Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Fountain Raindrop Design , 60oz

You'll see alot of back and forth on this in the reviews, but it's overall a pretty darn good product. And the price can't be beat. One thing that many of the negative reviews seem to revolve around is insufficient cleaning. This is an open pool of water. It gets bugs, cat hair, saliva, dust, and other household things in it. It needs to be cleaned out regularly. Fortunately, their design is _very_ easy to clean. Even taking apart the electric motor and cleaning it is much, much simpler than it sounds (mostly because you dont really take it apart, the motor is sealed, you just remove and clean the impeller/propeller). Based on my experience, with the necessary maintenance, this thing runs really well. And I find my cat drinks much more water because of it. Things to watch out for: - Dump the water, take it apart, and clean it weekly. This takes no more than 10 minutes. - Pioneer Pet has solid videos on how to clean the main unit, and how to take apart and clean the motor. It's really much easier than you will expect. Pump Maintenance 101 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYyTFv_u3Sw - I don't find that I need to take the motor apart and clean the impeller every week, it can be done once or twice a month, in my experience. - Change the filters monthly. This is about a $3/month expense. They may be good for longer, I'm not sure how to tell. - Use the cleanest water you can. Bottled, purified, reverse-osmosis, soft, whatever you have available. The cleaner the water, the longer the thing will go between cleanings. One thing to watch out for: I had the motor stop working after about 2 months. I was frustrated thinking it was not very high quality, etc. Turns out that a cat hair had gotten down in and wound around the impeller. Once I took it apart and wiped down the impeller, it worked like a charm. Lastly, and this has nothing to do with the product itself, but if you're getting one of these to try to get your cats to drink more water, placement is very important. Put this in a high traffic area, where your cat hangs around near it, or passes by it many times a day. That will hugely improve the likelihood of it being drank from often. EDIT To add two more notes: 1. In my house, I find that I add a coffee-cup amount of water most days. You don't have to, it'll go a few days before getting low enough that the water flow suffers, but I find it easy to just fill up a coffee cup with water and dump it in. I live in the desert, so very low humidity, but also only have one cat. YMMV. 2. The top piece will occasionally rattle a little bit. This is the only noise making part of the fountain. The majority of the time, this is resolved just by tapping the top pieces, which moves it enough that it stops rattling. I'll probably go get a small tube of food-safe silicon caulking and just put a couple tiny dabs on the lip where the lid sits on, to buffer the metal on metal contact. In any case, the noise is usually very minor.

I purchased this modern stainless steel fountain for my 10 year old DMH Calico cat nine days ago (1/6/2015). Initially, my cat walked around this fountain wondering if a CAT UFO had landed in her feeding area. She observed the top of the fountain with the water bubbling and streaming down like a river into the stainless steel pond like bowl . After a week using my Sherlock Holmes tactics, I finally caught her drinking the water from the bowl. I was so happy and relieved. Fountain Versions: The Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Raindrop Design fountain is available in both black ceramic and stainless steel. I purchased the stainless steel version due to less bacterial infection on stainless steel. The ceramic version can break or chip causing it to be more susceptible to bacteria build up. It is difficult to identify/clean the dirt, grimes and/or potential charcoal dust on black ceramic. I rinse the charcoal filters thoroughly before placing them in the fountain; however, I am not perfect. If I miss a small residue from the charcoal filter, I can see it on stainless steel and rinse the filter again so my cat stays healthy. Pros: A. Construction - The package includes the fountain, one charcoal filter and the fountain cord. It has four parts... the stainless steel bowl, the stainless steel top lid, the cords and the plastic motor house. The motor house is made of white plastic which can be tightly closed. This is where your pump and filter is placed. Safe Practice - Wear gloves when handling the charcoal filter to ensure charcoal dust does not get on your hand and other household items. Charcoal dust is toxic to both cats and humans. B. Design Advantages * Three ways to drink water - from the area where water is bubbling, the river like ramp and the bowl. I was concerned that my cat would not use this fountain so I thought at least I could use the stainless steel bowl if she does not