Xiaomi is known to produce everything. It is difficult to name a gadget that is not in its range. There are even devices for pets – namely, a smart feeder and a drinking fountain. We have tested both of these devices and are ready to share our impressions. Let’s start with the Xiaomi Smart Pet Feeder, an automatic feeder that can be controlled via a mobile app.
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Price and target audience
Xiaomi’s Smart Pet Feeder costs ∼$110, which is a lot, but not a lot considering the benefits and quality. In my opinion, this device is primarily useful for those owners who are often away from home. It gives food, sends notifications, and the food is always fresh and does not “go off”.
And in my case, a smart feeder will come in handy for those whose cats, as they say, eat everything that isn’t nailed down. Or if they need to lose weight. My cat, found on the street, seems to have suffered a “childhood” trauma, so he wants to eat ALWAYS and is ready to eat as much as he sees.
Previously, I had cats who could be left with a bowl of food and ate a little bit whenever they wanted. But with this “troglodyte” I had no choice! I couldn’t stay at home all day and give him food in small portions, so I decided to buy a device that would do it for me.
In my case, it’s a Catit Pixi Smart Feeder, a device from Xiaomi that hadn’t been released at the time of purchase. But from my testing experience, I can say that there is no particular difference between the devices – the principle is the same. The only difference is that the Xiaomi feeder is larger.
Another interesting point is that the 5 g portions selected in the apps are different. Catit’s is an “honest” 5 grams, Xiaomi’s is almost 15! The company answers this question on its website – they say that each food manufacturer has granules of different sizes and composition, hence the difference. Nevertheless, it is better to weigh everything personally and adjust the feeding schedule based on this, especially if your cat is prone to obesity.
I would like to add that the device is designed not only for cats but also for small dogs (up to 40 cm) – the bowl is large and deep. It is not recommended only for animals under 3 months of age, as the bowl may be too high for them, and they should eat under the supervision of their owners.
And one more thing – the device is probably unnecessary in homes with more than one pet. Simply because one of them may eat more food than the others, and you can’t control this in any way.
Xiaomi Smart Pet Food Feeder specifications
- Colour: white
- Material: 304 stainless steel, plastic
- Bowl capacity: 3.6 litres (1.8 kg of dry food)
- The diameter of the pellets: 5-12 mm
- Dimensions and weight: 311×180×387 mm, 3 kg
- Suitable for: cats, dogs of small and medium breeds
- Power supply: cable, battery (emergency)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz
- Application: Xiaomi Home
Package contents
In the bulky box you will find a feeder, a 1.5 m long nylon braided power cable, a filter for the lid, a warranty and an instruction manual.
The braided cable is a plus for its durability. But even if your pet decides to nibble on it, nothing will happen – the voltage is 5.9 V and the current is low – 1.0 A, which is quite safe for animals.
Here is the content of the instructions, which may be useful to someone:
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Design, suitable forage
The appliance is made of matte white plastic, which is not smudgy. It is quite large, you will have to find a place for it in a small kitchen.
The bowl is made of AISI 304 stainless steel, which means it is suitable for food. It is easy to remove and clean as dry food leaves greasy marks.
The feeder itself consists of two main parts – a “column” and a block with a bowl, which is attached with magnets and holds perfectly in place.
The top cover of the device is removable, with a special silicone for tight closure, under it there is a filter to keep the feed dry (the manufacturer recommends changing it once a month) and the container for dry feed itself.
The container has a volume of 3.6 litres and can hold up to 1.8 kg of food. Depending on the animal’s appetite, this will be enough for 15-20 days.
We can’t see the feed dispenser itself, but the manufacturer assures us that the hidden dispenser ensures the freshness of the food and prevents animals from reaching it, for example, with their paws (and my troglodyte tried to, see photos below).
The device works with dry food with a diameter of 5 mm (slightly larger than a pencil) to 12 mm (slightly smaller than an AA battery).
In this case, the pieces should be oval or rounded – not in the form of stars, squares, triangles or anything else (I rarely see such food, but it is worth keeping in mind).
