PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain Review

We purchased the PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain so our reviewer could put it to the test in her home. Keep reading for our full product review.

Proper hydration is essential for maintaining pet health—especially during warm seasons and following exercise and playtime. A pet water fountain, like the PetSafe Drinkwell 360, offers a supply of freshly filtered, clean-tasting water to entice both canine and feline friends to drink more H2O. The continuous movement and trickling sound of a water fountain may appeal to pets who favor “moving” water over a standard bowl of still water. We set up the PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Fountain in our one-pup home during the dog days of summer and observed how our Goldendoodle interacted with it. Read on for our test results. 

Setup Process: A lot of pieces, but pretty simple to assemble

We were a little concerned about putting the PetSafe Drinkwell 360 together since it involved a lot of pieces, but the process was simple thanks to the included instruction book. Once assembled, it was simply a matter of filling it with water and experimenting with the spout attachments to find the one Max, our Goldendoodle, liked best.

Design: Extra-large capacity

This fountain is huge. At first glance, it looks like a standard stainless-steel pet bowl, just super-sized. We like the sleekness and durability of stainless steel, but don’t love having such a large bowl sitting on the floor.

The basin holds up to 128 ounces (16 cups) of water, but be warned: Filling it to capacity means the potential for mess. Because the water is always exposed, it’s hard to avoid spilling if you want to relocate the fountain or carry it to the sink for cleaning. It also meant a lot of spilled water every time our dog took a drink.

Even though the pump is submerged in water, it’s not perfectly quiet. We could still detect muffled humming when in use. The single-flow water spout attachment was the noisiest and sounded like a running faucet—so we don’t anticipate using it based on the noise factor alone. We preferred the more gentle trickling sounds of the two-, three-, four-, and five-spouted attachments, and Max didn’t seem to miss the single spout, either.  

Pet Interaction: Took some getting used to

We set the fountain up in our sunroom, which we have to go through to reach the backyard for bathroom breaks and playtime. We normally keep a bowl of water near our dog’s food bowl and figured an additional water source near the backyard would be much appreciated after outdoor play—especially considering how hot summer has been. 

It took Max a day or two to warm up to the fountain. As a larger dog, it seemed like Max had to reach pretty far to lap water out of the basin. He didn’t show much interest in the free falling water stream, either. Honestly, we suspect the actual water streams were hard for him to reach since he’s so tall. Cats and pups that are closer to the ground should have an easier time of it.

Care: A little involved, but that’s to be expected

It’s recommended that users disassemble the fountain (pump included) for cleaning on a weekly basis. We found the stainless steel bowl and cone were easy to clean, whether washing by hand or in the top rack of the dishwasher. Cleaning the pump is more involved and a bit of a nuisance, since the parts are small and kind of hard to take apart. But, regularly clearing hair and buildup from the pump will help prolong the life of the fountain, so it’s a necessary chore. 

Price: One of the more expensive pet water dispensers on the market

The PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain has an MSRP of $100 (though we were able to consistently find it at various online retailers for $50), putting it on the high end of the price range for this category. Most pet water fountains fall between $20 to $35, but you have to keep in mind that less-expensive models tend to be made of plastic. This PetSafe model features stainless-steel construction which is not only sleek, but durable and top-rack dishwasher safe. 

The extra-large, 128-ounce capacity and multiple water stream options help justify the higher price if you’re a multi-pet household, as well. Replacement carbon filters for this model are affordably priced and available in several different quantities. Depending on how many you order, replacement filters for the PetSafe Drinkwell 360 will run you $1 to $2 each.

PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi-Pet Fountain vs. MOSPRO Pet Fountain

The biggest differences between these two pet fountains are cost and material. The MOSPRO Pet Fountain is affordably priced just under $35, while the PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Fountain is triple the retail price at $100. The MOSPRO is made from BPA-free plastic resin, though, while the PetSafe of durable stainless steel. 

Design-wise, both fountains are attractive and functional. The MOSPRO has a cute, colorful design, is extremely quiet in operation, and comes with two attachments for varying the water flow. The PetSafe fountain is sleek, a bit less quiet, and comes with five water flow attachments that make it easy for multiple pets to drink from the fountain at once. 

The choice really comes down to which material you prefer and the number of pets in your household. If you have a pet that drinks a lot of water or multiple pets in your home, you may fare better with the PetSafe fountain thanks to its larger, 128-ounce water capacity and multi-spouted fountain attachments. The MOSPRO fountain holds 64 ounces of water, which should be plenty to last a single pet for several days.

Replacement carbon filters are more expensive for the MOSPRO, costing about $3 a piece versus $1 to $2 a piece for the PetSafe Drinkwell 360. It’s something to consider, since both fountain models recommend changing the carbon filter every two to four weeks.