The best automatic pet feeder: time feeds even when you’re not at home

Our pick of the best automatic pet feeders are designed to ensure your furry friend never goes hungry. Automate feeding time and control portions with these handy feeders

dining room with fireplace and dog wishing it had the best automatic pet feeder
(Image credit: Brent Darby)

The best automatic pet feeder is not just for forgetful owners. Whether you're dealing with a diabetic pet that requires regular feeds throughout the day, you work unpredictable hours and don't want to risk leaving your furry friend unfed, or you want to cleverly control their portions, an automatic device could be just what you've been looking for.

There are a few different options on the market, so choosing the right one for your hungry pet can be tricky. So, to save you from investing in a gimmick we have found the best pet feeders to automate the process and save you time. Happy pet, happy owner.

Read on for more buying advice, then see our top picks. And, if you need more products for a pampered pet, check out our list of the best pet beds.

How to buy the best automatic pet feeder

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When it comes to buying the best automatic pet feeder, there a few features worth considering before making a financial commitment. These include:

Meals served per day
This is particularly important if you're dealing with a pet who is following a particular feeding plan and requires regular feeds throughout the day. While some models offer the option to schedule up to 30 meals per day, don't assume this feature comes as standard.

Food type
Generally, pet food comes in two forms: wet and dry. If your furry friend has a preference, or is required to only eat one variety of food, you'll want to ensure your chosen automatic pet feeder can cater to this need.

Dishwasher friendly
If you're investing in an automatic pet feeder to ease the day-to-day responsibilities of pet ownership, you'll want to ensure your pet feeder can be cleaned easily, too.

The best automatic pet feeders you can buy right now

PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed and example of the best automatic pet feeder

1. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed

Best automatic pet feeder: a clever little contraption that allows you to set multiple feeding times throughout the day

Specifications

Food type: Wet and dry
Timer duration: 24 hours
Meals served: 12

Reasons to buy

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 Adapt the amount of food dispensed into the bowl 

With this pet feeder's ability to dispense food amounts ranging from 29ml to 940ml, you don’t need to worry about your pet being ever being over or under fed.

You can set up to 12 meal times a day, so whether you prefer your pet to eat little and often or eat two substantial meals a day, this automatic pet dispenser will enable you to keep their feeding routine exactly the same.

As a bonus, it’s easy to clean, and you can pop everything in the dishwasher to keep it clean and smell-free. 

Cat Mate C3000 an example of the best automated pet feeders

2. Cat Mate C3000

Best automatic pet feeder for cats: several different feeding modes to ensure your pet is fed inline with its dietary requirements

Specifications

Food type: Dry
Timer duration: 24 hours
Meals served: Up to 30

Reasons to buy

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 Large capacity food stores holds roughly a month’s worth of food 

Whether you like to feed them three substantial feeds a day or their diet requires you to feed them little and often, this automatic pet feeder from Pet Mate will enable you to keep their routine in check.

In addition to feeding your pet at specific times, it enables you to serve extra meals on demand or ahead of their usual feeding times if they’re particularly hungry!

As with our top pick, most of the components of this feeder are dishwasher safe, the only downside is it doesn’t dispense wet food, too. 

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder an example of the best automated pet feeders

4. SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder

Best automatic pet feeder for households with more than one pet

Specifications

Food type: Wet and dry
Timer duration: N/A
Meals served: 1-2

Reasons to buy

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 RFID collar tag to use without microchip 

It may look a little complex for your pet to navigate but it comes with training tools to get them used to its workings. It works by recognising your pet’s microchip; the lid will only open if a pet with a registered microchip enters the feeding zone.

So, if you have a household with a cat and a dog, you can be certain that it’s only the cat that’s getting the food and the dog isn’t taking full advantage of an unattended food tray.  

HoneyGuardian A25 Automatic an example of the best automated pet feeders

5. HoneyGuardian A25 Automatic

Best automatic pet feeder with voice control: a built in voice recorder allows you to call your pet for their meals

Specifications

Food type: Dry
Timer duration: 24 hours
Meals served: Variable

Reasons to buy

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 Infrared detection prevents the pet’s bowl from overflowing 

This mid-range automatic pet food dispenser features a number of similar functions to the Cat Mate C3000, with the addition of a voice recorder so you can still call your pet to their bowl when you’re not at home.

Thanks to the clever infrared sensor, the food bowl will never overfill and with the ability to set up to six feeding times, you can ensure that your pet is fed inline with their dietary requirements.  

Trixie TX2 pet feeder

(Image credit: Trixie)

6. Trixie Tx2 Automatic Food Dispenser

Best budget automatic pet feeder: a great value option, just in case you’re heading out for the afternoon

Specifications

Food type: Wet and dry
Timer duration: 48 hours
Meals served: Two

Reasons to buy

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 Two meals can be programmed together or separately 

This automatic food dispenser goes to show that you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on one. If you happen to be heading out for the morning or the afternoon, you can rest easy knowing that your pet can have their food at their regular time. 

You can set the bowls to open at the same time if you have two pets to feed or you can set them to open at different times if you’re going to be out for a longer period of time.  

Emily Shaw

Emily first (temporarily) joined the Real Homes team while interning on her summer break from university. After graduating, she worked on several publications before joining Real Homes as Staff Writer full time in mid-2018. She left the brand in 2020 to pursue another career, but still loves a second-hand bargain and sourcing unique finds to make her rented flat reflect her personality.