We have two of these to help with feeding a diabetic cat who needs a midday and overnight "snack" to avoid hypoglycemia.Pros:+ We opted for two 2- meal units (rather than one 5-meal unit) because it gives the cat a larger, easier-to-reach food compartment, there's no wheel mechanism to get out-of-synch, and gives us more options for washing, etc. We've been pleased with this choice so far, and would go the same route if we had it to do over again.+ The units are easy to operate and offer up to 48 hours of timing options.+ The roomy food compartments can be taken out and run through the dishwasher. We use chilled canned food in ours, along with a couple of ice cubes. The ice cubes help control the food temperature, and add moisture to the food as they melt. Each food container can easily hold a 3.3 oz can of food and ice cubes.+ Our two cats took to the feeder right away. One sits staring at the closed containers for long periods of time, apparently willing them to open for her. She has not made a serious attempt to open them yet, but the feeder can withstand the occassional prying paw.+ As an added bonus, using this unit for early morning feedings has quickly conditioned the cats to stop their annoying bedside "wake up calls". They go pester the feeder instead of trying to wake us up. That alone is worth the price!+ Works fine with a rechargeable AA battery, and one battery lasts a long time.Cons:- For us, precise timing is very important. The unit's timer seems to do very well if you are setting it for whole-hour increments of four hours or more; anything less is pretty "iffy". When I thought I was setting two units to open at the same time (test run), they actually opened about 20 minutes apart. Not a big deal, unless you have two hungry cats and one open food bowl.- The units seem pretty flimsy, especially the mechanisms that latch and lift the lids. I don't know that they will last very long.- I really wish the unit would make some sort of noise to alert cats when it opens. As is, it opens almost silently (much quieter than the can opener that brings them running!), so food sits open until they wander in and notice it. This is especially a concern with a potentially hypoglycemic cat, but I can't imagine that it is ever ideal.- I wish the food trays weren't plastic, as this is not the healthiest option for pets. Among other things, it can cause "kitty acne" - that black crusty stuff on cat's chin.- The unit is not made to work with an AC adaptor, and there is no low battery warning light or signal. Thus, it is a worry that the battery will run down and the feeder won't open while we are away.All in all, it is a good very basic unit to help manage feeding cats and small dogs for short trips, between catsitter visits on longer trips, and for daytime or nightime snacks for cats with special dietary needs.I just wonder why there does not seem to be a top-of-the-line timed pet feeder out there. A sturdy model with stainless steel food cups, a digital timer, built-in storage for cold packs, and an optional feeding chime would be worth spending money on! Until the day it is invented, this one seems to be the next best bet.I am very pleased with this automatic pet feeder. It is a great product that will give you the peace of mind you need when leaving your cat (or dog) for up to 48 hours. I researched and compared a lot of different automatic pet feeders and after reading many reviews, I decided on this one. It was the right choice!PRICEYou will definitely get a lot of bang for your buck with this item. It is very reasonably priced compared to other automatic cat feeders. Do not let the lower price be a deterrent in your decision. It certainly does not mean its of lesser quality or functions subpar compared to the more expensive options. If you are on a budget (or even if you are not), this is the automatic feeder you are looking for. There are more programming options with some of the more expensive feeders, but if you are out of town for the short-term, then why pay extra when this is all you need?EASE OF USEThis product is not as complicated as some of the other pet feeders out there. It requires just 1 AA battery and has a simple timer that you set manually by turning the knob. There is no hassle with programming because it is not a digital feeder. It does not get more simple than this. The timer can be set up to 48 hours. When the timer is up, the lid will automatically pop open. The only thing you need to do is add the food, close the lid and set the timer. I recommend a trial run before use, just to ensure your feeder is working properly.SPECSEach food tray will accommodate up to 1.5 cups of dry food and is perfect for a cat or small dog. The feeder is lightweight and the trays can be cleaned in the dishwasher. It is made of high quality plastic and does not have a "cheap" feel to it. It is inconspicuous and can be easily tucked away in a corner, closet, or cabinet. It appears, from the photo, that the two sides are detachable; however, this is one unit and cannot be separated.ADDED FEATURESI discovered an additional feature that is not in the item description. There is a small amount of space under each feeding tray. I found an innovative way to make sure they are getting the fresh, wet food they crave. I put crushed ice in Ziploc bags and place them under the trays. This ensures the food stays cool and fresh. You can also use this feeder to dispense treats while you are away at work or to establish a feeding routine for your pet.CUSTOMER SATISFACTIONI have yet to hear any complaints from my cats about their new feeder. After I return home from a 1-2 day trip, I find the lids are open and there is not a morsel left. I am very happy with this purchase and Me, Buttercup and Mr. Bing recommend this for your short time away from home.I wish i had kept this, I had to send it back because i'd ordered the rotating 6 meal feeder. However on arrival back from my holiday I realised i'd made a mistake about which one to keep. I have 4 rabbits and they managed to break in to the rotating feeder and eat all 6 compartments in 2 days. This one would be much better as it's harder to get in to as it opens up rather than sideways. I wish there were more compartments though.Generally great, does exactly what we wanted - allows us to do an overnight (or two at a stretch) trip away and leave enough for the cat. One battery, two twisty time wheels showing hours until opening. We've used this a dozen times over the last year and twice one of the lids hasn't opened, but the other one did.Didn’t really work too well. It’s cheap plastic, and although a simple mechanism I’m not sure it always worked due to the poor quality. Would be easy to clean if working.This pet feeder is useless (and I have two of them, so I can't have just been unlucky and had a faulty one). It is nowhere near as strong as the white PetSafe feeder. My cat manages to break in within seconds of it going on the floor, he squeezes his nose underneath the lid and forces it open. This means that if we're going away overnight, he's eaten both of his set meals before we've even left the house, basically rendering it completely pointless.