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Why Buying a Lawn Sprinkler?
Plenty of people water their lawn by using a hose, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, that usually tends to lead to some areas of the lawn being under-watered while others end up over-watered. After a while some of those areas might start dying off or just getting a different color, leading to bad patches on your lawn without any obvious reason.
Sprinklers, first and foremost, allow you to achieve a good, uniform spread of water across an area of your choice. It does so without you having to put in much effort, and you can choose a watering pattern that suits your lawn, as well as the duration of the watering. In most cases it doesn’t even require any effort or oversight from you – just set it and forget it! That’s what the best lawn sprinklers do for you – they allow you to water your yard fully with no hassle and no wasted water.
Water your yard fully with the best lawn sprinkler
This doesn’t mean you get just to lay back and do nothing – regular maintenance is key, especially if the sprinkler clogs or gets stuck for some reason. Moreover, you will have to change their settings regularly and know when to use different watering patterns or use sprinklers for watering at all. All of that knowledge and skill comes with taking care of a lawn for years, and you shouldn’t expect that a lawn sprinkler will act as a substitute for that. It can only help you take care of your lawn if you already know something about it.
In the end, not all sprinklers are the same, and some do the job better than others. With so many different sprinklers on the market picking the best one for your needs might seem nearly impossible. This article should help though – we’ve gathered some of the best products currently on the market and compared them directly while pairing them with some real user feedback. This should help you make an informed decision when buying a lawn sprinkler. So, let’s have a look at how they compare.
Meet the Best Lawn Sprinklers
The Good: Greatly adjustable and durable with an awesome extra pest control feature.
The Bad: Might leak at the joints and could be pricey for some.
The Bottom Line: Overall, a great sprinkler with a host of amazing features that justify its price.
The Good: Easily able to cover a huge area and quite adjustable.
The Bad: Can easily get stuck on uneven terrain.
The Bottom Line: It’s able to cover a huge area without any oversight but only under ideal conditions.
The Good: Offers unparalleled adjustability, making it fit for any yard.
The Bad: Made of flimsy materials and breaks easily.
The Bottom Line: While it is a great product at face value, it will break quickly.
While this summary can help you find out something about these products, more detailed information is in the article below.
All of the Factors Considered
Picking the best lawn sprinkler, even if you have a pretty good knowledge of what kind of maintenance your lawn requires, can be a hefty task. There are plenty of different products on the market, some touting seemingly amazing but useless features. This section should help you distinguish between aspects that are important and the fluff you don’t need to think about. Here are the factors we think are the most important when it comes to lawn sprinklers.
Type
This is probably the most important aspect to consider, as the type of sprinkler you choose affects pretty much everything else about it. There are a few popular types to consider:
- Stationary: these sprinklers remain stationary until you move them. Just attach them to a hose and leave them there, sprinkling water. They are good for smaller yards and distribute a lot of water quickly, but require plenty of supervision.
- Impact: what you get from these sprinklers are short bursts of water fired in a line at regular intervals, while the head slowly rotates achieving a circular distribution of water. While great for larger lawns, the water jets they fire might prove damaging to some of the more tender plants.
- Oscillating: these sprinklers have a row of openings on the top through which they spray water in a rectangular pattern, and the head moves from side to side for better coverage. They offer good coverage, but their gentle sprays of water might dissipate too much on windy or hot days.
- Revolving: usually utilizing two or three nozzles, these sprinklers use the pressure of the water they fire to rotate the head, allowing for a wide, circular spread. They offer a fast, gentle spread of water, but might not be well suited for more rectangular lawns.
- Traveling: utilizing the basic design of a revolving sprinkler, only larger and placed on a tractor-like moving base, these sprinklers are great for covering a huge amount of ground. They follow a set path and can shut off automatically, meaning they need no supervision. However, they are almost useless on bumpy or hilly lawn areas.
Other types do exist, but these are some of the types you’re most likely to encounter when looking for a sprinkler.
The Materials
You want a durable sprinkler and not one that will break or corrode within a few months. Because of that, it’s important to consider the materials a sprinkler is made of. Most will contain some plastic parts, but the less of them there are the better, and the metal parts should be corrosion resistant.
