- The Best Dog Bowl
- 1. Outward Hound Slow Feeding Dog Bowl
- 2. AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Dog Bowl
- 3. Pet Zone Elevated Dog Feeder
- 4. COMSUN Collapsible Dog Bowls
- 5. URPOWER Stainless Steel No-Spill Dog Bowls
- 6. Bone Dry Ceramic Dog Bowls
- 7. Van Ness Pureness Heavyweight Crock Dog Bowl
- 8. MidWest Homes for Pets Snap’y Fit Dog Bowl
- 9. Dogit Go Slow Anti-Gulping Dog Bowl
- 10. Bergan Standard Dog Bowl
No two bowls are created equal. You want the best nutrition and health for your pup, but what you might not know is that a poor choice in a dog bowl can actually lead to health concerns for your dog. Dog food bowls shouldn’t be a hassle to choose, but since they are, we’ve devised this list of the top ten dog bowls on the market that will be the best fit for your pooch. There have been recalls due to lead in plastic, radioactive qualities in stainless steel bowls (which is so absurd that it should never even happen), and manufacturers continue to use loose laws to produce bowls that are barely above a passing grade. Let’s cut through the fluff, and take a look at the very best dog bowls you can get for your pup.
The Best Dog Bowl
1. Outward Hound Slow Feeding Dog Bowl
Key Features
BPA, PVC and phthalate-free construction
Non-slip base
Designed to slow feed your dog for weight management
Improves your dog’s digestion
Is Fido a bit of an overeater? Most dogs overeat because they aren’t taught how to control their hunger as pups, which is why Outward Hound found the perfect in-between solution. This slow feeding dog bowl comes with different layers, designed to hold standard sized bits of kibble. This means your dog has to work for it instead of just digging their nose into a huge hill of their favorite food.
It also comes with a non-slip base to prevent food spillage all over your nice clean floors. Help your dogs eat slower, manage their weight better, and stay safer. Outward Hound uses materials that are free of BPA, PVC and phthalate. That means no more toxins mingling with your pup’s chow, which helps you sleep better at night, and safeguards their health without a second thought.
2. AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Dog Bowl
Key Features
Holds 38 ounces of food or water
Overlapping rubber base prevents tipping
Dishwasher safe
Rust-resistant stainless steel construction
Amazon always finds a way to simplify purchase options, thanks to their AmazonBasics product lineup. In the spirit of providing a hassle-free eating and drinking experience for your dog, they crafted this rust-resistant, stainless steel dog bowl to get the job done. No fuss, no muss, and no mess. Thanks to the overlapping rubber design along the bottom, this stays put on the floor, and holds a ton of resistance against the force of your dog sliding up against the bowl. It won’t tip over for anything.
Even with that high-density rubber, this is entirely dishwasher safe. We recommend putting it on the top rack to prevent rubber deterioration over time, but even if that starts to wear down, you’ll still get years of use out of this bowl. Hold up to thirty-eight ounces of food or water, and offer your pup the perfect alternative to low-grade plastic dog bowls.
3. Pet Zone Elevated Dog Feeder
Key Features
Includes two rust-resistant stainless steel bowls
Tray is adjustable to three different heights
Elevation reduces food and water spillage
Easy to store, less stress on your dog’s neck
This concept is just marvellous, and Pet Zone pulled it off wonderfully. This elevated dog feeder comes in three different colors, adjusts to three different heights, and provides a great solution for feeding your dog. Because the platform is elevated, your pup won’t be straining their neck by bending down to the bowl quite so much. This benefit obviously varies depending on your dog’s size. You’re giving them more comfort while they enjoy their favorite dog food.
Beyond that, the two bowls that are includes are both rust-resistant stainless steel, so there’s no BPA or PVC to worry about. Steel is one of the safest options for your pup. You can fold this up for easy storage in no time, and position it up against the kitchen cabinet or wall to prevent spillage. You’ll get a cleaner kitchen floor, and they’ll get more neck support and comfort during feeding time.
4. COMSUN Collapsible Dog Bowls
Key Features
Collapsible silicone shell
BPA-free
Works excellently with travelling
Total of 12 fl ounces
We’ve shown you the very best stainless steel dog bowls, but now it’s time to look at some inexpensive options that give you a little more versatility. Silicone has its place, and with these collapsible dog bowls, it’s implemented to work well with the frequent traveller. If you find yourself bringing your pup camping with you or you’re stopping in pet-friendly hotels, this pop-up bowl is the perfect solution. Simply extend the silicone to provide a twelve ounce dish, and presto.
