Maxbone Review 2023: For Dogs and Their People

Overview

Maxbone wants to be a one-stop shop for the modern dog's needs and aims to change the pet parents’ online shopping experience. The brand is focused on simplicity and quality, and this is easy to see in the newest release ─ the Mb Eats section.

Mb Eats is a line of gluten and grain-free, freeze-dried raw dog food products developed in collaboration with food specialists and veterinarians. According to Maxbone, this is what your dog would eat if it were a dietitian.

My curiosity and concern as a pet parent took me on a Maxbone review journey during which I discovered that Mb Eats is all it says it is and more. I love the simplicity and high quality of the food, and I appreciate the carefully selected ingredients in each recipe. To learn more, make sure to keep reading!

Pros

• Delicious treats, made with human-grade ingredients

• Easy-to-use, cool-looking packaging

• High-quality of ingredients

• Special discount: Subscribe and save 15%

Cons

• No customization options

• Only a few options for food items

• Prices are a bit steep

Maxbone Is Best For

• Pet parents looking for a more straightforward menu

• Pet owners who prefer online shopping

• Fashionable dogs and pet parents

Maxbone May Not Be Great For

• Pet owners who want to see before buying

• Dogs who don’t enjoy freeze-dry raw meals

• Pet parents who want a more diversified menu

Maxbone Meals

Plans and Recipes

The entire Maxbone menu has three meal recipes: Glow Up (turkey-based meal), Boost Up (with duck), and Muscle Up (with beef). The recipes are gluten- and grain-free and were formulated by a Ph.D. veterinary nutritionist and evaluated by a team of veterinarians.

At a closer look, it’s easy to see that these recipes were designed with the health and well-being of our four-legged friends in mind. Plus, dogs of any age, from puppies to adult dogs, can enjoy the tasty meals.

Each of the meals caters to a dog’s specific needs such as a glossy coat and a healthy heart (Glow Up), good eyesight and brain functioning (Boost Up), or strong bones and muscles, plus extra energy (Muscle Up).

These are freeze-dried raw meals that can be served as is, mixed with other foods, or served as a treat. But, if it’s treats you want, Maxbone has a three-recipe selection of these as well. The menu also includes toppers – all with different flavors and ingredients.

The toppers are also freeze-dried raw recipes, grain-free and gluten-free, and have a flavor-boosting quality. The three recipes are called Restore (salmon), Wellness (duck and cod), and Energy (lamb) and have a finer texture.

Maxbone also offers three treats recipes that sound delicious even for humans. These are Peanut Butter Jelly, Coconut Honey, and Turkey. They’re even low in calories! Honestly, I would love to find such delicious low-calorie treats for humans.

While you can’t customize the flavor or the quantity in each bag, you can choose to mix and match all the Maxbone meals, toppers, and ingredients. If you don’t want to go full-on with Maxbone, you can just use a topper and a treats recipe to impress your pooch.

Ingredients

Maxbone’s meals, treats, and toppers contain high-quality ingredients, carefully selected for dogs’ needs and health. The meats used for all the raw food products are USA farm-raised, pasture-fed, or wild-caught and don’t contain any added hormones or antibiotics.

I also like that each recipe contains simple ingredients that are easy to understand when you read the list. Plus, each ingredient adds to the overall nutritional value of the recipe. Moving forward, I’ll list the ingredients for each of the meals so you’ll see how much care went into creating them.

Glow Up – main ingredients:

• Turkey – a protein that’s easily digested by dogs and helps with muscle building

• Spinach – anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants

• Chia Seeds – rich in omega-3 fatty acids

• Cranberries – rich in nutrients that support the immune system

• Coconut Oil – great for a glossy coat and good digestion

• Fish Oil and Sweet Potato

Maxbone recommends to mix the Glow Up recipe with the Wellness Duck and Cod topper. These two work well together because the topper has the right ingredients for good digestion, strong bones, and healthy muscles.

Boost Up – main ingredients:

• Duck – great for dogs who suffer from sensitivity to beef or chicken

• Zucchini – great source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and other useful nutrients

• Apples – lots of vitamins and minerals and a good source of dietary fiber

• Ginger – helps reduce nausea and stomach ache

• Fish Oil, Broccoli, and Chia Seeds

To get a bit more out of this delicious recipe, Maxbone recommends the Energy Lamb topper. The topper is a solid source of dietary fats and nutrients that support an active lifestyle and provide your pooch with lots of energy.

Muscle Up – main ingredients:

• Beef – a high-protein nutrient source rich in iron and B vitamins

• Seaweed – a great source of omega 3, omega 6 fatty acids, and prebiotics

• Spinach – antioxidants anti-inflammatory properties

• Sweet Potato – it has high dietary fiber content (great for digestion)

• Blueberries – vitamins and nutrients that boost your pup’s health

• Carrots and Broccoli

This recipe works well with the Restore Wild Salmon topper which is rich in omega- 3 essential fatty acids and other vitamins and nutrients that support the immune system and reduce inflammation.

Lastly, all the Maxbone treat recipes are made with the highest quality, human-grade, and sustainable ingredients. Plus, the treats are oven-baked in small batches to capture all the nutrients and flavors in the meal. This results in crunchy, wheat, corn, and soy-free, tasty biscuits that dogs love.

Nutrition

Maxbone’s meal and topper recipes are freeze-dried and the ingredients are raw. This way, the food stays fresh for longer and the ingredients retain all their nutrients and flavors. All the recipes follow the nutritional levels established by AAFCO for dogs of all sizes and in all stages of life.

Each recipe formula is well-balanced and there are no superficial enhancers, corn, wheat, or soy. Everything is designed for optimal digestibility, increased energy, and an overall better life for your pooch (regardless of their age).

If you check the Guaranteed Analysis label it’s easy to see that both the recipes and the toppers have the right amount of protein, fats, and fiber to support a dog’s healthy lifestyle. For this review, I analyzed the nutritional content of the Muscle Up meal + Restore topper combination.

The Muscle Up meal has a 33% minimum of crude protein and 38% crude fat. It also has 11% maximum fiber content and 8% moisture. In layman’s terms, the meal has the right necessary nutrients for a dog to be healthy and happy. You also get the caloric content (4452 Kcal/kg or 126 Kcal/oz).

The Restore Salmon topper has a higher protein content (53% minimum crude protein) but it’s less fatty (only 24% minimum crude fat). It also has a lower fiber content (maximum 2.5%) and the same level of moisture (8% max). The topper is lower in calories (3822 Kcal/kg or 108 Kcal/oz) but if you combine it with the meal, it’s best to pay attention to the quantity.

Unboxing

Maxbone wants to change the way people shop online for their dogs, which is why the brand puts a lot of effort into both its products and packaging. The meals and treats are packed in nicely colored and branded high-quality plastic bags designed to keep the food inside fresh and tasty for as long as possible. 

The meals are not pre-portioned and available in two formats: 16 oz bags or 3.5 oz resealable bags (the so-called food samples). The treats are similarly packed in a resealable 5 oz bag. The only ones that stray from the general branding are the toppers – these come in a cardboard-like container with a lid, to keep the food inside dry.

Each bag has the ingredients, guaranteed analysis, and feeding instructions written on it. You’ll also find storage guidance which says to keep the bags in a cool, dark place. Because there are no preservatives in the food, it’s best to finish the food within 30 days after opening it.

Overall, the packaging feels really nice and gives you a premium experience during unboxing and feeding. Plus, you can easily take a bag of treats in your pocket or bag when going on a walk. Once the bag is open, you don’t have to do anything else to prepare the food for your pooch – it’s ready to eat.

Shipping & Delivery

Maxbone delivers both inside the US and internationally using the standard shipping services available. For shipping in the US, the company uses UPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail, which can take 5-10 business days to reach your doorstep.

Since Maxbone is an e-commerce store, you don’t have to worry about finding a delivery date that fits your schedule or location (as is often the case with services that only deliver food). It’s an online shopping experience through and through.

For orders placed in the US, shipping is free for Mb Eats orders (no need for a subscription) or mixed orders that contain subscriptions to any Mb Eats products. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay an $8 flat fee.

Once you place the order, you’ll receive a notification email containing the name of the carrier that’ll perform the delivery and tracking options. You’ll also be notified if your shipment is delayed for any reason.

Also, keep in mind that any orders placed after 11 am (PST), on weekends, and/or on holidays, will begin processing upon the following business day. If you’re early and place your order before 11 am (PST) on a business day, it may be processed on the same day.

