Petcube Bites 2 Review

We tested the Petcube Bites 2 with a curious cat. It’s a powerful treat-tossing camera with good video quality.
Best pet cam for sharing
Petcube Bites 2
  • pro
    90-day cloud-storage option
  • pro
    Built-in Alexa option
  • con
    No pan or tilt
pro

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Cathy Habas
Aug 05, 2022
Icon Time To Read4 min read

The biggest reason to choose the Petcube Bites 2 over another pet cam is its sharing capabilities. You can invite friends and family to access the camera and set permissions for each user—a feature we haven’t seen in the competition.

Generous 90-day cloud storage (paid, of course), built-in Amazon Alexa, and scheduled treat launches are the other big selling points for the Petcube Bites 2. But if you’re not excited about any of the perks we’ve mentioned so far, we recommend saving some money with Petcube’s main competitor Furbo.

pro
Pros
pro Free version
pro Web and mobile dashboards
pro 90-day cloud storage option
pro Treat schedules
pro Sharing options
pro Detachable treat container
pro Dual-band Wi-Fi
con
Cons
con No pan or tilt
con No daily digest

Compare Petcube Care plans

Plans
Price
Cloud video storage
Video downloads
Smart alerts
Computer access
Warranty
Learn more
Basic NoneLive only
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightMobile app only
1 yr.
Optimal3 days10/mo.
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
1 yr.
Premium90 daysUnlimited
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
2 yrs.

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Video: Testing the Petcube Bites 2 Lite

We unboxed, set up, and tested the Petcube Bites 2 Lite during a livestream. Check it out below.

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What's in the box

Image: Katie McEntire, SafeWise

  • Petcube Bites 2
  • 5-foot USB cable
  • Power adapter
  • Mounting kit
  • Quick start guide

Unique features in the Petcube Bites 2

Amazon Alexa built-in

The Petcube Bites 2 doubles as a fully-functional Amazon Echo. No need to buy a separate smart hub and connect it to the Bites 2 for voice activation—this pet cam does it all.

Already have an Alexa device? Save around $100 and get the Petcube Bites 2 Lite instead. It works with Alexa rather than having Alexa built in.

Treat-tossing distance control

The Petcube Bites 2 lets you choose from three distances when launching treats from the app. Other treat-tossing cameras shoot at random or pre-set distances, so it’s neat to be a little more precise with the Bites 2.

Plus, if you have more than one pet, you can make sure you toss some treats further back for the shy ones.

“This thing is powerful. And fast.”
—Katie M., SafeWise product tester

Our product tester Katie said that the Bites 2 launched more cat treats than she expected, and thinks larger treats work better. “If you’re not there to see how it works, you might not realize that you’re flinging a ton of food at your pets,” she said. 

Sits on a table or mounts to a wall

This pet camera has grippy material on the bottom to prevent it from tipping over when it’s on a tabletop. You can also mount the Bites 2 on a wall with screws thanks to the built-in mounting holes—a unique feature among pet cams.

Only treat-tossing pet camera with dual-band Wi-Fi

The Petcube Bites 2 is the only treat-tossing pet camera on the market with dual-band Wi-Fi capabilities. Assuming you have a dual-band Wi-Fi router to use with the Petcube Bites 2, you’ll have a faster and more stable video feed and app connection than if you just used a 2.4 GHz pet camera.

Just make sure you stick to the standard Petcube Bites 2 if you want dual-band Wi-Fi compatibility. The Bites 2 Lite only works on 2.4 GHz.

Average features found in other pet cams too

Some features in the Petcube Bites 2 are typical compared to other pet cameras.

Noise and motion detection: The Petcube Bites 2 detects general noise and motion without a paid plan. With a Petcube Care subscription, you can get alerts for meowing, barking, pet motion, and human motion.

Typical camera quality: Like any other pet cam worth its salt, the PetCube Bites 2 records in full HD 1080p with night vision and 4x digital zoom.

Easy setup and use: Just plug it in, download an app, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to Wi-Fi. It took us just a few minutes.

Save life footage or screenshots to your device: If you’re watching the live stream and your pet does something adorable, tap the camera or video icons to take a screenshot or start recording.

What’s missing from the Petcube Bites 2

The Petcube Bites 2 seems like a complete package, but it’s missing a couple of things. First, it’s a fixed camera. If your pet is just out of view, you can’t pan over to see what they’re doing.

Second, there’s not much to attract a cat to this camera—unless your cat is very food-motivated, of course, like our test cat Toki. Since Petcube has another pet camera with a built-in laser toy, we were hoping the same tech would be included in the Petcube Bites 2.

And if we use the Furbo 360 Dog Camera as a reference, the Petcube Bites 2 is lacking in the alerts department—even with a premium Petcube Care subscription.

Petcube Bites 2 vs. other pet cams

The Petcube Bites 2 is the most expensive treat-tossing camera on the market—no doubt thanks to that built-in Alexa feature.

It doesn’t pan or feature nearly as many alerts as the Furbo 360° Dog Camera. The Bite 2’s 90-day cloud storage option is hard to beat, but we don’t like that the free plan gives you just 4 hours to download clips to your phone.

From a purely aesthetic perspective, the Bites 2 is pretty clunky. It looks like a router, whereas some of the other pet cameras on the market are nicer to look at. Not that your dog cares—but still.

Product
Best for
Price
Treat tossing
Bark alert
Video storage
Camera capabilities
Learn More
Best for sharing access
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Cloud, 90 daysZoom
Best overall
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Cloud, 24 hoursPan and zoom
Best for budgets
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightGeneral sound detection only
Local or cloud (costs extra)Pan, tilt, zoom
Best for local storage
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
LocalPan and zoom
Best for active dogs
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
LocalMoves around the house

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Final word heading

The Petcube Bites 2 is a quality treat-tossing pet camera, but unless you’re drawn to its sharing capabilities or the built-in Alexa, you’ll save money with a different brand.

How we reviewed the Petcube Bites 2

Katie McEntire, SafeWise

We tested the Petcube Bites 2 Lite hands-on with the help of a cat named Toki. We compared its performance to other pet cams and indoor security cameras we’ve tested, including Petcube’s top rival Furbo.  Learn more on the Safewise methodology page.

Related articles on SafeWise


Sources

  1. Petcube, “Meet Your Petcube Bites 2.” Accessed July 25, 2022.
Disclaimers

(Amazon only): *Product prices and availability are accurate as of post date and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

(Google only): Google, Google Nest Secure, [any other related Google Products] and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC.

Cathy Habas
Written by
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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