use the water fountain. * Insects will not lay their eggs - What I love about this design is that the flow of water makes little water movement in the bowl discouraging insects and flies laying their eggs in the water. In addition, if your pet drops food in the water in the bowl and you are not around to clean it, she can still drink fresh water from the other two water sources. * Weight - The stainless steel is not too light or too heavy. This is helpful for seniors challenged with joint pain, arthritis or heavy lifting. This fountain prevents cat acne unlike 100% plastic water fountains. The small motor house is made of plastic but the rest of the fountain is stainless steel. * Fast and easy to clean and set up - It is as easy as 1,2,3. It does not take much time to clean stainless steel or set it up. This pet fountain does not have too many nooks and crannies to clean to the point where you regret adopting a pet! This would be a fantastic choice for multi-pet homes or shelters challenged with lack of enough volunteers. * Adjustable Pump - The pump has three speed levels so you can determine the speed of the water flow. If I am in a Zen mood and my cat approves, I will set it on level 3 to get the sound of a water fountain. If I want it to run silently, I will set in on level 2. C. Fountain set up, and Instructions- The instructions have pictures and are easy to follow. Take the motor house, insert the pump (adjust to second level speed) and the charcoal filter after you have rinsed the filter thoroughly and close the motor house lid. The motor house has three suction cups on the bottom which is attached to the bowl preventing it from moving around. Run the cord through the opening of the motor house and fountain (be sure your hands are not wet), put the stainless steel lid on the bowl. Safe Practice - Before plugging it in, place the empty fountain in the feeding area, then fill the fountain with water up to ½ inch from the top of the bowl. Dry your hands before plugging in and turning it on. D. Pump, Water Splash, Pump Noise and Movement - Make sure the pump is placed in the motor house properly otherwise the motor will not run. The pump's black tube should line up with the white hole in the fountain lid. The motor house has a tiny area where the cord could be secured thus preventing it from moving, water splash or pump noise. If the cord is not secured, overtime you will see wear and tear in your cord which is not good. The pump has three settings. I set the pump on level two setting and it runs with no noise or rattle. The higher you set the flow of water, the higher water fountain effect you would achieve. You will not have any pump noise if ... * The water is poured up to ½ inch from the top of the bowl * The pump is cleaned weekly and free of residues and grimes * The pump is set on level two * The pump cord is secured where it needs to be inside the motor house * The pump's black tube lines up with the lid's hole, and * The motor house suction cups are attached to the bowl firmly Tips * Wash/rinse the fountain and charcoal filter thoroughly prior to use to get rid of the plastic odor from the plastic parts and the charcoal dust, etc. * The first time you set up the fountain, fill the fountain with water, let it run for 10 minutes, dump the water, rinse, fill up with water again and let it run for another 3-5 hours prior to filling up with clean water again. * I use three bottled water (16.9 OZ X 3= 51 OZ) to prolong the life of the filter and set the pump on level 2. Tap water leaves a lot of residue. * I wash the fountain by hand to prevent dishwasher residues on the fountain. In addition, the smell of dishwasher soap discourages my cat from using the fountain. In addition, the motor house is plastic. Pioneer Pet states that their fountain is dishwasher safe. I would hesitate washing the plastic motor house in the dishwasher. Overtime, the heat may affect its form. * Clean the fountain at least weekly or sooner, if needed. * Initially, place the water fountain near your cat's water bowl filled with water to ensure she stays hydrated. Once she gets used to it, remove the water bowl. * Put the fountain on your cat's floor mat used for her other bowls. The smell of the floor mat signals that the water fountain is hers to keep!! * Put other water bowls around the house to encourage your pet to drink water. Your cat will find out quickly which bowl contains the freshest water. This promotes exercise for your pet as she would keep running back to the water fountain for drinking fresh water. * Some of the pet retail chain stores do not carry this fountain. After much research, I found Amazon's price to be the lowest (as of 1/2015). * Buy the awesome Pioneer Pet Fountain Cleaning Kit Blue (read my review) and one pack of filter containing three filters. If your pet adapts to this fountain, you can order more filters. Cons: None I would highly recommend the stainless steel version of this water fountain.

