The best automatic dog feeders to keep your BFF fed on time

Though originally designed for cats, this automatic pet feeder(opens in a new tab) works just as well for dogs, especially since it is available in two size capacities: 4 liters and 6 liters. This means it can hold enough dry food to keep your pet fed for a couple of days if necessary without you needing to refill the food container. Plus, it comes with a desiccant bag to keep the food inside it fresh — a real perk for pets who get picky about their food going stale.

The feeder also has two power supplies: 5V DC adapter and 3 D-Cell batteries, which means that you don’t have to worry about power outages preventing your pup from getting to their meals either. The automatic feeder also has a setting memory too so it won’t forget what you programmed it to do.

The Petlibro automatic feeder allows you to program one to four meals a day for up to 9 portions and thanks to its LCD screen, it’s pretty easy to program. The feeder also has a "feed" button in case you want to give your pet an extra feeding. 

Both the food tank and the pet food tray are also removable, so you can easily clean them and keep your pet safe. Plus, the automatic pet feeder comes with a voice recorder capable of recording 10-second voice clips. This means you can easily record yourself calling your pet for dinner — like you would if you were home. 

Whether it’s because you work during the day, your pup is on a strict medical feeding schedule, or because you’re not so great at remembering feeding time, this easy-to-use automatic dog feeder might be exactly the pet feeder you’re looking for. 

With a built-in digital clock and timer, the PetSafe EatWell 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder(opens in a new tab) is BPA-free, reliable, and durable. All you have to do is fill it with food each morning, program it using its user-friendly interface, then voila — your feeder is set to feed your dog perfectly portioned meals up to four times a day. 

The automatic feeder has five triangular slots that hold up to one full cup of kibble — ideal if you have a small to medium-sized dog that you don’t want overeating throughout the day. However, this portion size is likely too small for a larger breed. It could, however, work for cats.

Since there are five slots, it can dispense food five times over a few days, but it's worth noting that it will only keep wet food fresh after 24 hours. As a result, this dog feeder works best if you fill and program it each day unless you plan to use it for dry food only. 

One of the biggest perks of this feeder, though, is that it has a feeding tray that comes out for easy washing in the dishwasher. The programmable feeder requires D-batteries (which are not included) but should run for 12 months without needing a battery replacement. 

Some dogs love food so much that they gobble it up in barely the blink of an eye. While this might sound adorable — after all, most things dogs do are adorable — eating too quickly can actually be very dangerous for dogs. Not only can they choke on their food or get stomach pain, but it also increases the risk of a serious — sometimes deadly — medical condition called Bloat(opens in a new tab) (or gastric dilatation-volvulus, to be precise), which causes the stomach to expand and even twist in the abdomen due to excessive amounts of air. 

So as a pet owner, it’s really important to figure out how to slow down your dog down when they are eating too fast — and this automatic dog feeder makes that much easier to do. This automatic pet feeder(opens in a new tab) has a “slow feed” mode that dispenses meals through its conveyor belt feeding dispenser over 15 minutes, forcing dogs to slow down.

In addition, this feeder allows you to set portion sizes, set a consistent routine, and even pause that routine without losing everything you’ve programmed. This dog feeder also has a really big capacity, allowing you to store 24 cups of dog kibble inside the tank to feed over a series of days. You can schedule the feeder to dispense up to 12 meals per day too. 

The canister is also pet-proof, so you don’t have to worry about your dog (or cat, since this feeder could work for cats too) from sneaking a paw in to help themselves to extra kibble. Best of all, this BPA-free plastic feeder is easy to clean, thanks to the fact that its plastic parts and stainless steel bowl are both top-rack dishwasher safe. You will have to hand-wash the conveyor system, though.

Okay, so this isn’t really an automatic dog feeder, but it is a treat-feeder capable of holding up to 1.5 pounds of treats, and we think that counts. 

The PetCube Bites 2(opens in a new tab) is an easy-to-set-up treat-dispensing smart camera that lets you interact with your pooch while you're away from home — ideal for folks who are headed back to in-person work soon. (It's also one of our top picks for the best pet cameras.) The HD camera allows you to see your dog in 1080p video, day or night. It also has a super wide 160-degree wide view, so when placed strategically, you can see an entire room. The two-way audio allows you to hear your pet and talk to them, so you can give Fido a little verbal encouragement throughout the day.

