Do you have a lawn or garden that needs a lot of water? Sure, you could use a hose and a nifty hose attachment, but that can consume a great deal of your valuable time. The best way to go about keeping your garden hydrated is with a simple garden sprinkler.
However, there are so many sprinklers available that making the right choice can be difficult. Let’s get right to it and help you find the best garden sprinkler of 2020.
Comparison Chart
GrowGreen Sprinkler, Rotating Lawn Sprinkler, Large Area Coverage Water Sprinklers for Lawns and Gardens
Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Indestructible Metal Base Oscillating Sprinkler with Adjustable Spray, 3600-Square Foot Coverage
Best Garden Sprinklers Reviews
GrowGreen Sprinkler
First, we have a very well-priced garden sprinkler designed to cover a fairly large area. It’s a pretty simple sprinkler, but it works very well, it’s quite durable, and it covers quite a large area without having to be moved.
Review
If you need to cover a large area, such as a big lawn or lots of garden space, the GrowGreen Sprinkler is a good option.
It can produce water pressure of up to 80 PSI, which then allows it to send water flying up to nearly 33 feet in distance — not bad considering that it’s just one small sprinkler.
Moreover, it comes with a triple head water dispenser which constantly rotates 360 degrees. Just place it in the middle of the lawn, connect the hose, turn on the water, and it should do the rest for you.
No, the area covered is not massive, but that said, for smaller and medium-size lawns and gardens, it works very well. We’d say it’s the next step down from a full-fledged and professionally installed sprinkler system.
In terms of connecting it, you simply have to screw your garden hose into the connector. That’s all it takes to get this sprinkler running.
Something else that stands out about the GrowGreen Sprinkler is that it’s made with fairly durable ABS plastic that is rustproof and impact resistant; it can take a few good hits and still stay in one piece. It’s also advertised as being a summer toy for kids, so it better be durable if there are kids involved.
What’s convenient is that this sprinkler comes with a heavy base plate which keeps it from moving and tipping over while in use, something that can happen with much lighter sprinklers.
The other really cool aspect here is that it uses s- called water conservation technology to ensure that it does not overwater lawns and gardens, thus preventing them from getting flooded.
What’s to like about the GrowGreen Sprinkler
What we like about the GrowGreen Sprinkler is that it’s just a very simple and affordable garden sprinkler. Just screw the hose into it, place it where you need it, and it’s good to go. It’s an easy plug-and-play kind of sprinkler.
What’s not to like about the GrowGreen Sprinkler
What we don’t necessarily like about the GrowGreen Sprinkler is the so-called water preservation tech it comes with. This is never clearly explained and exactly how this works is beyond us. It’s not like this sprinkler has a computer chip in it.
PROS
- 360-degree coverage
- Adjustable nozzles
- Heavy base plate for stability
- Sprays water fairly long distances
- Very easy to set up
CONS
- Tends to spring leaks with heavy use
Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler
This is another moderately priced sprinkler for gardens and lawns that can shoot water very long distances and cover a large area. This is a more permanent kind of sprinkler that needs to be installed in a single spot.
Review
The most important thing to note about this Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler is that it’s more of a permanent sprinkler system. This is the kind of sprinkler that you would connect to existing water piping in your garden.
In other words, you would run pipes under the ground, then set up a vertical water delivery pipe in a certain spot, then connect this sprinkler to it. It’s not the kind of sprinkler that you can pick up and move around. Once you have it set up in a certain spot, that’s it — it’s there.
That said, once you have the pipes installed, it has a simple ½ inch male pipe thread connection — just screw it on, and it’s good to go.
However, although not overly versatile in terms of moving around, it is a very good sprinkler for large gardens that need constant watering. If you have a large yard or garden that you plan on maintaining for years to come, this is a good option to consider.
The Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler is designed to put out a whole lot of water in a limited amount of time. It features an adjustable spray pattern, so you can choose to cover as little as 20 degrees or up to a 360 degree circle.
What’s also nice is that the spray distance can be adjusted from a 20 foot radius to a 41 foot radius, and that’s just on one side. In terms of the full circle diameter of the spray, from one side to another, it could potentially cover over 80 feet.
Something else that stands out about the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler is how it is made of brass, bronze, and stainless steel, which means that overall, it’s fairly strong and durable. It is designed to last for years as a permanent fixture in gardens.
What’s to like about the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler
What we like is that if you have a large garden that you plan on maintaining for years, then the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler is a great permanent water delivery system. It’s highly adjustable, it’s durable, and it covers a very large area.
