Automatic pet feeders: the downsides, first

The Spruce Pets says the high price and large size may be too much for many owners, and it takes up a lot of space.

Both The Spruce Pets and WIRED dislike the plastic bowl. The Spruce Pets says it can't go in the dishwasher, and glass ($30) or stainless ($20, per WIRED) inserts cost extra.

The Spruce Pets says anything other than small, round kibble will likely need the included hopper insert, which cuts capacity from 32 to 25 cups.

Amazon's review summary says Wi-Fi connectivity problems are common, with owners reporting constant disconnections. It also flags durability, with units breaking after 2 months and others stopping at five months.

Petlibro and the reviewers cite about 30 days per charge. Amazon's summary calls battery life mixed, with some owners saying it needs charging every 3-4 days.

WIRED lists the small 2-liter container and 2.4 GHz-only Wi-Fi as cons. CNN notes there is no physical button for a manual feeding, so extra snacks go through the app. Wirecutter, which used to recommend it, says Petlibro no longer sells it on its own site and isn't sure how long it will be supported.

The Spruce Pets found the ice packs lasted overnight but not 24 hours. CNN says they barely lasted four hours on warmer days. WIRED found the packs weren't very cold by morning and called the wet-food temperature unsafe. Amazon owners also say the ice packs don't stay cold long.

Amazon's summary says some owners report the timer randomly clearing settings and changing times. A Spruce Pets tester warns to watch a.m./p.m. carefully to avoid a missed meal.

WIRED found the bowls deep and narrow, so its cats couldn't reach all the food, and it lists the C500 under Do Not Recommend. The Spruce Pets' only con is that it runs on batteries only, with no plug.

Wirecutter notes owner complaints that the machine disconnects from power for no apparent reason or stops working after a few months. Amazon's summary calls reliability mixed, with some owners reporting functionality issues.

On its three D-cell backup batteries it disconnects from Wi-Fi by design. In Wirecutter's test it kept feeding, but didn't log the meals or send any alert.

Wirecutter found scheduling less intuitive than on Petlibro and Petkit, and it wasn't clear how to recalibrate for new kibble. WIRED says its intake tracking can't tell which of two cats ate.

Wirecutter says Petlibro had a major outage in August 2026 and several users reported interrupted feeding schedules, which is why it's no longer a pick. A 1-star Amazon reviewer of a Petlibro feeder describes the same outage.

Recent lowest-rated reviews on the pooled Amazon listing describe uneven distribution between bowls on the dual-tray version, glitches after about a year, and extra Wi-Fi equipment bought to keep the camera version connected.

WIRED's one con is that it doesn't measure food left in the bowl to prevent overeating. Wirecutter found the successor Granary 2 models, which add a scale, jammed repeatedly with larger kibble.

Wirecutter found Voluas portions averaged 41% too big with small kibble, though it did better with large kibble. Amazon's summary calls portion size mixed, with some finding portions very small.

Durability is mixed on Amazon: some say it's still going strong, while others say it broke after 2.5 months. Wirecutter says it felt noticeably chintzier than other models.

Wirecutter notes a maximum of four meals a day and a control-panel screen that's hard to see unless you look at it head-on.

Amazon's summary flags pet safety as a concern, with owners saying it doesn't keep other pets out. The Spruce Pets says a determined dog could get in through the open back, and the rear cover costs about $33 extra.

Closure speed draws mixed Amazon feedback: some say the door works reliably, others say it doesn't close quickly enough.

It runs on four C batteries with no plug option (about six months per set, per The Spruce Pets). Amazon owners also flag battery-only power. The plastic bowl holds 13.5 oz, so it's not for leaving days of food.

Recent 1-star Amazon reviews describe units malfunctioning after 2 to 4 months, including one where the bowl spun endlessly so the cat couldn't eat, and replacements failing too. WIRED notes some Amazon locations flag it as frequently returned, though its own unit worked for six-plus months.

Wirecutter measured an average internal temperature of 60°F (coldest 51°F), above the FDA's 40°F guidance. WIRED says it stays at 50°F or below, and CNN found the refrigeration very effective.

Wirecutter saw the lid stick halfway open a couple of times and says the flimsy plastic could be forced aside by a determined food thief. CNN calls it big (14.2 by 13.4 by 7.6 inches) and says the bowls need washing after every use.