The PETLIBRO replaced my PETKIT feeders that I have been using reliably for the past few years. I decided to upgrade because the units I have did not have a back up battery compartment. You need this option in case the power goes out, so your fur babies are still fed. The PETKIT mini feeders worked great and my only problem was the lack of customer support as it is a China based company.
I had my selections narrowed down to PETKIT, PETLIBRO and FEEDER ROBOT. I ultimately chose PETLIBRO for a few reasons that are all listed in the pros below. I would still love to try the FEEDER ROBOT, but just can’t justify the price tag ($300/each). I will update my review after a few months, but here are my initial impressions.
Pros:
-Modern aesthetic design
-US based company
-Minimal packaging waste/primarily recyclable
-Easy to unbox and assemble
-Easy to download app and connect
-5ghz Wi-Fi connection (this is currently the only 5ghz Wi-Fi feeder available)
-Back up battery compartment (3 Ds not included)
-Works with food up to 15mm dia
-Appropriate size for small dog or cat
-Dispenses my freeze dried pellets (Feline Natural) without problem/crushing
-Simple user friendly app
-Easy to set up and modify feeding plan
-You can feed as many portions as many times a day as you will ever need
-Ability to turn off a feeding without deleting the programmed time.
-The food hopper is designed very well to limit obstruction.
-Ability to add voice
-Pretty quiet (cats still come running out of a dead sleep)
-Decent price
-Metal bowl-easy to clean
-Easy to disassemble (haven’t tried cleaning it yet)
-USB plug is nice for updated outlets that have USB ports
-They do offer an insert with 2 bowls so you can feed 2 pets out of a single feeder instead of 1. I chose to buy 2 units because a lot of reviews stated the food was not split evenly across the 2 bowls.
Cons:
-Very lightweight plastic (can it be tipped over…maybe)
-I am not convinced it’s airtight
-The metal bowl just sits on top of the plastic piece and doesn’t snap into the plastic bowl holder. A cat could possibly pull the bowl out.
-The bowl size/shape could be more cat friendly…the bowl should be wider to avoid whisker fatigue and elevated for feeding comfort
-The cord is USB-c and attaches to the backside of the unit instead of the underneath so you can’t push the unit flush against the wall. This may increase the likelihood your cat could tip it over.
-I keep getting errors that the food chute is blocked but it’s not and the food is still dispensed properly. If one of my cats puts their paw in or around the chute this triggers the error and if food is being dispensed it stops.
-if you are feeding multiple portions it takes a bit of time for the food portions to be dispensed. The rotor is pretty slow, so if your cat sticks their paw in there during dispensing it will stop. When traveling this could be a problem. You’ll have no way of knowing if they got the entire portion.
So far I am really happy with the device. I am giving 5 stars based on first impression, but will update after a few business trips. It was one of the easiest set ups of any device that I have encountered.