automatic feeder?

I am looking to get an automatic feeder for my two cats. The one that looks good is the Petmate Le Bistro electronic portion control automatic feeder. It gives portions as small as a quarter of a cup. Has anyone used it or something like it that you could recommend? I just want to use it for an occasional meal if I'm away. Also, perhaps the 6 am feeding that they insist on having!

Did you ever get your feeder? Has it worked out? I just bought a small one today. It's for one meal, and has a 24-hour timer (battery operated). I'm planning on using it for Jamie's breakfast (dry) on weekends and during school vacations, as his getting me up at 4:45 or 5:00 a.m. on days when I can sleep later is starting to get to me.
Unfortunately, I could only find plastic ones, so now I'm looking for a small saucer or bowl that will fit inside. I've never used plastic bowls, and am afraid that it could cause chin acne, or just make the food taste funny. Any tips on getting a cat used to using one in the morning?