Best Smart Sprinkler System Reviews 2020

Healthy lawns, gardens, and yards don’t just spring up; they are cultivated. Gone are the days when you needed to stand outside with a can filled with water, spraying light rain all over your yard. The sprinkler irrigation system has provided a more convenient way to keep your plants watered whenever you want, with its automated timers. With just a tap of your internet-connected phone from whatever part of the world you’re in, you can have fun creating, changing, and adjusting watering schedules in your home, saving you money and stress. We’ve selected five of the top brands and everything you need to know in selecting the best smart sprinkler system has been included in this review.

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Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Type

Connectivity

Integration

Cover

Installation

Our Top Choice

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller

Rachio is dedicated to providing lasting solutions that utilize modern technology and ensure ease in the creation of beautiful and well-managed landscapes.

Great savings on money and water. EPA WaterSense-certified. Comes in two style options. Weather adaptability. Compatible with several smart platforms.

You are required to have some level of technical expertise to install.

Indoor/outdoor

Android, iOS

Alexa, IFTTT, Nest, Google Asst.

8 zone or 16 zone

Under 30 minutes

Best Value

Blossom Smart Watering Controller

Blossom uses technology and innovation to craft products that simplify, create, and execute accurate watering schedules, leaving gardens looking beautiful and green all year.

Utilizes up-to-date satellite weather data for irrigation. Uses Xona technology to create watering schedules. Easy to set up. 7-zone support. Regulated with smartphone.

The app that controls it is sometimes slow.

Indoor

WiFi

Alexa

7 zone

15 minutes

RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller

RainMachine is a family of smart Wi-Fi sprinkler controllers that give gardeners the ability to use the most advanced irrigation technology to create watering routines.

Comes with a beautiful 6.5-inch color display touchscreen. Wi-Fi connectivity features. EPA WaterSense-certified. Receives weather data. Easy to install.

Created for indoor use only, and overexposure to the sun could damage it.

Indoor

iOS, Android

Alexa, Nest, WINK

8 zone

15 minutes

Skydrop Smart Sprinkler Controller

Skydrop offers creative products that target smart, environmentally-aware individuals who are serious about creating and maintaining beautiful landscapes.

Manual mode is activated in the event of a Wi-Fi outage. EPA WaterSense-certified. Guarantees 50% savings on water. Easy to install. Integrates with smart home technologies.

It’s not suitable for large or complex irrigation systems, since it features only 8 zones.

Indoor

WiFi, Android

Alexa, IFTTT

8 zone

Easy set up

Rain Bird Indoor/Outdoor Timer

Rain Bird products are designed with the best materials, and have been used to create some of the greatest-looking lawns, golf courses, and gardens across the world.

Easy to install. Can be used indoors and outdoors. Has a surge protector and a case which shields it from insects and dirt. 6 zones. Seasonal settings.

Doesn’t have many programming functions.

Outdoor/indoor

24 VAC outlets

No integration

6 zone

Simple – no screwdriver needed

Want to read buying guide first? Click Here

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Watch Our Smart Sprinkler System Review

What is the Best Smart Sprinkler System?

Before making a choice of a smart sprinkler system, there are factors you ought to consider. These factors may not be easy to get around, which is the reason for this review; to steer you in the right direction. Having gone through our buying guide, we’re sure that you’ll have enough information to enable you to make the correct buying decision of the most suitable smart sprinkler for you. Let’s move on to the review section then.

Our Top Choice

Take control with the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller, that has built-in weather adaptability features, and is fully integrated with smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Nest, and many more. Looking for a smart sprinkler system that’s easier to set up? Check out the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller 1st Generation.

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller – Available in 2 Designs

Features

Rachio provides people with a sustainable way of creating beautiful landscapes and gardens, and creates products that help its clients attain the delicate balance between architecture, vegetation, infrastructure, and technology. Rachio has a team of dedicated and highly-skilled people who work behind the scenes to create products that are functional. Rachio has created its brand of sprinkler systems to promote the sustainable use of water in homes, and is dedicated to continuing to provide solutions that utilize modern technology. This brand brings the ease to gardening, and creation of beautiful and well-managed landscapes to be remembered over time.

The Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller puts you in charge of how and when you want your plants to be watered, no matter where you are in the world, and it provides great savings on your pocket and the environment. It has a built-in weather adaptability feature, where it receives and processes information from local weather, and automatically changes its irrigation schedules to fit.

Some of its other features are as follows:

It utilizes specific dimensions and irrigation technology to create and manage schedules that are tailored to fit your yard or garden, ensuring that you irrigate precisely with the amount of water you really need.
It gives you great savings on money and water. You can save as much as 50% on your water, without affecting the health of your plants.
It’s fully integrated with smart home platforms, such as Alexa, Nest, and so many more, to give you even more control.
It comes in 8 Zone and 16 Zone style options, so depending on the size of your yard, or the number of watering points you require, you can choose the one that’s preferable to your needs.

This smart sprinkler system has an EPA WaterSense certification, so the user is assured of its reliability.

For an easy-control smart sprinkler system with weather adaptability, check out the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller.

Best Value

Prevent overwatering your gardens with its 7 Smart Watering Controller that can be controlled from the convenience of your smartphone, and comes with support for up to 7 zones. Looking for a sprinkler system that can support more than 7 zones? Then check out the Blossom 12 Smart Sprinkler System.

Blossom 7 Smart Watering Controller – Works with Amazon Alexa

Features

Blossom’s products are created to simplify, create, and execute accurate watering schedules. With the tool of technology, Blossom has created a product that greatly reduces water bills, and leaves gardens looking beautiful and green, all year ‘round. The Blossom app created alongside its smart watering regulator gives users control, helping them to manage the entire system all in one dashboard.

Say goodbye to overwatering your landscape and gardens. With the Blossom Smart Watering Controller, you bring sanity, ease, and technology to watering and irrigation. This sprinkler system has support for up to 7 zones and includes 1 pump. It also allows the user to arrange the zones by setting up pictures, plant types, and names for each of them. By employing the use of Xona technology to create watering schedules, based on type of vegetation and yard layout, you can be sure your plants are getting the right amount of water.

The following are other features of this sprinkler system:

It can be controlled remotely from the convenience of your smartphone or media devices, and is a great tool to help you create an irrigation schedule that’s tailored to your needs.
It comes with an app that makes organization easy, and lets you assign names, photos, and plant types to each zone.
It’s easy to set up, doesn’t require digging or technical expertise, and installation can be done in fifteen minutes.
It is to be placed indoors.
It offers optimizing features that let you turn on this smart sprinkler with a touch of a button and adjust the amount of water for each zone by just a simple swipe. It’s a communicative system that lets you take absolute charge and make all the changes that you need.
It offers a user-friendly dashboard, which is a total win that grants you the freedom to check your calendar, change water schedules, and turn on/off your sprinkler system.
It comes with Wi-Fi communication features, which make setup hassle-free.
Utilizes current satellite weather data, and irrigates only when required, which prevents overwatering.
It has dimensions of 6.93 x 6.93 x 1.55 inches.

For a smart sprinkler system with a simple setup procedure, look up the Blossom Smart Watering Controller.

Create an accurate irrigation plan with the RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller that receives weather reports from multiple sources, is easy to install, and accessible across a range of Android and Apple devices. Looking for a smart sprinkler system for fewer zones? Check out the RainMachine Mini 8 Smart Sprinkler System.

RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller – Works with Amazon Alexa – Available in 2 Sizes

Features

RainMachine was created by Green Electronics, a Silicon Valley organization founded in 2010. The company is centered on developing an efficient way of watering plants, hence conserving the earth’s most important resource—water. Green Electronics is changing the way we see homes, by creating the means to make living easier and more controllable. RainMachine is a family of smart Wi-Fi sprinkler controllers that gives gardeners full charge and the ability to use the most advanced irrigation technology. Further, its personal media devices create watering routines for gardens and landscapes that are automated, accurate, and can be monitored from anywhere in the world.

The RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller will keep your gardens and landscape watered on a schedule, and is accessible on Android and Apple devices. This smart sprinkler system receives weather reports from multiple sources, and refreshes and updates data several times daily, so you’re sure that the information it utilizes is precise. It’s a convenient appliance that saves as much as 80 percent on water and its attendant bills for the user.