I recently bought and/or received three cat fountains for my two kitties (senior adult; ~15 pounds each). This will be a review in three parts, as I feel the fountains are best reviewed in comparison to each other. --- Hagen Catit Design Fresh and Clear Cat Drinking Fountain / B004L4XR3I (2 Stars) The Hagen Catit fountain was such a disappointment to me, because I love the clean modern look of the Hagen Catit products and I love the "expandability" of the products they have for sale -- it seems like all their products have some optional add-ons that stroke my "buy gifts for kitty!" impulses. Unfortunately, the Hagen fountain I received was super loud and the plug-in was worrisomely hot to the touch. It was quiet from the time we plugged in the unit until the next evening, at which point it had escalated to a dull roar that could be heard from the other side of the house. Cleaning the filter and unit didn't affect the noise, and when we unplugged the unit to clean it, we realized that the power source was burning hot to the touch. I think we received a faulty unit. Probably the company (or Amazon) would have sent out a replacement unit, but I didn't want to try again because the cats didn't seem to care for the "bubble-up" nature of this particular water fountain. --- Drinkwell Rectangle Multi-Level Plastic Fountain Drinking Dish / B0056ASTES (3 Stars) This was my second Drinkwell fountain, received free through Vine after my first one broke. This is a different model and I don't think I like it very much. For myself, I found it difficult to put together -- the unit has to be compressed with your hands and snapped in and out of place, and I found this very difficult to accomplished. (Note: I am a person with a disability. Your mileage may vary.) And this unit, while not as loud as the Hagen, was still plenty noisy -- about an hour after plugging in the fountain in the kitchen, I realized I could hear it humming from the bedroom. I'm very sensitive to electronic noise, and so I didn't care for how loud the unit was in our home. I will say that our cats liked this one just fine, and were not put off by the form factor or the sound (although they were already used to our last Drinkwell, which was far from silent), so I will keep this one for use on our outdoor patio. NOTE: This review is based on a free Advance Review Copy of this product provided through Amazon Vine. --- Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Fountain Raindrop Design / B0037NKDSG (4 Stars) [This is the product page you're currently on.] This is the fountain we ended up keeping for use in the kitchen. I really like the teardrop shape, and the cats took to the fountain with no issues. I like that they can drink from the fountain or from the relatively-still "pool" that collects to the side. Best of all, while the unit isn't noiseless, it's definitely the quietest drinking fountain we've owned -- there's very little electronic hum, and it's largely drowned out by the normal splashing fountain sounds. I also like that the unit is super easy to dissemble and clean -- I can clean this fountain by myself in five minutes flat, with no snapping parts to wrestle into place. The only potential downside that I can see is that a really energetic dog or kitten might be able to shift the parts, but my cats are quiet senior adults and don't try to play in the fountain. I will also note that I like the shiny silver surface, but it seems to be losing a lot of luster in the short time since we've had it. So it's not perfect, but it meets our needs. ~ Ana Mardoll

I received my second Pioneer Pet Raindrop Fountain on April 9, 2021 after getting my cat home from a stay at the Vet due to being constipated. I fell behind on regularly cleaning the first fountain, now about 4+ years old, and she was avoiding it in favor of getting water from a dripping bathroom sink faucet. Also, she is picky and apparently didn't like the old fountain's location in the kitchen, too busy with us in there for her liking so she avoided it, thus constipation. I bought this new fountain last month, it's easy to assemble, and placed it away from people foot traffic in the living room but where I can often observer her drinking from it. This was a brilliant move for a skittish and sensitive cat! Live and learn from a $1,100 Vet bill. She often naps in a chair across from the fountain, so it's frequently in her line of sight, and it's usually relatively quiet. Cleaning: I clean this one weekly so the water is always fresh and enticing for my Northwest Pixie Bob cat. She loves the fountain, it's location, and is now quite "regular" again. She tends to drink directly where the water is pumped up vertically, but sometimes will drink from the opening to the side where the water swirls and circulates back towards the motor and filter clamshell housing. I have observed her drinking from it several times each day! Pros: It is easy to assemble and clean! Years ago I had a plastic fountain that was a royal pain to take it apart for cleaning and also remove the little motor underneath the bottom part in order to clean out the inevitable build up of gunk. The metal of this fountain and plastic clamshell holding the motor and filer are very easy to clean. If you use soap and warm water on the metal fountain shell and plastic motor and filter housing, be sure to thoroughly rinse them of all soap residue! Do not get soap on or in the filter itself. I clean the motor, removable plastic parts and impeller in just lukewarm water and a small brush. Only rinse filters under cold water. Oh, at least the metal parts are dishwasher friendly, maybe the plastic parts also, but do NOT expose the filter or motor to hot or soapy water and obviously don't run it through the dishwasher. Cons: It's a little pricey, my second one last month was about $43.90 before state taxes. Sometimes the motor causes the two metal halves to vibrate, and annoys me and probably my cat as well. The motor is a pain to take apart, you can find videos online for this brand of motor to learn how to take apart and clean it. Not a Con, but I did buy an extra motor on Amazon I believe, just in case. Be aware you Will need to take apart and clean the motor because if you only clean all the other parts, the motor will build up with so much gunk the water flow will decrease to almost nothing in a few months. Overall: I really like the pump, easy to clean, cat likes it, I'm happy with it.

