Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain

by Drinkwell

• Provides constant stream of water that encourages your pets to drink more
• Patented 5-inch free-falling stream
• Holds 50 ounces of flowing water
• Replaceable charcoal filter removes bad tastes and odors
• For use in the US only

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.1 x 7 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00063446M
• Item model number: FWB-RE
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,138 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83 in Pet Supplies (See Top 100 in Pet Supplies)
  • #1 in Pet Supplies > Cats > Feeding & Watering Supplies > Bowls
  • #4 in Pet Supplies > Cats > Feeding & Watering Supplies > Fountains
  • #5 in Pet Supplies > Dogs > Feeding & Watering Supplies > Fountains

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

1. Multiple pet use depends upon the size and number of pets in the household. Consult Drinkwell water charts for more information.
2. Patented Free Falling Stream helps encourage pets to drink more
3. Receiving ramp helps to minimize splashes.
4. 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 - 107.4 oz	--	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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

529 of 533 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but could easily be better August 28, 2006

By KoKo the Talking Ape VINE™ VOICE

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.

192 of 199 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not noisy, but clogs easily May 16, 2005

By Derek Hofmann

Some of the negative reviews indicate that the Drinkwell is noisy. The truth is, it's only noisy if it doesn't have enough water or if the intake valve is clogged (which so far hasn't caused the pump to burn out for me). There's a slight hum from the pump when it's working correctly, but it will be much quieter than the other appliances in your kitchen.

Cat hair and cat food can both clog the intake. So to keep it in top condition, check the water level once every day or two (or get the add-on reservoir), place the Drinkwell several paces away from the food dish (so your cats aren't tempted to moisten their food with it), and break down and clean the Drinkwell regularly, perhaps once a month when you change the filter cartridge.

169 of 182 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Product - With Just A Little Maintence. My Catz Love it!! July 8, 2005

By Jana L. Perskie HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Every cat owner knows their pet(s) must drink plenty of water for good health. Fresh water is as necessary to your cat's well being as good, nutritious cat food. My two certainly drink lots of water - especially in hot weather. However, stagnate water in bowls loses its freshness fast. It also accumulates cat hairs, dust and debris - not very appetizing. Drinkwell Pet Fountain for Cats encourages pets to drink all the water they need because there's always a supply of clean flowing water. Re-circulating water, with greater exposure to oxygen, provides fresh-tasting, cool, filtered water with lots of health benefits. Encouraging cats to drink more water helps ensure proper kidney function and may decrease the incidence of urinary disease.

The charcoal filter, which is a feature I really like, absorbs bad tastes and odors. The fountain has a six cup capacity, and you can purchase an additional six cup capacity with use of a refill accessory. The additional water supply is wonderful, especially if you go away for the weekend frequently.

The weather has been really warm, recently, in my neck of the woods. I bought my Drinkwell Fountain at the end of April and my cats, Dapple and Max, love it. I still change the water every two days or so, wash the water dish, and I check the water level daily - but that's me. Also, be sure to remove any pet hair that has accumulated near the intake propeller every few days. When the water level is kept above the intake valve, there is no noise except the soothing sound of flowing water.

The cats are also fascinated by the running water, and just hanging out by the water fountain encourages them to drink more. Who knows what they gossip about.

JANA