Smart Automatic Cat Feeder - 6-L Reliable Cat Food Dispenser with Display LCD Screen for Easy Set Up - Portion Control Automatic Dog Feeder with Desiccant Bag Keeps Dry Food Fresh - 10s Voice Recorder

First of all, the user manual for putting it together and setting it up could have been a little clearer, but I think most of it wasn’t too hard to figure out yourself, nothing too complicated, so I don’t understand why some other reviews are saying it was difficult. I would’ve liked an explanation for what the little red rubbery circle sticker things that came with it are for, and also a how-to to put the lock strap on but so far the lid has been staying on just fine without it because it’s pretty snug, almost too snug actually because you have to fit it on just right and really push it down. My cats haven’t tried to knock one over yet so I don’t know how it holds up with that.The USB power cord is an awkward length, not long or short enough. I ordered three feeders and have two right by the outlet so there’s an excess amount of cord which can be annoying and hazardous if you have a cat that likes biting and/or playing with dangly cords (one of mine unplugged a feeder the first night and I had to reset the clock so I’ll be ordering an outlet protector), but my third feeder is by the kitchen counter and stretches up to the outlet, and if it were even an inch shorter and the feeder wasn’t on a little stand to make it taller, the cord would be too short and it’s still straining as it is. I almost wish it came with two cord options, one long and one short to accommodate different outlet distances or something maybe. I haven’t tried the batteries because every review on them says they’re hard to put in and I don’t know how long they’d last so I don’t think it’s worth the money to buy them separately.The metal bowl is kind of annoying if your cat pesters the feeder for more food. It doesn’t sit snugly so it just rattles around in place, and on that note is my biggest annoyance with these. The little propellers that dispense the food are flimsy plastic pieces with the dispensing opening being plenty big enough for a cat to get their paw up there. I don’t know if kibbles get stuck in the propellers when it dispenses or something, but one cat figured out that if she messes with the propellers it drops one kibble at a time, at least until it runs out i.e. she knocks any and all kibbles that got stuck out. She goes individually to all three feeders and messes with them until no more come out, and she does this multiple times throughout the day and night just to see if she can get more. It’s driving me up the wall and I don’t know how to fix it to prevent her from getting any treat/incentive from doing it.A minor inconvenience but easily ignored is the beep when the food dispenses, as well as the food hitting the metal bowl. Other reviews have said it’s quiet and not bothersome, but to me the beep is too high-pitched and I haven’t found a setting to turn it off, but not a huge deal.Other than that, the feeder is pretty convenient, lightweight but really low to the ground which I easily fixed with a little wooden “step stool” (it’s really small) off Amazon that lifts it just a bit higher. You set the clock and can dispense multiple meals at any time throughout the day, and the food container seems to hold a lot to last a while. Settings are pretty straightforward, like I said in the beginning, and the screen shows when a meal has been given, so overall it does its job making sure cats are fed so I don’t have to. I just wish the dispensing propellers were more cat-proof.

I bought this feeder at the end of January because I was about to leave for a week-long trip but couldn't find a pet sitter every day so short notice for my cat. The feeder worked really well for what I needed, my boy didn't starve and I was able to keep him on his normal schedule with the normal ringtone I use to indicate when it's feeding time and it's very easy to program, clean, and open up to put more food in.BUT, I did come across a few issues with this feeder. First off, the clock on it is ever so slightly off. I bought this feeder January 27th and have used it every day to feed my boy, but my girl gets fed out of a normal bowl. He's the only one who stays behind when I go places because she gets 2x daily meds and therefore someone HAS to watch her every single day, so it just didn't make sense to buy one for her yet. If I wasn't constantly adjusting the time, it would be off by 10 minutes from what the time actually is. So, when my alarm on my phone goes off to feed my girl, my boy is running around confused on why his feeder isn't going off/why he's having to wait to eat a full minute or so after her. I would not of gotten this feeder just for this issue, quite frankly, because now I know this feeder will never be in sync with a second feeder unless I bought this exact feeder again.Second issue, THE TOP DOES NOT STAY ON WELL! It fits snuggly, but does not clip in, so for hungry/bored kitty paws, it's no match. While I was gone, my cat gained 3lbs just because he learned how to knock over the feeder and open the top. I was very disappointed.Third, and this one wasn't as big of a deal, but the recording device is really stupidly placed. Other's have said this in their reviews, but I'll say it too: who's brilliant idea was it to place the recording button directly under the batteries that you have to push in place?!SO, if you have no need for a feeder with a precise clock, have a kitty that won't be smart enough to pry open a non-clipping top, and either don't need the recording aspect or don't need to ever have it unplugged/use batteries, this is the feeder for you! It's really not that bad of a feeder for general use, but I need something better. I'm likely going to end up giving mine to my mom for her cats.

It took a bit of time to convert metric to standard for portion sizes so I will put below the conversion that I made. The food we are using is Purina dry.The unit dispenses in metric units. 1 unit equals about 1/8 cup, so 4 units is about 1/2 cup.To ensure my little cat gets food when the big boy hoards the 1st feeding, I set the unit to dispense 3 units at 5 AM, then 1 unit at 5:30 AM (Total of 1/2 cup). For lunch at noon I set it to dispense 2 units (1/4 Cup) then at 12:30 PM I set it to dispense a second 2 units (1/4 cup) to make sure my other cat gets a better chance at eating. Dinner I set it for 2 units (1/4 cup) at 7 PM and a second 2 units (1/4 cup) at 7:30 PM.This way I give them a total of 1-1/2 cups of food as described on the food bag and so far they seem fed ok and I can adjust as needed. I really like this unit and it will allow us to leave them at home and know they will have food. Battery backup will run the unit if the power goes out.

I have used other automatic feeders before, to much satisfaction, but since my previous feeder finally kicked the bucket, I decided to try this one. It's the best model so far, and my cat is much happier with it. I can set the timer in the same way I could a previous model, but I also get to portion out the amount of food it dispenses, which saves me having to fill each pocket myself. And because the food tray it large, my poor kitty doesn't have to jam her face into an area way too small for her head nor does she have to paw out her food onto the floor to eat it. Easy to use, easy to keep clean, easy on Daddy (and that's the best part!).