Plastic bowls scratch, and scratched plastic holds bacteria in grooves that rinsing never reaches. It is one of the suspected causes of the chin rash owners notice on cats, and it is a good enough reason on its own to move a pet onto something glazed. Ceramic does not scratch in the same way, wipes properly clean, and has the sheer weight to stay put while a keen eater shoves at it across a kitchen floor.

These are ceramic finished with underglaze decoration, which means the pattern sits beneath the glaze rather than being printed on top of it, so it does not wear away in a dishwasher. You can have 400ml or 850ml, as a single bowl or a double, and there is an option that adds a bamboo elevated frame. Raising the bowls a little suits tall dogs and older animals who find stooping to floor level uncomfortable.

• Ceramic with underglaze decoration
• 400ml and 850ml capacities
• Single bowl or double bowl configurations
• Optional bamboo elevated frame
• Grey, green, white, pink and black
• Suitable for cats and dogs

Two things worth knowing. Ceramic chips if it is knocked off a worktop, and a chipped rim should be retired rather than lived with. And raised bowls are a comfort choice rather than a health one. The link between elevated feeding and bloat in deep-chested breeds is still argued over, so ask your vet if that applies to your dog.

Who it's for: Enthusiastic eaters who push a light bowl around the kitchen, and anyone moving a pet off scratched plastic.