Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Review
Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow
$35
Pros
- Good capacity
- Affordable
- Replacement pumps available
- Power Disconnect
Cons
- Noisier than most fountains
- Pump burns out prematurely
- Difficult to clean
Summary
The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow is a pretty basic pet fountain at a very affordable price. It might be a bit noisier than average, but your cats aren’t likely to mind.
Description / Features
The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow comes in 3 sizes (50-oz, 108-oz, 216-oz) and 2 colors (Black, Bleached Linen). While the 50 ounce fountain is designated as the “Cat Fountain” we think the 108 ounce, medium sized fountain is much more appropriate. The large 216 ounce fountain is definitely sized for dogs.
Size / Dimensions:
Small (50 oz): 7.6″W x 10.9″L x 5.2″H
Medium (108 oz): 9″W x 13.5″L x 7″H
Large (216 oz): 13.4″W x 17.4″L x 8″H
Our review will focus on the Medium sized 108 ounce capacity fountain. The plastic fountain features a large basin, removable reservoir, and a water slide. The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow has a flow control lever attached to the pump. Refilling the fountain can be accomplished via the reservoir or by pouring water directly into the basin. The activated carbon filter will need to be replaced monthly.
Functionality
The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow is a sleek looking fountain that has some nice design features. Unfortunately it also has some significant design flaws that might make this fountain more of a headache than it is worth. The motor noise alone is enough to scare some cats away. The removable reservoir is a nice feature that makes refilling this fountain pretty painless. We also like that it is clear, so you know exactly how much water is remaining. The pump has a flow setting that can be adjusted to get the desired level of water flow. The basin at the bottom is large enough for cats to drink from. We’ve found that most cats prefer to drink from a free-falling stream. But the water slide on this fountain is a pretty close alternative that is also much quieter.
Noise
Probably the largest complaint with this fountain is the noise. The water itself doesn’t make much of a sound thanks to the slide feature. But the motor vibrates quite a bit which makes a pretty noticeable humming noise.
Maintenance
The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow is a bit of a chore to clean. This fountain has quite a few nooks and crannies that make cleaning very difficult. And unlike other plastic pet fountains on the market, this particular fountain is not dishwasher safe.
A power-disconnect and cutout handholds makes moving this fountain a lot less cumbersome. Since this fountain utilizes water slides instead of free-falling water, there’s no splashing outside of the fountain.
This fountain is designed to be used with a carbon filter that should be replaced monthly. The small plastic strainer should also be cleaned frequently to prevent debris and hair from clogging the pump.
Quality / Longevity
The pump tends to be the most common point of failure in this fountain. Most low voltage fountain pumps should last several years if properly maintained. The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow pump on the other hand tends to burn out in less than a year, even when cleaned frequently.
Some customers have also complained that this fountain leaks. This doesn’t seem to be the case with all Deluxe Fresh Flow Fountains, but it might be a good idea to take extra precautions if you plan to put this fountain on hardwood floors.
Pros
- Good capacity
- Affordable
- Power disconnect
- Minimal water noise
Cons
- Very noisy motor
- Motor burns out very quickly
- Small crevices make it difficult to clean
- Some fountains tend to leak
Summary / Recommendations
The Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain is an affordable fountain that’s been on the market for quite a while. If Petmate was able to improve the quality of pump, this fountain would be hard to pass up for the price. But with the loud faulty pump issues it is hard for us to recommend investing any money in this particular fountain.
Instead, we recommend checking out the similarly designed PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. The Platinum Fountain has an external reservoir with even more capacity than the Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow and it is a lot quieter too!
Filters
Petmate’s filters cost between $1.30 and $2.00 each. Based on a monthly filter change, the annual cost of replacement filters for the Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow is $16 – $24.
Original Post Date: 9/13/16