What’s not to like about the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler
What we don’t like about the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler is that it requires pipes to be installed, which can take up time and be very costly. Moreover, once installed, the position of the sprinkler cannot be changed, unless you’re willing to redo the piping.
PROS
- Very durable construction
- Adjustable to 360 degrees
- Adjustable spray
- Easy to install (once piping is installed)
- Great for large areas
CONS
- Minimum spray distance is 20 feet – may be too far for small areas
Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler
Here we are going back to a much simpler type of sprinkler, a basic oscillating sprinkler designed for ease of use, for small-time watering needs, and for portability too. It’s well priced, it’s simple to use, and it works like a charm.
Review
If you just want a small sprinkler to sit in the garden or on your lawn, one that can keep everything well hydrated, then the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler is a nice little option to consider.
For one, this is a highly portable sprinkler. It’s not huge and it requires no permanent fixtures or installation. Simply place it wherever you see fit, connect it to the hose, and turn the water on. It really doesn’t get much easier than that, not to mention that it has a high level of portability.
What is pretty cool about the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler is that it comes with a special cleaning tool to unclog nozzles if they happen to clog, as well as to clean the hose connection point.
It comes with a leak-resistant hose connection point, which is always nice because most sprinklers usually leak, especially with heavy use. However, what’s definitely going to leak are the clog resistant nozzles, 16 of them, which are said to be able to cover up to 3,600 square feet with water.
Quite honestly, while we believe that the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler can cover a decent area, we know that it does not produce nearly enough water pressure to cover a massive 3,600 square foot area; it’s just not possible with a sprinkler of this size and type.
It features adjustable range control, but it is highly doubtable that it can reach up to 3,600 square feet in coverage. It also has customizable spray patterns, but due to the type of sprinkler it is, pattern selection is automatically fairly limited.
What’s to like about the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler
What we like about the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler is that it’s a very simple and affordable sprinkler. It’s the kind of thing you would get to water a small area of lawn and/or garden.
Just place it in the middle of an area, connect the hose, choose the pattern and distance, and turn on the water. It’s also the kind of sprinkler that makes for great summer fun for kids who love to run through sprinklers to cool off.
What’s not to like about the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler
What we don’t like about the Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16 Oscillating Sprinkler is that it clearly cannot cover 3,600 square feet; it’s literally impossible for a sprinkler of this type and size. This would mean that it could cover 60 x 60 feet, highly unlikely.
PROS
- Easy to set up
- Highly portable
- Adjustable distance
- Adjustable pattern
- Leak resistant connecter
CONS
- Not for large areas
Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler
This oscillating sprinkler from Melnor is a slightly more expensive sprinkler to take a look at. It’s not way more expensive than the other options we looked at today, but a little bit. However, you do get what you pay for, and the higher cost could be due to its high level of durability, versatility, and the large area it can cover.
Review
One of the biggest standout features of the Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler is its very high level of durability, and therefore its long lifespan. Everything and anything that can be made out of metal here is. It’s just a very durable option when compared to other sprinklers that are made mostly of plastic. Not only does this mostly metal construction make it a durable sprinkler, it also gives it a very solid base which will not move around once the water starts flowing through the sprinkler head.
The Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler comes with a total of 20 nozzles, all located on a single bar which can oscillate back and forth. It’s also a highly adjustable sprinkler.
You can use the zoom control to decide whether to cover a very large or a small patch. You can also adjust the total width of the area covered, and you can easily adjust the length of the water streams. This kind of precise control makes it one of the better options available.
Usually we would be inclined to say that a sprinkler like the Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler cannot actually cover 4,200 square feet as advertised, but in this case, it is actually true — it can indeed cover a fairly large area.
Let’s not forget that this is another simple plug-and-play type of sprinkler. Connect the hose, choose the location, and turn the water on.
What’s to like about the Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler
We like how the Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler appears to be quite durable; the metal connection points and the metal base help with this. Also, being highly adjustable doesn’t hurt either.
What’s not to like about the Melnor XT4200M XT Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler
What we don’t like here is how the various adjustment knobs and levers are not overly durable. The majority of this sprinkler is durable, but the adjustment levers tend to break.
PROS
- Durable overall
- Portable
- Easy to use
- Covers a large area
- Highly adjustable
CONS
- Adjustment levers are not too durable
Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler
This is a very interesting type of sprinkler to go with, one that could be used for general garden watering purposes, but it’s actually more of a pest control system than anything else. It’s big, it’s expensive, and it’s made to protect gardens and small farms from pests.
