The best automatic pet feeder in NZ overall is the PetSafe 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder, the most reviewed pick in this guide and a genuinely proven way to keep a pet fed on schedule.
Automatic pet feeders come in four broad types. Gravity feeders refill a bowl from a hopper with no electronics at all. Timed feeders release set portions at set times. Multi-bowl feeders rotate through sealed compartments, which is the only style that handles wet food safely. WiFi and app-controlled feeders add remote feeding, phone alerts and sometimes a camera.
Portion control is the real reason most people buy one. Free-feeding is a common route to feline obesity, and a timed feeder holds the meal size steady whether or not you are home. Match hopper capacity to how long you will be away and to the animal eating from it, since a large dog will empty a small hopper in a day.
Check the power source before anything else. A mains-only feeder is dead weight in a power cut, so models that take batteries as a backup are worth preferring for anything left running while you travel. This guide compares ten automatic pet feeders available in New Zealand across all four types, with capacity, power source, portion control, and whether each suits cats, small dogs or large breeds.
Automatic Pet Feeder Comparison Table
| Feeder | Best For |
|---|---|
| i.Pet Automatic Pet Feeder 6L with Camera | Best with Camera |
| i.Pet Automatic Pet Feeder 9L WiFi | Best Large Capacity |
| PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder | Best WiFi & App-Controlled |
| PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed | Best Programmable Timer (No App Needed) |
| PetSafe 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder | Best for Multiple Daily Meals |
| Cat Mate C500 Automatic 5-Bowl Pet Feeder | Best for Multi-Day Trips Away |
| hipidog Automatic Food and Water Dispenser Set | Best 2-in-1 Food & Water |
| KHEARPSL Large Breed Automatic Gravity Dog Feeder | Best for Large Dogs & Outdoor Use |
| Cat Mate C200 2 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder | Best Budget Timed Feeder |
| PetSafe Automatic 2 Meal Pet Feeder | Best Simplest & Cheapest |
The Best Automatic Pet Feeders in NZ
1. i.Pet Automatic Pet Feeder 6L with Camera — Best with Camera
This i.Pet feeder is stocked and dispatched in New Zealand rather than shipped from overseas, and it’s the only pick in this guide with a built-in 1920×1080 HD camera with night vision, so you can actually see your pet at feeding time, not just guess.
The app lets you record short videos, take screenshots and record up to 10 seconds of your own voice to call your pet at mealtime, with real-time sharing so more than one person in the house can check in on the feed.
You can schedule 1-8 feeds a day with up to 10 portions per meal, and it runs on either mains power or batteries, so a power cut doesn’t mean a missed feed.
Pros
- Only camera-equipped feeder in this guide, with night vision and two-way audio
- NZ-stocked, no overseas import wait
- Dual power: mains or battery, keeps feeding through a power cut
Cons
- Dropship item shipped from Australia once ordered, ~15 working days
- Only 2.4GHz WiFi supported, not 5GHz
Key specs: 6L capacity, 1080p HD camera + night vision, 1-8 feeds/day, dual power (mains/battery).
2. i.Pet Automatic Pet Feeder 9L WiFi — Best Large Capacity (NZ Stocked)
The 9L version from the same i.Pet range drops the camera but steps up capacity, with up to 10 feeds a day and up to 20 portions per meal — enough to cover a large dog, multiple pets, or a longer trip away without refilling.
It uses the same WiFi app control as the camera model, with scheduled or manual feeding and a 10-second voice recording function to call your pet at mealtime.
Like the 6L version it runs on mains power or batteries, so a power cut doesn’t interrupt scheduled feeds.
Pros
- NZ-stocked, no overseas import wait
- 9L capacity with up to 20 portions per meal, the largest hopper in this guide
- Dual power: mains or battery
Cons
- No published reviews yet
- No camera, unlike the 6L version
Key specs: 9L capacity, WiFi app control, 1-10 feeds/day up to 20 portions, dual power.
3. PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder — Best WiFi & App-Controlled
PetSafe’s Smart Feed is built around full smartphone control: schedule up to 12 meals a day, dispense anywhere from 1/8 cup to 4 cups per feed, and use the Feed Now option to add an extra meal outside the normal schedule.
It sends alerts to your phone when your pet is fed, and separately when food levels run low or the hopper is empty, so you’re not caught out on the day it actually runs dry.
If your WiFi drops out, it still feeds on the schedule you’ve already set rather than skipping meals until the connection is back.
Pros
- Full smartphone scheduling with up to 12 meals a day
- Low-food and empty-hopper alerts sent straight to your phone
- Keeps feeding on schedule even if WiFi drops
Cons
- The most expensive pick in this guide
- Only 2 left in stock at time of writing
Key specs: WiFi + app control, up to 12 meals/day, 1/8 cup–4 cup portions, low-food sensor.
4. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed — Best Programmable Timer (No App Needed)
This one skips WiFi entirely in favour of a straightforward digital timer, aimed at pet owners who want scheduled feeding without setting up an app or a home network connection.
Portions are adjustable from 29ml right up to 940ml, and you can set up to 12 meals a day, which covers everything from small cats to larger dogs off one unit.
It comes apart for dishwasher cleaning, which matters more than it sounds once you’ve been hand-washing a feeder tray for a few months.
Pros
- 6,163 ratings at 4.3★, a strong track record
- No app or WiFi setup required, just a digital timer
- Portion range from 29ml to 940ml covers most pets
Cons
- No remote monitoring or phone alerts, unlike the WiFi models here
Key specs: Digital timer, up to 12 meals/day, 29ml–940ml portions, dishwasher-safe parts.
5. PetSafe 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder — Best for Multiple Daily Meals
This is PetSafe’s most-reviewed feeder in this guide, built around a simple rotating tray with 5 separate compartments, each holding up to 1 cup of dry or semi-moist food.
A digital clock schedules up to 5 meals a day, and the Feed Now button lets you dispense an extra portion without cancelling the next scheduled meal.
A suspend-feeding option is useful if you’re away and don’t want the next meal dispensing into an empty room — it pauses the schedule without losing your programmed settings.
Pros
- 10,683 ratings at 4.4★, the most reviewed pick in this whole guide
- 5 separate compartments for up to 5 scheduled meals a day
- Suspend-feeding option without losing your schedule
Cons
- Each compartment caps at 1 cup, less suited to large dogs needing bigger single portions
Key specs: 5-compartment rotating tray, up to 5 meals/day, 1 cup per compartment, digital clock.
6. Cat Mate C500 Automatic 5-Bowl Pet Feeder — Best for Multi-Day Trips Away
Cat Mate’s C500 is built specifically for being away longer than a day: it programs up to 4 automatic meals across separate bowls while keeping one bowl instantly available, covering weekend trips without a pet sitter.
A twin ice-pack system under the lid keeps wet food fresh for hours, addressing the main problem with timed wet-food feeders — food drying out or spoiling before the scheduled time.
The tamper-resistant lid design stops a determined cat or dog getting into tomorrow’s meal early, and every removable part is dishwasher-safe.
Pros
- 11,097 ratings at 4.4★, the most reviewed pick across this entire guide
- Twin ice-pack system keeps wet food fresh for hours
- Tamper-resistant design, genuinely stops early access to future meals
Cons
- 5-bowl carousel design is bulkier than a single-hopper feeder
Key specs: 5-bowl carousel, up to 4 scheduled meals + 1 always-available, twin ice-pack, dishwasher-safe.
7. hipidog Automatic Food and Water Dispenser Set — Best 2-in-1 Food & Water
Unlike the timed feeders in this guide, hipidog’s set uses simple gravity refill for both food and water — no electricity, no app, no schedule to program, just a hopper that tops up the bowl as your pet eats or drinks.
It ships as a pair: one food dispenser and one water dispenser, each holding roughly one gallon, enough for about a week for a cat or three days for a medium-sized pet.
Both dispensers use detachable, dishwasher-safe stainless steel bowls, and a wider-mouthed design is built specifically to stop dry food jamming as it drops.
Pros
- 400 ratings at 4.3★
- Covers both food AND water in one set, no electricity or app needed
- Stainless steel bowls, detachable and dishwasher-safe
Cons
- No scheduling or portion control, it’s gravity refill rather than a timed feeder
Key specs: 2-piece set (food + water), ~1 gallon each, gravity refill, stainless steel bowls.
8. KHEARPSL Large Breed Automatic Gravity Dog Feeder — Best for Large Dogs & Outdoor Use
This is the one feeder in this guide built specifically for large dogs and outdoor use: a 25lb-capacity galvanized steel hopper with a transparent gravity door, designed to withstand being left outside in the elements.
The gravity door is weighted so a dog can push it open easily, while the design is built to keep birds and other animals from getting into the food.
It can be wall-mounted or floor-standing, and handles on both sides make it easier to move or refill without wrestling a heavy, awkward container.
Pros
- 416 ratings at 4.3★
- 25lb capacity in weatherproof galvanized steel, genuinely built for outdoor use
- Transparent door lets you check food levels at a glance
Cons
- Gravity-fed only, no scheduling or portion timing like the electric feeders here
Key specs: 25lb capacity, galvanized steel, transparent gravity door, wall-mount or floor-standing.
9. Cat Mate C200 2 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder — Best Budget Timed Feeder
The C200 is Cat Mate’s simpler, more affordable model: two compartments rather than five, timed to give your pet breakfast or dinner on schedule even when you’re not home.
It carries over the same ice-pack freshness system and tamper-resistant lid from the larger C500, just in a smaller two-meal format aimed at a single missed feed rather than a full weekend away.