I first want to apologize for the "one star" rating. However, the skeptics will gravitate to the one star ratings by nature. In fairness, I would rate this "three stars" (my original rating was 5 stars plus one equals average of 3-in case you do the math). Like the heading states, I have had this for six years. If you think you're the GOT product reviewer, think again. I am the grandmaster and by admission I should feel shame or pride depending upon your perspective. I take it to the next level (the next lower level is 5 tiers down) before I can make an informed decision including the obvious reviews as well as working examples and feedback from YouTube (aka beginner stuff). The reason I drew you in (with the one star rating) is that it is doubtful that anyone worth their reputation would waste time on a ho hum 3 star review-the authentic do not eat quick grits which is why I will summarize with a very concise PRO/CON summary below (the method that my favorite and most revered of verified buyers use to post reviews-isn't this the world we live in? No more gimmicks, scams, misrepresentations or false advertising will prevail. We are in the information age and people genuinely want to share their "experience" to pass along their "insight" in an empirical and forthright critique-personal preference, belief system, and biases notwithstanding). So back to my advanced vetting process that allows potential buyers the benefit of vicarious hindsight. I purchased the top 3 rated pet fountains. In my case, it pertains to providing a minimum of 2-3 days of water for two dogs (20-30 lbs. each). In addition, this product (consider it the 4th among the 3 current purchases), will constitute the primary functionality and engineering difference among the 3 I just purchased. The design is far superior to the Pioneer Pet and here's why: Pioneer Pet (again, this is an updated 6 yr. review) PROS: 1. It is a solid build, stainless steel has endured without any signs of rust or corrosion (kinda obvious though). Suction cups are not great, one tore off and has ever since created a PITA to keep it seated while reassembling the filter pump housing-major flaw-see cons for clarification. 2. The pump is built to last. The first went 5 yrs. before replacement 3. It's quiet until inevitably the gurgling starts unless it's refilled (which means the quickly deteriorated quality of the water should be changed altogether-"topping off" as my original review species is not going to provide enough "fresh" water to restore the adequate volume of water and clarity/taste/color, etc.) 4. That's about all I can come up with now. CONS: BACKROUND data collection: At the time I purchased this fountain, it was just about the only game in town. With the perspective of 6 years of usage and realization that I lost too many hours to quantify (time lost that I could've spent researching other products on Amazon-loving you), I feel like I just discovered self cleaning ovens or something akin. 1. the design of a shallow basin, enclosed filter, and allowance of return water to enter the reservoir as well as, biggest peeve, the necessity to remove the power cable from the filter housing in order to clean it ARRRRGGGGHHH!!! 2. too little volume. The water will get "shallow" at about the half full line. The pump gets staved-thanks to the obtrusive filter that gets in the way and is in the wrong location entirely. Trust me on this. There is no "tight seal" between the water entering and the pump intake). The gurgling starts as soon as the larger particles clog the intake and/or the water is too low. 3. Filters-please. Not reusable, seriously. If you are sold on the "active charcoal" b.s., have at it. The charcoal is inactive as soon as a small amount of dog slobber coats the 3 grains wedged between the cotton filters-yes I disassembled one years ago and realized the granular size does nothing to provide any realistic function other than a great concept. If you already own one of these, rinse out the filter (leave the charcoal intact-unless you want to break it open which it is not meant to be-and flush it out with some vinegar or highly diluted bleach and then rinse and reuse. The only way to keep flowing water fresh in this low of volume is to constantly change it-every day is most likely IF you have a dog that doesn't like tainted water). Wow, long parenthesis there. 4. It is a chore to clean-quickly in the sink-without wasting so much water and/or necessitating a dishwasher run which also takes a toll on the rubber and plastic components. The filter housing-again, bad design, will require fine bristle, crevice worthy, attributes. A pre-soak is typically required 5. To many, this may be the deal breaker. The bowl itself is not well thought out. This harkens back to the low level factor in terms of water. The bowl is too wide in ratio to its height. The "fountain" is great if your animal (sorry, didn't mean to alienate the cat people-I have 4 outdoor cats as well) only drinks from the flowing water. If they drink from the bowl, they're angling their neck and having a smaller surface area of water to access (the top portion-call it the cap or lid or whatever-reduces the "bowl" surface area by a good 50%). Remember, I am differentiating this fountain from the "better" designed models available-more about this later if you're into novels. 