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Best Slow Feed Dog Bowls

Updated May 2022
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slow Feed Interactive Bloat Stop Dog Bowl
Outward Hound
Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
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Versatile Shapes
Bottom Line

This product stays put and does a great job of slowing down your pet at mealtime.

Pros

Can hold 2 cups of dry food. Ridges at different levels make it interesting for your pet. Great look. Comes in 3 shape designs. Rubber pads on the bottom keep it from sliding across the floor. Dishwasher-safe.

Cons

Comes in a few sizes. If you do not get the right size, your pet may have a hard time using it.

Best Bang for the Buck
UPSKY Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
UPSKY
Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
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Bargain Pick
Bottom Line

A budget-friendly option filled with fun bone shapes that effectively slows your pup's eating to prevent chocking or indigestion.

Pros

Built with non-slide mats on the bottom. Sturdy and solid construction. Dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. Shapes and crevasses make it so your pet takes about 3 times longer to eat.

Cons

Some received it without non-slide mats, or the mats popped off.

Neater Pet Brands Stainless Steel Slow Feed Bowl
Neater Pet Brands
Stainless Steel Slow Feed Bowl
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

An excellent alternative to plastic, this stainless steel model looks great and works well for most pets.

Pros

Attractive stainless steel bowl that's dishwasher-safe and available in 2 sizes. Raised center encourages dogs to ease up at chow time. Compatible with elevated feeders by the brand.

Cons

Rare reports of rust developing after use. May not work for all fast eaters.

JasGood Slow Eating Pet Bowl
JasGood
Slow Eating Pet Bowl
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

This is a simple, slow-eating option that can effectively eliminate choking for a fast-eating pet.

Pros

A good option for a smaller pet. Recyclable. Made from nontoxic material. A good choice for a pet on a diet. Slows down eating and makes the food last longer. Pets really work hard to get the food out of this feeder.

Cons

The nonslip function sometimes does not work very well.

Super Design Anti-Gulping Dog Bowl Slow Feeder
Super Design
Anti-Gulping Dog Bowl Slow Feeder
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Easy to Use & Clean
Bottom Line

With a structure that's both effective and simple to clean, this is a good pick for both fast-eating pooches and their owners.

Pros

Made of BPA-free plastic with a design that does a good job slowing down pets that tend to eat too quickly. Choice of 4 sizes to suit numerous breeds. Nonslip bottom. Easy to clean.

Cons

Plastic is hard and may crack if dropped.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Consumers
Consulted
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Buying guide for Best slow feed dog bowls

Some dogs eat their meals at lightning speed, which can cause issues such as choking, vomiting, and even potentially fatal gastric dilation (also known as bloat). If you only have to blink to miss your canine companion wolfing down their food, consider buying a slow feed dog bowl to steady their pace.

When picking out the right slow feed bowl to fit your dog's needs, you should consider the size of the bowl to be sure it can hold enough food for your four-legged friend. Also, look closely at the ridge pattern to see how simple or complex it is and how much it's likely to slow down your dog. Other factors to consider include nonslip base, anti-tip capabilities, and whether you want a bowl made of plastic, ceramic, or stainless steel (each type has its pros and cons).

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If your four-legged friend is an avid chewer, we recommend a metal or ceramic slow feed dog bowl over a plastic one.

Key considerations

Ridge pattern

In order to slow your canine companion down while eating, slow feed dog bowls feature ridges laid out in a certain pattern or configuration. The most simple slow feeders feature a single raised bump in the center that your dog must eat around. More complex ridge patterns include flower petals, spirals, and concentric circles.

Slow feed bowls with complicated, narrow-spaced ridge patterns tend to be trickier for dogs to eat from, slowing them down much more than simpler patterns with wider spaces between ridges. Some have shallower ridges than others, too, which work best for dogs with short snouts.

Size

You can buy slow feed dog bowls in a range of sizes and capacities to suit dogs little and large. Choose a bowl that will suit the size of your dog and how much food they eat. Many slow feeders list their capacity in cups in the product description, which is handy if you measure your pooch's dinner, rather than simply eyeballing it.

Many slow feed dog bowls come in at least two sizes, and you can buy some in as many as five sizes. It's important to choose a bowl of the right size as a small dog might have trouble eating from a too-large bowl and a too-small bowl might not fit all of a big dog's dinner.