It’s the best-reviewed budget option in this guide, with a genuinely deep review history behind it.
Pros
- 6,687 ratings at 4.3★, well-proven at this price point
- Same ice-pack freshness and tamper-resistant lid as the pricier C500
- Simple 2-meal format covers most single missed-feed situations
Cons
- Only 2 meal slots, less flexible than the 5-meal or app-based options here
Key specs: 2-compartment, ice-pack freshness system, tamper-resistant lid, dishwasher-safe.
10. PetSafe Automatic 2 Meal Pet Feeder — Best Simplest & Cheapest
This is the simplest, cheapest feeder in the whole guide: two removable trays holding up to 1.5 cups each, run by a basic 48-hour timer rather than an app or digital display.
You can set it to feed two smaller meals in a day or one larger meal spread over two days, which covers the most common reason people buy a feeder in the first place — a single missed mealtime.
BPA-free trays go straight in the top rack of the dishwasher, and it’s sized for cats and small-to-medium dogs rather than large breeds.
Pros
- 2,400 ratings at 4.0★, a well-proven entry-level option
- The cheapest pick in this entire guide
- Simple 48-hour timer, nothing to configure via an app
Cons
- Best suited to cats and small-to-medium dogs, not large breeds
Key specs: 2 trays x 1.5 cups, 48-hour basic timer, BPA-free, dishwasher-safe.
How to Choose an Automatic Pet Feeder
Timed vs gravity feeding. Gravity feeders (like the hipidog and KHEARPSL picks here) just top up a bowl as your pet eats, with no schedule or portion control — simple and reliable, but not suited to a pet that needs to lose weight or eat at set times. Timed feeders dispense a set portion on a schedule, which matters far more if your vet has recommended portion control.
WiFi/app vs a basic digital timer. An app adds remote monitoring, low-food alerts and the ability to feed an extra meal from your phone while you’re out — genuinely useful if you travel, but it’s one more thing to set up and one more thing that can lose connection. A basic digital timer just runs the schedule you set, no network required.
Wet food needs an ice pack. If you’re feeding wet or semi-moist food on a timer, check for a built-in ice pack or cooling system like the Cat Mate picks here — without one, wet food left sitting for hours in a warm room isn’t appetising (or safe) by the time your pet gets to it.
Size the hopper to your pet, not just your budget. A 5L-9L hopper matters for a large dog or multiple pets; a small cat on one scheduled meal a day doesn’t need anywhere near that capacity, and a bigger hopper generally costs more to buy and to keep full.
Verdict
For most households, the PetSafe 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder is the safest choice — it has the deepest review history in this guide and covers most everyday scheduling needs. If you specifically want to see your pet at feeding time, the i.Pet 6L with Camera is the only camera-equipped option and ships from NZ stock. For a weekend away, the Cat Mate C500 and its ice-pack freshness system is the strongest pick, while large dogs living outdoors are better served by the KHEARPSL galvanized gravity feeder. On the tightest budget, the PetSafe Automatic 2 Meal feeder is the cheapest genuinely well-reviewed option here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are automatic pet feeders safe to leave unattended for a full day?
Most timed feeders in this guide are designed for exactly that — a scheduled feeder with a suspend option (like the PetSafe 5 Meal) or a multi-day design (like the Cat Mate C500) is built to be left unattended for a day or a weekend. Always test the schedule with your pet at home first before relying on it while you’re away.
Do I need WiFi or an app for an automatic feeder?
No — a basic digital-timer feeder like the PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed works entirely offline. WiFi and app control add remote monitoring, low-food alerts, and the ability to feed an extra meal from your phone, which matters more if you travel often or want visibility while you’re out.
Can automatic feeders handle wet food?
Some can, but check for a cooling or ice-pack system first — the Cat Mate feeders in this guide use a twin ice-pack design specifically to keep wet food fresh for hours. A feeder without cooling isn’t suited to wet or semi-moist food sitting out for an extended period.
What size feeder do I need for a large dog?
Look at hopper capacity in litres or pounds rather than just meal count — a large dog needs a bigger single portion than a cat or small dog, so a large-capacity gravity feeder (like the KHEARPSL pick here) or a 6-9L WiFi hopper is generally a better fit than a small multi-compartment tray feeder.
Will an automatic feeder stop my pet from overeating?
A timed feeder with portion control (rather than a gravity hopper) helps by dispensing a fixed amount on a schedule instead of leaving food available all day. It won’t stop a determined pet from begging elsewhere, but it removes the free-access overeating that a gravity bowl can encourage.
How do I clean an automatic pet feeder?
Most of the feeders in this guide have removable, dishwasher-safe trays or bowls — check the listing for this before buying, since hand-washing a feeder tray weekly gets old fast. Wipe down the base and any electronics with a damp cloth only, and let all parts dry fully before reassembling to avoid mould in a sealed hopper.