6. The filters. As I mentioned, they need to be snapped into place and change frequently, do very little to prevent fine hairs, lint, airborne nuisances, etc. from bypassing it, and are stuffed into the "clamshell" outer housing that rarely stays put so aligning the spout with the top is a problem. Did I mention that this outer housing is both unnecessary to the models out there and the primary "mold reef" of the entire unit. 7. Water flow. I am positive that the shape and location of the filter-sucks through the bottom instead of the side-allowing all the bottom particles that naturally precipitate and flocculate-to be at the same level of the filter so that they are always "stagnating". What I mean is that the MANDATORY natural downward flow of the circulating water passes through the filter (think mountain spring water as it flows through porous rock) rather than being pulled from the water sitting at the bottom of the river bed (again, analogically speaking). To me, this is the deal breaker. 8. Cleaning requirements are far too frequent. Here's the math: Shallow basin + poor circulation + ineffective bottom-up filtering + slime accumulation = daily cleaning and unhappy pets. In summary, I recommend circulating pet bowls that work in a literal "circle". Water is pumped from a tall water basin, best if filter is a side inflow, cascades THROUGH a filter element-reusable indefinitely, and has an open, large basin from which your pet and a friend can drink simultaneously OR without tilting downward their muzzle. Believe this, the difference between a 45 degree and 30 degree neck bend in thermal dynamics (flow of air, water, or other matter through an enclosed space) is major. Consider it more work for your pet and less efficiency (like an exhaust vent for your drier-the more bends in it, the less air is passing through AKA CFM reduction). The one I like the best has a 3 L capacity, is entirely transparent to easily detect any mold growth or discoloration, is easy to clean, has a large open basin with optional "spout", consists of fewer parts, and made of high quality, heavy gauge, BPA free plastic (in terms of break resistance, SS is best but unfortunately not transparent). Plastic will outlive SS in case you're planning for a million years ahead-extra super value in that case. I dare to drop names but you've gotten this far (kindred spirits-you like insurance seminars too? I figure I'd put you out of your misery. I owe you that. Conclusion (hallelujah). In a completely perfunctory fashion,I settled on the one that checked all the boxes. I may be updating this review in 6 yrs. but in the meantime, I'm pretty confident (hint: Pecute brand) you'll arrive at your own conclusion. -Amen For the masochist among us: enjoy my original 5 star review I bought this contraption with trepidation. The reviews were mixed at the time. When it arrived, it appeared to be pretty "flimsy" and cheaply made. At that time, I wasn't expecting it to last more than a month at best (I figured the tiny pump would burn out hence I kept the box and invoice handy). However, after having it still going strong for the last "non-stop" 8 months, I am impressed which is why I took the opportunity to share positive feedback. Being a stickler for quality and design, I wasn't overly impressed with the gauge and grade of "stainless steel" which is a bit light weight-namely the cover-but the bowl is solid and the lid/upper section has been fine. There's no rust and it washes up with soap and hot water without any unnecessary scrubbing. Did I mention the pump is still working? And I mean 24/7. As long as you keep the water clean (flushing it out thoroughly at least once a week is ideal for one dog and one cat in my house) and then thoroughly cleaning it every other week works for me. While it is running, remember to keep it filled. If the water runs too low, it'll start gurgling and the pump will starve and water won't circulate. Just add water as the saying goes. At first I thought it was just a novelty for my dog but now she's keen on drinking from the spout as it flows into the bowl. It's kinda comical how she'll be drinking from the spout as it runs down the channel while the cat is hunched below lapping it up from the bowl. It does what it says it dose.The water flows with just a soothing sound that won't spook my cat for whom I purchased it originally because he seemed insatiable. I learned that he had CRF and there was no way I could keep up with his consumption using a regular water bowl. This device is great for this specifically because the volume of water it holds is nearly 2 quarts while the filter keeps the water free of hair and particles that would otherwise remain on the surface or stick to the sides of the bowl and/or clog the pump. I've re-used the original filter for the duration by rinsing it off and then allowing it to soak in a solution of hot water, vinegar and a little bit of bleach. I also use hot (from the tap) water and vinegar/bleach as a flush by allowing the machine to run as it would with fresh water. This way you can allow water to circulate through the filter as it would normally. Or you can drain the dirty water and just refill it (aka the "lazy" way that does not require a complete break down of components). The bottom line is that you need to keep it clean but there's really no maintenance other than that. If you want to spend the money, buy the filters. What you gain is the freshness of the charcoal which also adds a "fresh taste" and reduces odor. However, after a week or two, it'll need to be replaced to restore the "charcoal" effect. Otherwise, just keep rinsing it off and keeping it in its place allowing "filtration" of anything that would otherwise impair the pump. If you're buying filters because you believe the water is going to remain clean, save the money and just ensure that you're using clean water and that you always keep it topped off. If you do, you'll find that your pets will most likely drink more water while you'll benefit greatly with the added confidence that your pets will be well provided for at least a couple days should you forget to top it off completely. I highly recommend it.

