I Tried a 5L Stainless Steel Smart Pet Water Fountain — Here’s What I Found Inside

My cat has always been picky about water.

Sometimes she drinks. Sometimes she just sniffs it… and walks away.

So I decided to try something different — a 5L stainless steel smart pet water fountain.

But instead of just using it, I wanted to see what’s actually inside.

At first glance, it looks pretty solid.

The stainless steel body feels much more premium than plastic fountains I’ve seen before.

So I opened it up to understand how it actually works.

The top cover is stainless steel, which means the water doesn’t directly touch plastic.

That was one of the main reasons I wanted to test this model.

Inside, the structure is surprisingly simple.

There aren’t too many complicated parts — which is actually a good thing.

It means it’s easier to clean and less likely to trap dirt.

There is still a plastic base underneath, mainly for water storage and structure.

But the key difference is that the drinking area itself is stainless steel.

Then I checked the filtration system — this is where most fountains usually fail.

This model comes with multi-layer filters.

Each filter includes:

• Activated carbon  
• Cotton layers  
• Fine filtration material  

The filter feels thick and dense.

Compared to cheaper filters I’ve seen, this one looks more reliable.

There’s also a small pre-filter sponge for the pump.

This helps block hair and debris before they enter the system.

I also recorded the full teardown and testing process here:

After putting everything back together and using it for a while, I noticed something interesting.

My cat started drinking more.

She didn’t hesitate like before — no sniffing and walking away.

What stood out to me:

• The stainless steel surface feels cleaner  
• The structure is simple (easy to maintain)  
• The filter system is more complete than expected  

It’s not complicated — but that’s actually why it works better.

If you're curious why cats prefer flowing water: