Review Summary
We give Petcube Bites 2 Lite a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
What is Petcube Bites 2 Lite? How Does It Work?
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is a pet camera with a treat dispenser that allows you to keep an eye on your pets at all times, regardless of where you are in the world. You need to download the Petcube app (available for Android and iPhone users) to access the live feed and dispense treats.
The built-in treat dispenser lets you toss treats to your pets simply by swiping up on your phone screen. The app allows you to control how many treats you’d like to dispense and how far you’d like the treats to travel. It comes with three different sizes of plastic inserts to allow for treats of differing sizes and shapes.
Petcube Bites 2 Lite – A Quick Look
Petcube Bites 2 Lite Pricing
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite comes with everything you need to get set up within minutes. Its camera quality is top-notch, and the user-friendly design of the product and accompanying app is what I think really sets this product apart from other similar options on the market. All of this considered, it’s safe to say that you’re getting the best value for your investment at its current price.
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is available directly through their website or on Chewy.com.
What to Expect from the Petcube Bites 2 Lite
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite camera and treats dispenser arrived on my doorstep within just a few days. It came with simple-to-follow instructions and was very easy to set up and connect to my WiFi.
The Bites 2 Lite is made from a durable plastic material, but it doesn’t feel cheap. At roughly 11-inches tall, it is a bit larger than I was expecting, but its sleek and modern design makes it nice to look at. I didn’t feel like I had to hide the camera away as it blended in nicely with my décor.
The kit comes with mounting hardware, so you can mount your Bites 2 Lite wherever necessary to provide an unobstructed view of your space. You don’t have to mount it, however, as it can sit on nearly any flat surface.
Petcube Bites 2 Lite Features
The Petcube App
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is a fantastic option in the world of pet camera treat dispensers not only because of the high-quality design of the dispenser and camera itself but because of the unique features of the app.
Petcube Care is a feature on the app that’s hidden behind a paywall with three membership level options. The Optimal Monthly plan includes three days’ worth of video history and a one-year warranty on one camera. The Premium Yearly plan provides 90-days worth of video and a two-year warranty on unlimited cameras. The Premium Monthly plan provides the same benefits as the Premium Yearly plan, but it is billed in monthly installments.
All levels of Petcube Care receive smart alerts when meows are alerted as well as access to a web interface that allows you to view your video history and downloads on your computer. The app will also begin automatic video recording when motion or sounds are detected so you can always be kept up-to-speed on the goings-on in your home when you’re away.
The app also provides 24/7 online access to a team of veterinarians. You are allowed unlimited chats with on-call vets that can help you review any concerning symptoms or behaviors your pet may be exhibiting and provide advice regarding your pet’s medication. This feature is not part of Petcube Care and does require an additional cost per month to access.
Camera Quality
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite wide-angle view is fantastic. I set up the dispenser in my open-concept living room area and was afforded a view of the entire room as well as the entryway to my house. We also have a bearded dragon whose terrarium is in our living room and now we can keep an eye on him when we’re away, too.
I wasn’t expecting much in terms of the night vision feature. I have had several pet cameras over the years and was never impressed with how poor the camera quality was at night. The Petcube Bites 2 Lite far exceeded my expectations. Not only can I see the entire room when it’s pitch black, but the quality is pretty good. The feed can be a bit blurry with the night vision on, but not to the point of distortion. I am still able to differentiate between my cats.
The camera has 8x digital zoom, which I personally didn’t find to be very useful or clear. I don’t believe I’d need to use it, however, as the camera quality is so clear I can see perfectly without needing to zoom.
Tossing Treats
One of the best perks of this pet camera is its treat-dispensing capabilities.
All you need to do to dispense treats on command is open the Petcube app, select the camera feed you want to watch, click on the bone icon in the bottom left corner, and swipe up in the middle of the screen. The further up the screen you swipe, the further the Bites 2 Lite will toss the treat.
I was shocked at how well the treats launched. When you swipe up the entire length of your screen, the treat gets tossed pretty high into the air, which my cats absolutely loved.
You can use the app to schedule automatic treat dispensing, too. There is an Auto Treats Scheduling section in the settings on the app that allows you to choose a time, the distance you’d like the treat to fly, and the serving count.
It’s worth noting that the Bites 2 Lite makes a mechanical sound while it dispenses treats. My cats are now conditioned to equate that sound with getting a snack. I mention the noise only because skittish cats may be frightened by the sound at first.
Is Petcube Bites 2 Lite a Good Value?
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite provides fantastic value. The price is much more affordable than other treat dispensing cameras on the market. While other brands sacrifice quality to bring consumers a cheap product, Petcube seems to have found a way to keep the price low while also providing a high-quality product.
Though you need to subscribe to their service to use every feature of the app, we still found the Petcube Bites 2 Lite to be a good value. You don’t need to spend the extra money on the subscription to keep an eye on your pet and offer them treats while you’re away.
FAQ: Petcube Bites 2 Lite
Do I need to pay a subscription fee to use the app?
You do not need to subscribe to Petcube Care to use the app. Without subscribing, you’re still able to access the live camera feed, toss treats, and use the two-way microphone. That said, many of the camera’s special features are only available through a subscription. You will not be able to record remotely or receive motion-sensing notifications.
Will my treats fit in the dispenser?
The treat dispenser can hold a wide variety of treat sizes and shapes. The product arrives with three plastic inserts of differing sizes to allow for treats of all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Can I connect multiple phones to the same account?
Yes, you can connect multiple phones to the same Petcube account. Every connected user will have access to the live feed and treat dispenser.
How does the Petcube Bites 2 Lite differ from the Petcube Bites 2 models?
The Petcube Bites 2 and the Bites 2 Lite are similar in a lot of ways. They both provide a 160-degree wide-angle view, are compatible with Amazon Alexa, and connect to 2.4 GHz WiFi. The Bites 2 also connects to 5GHz WiFi and has four microphones instead of one. The Alexa feature is built-in to the Bites 2. The Bites 2 Lite is considerably less expensive. They’re both great cameras and treat dispensers, but if you’re looking for something a little easier on the budget, the Bites 2 Lite is the way to go.
What is the warranty like for the Petcube Bites 2 Lite?
Petcube has a one-year warranty against any defects in the materials or craft under normal wear.
If a hardware defect occurs and it is within the one-year warranty period, Petcube will take one of two routes. They will either repair the hardware at no cost to you or they will exchange the product for a new one. The new product you’ll receive may have been manufactured from new or used parts but its functionality will be equivalent to the Petcube Bites 2 Lite.
My Experience with the Petcube Bites 2 Lite
My cats absolutely love the Petcube Bites 2 Lite and so do I.
I’m not someone who has a lot of patience for technology when it doesn’t work as described so this product appealed to me right out of the box. It was simple to connect to my WiFi and the app worked as soon as I installed it on my phone. The app is also straightforward, intuitive, and simple to use.
The camera works better than I expected it to given its affordable price point, and I was happily surprised with the great night vision mode. The treat dispensing far exceeded my expectations, too, and I loved that I could schedule my cat’s daily treats at specific times from the app.
I have five cats, and all but one of them understand that the little white machine attached to our kitchen island throws treats. The last cat doesn’t quite get the hang of the Bites 2 Lite yet but does enjoy sniffing the camera, which makes for some pretty cute photos. I’m confident he’ll figure it out eventually.
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Final Verdict
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is an affordable treating dispensing pet camera with a lot of great features. It’s simple to use, and the accompanying app is easy to operate. You do need a subscription to use every feature of the app, but you don’t need to subscribe to watch the live feed or dispense treats. My cats are obsessed with this camera, and quite frankly, so am I.