Type of sprinkler you choose affects everything
Area Coverage & Spray Distance
Knowing how large your yard is and what kind of coverage you need is important. This is usually expressed in square feet. The range of the water spray is also important as you don’t want to get water into places where it shouldn’t be – like your neighbor’s yard or a wall and so on – but you want it to reach the far corners of your lawn.
Adjustability
Being able to adjust the area which your sprinkler covers, the distance, the intervals at which it sprays water and other similar things make the sprinkler far more efficient at watering your lawn while saving you a lot of time. Such options are always useful and you should look for a product that has them.
Additional Features
There are many additional features a sprinkler can have, and not all of them are useful. Some sprinklers can double as pest deterrents, detecting them and spraying them, others can detect how dry the ground is at any time and activate accordingly, some allow you to set a timer and so on. Choosing the sprinkler with additional functions that will be useful to you is key to keeping good care of your lawn.
Since you now know about the essential aspects of a lawn sprinkler, let’s see how we graded our chosen products in those areas.
In-depth Reviews of 3 Best Lawn Sprinklers
Orbit 62100
Key Features
Heavy Duty Construction
Made from sturdy materials with a metal spike and brass hose connection, ensuring stability and durability.
Adjustable Impact Sprinkler
With an adjustable range of 35 feet and a strong water stream it can be used both as a sprinkler and pest deterrent
1600 Square Feet Coverage
The huge coverage area of this sprinkler ensures that nothing stays dry and anything that comes close gets sprayed instantly.
Three Detection Modes
Using a sophisticated motion detector with settings for day, night, or all times, this sprinkler is guaranteed to protect your yard. The adjustable line of sight only makes the job easier.
Customer Reviews
Anyway, I got one of these sprinklers and installed them just as the fruits were starting to ripen. During the first night it was on, I heard it go off a few times and it seems it executed its duty flawlessly. For a while anyway – after some time, we found the tree bare and the Orbit down on the ground. It seems the raccoons figured out that attacking it from behind meant it couldn't attack back – so they knocked it over and took all the fruit. Foiled again.
Never mind, I’ll be smarter next year and get another one of these so I can place them in such a way that there are no more blind spots that the raccoons can exploit. Then I’ll finally be rid of the buggers once and for all!
It came in good condition, was easy to assemble and set up and it stayed upright when I stuck it into the ground . Hooking up the hose to it was also straightforward. Since it had the option to adjust the motion sensor to detect either higher or lower, I set it to lower.
It went off each time a cat even thought of getting near it. Since it was set-up to detect the entire yard, the cats stopped coming by soon enough. It did its job, and for me, that’s worth five stars and a recommendation.
Who Should Buy this Product
This sprinkler is a very versatile one and is great for people who have yards of medium size, and especially for those who have a huge problem with pests and other animals running into their garden and ruining it. Probably the best additional feature this sprinkler offers is dealing with them, while also being a great sprinkler.
What to Watch Out For
The most significant problem this sprinkler has is that the joints are not that well made, so they can leak water at times without any warning.
Another problem for some might be the price, but we think it is more than worth it.
The Conclusion
Here we have an incredible sprinkler with a wide range of different features able to be adjusted in various ways – which easily justifies the price point. Even while being a great sprinkler it’s also an amazing pest deterrent and combined with the quality build it makes it one of the best products on the market right now. It’s just an awesome product overall.
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Nelson 1865T
Key Features
Moves up to 200 Feet
This traveling sprinkler can move along a custom path set by the hose up to a distance of 200 feet.
Made in the USA
This sprinkler is made from quality materials, not from cheap Chinese plastic – and you can be sure that it will last.
Huge Coverage
With coverage of up to 13,500 square feet, this sprinkler is the best choice for large properties.
Two-speed Settings
Can be set to travel at a slow or a faster speed along your yard, depending on what you need.
Customer Reviews
The thing that can be a bit frustrating is that it’s difficult to see if it’s moving because it’s slow. I solved that with a mark on the back wheel, and now I know if it’s stuck or not. Not that I had any issues with that as it never got stuck, probably due to how it’s made, but it’s nice to be sure.
Who Should Buy this Product
People with larger yards who don’t want to buy multiple sprinklers are the first ones who come to mind. With this one sprinkler, you’ll be able to cover your whole property with ease.
What to Watch Out For
The above only applies if your yard is also rather flat, with no large hills or holes or just uneven ground. If it’s not, this sprinkler can easily get stuck, and you will have to fiddle around with it to get it working again.
