Prestige Pets Road Refresher Review: Does This No-Spill Bowl Work for Road Trips?

Introduction

Last month, we went on a 6-hour road trip to the mountains. I brought a regular plastic dog bowl for Max, right? I filled it up with water, put it on the floor of the backseat, and we took off. 20 minutes into the drive, I hit a bump, and the whole bowl tipped over. Water went everywhere, all over the carpet, all over my backpack, all over Max’s bed. I had to pull over, and spend 15 minutes, wiping it up, with paper towels, and I still had a wet spot in my car for a week. And Max was thirsty, too, because all the water was gone.

I was so tired of that. Every time we went on a trip, the water spilled, my car got wet, it was a mess. I tried those portable water bottles, but Max hates them, he won’t drink from them. That’s when I found the Prestige Pets Road Refresher. It was $19.99, it said it was a no-spill bowl, that would keep the water from spilling, even on bumpy roads. I ordered it immediately, because I was tired of cleaning up water in my car. After using it for a month, I put together this full Prestige Pets Road Refresher review to share everything I learned, the good, the bad, and the annoying little things that no one tells you about.

Prestige Pets Road Refresher: A Prestige Pets Road Refresher Review of Its Design

So, what is this thing, anyway? It’s a no-spill water bowl, right? It has this floating disk, that sits on top of the water. The idea is, when the car bumps, or moves, the disk keeps the water from sloshing out, right? Only a little bit of water comes up, through the edge of the disk, so your dog can lick it, but the rest of the water stays under, so it doesn’t spill.

It has a velcro strip on the bottom, too, so you can stick it to the carpet of your car, so your dog can’t tip it over, or push it around. It comes in two sizes, small and large, the large one holds 7 cups of water, which is enough for a big dog, like Max, for a whole day of driving.

It’s made of plastic, right? BPA free, so it’s safe for your dog, no toxic stuff. And it’s supposed to work for cats, too, not just dogs.

My Story: Putting the Prestige Pets Road Refresher to the Test

When the bowl arrived, I was so excited. I opened it up, and it was this big grey plastic bowl, with a white floating disk inside. It looked simple, right? I filled it up with water, and the disk floated on top, just like they said. I stuck the velcro bottom to the carpet of my backseat, and it stuck, really tight, it didn’t move at all.

We went on the road trip, the next weekend. We hit bumps, we turned hard, we went over potholes, and the water didn’t spill! Not a single drop! I was so happy! My car stayed dry, the water stayed in the bowl, Max could drink whenever he wanted, no mess! That was exactly what I needed!

But then, the first time Max tried to drink from it. He looked at it, like I was crazy. He sniffed it, he pawed at the disk, he tried to bite it. He couldn’t figure out how to get the water. The disk was in the way, he couldn’t get his tongue all the way in, to get the water. I had to show him, I dipped my finger in the water, and let him lick it, and then he figured it out, he could lick the edge of the disk, and get the water.

After that, he was fine, he drank from it, no problem. But then, when we got home, I tried to clean it. Oh my god, the disk was so tight, I couldn’t get it out. I had to pry it out, with my fingers, it took me 5 minutes, to get it out of the bowl. And then, when I got it out, there was mold, growing on the bottom of the disk. Mold! Because the water gets under the disk, and you can’t clean it, unless you take the disk out, which is so hard. I had to scrub it, with soap, for 10 minutes, to get the mold off. That was so gross!

And then, once, we were driving on a really bumpy dirt road, right? And the water sloshed, a little bit. Not a lot, but a few drops, came out over the edge. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t completely no-spill, like they said.

Also, the velcro, it gets dirty, after a while. The carpet fuzz gets stuck to it, and it stops sticking, after a few uses. I had to clean the velcro, with a toothbrush, to get the fuzz off, so it would stick again.

But the best part? The water didn’t spill, for the most part. The whole trip, my car stayed dry, Max had water, whenever he wanted, no mess. That was the whole reason I bought it, and that part worked perfectly.

What I Liked and What I Didn’t Like About the Prestige Pets Road Refresher

After using this for a month, I’ve gone through all the pros and cons, and I checked out hundreds of other reviews to make sure I wasn’t the only one with these experiences.

