Stainless Slow Feeder Bowl

Dogs that bolt food swallow air with it, and the two consequences are a windy evening and, in deep-chested breeds, a raised risk of bloat. A maze bowl fixes the mechanics rather than the dog: the food sits in channels the dog has to work its tongue into, and a meal that took forty seconds takes six minutes.

Almost every slow feeder on the market is moulded plastic. Plastic scratches, the scratches hold biofilm, and a scratched plastic bowl is also a known contributor to feline chin acne. This one is pressed 304 stainless. Dishwasher safe, unscratchable in normal use, and it does not hold a smell.

The base is a moulded rubber ring rather than three little pads, so the bowl stays put against a determined push instead of skating across a tiled kitchen. The ring pulls off for washing, which is worth doing occasionally because that is where the grime actually collects.

Two sizes, and it is worth sizing to the meal rather than the dog: a full daily ration in one go needs the large, while two smaller meals fit the standard comfortably. Wet food works in it too, though it takes more rinsing than the dishwasher alone will manage.