Buying guide for best smart irrigation and sprinkler systems
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Keeping my lawn healthy can take more work than I’d like, but a smart irrigation and sprinkler system has made it so much more manageable. Instead of constantly adjusting timers or worrying about overwatering, my smart irrigation and sprinkler system automates the entire process so I don’t even have to worry about it.
Many smart irrigation and sprinkler systems can adjust watering based on local weather and seasonal changes, and app controls let you make changes right from your smartphone. The best options, like our top choice, the Aiper IrriSense 2 Smart Irrigation System, can help you save water and will keep your lawn properly hydrated no matter the weather.
Editors’ picks
Aiper IrriSense 2 Smart Irrigation System
Editors’ Favorite
Zones: N/A | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: 10 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
The Aiper IrriSense 2 Smart Irrigation System is great for conserving water while ensuring your lawn and garden get the consistent hydration they need to thrive.
It combines a controller, sprinkler, electric valve and nutrient feeder into a single system. Using EvenRain technology, it delivers uniform watering, leading to healthier plants and more efficient water use. Precision Mapping lets you customize watering zones, and the built-in sensors skip watering whenever rainfall is detected. You can customize up to 10 irrigation maps for different lawn layouts, and monitor watering right on your smartphone so you can adjust schedules on the fly.
This system is designed to reduce water consumption by up to 40%, making it one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly solutions. Plus, you can install it yourself in just 15 minutes.
HiOazo Smart Sprinklers Controller
Great Value
Zones: 4 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: 16 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to automate your sprinkler or irrigation system, the HiOazo Smart Sprinklers Controller might be just what you need.
This controller allows you to set up to four zones and create up to 16 watering plans for different plant types and lawns. It automatically skips watering sessions during unfavorable conditions to prevent plant stress and conserve water. The smartphone lets you monitor watering in real time in case you need to adjust schedules. Plus, you can choose from two modes for continuous watering or soaking based on your lawn’s needs.
Whether it's intermittent watering or weekly soaking, this system helps you get the right amount of water, no matter the weather. You can manually skip watering if it’s raining, snowing or windy, and installation takes just 10 minutes.
Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Bundle
Best for Existing In-Ground Sprinkler Systems
Zones: 16 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: Not available | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
If you already have an in-ground sprinkler and just want a convenient way to automate schedules, the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Bundle is a top customer choice.
This system automatically adapts to weather conditions to skip watering when unnecessary, helping you keep your lawn and plants healthy while also conserving water. You can customize zones and plans based on your lawn or garden’s needs, and the smartphone app lets you run the sprinklers, view upcoming schedules and observe your estimated outdoor water usage.
You can easily install this controller in under 30 minutes without any special tools, and instantly connect it to your phone via Wi-Fi and the Rachio app to set up your maps and watering plans. With the smart irrigation this system provides, you can save 30% to 50% on your monthly water bill.
Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Controller
No Subscription Required
Zones: 6 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: 16 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Unlike other irrigation systems, the easy-to-use Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Controller doesn’t require a recurring subscription to take full advantage of all its smart features. Plus, the multizone control supports several zones, allowing you to coordinate sprinklers across large lawns.
Its weather-adaptive design means you can save water and hydrate your plants and lawn only as needed. You can adjust watering programs, monitor zones and manage irrigation remotely right from the smartphone app, and you can easily install it on garages, sheds or outdoor walls.
With the Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Controller, you can set up to six zones and up to 16 custom plans for precise irrigation. What’s more, you can sync it with your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and it’s compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa for hands-free control.
Rachio Smart Hose Timer
Best Smart Hose Timer
Zones: 1 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: Not available | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
The Rachio Smart Hose Timer is one of the easiest ways to set up sprinkler schedules, making it a top choice if you don’t want to tinker with complicated installation.
