My dog Pip is now five and my cat Mia almost eight, and over the years I have really bought a lot of pet supplies that I later thought: I didn’t need to buy this. Food bowls that tip over immediately, water bottles that leak as soon as you put them in your bag, plastic dishes that discolor within a month. I’ve since realized that good pet supplies aren’t a luxury, but simply an investment you use daily. And if you use them every day, you want something that works well.
In recent weeks, I’ve been doing some research again. Not because something was broken, to be honest, but because I notice that some of the things I have just no longer fit how Pip and Mia live now. Pip walks with me at least an hour every day, and in the summer I often take her to the beach or the forest nearby. Mia is more of an indoor cat, but she has developed her own preferences that I want to respect. Below, I share the products that caught my attention for 2026, along with how I would use them myself.
Water bottle for on the go, finally one that works
Start with the basics. If you have a dog that goes outside with you, you know how hard it can be to get water during a long walk. Pip drinks more on the go than I sometimes think, especially on warmer days. At first, I always carried a regular water bottle and a collapsible silicone bowl, but in practice it went like this: take the bowl out of the bag, unfold the bowl, pour water in, she drinks two sips, I have to find a place for the leftover water, put everything back in the bag. Three minutes of hassle for two sips.
The 3 in 1 Dog Water Bottle solved that problem for me. The drinking bowl is simply attached to the bottle, you press a button and the water fills the bowl exactly, and what she doesn’t drink you pour back into the bottle. No waste, no loose parts to lose in your backpack, no wet tissues at the bottom. For a morning walk where you’re gone for two hours, this really makes a difference. And the blue color is nicely neutral, it doesn’t look dirty when it’s at the bottom of a bag.
What I also like is that it can be operated with one hand. My other hand holds the leash and often also a poop bag or my phone. A product that feels like someone really thought about how it works in daily use—that’s the kind of product I keep using. I think I’ve grabbed this bottle hundreds of times since Pip came to us, and the versions they make now are really much better than what I had in 2020.
A water bottle with food container for longer outings
For the regular walk, that first bottle is perfect. But I also have days when I’m really out longer with Pip. A long day in the forest, a trip to the heath, or even a midweek away by car. On those days, food must come along too, and then it’s handy if that food is in the same device as the water. I spent years dealing with separate plastic containers and bags of kibble in my bag, and crumbs always ended up somewhere in my handbag that I later didn’t know what sandwiches I had transported in there.
The 3-in-1 Dog Water Bottle with Food Container has a built-in compartment for kibble next to the water holder. That may sound simple, but the practical impact is big. You carry one thing instead of three, you’re sure the right amount of food is there, and the container is sealed so no more crumbs in your bag. The gray color is also nicely timeless, so you don’t have to style it with the rest of your outfit if you’re sitting on a terrace somewhere.
I used it recently when we went to the Veluwe for a day. Pip got her lunch halfway through on a quiet bench in the forest, I grabbed an apple from my own bag, and it just felt well organized. No stress about whether I brought enough, no mess to pack up afterward. For people who are regularly out longer with their dog, this is really a recommendation. A day out suddenly becomes much more relaxed because you’re no longer juggling loose items.
For the cat at home, a food bowl that also looks nice
Mia is, as I said, an indoor cat. Her life takes place between the couch, the kitchen window where she watches the birds, and her feeding spot. And I neglected that feeding spot for years. Two plastic bowls next to each other, one for kibble, one for water, on a placemat I had to clean every two days because she splashed water out of her bowl as if it were a sport. It worked, but it didn’t look good and it was an endless maintenance battle with that placemat.
The 3-in-1 Karl Cat Food Bowl in dark blue has everything in one compact unit. Food, water, and a place for extras, all in one streamlined design. No more loose bowls sliding across the kitchen floor when she enthusiastically digs for food. The higher edge also prevents water from spilling over immediately when she bats the bowl with her paws, which Mia does daily for reasons only she understands.
What I didn’t expect is how much calmer my kitchen looks since I got those kinds of things organized. It sounds exaggerated to say that about a food bowl, but if you walk past the feeding spot six or seven times a day and it always looks neat, you feel it. The dark blue color stands out in a neutral way, not flashy, and fits with how I like my interior. A food bowl doesn’t have to be just functional; it can also simply be beautiful where it stands.
A stainless steel food bowl for those who want something more durable
Now I have to be honest, not everyone wants a plastic food bowl at home. My mother-in-law, for example, is a fan of stainless steel for everything. Her kitchen radiates calm because of those material choices, and her two British Shorthair cats both eat from stainless steel. She says it’s more hygienic, lasts longer, and the bowls don’t quickly smell bad like plastic sometimes can over time. I understand her point and I think she’s right in some respects.
