List Price: $99.99
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I have really mixed feelings about this feeder. On the plus side, it does a some things very well:
> The food hopper is large, easy to remove and easy to clean.
> The locking top cap is also well-done – not tough for a human to open it, but it will stop even the most persistent cat from getting inside. The same for the latches on the food bin. (I doubt, however, that it would pose a break-in challenge for a medium-sized determined dog, or a mildly interested large dog).
> In addition to programmed feedings you can trigger it to feed manually.
> There's a range of programmability including up to 4 feedings per day and either a specific number of days (up to a max of 99) or every day.
> The feed tray locks into the base of the machine and stays put even if the cat/dog noses it around. It is easily removed for cleaning.
> It dispenses pretty close to the amount it is supposed to dispense (most of the time) and had no jamming problems with small cat kibble (each piece about the size of a pea). You can set the feed volume for 1/4 cup, ½ cup or 3/4 cup.
> The voice recorder works well and produces pretty clear audio. I used it to remind my cats how much their food costs me. They didn't appear to be all that concerned about the cost.
But the list of negatives is also significant:
> Programming is tough. Really tough. It gave me a flashback to the early days of VCRs before on-screen programming when you had to set dials on the machine (yes, I'm that old). It's not impossible, but the user interface is horrid. For example, you have 90 seconds to set the time when you turn on the machine. Miss that window, and you have to turn it off, wait one minute, then try again. If you get this be sure to make a photocopy of the manual – if you lose the instructions you'll never be able to program it.
> It will not hold the settings in memory if you remove the batteries or turn it off (there's an on/off switch on the base).
> It's loud. Cat-scary loud. While they appreciate the slot machine-like reward once the dispenser has done its dance, the sound of the motor makes them scatter. Really horrible grinding noise that make me think the gearing is not long for this world.
> The overall build quality is just OK. This is not something that would stand up to any measure of rough treatment.
> While it works well for small kibble, it jams with large dog kibble. This is not the feeder to get if you have a large dog and/or use large (half-inch or better) size food.
> The amount dispensed can vary quite a bit when the food level gets below the quarter-level point. I found it works best when filled about 3/4 full, and refilled when it gets to the 1/4 level. Too much food makes the motor really labor; too little and it does not dispense well. Sort of defeats the purpose of a large bin since you can't take full advantage of it.
The feeder runs on 4 D size batteries, which are not included. There is a clearly visible warning light if the battery level is low.
While this does have some positives, the negatives are quite acute with regard to using the device, and lowers my rating to 3.5 stars. I'll round up to 4 since it does offer a quite an extensive range of programmability for the price. While I have concerns about the gearing, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt for the moment, but will update the review should this fail down the road.
If they could streamline the programming feature so that it's easier to use, and beef up the motor so it does not grind, shake and rattle as much, this would be a much better feeder. As it is, it's worth a try, but only if you are not easily frustrated with programming devices.
[Sample provided for review]
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