The 10 Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers of 2023
The grass is greener where you water it.
Our Top Smart Sprinkler Controller Picks
- Best Overall: Orbit 57985 B-Hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best Splurge: Rachio 8ZULW-C Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best Budget: RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer
- Best for Water Restrictions: Netro Spark Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best for Large Yards: Orbit 57950 B-Hyve Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best Design: Wyze WSPRK1 Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best Smart Sprinkler Controller + Garage Controller: Orbit B-Hyve Smart Sprinkler Controller + myQ Chamberlain Smart Garage Control
- Best for Small Yards: RAINPOINT Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Best New: Moen 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller
- Top-Rated on Amazon: Imolaza 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller
Picture this: You’re taking a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood and realize your lawn sticks out like a sore thumb. The grass is, quite literally, green on the other side of yours, and the hydrangeas across the street don’t look moments away from turning into papier mache. So, what gives? Do all your neighbors have well-developed green thumbs or some special hookup with a magic fertilizer? What they likely have is a smart sprinkler control system that automatically waters their lawns, flowerbeds and vegetable gardens to the optimal hydration level. Smart sprinkler controllers take the guesswork out of landscape irrigation by automatically connecting with up-to-date local weather data. So, if rain, wind or freezing temps are on the forecast, the smart sprinkler system will skip out on the day. This conserves water which, in turn, reduces your monthly water bill and, in some cases, cuts your bill in half.
How to Choose the Best Smart Sprinkler Controller
When selecting the best smart sprinkler controller for your yard, it’s important to consider how many zones you hope to cover and go from there. Larger yards with diverse sunlight exposure will benefit from anywhere between 8 to 16 zones, while smaller lots with one consistent shade level can get by with 2 to 4 zones.
If saving money is one of your main goals with this addition, invest in a smart sprinkler controller that comes with hyper-local weather forecasting. This feature will auto-adjust and conserve water based on the weather and your lawn's moisture levels.
Ready to level up your front lawn and put your next-door neighbor’s grass to shame? We researched the best smart sprinkler controllers and compared models based on their weather forecasting, scheduling abilities, in-app features and zone customization to bring you all the must-know models this year. Get the scoop on our top picks and shop the 10 best smart sprinkler controllers in the links below.
Tailor your water output to your plants with the Orbit B-Hyve Smart 8-Zone Sprinkler Controller. This hard-working controller allows you to set watering schedules and adjust your sprinklers to suit site-specific conditions from a smartphone app. Ensure your lawn receives all the H2O it needs with customization based on your soil type, plant type, the slope of your lot, local live weather feeds and sun exposure throughout the day. Bonus: The Orbit B-Hyve is weather-resistant and easily installed indoors or out.
Keep your lawn lush and garden blooming all spring and summer with the Rachio Generation Smart Sprinkler Controller. This top-rated Smart sprinkler controller makes maintaining your landscaping a breeze with the Rachio Lawn Care app. The innovative app ensures zero water waste by adjusting your water output based on the local forecast to ensure your plants receive the precise level of hydration needed to thrive and not a drop more. The intelligent controller promises to save you money by skipping days based on rain, wind and freezing temps. In other words — you’ll never feel queasy after looking at your water bill again.
Who says you need to spend an arm and a leg to enjoy the benefits of a smart sprinkler system? The RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer rings in for under $60 and provides top-notch watering control via its smartphone app. Some must-know features include a real-time irrigation record showcasing the date and length of each cycle. Other perks: You can customize your watering schedule and push back sprinkler times based on upcoming weather events like rain, wind or freezing temps.
If you live in an area with regular droughts and water restrictions during the summer, put the Netro Smart Sprinkler Controller at the top of your shopping list. This Smart system takes the guesswork out of watering your lawn as it automatically complies with watering restrictions in your area. The touch-control panel showcases sprinkler duration time, zone display and watering status light. And when you’re not on-site, you can adjust your watering time and schedule via the Alexa and Google Home compatible smartphone app.
If you have a lot of land to cover, the Orbit 12-Zone Sprinkler Controller is our pick. The smart watering system can be plugged into a line cord or hardwired and controlled with a smartphone app. The top-rated design keeps water bills down with automatic rain, wind and freeze delays and has WaterSense technology that adjusts scheduled watering sessions based on the upcoming weather forecast. Plus, this sprinkler controller caters to 12 unique zones on your property, so your lawn, garden and flowerbeds look lovely throughout the season.
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With its sleek design and streamlined user experience, the Wyze Smart Controller deserves a spot on your shopping list. This intelligent system uses local weather data to decide when to water eight specific zones, plus stress-free scheduling within the smartphone app so that you never miss an opportunity to nurture your grass, garden and beyond.
Take control of your lawn and control your garage with this customer-favorite two-for-one package. The Orbit B-Hyve 8-Zone Sprinkler Controller provides custom scheduling, duration and weather-based watering for your garden and lawn via a smartphone app. And the myQ Chamberlain Smart Garage Control allows you to open and close your garage door on your phone from anywhere.
Working with limited yard space? The RAINPOINT 2-Zone Sprinkler Timer is the perfect fit for you. The celebrated system connects to two Wi-Fi water valves and caters to two unique zones with weather-based watering, three custom watering schedules and your choice of irrigation or mist mode.
If you want the latest and greatest smart sprinkler system on the market, go ahead and pre-order the Moen 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler now ahead of its release on April 3, 2023. This Smart irrigation system features Amazon and Google Home speaker assistant technology and connects with smart wireless soil sensors to auto-adjust watering levels for optimum hydration. The Moen Smart Water App serves as your control center, providing in-depth insight into your water usage and tracking water conservation month-to-month.
The Imolaza 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller boasts a dazzling five-star customer rating, so you know it’s the real deal. This sought-after system earns praise for its ease of function, auto-adjustment based on local weather, smartphone control and smart cycle soaking. This feature promotes optimal water absorption for your lawn and plants while preventing overwatering.
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