Some other features of the RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller are:

Adjustment of irrigation based on weather reports, so that on wetter days, it reduces its irrigation, and on hotter days, it increases the water supply.
Easy installation with few instructions; you can set up in minutes.
Comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, and allows you to connect to it from anywhere in the world.
It offers control for zones at the touch of a button, and you can control what it does easily.
Protects you, and keeps you cyber-secure, by storing your information locally on your device, and not in a Cloud.
It features a beautiful 6.5-inch color display touchscreen.
This sprinkler system is created for indoor use only and exposure to excessive sunlight is discouraged.
It is EPA WaterSense-certified.

This smart sprinkler system, courtesy of its manufacturer and sales outlets, has customer service features and phone support 7 days a week. This ensures that you can speak to someone in the event that any problem arises with its use. It’s also backed by a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.

In case you’re not quite happy with the featured product, RainMachine has others for you to check out.

The Skydrop 8 Zone Wifi-Enabled Smart Sprinkler Controller uses weather data to determine how much water your garden requires, and is integrated with other smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Nest. If you’re looking for a sprinkler system with enclosure and built for the outdoors to withstand harsh environments, check out the Skydrop SDWS1.0 Outdoor Enclosure.

Skydrop 8 Zone Wifi-Enabled Smart Sprinkler Controller

Features

Skydrop employs creative tactics to provide solutions that reduce worry, waste, and stress. Using technology and creativity, the Skydrop team works to ensure customers are satisfied with products, and get things done at a snap of the fingers. The organization offers automated, intelligent, and creative products that target smart, upwardly-mobile, and environmentally-aware individuals who are serious about creating and maintaining beautiful landscapes.

The Skydrop Smart Sprinkler Controller gives you the ultimate way to manage your gardens and landscapes, all year ‘round, in and out of season, from virtually anywhere. It has dimensions of 11 x 4.9 x 4 inches and its weight is 2.8 pounds. Fitted with an irrigation controller that’s self-regulated, this device uses weather data to determine how much water your garden requires for each zone. This sprinkler system is integrated with other smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Nest, and a variety of other platforms that work with IFTTT.

Some of its features include the following:

Wi-Fi connectivity which enables you to activate it from your mobile devices.
Installation is easy, can be done in a few minutes, and doesn’t require technical expertise or additional tools.
It guarantees you of saving up to 50% of your water use.
It has a manual mode which can be activated in the event of a Wi-Fi outage, and in this mode, it continues its routine irrigation based on historical averages. With or without internet, you are sure that your watering schedules keep running.
It sends out PUSH notifications to your smart phone devices, alerting you of problems such as loss of connectivity or faults, so you always know what’s happening at every point in time.
It can be installed indoors, but it comes with a weatherproof box, so you can install outdoors if it suits your needs.

The Skydrop Smart Sprinkler Controller is EPA WaterSense-certified, as well, so you can be sure of quality and eco-friendliness.

If you’re not keen on getting this product, feel free to browse through Skydrop’s offering of smart sprinkler systems.

The Rain Bird Simple to Set Indoor/Outdoor Timer has 6 zones, and simple customizable setting for each zone with seasonal adjustments, to help you regulate the water irrigation. Looking for a sprinkler system that has more programming features? Check out the Rain Bird ST81-WIFI Smart Sprinkler System.

Rain Bird Simple to Set Indoor/Outdoor Timer

Features

Rain Bird is a global leader in the provision of irrigation solutions, and was founded during the agricultural boom of 1933, in California, USA. Rain Bird has manufactured more than 4,000 products that help its customers across 130 countries irrigate and save water. With an utmost focus on quality, Rain Bird products are designed with high-quality materials, and have been used to create some of the best-looking lawns, golf courses, and gardens across the world.

Rain Bird is committed to not just the creation of products, but to training and providing industry and community service. One of the key messages Rain Bird passes with its brand is water intelligence, as it actively empowers people with information to help them save on one of earth’s most treasured possessions—water.

