Petmate Big Blue Outdoor Water Bowl Review – Worth It?
Petmate Big Blue Outdoor Water Bowl, 5 Gallons, (Water Jug Not Included), Made in USA
Petmate
- Big Mouth Bowl: 115 oz. Capacity - Made for large or multiple pets, ideal for outdoor spaces. Keeps a consistent source of water, ensuring your pet stays hydrated when outdoors.
- Easy to Clean: Rinse bowl clean & replace bottle as needed. The Big Blue large outdoor water dog bowl gives you peace of mind when leaving out water for your dog.
- Universal Fit: Accommodates standard 5-gallon bottles
- Proudly made in the USA!
Quick Verdict
Pros
- Holds 115 oz — enough for multiple large dogs or a small pack of cats
- Works with any standard 5-gallon water jug you already own
- Dishwasher-safe bowl makes cleaning quick and painless
- Heavy-duty plastic base resists tipping in wind
- Proudly made in the USA
Cons
- Water jug is not included — an extra purchase that adds to the total cost
- No valve or drip-control; water flows continuously until the jug empties
- Plastic can develop a slight algae smell in very hot, sunny conditions if not cleaned regularly
- Base is wide but not weighted — determined push from a large dog can shift it
Quick Verdict
The Petmate Big Blue Outdoor Water Bowl is a straightforward, no-gadget solution for pet owners who need to keep large dogs or multiple pets hydrated outdoors. At 115 ounces, with a universal fit for any 5-gallon water jug, it does exactly what it says on the tin — and nothing more. If you want a gravity-fed outdoor water station without batteries, apps, or bells and whistles, this earns a solid recommendation. Score: 4.2/5.
What Is the Petmate Big Blue Outdoor Water Bowl?
It is a gravity-fed outdoor water bowl system. You place a standard 5-gallon water jug upside down on the top holder, and a silicone or rubber stopper (part of the jug neck) regulates the flow so the bowl fills itself as your pet drinks. It holds 115 ounces in the bowl itself and works with any standard 5-gallon bottle you can pick up at a grocery store or big-box retailer. The base is a wide, heavy-duty plastic dish designed not to tip easily, and the whole unit sits low to the ground — comfortable for both large and medium-sized dogs, and surprisingly accessible for outdoor cats too.
Let me be upfront about what this is not. There is no pump, no UV steriliser, no app notification, and no heated element. It is a plastic bowl, a holder, and gravity. That simplicity is precisely the point. After unboxing it on a sunny Saturday and fitting it under my back porch overhang, I had water flowing within about four minutes. No tools. No instruction manual worth reading twice.
Key Features
- 115 oz bowl capacity — enough for several large dogs or a multi-cat household in one filling
- Universal 5-gallon jug compatibility — uses standard retail water bottles you already buy
- Top-rack dishwasher-safe bowl for quick, thorough cleaning
- Heavy-duty plastic base resists tipping from enthusiastic drinkers
- Made in the USA from durable BPA-free plastic
- Gravity-fed — no batteries, no electricity, no moving parts to fail
- Wide-mouth bowl design prevents whisker fatigue for cats and makes scooping easy
Hands-On Review
I set the Petmate Big Blue up in my backyard, pairing it with a 5-gallon jug I already had in the garage. My test crew: one 65-pound Labrador mix and two adult cats with entirely different drinking habits. The Lab drank enthusiastically from day one, which is exactly what you want to see. The cats were more suspicious — one approached it within the first hour, the other took about two days before she stopped giving it a wide berth. That is fairly typical cat behaviour, honestly. By the end of the first week both were using it regularly.
What I actually noticed by day three was how much less I was thinking about water. Previously I was filling a smaller bowl twice a day. With the Big Blue, I topped off the jug once on Monday and did not touch it again until Thursday. For someone who works from home and keeps an eye on the backyard, that is genuinely convenient. For a property with a larger yard or multiple pets, this scaling advantage becomes even more obvious.
Cleaning was the part I was most curious about. The listing says it is easy to clean, and I wanted to see if that held up after a few days of Kentucky summer heat. After five days the bowl had the faintest slimy film — nothing alarming, but noticeable. I ran it through the top rack of my dishwasher on a normal cycle and it came out perfectly clean. The tube that connects the jug neck to the bowl is a bit narrow for a bottle brush, so I used a long pipe cleaner instead. That is a five-second job, not a dealbreaker.
The one thing nobody mentions in the product photos: the jug sits completely exposed at the top. In my case the porch overhang keeps direct rain off it, but if you are leaving this fully in the open you will want to factor in UV exposure over time. Plastic degrades, even BPA-free stuff. After a full season in direct sun I would expect some brittleness, so bringing it in for winter storage is a good habit. Is this a flaw? Not really — it is the nature of any outdoor plastic product. Just something to be aware of.
Who Should Buy It?
Buy this if:
- You have multiple large dogs or a multi-pet household and you are tired of refilling small bowls multiple times a day.
- You already buy 5-gallon water jugs and want to put them to use for your pets.
- You want a simple, no-electricity water station for a patio, porch, barn, or large yard.
- You are looking for something that is easy to clean and durable enough to leave outside in most weather.
Skip this if:
- You live somewhere with freezing winters and need a heated water solution — this is not designed for those conditions.
- You want built-in filtration, a mister, or any kind of smart feature — look at electric pet fountains instead.
- You have only one small cat or a single small dog and a regular bowl handles your needs fine.
Alternatives Worth Considering
Catit SmartGREEN Eco Water Fountain — If you want something with a filter and circulation for cats who prefer running water, the Catit fountain is a strong alternative. It is electric and needs a power source, but cats who turn their noses up at still water often respond well to it. It is more expensive and requires filter replacements.
Van ness Gravity Waterer (DLW311) — A budget alternative that also uses the gravity-feed principle. It holds less water (64 oz) and costs significantly less, but the build quality is thinner. Fine for occasional use, less ideal for outdoor weathering.
Trixie Pet Products Outdoors Water Station — This one includes a covered top to keep the jug partially shaded and reduce algae risk. It costs a little more and the water capacity is comparable. Worth considering if your setup gets full sun.
FAQ
No. The product listing clearly states that the 5-gallon water jug is not included. You will need to purchase a standard 5-gallon water bottle separately, which most hardware or grocery stores carry.
Final Verdict
The Petmate Big Blue Outdoor Water Bowl does exactly what it promises: a simple, gravity-fed way to keep multiple pets watered without constant refills. The 115 oz bowl and universal 5-gallon jug compatibility make it genuinely useful for busy pet owners with larger animals or outdoor setups. It is not fancy, and you have to buy the jug separately, but the no-fuss durability is exactly why many pet owners prefer it over electric fountains. Clean it regularly, store it through winter, and this will serve you well for multiple seasons.