Best Automatic Pet Feeders 2022

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: Up to 32 cups or 7 to 8 lb. of dry kibble
• Controls: Manual and Smartphone app
• Power Source: Power Cord with Backup Built-in Lithium Battery

The Feeder-Robot comes from Whisker, the makers of Litter-Robot. It has several standout features including a built-in lithium ion backup battery. Other feeders require batteries to ensure your pets get fed in the event out of a power outage, but the Feeder-Robot’s built-in battery holds a charge that lasts up to 24 hours. It also offers unmatched flexibility, with a control panel that allows manual scheduling as well as a smartphone app with extended features, like monitoring if your pet is finishing their meals, offering alerts to low food supply, and dispensing snacks.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: Small, 8 cups or 2 lb.; large, 16 cups or 4 lb.
• Controls: None
• Power: None

The Healthy Pet Food Station from PetSafe has a removable stainless steel bowl that refills from the reservoir with the power of gravity—no cords or batteries needed. It’s ideal if your pet likes to graze throughout the day but might not work for those pets that can’t be trusted to self-regulate. The reservoir offers some protection from air, moisture, and debris, helping to keep your pet’s food fresh.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: 24 cups or one 6-lb. bag
• Controls: Smartphone App, Amazon Alexa
• Power Source: Wall adapter; optional battery backup (4 D batteries not included)

The Smart Feed from PetSafe is packed with thoughtful features, yet it’s not too complex to use or to set up. It’s controlled through the free PetSafe app, which requires you to connect to your home’s Wifi. Using the app, you can schedule up to 12 meals per day. If you want to give your pet an impromptu snack, just press the button on the top of the feeder (it can be disabled if your pet finds it!), go through the app, or simply say, “Alexa, give my pet a snack,” if you have it linked to an Amazon Echo.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: 28 cups or 7.5 lb.
• Controls: Manual
• Power Source: USB power supply and Micro USB plug with wall adapter; optional battery backup (4 AA batteries not included)

The Gamma 2 Nano Feeder may not have any smartphone or virtual assistant–compatible options, but it still offers modern, convenient features that make mealtimes easier. The LCD display may remind you of an alarm clock, with manual buttons to schedule mealtimes, set portion sizes, or give your pet a quick snack. You can even set it to “slow feeding mode,” in which it dispenses small amounts of food over 15 minutes to quell gulpers.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry or Wet
• Capacity: 0.75 lb. per meal, available as a 3-meal or 5-meal feeder
• Controls: Manual
• Power: 3 AA batteries (not included)

Feeding wet foods like canned, fresh cooked, or raw pet food can be a challenge if you’re not available to prep on your pet’s schedule. Moist food can be left out at room temperature for up to four hours before it becomes unsafe for your pet to eat, and even then, it’s susceptible to drying out or attracting bugs. The Digital Pet Feeder from Cat Mate keeps your pet’s food fresh until they’re ready to eat it, with two included ice packs to keep meals chilled.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Wet or Dry
• Capacity: 14 oz.
• Controls: Manual
• Power Source: Requires 4 C batteries (not included)

While the SureFeed from SurePet does not dispense food, it does allow your pet to eat at their own pace without worry of staleness, bugs, or sneaky housemates. It’s ideal for households in which one pet eats a prescription food, or if one tends to polish off bowls that are not their own. The sleek cover opens silently when the correct pet approaches, identified by their microchip or the included collar tag.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: “Mini” holds up to 2 lb. or 8 cups, original Smart Feeder holds 6 lb. or 24 cups
• Controls: Smartphone app for iOS and Android
• Power: USB power supply with wall adapter; optional backup battery (4 D batteries not included)

There’s a lot to love about the Dogness Smart Automatic Feeder, and the pastel pink and mint green options are love at first sight. Through the Dogness app, you can schedule feedings and set meal sizes, record your voice to call your pet for dinner, and even track leftovers. The app has a learning curve due to sometimes unclear instructions, but most reviewers were satisfied once they got the hang of it.

Key Specs

• Food Type: Dry
• Capacity: Up to 29 cups or around 7 lb.
• Controls: Smartphone app for iOS and Android
• Power: Included DC wall adapter; optional backup battery (3 D batteries not included)

If you’re in need of both a pet camera and a feeder, you can save time, money, and space by opting for the two-in-one Smart Pet Feeder from Arf Pets. The built-in HD camera allows you to drop in on your pet and even has two-way audio so you can talk to them. Both camera and meal scheduling functions are controlled through the Arf Pets app so you can feed and monitor them from your phone anytime, anyplace.