 gallons of food at a time, you can set their feeding schedule for up to four meals a day with customized portion sizes (each amounts to 24ml and you can request up to 10 portions at a time). You can record 10-second personal messages on the Arf to play during mealtimes, so pets are not only notified when food is dispensed, they get to hear the sound of your voice.

The feeder runs on electricity or batteries, which provides an important backup system. It also has a magnetic lock lid, making it tricky for pets to break in. Like all hopper models, it works with kibble only, so this isn't ideal for animals on a wet food diet. Some features were a bit of a struggle to figure out, as it took us time to determine how to dispense food manually or trigger a reset.

Pros

  • Schedules up to four meals a day

  • Customizable portion sizes

  • Pre-recorded messages play during mealtimes

Cons

  • Doesn’t work with wet food

  • Features can be confusing to use

$82.99 from Amazon


$69.99 from Chewy

Product image of PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed 12-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder
PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed 12-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

Another versatile option for any-sized pet, the Simply Feed holds up to 24 cups of dry kibble at a time and can be dispensed in a ⅛ cup to 4 cup increments. Special features include a “slow feed” option, which releases portions of your pet’s meal a little bit at a time over 15 minutes—a benefit for quick-gobble animals that are prone to vomiting and bloat. A conveyor belt design accommodates kibble of all shapes and sizes and helps prevent jams, while a locking lid prevents pets from breaking into it. Downsides include that the set-up isn’t very intuitive, and even after adjusting portion settings, it often dispenses less food than requested.

Pros

  • Customizable portion sizes

  • “Slow Feed” Option to preventing gobbling and bloat

  • Locking lid keeps pets from breaking In

Cons

  • Unintuitive settings

  • Regularly dispenses incorrect amount of food

$76.99 from Amazon


$89.95 from Chewy

Product image of Qpets AF-108 Programmable Automatic Pet Feeder
Qpets AF-108 Programmable Automatic Pet Feeder

The Qpet boasts a six-compartment capacity, which means you can offer your pet multiple small meals throughout the day or assure they’re fed over many days. And it’s suitable for both wet and dry food. That said, there’s no cooling mechanism to ensure that damp food stays fresh. There’s also an option to record a 6-second message to your pet, which, besides being sweet, is a helpful way to let them know it’s dinner time.

Looking sort of like a teal blue UFO (in the best way possible), the feeder is light and portable, although the round design prevents it from sitting flush in a corner. A locking top prevents pet break-ins, although it’s equally forboding to humans—we often struggled hard to remove it, as we were afraid we’d snap the latches.

Pros

  • Six compartment capacity

  • Plays recorded message during feeding time

  • Light and portable

Cons

  • Locking Top Difficult to use

  • Can't keep wet food fresh

$64.95 from Amazon

Things to Look for in Automatic Pet Feeders

Programmable Feeding Schedules

Being able to feed your pet whenever you need — whether or not you’re there to do it — is the main reason to get an automatic cat feeder or dog feeder. Look for a model that lets you set the feeding times and portion sizes your pets need. Avoid feeders with pre-set modes that you can't tweak, or that don’t work well with wet food. If your cat or dog eats multiple times a day for medical or other reasons, then look for a model that allows multiple meals to be programmed per day. For pets that gobble their food, look for a design that includes slow dispensing options where the food is released steadily but slowly to keep your cat or dog from gobbling their food.

Smart App Integration and Remote Control Features

Some feeders allow for control via app or remote control, letting you make adjustments to your pet’s schedule, food quantity, or meal time on the fly and from a distance — helpful if you’re away from home. Some apps even allow you to get status updates on your pet’s eating and real-time notifications of potential issues.

Backup Power Options

If your pets are depending on automatic feeders for their meals, you need to know that they’ll work, no matter what. Power outages and emergencies happen, but backup options are the solution: the best automatic cat and dog feeders will have more than one power source, like an AC adapter plus batteries for backup.

Multi-Pet Feeding Solutions

If you have more than one cat or dog at home (or more than one of each), look for feeders with dual-bowl or multi-pet solutions. RFID tag integration, available on some models, can even help households with food stealing issues or pets with differing dietary requirements.

Durable and Pet-Proof Design

If you have a determined and resourceful dog or cat – or just a really hungry one – then you’ll want to make sure the automatic cat feeder or dog feeder pet feeder you choose is made of chew-proof, paw-proof materials (ideally BPA free for the health of your pet) with strong seals.

Ease of Cleaning

Keeping the pet feeder clean is critical for the health of your pet, so make sure the model you pick makes it easy. Look for removable, dishwasher-safe components that can be washed and returned to use before the next meal.

Safety Features and Anti-Jam Mechanisms

Blockages and jams happen, so features that help identify problems like internal blockage or overflow sensors and take action like stopping the flow of food can help avoid waste. And they can also help make sure susceptible dogs and cats don’t get an unexpected all-you-can-eat buffet.

Meet the writer

Sarah Zorn

Sarah Zorn

Contributor

Sarah Zorn is a food writer, cookbook author, and product tester for Reviewed, Wirecutter and the Food Network. She regularly contributes to outlets such as Saveur, Esquire, and Civil Eats, and has very much passed her food obsessions down, as her beloved rescue hound, Rowdy, regularly deglazes his kibble bowl.

See all of Sarah Zorn's reviews

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