The Best Dog Bowls – Business Insider
We want the best for our pets, and that includes their food and water bowls, too. Whether you’re in the market for a portable bowl or an elevated feeder, the best dog bowls are durable, easy to clean, and comfortable for dogs to use, holding up to even the most eager eaters with stable designs and nonslip bottoms.
As a pet reporter, I’ve researched and written about an array of pet products to help dog parents make confident purchases for their pups. For this guide, I tested 11 bowls with my trusty assistant, my rescue dog Roo, using the criteria set by my sources. In the end, the Yeti Boomer was the winner, thanks to its high-quality, heavy-duty stainless steel construction, which proved nearly impossible to scratch and easy to clean. If you’re looking for something to slow your chowhound down, however, the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl is a great choice with its swirly maze that traps food for an enriching mealtime challenge.
Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.
Our top picks for the best dog bowls
Best overall: Yeti Boomer Dog Bowl – $48 at Chewy
Best slow feeder: Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl – $8 at Chewy
Best budget: PEGYY11 Nonslip Stainless Steel Bowls – $14 at Chewy
Best elevated: Neater Feeder Deluxe Neater Feeder – $40 at Chewy
Best collapsible: Bonza Collapsible Bowl – $12 at Chewy
Best overall
Yeti Boomer Dog Bowl
Featuring high-quality stainless steel, the Yeti Boomer is a tough dog bowl, made to withstand the rough-and-tumble of daily use.
A bowl might seem like a small addition to your dog’s supplies, but it can greatly affect their daily health, particularly their hygiene and ease of use. That’s where the Yeti Boomer comes out on top.
First, it’s made of high-quality stainless steel that’s dishwasher safe. In fact, it’s the same food-grade stainless steel as Yeti’s tumblers for humans. As a non-porous material, it’s made to resist scratches, which Dr. Shamli Malik, a senior veterinarian at Small Door Vet, says can harbor biofilm — a slimy substance and community of microorganisms that can cause bacterial infections.
In my testing, I found it tough and durable. It didn’t show wear after I scrubbed it with a scouring pad, proving its ability to resist scratches and help prevent bacteria from growing inside. Its hefty double-wall construction also held up as I dropped it from a height of 3 feet—coming out the other side without a dent.
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
Its bottom nonslip ring is made of the same rubber Yeti uses to keep its heavy-duty coolers in place. This rubber ring, along with its heavier weight — ranging from 1.2 to 1.9 pounds depending on the size — helps keep the bowl from slipping around. In fact, out of all the bowls I tested, the Boomer was the only one that didn’t budge when Roo ate out of it.
While this bowl is excellent for rowdy eaters and larger dogs, the smallest of its two sizes is still quite big, holding 4 cups. Some people might also find its heavy weight less than ideal to handle, especially when filling it with water under the sink faucet. If that’s the case, consider our lighter-weight stainless steel budget pick, available in sizes as small as 2 cups. These bowls aren’t cheap either, at $50 to $60 each. Still, if it’s in your budget, it’s worth the investment as they’re built to last and include a five-year warranty.
Best slow feeder
For dogs that gulp down their food, Malik says a slow feeder can help prevent gastrointestinal upset and support healthy digestion. Research also suggests that adding feeding enrichment can reduce unwanted behaviors, bring down cortisol levels, and improve a dog’s overall well-being. Featuring a swirl maze pattern with deep grooves, the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl traps food in the crevices so your dog has to sniff and forage it out. I found it offered a good middle ground, challenging enough to slow things down without being too complex or frustrating.
How much this bowl slows down your dog will depend on their eating habits. For Roo, a speedy eater, it took her an extra 67 seconds to finish her usual 3/4 cup of kibble. When I added a bit of wet food topper to the mix, it slowed her down by another minute. However, if your dog primarily eats wet or fresh food, a bowl with smaller grooves, like the Lickimat Wobble Bowl, might be a better option. When spreading two tablespoons of wet food in the Wobble bowl, it took Roo nearly 5 minutes to clean it all out, compared to 30 seconds in a regular bowl.
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
With four suctioned feet and a heavier frame, this thick, plastic slow feeder stayed firmly in place at mealtime. Though quite durable, it did show slight scratches after I furiously pressed down with the metal scrubber during my quality assurance testing. For a more durable option that showed no visible scratches during testing, Mr. Peanut’s Slow Feed Dog Bowl offers a stainless steel slow feeder — although its simple design likely won’t be as challenging for your pup.
