Best automatic feeder after carousel failure

A carousel-style feeder skipping to the wrong compartment is a genuinely dangerous design flaw — three days of double portions in a pug is a real problem, since they're already prone to obesity and breathing issues that get worse when they're carrying extra weight. Before I point you toward something better, tell me a bit more: how old is your pug, roughly what weight, and are you feeding wet food, dry kibble, or a mix? That'll help me make sure I recommend something that actually works for your setup rather than just a different version of the same problem.

Got it. At 9kg and flagged by the vet, accurate portioning isn't optional — it's the whole point of the feeder. The carousel design you had is fundamentally unreliable for this because the rotation mechanism can slip, especially as it gets worn or if a piece of kibble jams the seam between compartments. What you need is a feeder with a motorised auger or timed conveyor belt that dispenses by turning a set number of rotations — portion accuracy is mechanical, not positional. For one pug on dry kibble over a 10-hour day, I'd recommend the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect — but actually, for timed scheduled meals rather than microchip gating, the better fit is the PETLIBRO Granary Automatic Pet Feeder (the PLAF203 model). It uses a twist-drum dispensing mechanism, holds up to 6L, programmes up to four meals a day with portions down to small increments, and the drum design means kibble can't bridge or jam the way it does in carousel slots. It's widely available on Amazon UK, has good real-world reviews from small breed owners, and critically — the chute and drum come apart fully for cleaning, which matters for a dog eating every day from the same unit.

60g per meal is well within what the PETLIBRO Granary handles accurately. The drum dispenses in roughly 5–10g increments depending on kibble size, so you can dial in two meals of 60g each without the feeder rounding up unpredictably the way cheaper units do. One practical tip: when you first set it up, manually run a test portion into a bowl and weigh it before trusting the display number. Kibble density varies by brand, so you may need to adjust one or two increments up or down from the theoretical setting to hit your exact 60g. Do that once and it'll be consistent every day after.

That's a completely fair concern and it's where a lot of feeders fall down. The PETLIBRO Granary's hopper lid, dispensing drum, and food chute all detach without tools. The drum and chute are the parts that matter most — they're the surfaces dry kibble oil and dust accumulates on — and both are dishwasher safe on the top rack. Realistically, a wipe-down every one to two weeks and a proper wash of the drum and chute once a month is enough for dry kibble. You won't be dealing with the sealed carousel cavity problem you had before.

Two things worth knowing. First, it runs on mains power with a USB backup battery slot — put a battery pack in from day one so a power cut during your work day doesn't mean a missed meal. Second, the app is optional but useful: you can set meal times from your phone and get a confirmation notification when each meal dispenses, which gives you peace of mind without needing to be home. For a pug on a vet-monitored diet, that log is actually handy to show at check-ups. That's really it — it's a straightforward, reliable bit of kit for exactly your situation.