The Rain Bird Indoor/Outdoor Timer comes with features that make watering convenient. It’s easy to install and user-friendly, and comes with an installation guide to make it as uncomplicated as possible. It can be used indoors and outdoors, and has a 6-foot power cable which can be swapped for direct connection to power. Compatible with 24 VAC-compliant irrigation valves, this has practicality written all over it. It comes with a surge protector and a case, which protects it from power surges, insects, and dirt, and increases its overall durability and lifespan.

This irrigation timer has some other great features:

Six zones from which six sprinklers can be controlled.
Simple customizable setting for each zone so you can create watering schedules zonally.
Seasonal adjustments, to help you regulate the water irrigation depending on how hot or cold the months are. You can increase water supply during the hotter and drier months, and decrease water supply during colder and rainy months.
This smart sprinkler system comes with a timer.
It comes fitted with a weather-resistant cabinet, a transformer, and a guide for installation.
It’s easy to plan irrigation schedules for particular areas and specific plants, so that each area gets the attention it really needs.
It’s fitted with a liquid crystal display (LCD), which allows you to view your settings and plans. It also makes it easy to review your schedules for each zone.
It has a built-in troubleshooting mechanism for wiring, to detect when problems occur.

If you’re still unsure about this product, we encourage you to look at other smart sprinkler systems from Rain Bird.

How Do I Choose the Best Smart Sprinkler System?

The smart sprinkler system is designed to enable you to control and monitor your installed sprinkler irrigation system with just a tap on your phone anytime. The smart sprinkler system takes caring for your lawn and gardens to a whole new level of ease and convenience. It allows you to make adjustments and manage settings without having to go through the hassle of standing in front of a wall, and punching buttons to set timers and program watering schedules.

Your plants also won’t suffer over-watering or under-watering because the smart sprinkling system has soil sensors that feed it with information on the current water level of your lawn. On days when you may have just finished enjoying a perfect outdoor barbecue, the smart sensors know to concentrate on those areas to ease off the heat caused by your little yard party.

Smart sprinkler systems can be set to only water-selected zones in your yard; you can decide to water four areas in the morning and three in the afternoon. You can alter this anytime you want, as you basically control the process and can easily customize your watering schedule to fit your specific lawn size and soil requirements. Some brands of the smart sprinkler system have the flexibility of a manual garden hose, enabling you to adjust the angle of the spray nozzles, directing it to face different parts of your lawn.

Further, your phone serves as a remote control, and so you don’t necessarily need to be in close proximity to your sprinkler regulator to monitor or make changes. All automatically-adjusted schedules made by the system based on weather changes are recorded in the app, and you receive a notification of these changes. The smart system is also able to detect valve leakages and shut off watering ‘til the problem is fixed. If, for some reason, you create conflicting schedules, the system is smart enough to notify you or adjust its settings based on historical data it has learned over time.

Making the decision to switch to the smart sprinkling system doesn’t just save you money and guarantee ease and convenience, it promotes a generally healthier environment, starting with your home exterior—your plants are greener and lusher, and you spend less time manually operating while still enjoying the beautiful atmosphere around your home with your family on your outdoor cushion.

The controller, which is the physical box, once installed will probably never require your attention anymore as everything you’ll need to set or control can be done from your phone. The hardware is made from durable material that will withstand weather conditions and sudden power surges. Settings are stored on the app and so power outages won’t tamper with stored schedules and settings.

Price

Smart sprinkling systems have prices ranging between $100 and $250. Although the primary functions of the smart sprinkler system are basically the same, some higher-end systems are more sophisticated and include features that lower-priced sprinkler systems may not have. The major factor that affects the price of a smart sprinkler system is the number of zones that can be connected to one controller; the more ports allowed, the pricier it will be.

Another factor that affects price is the supported area of installation. A sprinkler system box that can be installed both outdoors and indoors will cost more than one that can only be installed indoors. Further, you can expect systems with additional features and higher efficiency to cost you a little extra as well.

The best part of having a smart sprinkler system is the monetary value it brings over time. The system, due to its intelligence, has learned over time to conserve water, and so this reduces the amount you spend on water services by a huge percentage. In two years or less, the money spent acquiring the smart sprinkler system is gotten back.

