Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My aging cat, like many others, needs to be encouraged to drink as much as possible. I read lots of reviews for cat fountains, and decided on this one (there are basically two other options that I know about.)

I have a pergo floor that isn't impervious to water, so I varnished a thin 2'x2' piece of plywood to set the fountain on, to catch any random splashes.

Maisie wasn't sure about the thing at first, though maybe the smell of the varnish was putting her off. After a few days she has taken to it fine. I don't know if she LOVEs it, as other owners have claimed, but she does use it, which is all I could reasonably expect.

Good:
- It is quiet. The motor is virtually inaudible. I don't know why some other people complain about the humming or buzzing noise. I don't hear a thing, and mine is sitting on a hard floor (on top of a sheet of 1/16" plywood.) It can make a trickling watery sound at the high setting, but apparently some people like the sound, and anyway turning down the flow almost eliminates it.

- It holds a fair amount of water. I don't have to worry about it going dry every few days as I did with the old water bowl. So Maisie always has water to drink.

- Doesn't splash water everywhere. In fact it doesn't splash at all. The water has a landing ramp that lets it down easy.

- Stable, not easy to tip over.

Not so good:
- It does need to be refilled every few days, not because it will run out of water, but because the impeller pump sits a fair distance above the bottom of the drinking bowl, so there has to be a fair amount of water in the bowl so the impeller (like a little paddle wheel) isn't spinning in air. The pump will complain then, making a sucking, thrumming sound. If the water level falls too low, the pump will run dry and possibly burn out, even if there is still water in the bowl.

-It isn't that easy to clean. I clean mine every week or so, which seems to be often enough. It doesn't take me 30 minutes as it does another reviewer, more like 10. I don't have the problem with cat hair (I brush Maisie twice a day) but I do get a bit of brown or pink slime (just as I did with an ordinary water bowl.) That is anaerobic bacteria, just like you get on the lower edge of your shower curtain, and it isn't dangerous to your cat. But it is icky.

The fountain was designed with absolutely no thought to making it easy to clean. There are several nooks and crannies that are hard to reach and would have been easy to eliminate. For example, in the water reservoir there is a deep, round cavity about 1/2" in diameter and about 4" deep, closed at the bottom. It serves no purpose other than to align the reservoir assembly with the base, and it is continuously filled with water. To clean it well requires something like a test tube brush (long thin round brush with bristles on the end.)

So instead of cleaning it with a brush, I am experimenting with simply rinsing it with white vinegar, which should kill most of the bacteria, and unlike dishwasher detergent or spray cleaners, it leaves no residue and especially, no odor (once it is rinsed away.)

Or I may just use the dishwasher. The fountain is top-shelf safe, but a different plastic would have made it anywhere-safe. Also, it would be hard to position it so that it won't collect dishwasher water (with little bits of coffe grounds, etc.) somewhere inside.

For those reasons, I give it four stars. The water filter is nice by the way, but it is quite thin and I don't know that it does very much. Nor do I know if it is really necessary. It is supposed to remove tastes and odors, but there wouldn't be much in tap water, and Maisie certainly doesn't mind when she drinks from the faucet. Also, it filters water that has already passed through the pump. It would have made more sense to put a screen or filter in the water flow in front of the pump where it can keep hair out of the impeller.

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Product Description:
Drinking plenty of water is as essential for your pet's health as it is for your own. By providing a constant stream of falling water, the innovative Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain makes drinking more attractive and fun for your pet, as well as more convenient for you. No longer will your pet have to slurp stagnant water from a traditional bowl or hop onto the kitchen counter to try to drink from the sink. A patented 5-inch free-falling stream of water gives your pet a refreshing drink from any angle, so she no longer has to wait her turn for a quick drink. The replaceable charcoal filter removes bad tastes and odors. The pump is submersible to ensure nearly silent operation. The curved receiving ramp prevents falling water from splashing on your floor. Rubber feet keep the fountain secure on your floor. Runs on a low-voltage 12-volt system that plugs into your wall outlet. Holds 50 ounces of water. Easy to take apart for quick cleaning. Covered by a 1-year manufacturer's warranty.

Drinkwell Model Comparison Table

Models Capacity Multiple Pet Use¹ Free Falling Stream² Replaceable Charcoal Filter Adjustable Flow Receiving Ramp³ BPA Free Plastic Dishwasher Safe Pre-Filter Low Voltage System Anti-Bite Cord Lowered Water Line⁴ Platinum 168 oz. -- -- Big Dog 288 oz. ^* -- -- Original 50 oz. -- ^** -- -- -- -- 360 128 oz. -- --

* Except for reservoir bottle.
** Except for accessory reservoir bottle.

Feature Notes

Multiple pet use depends upon the size and number of pets in the household. Consult Drinkwell water charts for more information.
Patented Free Falling Stream helps encourage pets to drink more
Receiving ramp helps to minimize splashes.
Lowered water line to accommodates large breed dogs

Recommended Daily Water Intake for Cats

Estimated Days Filled** Approx. Cat Weight Ounces Per Day Original
(50 oz.) 360
(128 oz.) Platinum
(168 oz.) Big Dog
(288 oz.) 5 lbs 5.4 oz 9 days 24 days 31 days 54 days 10 lbs 10.7 oz 5 days 12 days 16 days 27 days 15 lbs 16.1 oz 3 days 8 days 10 days 18 days 20 lbs 21.5 oz 2 days 6 days 8 days 13 days 25 lbs 26.8 oz 2 days 5 days 6 days 11 days

* Daily Maintenance Recommendation: 70mL per kg (Cat Weight) or 1.074 ounces per pound.
** Estimated Days Filled: The above calculations do not take into account water evaporation or other external factors, such as spilling. Estimations were made on a per cat basis and do not account for multiple pets' use of fountain. All calculations were made using the maximum level of water intake for specified weight.

Recommended Daily Water Intake for Dogs

Estimated Days Filled** Approx. Dog Weight Approx Daily Water Maintenance* Platinum
(168 oz.) Big Dog
(288 oz.) 5 lbs 1.5 - 5.4 oz 31 days -- 25 lbs 7.7 - 26.8 oz 6 days 11 days 50 lbs 15.3 - 53.7 oz 3 days 5 days 75 lbs 23.0 - 80.5 oz 2 days 3-1/2 days 100 lbs 30.7 - 107.4oz -- 2-1/2 days

* Daily Maintenance Recommendation: 20-70mL per kg (Dog Weight) or .307-1.074 ounces per pound. If your dog is consuming more than the indicated amounts above, this may be a sign of polydipsia or other disease. Please seek the counsel of a veterinarian as soon as possible.** Estimated Days Filled: The above calculations do not take into account water evaporation or other external factors, such as spilling. Estimations were made on a per dog basis and do not account for multiple pets' use of fountain. All calculations were made using the maximum level of water intake for specified weight.

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