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Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

About.com Rating 4.5

By Franny Syufy, About.com

Photo of Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

Photo Credit: Courtesy of PriceGrabber

The Bottom Line

The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain has received mixed reviews everywhere I've seen them. However, after my own experience, it is entirely possible that most problems are of the user error nature, usually from improper maintenance. When properly cleaned and maintained, Drinkwell Platinum operates completely as advertised.
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Pros

  • Adjustable control for water flow
  • Water reservoir is easy to remove and refill
  • 2-part electrical cord simplifies unplugging for cleaning

Cons

  • Water reservoir does not always fit closely in its track

Description

  • All parts of the unit are dishwasher-safe (top rack only!)
  • Over one gallon capacity
  • Nearly silent operation (when maintained properly)
  • Pre-filter helps keep hair and food debris from entering chamber
  • Utilizes a 3-Layer Filter (replacements available)

Guide Review - Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

I purchased a Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for my three male cats some time ago, when I read that the motor was far superior to the one used in earlier Drinkwell fountains, which had resulted in numerous customer complaints.

The boys loved it and so did my son, who was in charge of its maintenance. I decided to purchase a second one, for my Jenny, who presently makes her home in the master bedroom

It worked great for awhile, almost completely silent, as advertised. Then one night I was awakened in the wee hours by a clattering, "sucking" sound. After refilling the reservoir, the bowl started overflowing. This experience led to an initially unenthusiastic review.

I've learned since that the prefilter must be cleaned out regularly of hair and other debris. This is a simple process of pulling out the debris and rinsing well with running water. An old toothbrush may also be used. Also, the charcoal filter (which may be optionally removed) should be inspected and replaced regularly, if used. Some owners opt out from using the charcoal filter, because it inevitably leaves some charcoal residue in the drinking bowl.

One last caution: Although the unit is advertised "dishwasher safe," it must be placed in the top basket only. Using the bottom basket may subject the parts to warping by the dishwasher's heating unit.

With these changes, I am upgrading my rating.

You may rate and review this product, using the form provided at the bottom of my review.

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