Best: Overall

• Capacity: 3l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

This adorable-looking fountain shines above the competition and was a standout favourite of our feline tester. Perfect for pets who like to drink from the tap, it can hold up to 3l of water but still has a compact design that takes up little floor space.

The fountain has a central spout featuring a bright plastic flower that creates multiple streams of water, making it a great option for those with more than one pet or furry friends like ours that need a little encouragement to drink anything at all. However, it has two other settings too, including a gentle water flow or bubbling top.

Cleverly designed to urge your cat to drink more, the top of the fountain is shallow, so your pet can drink without putting any stress on their whiskers. We also loved that it comes with a backlit water level window that not only lets you see if the fountain needs refilling but also gives off a pleasant blue glow to help guide your cat in the darkness at night.

The Catit fountain is super-easy to assemble as the pieces snap into place without any hassle and is also one of the quietest we tried. It uses carbon filters to catch any hair, fur or dirt that falls in and these need to be replaced every four weeks. The filters can be re-purchased in packs of two for £8.29 (£8.29, Waitrosepet.com).

Best: Energy efficient fountain

• Capacity: 2l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: No

The PetKit eversweet is the most energy-efficient fountain we tried, so if you’re conscious of the impact having a fountain might have on your water bill, this is the one for you.

A high-tech way of ensuring your pets always have fresh, filtered water throughout the day and night, this fountain comes with two different modes – normal and smart. In normal mode, the fountain wells up, offering your cat fresh water at all times but, when the smart mode is activated, the fountain works on a five-minute cycle, welling up every three minutes before a two-minute rest to prevent overfilling.

Unlike some other fountains, this only has one water setting, which makes the water bubble gently on top – our feline tester enjoyed peering over the top of the fountain to get their fill, but the lack of options might be something to consider if your cat is particularly fussy.

Another feature that really earns this fountain some brownie points is its alert system – a light appears when the filter needs changing and an alarm also sounds when the water needs topping up, taking all the hassle out of upkeep. It also has a carbon filter to help clear the water of impurities and we found the pump to be super-quiet. With its nearly silent design and different settings to suit both you and your pets needs, this is one gadget you both won’t want to be without and, while it does come at a slightly higher price, we think it’s worth the splurge, should your budget allow.

Replacement filters are available to buy in packs of five (£18, Johnlewis.com). It is recommended to change the filter monthly, however, if you use the fountain in smart mode, the replacement period is 12 weeks.

Best: Stylish cat water fountain

• Capacity: 0.8l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: Yes (except for motor and cord)

If you’re the style-conscious type who can’t think of anything worse than setting up a garish water feature in your dining room, this Trixie fountain should sit at the top of your shopping list. Made from ceramic, it has a super-sleek dome design that’s particularly great for cats who find fast running water intimidating. Its low profile and bowl-inspired shape are less likely to unsettle skittish pets, while the rippled sides and bubbling function still entice them to drink more.

It’s notably quiet, with a circulating filtration system that removes hair, food particles, and dirt, and the flow of the water is adjustable. The fountain does make a slight noise, but it’s not too bad as long as the water level is high enough to ensure the pump is fully submerged – it didn’t put our tester off anyhow, as they went to inspect it straight away after set-up.

The ceramic bowl is dishwasher safe and replacement filters cost £4.99 for a pack of six (£4.99, Lordsandlabradors.co.uk). Owing to its smaller capacity –  it holds 0.8l of water – we think this fountain would best suit single cat households. The fountain is currently out of stock but you can sign up to be notified via email once it’s back.

Best: For kittens

• Capacity: 1.2l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

If you have just welcomed a kitten into your home or own a small cat, consider this pint-sized pet fountain, which has a capacity of 1.2l. Designed with a free-falling stream of water to entice your pet to drink, the fountain has a receiving ramp that helps minimise any splashing from the stream as your furry friend quenches their thirst. However, if your cat happens to prefer drinking still water, they can make the most of the reservoir at the base too.

We really liked that it also features an adjustable flow control, so you can choose how fast the water pours. The fountain is made from plastic, which isn’t the most stylish option, but it does make it easy to take apart for cleaning and means it can be washed in the top rack of a dishwasher – minus the motor and cord.

The drinkwell mini is fitted with a charcoal filter, which removes debris as well as bad tastes and smells, leaving your pet with clean, fresh-tasting filtered water. It’s recommended that you swap these every two to four weeks, and replacements cost £6.49 for a pack of three (£6.49, Amazon.co.uk).

While the brand claims this fountain has a “nearly silent operation”, we actually found it to be one of the noisiest we tried. This might not be a deal-breaker for most, but it is something to consider if you’re planning on keeping the fountain in an area where you spend lots of time or have a particularly fussy feline that could find it off-putting.

Best: For multiple cats

• Capacity: 2l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

If you have more than one kitty, you’re going to need a fountain that’s not only big enough but also caters to individual water preferences, which is where Cat Mate’s offering comes in. While it might not be the most visually appealing – it’s made from modest white plastic – the fountain has a host of great features, including three different tiers, which means pets of all sizes can use it comfortably.

The tiers also deliver different stream functions, with a bubbling outlet at the top, a flowing water stream in the middle and a wide bowl at the bottom, so all bases are covered. The fountain has a generous water capacity of 2l making it ideal for up to three cats (or a small dog).

It comes with a carbon filter, which keeps the water clear, fresh and free from odours, just the way your pet likes it. The brand recommends that the cartridge should be replaced monthly (£12.99, Amazon.co.uk) – but if you have multiple pets you may need to do this sooner. The pump does buzz slightly and the streaming water can make a splashing noise, but we didn’t find that it was enough to annoy us. Maintenance is also really simple as the bowls are dishwasher safe and the replacement cartridge easily slots into position.

Best: For small spaces

• Capacity: 1.5l
• Filter: Yes (charcoal)
• Dishwasher safe: Yes (except for motor and cord)

This fountain is perfect if you don’t have much room at home as, despite having a 1.5l capacity, the round design means it can fit neatly into smaller spaces. Made with a transparent tank, it’s easy to check the water level at a glance, ensuring it never runs low and it also has an advanced filtration system. The three-layer filter consists of a sponge, an ion-exchange resin layer, and an activated-carbon layer, which help to filter out debris, soften hard tap water, and remove bad tastes and odours.

It has great adjustability too as the faucet can be placed in different positions, including a tall mode, short mode, and fountain mode. The tall mode means the water makes more noise and thus attracts your cat’s attention and is also great for bigger pets. Meanwhile, the short mode is great for smaller cats and fountain mode simply makes the water bubble, meaning it’s far quieter and an ideal option for nighttime.

Our feline tester enjoyed drinking out of this fountain, requiring little encouragement after initial set-up and, while the water pump makes a gentle hum, it wasn’t a nuisance. The fountain is easy to disassemble and clean too, which the manufacturer recommends should be done every week, while filters should be replaced every four to eight weeks, and cost £11.60 for four (£11.60, Amazon.co.uk).