There were no problems with feeding during the test. Even if the pieces created a “blockage”, the device scrolled the mechanism several times in different directions and everything fell out successfully, much to the cat’s delight.
The mechanism itself works quietly (but the cat can hear it perfectly well even from the far room and immediately runs to eat), but the pieces of dry food falling into the metal bowl with a loud ringing sound is something to keep in mind. However, my family and I got used to it and stopped noticing this sound even at night.
On the top cover of Xiaomi Smart Pet Feeder, there is a button that can be pressed to “ask” the device to give out an additional portion of food.
There are three light indicators on the front panel. The top one is responsible for the Wi-Fi connection status, the middle one will notify you of problems with the dispenser, and the bottom one lights up if the feed runs out (the container has a special sensor).
The rear panel has a removable cover with a cable recess and a power connector in the recess. The power supply with the cable fits in it completely.
The bottom of the feeder has anti-slip feet and a battery compartment. The device can be powered by four AA batteries in emergency mode (in case of a power outage) for about a week. However, it must be connected to the mains all the time.
The manufacturer recommends disassembling and cleaning the device from time to time, which is not difficult.
Let me remind you once again that Xiaomi recommends changing the dehumidifying filter once a month. You can buy them, for example, on Aliexpress. And the feed stirrer – once every three months (I don’t know what is done to it, but it must be something).
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Mobile app and settings
Xiaomi Smart Pet Feeder is equipped with Wi-Fi and connects to the Xiaomi Home app. To download the app, just enter the name in the app directory or simply scan the QR code from the instructions.
To put the feeder into pairing mode, remove the top cover and press the recessed reset button with something thin (for example, a paper clip or SIM card ejector). The Wi-Fi indicator will start blinking blue, and in the Xiaomi Home app, switch to the add device mode and connect the feeder to Wi-Fi. Only 2.4 GHz networks are supported, so if you have already switched to the 5 GHz band, you will have to create an additional network.
The app has a clever option to create an automatic feeding schedule, which requires you to enter data about the animal – breed, sex, age, weight, etc., and optionally data about the composition of the feed. However, I wouldn’t recommend using this, as the app works haphazardly and gives too much feed.
The best solution is to create your own schedule based on the dosage information on the food packaging. And at the same time, weigh the size of one serving on the scales, because 5 g in the Xiaomi app is not always 5 g in reality, as I found out.
There can be a maximum of 30 servings in one feeding. For example, my cat eats 4 times a day, receiving a double portion in the morning and evening. He is “on a deficit”, that is, he is trying (or rather, we are trying unsuccessfully to achieve this) to lose weight.
Oh, and on a funny note, the localisation of the Xiaomi Home app into different languages traditionally leaves much to be desired. For example, in the Polish version, the cat breeds include Obdartus (“shitty cat”), which made us all laugh for 15 minutes. In the English version, it’s ragamuffin, a variation on the ragdoll theme. But for some reason, the Ragdoll is not on the list of breeds.
It should be noted that the feeder will continue to work even if it loses its Wi-Fi connection – it will simply dispense food according to a set schedule.
In the app’s settings, you can enable child lock (the food will not fall out after pressing the button on the body), check the filter’s service life, and turn off the Wi-Fi indicator (although it is not bright enough). The app also has a button for dispensing an “extra” portion of food.
Each portion is recorded in the log, and you can receive push notifications about this, as well as when, for example, the food is running out or the dispenser is clogged (the latter has never happened to me, by the way).
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Conclusions
It is definitely not a gadget for everyone. But for those owners who often go away for a short time, it is a useful thing. And also for those whose cat (or small dog) has to eat a limited amount of food. It’s much better to buy and set up a smart feeder than to feed your pet small portions of food several times a day.
Xiaomi’s Smart Pet Feeder is quick to set up, and even a beginner won’t get confused. The device is easy to maintain and very stable – no problems arose during the 3-week test.
Yes, for this money, you can find options from lesser-known brands and even with features like a camera or speaker, but is it really necessary? We recommend a reliable automatic feeder with integration into the popular Xiaomi Home ecosystem!
Where to buy Xiaomi Smart Pet Feeder
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