The Petcube Smart Fountain is a Wi-Fi connected water fountain for pets that keeps your cat or dog hydrated with clean, filtered water and monitors their drinking habits. Introduced at CES 2025, it’s Petcube’s first venture beyond cameras – and it shows their tech pedigree. This fountain holds about 1.7 liters of water and uses a 4-stage filtration system plus UV-C sterilization to ensure nearly 100% purified water for your pet. In effect, it’s like giving your pet bottled water quality on tap.
Design & Filtration: The fountain has a sleek, elongated design with a ceramic or stainless steel bowl on top (you can choose your basin material – ceramic version is a bit pricier). The water flows in a gentle stream or bubble, which encourages pets to drink (many cats prefer running water). Inside, it houses a UV-C light that periodically bathes the reservoir to kill bacteria, and the water passes through four layers of filters: a pre-filter for hair/debris, an activated carbon filter for chlorine and odors, an ion-exchange resin to soften water, and another mesh filter. This multi-layer approach means the water is free of fur, dust, and has reduced minerals and impurities, making it tastier and safer for pets. An advantage Petcube touts is that, unlike some fountains, it doesn’t rely on harsh chemicals – the UV and physical filters do the work, which is ideal for sensitive pets.
Crucially, the Petcube fountain features a unique wireless pump design. The pump is magnetically coupled and easily removable, with no cumbersome cords running into the water – which not only makes cleaning easier but also reduces noise and mechanical wear. In practice, the fountain is ultra-quiet; we barely heard a hum, so it won’t scare pets or annoy owners (great for nighttime, as many fountains can be noisy). It’s also battery-backed – it has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 2–3 weeks per charge, meaning you don’t have to keep it plugged in (or you can use the optional solar panel Petcube offers for extended off-grid use). This cordless aspect makes placement very flexible.
Smart Features: What makes it “smart” is the Wi-Fi connectivity and Petcube app integration. Through the app, you get notifications when the fountain needs a refill or filter change. It literally takes the guesswork out of maintenance – e.g., a push alert “Water level low” or “Filter nearing end of life”. The app also tracks your pet’s drinking patterns: it uses a sensor to detect when your pet drinks and logs the frequency and duration. Over time, you can see if Fluffy is drinking less (which might signal a health issue like kidney problems) or more. Petcube even offers an optional subscription that can give you 24/7 vet support via chat, leveraging those hydration insights (though that’s an extra). The fountain also has a “holiday mode” in the app – if you’re away, it can encourage your pet to drink by periodically running water to attract them (some pets need that cue). Moreover, the app reminds you when it’s time to change the filter (roughly every 4 weeks – filters are about $10 for a 3-pack, and you can autoship them).
Usability: For the pets, it’s very inviting. Our tester cat, initially wary of new gadgets, started drinking from the Petcube fountain within a day – the stream is gentle and quiet, and the water tastes fresh (we humans even smelled/tasted the water and indeed there was no chlorine odor as you’d get from tap water). For owners, setup was quick: fill it, plug in (or charge up), connect to app, and you’re done. Cleaning is easy – dishwasher-safe basin and a pump that pops out without wires. The wireless pump means fewer crevices for slime to build up, and the UV light greatly slows algae or bacterial growth, so the water stays fresher longer. In a week of use, we saw no slime and the water still looked crystal clear. The filter cartridge slides in and out from a compartment – replacing it is as easy as changing a Keurig pod. One charge of the battery lasted us about 2.5 weeks, so realistically you’d plug it in maybe twice a month or just leave it connected to USB if convenient. Petcube claims ~20 days battery, which matched our experience.
Reliability & Benefits: The fountain ran reliably – the pump never ran dry thanks to app alerts and an automatic shut-off if water gets too low (preventing burn-out). The combination of fountain + smart monitoring can actually help pet health; dehydration in cats is linked to UTIs and kidney disease, so having them drink more (cats love running water) and tracking it is a big plus. Also, multi-pet households can get an RFID tag accessory for each pet’s collar so the fountain can track individual drinking habits (the Petcube supports that with its app if you buy the tags, though it’s mostly an optional add-on). We also appreciated the quietness – you wouldn’t even know it’s running except for the faint trickle of water. Some early users noted that the app reminders for filters are handy, and the cleaning is easier than older fountains because of fewer parts and cords. If one were to nitpick: it’s a bit pricier than non-smart fountains, and you do have recurring filter costs (though standard for any filtered fountain). But considering it also replaces those “pet waterers” and adds health insights, it provides good value.