I love the concept of this product, and love the design... I wanted a non-plastic water fountain for my cats... Supposedly, they might drink more by seeing moving water, which makes sense-- moving water suggests that the water is fresh as opposed to stagnant. I've read quite a few mixed reviews here, so let me offer some sensibility here, because I feel that a few of the negative reviews are a bit exaggerated. The motor is not particularly loud at all, although it IS a motor with moving parts and therefore WILL produce sound, so if you've had a standard water-bowl that just sits there and suddenly switch to this motorized water-fountain that continuously circulates flow then OF COURSE it's going to seem "noisy" by comparison... But is this unit actually noisy??? No, no more than any tiny electric pump would be. Does this unit make a soft but constant hum that seems louder the closer you get to it??? Yes, of course it does. Will your pets mind the noise??? I don't know; buy it and find out... One of my 3 cats enjoyed this fountain immediately, a second cat took his time getting used to it (we have a standard water-bowl elsewhere as an option) but likes it now, and the third cat seems to avoid drinking from it. I really love the concept, the flowing shape, the reflective chrome-look, and the design of the unit... The reason why I've rated it only 3 out of 5 stars is because I just can't get over how useless the filter appears to be... It just sits there in the water... I'm no engineer, but-- as far as I know--water is filtered by passing THROUGH charcoal filters such as this... This unit is a fountain, which-- by definition-- moves water... And yet it's not engineered for the water to move THROUGH the charcoal filter. Instead, water circulates within the basin while the charcoal filter just sits there within it. Again, I admit that water filtration systems are not my forte, and so maybe I'm missing something; maybe just dropping a charcoal filter to sit inside a basin of water is all it takes to successfully filter it, but usually such filters work by filtering water THROUGH them, don't they? Anyways, I actually do like the Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Fountain with the Raindrop Design... I just think that the filtration system is ineffective, a bit of a joke, and a racket to bleed the consumer of more money... I still have to change my water frequently, because it gets weird-looking, cloudy strands of goo floating around in it after 5 days-- a phenomenon that does NOT occur with water left in our stainless steel watering bowls. What's worse is that strange "debris" persists even after cleaning the bowl and changing the water several times consecutively... Perhaps the filter "captures", keeps, and dilutes such wispy, slimy-looking debris, forcing the consumer to change them (and purchase them) more frequently. (I change my filters about every 2 or 3 weeks.)

I was a hardcore fan of the Dinkwell Platinum water fountain, I've had it for years and never had a problem with it (except the complicated cleaning process), the reason I had to replace it was because of one of my three cats developed the dreaded chin acne and I couldn't figure out why. I happened to see a few comments here on Amazon linking feline acne to plastic fountains and I knew that had to be my cat's problem so I started researching stainless steel or ceramic fountains. I settled on the Pioneer Pet Raindrop Design fountain because I felt the Max model was going to be too big. I received it one day earlier than expected (Thanks Amazon!) and put it together in a matter of minutes. Yes the housing for the motor is plastic, the motor itself is plastic too, there's really no escaping plastic and I'll update the review concerning the plastic and the feline acne once the fountain has been established but the spout is rubber. Here is my list of Pros and Cons with some comparisons to the Drinkwell Platinum: Raindrop Pros: -Very lightweight -Very few parts -Is incredibly easy to clean, no hidden crevices or hard to reach places -Very quiet, a slight hum from the motor but it's almost silent, there is no water noise -Pump is adjustable for strength -No reservoir, you can just pour water directly into the basin to refill. Raindrop Cons: -Very Lightweight. I think a rubber base should've been added, I can see mischievous cats (or if this is for your small dog) being able to knock it around even when it's full. This is a very lightweight stainless steel, I'm sure most large dog bowls are heavier than this device. -The piece that the water slides down is only held in place by fitting the motor housing tube into the rubber spout tube. There is no clicking pieces or any thing else to hold it together, I see a cat or dog being able to knock this off. The pieces fit together, there's no rattling, but there's no security. -This is not really a "fountain" in the traditional sense. Located at the top the water bubbles up and slides down into the reservoir, it's not a steady stream falling into the reservoir like the Drinkwell Platinum model. -The motor to control the speed of the water bubbling is only adjustable on the actual motor. This is very inconvenient if you want to adjust it after it's already filled and running because now you have to empty and disassemble. I had to do this twice and was wasting water in the process. -Holds about 7.5 Cups of water. The Drinkwell Platinum easily held 10+ Cups. -No fill line indicating a good level of water to keep. -Filters could be a problem. They are not found in stores, they're smaller and the manufacturer recommends replacing every 2-4 weeks. (Update: saw them in PetCo) Coming from the Drinkwell Platinum this fountain is essentially silent. I've read some reviews complaining about motor noise with the Raindrop, so let me see if I can help. 1. I got the motor noise as well and it was annoying. However, what I realized was I was under-filling the fountain. At 4 cups the fountain runs and looks full (4 cups = 32oz) the box clearly says that it can hold 60oz which is about 7.5 cups of water. I added the additional water and within a few seconds the motor noise went down to a humming. Make sure you are filling the fountain to capacity. 