All you have to do is hook it up to your hose and download the app to start setting up customized schedules. You can manually start watering from the app or the onboard button, and program up to eight hose valves per Wi-Fi Hub for smart watering. It automatically skips watering when rain is forecast, and you’ll be notified of any water-flow issues and low-battery status.
We love how easy it is to set up the timer and Wi-Fi system. It’s compatible with Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT for convenient hands-free control, and because it works with up to eight valves, you can easily cover most, if not all, of your lawn with this system.
Yardian Pro Smart Sprinkler Controller
Best HomeKit-Compatible Controller
Zones: 6 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: Not available | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet
Keeping your plants healthy without wasting water is exactly what the Yardian Pro Smart Sprinkler Controller is designed for. With a six-zone setup and customized watering plans, you can hydrate your lawn as needed while conserving water by up to 40%.
Unlike many other smart irrigation and sprinkler systems, this one has onboard controls that let you run zones or test sprinklers instantly. It features native Apple HomeKit support and seamlessly integrates with the Apple Home app, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Home Assistant. Plus, it supports both wireless and wired flow sensors to monitor usage in real time, which also allows you to get instant alerts for leaks, burst pipes or clogged valves.
This feature-packed controller is one of the best choices if you like to control everything through a smart home device ecosystem. The app is intuitive, and you can replace your old controller in under 15 minutes.
Rain Bird OtO Lawn Smart Sprinkler
Best for Large Yards
Zones: Unlimited | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: Not available | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
The Rain Bird OtO Lawn Smart Sprinkler is an interesting smart sprinkler because, compared to other smart systems, there’s no cap on how many zones you can set up. That instantly makes it an intriguing pick if you have a massive lawn.
It boasts weather-adaptive capabilities, so it won’t water your lawn or garden if rain is detected. You can customize spray zones and schedules for lawns, shrubs, gardens, pots and trees with excellent precision, meaning you won’t waste water spraying sidewalks or areas that don’t need watering. Solar-powered charging is a nice touch, so you don’t have to worry about hooking it up to an electrical system.
Just one of these controllers provides up to 5,000 square feet of coverage, so it’s a great choice for those with big lawns or multiple areas across a landscape that need daily or intermittent watering.
Hunter HPC400 Sprinkler Controller
Best for Advanced Control
Zones: 4 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: Not available | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
While most smart sprinkler systems offer an easy way to control everything from your smartphone, the Hunter HPC400 Sprinkler Controller takes it a step further with an intuitive, user-friendly interface and app loaded with premium features.
You can start with four customized watering zones and expand as needed to get to up to 32 zones. Its setup is super easy thanks to step-by-step touch-screen guidance and labeled wiring, letting you get this up and running in just 30 minutes. Through the app, you can monitor, adjust and optimize watering from anywhere, and the weather-sensing feature skips watering if rainfall is in the forecast.
If you want a smart system that’s easy to set up and control right from your smartphone, it’s a worthy pick that’s popular for many residential customers.
Rain Bird ARC8 Indoor/Outdoor Smart Irrigation
Best for an Easy Installation
Zones: 8 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: 3 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
Installation can be a headache with some smart irrigation and sprinkler systems, but not with the Rain Bird ARC8 Indoor/Outdoor Smart Irrigation. It’s designed for easy installation, with no tools required, and it takes just 30 minutes to mount.
You can set up to eight custom zones and three custom watering plans per zone, effectively giving you precise schedules for morning, afternoon and evening hydration. It’ll automatically skip watering based on your postal code. Whether rain is forecast in your area, you can use your phone to set, monitor or adjust schedules from pretty much anywhere as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection.
The app is intuitive, which is a must for less tech-savvy users, and voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant is an excellent feature if you want to integrate this system into a smart home network.
Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Timer
Best Wireless Range
Zones: 8 | Weather Adaptive: Yes | Custom Watering Plans: 4 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz
The Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Controller is one of the more cost-effective solutions for anyone who wants to monitor their sprinkler system closely. You can set up to eight zones, and the app makes it easy to create schedules, monitor watering and make adjustments remotely.
