Customer Reviews

Petmate Fresh Flow Deluxe Purifying Pet Fountain (15'' x 10.5'' x 7.5'')

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had a chance recently to test out my Petmate Fresh Flow fountain against the "original" Drinkwell pet fountain.

Style: The Drinkwell has a small waterfall which comes out a chute at the top, drops through air, and hits a sloped ramp in the dish. The ramp reduces the splash and noise you would get from a stream hitting the water in the dish directly. In contrast, the Petmate model dribbles the stream of water entirely down a sloped ramp that runs from the top of the unit down into the dish.

Noise: I filled them both up and placed them side by side. My cats were immediately attracted to the Drinkwell. Which makes sense, because it's noiser than the Fresh Flow. Despite the ramp, there are gentle splashing noises. More importantly, the relatively soft hum of the pump is MUCH louder. (If you like ambient splashing sounds, get a CD.) The Fresh Flow wasn't totally quiet, and the pump buzzes when it's warming up and when it's low on water, but overall it's the quieter of the two.

Maintenance: I found the Fresh Flow much less complicated to put together, to move around, and to clean. The first time I filled up the Drinkwell and added the reservoir to the back, I spilled a lot of water. So I ended up putting the whole thing onto a large tray, to reduce the mopping for next time. My cats like to step in their dishes, so periodic cleaning is a must for both units. (In case you're wondering: When the water in the dish gets too cruddy, they drink from the flowing water at the top.) The Fresh Flow is sturdier--it's a lot easier to pick it up and move it to the kitchen sink. Without using the tray underneath the Drinkwell, I suspect I'd drop parts and spill dirty water fairly often. [Side note: What I would *really* like for either model, is some kind of liner for the dish that I could lift out, rinse, throw in the dishwasher, and then put back.]

Capacity: The Drinkwell has several size models and varying capacities for reservoirs. The Fresh Flow's strength is its weakness: The sturdy structure and tight-fitting parts mean you can't just swap out the reservoir for a bigger one... you have to buy a larger unit. This is why I recommend their largest one.

Cat Preference: In spite of their initial attraction to the Drinkwell, water levels in both units after a few days suggested that my cats were equally likely to drink from either fountain.

Summary: Kudos to the Petmate R&D for improving on the "original" pet fountain. (Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Petmate, except as a satisfied customer.)

One other note... One of the big reasons to get a water fountain for your pet is to improve their health by encouraging them to drink more. For cat owners, if you do this, you might soon be looking at automatic litterboxes. If so, you might consider the Petmate Purrforma unit, an improvement over the "original" LitterMaid.

I purchased my first unit for a friend, who has multiple pets (kitties and pomeranians). It worked so well for them, I bought one for my own 'pack'; I have been equally satisfied.

From a performance standpoint, the unit is solidly constructed and runs quietly (as long as you keep the water levels high enough). It does require a degree of maintenance, however. The unit benefits from at least a weekly cleaning ... in fact, it is essential to clean the intake of the pump at least that frequently, because hair and other gunk can clog the unit, causing the water flow to be greatly diminished. From a hygiene standpoint, it's a good idea to disinfect at least that frequently anyhow. The filters need regular replacement too, and can be devilish to find.

With those considerations in mind, is the unit really a value? From my viewpoint, absolutely. The fountain has become the watering station of choice for all of my animals (and my friend's pets too); the water stays cool and presumably fresh, and the 'kids' drink more frequently than they did with ceramic bowls (lot less slime, too). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product to anyone - provided they accept the responsibility of keeping it maintained.

I admit that I do spend a lot of money on pet products, often with no response from my pets. I thought that this, too, would be a waste of $40, so I thought long and hard before purchasing the unit.

Well, I am so glad I finally gave in! I have 6 cats, all of which loved the water fountain (I was afraid that some would not take to it -- but they all did). Now, they all come running when I fill up the resevoir or clean the unit. My cats are drinking more water than ever -- which we all know is good for their urinary tracts.

Some of the reviews say that it requires too much cleaning -- well think of all the gunk your pets COULD be ingesting! I take the unit apart once a week and give it a thorough cleaning (including the pump which can sometimes get blocked by cat hair). I also change the filter about once a week -- but remember, I have 6 cats, so with less pets, the filter should last much longer. Other than that, I fill the reservoir once a day (I have since learned that this thing goes through water really fast, probably due to evaporation, so buy the biggest one you can get).

It is the best investment that I've ever made in my pets.

I had been thinking about purchasing one of these but was sceptical about the claims. To my surprise, it does work and both my cats have been drinking much more frequently.

The only thing I would note is that it needs a thorough cleaning every few weeks. Also cat hair tends to accumulate and clog up the pump input (water flow will decrease and noise/bubbles will develop).

Other than that, a good expenditure of 40 bucks.

I purchased my second Fresh Flow Pet fountain (the deluxe model) over three months ago. It is my second in 2 years. While it did pique the interest of my overweight, UTI prone cat- and the other two cats (in fact they all love it) each one has failed in the basic operation despite numerous cleanings and proper filter replacement. Most times it does not flow until I fiddle around with the lever and get it to make that humming noise, at which point it will emit a small trickle. I love the fact the cats seem to love it, but am not pleased that I will be looking at replacing this model in the near future. I am seriously considering the Drinkwell alternative.
I do like this model for the water capacity, but do find it awkward to transport to and from the sink (without a spill or two).
Quality Control seems to lack in the product. I probably will not buy again unless they make improvements.

I bought this for an older, finicky cat who needed to drink more. The pump is silent! without vibration to the outer casing. At the lowest setting, the water gently pours out but can be set to high & have a real bubbling flow.

Make sure you rinse the charcoal filter before use. Make sure you replace it every 6-8 weeks depending on your own water pollutants because charcoal can only absorb so much before it begins releasing those pollutants back into the water. Anybody with aquarium experience, knows about this.

Don't be lazy! clean the thing at least once a week... & remember to rinse the filter then too. And a nice trick is to place a clean ping-pong ball in the drinking section because the water makes it rotate & that gets the most stubborn kitties curious enough to come over & check things out.

I have the petmate fresh flow purifying water and is excelent. If you are away for few days it has another container to keep water in the fountain., the water is always circulating and the filter keeps the water clean for your pet, the only thing is that is very hard to find the filter. You need to change the filter once or twice every year.

It works fine, but my cat won't use it.

I was thrilled with the reviews I read about this fountain and happily set it up as soon as it arrived. Unfortunately, I like it better than my cat does. He largely ignores it and still prefers to drink out of the bathtub or a glass. Oh well.

Before you buy, make sure it's not the sound of the water that attracts your cat. This fountain has no water sound (pretty quite, actually). I think that's why my cat ignores it.

My first waterer has ceased pumping....but it ran for a long time. Now I want to replace the pump, not the whole unit. Can't find on the website the ability to just buy the pump. Nothing else is a moving part that can wear out.

My pets constanly hounded me for fresh water until I purchased the Petmate Deluxe FreshFlow fountain. Now they can finally satsify their natural instinct for fresh water at any time while satsifying my instinct for peace and quiet in the wee hours of the morning.

The fountain works great and is quite easy to maintain and clean. The see through water container is probably the best feature as it requires a only quick glance now and again to make sure there is enough water.