We mentioned camping: this includes a color coordinated D-ring to hook onto the lip of the bowl, and connect directly onto your backpack. The silicone is made free from BPA and other harmful ingredients, and is tested to ensure there’s no lead contamination from the manufacturer’s material sources. It’s a cheap option backed by a trusted brand, and fitted with a 100% money-back guarantee: what’s there to lose?
5. URPOWER Stainless Steel No-Spill Dog Bowls
Key Features
Includes two 26 oz bowls
Stainless steel construction
No-skid and no-flip bone-shaped silicone base
Perfect for dogs up to 70 lbs
The last thing you want is to come home after a long day, and find kibble and water all over your kitchen floor. URPOWER designed this bone-shaped double dog bowl to prevent that from ever happening again. You get two twenty-six ounce stainless steel bowls, which fit perfectly into the silicone base. That base means no more skidding or slipping on the floor, while the overlapping design also prevents your pup(s) from tipping and spilling their chow all over the floor.
Whether you’re throwing it in the dishwasher or cleaning it by hand, the smooth interior makes this extremely simple to clean, even when there’s a few bits of inflated dry food floating around in the water. Stainless steel gives your pup a safer option for food and water, while remaining durable. You won’t need to replace these for well over a decade.
6. Bone Dry Ceramic Dog Bowls
Key Features
No-skid bottom design
Durable ceramic construction, FDA and Prop 65 compliant
Two bowls to a set
Extremely easy to clean
Cleaning a dirty dog dish is among one of the last things any of use want to be doing. You’ve come home from work, you’re tired, you don’t want to tend to the dish. Bone Dry designed this two bowl set out of ceramic, which is one of the easiest materials you’ll ever clean anything out of. Apart from being simple to clean, they also come in over a dozen classic designs and fun textures, giving you a range of options outside of the standard look of stainless steel and bright colors of plastic.
You’ll also benefit from the no-skid bottom. No more spilled water or kibble on the floor, unless your dog bulldozes themselves into the dish. It takes an absolute ton of force to get this thing to budge, unless you pop one finger beneath the rubber base. Best of all, ceramic is a 100% safe material, and Bone Dry ensures this set is FDA and Prop 54 compliant. Nothing’s going to get in between your pup and a healthy food dish.
7. Van Ness Pureness Heavyweight Crock Dog Bowl
Key Features
52 fl ounce capacity
Made of heavyweight ceramic
FDA-approved material construction
Designed for larger dogs
Ever owned a Crock-Pot? Those heavy, ceramic, unbreaking interior sections were the inspiration for this excellent dog bowl. You’re not dealing with rubber or silicone on the bottom, just the weight of the dog dish to keep it in place. If you’ve got yourself one behemoth of a dog, you know that getting them the right amount of food and water can be a chore. With Pureness, you’ll be delivering fifty-two ounces of food and water per bowl.
Everything is completely FDA-approved, from the materials down to the finish. This heavy stoneware and ceramic dish can be knocked around without chipping or breaking, so you won’t have to worry about your rough and rowdy pup knocking into it. Trust us: this dish can take it.
8. MidWest Homes for Pets Snap’y Fit Dog Bowl
Key Features
Included clip works well with kennel doors
Holds up to two quarts of food or water
Eco-friendly stainless steel design
One-year warranty from manufacturer
This one’s a ton of fun. Not only do you get a massive two quart capacity, but there’s also a clip that lets you snap this bowl right onto the door of your dog’s kennel. Whether it’s for travel or staying with a buddy during your trip, you’ll be able to offer your dog more comfort and consistent nutrition while in their kennel. Simply remove the clip and place this on the floor for a standard dish: a perfect two-in-one solution.
This bowl is fully dishwasher safe, and the tall sides give your messy eaters a bit more room to be themselves without leaving you with additional cleanup afterwards. MidWest knows you’re going to love this dish for your pup, but in case you don’t, they’ve also included a one-year warranty on all parts, so you can put the clip system to the test. If you’re looking for a smaller solution, this bowl comes in eight different sizes, each with the same great latch.
9. Dogit Go Slow Anti-Gulping Dog Bowl
Key Features
40.5 ounce capacity
Fully dishwasher safe
Designed to slow your dog’s eating and improve digestion
Overlapping rubber bottom prevents tipping
Plastic isn’t our first choice, but Dogit made this bowl out of safe materials, and an anti-gulping design that helps your pup with their digestion. If you have a messy eater, a dog that just gets in there and eats as quickly as possible, then this unique design will provide them with a few roadblocks, and force them to eat at a slower pace.
It won’t retrain them, but it will help prevent digestion problems and constipation. You’ll also have a massive forty-ounce capacity, so you won’t have to refill this three times just so that they can get their fill. Pop this in the dishwasher to clean the entire thing, including the rubber bottom that prevent skidding and spilling. It’s an excellent option that stands up to rough pups.