Best budget
The best dog bowls don’t have to break the bank, and these PEGYY11 Nonslip Stainless Steel Bowls are the perfect example of just that. Offering not one, but two stainless steel bowls at an affordable price, they meet the standards of a quality feeder. They’re durable, dishwasher-safe, and showed no signs of scratching during testing. Plus, they come in four sizes to suit a variety of dogs.
When trying other budget-friendly options, I found these bowls to be the most robust. Other budget bowls wobbled and tipped drastically when Roo pushed her snout further in, but these PEGYY11 bowls held firm. They also have a thicker rim around the top to help keep food inside.
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
It is worth noting, though, that this bowl is much lighter than the Yeti Boomer. And while it does have anti-slip silicone covering the entire bottom, it scooched the tiniest bit while Roo was eating out of it. This wasn’t a problem since Roo is pretty even-keeled during meals, but a more enthusiastic eater might be prone to flipping it over and creating a mess.
Best elevated
The goal of an elevated bowl, says Malik, is to keep a dog’s spine neutral while they eat, so they’re not forced to hunch over or reach up to access their food. “For some dogs, this arrangement can help reduce neck and back strain and support easier swallowing,” says Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, a veterinarian director at Senior Tail Waggers. She notes that elevated bowls can be particularly helpful for large breeds, seniors, dogs with neck or back problems, and medical conditions such as arthritis or swallowing disorders.
When choosing an elevated feeder, getting the right height matters. “Ideally, the bowl should be at approximately the height of the dog’s mid-to-lower chest,” Malik says. That’s why the Neater Feeder Deluxe was the best we tested. Out of all the elevated feeders, it has the most height variety with three sizes, each offering even more height with optional leg extensions.
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
Aptly named, the Neater Feeder is ideal for messy eaters, with high walls and drainage holes that collect spilled water into a bottom basin. I especially liked that the bowl rims lay flat against the feeder’s frame, reducing the likelihood of Roo catching them with her collar or nose and clanging them down, which is exactly what happened with a different elevated feeder we tested.
It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing feeder, though, and is a bit expensive. If you have a smaller pup or dog with shorter legs, this Frisco elevated feeder offers a more modern marble look and an affordable price. Though small in size, I found the base very stable and it stayed in place. The bowl rims lie flat against this feeder, too.
Best collapsible
Bonza Collapsible Bowl
The Bonza collapsible bowl features a stable structure and high, wide frames to keep food and water in while you’re out and about with your pup.
Having a collapsible bowl comes in handy when hiking, camping, traveling, or even taking daily walks with your pup. The Bonza collapsible bowl is especially convenient, with its carabiner clip for easy attachment to leashes, bags, and belt loops—it even has a bonus water bottle holder to boot.
One of the best aspects of this bowl, however, is its thick, sturdy silicone frame. When using the bowl, its stable structure remained upright, whether semi- or fully expanded. Though it has a similar capacity to the other collapsible bowl I tested, the Bonza has higher, wider sides to keep food and water from spilling out. After using it, the Bonza folded easily into itself, unlike the other bowl, which would frustratingly catch on itself and require extra effort to pack it down.
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
This bowl wobbled a bit when Roo ate and drank from it on the grass, so you’ll want to find a flat surface. And while the silicone structure passed my scratch test just fine, and it survived multiple rounds in the dishwasher, the softer material might not be the best choice for super chewers.
What to look for in a dog bowl
“Choosing the right bowl can be important for your dog’s health in terms of avoiding bacterial growth, encouraging adequate water intake, and allowing the dog to eat and drink more comfortably,” Whittenburg says. To find the best bowl for your pup, here are a few features to consider.
Materials: Both Whittenburg and Malik say the best dog bowls are made of smooth, non-porous materials, such as sturdy, high-quality stainless steel or ceramic. These durable materials are less likely to scratch, crack, or break, which can cause bacteria to grow inside the bowl. We, however, didn’t test ceramic in this first round of testing, and instead, focused on several popular stainless steel bowls.
When choosing a bowl made of plastic or silicone, which you’ll often find as the material of choice for slow feeders and collapsible bowls, you’ll also want to ensure it’s food-grade and free of bisphenols (BPA) or phthalates.
Capacity: Your dog’s size will obviously affect what capacity they’ll need. However, Whittenburg advises considering your dog’s unique tastes, too. “Some dogs prefer large bowls where they can spread out the food more, while some like deeper bowls, so the dog’s preference should also be considered,” she notes.
Stability: A stable bowl will help reduce spills and prevent loud crashing noises that might frighten your pup. When considering your options, look for heavier bowls with nonslip features, like a silicone bottom, a rubber ring, or suctioned feet. For elevated bowls, make sure the lip of each bowl sits flat to the feeder. This way, your dog is less likely to catch their collar or nose on the edge and flip the bowl over.
