GoKawiilCompare Our Top 9 Fountains
More Fountains We Tested
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Petlibro Capsule Fountain for $37: This Petlibro fountain is a solid, inexpensive choice. It's made from BPA-free plastic, has a five-layer filtration system and a stainless steel top reservoir. There's a transparent water tank for easier monitoring, and it comes in a bunch of cute colors. The spout is tall and has a continuous flow, making it ideal for cats who love to drink from faucets. However, it's not connected to an app, so you'll have to monitor water levels and set manual reminders for filter replacement and cleaning. The plastic is also harder to clean, and it has a wired pump, which makes cleaning trickier (water and electricity are never an ideal combo). It works effectively but there are better options out there at this price point.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Homerunpet Wireless Stainless Steel Pet Water Fountain for $36: This simple automatic water fountain emulates the water flow from a sink that many cats like, and works either battery-powered (for up to 30 days) on a charge for cordless placement anywhere, or plugged in. It also has dual flow modes, with continuous flow while plugged in, or intermittently while unplugged, using an infrared sensor to sense when cats are nearby. It has a wireless pump for less hassle while cleaning, and a stackable design that simplifies set up, cleaning, and changing the triple-layered filter. It has a a 2.5-liter capacity that allowed me a week between refills. I'd recommend this model to anyone looking for a reliable, cheap fountain, and I liked that the design had a bump to prevent stagnation or debris from sitting at the bottom of the basin. However, I would've preferred if the whole design was stainless steel or glass, since plastic tends to get dirtier more quickly.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Petkit Eversweet Max for $90: This techy automatic fountain is battery-powered (lasting up to 83 days on a charge), and the drinking bowl is made of stainless steel, but the reservoir is plastic. Because of the shape of the basin with the chunky battery and reservoir bowl, it’s a little awkward to clean. The app logs every time a pet drinks and compares it over time to determine whether your cat’s drinking habits have changed. The app also keeps track of when the filter needs replacing and when you last added water. However, it doesn’t monitor or show how much water is left in the basin; you have to check manually. The design also made it a bit difficult to clean and refill easily.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Enabot Rola Smart Pet Water Fountain for $50: This automatic fountain is cordless and runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 60 days (although it can stay plugged in, too). It has a wireless pump that uses magnetic induction—this pump was one of the easiest and most hassle-free to clean of all I tested. The fountain has a stainless steel top that holds a decent amount of water even when not running. However, the tank is plastic—I’m wary of plastic because of its propensity to harbor bacteria (plus it doesn't keep water as cold). The app gives reminders of when the water’s low, the fountain needs cleaning, or the filter needs replacing, plus it automatically stops dispensing water and sends you a reminder to refill via its app. It also logs the number of times your pet drank and for how long, monitoring hydration patterns over time. A complaint I had is that this fountain wouldn’t stay on continuous stream mode, even when plugged in, instead automatically switching to the motion-sensing stream.
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