2. Try adjusting the motor higher or lower. Unfortunately this an extra process since the only adjustment is on the motor and in order to judge what you deem as a good speed you have fill it up, if you don't like the speed/sound then you have to empty and disassemble. (The Drinkwell Platinum had the motor adjustment handle that was located outside the fountain in the bowl and was very convenient.) I have not gotten any rattling from the stainless steel parts. Everything is working as advertised and is almost completely silent. There's no water noise and only a slight hum from the motor. I would highly recommend this model over any plastic fountain especially since learning how bacteria-ridden plastic fountains can become even with regular cleaning. Since I replaced my Drinkwell Platinum due to one of my cats getting feline acne I'll update this review in a few weeks. Before I found the Raindrop I took away the Drinkwell and replaced it with glass bowls so my cats were without a fountain for about 4 days and already I've seen a decrease in the acne on my cat's chin. All my cats took quickly to the Raindrop, they were hesitant at first but now they use it without a problem. Update 9/12/12 I've had this fountain for a few weeks now and I couldn't be happier with it and I would like to share a couple tips: 1. As others have written about I do get motor noise daily. This is because the water is dipping below the lip of the fountain, all you have to do is add 1 to 2 cups of water and it quiets down almost immediately. If adding water to the fountain daily is a chore for you then I would suggest a fountain with a reservoir since this fountain does not have a separate reservoir like other brands. For me, it's not an issue and adding a cup or two daily keeps the water fresh in my opinion. You can add it directly to the fountain there is absolutely no tinkering, just pour it in, in fact, I find it laughable that this is an issue for some people. If you are continuously adding water to this fountain it's too small for your pet/pets. 2. Just putting this out there; I have hard water and it's affecting the look of the stainless steel. I'm sure a more thorough scrubbing will remove the calcium but since the stainless is light weight I'm afraid of scratching it. 3. There's really no way to cheat their filters. The felt and carbon are held together by the plastic shell, if you open the shell everything is loose inside so there's really no way to clean or re-use the filter to get more life out of it. Also, the plastic shell is not recyclable. 4. Cleaning is an absolute breeze and it takes only minutes to do it. The plastic housing that holds the pump has not gotten slimy at all, I know slimy plastic is a big concern with pet fountains and this has not been an issue. 5. I have seen a difference the one cat's chin acne. It has decreased significantly since purchasing the fountain so I can say switching to stainless steel has worked for me. (or him, whichever) In conclusion, I would recommend buying this unit (on Amazon because it is significantly cheaper than stores) all three of my cats use this fountain. When I had the Drinkwell I would leave 2 bowls of water next to the unit just in case a cat didn't want to drink from the fountain, I didn't realize it but I was cleaning and filling those bowls everyday, after purchasing the Raindrop I went down to the one bowl of water as an option and it doesn't get touched.

I have had mine up and running for about 2 months now. Like alot of other reviews, my two Siamese took to it right away. So from a functional standpoint, this item is user friendly...as long as the 'user' is the cat. But from the human perspective, there are some flaws that I'm finding that are making this not such a friendly device to deal with on a regular basis. I guess you can't avoid maintenance on an item like this. Any time you have standing water, there will be a cleaning regimen that needs to be adhered to. Coming from a 'feeder' style water container, there is a definite change in my cat maintenance routine. So with that in mind, I would like to see some improvements on the design and the quality of materials used. The very first thing that popped into my mind upon assembling this product, was a concern about the cord. My cats have a tendency to want to touch, swat, chase, or chew things that look interesting. (Stupid me didn't think of this until the item shipped.) It just so happens that the cord on this fountain is somewhat interesting to them. In my situation, there is an area rug in the room with the fountain that leaves about a foot of exposed hardwood floor around the edges of the room. So I can neatly tuck the cord under the rug. But the cord still has to go up to the recepticle and about 2 feet is exposed. So I wrap the cord around a post on their nearby cat condo up to the adapter in the wall. But the cord is right at a spot where they like to walk through and rub their little scent glands against it. Now...that's not so bad as they have yet to yank