What I Liked

• It stops the spills, for the most part: That’s the whole reason I bought it, and it worked. The water didn’t spill, even on bumpy roads, my car stayed dry, no more wiping up water. That was perfect.
• The velcro bottom works: It sticks to the carpet, so Max can’t push it around, or tip it over. It stays in place, the whole time.
• It keeps his face dry: Max has a long snout, and before, he would get his whole face wet, and then drip water all over the house. Now, his face stays dry, no drips, no mess.
• It holds a lot of water: The large one holds 7 cups, which is enough for Max, for a whole day of driving. I don’t have to refill it, every hour.
• It’s cheap: $19.99 is nothing, compared to the other no-spill bowls that are $40 or $50. Even if it’s a little hard to clean, it’s worth it.

What I Didn’t Like

• It’s so hard to clean: The floating disk is so tight, I can’t get it out, to clean it. And it gets moldy, under the disk, because you can’t clean it, unless you take it out. That’s so gross.
• Max had to get used to it: At first, he couldn’t figure out how to drink from it. He pawed at it, he bit it, he didn’t know what to do. It took him a day, to figure it out.
• It’s not completely no-spill: If you hit a really big bump, or drive on a really bumpy road, a little bit of water spills out. Not a lot, but it’s not perfect.
• The velcro gets dirty: After a few uses, the velcro gets full of carpet fuzz, and it stops sticking. I have to clean it, every time, to make it work.
• The disk is hard to move: If you want to pour the water out, you have to take the disk out, which is so hard, it’s a hassle.

Is the Prestige Pets Road Refresher Right for Your Dog?

So, is this thing right for you? Well, that depends. If you’re going on road trips, or you just need a bowl that doesn’t spill, in your car, and you don’t mind cleaning it, every once in a while? Then yeah, this is perfect. It works, it’s cheap, it does exactly what it says, for the most part.

But if you have a dog that’s really messy, or you drive on really bumpy roads, all the time? Then it might not work, because a little bit of water will spill.

And if you hate cleaning things, or you don’t want to deal with mold? Then no, this is not for you. Because it’s hard to clean, and it gets moldy, if you don’t clean it, every single time.

Also, if you have a dog with long ears? This is perfect, because it keeps their ears dry, they don’t dip their ears in the water, so they don’t get all wet, and dirty.

Common Questions About the Prestige Pets Road Refresher

I got so many questions from my friends after I posted about this, so I wanted to answer the most common ones here.

Does this really not spill?

Most of the time, yeah. If you’re driving normal, on regular roads, it doesn’t spill at all. But if you hit a really big bump, or drive on a dirt road, a little bit of water can spill out.

Is this hard to clean?

Yeah, it is. The floating disk is really tight, so it’s hard to take out, to clean it. And if you don’t clean it, every time, it can get moldy, under the disk.

Does this work for dogs with long ears?

Yeah, it works great. The disk covers the water, so their ears don’t dip in, they stay dry, no mess. A lot of people with Cocker Spaniels, or Basset Hounds, love this bowl.

How much water does it hold?

The large one holds 7 cups, which is enough for a big dog, for a whole day. The small one holds 2 cups, for small dogs.

Can I use this at home, too?

Yeah, a lot of people use it at home, too. It stops their dog from spilling water, all over the floor, and it keeps their face dry.

My Top Takeaways on the Prestige Pets Road Refresher

At the end of the day, this thing works, for what it is. It solved my biggest problem—water spilling all over my car, when we go on road trips. That part worked perfectly, the whole time. The bowl kept the water in, my car stayed dry, Max had water, whenever he wanted.

The cleaning part, that was annoying, but it’s not that bad. I just have to remember to take the disk out, and clean it, every time we get home, so it doesn’t get moldy. And the velcro, once I clean the fuzz off, it sticks again, no problem.

The first day, when Max was figuring out how to drink from it, that was funny, but he got used to it, after a day. Now, he drinks from it, no problem, he doesn’t even think about it.

It’s not perfect, but it’s the best no-spill bowl I’ve tried, for the price. If you’re like me, and you were completely tired of cleaning up water in your car, this is a great way to do it.

Final Thoughts on the Prestige Pets Road Refresher

All in all, the Prestige Pets Road Refresher has been great. It solved my biggest problem—water spilling all over my car, when we go on road trips—and it came with a few annoying little problems, but nothing that was a dealbreaker. The hard cleaning, the mold, the velcro getting dirty, it’s all a little much for $20, but honestly, it’s still cheaper than the other options.

If you’re going on road trips, and you need a no-spill bowl, for your dog? It’s worth it. But if you hate cleaning things, then don’t waste your money.

If you’re interested in trying it out, you can check it out here: Check Price on Amazon

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A Quick Disclaimer

I’m not a vet or professional trainer. This is just my personal experience.