Features

Most smart sprinkler systems are similar in terms of features and capabilities; however, some are more advanced than others. When choosing a smart sprinkler system, what are the things to look out for? What features should determine your selection?

First thing you should typically do when deciding on what smart sprinkler system to get is to determine how large your yard is. The number of zones your yard can be divided into will determine how many ports the sprinkler you’re purchasing should have. Some sprinklers come with 8 ports to connect your zones to, including a master valve if you have one set up. If your yard is so large it’s divided into over 8 areas, then you’ll need to get a regulator that allows you to connect all of them.

Other features you should consider include:

App Compatibility
Zone Connection
Individual Personalized Settings
Model and Generation
Controller Dimensions and Placement
Ease of Installation
Cloud Independent
Extra Features

Construction and Design

A smart sprinkler system is usually a small boxed device attached to the wall in your home, without taking too much space. They might come with screws, knots, and bolts for installation, but you most likely won’t need any tools when carrying out your installation; the wires only need to be fixed into the provided slots and you’re in.

Most sprinkler controllers have a small interface that displays ringlets of lights to indicate activity and scheduling errors. The controller is connected to your sprinkling system and hooked up to the internet, allowing control via a mobile app on your phone. Be sure the one you choose works with IOS, Android, and web browsers. The smart sprinkling system is designed for ease, convenience, and intelligent watering of your lawn or garden. It often requires little to no supervision after your initial setup and configuration.

The details you feed into the app will determine watering activities. However, because you probably cannot forecast weather conditions off the top of your head, the system collects data, reports, historical statistics from nearby stations, and the web to make adjustments to your schedule. It also uses real-time data to alter preset schedules, so if you had earlier scheduled your sprinkler to water your lawn by 6pm when you’re away at the movies and it starts raining, the system intelligently resets your schedule because it doesn’t make sense to water your garden when it’s raining.

The wireless connectivity enables you to regulate watering schedule and activities from miles away; it notifies you of weather changes, defects, or conflicting schedules.

Performance and Ease of Use

Installation of the smart sprinkler system control box is fairly easy and doesn’t take up much time, supposing you’re conversant with wires and screws. The package should typically include a step-by-step do-it-yourself guide with customer care lines just in case you run into any trouble. Most smart sprinklers work well with your existing irrigation system and all you need to do is disconnect and un-mount your current timer and then replace it with the new smart controller which connects the zones represented by wires to the right ports.

You then move on to downloading the app on your mobile device or tablet and inputting required information to get your smart sprinkler up and running. Make sure your controller is connected to the internet to enable it to work perfectly. Most usually have a bright blinking or static light emitting diode (LED) to indicate that your sprinkler is active.

Depending on the type of smart sprinkler system you purchase, installation can be done indoors or outdoors. Installing an indoor box outside the home might cause malfunction or even major damages because it wasn’t designed to withstand the various weather elements that it might experience being exposed to such conditions. Outdoor-installed boxes should be waterproof and protected from UV sunrays.

Every scheduling, setting, and adjustment done to your sprinklers is carried out through the mobile app on your phone. Ease and convenience is guaranteed. The smart sprinkler is built in such a way that it automatically turns off the watering system when it detects a leakage somewhere in the valves. It also understands your vegetation, plants, and slope type to give appropriate watering to the needed zones. Some smart sprinkler systems connect up to 20 zones; if this serves your need, be sure to consider it when choosing one.

Unlike the manual timer, you don’t need to constantly push buttons on your controller, and so the risks of damages are reduced. It’s not maintenance-heavy since most of what you do is over your phone; you can continue use of your smart sprinkler system for years without bothering about replacing its regulator.

Go back to the start of the reviews

Get the Best Smart Sprinkler System of 2020!

We applaud your effort in getting to the end of this review. Sure enough, you must have a good idea of the features to prioritize in choosing a great smart sprinkler system to make your home’s exterior looking all shades of attractive and healthy. Go right ahead; place your order and thank us later. In case you want to see more options, these brands have even more products for you to choose from—take a look!

Our Top Choice

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller

Best Value

Blossom Smart Watering Controller

RainMachine Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller

Skydrop Smart Sprinkler Controller

Rain Bird Indoor/Outdoor Timer

Go back to the start of the reviews

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