K&H Pet Products Ultimate Bucket De-Icer

Details

A bare element in a plastic pail makes people nervous, and it should. The cage is the difference between a de-icer you can leave in a bucket and one you have to think about. This one comes with a full guard around the element and a cord safety clip in the box. It draws 250 watts, measures 15 cm (6 in) across, and runs a 1.7 m (5.5 ft) cord. Operation is submersible only, with an internal thermostat that holds water just above freezing and cannot be dialled up. This is a de-icer, not a water warmer, and that is the point. It is safe for plastic and lined buckets as well as metal, is MET listed, and carries a two-year limited warranty. The cord clip earns its keep. Clipped over the rim, the lead runs up and away instead of lying across the bucket edge where a horse can take it in its teeth or a calf can stand on it. Use it every time, even on a pail that lives in a quiet corner. The element must be fully under water whenever it is plugged in. Running it dry will destroy it, and there is no on-off switch to catch the mistake, so unplug the unit before you dump or move a pail. Feed it from a grounded, outdoor-rated circuit with GFCI protection, and give the cord a proper look each autumn. A cracked jacket or a chewed spot means replacement, not tape.