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These are the best automatic pet feeders available today. Credit: Rich Consumer

The Best Automatic Pet Feeders of 2024

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These are the best automatic pet feeders available today. Credit: Rich Consumer

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Editor's Choice Product image of WOpet SmartFeeder
Best Overall

WOpet SmartFeeder

Check Price at Amazon

This WiFi-enabled model allows you to set and schedule mealtimes from anywhere. An app lets you know when your pet has been fed, and a camera with two-way audio lets you view, listen to or talk with your pet. 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

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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

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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

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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

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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
  • Best Overall WOpet SmartFeeder
  • Best For Cats and Small Pets Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder
  • PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder
  • Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats
  • PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed 12-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder
  • Qpets AF-108 Programmable Automatic Pet Feeder
  • Petnet SmartFeeder
  • What You Should Know About Automatic Pet Feeders
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

From the best dog leashes to the best poop bags, here at Reviewed, we're really committed to testing our favorite pet products. So after focusing on what happens outside your home, we're turning our attention inside. Up first: 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.

Editor's Note:

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

WOPet Smart Feeder
Credit: 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 really sticks to the basics. While other models we found confused the issue by including social media features unrelated to food, WOpet’s sole focus is scheduling regimented meals for your furry friend. 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 Amazon
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 or take apart and clean (with a dishwasher safe lid and bowl). It's also really simple to use thanks to a battery-charged digital timer, intuitive dials, the ability to make a voice recording for your pet, and an LCD display 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

Buy now at Amazon

$59.99 from Walmart
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 totally 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 display is simple to operate and always dispenses food for us at the exact time requested.

The model runs on batteries, which means you don’t have to worry about electric malfunctions, and a carousel tray can be quickly removed and popped in the dishwasher for seriously easy 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 to actually 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

$46.95 from Amazon

$72.61 from Walmart
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 the 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. And some of the features were a bit of a struggle to figure out, as it took time for us 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

Buy now at Amazon

$69.99 from Walmart
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 a 15 minute period—a benefit for quick-gobble animals that are prone to vomiting and bloat. A conveyor belt design accommodates kibble of all shape and sizes and helps prevent jams while a locking lid prevents pets from breaking into it. Downsides are that set-up isn’t all that intuitive and even after playing around with portion settings, it regularly dispensed less food than we asked.

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

$89.95 from Amazon

$99.99 from Target

$99.95 from Walmart
Product image of Qpets AF-108 Programmable Automatic Pet Feeder
Qpets AF-108 Programmable Automatic Pet Feeder

The Qpet boasts a 6 compartment capacity, which means you can offer your pet multiple small meals throughout the day or assure they’re fed over many days time. And it’s suitable for both wet and dry food. That said, there’s no cooling mechanism to ensure that wet 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

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Petnet SmartFeeder
Petnet SmartFeeder

This feature-rich model is easy to program. And not only does the app let you determine the day, time, and amount of each feeding—and change it remotely at will—it offers portion size suggestions and dietary info based on FAQ’s you plug in about your pet (such as breed, age, activity level, and their preferred brand of food). It also lets you know if the hopper is running low, so if you intend to stock your machine to run over long periods of time, you’ll know when to refill. That said, the Petnet didn’t always dispense the accurate amount asked.

It also doesn’t let you record a message or provide an audible cue when it’s mealtime, which is surprising for an otherwise smart machine. And there’s no question the Petnet is heavy and bulky, so while you can bring it with you on a trip if need be, it’s a bit of a pain to have to lug around and store.

Pros

  • Feature-rich

  • Multi-function smartphone app

  • Notifies you when kibble is running low

Cons

  • Often dispenses incorrect portion size

  • No audible cues during feeding time

$109.99 from Walmart

What You Should Know About Automatic Pet Feeders

The primary purpose of automatic feeders is to ensure your pets receive their meals on schedule, whether you’re simply running late from work, or intend to be away for extended periods of time. As such, flexibility and reliability are the most important factors—models should allow you to set regular meals at precise portions and periods that work for you and your pet. Meaning, avoid feeders with pre-set modes, that you have no opportunity to tweak, or that don’t allow for the use of wet food if that’s what Fifi is used to. Larger dogs will be better served by models with hoppers that store lots of food at a time and are fitted with bowls that accommodate their sizable portions and snouts. On the flip side, compartmentalized, carousel-style models are generally preferable for cats and non-kibble eaters, as they can accommodate wet food, and often come with ice packs for keeping it fresh.

Feeders should also provide the peace of mind that they’ll operate consistently and effectively. An upside of smart models is that they’ll inform you via the app that they’ve successfully completed a feeding, or if their stores of food are running low. For machines that run on electricity, you’ll also want a backup battery option, in the event of some sort of power failure while you’re gone. And of course, functionality is key. What good is a feeder if you can’t figure out how to set it up? Or operate the app? Or has loads of special features, but none of them actually achieve the number one mission—keeping your pet regularly fed? Finally, sturdiness is an important factor in evaluating pet feeders. Not only is it vital that mechanisms remain operational in your absence, but you also need to know that your pup can’t break in, smash the thing to bits, consume 5 days of food in a single sitting, then get sick or go hungry until you return.

Meet the tester

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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