The Conclusion
Overall, the coverage this unit provides is its greatest boon, and it can be just great for people who need to water a large area efficiently – however, if that large property is not flat, though luck, pick something else. That makes it a difficult proposition, especially for the price, but if the conditions are ideal, it’s more than worth it.
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Melnor XT
Key Features
Quality Build
Infinity turbo motor ensures smooth operation while having transmission gears that ensure it will last for a long time.
Great Range & Coverage
With a watering pattern up to 53 feet wide and range of up to 70 feet, it can cover up to 4000 feet.
Adjustable Range
The width and length of the watering pattern can be adjusted from 10 feet, up to 53 and 70 feet respectively, ensuring that this sprinkler works for any yard.
Oscillating Sprinkler
The design of this sprinkler ensures that it will evenly cover whatever area you need it to water.
Customer Reviews
I do like that I can adjust the length and width of the spray, but one problem I found with it is that it doesn’t stay upright since it is made of light, cheap plastic. I think I’ll have to use something to hold it in places, which can get awkward and unreliable but what can you do. For the cost, I am satisfied so far.
Who Should Buy this Product
It’s well suited for pretty much anyone that doesn’t need a sprinkler with high pressure. It will be able to cover a yard of pretty much any size with ease, which is its greatest strength.
What to Watch Out For
The materials this sprinkler is made of are mostly low-quality plastic and rubber, meaning that it won’t last for a long time. It will most likely break within the year if you use it a lot, so keep that in mind when buying.
The Conclusion
It’s a highly versatile product, able to fit pretty much any yard, which makes it a good choice for the price. However, the fact that it’s made from flimsy materials means it’s a risky purchase. Overall, a decent product, but not a great one by any means.
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The Best Lawn Sprinkler – Orbit 62100
As you can see, there’s plenty of variety when it comes to lawn sprinkler, and it can be difficult to choose the best one for your yard, especially when you consider all the handy extra features some have over others.
For us, the best choice is the Orbit 62100 – it’s not only a decent sprinkler, but it also offers a great extra feature that pretty much anyone with a yard has needed. Keeping the pests away from your lawn while keeping it well watered – what more would you need? It easily justifies its price point in our eyes.
The Conclusion
While that is our top pick, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other great sprinklers on the market, and the other ones we listed in this roundup might fit your needs more. In the end, it’s up to you to make the final decision; we just hope we helped you do that. If you like this article and know someone who would find it useful – please, don’t hesitate to share it around. Have a nice day and a beautiful lawn!
Wow, this post is a gem. Very helpful for people who can’t decide on the kind of lawn sprinklers to get. I love that there are insights from those who have used the different brands. I’m getting my wife to read this, haha.
We’ve had the oscillating sprinkler for four months now, and so far I have no complaints. I’m glad I got it because it keeps the lawn really fresh. This is a very good review, very detailed. When the old sprinkler conks out on me I would surely try the other ones on this list.
We don’t have a sprinkler yet. We just manually water our garden and plants but the Nelson Raintrain Traveling Sprinkler will definitely save us a lot of time and money on the farm if we purchased a few for our crops. 🙂
We’re just starting out but any efficient technology helps.
Very informative article! Thanks for sharing this!
I do it with hose and there is no problem. Only color of a bunch of grass in the lawn looks weird.
Melnor xt turbo seems affordable. Lawn sprinkler is an important gardening tool…
Wow! I did not expect that getting a sprinkler was this complicated. Of course, it could be simpler. However, the factors mentioned here are worth the notice. Purchasing a sprinkler, after all, is still a form of investment.
I especially like “The Good, The Bad, The Bottomline” part of this review. I remember the part of a video game magazine I subscribed to back in the 90’s. They had “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” though. Yeah, like the movie. But is my favorite part to read on reviews.
These sprinklers are not so expensive and worth the buy I think. I really like that you guys describe everything in detail here, makes me choosing the best sprinkler easier, thank you so much.
I don’t think my lawn actually needs a sprinkler for now, though it has been a little hot lately with lesser rains. If I am pused to buy it, I will refer to your article again, thank you.
Whenever I pour some water on the plants and trees, I always use te water hose; however, there is a very big amount of water waste, doing it like this. I think that the Nelson Rainstrain Traveling Sprinkler would do the same job, saving a lot of water in the task
This is a bit too much I use sprinklers during emergency but not for lawns. Unless if I have spare money to buy one.
