Taking care of a lawn is no child’s play! It involves commitment, dedicated hours, and an understanding of the effects of natural elements. Too much water or too little water, for example, can harm certain types of vegetation. The same holds true for sunlight as well. This is why many people rely on automatic drip irrigation systems to help them out.
Today, we have controllers for sprinklers and timers that make the job easy. You can use the timer and run the system for an hour a day or at particular intervals depending on the requirements of your plants. Now, there are many options online, ranging from simple timers to timers that you can control with your phone! Your job is to pick your favorite based on various parameters.
Best Drip Irrigation Timer
As always, we are here to help you narrow your search down. Our list of the best drip irrigation timers in 2020 is ready! Keep reading!
1. Orbit 57950 Indoor and Outdoor System
Orbit brings to you a complete sprinkler controller system that works on Wi-Fi. It is a futuristic controller that works on Android and iOS with the utmost ease. Besides that, it has so many features that you will be blown away. Read on to know for yourself!
- It is available in 2 options. You can choose the smaller one that has 6 stations or the large one that has 12 stations. Of course, the size of your lawn will determine the right one for you.
- It works on a smart watering technology that provides watering based on the conditions of the site. So, whether it is a sloped area or whether it is shady, whether there’s a lot of wind or whether the soil is of a particular type, you don’t have to worry.
- It is extremely easy to install. It also comes with a swing panel that allows easy access. The wiring is also quite convenient.
- The sprinkler controller system is certified to be EPA WaterSense adherent. This means that it has proven to save energy and water.
- Its smart sensor can detect rain, wind, etc. and delay the drip irrigation accordingly. In fact, it completely shuts off when it detects rain.
- You can customize schedules based on the type of landscape and vegetation you have.
- The fact that it is compatible with your smartphone implies that you can control your irrigation system from anywhere! It is also compatible with Amazon Alexa.
2. Homitt Programmable Water Timer – Automatic and Manual
Those of you who are looking for an affordable but dependable drip irrigation timer, behold! We have a gift for you! The Homitt Programmable Water Timer is one of our favorites because it comes with a wide variety of features such as the following:
- This waterproof timer has a child lock mode for complete safety. To activate or deactivate it, you just need to long-press the button (for around 3 seconds).
- It has a large screen measuring around 3 inches so that you glance at all the readings in one go. To save energy, the screen turns off after 30 seconds of being idle. Some of the readings that you will be able to see are power indicator, current time, first watering timer, watering duration, rain delay icon, next irrigation time, and watering indicator.
- The timer allows a wider range of adjustment than many. You can adjust the duration as well as the frequency of watering in one go.
- The top connector is made of durable material (30% reinforced nylon), and the mesh filter is made of stainless steel.
- It comes with a waterproof battery case to protect the batteries.
- We appreciate one particular feature the most in this controller. It lets you switch between manual and automatic modes based on convenience. So, if you want to use it manually, you can switch to that mode and go ahead!
- You can press the rain delay button to pause the pre-specified programs. This will avoid over-watering.
3. Instapark Digital Timer
The Instapark Digital Timer is sturdy and very easy to use. It is a programmable, single-outlet water hose timer that also allows manual control. What are the other reasons to buy it? Keep reading to find out:
- It has an impulse solenoid valve that makes attachment to a hose faucet very easy.
- It gives you immense flexibility when it comes to controlling the frequency and duration of watering.
- The device is simple to install, user-friendly, and fool-proof.
- Its display is 2.1 inches large with an LED screen. It shows the timer status and the current time alternatively.
- You can select the watering duration from 5 seconds to 360 minutes. The watering frequency, on the other hand, ranges between 10 seconds and 7 days.
- You can also program it for rain delays. This gives you complete control of the device, enabling you to conserve water.
- It requires two AA batteries and consumes very little power. 2 new batteries can last for 4000 on/off cycles. However, the timer does not come with batteries. You have to buy them separately.
4. Orbit 58910 Hose Faucet Timer
Here’s another excellent timer from Orbit. It is not Wi-Fi-enabled but is easily programmable and has excellent features to entice you. If a simple model is what you are eyeing, you won’t go wrong with this one. Some of its highlights are below:
- You have 3 types of timers to choose from based on the number of outlets (1, 2, and 3).
- It is entirely made of plastic. It is durable and weather-resistant.
- It does not require any assembly. You can just plug it in and start using it. The installation and programming processes are very simple.
- It has a digital LCD display that’s large and easy to read.
- You can set the watering frequency for 6 hours or 7 days or anything in between. The duration range, on the other hand, is from 1 to 240 minutes.
- Its rain delay button allows you to pause the defaults as and when you need to. You can schedule it for 24, 48, or 72 hours.
- Since it allows timed watering, you will never have to worry about overwatering or underwatering your garden.
- It also has a manual watering option for you to switch anytime you want to.
5. Rain Bird Professional Grade Timer
Rain Bird gives you an assortment of options to choose from. They have sprinkler kits and hose timers that you can buy individually or as a set. We are, of course, only going to speak about the hose timer. It is reasonably priced, especially when you look at the many, many features it offers. Let’s see what they are:
- It has a 7-day timer with scheduling options. Along with drip irrigation systems, you can also use the timer with a soaker hose and hose-end sprinklers.
- Its dial is XL with a screen that shows watering schedules, time remaining on the ongoing cycle, and the next schedule.
- The timer has override buttons that cancel watering during rains and allow manual watering instantly.
- You can run it for up to 6 hours in one shot and 2 times a day.
- It has an excellent flow rate that reduces the time needed to water the garden or lawn. Also, it can work on 5 sprinklers at a time.
- It needs two AA batteries to function, which you must buy separately.
Now that we have laid out the best drip irrigation timers in 2020 for you, your job is easier! Simply compare and choose. We have deliberately given different types of options, such as Wi-Fi-enabled and basic timers, to give you the flexibility to choose. No matter which one you pick, one thing is for sure, though. You won’t be disappointed!
What are you waiting for? Pick your timer now!