Ordering from Maxbone

Maxbone’s main purpose is to improve pet owners’ online shopping experience. And you can tell the company worked hard to make things simple and straightforward. 

For instance, while the company supports both one-time purchases and subscriptions, you don’t have to create an account (unless you want one).

How to Sign Up

Click on Sign In and choose the Create an Account option (click on the Register) button. The process only takes one or two minutes maximum and your account is ready to use. The website will automatically add your address (based on your IP), but you can change the details or add a new address.

If you want to subscribe to recurrent orders, you can do so for meals, toppers, and treats. However, you should know each of these food categories has different refresh periods. The meals are available every 14 and 30 days, toppers only every 30 days, and the treats can only be ordered every 30 and 60 days.

In short, the only way to make sure all your subscription items arrive together is to set the refresh period to 30 days for each. Also, you’ll have to specify the refresh period of each item individually.

Managing Your Subscription

Each Mb Eats subscription is easy to manage using your account or with the assistance of the customer service team. You can also cancel an order (subscription or one-time purchase) as long as it hasn’t been processed for shipping.

If you fail to cancel a subscription or order in due time, you can still return the products and get a refund.

Customer Service

The customer service team is responsive and friendly, and you can reach them via email Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm PST. I’m not that happy that email is the only contact option, but the FAQ section is quite comprehensive and chances are you’ll find your answer there.

The company maintains a strong presence on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, enabling you to contact them through these channels. However, for resolving order-related issues or discussing product specifics, using their email address is recommended.

Maxbone Recalls

Up to the date of my review, Mb Eats had no recalls.

Prices

* the price is calculated for a 2.64 oz portion, which is the daily feeding portion for a 6lbs dog (according to Maxbone’s feeding instructions)

The pricing system is easy to understand and straightforward for Mb Eats items. For instance, in the meals section, you have the option to choose between a meal sample (to try things out) and a regular-sized meal. Yet, a meal sample (3.5 oz) is $11, while a 16 oz bag of the same food costs $34 ($28.90 with a subscription plan).

If you stick with the sample pack, you’ll pay $3.14/oz while with a regular bag you pay $2.2/oz ($1.8/oz with a subscription plan). So once you’re convinced your pup’s happy with the food, I’d recommend switching to the big bag.

For toppers, you’ll pay $24 for one 6 oz box, or $20.40 with a subscription plan. A 5 oz bag of treats costs $18 or $16.20 with a subscription plan. Running a quick calculation, an order that contains one bag of food, one topper box, and a bag of treats costs $76 or $65.50 with a subscription plan.

This is a $10+ difference that’ll add up in time so it’s best to find the subscription plan that works for you and your pooch. The company also accepts returns within 14 days of receipt with a full refund, but only for unopened/undamaged bags.

The Bottom Line: Is Maxbone Worth It?

If you’re looking for a no-fuss healthy food option, Maxbone is a good choice. The company doesn't offer much variety, but it does work with high-quality ingredients and there are no preservatives or artificial flavors.

Plus, you can choose between meals, toppers, and treats. The meals can be used as treats (they’re that delicious!) or in combination with other foods from different brands. This way, the mix-and-match options are unlimited.

Now, I have to admit that the price tag is a bit steep, so not every pet owner can afford an Mb Eats diet for their pooch. If that’s the case, or you want to see other brands, we tested other services and shortlisted the best dog food delivery services here.

FAQ

Is freeze-dried food healthy for dogs?

Pet food nutritionists and veterinarians agree that the freeze-drying method helps preserve the ingredients without altering their nutritional value or flavor. The method also allows food manufacturers to give up on preservatives and artificial enhancers, which makes the food healthier for dogs.

Do you have to add water to freeze-dried dog food?

Maxbone’s freeze-dried food can be served as is or mixed with water. The food can also be mixed with wet dog food or kibbles, to make them more appealing to a fussy dog. Overall, it’s best to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Is freeze-dried raw dog food as good as raw?

There’s no doubt raw food is healthy and delicious for our four-legged friends, but it’s difficult to store and can’t be shipped using standard methods. Also, uncooked meat can come with bacteria which isn’t good for a dog’s health. The freeze-drying method deactivates any bacteria and harmful agents and helps preserve the food for a longer time.