This smart treat dispenser has a built-in Alexa assistant too, so it can play calming dog music, answer questions, control other smart home devices, and even order treats when the dispenser is running low. Toss treats at three different distances to get your dog moving throughout the day, and get a smartphone notification if there are any sound or motion disturbances in your home. You'll also be able to access 24/7 video history for the last 90 days of use, and — if something is up with your pup — use the live chat feature to talk to a vet.

If you’re looking for an automatic pet feeder that will truly keep wet food fresh, this is feeder(opens in a new tab) you’ll likely want. It’s got five food compartments that hold up to 11.5 ounces of wet food, plus two ice packs to keep that food actually cold and fresh so that your pet isn’t eating food that’s begun to spoil. 

The Cat Mate Automatic Digital Pet Feeder is easy to program the time, thanks to a built-in LCD screen so your pets can eat at precise times. It’s also got a close-fitting, tamper-proof lid to keep even the most determined cats and dogs from getting their paws on an early feeding time. 

The automatic feeder also takes 3 AA-batteries, which are easier to find than D batteries — the type of battery used by other feeders on this list — and generally those batteries will last up to 12 months with this feeder. The bowls in the feeder are also removable for easier cleaning in the dishwasher.

The only significant drawback to this feeder is that it works best for small dogs or cats — you’ll likely want something with bigger portions than 1.45 cups if you have a large breed dog.

When your dog's preferred breakfast time and your preferred wake-up time are different, a smart, automatic feeder with a timer can keep your pup occupied until you're ready to get out of bed. The PetSafe Smart Feed(opens in a new tab) is great for this and for those days when you're out of the house at lunch or dinner. It connects to the Smart Feed app, which you can use to monitor food levels, customize timers and portion sizes, and even reorder food using Amazon Dash Replenishment. It's also Alexa-enabled so you can control it hands-free. 

Unlike most other auto-feeders, this one works for all sized dogs and cats, since it can dispense anywhere from 1/8 cup to four cups of food at a time. You also have the option to purchase a two-meal splitter (sold separately) to feed up to two pets simultaneously, making this automatic pet feeder ideal for multi-pet families. 

The lid, hopper, bowl, and bowl feeder of this automatic dog feeder are also top-rack dishwasher safe, so you can easily clean them when you need to. The automatic feeder allows you to easily schedule up to 12 meals daily in different portion sizes, ranging from ⅛ cup to 4 cups depending on your pet’s needs. If your dog has a tendency to eat too quickly, you can also slow them down by using the slow feed function, which dispenses food in small amounts over 15 minutes.

When there are multiple pets in a household, it's almost guaranteed that they'll try to snatch each other's food. Keep your cat out of your dog's bowl (or vice-versa) with the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder(opens in a new tab). It works using your pet's microchip and will only open to the designated pet — so food stealing is a no-go.

The automatic pet feeder has a built-in scale and LED lights that help you get exact portion sizes, within one gram of accuracy. It's great for pups on prescription diets, and holds up to 13.5 ounces of wet or dry food. The food can stay fresh for hours, too, since the lid forms a tight seal with the neoprene lip. It requires a hub (sold separately) to access the smartphone app, but once downloaded, you'll have tons of smart features at your fingertips. Check to see when your dog was last fed to avoid double feeding, get notifications on how much was eaten at each meal, and more. It's a great tool to monitor health and eating habits, since all the data is sent directly to your phone.

One of the downsides, though, is that due to the design, this bowl will only work for small dogs — medium and large dogs will likely have a hard time getting their head under the arch to eat.

Read our full review of the Wopet Sprite.

Editor's note: Product information has been synthesized from a previously published review on Mashable.

As automatic feeders go, the Wopet Sprite(opens in a new tab) has pretty bare-bones features: No WiFi or camera or even an app. The design is minimalist and unobtrusive. The feeder is about 10 inches tall, and it weighs about six pounds without food. Despite the sleek design, it holds seven pounds (about 30 cups) of food, which is more than similar feeders on the market. You can customize the portions based on the size of your pet. It also comes with an LCD programming panel to set timing and portions for up to four meals.

The Sprite boasts infrared detection that prevents clogging and spilling. And, there's a voice recording feature to "call" your pet at meal times. The feeder can also convert to battery power if your electricity cuts out, which gives you peace of mind if you're going to be away from home for a little while. It takes three D batteries, but they're not included.