iFetch Too vs. PetSafe Ball Launcher: Which Automatic Dog Ball Thrower Is Better?

PetSafe Ball Launcher vs. iFetch Too Ball Launcher

Design and Interface

The PetSafe Ball Launcher is a gray, bucket-shaped apparatus with purple accents, like the funnel hopper for returning launched balls. It's got a useful carry handle in the front. It reminds us of outdoor devices, such as sprinklers or pool vacuums, and sports equipment. The iFetch Too is much more tech-presenting, with a combination of Apple white and rounded lines with blue trim. The aesthetics are different enough that it comes down to personal preference.

The interfaces for both devices are also markedly different. The PetSafe launcher uses two big knobs with obvious visual indicators. One knob looks like a dog paw and adjusts the launch angle—from a low-angle 20 degrees to a higher 45 degrees—across six different settings. The other knob looks like a tennis ball and changes the launch distance from 8 to 30 feet. The iFetch Too uses a single button instead, with a colored light indicator: one blue light for 10 feet, two blue lights for 25 feet, three blue lights for 40 feet, and a single flashing blue light for randomized distance.

We prefer the more tactile and adjustable PetSafe interface. Relying on multiple button presses means you can't tell how the iFetch Too is going to launch by touch, unlike with the PetSafe version.

Winner: PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher

Safety

Both toys should always be used with adult supervision, but one can never be too careful, even with larger dogs. The devices mimic the action of a human tossing a ball, but the risk of having the ball launcher activate and launch a ball when a dog is in close proximity doesn’t sit well with us. For both devices, the tosses aren’t too powerful and the tennis balls are relatively soft.

A built-in motion sensor keeps the PetSafe launcher from launching a tennis ball while a dog is within seven feet in front of it. It also makes an audible ding to indicate to your dog that a ball is coming their way. After 15 minutes of play, the ball launcher will rest for 15 minutes, and this cycle continues until the device is powered off. This pattern helps to keep dogs from exhausting themselves. 

A button on the iFetch Too Ball Launcher allows you to alternate between launching a ball a distance of 10, 20, and 40 feet, or a mixture of all three with a random setting. It doesn't have a motion detector to prevent launch, and it will also continue launching as long as its battery has charge, which can lead to exhaustion. However, it does have one safety feature we appreciated: a dedicated slider for putting the iFetch in an indoor mode that won't launch further than 10 feet.

The PetSafe definitely has the edge when it comes to safety features.

Winner: PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher

Play

Evaluating which automatic dog ball launcher your dog will prefer depends in part on how actively you'll supervise their play. While we love the randomized launch setting on the iFetch Too—which changes each throw for more variety—the PetSafe launcher features a greater number of throwing combinations, since you can change the angle and distance, for a grand total of 54 different throw combinations. However, since you're changing manually, that means providing a lot of variety depends on your direct supervision.

With its shorter minimum launch distance (seven feet), adjustable angle, and power cord, the PetSafe has the edge when it comes to indoor play. As much as we like that the iFetch Too has a slider to switch over to a dedicated indoor mode, it's not exactly onerous to adjust the PetSafe's knobs all the way to their most minimal settings for indoor use. The additional range of adjustment provided by the two dials makes it easier for users to find a setting that works indoors. We also like not having to worry about batteries while inside.

Winner: PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher

Power

The PetSafe's power cord may make it convenient and easy to use indoors, but it's a pain constantly having fresh D-cell batteries on hand for outdoor use. If you have rechargeable batteries on hand, it might still be preferential, but for most users the rechargeable iFetch Too is going to be more convenient for outdoor play, since you can charge it overnight and then have a reliably charged launcher ready to go for your next outing.

Winner: iFetch Too Interactive Ball Launcher

Training

While you likely won't have to train your dog to fetch a launched ball, you will have to acclimate your dog to the launchers—which can get a little noisy!—and train them to avoid the front of the device where balls are launched. Teaching dogs to return balls and drop them back in the launcher on their own can also take a little patience and effort. We found that the PetSafe launcher takes several steps that make training much easier. First, the PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher has a speaker, and makes a sound right before launching. It's an easy indicator that your dog will pick up on quickly. The PetSafe launcher's instruction manual is also loaded with specific training tips.

Winner: PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher

For Small Dogs

While our head-to-head is between the PetSafe launcher and the larger of the two iFetch models, the iFetch Too, the existence of the smaller iFetch means that owners of very small dogs will want to look first to the iFetch line. The smaller iFetch has a much lower hopper, so even toy breed dogs should be able to successfully return balls for another launch. However, the iFetch features smaller 1.5 inch balls as well, which means you won't be able to use it with standard tennis balls.

Winner: iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher

Why Trust The Spruce Pets?

This story was written by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who has a fetch-obsessed Chiweenie named Yoshi in her family. Before researching and writing about pet products for a living, Mejorada embarked on a self-mandated, ongoing quest to find the optimal items for her dog, a happy pomeranian named Gidget. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets.