On the lookout for an outstanding best smart sprinkler controller? Our expert team has combed through the market, carefully selecting and testing the best products available. We’ve put each best smart sprinkler controller through a series of both practical and analytical tests to provide a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities and limitations.
Our detailed reviews delve into the critical components of each product. We assess the main features, overall performance, and cost-to-benefit ratio, aiming to offer you a well-rounded and unbiased perspective. Our selection focuses on crucial factors like Performance, Simplicity of Use, and Value. We cater to a range of individual preferences and financial situations, aiming to help you find the best smart sprinkler controller that surpasses your expectations.
Editor’s Note: In March 2024, this review was updated with the latest market developments and additional product options, ensuring that our recommendations remain relevant and encompassing for your decision-making process.
Top Products for best smart sprinkler controller
1. Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller: 16 Zone | Simple Auto Schedules, Quick Run, Local Weather Intelligence. (Save Water w/ Rain, Freeze & Wind Skip)
Key Features:
- WORRY-FREE WATERING – Rachio tailors your watering schedule to the specific needs of your yard and plants, providing the right amount of water no matter the landscape. Ensure a beautiful yard and lower your water bill at the same time!
- NO MONTHLY FEES – Rachio comes complete and ready to use, without any extra charges or app subscription fees.
- EXCLUSIVE WEATHER TECHNOLOGY – Patented Weather Intelligence automatically skips unnecessary watering with features like rain skip, wind skip, freeze skip, and more.
- CONTROL FROM YOUR PHONE – Manage your watering from anywhere with the easy-to-use app. Run sprinklers, set & view upcoming schedules, and see your estimated outdoor water usage.
- FAST & EASY INSTALLATION – DIY installation in 30 minutes or less with no special tools needed. Compatible with 99% of existing sprinkler controllers.
- #1 SMART SPRINKLER CONTROLLER – Rachio invented the smart sprinkler category and continues to be the most trusted controller on the market. Only Rachio offers smart schedules that include plant type, soil type, sun exposure, and more.
2. Orbit 57946 B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor 6-Station WiFi Sprinkler System Controller, Compatible with Alexa
Key Features:
- EFFICIENT WATERING SOLUTION – The smart sprinkler controller ensures automatic watering with precision, saving you time and effort.
- INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PLACEMENT – This automatic watering system can be placed indoors or outdoors providing the maximum flexibility for installation in your yard or garden.
- EASY-TO-USE DRIP IRRIGATION – The drip irrigation timer allows for hassle-free management of your garden’s watering needs, ensuring healthy plant growth.
- VERSATILE AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION – Automatically control your sprinkler system, with automatic adjustment to weather conditions and plant watering needs.
- SMART HOME WATERING – With our wireless sprinkler controller, you can adjust your sprinklers from anywhere, transforming your home into an intelligent oasis.
3. Orbit B-hyve 4-Zone Smart Indoor Sprinkler Controller
Key Features:
- SMART SPRINKLER CONTROL – Orbit B-hyve offers a WiFi sprinkler timer with remote control capabilities for your irrigation system. Program, monitor, and adjust your watering schedule from anywhere using the user-friendly app.
- EFFICIENT WATERING MADE EASY – Our automatic watering system works with other water saving techologies like drip irrigation and multipoint rotators, delivering precise and targeted water distribution to your plants, promoting healthy growth.
- CONVENIENT INDOOR PLANT CARE – With our smart plant watering system, you can set automated schedules to provide consistent moisture for your indoor plants. Ensure their well-being even when you’re away or busy.
- ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND FLEXIBILITY – The Orbit B-hyve sprinkler timer is equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, offering seamless control and customization options. You can effortlessly create personalized watering programs to meet your specific needs.
- RELIABLE PERFORMANCE AND EASY INSTALLATION – Our timer for sprinklers is designed for DIY enthusiasts and professional contractors alike. Featuring user-friendly setup instructions and a durable build, it guarantees hassle-free operation and long-lasting use.
4. Orbit 57985 B-hyve XR Smart 8-Zone Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Controller, Compatible with Alexa
Key Features:
- SMART UNDERGROUND WATERING TIMER – Effortlessly manage your watering schedule with our advanced technology. Control and monitor your underground sprinklers from anywhere with WiFi connectivity.
- WIFI WATERING TIMER – Experience the convenience of remote control and programming with our WiFi-enabled smart timer. Say goodbye to manual adjustments.
- SMART WATERING TIMER – Optimize water usage and promote healthy plants with our intuitive smart timer. Automated schedules and weather-based adjustments ensure efficient watering.
- WIFI WATERING TIMER – Take control of your watering system from the palm of your hand. Our WiFi-enabled timer offers easy access and customization through a user-friendly app.
- ULTIMATE WATER MANAGEMENT – Our smart timer delivers precise water distribution, saving you time, money, and resources. Enjoy a lush, thriving garden while reducing water waste.
5. 8 Zones WiFi Smart Sprinkler Controller, Briidea Automatic Irrigation Controllers with Customized Watering Schedule & Seasonal Adjustment, Save Water and Keep Your Plants Thrive
Key Features:
- REMOTE CONTROL ANYWHERE, ANYTIME: Concerned about your precious lawn and garden losing their charm while you’re away on a trip? With the briidea smart irrigation controller, you can effortlessly irrigate up to 8 different zones around your home. Simply adjust and manage watering schedules remotely at any time through the GeniLife APP. Ensure your lush plant growth and enjoy peace of mind during your extended travels. WARM TIPS: ONLY SUPPORT 2.4GHZ WIFI CONNECTION
- CUSTOMIZE YOUR PERSONALIZED IRRIGATION SCHEDULE: The Briidea smart irrigation controller offers a variety of customization options to meet your unique watering needs. You can schedule watering based on specific days of the week, odd or even days, or specific dates each week. Additionally, it allows you to establish individual schedules for each zone, ensuring your landscape stays green and vibrant throughout the year
- INTELLIGENT WATER MANAGEMENT: The smart irrigation controller allows you to customize seasonal watering cycles based on the specific water needs of your plants during different seasons. It supports the use of a rain sensor (not included), automatically stopping irrigation on rainy days to minimize the adverse effects of overwatering on plants. This not only helps conserve water resources but also saves you from high water bill costs
- DATA LOGGING AND ANALYSIS: With power-loss memory functionality, the device will retain all your previous settings even in the event of a power interruption. No need to worry about data loss or going through tedious setups again. Now, to view the irrigation system’s activity time and historical data, simply open our application effortlessly. This helps you better manage and optimize your plant growth, ensuring easy maintenance of your landscape aesthetics
- USER-FRIENDLY SETTINGS: The controller is equipped with a clear and concise LCD screen, displaying various data at a glance. In addition, we provide dual setup adjustment options for both the device and the app, streamlining the configuration process. Its advanced watering features and user-friendly application make it an ideal addition to your smart home
6. Rain Bird ARC8 App-Based Indoor/Outdoor Smart Irrigation WiFi Timer/Controller, 8-Zone/Station, EPA WaterSense Certified, Compatible with Alexa
Key Features:
- Indoor/Outdoor WiFi timer puts control of your sprinkler system in the palm of your hand with intuitive Rain Bird mobile app
- Use mobile device to set, monitor, or adjust schedules anywhere in the world; easily share control with family members, landscaping/maintenance professionals
- Activate any schedule, delay watering, view upcoming watering schedules, manual watering, even check your local weather forecast
- Automatically skips or adjusts daily watering for a postal code based on local weather forecast and historic averages for up to 30% water-savings
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple iOS 8 or greater, and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or later
- Controls 8-zones with 3 individual programs (A, B, C) per zone customizable for days of week, odd/even calendar days or cyclic (every 1 to 14 days)
- Provides up to 4 start times per zone for a total of 12 start times with run times from 1-minute to 6-hours; plus manual watering
- Seasonal Adjust lets you reduce run time from 5% to 200% on all programs simultaneously or for individual programs
- Watering Delay suspends watering for 1 to 14 days and automatically resumes once delay ends
- Notifications informs of programming changes, valve malfunctions, WiFi network disconnections, incorrect date/time, or possible freeze
Buy Now From Amazon – $95.53 ($95.53 / Count)
7. ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler Controller Evapotranspiration Master: 8 Zones WiFi Irrigation Controller with Automated Watering and App Control, Save Water Through Rain, Freeze, Wind and Saturation Skip
Key Features:
- ZERO WATER WASTE: ImoLaza Smart Weather Genius uses hyperlocal weather data to monitor the weather in your location for you 24/7, 365 days a year. It automatically skips unnecessary watering with features such as rain skip, wind skip, freeze skip, and more. Bid farewell to the trouble of setting rain delays and manual shutdowns
- SCIENTIFICALLY PRECISE WATERING: Taking into full consideration various factors in different zones, including plant type, soil type, sunlight, and more, ImoLaza intelligently handles the hard work for you by automatically generating precise watering durations, scientifically calculating REAL-TIME evapotranspiration (ET), and adjusting the watering frequency daily based on local weather conditions. Your yard will only be watered when needed
- SUPER FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: Effortlessly tailor watering schedules via the app, customizing them to your lawn’s specific needs, weather conditions, and seasonal variations. ImoLaza’s exclusive New Grass Schedule sets it apart by accommodating up to 24 start times for high-frequency watering. No longer confined by traditional controllers limited to 4 fixed schedules or 1 start time
- REMOTE CONTROL ANYWHERE: Take control of your sprinkler system from anywhere using the highly user-friendly ImoLaza app. Easily access watering schedules and monitor in REAL-TIME, eliminating the need to constantly run back and forth to the garage
- SUPER FAST DIY INSTALLATION: ImoLaza allows you to upgrade ANY traditional sprinkler system into a SMART one. The DIY installation is super fast, taking just 15-30 minutes, and no special tools are needed. ImoLaza provides straightforward plug-and-play functionality for a beginner gardener, but it also offers enough fine-tuning and advanced settings to satisfy a master horticulturist. With this upgrade, you can experience efficient watering, save time, and conserve water easily and quickly
- NO ADDITIONAL FEES: Install ImoLaza once and enjoy a lifetime of free usage, without any additional or subscription charges. Access precise weather data and enjoy advanced feature upgrades, all included at no extra cost
- ADVANCED OTA SMART SPRINKLER CONTROLLER: The Over-the-Air (OTA) technology from ImoLaza makes it a self-learning, self-evolving intelligent irrigation system. It can remotely receive and download our continuously researched and updated intelligent irrigation algorithms and features, thereby consistently improving irrigation efficiency
8. Pihode Smart Sprinkler Controller, 16 Zone WiFi Smart Irrigation Controller, Remote App and Local Control Automated Watering, Customized Watering Schedule & Weather Aware – Grey
Key Features:
- APP REMOTE CONTROL: Using the highly user-friendly Smart Life APP paired with the Pihode WIFI sprinkler controller, effortlessly manage irrigation for up to 16 different zones. Monitor and control the sprinkler system from anywhere, anytime, directly from your smartphone. Safeguard your plants, gardens, greenhouses, farms, and courtyard with the Pihode smart irrigation controller!
- SCIENTIFICALLY PRECISE WATERING: Experience intelligent irrigation with real-time detect local weather conditions. The Pihode intelligence control system automatically skips unnecessary watering using features like rain skip, snow skip, freeze skip, and more. Tailor different application scenarios based on local air humidity and weather changes, ensuring optimal irrigation for each zone. Bid farewell to tedious settings and manual shutdowns. With simple operations, significantly improve irrigation efficiency and save up to 60% of water resources.
- BALANCING INTELLIGENCE AND PRACTICALITY: Pihode empowers you to remotely control the sprinkler system anytime, anywhere through the APP. Receive real-time updates on the sprinkler system status via the LCD screen. Initiate watering or stop it with a simple touch of a button, eliminating the need for the APP. Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, Pihode seamlessly blends intelligence with practicality.
- SUPER EASY & FAST INSTALLATION: No professional personnel required! Install or replace the Pihode smart sprinkler controller effortlessly in about 15 minutes, following a plug-and-play approach. Whether you’re a novice gardener or a master horticulturist, Pihode caters to your needs. Whether it’s simple daily timed irrigation or complex plans with multiple scenes and conditions, the Pihode smart sprinkler controller easily adapts, offering new experiences and fun.
- NO SUBSCRIPTION, NO HIDDEN FEES: Enjoy a lifetime of free cloud service from Pihode without any additional charges. Install it once, and benefit from continuous usage. Our 24/7 US-based customer service team is ready to assist you. Should you encounter any issues with our products, please feel free to contact us for prompt support.
