5 smart sprinklers you need to keep your lawn green and happy for spring
Control your garden watering from anywhere with these smart sprinklers
If you’re looking for an easy way to water your lawn – aside from waiting for it to rain – then you need a smart sprinkler. Yes, even sprinklers can be smart now, and they’re actually incredibly handy and more cost-effective than a regular garden hose.
A smart sprinkler, or more accurately, a smart sprinkler controller is a Wi-Fi-enabled, automated irrigation system. Using moisture sensors and environmental data, smart sprinklers automate and adjust your watering schedule to keep your lawn happy and healthy.
To help you find the right option for you, I’ve rounded up the best five smart sprinklers you can buy to keep your lawn green and hydrated for spring and summer.
1. Eve Aqua
Best smart sprinkler overall
My top pick for the best smart sprinkler is the Eve Aqua. As a smart water controller, the Eve Aqua attaches to your garden hose and outside tap and allows you to control your sprinkler’s water output and schedules with the Eve app or via the onboarding button.
With the Eve app, you can set up automatic watering schedules, start and stop them, and even skip them altogether if it’s a particularly rainy day. It also has an auto shut-off function that avoids overwatering or flooding. Apple users will get the most benefits from using the Eve Aqua as it requires an iPad or iPhone and the latest version of iOS.
2. Aiper IrriSense 2
Best premium smart sprinkler
If you’re looking for a high-end smart sprinkler, the Aiper IrriSense 2 ticks those boxes. It looks like something out of a SciFi film, but it’s probably the smartest sprinkler on this list, with its smart app control, remote scheduling and plant-specific irrigation.
The Aiper IrriSense 2 allows you to customise up to 10 irrigation maps for the layout of your lawn, and your different plants, vegetables, flowers and more. It also has a weather-sense response system that monitors the weather to adjust your schedule and conserves water by up to 40%. At €499 / $469.99, it will cost you, though.
3. RainPoint Smart Water Tap Timer
Best cheap smart sprinkler
If cheap and cheerful is what you’re after, the RainPoint Smart Water Tap Timer is an impressive smart sprinkler system which is under £40. A Wi-Fi timer, the RainPoint Smart Water Tap Timer allows you to manage your watering using an app or voice control.
The RainPoint Smart Water Tap Timer attaches in the same way that the Eve Aqua does, so it’s easy to install and use. It comes in single or dual outlet options, and needs a Connection Hub to get started.
4. Gardena Smart Sensor Set
Best comprehensive smart sprinkler
The Gardena Smart Sensor Set is a much more comprehensive smart irrigation system that includes a smart water control, smart sensor and smart gateway. Together, it’s a full watering system that monitors your water and automates your schedule with a data-driven planning assistant.
In my opinion, the best part of the Gardena Smart Sensor Set is the smart sensor. It sits in your soil and measures its moisture content, so if it detects that your soil is too wet, it will skip your watering schedule to keep your plants in top condition.
5. HydroSure Smart Bluetooth Garden Watering Timer
Best basic smart sprinkler
Sometimes, simple is best, and the HydroSure Smart Bluetooth Garden Watering Timer is a great example of that. It’s basic, affordable and gets the job done – what more could you need, really?!
Like the Eve and RainPoint options on this list, the HydroSure Smart Bluetooth Garden Watering Timer connects to your outdoor tap and hose to control your watering. It’s easy to set up, and has manual and responsible watering features, the latter of which allows you to program multiple start times and durations to avoid soaking.
