Bowl guide
Stainless steel, ceramic or plastic: which dog bowl material is best?
Most vets lean towards stainless steel for everyday food and water bowls, with ceramic as a reasonable alternative and plastic as the one to be careful with. Here is why, with the sources, and what that means if you are choosing a bowl for your own dog or cat. We sell stainless steel bowls, so we have tried to keep this to what the sources actually say.
Plastic: cheap and light, but it scratches
Plastic bowls are inexpensive and good for travel. The problem is wear. Today’s Veterinary Business notes that plastic scratches easily, that scratches let bacteria stick and form biofilm, and that chewed plastic can leave sharp edges or loose pieces. The same article says to avoid plastics containing BPA or phthalates. Some pets also react to plastic bowls with redness or acne on the chin and muzzle, a pattern described in this veterinarian’s note.
Ceramic: heavy and stable, if the glaze is food-safe
Ceramic and stoneware bowls are heavy, so they are hard to tip or push around. The cautions are breakage and glaze. Chipped or cracked bowls should be retired, and Today’s Veterinary Business points to US FDA warnings that poorly made glazes can contain lead or cadmium, so look for a bowl labelled lead-free and intended for food.
Stainless steel: durable and easy to clean
Stainless steel does not chip, survives the dishwasher and is the material that clinic blogs such as Seaport Animal Hospital most often recommend. Its drawbacks are that a light bowl can slide or clatter (a rubber base helps), heavy chewers can dent it, and quality varies. Today’s Veterinary Business suggests food-grade steel such as grade 304 (also sold as 18/8).
What the bacteria study found
Today’s Veterinary Business summarises a Hartpury University study of plastic, stainless steel and ceramic pet dishes. Plastic dishes carried the most bacteria, and ceramic dishes showed the widest mix of bacteria, including some harmful strains. The article itself says more research is needed. Whatever the material, the practical takeaway is the same: wash bowls often and replace any that are scratched, chipped or cracked.
If your pet’s chin gets sore
Chin and muzzle irritation can have several causes, including the bowl, a dirty bowl or an allergy. Try a clean bowl in a different material, and see your vet if it does not settle. We are not vets and this guide is not veterinary advice.
About our bowls
Our bowls are double-wall stainless steel with an anti-slip rubber base, printed with your pet’s name and made to order by Printful. Printful says they are dishwasher safe with the rubber base removed. Printful does not publish a steel grade for this bowl, so we don’t claim one. They come in two sizes, and suit cats as well as dogs (see the cat bowl guide).
See the 18 oz bowl See the 32 oz bowl
Sources: Today’s Veterinary Business, “The Bowl Truth”; Seaport Animal Hospital; Dr Nelson’s Veterinary Blog. Checked 11 November 2026.