Ease of cleaning: Both of my vet experts stress the importance of choosing dog bowls that are easy to clean, as dirty bowls can be detrimental to a dog’s health. “I have seen cases of dogs not eating or drinking enough due to dirty bowls. I have also witnessed gastrointestinal upset and skin infections around the mouth due to dirty bowls,” Whittenburg says. “Appropriate cleaning and bowl maintenance are essential for dogs’ health.”
One of the best ways to ensure a clean bowl is to choose one that’s dishwasher-safe, helping make sanitization a breeze.
How we tested the best dog bowls
Elizabeth Holbrook/Business Insider
I tested each bowl by feeding Roo kibble twice in it. When testing the slow feeders, I added a bit of wet food as a topper to see how it affected how much time it took to finish the meal. For the collapsible bowls, I also gave Roo a drink in them to see how well they held up as both a portable food and water bowl. From there, I evaluated the following points.
Durability: I conducted a drop test for each bowl, holding it 3 feet above a hard floor before dropping it onto a hard floor, checking for any noticeable dings or damage afterward. I also used a stainless steel scouring pad, firmly scrubbing a single spot on the bowl for 30 seconds. I noted whether the action caused any parts of the bowl to scratch or flake off. Additionally, I checked the bowl’s quality one last time after Roo’s final meal and after I’d run it through the dishwasher twice.
Performance: For each testing session, I filled the bowl with kibble — or water for the collapsible bowls — and observed whether Roo showed any hesitation around using them. I also checked the bowls for any stuck food particles after she finished eating. For the slow feeders, I timed the meals and compared them with Roo’s average when eating from a regular bowl to see if the feeders actually slowed her down. For the elevated bowls, I checked Roo’s posture, looking for a neutral spine.
Stability: To test stability, I placed all the bowls except the collapsible ones on the wood floors inside my home. For the collapsible bowls, I placed them on the ground in the grass or on my concrete patio. As Roo ate her meals, I watched to see if the bowl wobbled, slid, or flipped over. I also checked to see if any food spilled out and how well the nonslip features worked to keep the bowl in place.
Ease of cleaning: I smashed wet food onto a spot on each bowl and let it sit overnight. The next day, I handwashed the bowl to see how difficult it was to wipe the crusted food off. Finally, I ran each bowl through the dishwasher twice, checking for cracks or warps and for any slimy residue left behind.
Meet the expert behind this guide
Elizabeth Holbrook, freelance pets reporter: My approach to pet coverage is grounded in extensive research, expert insight, and hands-on testing. It’s also guided by five years of pet guardianship and a genuine interest in helping readers find products that help improve their daily lives with their pets. For this guide, I consulted two veterinarians and various studies in scientific journals. To finalize my recommendations, I tested 11 bowls with my 43-pound dog, Roo, noting each product’s overall quality and performance.
Dog bowls FAQs
What type of dog bowls are best for dogs?
Malik says the best dog bowls are made from non-porous, durable materials that won’t harbor bacteria or leach chemicals into food and water. The best bowl for your dog will also suit your pup’s individual needs. For instance, if you have a frantic eater, a slow-feeder bowl will extend mealtime, helping improve digestion while enriching their mind.
Do vets recommend stainless steel dog bowls?
“At Small Door, we almost exclusively recommend stainless steel or high-quality ceramic with a lead-free glaze,” Malik says. She adds that stainless steel bowls are often the most durable option, unbreakable, and dishwasher safe. As such, they’re easy to clean and are resistant to scratching and “pitting” where biofilm and bacteria can hide.
Do vets recommend elevated dog bowls?
“We often recommend elevated bowls for specific patients, particularly senior dogs with arthritis or those with certain orthopedic conditions,” Malik says. “Elevating the food and water reduces the strain on the neck, shoulders, and forelimbs by allowing the pet to eat in a more neutral position.”
She notes, however, that not every breed is the best candidate for elevated dog bowls, particularly deep-chested breeds that are at greater risk for bloat. That’s because research shows that raising the height of food and water bowls for these dogs can actually increase the risk of bloating by 110 percent.
What is the best dog bowl to prevent biofilm?
“Bacteria and biofilm grow quickly on scratched or porous surfaces,” Whittenburg says. “The best options to help prevent biofilm are smooth, non-porous materials like stainless steel or ceramic with high-quality glazing.” However, even when using these types of bowls, it’s still important to clean them after each use, as recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration.
