Our verdict
Pick the PetSafe Smart Feed for most dogs: it holds 24 cups, serves 1/8 to 4 cups per meal up to 12 times a day, and costs less than half as much. Pick the Whisker Feeder-Robot if you feed small portions (up to 1 cup) and value its 3-year warranty and 90-day trial.
The central trade-off
Portions. Smart Feed serves up to 4 cups per meal; Feeder-Robot up to 1 cup, so larger dogs may need several scheduled feeds.
Support. Whisker offers a 3-year warranty and 90-day in-home trial. Smart Feed needs a 2.4 GHz router.
Power. Both can run on backup power: Whisker with an optional battery, PetSafe with D-cells.
Side by side
| Specification | Whisker Feeder-Robot | PetSafe Smart Feed (2nd Generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price seen | $299 | $134.99 |
| Capacity | Not stated by the maker | 24 cups |
| Portion range | 1/8 cup to 1 cup | 1/8 to 4 cups |
| Meals per day | 8 | 12 |
| Backup power | Optional (+$40), about 24 h in power-saving mode | AC adaptor; optional 4 D-cell backup |
| Warranty | 3 years | Not stated by the maker |
Values are the makers' published specifications. "Not stated" means the maker doesn't publish it.
Which should you choose?
Choose the Whisker Feeder-Robot if
- You feed small portions
- You want a long warranty
- You want an in-home trial
Choose the PetSafe Smart Feed (2nd Generation) if
- You feed a medium dog
- You want big portions
- You want the lower price