Smart WeatherSense technology uses local weather data to automatically adjust watering based on conditions, reducing unnecessary watering while keeping lawns and gardens properly irrigated. It’s designed for indoor or outdoor installation, and doesn’t require any subscription for its smart features.
This system does pretty much everything you need to keep your lawn healthy while also reducing water costs. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for convenient voice control and smart home integration.
How we analyzed
Ease of installation was our primary concern when compiling our list of top smart irrigation and sprinkler systems. However, we also wanted to ensure consumers have plenty of features to consider. Some of the most popular features include weather detection, app monitoring and multiple zone compatibility. We also wanted to give shoppers a diverse range of options for comprehensive lawns and smaller garden layouts.
Key features to consider
Weather features and efficiency
Zone capacity and customization
Zone capacity refers to the number of watering zones a controller can handle simultaneously. This is a critical feature because not all soil and plants have the same watering needs. For example, you might have a flower bed that requires less or more watering than your entire front lawn. With individual zones, each one can have its own independent watering schedule to ensure sufficient hydration and prevent overwatering.
Weather intelligence
Smart irrigation and sprinklers have built-in sensors or use local weather data to adjust watering frequency. You can usually program your system to skip watering altogether during heavy rainfall. That way, you don’t constantly need to monitor the weather yourself or manually adjust watering schedules to work around the forecast.
Cycle and soak
Some smart irrigation systems break up longer watering sessions into shorter cycles, giving the soil time to absorb water before the next cycle. This feature, often called intermittent irrigation, helps reduce puddles and runoff, especially in soil that absorbs water slowly, allowing more water to reach the roots rather than be wasted.
EPA WaterSense certification
When shopping for one of these systems, look to see which ones are EPA WaterSense-certified controllers. Rated for high efficiency and performance, they’re designed to minimize water waste without underwatering or affecting your lawn’s overall health.
Connectivity and sensors
Wi-Fi coverage
Managing settings and schedules through the app requires an internet connection from the controller to your phone. For best performance, you’ll want to ensure that you set up the irrigation and sprinkler system fairly close to a wireless access point. The closer it is, the more reliable the Wi-Fi connection.
App access
Once you connect the system to Wi-Fi, you can download the corresponding smartphone app. Apps vary by brand and model, but most let you map zones, set up schedules and adjust weather watering preferences.
Smart home integration
Many irrigation and sprinkler systems are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Home. This smart home integration lets you manage settings, operations and more through the smart home hub and provides hands-free convenience, allowing you to give commands such as “Don’t water the backyard today” or “Only water Zone 1 and 3 right now.” The smart interface you use depends on your preference and the compatible devices you own, but they all function in roughly the same way.
Rain and freeze add-ons
A wireless rain sensor is a handy feature to have if it suddenly starts to rain. It’ll stop the sprinklers immediately to prevent overwatering and water waste. Some systems even have freeze sensors that stop watering when temperatures get low to prevent icy conditions from damaging your system.
Soil moisture and flow sensors
If precise watering is a primary concern, it’s a good idea to consider installing a system with soil moisture and flow sensors. These sensors measure moisture in the root zone, helping the system determine when plants actually need water, while flow meters can detect unusual water use or potential leaks early. Essentially, they help reduce water waste and prevent unexpected high bills caused by leaks or excess water flow.
FAQ
Q. How much does a smart irrigation and sprinkler system cost?
A. There are some very basic and affordable systems in the $30 to $100 range. However, for multizone systems with advanced irrigation features and sensors, you can expect to pay between $200 and $700.
Q. Are there any disadvantages to using a smart irrigation system?
A. The only drawback, besides a higher upfront cost and a brief installation process, is that most smart irrigation and sprinkler systems are reliant on Wi-Fi. Without an internet connection, you won’t be able to adjust or manage operational settings or schedules through your smartphone app. However, some systems have onboard buttons for offline control.