Materials

Plastic: The most common material for slow feed dog bowls, plastic can be easily molded into a wide range of shapes, so it's the best material for making slow feeders with intricate ridge patterns. Unfortunately, it's also fairly easy for dogs to chew through. Also, it can be fragile if the plastic is too thin, and it can harbor bacteria in its porous surface. While we think plastic slow feed bowls are fine for most dogs (except dogs who'll chew anything), you will need to wash them regularly so bacteria doesn't build up and cause problems.

Ceramic or stainless steel: Both of these materials are less porous, making bacteria buildup less of an issue (though you should still clean them when they get dirty). They tend to have extremely simple ridge patterns, however, so they won't slow your dog's eating down as effectively.

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Expert Tip
If one of your dogs eats their food extra-quickly so they can steal your other dog's food before they're done, consider buying a slow feeder for the fast-eating dog and sticking with a regular bowl for the slower eater.
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Features

Anti-tip capabilities

Some impatient pooches will try to tip their slow feed bowls over and eat their food off the floor, bypassing those pesky ridges. If you think this is a trick your dog might try, look for a bowl that's hard to tip. Some are either weighted or are naturally heavy (such as ceramic bowls). Others are quite flat or have a low center of gravity, so tipping is off the cards.

Nonslip base

If you feed your dog on tile, linoleum, or other uncarpeted surfaces, their bowl is likely to slide around as they eat. Choosing a slow feed dog bowl with a nonslip base is an easy solution to this problem.

Color

You can find slow feed dog bowls in a variety of colors, depending on the bowl’s material.

  • Plastic bowls tend to be the most colorful on offer, with everything from basic black to luminous orange available.
  • Stainless steel bowls are unfinished, so you'll only find those in silver.
  • Ceramic slow feeders often have a cream or tan finish but can be more colorful.
"Some slow feed bowls may not be suited to brachycephalic (flat-nosed) dogs. "
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Slow feed dog bowl prices

How much should you expect to pay for a slow feed dog bowl? The price can vary based on a range of factors, including size, material, and overall durability.

Inexpensive

Some slow feed dog bowls can cost as little as $5 to $10. These tend to be small plastic bowls and may not be extremely durable.

Mid-range

For $10 to $20, you can find some excellent sturdy plastic and stainless steel models.

Expensive

High-end slow feed dog bowls can cost as much as $20 to $35. At this price point, you'll find extra-large bowls and ceramic bowls, which should be highly durable.

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Expert Tip
Supervise your canine companion the first few times they use their slow feed dog bowl, as we've heard about a tiny number of dogs attempting to chew the bowl to more easily get to their food.
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Tips

  • Consider how durable your slow feed dog bowl is. You might spend less initially on a flimsy bowl, but it will cost you more in the long run, as it will likely need to be replaced quickly.
  • Check whether your chosen slow feed bowl is dishwasher safe. It can be tough to clean all the nooks and crannies of your dog's slow feed bowl. If you buy a model that's dishwasher safe, cleanup will be far easier.
  • Select a slow feed dog bowl that's nontoxic and BPA-free. It might seem obvious that your chosen dog bowl should be nontoxic, but some extremely cheap models can contain toxic chemicals. You may also want to consider choosing a BPA-free bowl, if you opt for plastic.
  • Think about buying a slow feed bowl if your dog is overweight. Since your four-legged friend will eat more slowly, it might help them feel fuller on a slightly reduced amount of food.
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A slow feeder dog bowl can help make mealtimes more entertaining for your furry pal, since they must work for their food.

FAQ

Q. Are there any alternatives to a slow feeder dog bowl?

A. If a slow feeder dog bowl doesn't adequately slow down your quick-eating pooch, or you'd like to extend their mealtime to keep them entertained, consider feeding kibble in a treat-dispensing toy or another canine puzzle toy. Alternatively, you can buy slow feeder mats and other slow feeders that can't quite be classed as bowls but have the same purpose.

Q. Can you find raised slow feeder dog bowls?

A. Yes, although they're not as widely available as standard slow feeder bowls, you can find a handful of raised slow feeders. These are great for large dogs or dogs with ailments that make it hard for them to eat at floor level. The trouble with raised slow feeder bowls is that they're easier to tip if your dog gets frustrated by not being able to munch their meals at top speed.

Q. Can you use a slow feeder dog bowl for both wet and dry foods?

A. Yes, in theory, you can use slow feeder dog bowls for both wet and dry food. But, in practice, some are better for wet food than others. It's more difficult for your dog to eat wet food from slow feeders with extremely intricate or tightly spaced ridge patterns, so food often remains stuck in tight spots. If you want to feed wet food in a slow feeder, select one with a simple design.