Pawsidepicks
Pet gear that earns the floor space.
Buying guides for automatic litter boxes, feeders, pet cameras, and crates ranked for real homes.
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Ranked picks that earn their floor space
Start with the guides that match your pet setup and budget. Each page lists verified Amazon picks with pros, cons, and setup notes.
Buying guideBest Automatic Litter Box (2026): Drum, Globe, and Crystal Rake
The best automatic litter box for most US homes is the HHOLOVE 60L drum when you want drum capacity, app alerts, and a sealed drawer for about $300. Upgrade to Litter-Robot 4 for the sealed globe; choose the PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Legacy when crystal trays fit a single cat.
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Buying guideBest Automatic Cat Feeder (2026): Timed Dry Hoppers That Actually Portion
The best automatic cat feeder for dry food is a sealed timed hopper with honest portions and backup power. Start with PETLIBRO 3L, step up to PetSafe Smart Feed for WiFi, and keep wet food on a tray feeder.
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Buying guideBest Dog Crate (2026): Bar Gap, Wire Weight, and the Pan That Fails
The best dog crate is the one sized to the adult dog, with a latch that survives real anxiety and a pan you can replace without buying a whole crate. Start with the MidWest LifeStages double door for training, the iCrate single door for smaller dogs, and the Petmate Sky Kennel when travel needs a hard plastic shell.
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Buying guideBest Cat Litter Mat (2026): Coil, Silicone, and Honeycomb Picks
The best cat litter mat is the exit layer your cats walk across and that you will actually rinse. A silicone mat with a raised lip holds the misses off your floor. Coil mats trap fine clay. Honeycomb mats empty faster when you tip them back into the box.
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Buying guideBest Self-Cleaning Litter Box (2026): Self-Scooping Globe, Drum, and Crystal Picks
A self-cleaning litter box, also called a self-scooping box, should match your litter type: drum and globe sifters for clumping clay, crystal rake trays for disposable cleanup. The HHOLOVE 60L drum covers most homes for about $300. Match the litter to the machine, measure the space before you buy, and empty the drawer before it smells.
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Buying guideBest Dog Water Fountain (2026): Picks by Capacity and Filter Cost
The best dog water fountain is the one sized to your dog's daily intake and easy enough to rinse every week. Start with an 8 L quiet bowl for one large dog, a 7 L stainless for a shared kitchen, or a 450 oz patio tank for a pack.
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Dog Kennel for Large Dogs (2026): 36 and 48-Inch Picks That Fit
The best dog kennel for a large dog is the Midwest 36-Inch iCrate, the length that fits a 41 to 70 pound dog without wasting floor. A dog over 90 pounds gets the FDW 48-inch double door, a 50 to 70 pound dog that flies gets the Petmate Sky Kennel, and the 24-inch is the size a large dog should not be in.
The best Purina Pro Plan dog food for most adult dogs is the Complete Essentials Chicken & Rice 35 lb bag, because it lists chicken first at about $2.13 a pound. For a dog with itchy skin or a sensitive stomach, try the Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon 30 lb bag first.
The best wire dog crate for most large dogs is the Midwest 42-Inch iCrate, because a 37.5 mm bar gap and a Paw Block latch are the two specs that actually stop a dog. The 30-inch iCrate covers medium dogs for under $50, and the Amazon Basics 48-inch is the double-door pick.
The best dog crate for chewers depends on whether your dog has already bent a bar. Heavy-gauge steel is the answer for a dog that has beaten wire, a standard folding crate is still the right buy for a dog that only scratches the door, and a 42-inch double-door crate is the budget middle.
The best dog car seat for small dogs is the one your dog cannot step out of and you can wash. Start with the BurgeonNest for dogs 8 to 25 pounds, the JOEJOY Elevated for the tallest window line, and the PETICON Waterproof when mud and carsickness are the real problem.
A cat collar should snap free if it snags, sit light on the neck, and carry an ID tag. Here are the reflective, sensitive-cat, and multipack picks worth putting on a cat.
Free tools
Pet calculators
Enter your pet weight, age, and activity to get a daily calorie target, then see it as cups of dry food for dogs or cans of wet food for cats.
Add your dog weight and height to get a recommended crate length, width, and height, along with the standard size class.
Set your cat count and floors to see how many litter boxes your home needs, how to spread them out, and what size to buy.