Pioneer Fountain Big Max- Stainless Steel

Update 11/22/19: Still like this unit. Did finally (just this month) have to replace the pump after we were on vacation and it ran dry for too long. User error. Dogs still love it. When I had two full-size Labs plus my 15lb terrier, it wasn't really large enough, had to fill multiple times daily. With just one lab and the 15lb terrier, its perfect. But do need to top off daily. (I raise pups for Canine Companions for Independence, so I don't just get rid of the labs...they go to professional training, an I get another one! Don't think I'm a horrible person who just gets rid of my pets!)UPDATE 12/17/13: Still really happy with this bowl. I like the replacement filters they sell here, saves a lot of time. I'm down to one small dog now, (the other one was old, and needed to let go) & I only add water about once a week. I still think it is super easy to clean. We are planning on a few new additions to the house around christmas (a puppy & a kitty), I plan on purchasing a second fountain soon!UPDATE 12/14/12: STILL love this bowl. Washed it in the dishwasher, a really nice bonus. Also, I pulled the filter apart & rebuilt it from my fish tank supplies. Be careful & you may never have to buy another filter.I use filtered water as is, & think I will forgo the carbon in the future & just use a little filter material... Additionally, I removed the "flow valve" inside the actual pump. (The little slide-y part that connects to the mostly circular disk that pops out when disassembling the pump. **maybe I should post a picture**) I have found no difference in function, & it's one less piece I have to worry about when cleaning. (I always seemed to drop it down the drain & had to stick my hand down & grab it out of the disposal....eeew[...])Lastly, I wasn't filling it as full as I should have been, consequently, I don't have to re-fill it nearly as often....there is a lip and it can be filled all the way up without leaking. I usually clean it before I re-fill it.Still 5 stars. Great product. Do not worry with the negative reviews. Properly maintain the unit & it will work properly for you!I've had the Pioneer Fountain Big Max- Stainless Steel for just about a week, and have dumped the water & scrubbed the bowl without taking apart the pump housing twice. The process without taking apart the housing *might* take 2 minutes. This morning, I woke up & decided to give the Big Max a full clean. I spent about 3 minutes. I didn't even un-thread the cord through the slot when I cleaned, I just set the pump aside so the cord was out of the way, cleaned the stainless steel bowl parts with mild soap, then set the bowl aside & cleaned the pump & housing. I took apart the pump housing & pump, scrubbed the pump & housing (except the filter) with mild soap, rinsed everything (including the filter), reassembled, & filled with water. The bowl is clean. I know it's clean. No pesky corners to try & scrub, no crazy brushes to try to get in every nook & cranny, just smooth stainless steel.I, like several others, replaced my Drinkwell Big-Dog Pet Fountain with this Big Max. I am so happy! Happier than I imagined I would be. Big Max doesn't hold as much water as the Drinkwell, but that is the ONLY drawback...if it is one at all. Big Max is literally 100% easier to clean. I had my drinkwell for a VERY long time, & it was getting to the point where it really just seemed like it was dirty all the time, and when I did clean it, it took a LONG time (15 minutes plus) to get it where I felt comfortable filling it with water again. The plastic housing on Big Max is a different type of plastic than the Drinkwell too, it is smooth & shine-y, easy to clean.I do need to add water to the Big Max bowl every day or two...but, I have one large 90 pound dog, and one tiny 10 pound. So if you just have a cat or two, you might not have to do this. The filter is quiet, near-silent, but it does make a quiet noise if the water level is too low. I would not consider the noise to be intrusive, and I couldn't hear the noise if I wasn't within 5 feet of the unit. (It certainly isn't louder than my refrigerator.) Adding water remedies the problem.The filter DOES NEED to be cleaned! Come on people....(If you don't know this & you have a fish tank, or any other pet fountain...those pumps can -most likely- be cleaned in the same manner, you don't need to buy a new one, just CLEAN it!) It is a simple process, if you can't figure it out, there is a YouTube video that clearly explains how this task is accomplished. Just search YouTube for: Pioneer Pet Raindrop Fountain Pump Maintenance 101. It is really that easy folks. Her video is 4m:45s. The first 1:25 of video describes how to set up the unit, not including pump assembly. Imagine if she weren't talking/describing steps and just taking apart, cleaning & reassembling. That is how long it takes to clean the fountain.Oh, & the dogs like it too. No transition time needed. I just put this where the old one used to be, & they are happy, happy, happy!I haven't had this very long yet...but if any issues arise I'll come back & edit this review. Heck, in a few months, if I still love it, I'll let you know that too!

I am going on 3 weeks with this fountain up and running. I don't write many reviews, but really do like this product! I have a medium sized, 8 year old cat, and a 100 pound (or so) 2 year old Rottie. We had been using the Big Dog Drinkwell fountain, which was ok, but a pain in the neck to clean. I had seen the smaller, ceramic version of this fountain in a catalog, and so went looking on Amazon for information and reviews. This product is wonderful! I have now taken it apart, rinsed the filter, pump and pump housing, and put the main parts through the dishwasher, twice. Once a week is probably and pretty good routine for us, since the dog does tend to deposit foreign matter. I think that I'm going to try having the filters go a month, since they're getting thoroughly rinsed each week. I notice no noise at all. Maybe it's just quieter than the Big Dog, but it works well. I wondered if the cat would like it as much, since it doesn't have a stream of free falling water, but she seems to like it fine. She watched me put it together and was first at the trough. I was a little concerned that the capacity would be a problem, but I just need to pour in a pitcher of water in the morning and that's enough. They both are drinking lots of water and everyone is happy. It's attractive, and takes up way less room than the old fountain. I know it's clean. I chose the stainless steel because of the comments about the weight of the ceramic model. I just pop the pieces into the top rack and press go! Assuming that the motor lasts a reasonable amount of time, this deserves every one of five stars!I am adding to this a year later. After putting the fountain back together, the motor wouldn't go. I'd had it a year, so didn't think much of needing a new one. In pursuit of that, I contacted the Pioneer Pet people. They gave me instructions for taking apart the motor. I'd never done that, and didn't have the paperwork any more. It worked exactly like the instructions, and the motor is again bubbling away happily. I did purchase another, because I don't want to be left without when the motor eventually does give out, but after a year my girls are still happily drinking from their Big Max.We also bought one of the smaller, stainless ones for our place in Montana. The cat really missed it, and it keeps her out of the bronze decorator fountain.All in all, great product, and great service! If you're hesitating, stop. Buy this for your pets!