10. Bergan Standard Dog Bowl
Key Features
Designed to hold 11 cups of dry food
Rust-resistant stainless steel construction
High walls assist messy eaters
This is fairly straightforward, but Bergan’s simple approach couldn’t be ignored. This stainless steel dog bowl is perfect for either dry food (of which is can hold eleven cups) or water, and looks to outlast the previous plastic and silicone bowls that your dog was using before.
While it’s completely dishwasher safe and rust-resistant, it’s also designed to help messy eaters. You can’t retrain your dog to eat slower, but with the high walls of Bergan’s stainless steel dog bowl, they’ll be more immersed in their dish. That means less kibble on the floor, and less cleanup for you to tend to after feeding time.
Best Dog Bowl Buying Guide & FAQ
So what goes into the best dog bowls? That’s what we’re here to tell you. Pet bowls can have more than one functionality, they come in a crazy variety of materials, and it can get a bit confusing. We’re here to shed some light on the structural differences between large dog bowls and no-slip bottoms, explain our top picks, and help you decide on the best bowl for your dog.
What to Consider When Buying a Dog Bowl
- Materials
We’ll say it time and time again: stainless steel is always going to be your best option. We’ve listed some plastic and silicone dog bowls in this list, and they are absolutely great picks that we stand behind. That being said, you’ll find that a vast majority of cheap plastic dog bowls aren’t designed with BPA-free guarantees or Prop 65 compliance. Look at the materials, and side with steel when available.
- Design
The design dictates use. Look for collapsible bowls if you’re a traveller, folding trays if you want the bowls out of sight when guests are over. Most importantly, look for digestion-helping designs that cut down on overeating. You’ll notice our top pick has a series of rings designed to help your dog slow down, which promotes a better digestive system, and reduces stress or discomfort, as well as constipation.
- No-Slip Grip
This is essential if you have a bigger dog. We’ve all seen the bowl in the middle of the floor before and wondered, “Just how did it get there?” Your bigger pup is having a fun time skidding their bowl around while they chow down. No-slip grips are also going to help cut down on wasted food and water.
- Anti-Tipping Design
You’ll find these often coincide with a no-slip grip. These are usually overlapping lips of rubber that encircle the bowl, and prevent it from tipping over when your dog goes to eat from it. If your pup is big and is known to rush at their bowl, this could be your saving grace.
- Dishwasher Safe
This is a given with just about any stainless steel models, but not all plastic is dishwasher safe. This is a minor benefit, but if you don’t hand-wash dishes, you should keep this high on your priority list. Keep in mind that just because a primary material is dishwasher safe, it doesn’t mean the rubber on the bottom is.
- Recall History
In 2012, Petco had to order a recall because their steel bowls were radioactive. How does that even happen? One recall in a brand’s history is good: it means they pay attention and put consumer health and awareness over their brand’s image. Half-a-dozen recalls in just as many years? Not exactly reassuring.
What Your Dog Bowl Should Be Made of
Certain components that used to be found in plastic, silicone and even ceramic finishes, are normally no longer practiced. Things like BPA, PVC, and other harmful chemicals and components like lead, have all been stricken from the list of acceptable materials. Let’s break down the benefits and drawbacks of each material.
- Ceramic dog bowls are safe and extremely effective, but more breakable than a stainless steel bowl. In recent years, resin finishes have become completely eco-friendly, BPA-free and even Prop 65 compliant. You’ll find that most ceramic dog dishes are safe to use, and weighted to prevent careless spillage.
- Plastic dog bowls are a bit more volatile. They’re going to show scratches and damage a lot easier, but they’re also going to save you a pretty penny when it comes to checkout time. Plastic bowls require you to pay far more attention to additives like BPA and other chemical fillers, as well as lead. Just be on the lookout.
- Stainless steel dog bowls have relatively no downside. Most are rust-resistant, dishwasher safe and have no fear of BPA, PVC or other harmful materials. You could also hit these things with a truck and they’re not going to dent, break or show any signs of wear. Stainless steel dog bowls can sometimes cost twice the price of plastic, but will certainly outlast just about everything else that you’ve purchased for your dog.
- Silicone dog bowls, which are usually collapsible, are okay for camping or travel, but shouldn’t be used as a permanent solution. You’ll see these for a price that makes you think you’re getting away with robbery, but that’s exactly when we remember the most important law of finding any product: you get what you pay for. Don’t expect them to last forever.
It comes down to preference and playing around with different materials. We recommend going the stainless steel route.
You may also like our articles on Automatic Dog Feeders and Dog Food Containers.
