Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

5 Reviews

1. I guess I’ve had the Drinkwell Platinum for about a year now, and my cats do seem to like it. Overall, I think it’s a good product. Since I got it, the cats don’t run over anymore to try drinking from the faucet while I’m brushing my teeth, or from the toilet when they hear it flush. (Yecch!)

   I quickly decided the carbon filters were gimicky, and the unit doesn’t need them to operate, so out they went. I also read reviews about the “water garden” or whatever they call it, decided it sounded like a mess and gave it a pass, so I’ve just got the basic unit–no frills.

   Cleaning it is kind of a pain, but it has to be done every week or so, or the well gets slimy. When that happens, the cats stop drinking their water. I can’t say I blame them.

   At first, each cleaning took over a half hour and involved water getting splashed around. Once I learned how all the parts come apart and fit back together, I got faster at it. It probably takes me about 15 minutes total (or maybe a little less) to disassemble, clean, and refill the unit. That’s not too bad. I did purchase the additional cleaning kit. The long bottle brush-type tool with the short plastic bristles is very useful for cleaning the tube that fits into the pump–in fact, I’m not sure how I would clean that without the tool. I wish I could buy that piece separately, because the other two brushes are pretty generic and replaceable.

   Speaking of cleaning, a couple of gripes: They should have made the water reservoir so it stands up on its own for filling and cleaning. Also, because of the shape of the reservoir and the narrow mouth, I don’t know how you’re supposed to clean the inside thoroughly. The mouth is too small to reach a hand into, and a bottle brush won’t flex enough to get into the corners. I swish hot soapy water around and hope for the best, but it’s not a user-friendly design. The pump is fidgety to clean too. It’s made to come apart, but the seam is very tight and there’s nothing to grip, nor any pry slot or notch to help get it started. With weak, short fingernails like mine, that makes it really hard to get the thing open. A very thin paring knife helps, but over time that’s starting to gouge the hard plastic.

   After a year of use, I can feel that the inside of the well is getting “rough” around the water line. I thought it might be hard water buildup, but cleaning with vinegar had no effect. It feels as if the plastic is actually deteriorating a little, and it looks slightly discolored (yellowish) just at and a little above the water line. I think for the price they could have made the well from a better quality of plastic or even stainless steel.

   Even so, I think the fountain is a good investment for my cats’ health. I’ve read that cats fed dry food need to be encouraged to drink water since they don’t get any moisture from their food. That makes sense, so it makes me happy to see them drinking from their fountain. They do definitely prefer running water, and will run over to drink when I’ve just cleaned and refilled the fountain.

   Sometimes the fountain gets a little noisy. It makes a vibrating hum like a fish tank. I guess that would be the pump, then. It seems worse when the reservoir is almost empty. Sometimes adding water to the reservoir, nudging the unit, repositioning it a little, or fiddling with the water flow adjustment helps quiet it down. If not, it doesn’t seem to bother the cats and I’ve learned to ignore it.

   If the Drinkwell stops working tomorrow, I’ll probably buy another one. On the other hand, I really hope this one holds out until they (hopefully!) make a newer model that’s easier to clean.

2. This is our third pet fountain over the past few years. I never expect them to last “forever” so am generally pleased if I get at least 2 years out of a fountain. Having previously owned the Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain with extra reservoir and (most recently) Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Jumbo, Bleached Linen, I am pleased with my “upgrade” to this fountain.

   What we like:

   *The stream of water flows freely, which the cats like (after they got used to the idea…quite a few wet sneezes…) and seems to stay cleaner (i.e. less slimy) than the Petmate fountain slide.

   *The reservoir is large and lasts several days, even with 3 thirsty cats. The reservoir is also easy to fill (the screw off cap is much easier) and the large opening allows me to add ice cubes in the hot summer months.

   *Quiet motor. By far, the quietest of the three fountains I have owned.

   *Decent quality/price of replacement filters.

   I always encourage others to get pet fountains for their cats, especially if the cats have a tendency to “seek out” fresh water (toilets, sinks, etc). I’ve also been reminded time and again that male cats (especially) need plenty of water. I have been pleased with this fountain, and my cats took right to it as a replacement for their previous fountain. We all recommend it!

3. My pets, cat & dog, enjoy their new fountain. The doxie drinks from the bowl and Miss Kitty goes wild over the running stream of water. Seems they are both drinking much more than they used to and this is a very healthy thing! I would have given 5 stars, if maintainance were a bit easier, however, cleaning IS only once a week.

4. Pros:

   - Diswasher safe

   - Easy to put in the dishwasher

   - Dog loves it!

   - Don’t have to refill very often

   - Quiet

   Cons:

   - Dog splashes water (we got a rubber backed bath mat for under it)

   We *had* a big problem with my dog drinking out of the toilet. I did a little research and we purchased this fountain — and our problem is gone. Our lab/min pin mix mutt (35lbs) loves this fountain. She was picky about fresh water before and would drink from the toilet or demand fresh water (barking and whining at her water bowl) when we had one of the bowls with a big jug attached. We still get the convenience of the reservoir and it’s just as easy to wash as her old bowl — just pop out the filter and the pump and put the rest in the dishwasher. I can’t say enough great things, we’ve had ours for almost a year and it’s great!

5. I wasn’t sure if my cats would like this since they are afraid of running water. I got it because they refuse to drink stale water and learned if they knocked over their water dispenser new water would come out. It was a gamble but it is perfect. All three of them love to drink from the fountain and I’ve noticed they drink more water now. Definitely worth the gamble and worth the money! I recommend this to anyone with any pet!!

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