9. Rain Bird ST8I-2.0 Smart Indoor WiFi Sprinkler/Irrigation System Timer/Controller, WaterSense Certified, 8-Zone/Station, Compatible with Amazon Alexa
Key Features:
- WiFi signal conveniently places control of your timer in the palm of your hand
- Super easy to program; allows access to timer functions from anywhere in the world
- Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple iOS 8 or greater, and Android 4.4 (KitKat) or later
- Access timer functions via: wireless network, in-range mobile device, or directly through control panel
- Daily watering schedule automatically adjusts based on season, local weather, temperature, and humidity
- Enable Notifications in the Rain Bird app to be informed of what’s happening in your yard even when away from home
- Watering Delay feature suspends watering from 1 to 14 days; programming resumes automatically once delay has ended
- Provides up to 6 Start Times per zone with Run Times from 0-199 minutes
- All timer settings stored indefinitely in memory, no need to re-program in case of power outage.
- EPA WaterSense certified to provide at least a 20% water-savings over non-certified timers
10. Netro Smart Sprinkler Controller, WiFi, Weather aware, Remote access, 12 Zone, Compatible with Alexa
Key Features:
- Fully Automatic – EPA WaterSense certified, dynamically creates and adjusts watering schedules optimized for your plants/lawns
- Lifetime Cloud Service – Connects to WiFi(2.4G), monitors and controls your sprinkler system anywhere from iOS(8.3+), Android(5.0+) devices and Web browsers
- Eco Friendly – Save up to 50% of your outdoor water use with advanced water saving technologies including weather forecasting and historical statistics
- Water Restriction – Alerts and auto complies to the watering rules in your local area
- Easy Installation – Installs or replaces in around 15 minutes with basic tools. No professionals required. Indoor use only
The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for Finding Your Ideal best smart sprinkler controller
Understanding Your Needs
Before diving into the market, it’s crucial to thoroughly assess your specific needs and preferences. Take time to consider the features that are non-negotiable and reflect on how you intend to use the product. This initial step is key to narrowing down your choices and ensuring that you focus on products that truly meet your requirements.
Quality Matters
The durability and reliability of a product are directly tied to its quality. Search for products that have a strong track record of performance and longevity. Certifications or standards often indicate a commitment to quality and can be a reliable guide to ensuring that you’re making a sound investment.
Brand Value
The brand’s reputation can be a significant indicator of the product’s quality. Established brands are often synonymous with reliability and customer satisfaction. However, don’t shy away from considering emerging brands as they might offer innovative features or better value for money, potentially being a perfect match for your needs.
Seller Rank
Evaluating the seller’s reputation and reliability is as important as assessing the product itself. Investigate their customer service track record, delivery policies, and how they handle customer issues. A seller with a high rank often guarantees a smoother purchase and after-sales experience.
Reviews from Customers
Customer reviews can provide invaluable insights into the real-world performance of a product. They can highlight any recurring issues or benefits that might not be immediately apparent. Look for consistent themes in reviews as they are often telltale signs of the product’s overall quality and performance.
Reliability
Long-term reliability is a critical factor to consider. This encompasses the product’s lifespan, the need for maintenance, and its resistance to wear and tear. Opt for products known for their durability, as this often translates to fewer repairs and replacements over time.
Ease of Use
The usability of a product significantly affects your day-to-day experience with it. Choose products that are easy to set up, operate, and maintain. User-friendly products not only save time but also enhance your overall satisfaction with the product.
Pricing and Value for Money
While staying within your budget is important, it’s also essential to consider the overall value a product offers. Compare not only the upfront cost but also factor in long-term savings, such as durability and lower maintenance costs. Sometimes, spending a bit more initially can lead to more significant savings in the long run.
Accessibility
The availability of the product, along with the quality of customer support and after-sales service, is crucial. Choose products that are readily available and backed by reliable customer support. This ensures that you will receive assistance quickly should any issues or queries arise.
Comparative Analysis
Leverage comparative studies and reviews to gauge how different products in the best smart sprinkler controller category compare against each other. This will help you understand the unique selling points of each product and how they align with your requirements.
Warranty and Support
Always check the warranty and the type of customer support offered. A comprehensive warranty can be a lifesaver, and effective customer support adds value to your purchase, offering peace of mind and assistance when needed.
Stay Informed
The market and technology are continuously evolving. Keep abreast of the latest updates, enhancements, or new releases in the best smart sprinkler controller category. Staying informed helps ensure that your decision is based on the most current information available.
Final Decision
After considering all these factors, take a step back and evaluate the pros and cons of your top choices. Your final decision should be based on a well-rounded assessment, balancing quality, functionality, and value to find the best best smart sprinkler controller that meets your specific needs.
Our comprehensive reviews are meticulously crafted to guide you through this process, ensuring a well-informed decision that meets your needs and budget.