Posted at 12:00 p.m.
WE love
From the outset, a warning: this is not to demonstrate that the “Smart Feed connected kibble dispenser” is an essential device. Our test will only check if this robot is well designed and reliable.
Assembly of the dispenser is easy: three main parts to assemble, an adapter to plug in, four D batteries to install, and you’re done in 5 minutes. Then fill the tank with your cat’s or dog’s favorite kibble. It can contain a good ten kilos of kibble, which, depending on the appetite and the number of your pets, should last several weeks.
On the top, a large luminous blue button is used for manual dispensing. If your pet is smart or your children are too enthusiastic, it is possible to block it in the app.
Then download the mobile app MyPetSafe, which detects the distributor. You are invited to give a funny name to the device and to specify the name of your animal. So we installed “Fiona’s restominou” in the kitchen.
We then establish the volume of croquettes that we want to send each time. Quantities range from 1/8 cup to 4 cups. It is then necessary to establish a meal schedule, up to 12 times a day.
And that’s all. At the time and according to the quantity you have chosen, your vending machine sends kibble into the bowl. A small notification is then sent to you (in English, unfortunately) indicating that your animal has been fed. You can also, directly from the telephone, trigger the distribution by choosing a given quantity.
SCREEN CAPTURE
The mobile app MyPetSafe
If your animal is the type to stuff themselves, you have the “slow distribution” which stretches the operation over 15 minutes. The metal bowl is recessed, which prevents the animal from moving it or knocking it over. When the kibble tank level is low or empty, you receive an alert.
In two months of testing, the vending machine has never failed us. The internet connection was stable, the distribution took place at the requested time and according to the scheduled quantities. Even when the power was interrupted, the programming remained in memory thanks to its four D batteries, and the distribution was done as usual.
In short, PetSafe has thought of everything. It is recommended to clean the assembly, especially the bowl and the tank, at least every month. All removable parts are dishwasher safe.
We love less
This beautiful technology comes at a price: $269.95.
There is an issue reported by users on the web that we have not been able to reproduce. It seems that some formats of kibble for dogs, too big or with irregular shapes, pass badly in the distributor.
One buys ?
The test is conclusive: the Smart Feed connected kibble dispenser fulfills the promises of its manufacturer. The device is well designed and its functions are very suitable. There is no doubt that it at least solves the question of distributing kibble when no one is at home, or effectively takes over if you tend to forget to fill your pet’s bowl.
Well, let’s leave it up to each owner to decide if their services are worth their cost. The evaluation, here, is eminently subjective, and deciding would be perilous.
Smart Feed connected kibble dispenser
- Manufacturer: PetSafe
- Price: $269.95
- Rating: 4 out of 5
In addition
On January 9, we introduced another PetSafe device, the ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box. We had noted that the silica litter supplied by the manufacturer was expensive, roughly $22 per month for a 2 kg bag with its cardboard box. So we tried another brand of silica litter, O’select, sold in a 4kg pack for $19.99, which should have given us a good two months and cut the cost in half. This was not the case: this litter gave off a lot of odors after barely two weeks. The package only lasted a month, after all. Inconclusive test.