The 3-in-1 Food Bowl Dog Cat Stainless Steel is suitable for both dogs and cats and is made of durable stainless steel. What I like about this type of bowl is that it really lasts a lifetime. No scratches that hold food, no discoloration after a few months, and you can just put it in the dishwasher without worries. For those who have multiple pets, or who just want one definitive purchase that will last for years, this is really a top choice.
My neighbor has a Bernese Mountain Dog, a dog as big as a small calf, and she always had problems with her food bowls. Plastic cracked under her enthusiasm, ceramic broke once when she knocked it over with her tail. Since she switched to stainless steel, she hasn’t had to buy replacements. My mother-in-law would be proud. For larger dogs that are rougher with their stuff, this is really the material that lasts longest without hassle.
A fun extra for the car
This is maybe more of a gimmick than a serious accessory, but I want to mention it anyway because I actually find it cute. My neighbor has a large black SUV and on the back there’s a sticker of his dog, a kind of silhouette with the name next to it. I once asked him about it and he said he ordered something like that online and his daughter gave it to him for his birthday three years ago. He’s still happy with it.
The 3D Car Paw Sticker Dogs is a variation on that same idea. A silver paw print sticker you can stick on the back of your car. Not for everyone, I understand that this doesn’t suit every type of person, but for people who really see their dog as a family member, it’s a nice way to show that. And it’s the kind of gift you can give well to someone who just got a puppy or who is a big dog fan in your circle of friends.
By the way, my mother has two on her car, one for her old labrador who unfortunately is no longer with us, and one for her new puppy. For her, it has also become a kind of memory, not just decoration. I also appreciate that kind of thing, that a product can gain personal meaning you hadn’t thought of beforehand. It’s just a sticker, but for my mother it’s more than that. And for myself, I would also consider getting one, simply because it fits Pip and how I think about her.
How I approach buying pet supplies myself
Over the years, I’ve learned that impulse buys for pets almost always turn out badly. You see something cute in a pet store, you think: oh, this is nice for Pip, and two weeks later it’s unused in a corner or already broken. What I do now is make a list of what I really miss in my daily routine with the animals. Not what looks nice, but what should have a function.
For me, this year that was a better water bottle for on the go, a food bowl for Mia that also looked good in the kitchen, and basically just one good setup for long days out with Pip. That’s three purchases, not fifteen. And then I calmly choose what fits best, instead of buying everything at once and then discovering I have duplicates or some things don’t work as I thought.
I also think it helps to look for products that combine multiple functions. A 3-in-1 product is usually better than three separate things because you take up less space and get into a routine faster. For people with a small house or apartment, that’s extra nice because you simply don’t have the space to put five different bowls for each pet. Compact solutions have really grown in value for me since I moved into a smaller home three years ago.
Let the seasons influence your choice
Something I never used to do but now do is think about the seasons when buying new pet supplies. A water bottle you use a lot in summer can be bigger because you walk longer and your dog needs more water. In winter, a smaller version is fine because you’re outside for shorter periods anyway. A food bowl for indoors can stay the same in every season, but if you have a garden and your dog also eats outside sometimes, then a stainless steel version is practical because rain is no problem.
For 2026, I expect to be outside a lot again with Pip. My work now allows me to leave around three o’clock for a walk more often, and I want to take advantage of that. So for me, investing in good on-the-go supplies is really justified. For someone who mostly walks their dog around the house, it might be different. I always recommend first looking at your own routine and adjusting purchases to that, not the other way around.
And one more thing, for the cat people among us. Cats are creatures of habit. A new food bowl sometimes requires some getting used to, especially for people who know their cats are very attached to their bowl. I gradually let Mia get used to her new Karl bowl over three weeks by first only using the water part and later the food side. Not all cats need that, but if you have a sensitive animal, gradual introduction is your friend.
Finally, an invitation
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably someone like me who really cares about your pet and wants the things you buy for them to just work well. I can warmly recommend browsing pantinoshop.nl to see what else is available for your four-legged friend. Not just the products I’ve described here, but also other practical things that make your daily life with your pet a little nicer.
By the way, Pip is now sleeping under my desk while I type this. Mia is sitting on the kitchen window, in the sun. Sometimes I think I buy all these nice and handy products for myself, but actually it’s also just love for who they are. They don’t realize the blue water bottle is fancier than the old one. But I know it, and I use it better, and because of that I walk with her more often and longer. And that’s ultimately what it’s all about.
Enjoy your animals. And just give them good stuff. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be right.
