Lusmo Automatic Pet Feeder Review

Product Overview

The following are the things you get in the box after purchase:

1. 1 x main unit Lusmo automatic pet feeder
2. 1 x plastic bowl
3. 1 X user manual

Product Description

Mechanism

The Lusmo Automatic Pet feeder can be programmed to feed your pet 3 meals through 24 hours, in a repeat system that can go on and on.

Food type

The pet feeder allows for dry kibble only. Also, large kibble shapes and sizes can jam the feeder hence inhibiting food dispensation. Small and medium size kibble is recommended for this feeder. No canned, moist, wet, or semi-moist food.

Portions

The Lusmo Automatic Pet feeder serves from 1/16 cup (15cc) upto a maximum of 1 cup (240cc). The portions increase in 1/16 scales programming which is appropriate for small dogs or cats.

Schedule

Lusmo can only dispense upto 3 meals through a 24-hour period. When filled the Lusmo carries upto 1000 grams of food (2700cc), for indoor adult cats, medium sized dogs with average weight, the food can be dispensed upto an average of 10-14 days before the food is totally finished.

Manual setting

The feeder allows the owner to manually feed the pet every once in a while aside from the programmed schedules by pressing a button which then releases food of a set quantity. Helps when pet is extremely hungry long before the next scheduled meal, snack times, or when the owner wants to reward their pet.

No-meal setting

Of the 3 meals that Lusmo can dispense, one of the meals can be skipped. If you skip one meal, for example, it dispenses only 2 meals every day. The no-meal setting works when you specify as 0g (grams).

About the bowl

The feeder comes with a plastic bowl that is quite easy to remove and clean to ensure hygienic maintenance of your pet.

Portion Control

The portion control helps you check your pet’s weight. The no-meal setting as well as manual feeding button helps you stay in control of your pet’s weight whether they are supposed to lose weight or gain some.

Product Features

• Comes in three different colours; yellow, orange, and red.
• Dispenses meals upto 3 times a day in 24-hour repeat schedules.
• The hooper carries upto 1000 grams (2700cc) of food when full.
• At 1/16 cup scales, portions go from 1/16cup to 1 cup.
• Easy to read 24-hour LCD screen for programming and checking schedules.
• Can be easily cleaned by disassembling food handling parts and washing, then putting back together.
• On and off switches allow you to switch the feeder on immediately and carry on with previously programmed schedule when you have to go out urgently. Or to switch the feeder off without losing programmed schedules.
• Handle shaped like pet ears locks the lid in place, also allows you to carry the Lusmo Automatic Pet feeder easily.
• 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.
• Uses (4) D alkaline batteries.
• Batteries last between 4 to 6 months depending on frequency of use.
• Manual feeding mode allows for snack, urgent feed or reward time.
• No-meal setting helps skip a meal.
• Materials of the Lusmo: ABS resin body, PC resin lid, PP resin (Polypropylene) bowl.

How it works

The pet feeder has chambers that carry food, which is then dispensed onto a rotating dish at the bottom that transfers this food to the eating bowl.

The feeder comes with a preset feeding schedule of 3 times a day. You can edit this schedule to your own preference in terms of time of feeding, and quantity of food.

The range of feeding is from F00 to F16 where F00 represents the no-meal setting, while F01 represents 1/16 cup, F02 represents 1/8 cup, F03 represents 03/16 cups, F12 represents ¾ cup, F16 represents 1 cup and so on.

If you wanted to feed a cat 2 meals a day for example, here is how you would set the feeder:

6.00 am – F08 (This means ½ cup)

2.00 pm – F00 (This means you have skipped this meal)

10.00pm – F16 (This means 1 cup)

The recommended kibble size for Lusmo is 0.6” or 15mm.

Lusmo runs on (4) ‘D’ alkaline batteries that may last between 3 to 6 months depending on how frequently you use the feeder. When the battery is running low, the LCD screen will display an indicator to show that new batteries are required.

Evaluation

In terms of design, it is a beautiful thing that has been designed to emulate the body of a cat, taking after its ears as inspiration for the lid’s handle. The yellow, orange and red colours are beautiful and they provide diversity and variations in terms of choice.

The bowl can be easily removed and placed back comfortably after washing. Indeed, every part that handles food can easily be disassembled for washing and put back together after that. Avoid using a dishwasher to wash the parts or the unit.

For mischievous pets who once in a while try to poke their paws into the chute to try and remove the food, a ‘guard’ provided with the product helps out with this. The guard is basically a folding piece of plastic which you insert into the chute so that it blocks the pet’s paws from reaching the food.

The locking system at the lid is very full proof ensuring the pet cannot open it even if it toppled over. The manufacturer provides a mat on which to place your Lusmo feeder to prevent it from being overturned or toppled. Sadly, this mat doesn’t come purchased with the unit, you have to buy it separately as an additional option.

The Lusmo Automatic Pet Feeder has its downsides, the first one being; it is a power hog. The 4 ‘D’ alkaline batteries you need to use don’t come with the feeder. You purchase them separately. Even so, the batteries last just a couple of months, it could be about 3 months or less if you use the feeder frequently, or about 6 months if you use it way less frequently. There is no power adapter to allow the use of electricity as a backup option. If you are a busy pet owner, you may miss the LCD screen indicator that shows the battery is low because it doesn’t have a notification alarm. In this case you have to check the battery frequently.

The feeder also provides a very limiting eating schedule. You can only feed your pet a maximum of 3 times a day. This won’t work if your pet is used to eating several little portions of meals spread out across 24 hours. The manual button that allows you to feed your pet extra meals doesn’t help with this problem because; well… it is manual. However, as a button for occasionally rewarding or snacking your pet, it is an added advantage.

If you wanted to feed your pet only 2 meals a day you would still have to program the 3^rd meal to be skipped. The LCD screen is large and located on top of the feeder, making it easy to reach and program without bending too much. The programming isn’t so intuitive so you have to use the step-by-step manual as much as possible until you get used to the process.

What to watch out for:

1. Some customers have complained that the batteries last only upto 6 weeks.
2. Lusmo is an indoor feeder to be used away from wet areas.
3. Lusmo shouldn’t be used for canned, wet, moist or semi-moist foods. The length of feed should be medium sized kibble not longer than 0.6” or 15mm.
4. The batteries may not work until you have gently adjusted the prongs/springs outwards to get the batteries to fit properly.

Conclusion

The Lusmo automatic pet feeder is a good feeder that has been sold in Japan and recently arrived in the United States. For feeding just one cat or a medium-sized dog on a repeat schedule of 3 times or less a day every week, this pet feeder will suffice.

However, if your pet needs to eat more than 3 meals day, this won’t serve them. The frequency with which you will buy the batteries (or forget to buy) is not very convenient. Provision for a power adapter or use of rechargeable batteries would have sorted this out.

Buy Lusmo Automatic Pet Feeder