Review
The Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler features intelligent sensing technology which can detect motion. When it detects motion, it sends blasts of water towards the movement. For example, if this sprinkler senses birds or rats trying to invade your garden, it will ward them off.
It can sense intruders from up to 40 feet away; it has a wide viewing angle of 120 degrees; and it can cover up to 1,600 square feet. It’s not the biggest range or coverage, but when you have one main sprinkler with a sensor connected, you can always install additional impact sprinklers to increase the range and area coverage.
Moreover, the detection angle of the sprinkler can be adjusted, so you can focus it more towards ground or air-based pests, whether birds, rats, or anything in between.
The Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler can be set to activate only during the day, during the night, or 24/7 for round-the-clock garden protection. Yes, this sprinkler also double as a normal sprinkler. You can use the 30-minute timed watering cycle to provide lawns and gardens with hydration.
Keep in mind that the Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler comes with a large stand that allows it to sit above plants. The stand may be a bit cumbersome, but it is also highly portable.
What’s to like about the Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler
We like how this Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler is both a normal sprinkler and a pest deterrent system. It’s a great way to keep animals from eating your flowers, herbs, and whatever else you have in your garden. It’s got plenty of cool features and it is very durable.
What’s not to like about the Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler
The bad thing about the Orbit 62120 Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler, although the batteries in the sensor do last for quite some time, you still need to deal with replacing batteries on a regular basis. Moreover, for simple garden watering needs, it’s total overkill.
PROS
- Highly adjustable
- Deters pests
- Can be used as a normal sprinkler
- Day, night, or 24/7 sensing
- Quite durable
CONS
- Expensive
BUYER’S GUIDE
Before you go out and buy any garden sprinkler, there are a few important purchasing considerations, so let’s take a quick look.
Types of Sprinklers
First off, you need to realize that there are many different kinds of sprinklers out there. You have full-pipe system sprinklers, which are permanent installations that require underground water pipes, ideal for large gardens. These can be permanently above ground, or they can be pop-up style sprinklers.
You also have small oscillating sprinklers, ideal for fairly small areas. These are nothing more than portable bases with a spray bar covered in small holes or nozzles. For gardens, another ideal choice is the impact sprinkler, which is usually still portable, but designed for fairly large areas. These are not all the types of sprinklers out there, but the ones most commonly used for gardens.
Water Pressure
You will also want to consider how much water pressure the sprinkler can generate. Simply put, the more water pressure it can produce, the further it will be able to spray water, thus covering a larger area. Average garden sprinklers have between 30 and 50 PSI, but this can go up to 100 PSI or more, depending on the model.
Size of Lawn
The size of your lawn or garden is makes a difference too. Do you have a massive lawn and flower garden, or just a little square of grass? Each and every sprinkler is designed to cover a certain size of area, and this is a big consideration to keep in mind when making a purchase.
Compatibility and Installation
There are more advanced systems that require a lengthy setup and installation process, and there are those which are simple plug-and-play models to. Do you need a big system with underground water piping, or just something you can plop down on the lawn, screw the hose into, and turn on? Keep in mind that system with permanent piping will require specific sizes of pipes.
Material
You also want to look at the material. Is the sprinkler made mostly of cheap plastic, or does it include a lot of durable metal?
F.A.Q.s
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How does a garden sprinkler work?
With most sprinklers, the water itself, the pressure created by it, will cause the rotating or oscillating head to move. These things don’t have motors or anything like that. They are powered purely by the water pressure flowing from the hose or pipe.
How to install garden sprinkler system
If you have a simple sprinkler that just needs to be placed in a certain spot and connected to the hose, there is really not much to talk about here. However, if you have a more permanent type of sprinkler, you’ll need to run pipes underground to provide the sprinkler with a permanent water source.
How often should I water my lawn with a sprinkler system?
Letting a sprinkler run for about 30 minutes, 3 times a week, should be enough to keep most lawns well hydrated.
Should I water my lawn in the morning or at night?
This really does not matter. Both early evening and early mornings work well. The important fact here is that lawns should not be watered under direct and intense sunlight.
How does a lawn sprinkler rotate?
Just like oscillating sprinklers, rotating sprinklers turn thanks to the water pressure from the hose. It’s literally the water itself that causes the sprinkler to rotate. Pressure builds up, it moves the sprinkler, then the pressure is released when the water sprays, and it starts all over again, usually many times per minute.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, the most important consideration for you to keep in mind is how large of a lawn or garden you have, and how much area the sprinkler needs to cover. In most cases, a simple, portable lawn sprinkler will do just fine.