This is only in the States but not here. Anyway, it looks and sounds fun to play with in a hot day lol.
It is indeed very convenient to use sprinklers for our lawn, however some of us including me doesn’t know much about sprinklers, how and what to choose? This article is very informative however for me it is kinda expensive to buy sprinklers, it can just add to our expenses, when in fact we can water the lawns using hose. It is at the same time saving money, a form of exercise everyday, and you can get Vitamins for your body from the sunlight up to 9 in the morning. Well I guess I just stick to the manual method, but still thanks for the info!
I think the best product for my lawn is the Orbit 62100. It’s a bit pricey, But it’s heavy duty and the feed backs and comments I’ve read is good. I’d rather invest in an expensive one but can be use for a long time, than a cheaper one but will be broken in just a week or 2 because the quality isn’t good at all. It will really help maintain my lawns, especially for me I don’t have the time to water my lawns using hose, it is really time consuming.
I really love reading reviews about products. I always rely on these kind of reviews when deciding what to purchase. This is a great help!
I could by these to replace the hose in my garden. It saves me a ton of work when trying to water my lawn and my plants. Where is this sold anyway?
Sorry to say this but this is just lazy. Really you need these for caring for your lawn? Something that a hose can fix? I get that it is convenient but to me manual is the best. It gives me something to do and how hard can watering plants be? I appreciate the info though.
Thanks for the article. I like all the sprinklers mentioned here. I think it’s good to get one that covers a wide area. At least the water can touch more ground.
I think it all boils down to preference. If you have a small area this is not for you perhaps. However in medium or large area this could come real handy.
The specs is the one that I am looking at the most. If it can cover more ground in less time the better. However this is more of a want as suppose to a need buy.
For months, my wife insisted that we just hose down the lawn (for economic reasons) up until the time she saw the yard looking ugly and uneven as crap. That’s when she got convinced we needed a lawn sprinkler. Then came the challenge of choosing one among dozens of options… luckily, I found this article. So mighty thanks for the tip, mate!
I was on my way to get a lawn sprinkler for our backyard when the thought struck me: what type should I get? I had to do a little research when I found this gem of an article right here. You can’t imagine how relieved I am to read the insights you’ve shared in this post. Now I have a better idea of what to buy and what to look for. Thank you so much.
I think it all depends on how you see it. I mean can you really tell a tired mom that hey this is a luxury if she wants to speed up work? I do not think so.
Are you serious dude? How hard can it be to water a lawn? If it is huge then okay you need this as back up. However, if it is small then using a hose would not hurt.
How do these sprinklers work? I mean do you have to supply the fluids? I mean like a hose to a fire hydrant or it is portable and it can be used anywhere?
My guess is it is portable otherwise it can be problematic since hoses are not that long. If the water sources of your home is far away and you need to connect this then better stick to manual.
I like the NELSON 1865T because of its ability to move. It is quite an innovation!
I’m amazed by how wonderful some of these sprinklers look. I never knew there were such good options out there!
I think impact and oscillation or rotation are important factors to consider when buying a sprinkler. The Orbit seems to cover all the most essential features when supplementing your lawn, but the Melnor definitely provides a lot for its affordable price. I think the water source and temperature climate are also key things to consider.
Looking at some of these options I feel bad for still having a very old school sprinkler. I guess it’s high time I upgraded.
A lawn sprinkler is absolutely vital for anyone who cares about their garden. Very nice recommendations you have given here.
The MELNOR XT looks super sleek and stylish. If I were to get a sprinkler that’s definitely the one I’d go for.
Here in my country, most time we wet our lawn and yards with water tankers. The best lawn sprinkler has been reviewed in this article to help water our yards fully.
Lawn sprinkler is an amazing tool. Though, it will just be an additional expenses to the home gadgets.
This post is very informative! I never knew about water sprinkler and I think it’s the best way to water a plant at least it will curb the issue of under watering and over watering of the plant.
Lawn sprinkler is very helpful when watering a small or a big lawn. It will do the job for you without exerting extra efforts.
Lawn sprinklers are essential for maintaining a healthy and lush yard. I prefer the ones with extra features though, that can be used for other things apart from spraying water.