Philips Pet Fountain: the pet water fountain that sets the pace

It's Philips' turn to launch into connected objects designed to take care of the good nutrition of our animals. In its Pet Series range, the manufacturer currently offers a connected kibble dispenseras well as a fountain, which is in question here. This is not really connected, but offers a few elements that make it interesting to analyze.

A nice design and a motion sensor as the main arguments

Sold at the fairly reasonable price of €45 (unlike the distributor's €160…), this fountain has a capacity of 2.2 liters and obviously includes a pump so that the water is in motion in order to encourage the cats to drink. With its contained dimensions (around 18 cm in circumference and a little less in height), it can also be used for small dogs. The water does not overflow from the bowl and its flow is satisfactory.

The device plugs in via a supplied USB-C cable and power supply. No battery system to take over in the event of a power outage. And this is a real problem, because even if the power comes back, you have to press the button on the fountain for it to start working again. If you are not at home, this is problematic.

The design is obviously a matter of taste, but it is difficult to find fault with the black and semi-transparent dress of this fountain. We might have preferred metal rather than plastic (ABS), but the price would not have been the same. The finishes are impeccable and rubber pads prevent (a little) slipping. We also appreciate the presence of a diode on the pump, which then slightly illuminates the water blue when it is active.

The main advantage of this product compared to most models found on the market is the integration of a motion sensor. Very responsive and with an appreciable range (but not adjustable, unfortunately), it automatically activates the pump when it detects movement. This allows less use of the latter which is thus not permanently lit, while it is completely silent. Only an occasional slight sound of water can be heard.

On top of the sensor there is therefore a button. In addition to initially turning on the pump, this allows you to choose between two cycles so that it activates periodically over a short period (every 30 minutes or 2 hours) in order to circulate the water. This button also flashes orange to green when the fountain is almost empty, while in this situation the pump glass may also light up red. In this situation, when there is no longer enough water, the pump automatically deactivates so as not to be damaged. Finally, under the sensor, a light diode is also there to indicate when it is active.

A very honest first solution

A circular carbon filter is present in the box to take care of water filtering. No complicated assembly, just drop it into the water and put the fountain top back in place. This is a fairly standard filter model and easy to find commercially for replacement. This is recommended every 30 days and it is possible to register (and not connect) the fountain in the Philips Pets Smarts mobile application to benefit from monitoring. A real connection with the app to monitor the frequency of visits of the cats to the fountain would have been a real plus.

Finally, cleaning is almost ideal. Almost, because although it is very simple to dismantle the different elements on top of the fountain, the pump and the motion detector are attached to the tank. It is therefore impossible to clean it with plenty of water or in the dishwasher. Nothing dramatic, but a shame.

With its quality plastics and its motion detector which should reduce wear on the pump, the main advantage on paper of this product compared to the competition is therefore its lifespan. It was impossible during our handling of a few days to verify this. In any case, both humans and cats were seduced by Philips' silent proposal, even if a slightly more high-end model in metal, connected and more configurable would not be a bad idea.