iDogmate Midi Rechargeable Ball Launcher Review
The dream of every dog owner is to have a pup that's healthy, happy, and physically active. Achieving this isn't exactly that easy, especially without the right pet-related equipment and tools at your disposal. With fetch being among the world's most popular dog games, it's pretty easy to see that a quality automatic dog ball launcher is a perfect device to keep the pup healthy and active.
And one of the best devices of this type on the market is the new iDogmate Midi - it's already quite popular with the dog owners, and for a reason. Let's see if it's worth the money!
Product Background
iDogmate Midi is one of the most respected companies when it comes to pet-related equipment, and this launcher is one of their best products yet. It's yet another device made with keeping the dog entertained in mind, providing him with the automatized game of fetch both outdoors and indoors. We'll be taking a look at its every aspect - how it works, what it comes with, its dimensions, advantages, disadvantages, and other things.
This is a very versatile automatic launcher, and will work with most breeds of dogs. However, it's important to avoid using it with smaller dogs - the tennis balls you're getting in the package will be too big them for them. Fortunately, the company has also manufactured a more compact model - you can read the iDogmate Mini product review here. If your pup weighs less than 33lbs (15 Kg), make sure to check it out.
Price and Product Details
When it comes to price, one can purchase this machine for around $199 - it will arrive in a shiny, branded box, just like all other products of this company. Fortunately, the great design is not the only advantage of this package, as it is also tough enough to protect the device and the accessories during the shipment.
The box contains the following items:
- iDogmate Automatic Ball Launcher
- AC adapter & cable
- Three 2.5" "safe" balls
- Remote controller
- Straightforward user manual
Just like its mini cousin, this launcher also sports a design that combines excellent aesthetics with the user-friendliness, providing convenient operating experience for both the owner and his pooch. It features iDogmate's signature combination of green and white, and looks absolutely attractive.
One of the first things you'll notice about it is the presence of a large funnel on the top. It has a radius of 240mm and allows the pup to easily place the ball into it, without the need for the owner's intervention. There's also a pair of handles on the sides of the machine, so you shouldn't have any problems when moving it from your house to the backyard.
The power switch is, like we expected, located on the back of the machine, and the same can be said for the AC adapter port. There's also the on/off switch that's used when the launcher is running on batteries instead of the AC power. One shouldn't worry about confusing these two switches - distinguishing them is actually very easy.
How Does It Work?
Just like all other devices made by this manufacturer, this one is also very easy to use - you won't have a hard time with it. It's an automatic model, and the whole process begins once you turn it on, which causes the spinning wheels to rotate faster and faster. Once the ball comes in contact with them, the wheels will immediately launch it to the desired distance.
There's a specific sound that occurs during the acceleration of these wheels, but it's not too unpleasant to the ears, and it shouldn't scare your pooch at all.
Remote Control
This, of course, makes things a lot easier, and doesn't require you to manually change the settings on the launcher - you can do it while lying on your sofa or relaxing on your backyard furniture. It also allows the dog to master playing the game of fetch without too much intervention from the owner.
When it comes to remote control, the iDogmate Midi is among those rare companies that implement this useful functionality in their devices. With the included controller, the owner is able to adjust the distance to which the ball will be thrown, as well as to reset the machine and to turn it off.
The Dimensions And Specifications
The dimensions of this versatile device stand at 34 x 34 x 25cm, and it weighs 4.25 Kg - the combination of these two factors makes it very portable. This comes in very handy while moving the machine from the house to the backyard, and opposite. It's just a bit bigger than the Mini version, which is precisely why it uses larger tennis balls (2.5"), removing the danger of choking for the bigger dogs.
Thanks to its automatic nature, the machine can launch these balls to a variety of distances. These distances are 10, 20, 33, and 50ft, with appropriate indicators. As you can already guess, this provides the dog owner with the ability to use the machine outdoors safely.
The tennis balls that we mentioned are of the highest quality, which is precisely what we expected from this company. They are very durable, and won't wear down even after hundreds and hundreds of fetch sessions. There's also the optional canvas that can help you transport the whole set, and it also protects the launcher from breakage and dust. Pretty convenient, wouldn't you say?
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Other Users’ Reviews & Videos
We weren't surprised to find out that the iDogmate Midi Ball Launcher has a 5/5 star rating on many websites - it is truly an outstanding machine. Customers report that their pups love playing with it and that they had an easy time figuring out how everything works. They give special praise to device's sturdiness and durability, as well as to its beautiful, sleek design.
To help you get more acquainted with this device, here are some user videos:
The Final Thoughts
When it comes to automatic ball launchers, this one is among the best ones we've seen and tested yet. It excels in almost every field, with its simple but functioning system that can provide the dog with hours and hours of pure, sheer fun. There are no serious flaws here, and, as far as we're concerned, it's worth the money!