Different Types of Dog Bowls
These work excellently for a quick cleanup, and a way to prevent neck pain and fatigue from your dogs. If they spend a lot of time at the bowl and they’re not fast eaters, then they’re spending three to six minutes, multiple times per day, craning their neck in an uncomfortable position. If you did that at your desk right now, you’d cave after about thirty seconds. Elevated dishes work as great dog water bowls and food serving trays, giving them everything they need without the added neck pain. Most of these also have adjustable legs for multiple heights. Take a look at our reviews of heated water bowls and dog water fountains for more options.
- Collapsible Dog Bowls
These are always going to be made out of silicone, and aren’t equipped to last for very long. The major benefit behind these comes down to travel and camping. When you’re trying to use a set amount of space in a backpack or a suitcase, you can use all the additional room possible, and these fold up small. You don’t want to use these as a permanent in-home solution, but they get the job done.
If your dog eats too quickly and suffers digestive issues as a result, this is the blessing you’ve been looking for. They come in many different designs, but each are created to force your dog to slow down while eating. This can be thanks to grooves found throughout the interior material, or certain ways that the trays are angled, but they are designed to aid in digestion.
Our Top Pick
Finding the best dog bowls can sound a bit subjective. After all, what really goes into a top dog bowl? Outward Hound hit the nail on the head, providing a solution to more than one problem. We chose them for our top pick based on their genuine belief that your dog shouldn’t have to compromise on their health in any fashion: slow feeding controls weight and improves digestion, while the actual build itself contains no harmful ingredients, holds up against time, and has the same non-slip grip that we all look for in quality dog bowls. In short, they provided the most innovative and quality solution, and that’s a fact that can’t be ignored.
FAQ
Q: How Should I Clean my Dog Bowl?
Even if your dog’s bowl is dishwasher safe, you’re still going to want to take extra precautions to ensure it’s completely clean. If you’re really thorough and want to inspect the dish before serving it, consider hand-washing it with a simple dishwashing soap and hot water solution. If you have a dishwasher, place the clean bowl on the top rack and turn on the dry setting. You’ll essentially steam sanitize the bowl to perfection.
If that’s not really your style, you can try using a sanitizing agent, such as distilled white vinegar. There are tons of inexpensive solutions you can get from the grocery store without having to spend five or more dollars on a spray bottle from some company. Use a sanitizing agent to wipe the bowl clean, then wipe it dry to remove any odors (dogs will pick up on vinegar).
So long as you’re ensuring there’s no particles left over from the previous use, and everything is sanitized, then you’ll be right as rain to serve your dog in that dish.
Q: Should I Disinfect my Dog Bowl?
Do you disinfect your own plates and bowls? You don’t need to apply a disinfectant spray, but you should sterilize your dog’s bowl. We can go back and forth about germ content in your dog’s saliva all day, but that’s not the goal here. Everyone deserves to eat off of a clean surface.
Regardless of where you get your information concerning saliva, moisture is moisture, and that has been proven to breed bacteria. Bacterial buildup can happen from clean water in a dog dish that’s been left out for too long, and can absolutely happen from saliva sitting in the dry food dish from a messy eater. Sterilize just like you would do to your own dishes, and your pup will be fine.
Q: Will my Dog Be Able to Knock it Over?
Out of what we’ve selected in this list, most of them have anti-tipping rubber rings along the bottom. These are overlapping layers of rubber that not only keep the bowl secure on the ground, but also work to provide traction when pressure is applied from various angles. Basically, if your dog bumps into the bowl from any side, the rubber ring will prevent it from tipping over.
Keep in mind that this isn’t just matter-of-fact. If you have a dog that’s over 90 lbs, it is most definitely going to be able to tip over a lightweight, twenty-two ounce capacity dog bowls. Scale it up to your dog size, and take the capacity and bowl weight into consideration as well. The size will usually follow your dog’s weight anyway, since you’ll be required to put more food into each feeding.
Q: Are Dog Dishes Microwave Safe?
In almost every situation, they are not microwave safe. If you’re preparing foods for them that aren’t kibbel or out of a can, then you’ll be better off using a griddle or cooking them on the stove.
We all know that steel can’t go in a microwave, but the primary reason for other materials not being allowed in the microwave is pretty harrowing. Even when plastic doesn’t contain BPA and other harmful chemical ingredients, plastic at its most fundamental core, is just solidified oil. When you microwave it, color dyes and strengthening components leak into your dog’s food.
While these aren’t harmful when in contact with that food, such as the food just resting in the bowl, this essentially bleeds those dyes and chemicals into the food. Your dog ingests them, and it’s not good for their health. It’s the same reason you’ll see that most tupperware states it’s not microwave safe.