The big drink off: Pet fountain road test

Fresh running water not only tastes better, it’ll also encourage your pooch to hydrate. Our furry tester slurped from several pet fountains until she finally found her top two favourite "taps".
Pets Team 14 January 2016

GEX CRYSTAL DOG DRINKING FOUNTAIN (4.8 litres)
from Rein Biotech
Price: $61.60

How it works: Simply designed, this lightweight fountain has a basin-like receptacle to hold the water, which is funnelled upwards via a pump to form a constantly moving puddle in the centre of the cover. The drain around the perimeter of the cover prevents pooling, and allows excess water to flow back into the receptacle. The water passes through a charcoal filter as it’s pumped up, and also when it flows back. A protective tube is included to prevent Fido from chewing the electrical wire. Verdict: As there are few parts, assembling and cleaning were a breeze. Plus, the translucent material of the “basin” made it easy to see when water levels fell low. As the fountain was very quiet, our tester didn’t hesitate to approach it. After a quick sniff, she drank frequently from it. Even after two days, the water remained clear. Our only grouse: The plastic receptacle was a tad soft, making it a challenge to transport when filled with water.
Score: 4.5/5

 

Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Purifying Pet Fountain (3 litres)
from www.kohepets.com.sg
Price: $135

How it works: Catered to multi-pet households, this fountain incorporates a drinking bowl and a transparent reservoir that automatically adds water to the bowl when levels drop. An angled ramp allows the water to flow quietly into the bowl without splashing, while non-skid rubber feet prevent the fountain from sliding around.Verdict: Relatively quiet and compact, this fountain is unobtrusive and fits into any part of the home. It has several parts that need to be pulled apart when washing, so be careful not to lose any bits and bobs in the process. While the bowl feature allowed more than one furkid to drink at the same time, the exposed water surface also accumulated dirt and other particles quite quickly, requiring frequent cleaning. This unit is perfect for pooches that are accustomed to drinking from a bowl, such as our tester—she had no problems acclimatising to the fountain.
Score: 4/5

 

To read our reviews of two other fountains, flip to the Tried and Tested column in our Dec15-Jan16 issue!