it out of the wall....and as long as the fountain remains in place. But the recommendations for this fountatin are regular cleaning and rinsing of the filter. Although I don't have to take the 'wall wart' to the kitchen sink, since the cord unplugs from the transformer, I still have to mess up the 'tuck and wrap job' to take the fountain away from it's spot. And of course...my guys get very interested when watching me take this fountain away for cleaning. As I found out, walking away with the cord dragging behind me, was an unconscious invitation for playtime. And with water still in the bowl...do you get the picture? So now, I have to make sure I get the cord wrapped in my hand before I walk away with it....still with water in the bowl. I have tried to think of a way to hide the cord in some wall mount conduit or something. But then I would still have to take that apart to get the whole fountain over to the sink. Something should be done to be able to disconnect the cord at the fountain. It would make things so much easier...at least in my situation. It's a clumsy design. Then comes the pump disassembly for cleaning. They recommend this to be done weekly...ugh. The second thing I noticed about this fountain, is how you have to fish the cord through the hole to get the pump out for disassembly. This requires a bit of patience with an empty bowl sitting on your counter. It wants to slide all over the place and it just starts to get the aggravation juices flowing. Then comes pump disassembly...having had aquarium pumps in the past, it was not to hard to figure out. But still, there is a learning curve with this procedure, and if you get in a hurry, you could end up dropping tiny pump parts on to the floor. It didn't happen to me...YET. But the parts are small enough if you're fat fingered, and the prying apart that is necessary, could cause some or all of these parts to pop off...ending up on the floor, and taking that oh-so-familiar bounce under the stove or refrigerator. Next...and back to the cord. You have to remember EXACTLY how you took the pump out, and fish the cord back through the plastic housing. And if you don't have the cord lined up properly, the white pump housing will refuse to snap shut. The quality of this 'clam shell' is lousy at best. It barely wants to stay snapped shut with nothing inside of it. In fact, I can just touch mine and it pops open. So this whole cord thing is truly something that the designers need to take a look at IMHO. So once the filter/pump assembly is together...barely staying shut by itself...you have to get it lined up with the outlet of the pump to the lid of the fountain. It would be nice if there was some sort of markings on the bottom of the bowl to do this. It takes some guess work. And if any of you have ever dealt with suction cups under water, they tend to want to stay attached when you want them unattached, and they tend to want to come unattached when you want them to stay attached. So as you are sliding this clamshell around the bottom of the bowl to line up the hole with the outlet, lifting the lid and setting it down repeatedly, then the stupid clamshell falls apart. I have been keeping the lower portion of the clamshell in it's place while cleaning. But then I can't get the whole thing cleaned like I'd like to. I don't know....this is my first fountain. I bought this based on the reviews and the apparent opinions on other fountains being inferior. My cats are happier...but my patience runs thin with tedious cleaning procedures like this. And then I have to get the fountain back in it's place and deal with that stupid cord again. And I won't even mention the buzzing from the lid that tops off the entire procedure of cleaning. Kind of like the thing is now laughing at you. You got to go back and fiddle with the lid to get it to stop buzzing. There must be a better way. My cats rate it 5...I rate it 2

Il est vrai que si, à la base, le prix m'avait fait hésiter, je suis ravie d'avoir choisi cette fontaine à eau pour mes deux chats. Très esthétique, d'une forme sobre, elle est surtout d'une facilité incroyable pour le nettoyage, facile à rincer, le remplacement de la cartouche se fait aussi très facilement, elle n'est pas bruyante du tout. Très stable, entièrement démontable, vous pouvez passer le récipient au lave vaisselle. Rien à voir avec les précédentes fontaines que j'avais achetées, toutes en plastique, difficilement démontable, fragiles, et d'un entretien fastidieux, avec brosses, etc. Là, rien de tout cela, en quelques minutes, vous avez une fontaine impeccable, solide (tout est en inox), très fonctionnelle. Je recommande vivement ce produit pour sa qualité, sa solidité et sa fonctionnalité.

aunque hay que tener cuidado con la disposición del cable eléctrico, tiene la gran ventaja de ser metálico y de tener una espacio donde repose el agua en caso de corte eléctrico, para que sirva al menos de bebedero clásico. los filtros son un poco particulares por otro lado, habrá que ver que continuidad tienen.

Just to clarify, only top part is stainless steel. Bottom part (pot) in the model we received was plastic. The other comment is that fountain is splashing a lot if you put the pump on higher speed. Our cats use fountain much more when is higher stream, unfortunately in that case fountain is loud and it splash.

This is a great little fountain. However after many years of reliable service the pump failed. Unfortunately, while the bowl is in great order finding a replacement pump is proving difficult.

but the only problem is that we need to purchase a transformer to bring the voltage down to 110V