Is the Yeti No-Skid Dog Bowl Worth the Money? We Put It to the Test
Updated: Jan. 24, 2024
The Yeti dog bowl promises a dependable non-slip, dent-proof and rust-resistant solution to feeding our pets. But is it dog approved?
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If you have a dog, it’s safe to assume you already have a food and water dish. But the pet industry is always enticing us with new and innovative ways to serve our pets at mealtime. And now, Yeti—the trusted brand known for its durable coolers and drinkware—has entered the market with Boomer, the Yeti dog bowl.
Amazon shoppers have already snagged this trending dog dish and given it more than 5,000 five-star ratings. But its heftier price tag has left many wondering if it’s worth the hype (and therefore, doggy bowl upgrade). My dog and I wondered the same thing, so we decided to put it to the test.
What is the Yeti dog bowl?
The Yeti Boomer dog bowl stands outs from traditional bowls thanks to its durable, non-slip and dent-resistant design. This promises to withstand everything from rust to roughhousing. Mimicking the popular Yeti Rambler drinkware line, the Boomer features the same kitchen-grade, double-wall, stainless steel material.
It’s also dishwasher safe (which is important, as a dirty pet bowl can result in illness). Plus, it’s available in two sizes—4 cups and 8 cups—and a variety of fun colors making it hard to choose just one (you can always purchase a second!).
I chose the Seafoam color, based solely on the fact that my dog and I would now have matching Yeti gear for camping and other adventures.
Yeti dog bowl features
The Yeti Boomer comes with a five-year warranty and several impressive features that differentiate it from your average dog bowl:
Size, color and customization
The Boomer comes in two sizes. The 4-cup bowl weighs 1.2 pounds and the 8-cup bowl weighs 1.9 pounds—strategically designed to be heavier than your average dish. For reference, my current go-to dog dish only weighs half a pound.
The bowl is available in 13 stylish colors on Amazon or six colors on Yeti’s website with the option for customization. That’s right—you can personalize this already adorable bowl with your dog’s name, a monogram or a graphic of your choice.
Dent and rust-resistant
The bowl features double-wall, 18/8 stainless steel, making it durable, easy to clean and resistant to dents and rust. However, the Boomer bowl is non-insulated, unlike Yeti’s drinkware line.
BearFoot™ non-slip ring
The bottom of this weighted dog bowl features a non-slip ring to help keep the dish in place. This is great if you don’t have an elevated dog bowl or if you have a large dog that eats enthusiastically (Ernie and I fall into this category). The Yeti Boomer promises not to budge.
Food and dishwasher-safe
This BPA-free bowl is food-safe and dishwasher-safe, making it easier than ever to maintain a sanitary environment for your dog.
Five-year warranty
Like most Yeti products, the Boomer dog bowl comes with a five-year warranty when purchased through the Yeti website, store or authorized dealer.
How we tested it
I tested the Yeti dog bowl with my 50-pound pit bull mix, Ernie. He’s a fast eater, so he admittedly uses an elevated, slow-feeder bowl at home. But for travel and camping, I use two regular, stainless steel dog bowls for his food and water.
Given his enthusiasm at mealtime, he often pushes his dish all across the floor. And during camping, I constantly find his empty dish overturned and covered in dirt. I was eager to see if the Yeti dog bowl would provide the durability and weight (even when empty) that his current dishes did not.
Food test
When the 8-cup bowl arrived, I was slightly taken aback by how large it was and wondered if the 4-cup bowl would have sufficed, especially for travel. I placed some kibble in Ernie’s regular dog bowl and watched as it skirted across the kitchen floor—something I had witnessed all too often at our family cabin. Next, I placed some kibble in the Boomer dog bowl and watched in satisfaction as it did not budge (Ernie also enjoyed the fact that the dog bowl did not put up a fight).
Water test
I next filled the bowl with fresh water and watched as Ernie drank away. While he’s not a water bowl snob, I am. I appreciated the added dish depth and fewer spills at my feet. Given that we live in the Arizona desert, and keeping my dog cool and hydrated is crucial, I retracted my previous concerns and decided that the 8-cup bowl size was in fact the way to go.
The Boomer is non-insulated and therefore does not keep water cool like their Yeti insulated cups. But I still wanted to test this out, and I placed ice water in both the Boomer and Ernie’s regular dish and set them outside.
I found no difference in how quickly the ice cubes melted in each dish. But our Associate Shopping Editor, Mary Henn—who also did a comparison test with a thermometer—found that the Boomer did in fact keep the water cooler when compared to a ceramic bowl (and several Amazon reviewers also agreed).
I have now had my Yeti Boomer for a few months and it has stood up to travel and multiple rounds in the dishwasher, with no dents or rust in sight.
Pros
- Durable, double-wall stainless steel construction
- Variety of stylish colors with customization options on Yeti’s website
- Weighted, with a non-slip grip on the bottom (perfect for puppies or enthusiastic eaters)
- BPA-free
- Dent- and rust-resistant
- Dishwasher safe
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Pricey (but its durable construction means it will withstand the test of time)
- Non-insulated (meaning it will not keep water cool, although several reviewers felt that it did)
- Not travel-friendly (heavier than your average bowl)
- No slow feeder option for fast eaters
What other reviewers had to say
The Yeti Boomer dog bowl receives high praise with a 4.9-star average on Amazon.
Five-star reviewer Kenny says it is “the best dog bowl ever,” and purchased two. “At first I felt like I paid too much for just dog bowls but let me tell you these things are made from great materials! ]They are sturdy and they have been so easy to clean. Other cheap dog bowls I’ve bought started getting smelly and [accumulated] dog food junk,” he says. “All you need to do to clean these is use a wet paper towel and they clean right away, just like new. My dog loves them and I do feel it keeps the water colder. I use one for water and another for food. They definitely have paid for themselves.”
Another verified Amazon reviewer, Erin Fanning, found this bowl to be the solution to her puppy’s playful antics. “My puppy would grab his water bowl and fling the water everywhere. I bought this bowl because it is large (plenty of room for freeboard), tough (stands up to puppy teeth), and hefty (hard for him to set his teeth on it or lift it).”
Satisfied purchaser, J Dubs, is also a fan: “We have a large dog who has flipped a few bowls in the past and even slid into and broke his last one while running to get dinner. So I went for the Yeti one and I have zero complaints. It is sturdy, the pup has yet to flip this one after several months, it has a gripping ring on the bottom so it doesn’t slide on our hardwood floors, and washes easily in the dishwasher.”
Product comparison
Compared to my current dog dish—which weighs a little over half a pound—the Yeti dog bowl is heavier, weighing just under two pounds. The Yeti dog bowl is also taller at 3.5 inches, compared to my food and water dishes which are only 2.5 and 3 inches tall. As mentioned previously, I prefer the added depth for keeping Ernie hydrated while preventing spills.
While there are other non-slip dog bowls for a fraction of the price, the Yeti Boomer’s high-quality construction and long-standing durability put it in a class of its own, making it worthy of the investment.
Final verdict
While I’ll admit the Yeti Boomer is larger and heavier than I would like for travel, I found that it held up better than Ernie’s regular dishes, which were already experiencing a few mysterious dents and rust spots. The Yeti dog bowl is also dishwasher safe, making it one less dog item to hand clean after trips, so it is definitely one of the main dog essentials I pack in my car. In my opinion, the perks greatly outweigh the minor travel inconvenience (not to mention this will by far outlast several cheaper options over the years).
And for instances where I’m really pressed for packing space, I can always pack a collapsible dog dish or portable dog water bottle, but Ernie prefers lapping in luxury. For pets that do not require an elevated station or slow feeder like Ernie does, I strongly believe the Yeti Boomer would be the ideal solution for a long-lasting, durable and stylish at-home bowl. And for new rambunctious puppy owners, this is a worthy investment that will prove useful for Fido from crate training days into their adult years.
Where to buy the Yeti dog bowl
You can purchase the Boomer dog bowl for $40 or $50 directly from Yeti with the option for customization. For more color options and added shopping convenience (but without the option to customize), you can also purchase the Yeti dog bowl from Amazon.
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Originally Published: July 26, 2023
