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Ergo Auto Pet Feeder, Small | 
 enlarge | Brand: Ergo Systems
Category: Pet Products
Buy New: $106.99 (On sale from $130.99)
You Save: $24.00 (18%)
New (14) from $106.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  44 reviews
Sales Rank: 13669
Media: Misc.
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Size: 14"H x 9"W x 16"D
Shipping Weight (lbs): 7.5
Dimensions (in): 10 x 10 x 19
MPN: 2000GS
Model: 2000GS
UPC: 083497500017
EAN: 0083479500011
ASIN: B0002YQX46
Release Date: April 16, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Helps overweight pets | | • | Helps pets with Reflux Disease | | • | Helps Diabetes Pets | | • | All feeders feature digital timers with battery backup for programs, manual override switch, 8 program settings per day and daylight saving feature | | • | Metal over molded self-lubricating nylon auger prevents jamming and provides a smoother and quieter performance of the feeder. |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Small, 5 pounds, light gray, for small pets, consists of a storage container, a feeding bowl and an 8 setting programmable digital timer, veterinarian recommended.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 39 more reviews...
 Major design flaws July 2, 2008
I've been using this feeder for the last 4 years before it died last night. I took it apart and saw the gears inside the motor that turns the auger stripped. I guess it was its time (4 years is not too bad). However, this is not the only problem the unit has. Here's a list of issues I ran into:
1. My cat also figured out pretty soon that he can get a bit of extra food by sticking his paw behind the auger's front cover. However, he didn't understand (or did and just didn't care) that the next meal would be smaller because of that. Eventually the cover broke off, and the whole container worth of food spilled into the bowl. The cat had a blast. I made another cover out of a sheet of aluminum, making it longer and wider then the original. My cat couldn't cheat the unit any longer.
2. The unit comes with a regular digital timer that you might use for your Christmas lights. You plug the timer into an outlet, and then plug the feeder into the timer. The timer is pretty horrible in terms of user friendliness. It is way to easy to program it incorrectly. You could however replace it with any other digital timer.
3. When there's about 1/3 of feed left in the container, the unit fails to dispense the remaining food. This is because the bottom of the storage container is not steep enough for the food to fall into the auger's mouth. You will have to shake the whole contraption to get the remainder of the food or just refill with more fresh feed. The manufacturer should have designed in an agitator (vibratory, or rotating arm) or just made the bottom steeper.
4. Price, this thing is way overpriced for what it is. The unit is essentially a plastic shell with a 120VAC 1.5RPM gear-motor, that you get for $5 at any crafts store.
Having said that, I'm still ordering the exactly same feeder to replace my failed unit. This is mostly because I know how to address all of its shortcomings and because the competing products, I feel, are even worse.
UPDATE: The new unit I received had an updated auger cover. The picture on this website and even on the packaging itself still depicts an old spring-loaded cover. The new cover is a long spout. Although, I wish the fit of the new cover was better (I ended up adding two screws to make it tighter), this new cover eliminates the no. 1 problem I had with the feeder before. I would change the rating to 3 stars, but amazon wouldn't let me.
 couldn't live with out it June 10, 2008
You can find the new updated users manual on "ergo systems" website. The instructions are now so easy my 11 year old has been able to set the timer program.
We have a medium size feeder, it set for a very active 16 pound cat: 8 feedings of 28 seconds each (frequent feedings; like cats in the wild).
And who cares if by pawing at the feeder tube, the animal obtains a few extra morsels in the 1st feeding period, when the machine is first turned on???. Only when the auger is empty of food - such as "running out of food" is there ever a reoccurrence of this problem. No loving, caring, responsible pet owner, would ever allow this to happen to their pet.
The one problem we have encountered: The feeder needs to be given a firm shake occasionally to prevent the formation of a "vortex" within the catfood, created by the auger removing feed from the center of the container only, sort of a funnel effect. hence the 4 out of 5 stars.
I love the freedom, but has a few quirks! May 15, 2008
I like that I don't have to rush home to feed my cats now! It did take me quite a while to figure out the programming! It is a little confusing and the directions could be a little better. It does have a battery backup so I didn't have to start from scratch everytime I messed up! Once programed, it was great!! My only problem now is that one of my cats has figured out that if she hits the machine enough she gets another "piece" of food. The machine will dispense food if it is pushed on. She continues to do this pretty often, so it is still hard to control "exactly" how much she is eating!
Not Worth The Money March 17, 2008
For the first 4 months this feeder worked very well. Then it jammed and overfed our cats causing the motor to heat up and after that the product never worked correctly again. We had the timer piece replaced twice due to malfunction. Our auger dispenser broke due to the jam of the overfeed and the cats learned how to get their paws up in the auger and free feed themselves at all times. The bad news is that sadly this unit is not worth the money. The good news is that Ergo Customer Service worked with us to fully replace a whole new unit and two timer units.
 Junk February 24, 2008
I bought this to feed my 3 cats. It worked for about 2 weeks and then it just quit. It will not dispense the food at all anymore and just makes a whirring noise. It is also cheaply made as a small plastic part broke at the bottom. I am sending it back.
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