10 Smart Sprinkler Controllers That Save Water and Money

Sprinklers can be a major offender when it comes to conserving water and spending less on your water bill. When you're running the sprinklers at the wrong time of day or you're not using smart sprinklers, you could be overusing water and overpaying on your bill.

Investing in smart sprinkler technology allows you to gain more control over how and when your sprinklers are used, thus saving you time and money in the long run.

If you're unsure how to install the smart sprinkler devices, or you need a little extra help picking one out, you can always talk with a local lawn care specialist. These specialists will know the best type of sprinkler add-ons for your area, and they'll help you get everything set up correctly.

If you feel confident in your ability to make your sprinkler system smart on your own, here are a few of our favorite Amazon smart sprinkler controllers that will help you reduce the amount of water you're using and save you a little money, too.

1. Orbit 57950 B-hyve Smart 12-Zone Indoor/Outdoor Sprinkler Controller

Being Alexa compatible is just one reason this smart sprinkler controller is so easy to use. The Orbit 57950 B-hyve has over four thousand high ratings on Amazon and people love how this device makes watering your lawn so easy, all from an app.

The Orbit 57950 B-hyve also boasts some very impressive features that use technology to help you water smarter. It takes into account your soil, location, topography, sun patterns, local weather, and watering history to create the optimal irrigation schedule for your yard.

This fancy smart sprinkler system can also be attached to indoor sprinklers in a greenhouse or a home atrium, which is an added bonus for people with lots to water.

2. Rain Bird ST8O-2.0 Smart Indoor/Outdoor WiFi Sprinkler/Irrigation System Timer/Controller, WaterSense Certified, 8-Zone/Station

A little pricier than others on this list, this innovative sprinkler controller comes from a trusted brand, Rain Bird. Also Alexa compatible, this model also comes with an improved wifi timer for your sprinkler system, a season-adjusted watering schedule, and an app compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems.

A big selling point for this sprinkler controller is that most purchasers rate it very easy to use. When you’re installing the smart device yourself, it’s important that it come with clear instructions and lots of user help as you get it up and running.

This device is also EPA WaterSense certified. That means that this device is promised to save you at least 20% in water savings, as opposed to using a non-EPA-certified timer.

3. Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller, 8 Zone 3rd Generation, Alexa and Apple HomeKit Compatible with Hyperlocal Weather Intelligence Plus and Rain, Freeze, and Wind Skip

This Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller has over eight thousand reviews on Amazon and an average rating of four and a half stars. Not only is this a crowd favorite among general users and lawn care professionals, it's also easy to DIY install.

On average, it takes people around half an hour to install the entire system and installation requires no special tools. Like other devices on the list, you can operate this one from an app.

This smart device has exclusive weather intelligence built in that will automatically skip watering on days when it’s windy, rainy, or freezing outside so you never waste water.

4. Rain Bird Controller Indoor Outdoor Lawn Irrigation Sprinkler Timer ESPME3

Another Rain Bird sprinkler device, this particular controller lets you control up to twenty-two stations, which makes this a great pick for both commercial and residential properties.

This device has to be upgraded with an LNK wifi module to make it a smart device, but once you do upgrade it so you can monitor and control this robust program from the Rain Bird app. You also get a variety of other enhancements with an upgrade.

Because you have to add an upgrade, this isn’t a great choice for smaller yards or people who want an all-in-one device. But if you need to control a lot of stations with great accuracy, it’s worth it to splurge for this timer and the smart device upgrade.

5. Hydrawise Pro-HC 24-Station Outdoor Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller

This Hydrawise by Hunter boasts the biggest price tag on our list, but it also comes fully integrated with smart technology and the chance to program up to twenty-four stations. If you need something commercial, this would be the way to go. It’s also perfect for big yards.

This device is wifi enabled and has two sensor inputs available, which means it can be used with a Clik sensor or an HC Flow Meter. This device comes highly praised and people give the wifi connection and the tech support five stars.

Having a smart device that has great tech support is a must, especially when you’re DIY installing the controller.

6. Eve Aqua – Apple HomeKit Smart Home, Smart Water Controller for Sprinkler or Irrigation System, Automate with Schedules, Bluetooth and Thread, App Compatibility

The Eve Aqua sprinkler controller can be easily controlled through the Eve app or by Siri, which makes this sprinkler smart controller great for iPhone users. The Eve Aqua comes with an auto-off function that will save your yard from a flood and it can even be paired with certain hose systems.

This controller system has also been regarded as incredibly safe, putting your privacy at the forefront of design. Instead of wifi, this device uses Bluetooth or your thread network.

The device doesn’t store your information and doesn’t track anything or rely on the cloud, so if privacy is a concern, this is a great smart system option for you.

7. Aeon Matrix Yardian Pro Smart Sprinkler Controller with Instant Button Control, 8 Zone

Is it smart? Yes. Is it easy to use? Yes. Does installation take just about fifteen minutes? Also, yes. This Aeon Matrix Yardian Pro puts saving water and money at the forefront of design. Using a smart program you can control from anywhere, this device keeps working even if your wifi goes out.

For people who live in remote areas that have fickle wifi, this feature is a huge selling point. The Aeon Matrix Yardian Pro also comes built-in with wifi so you can easily connect to your home router, even if the signal strength is weak.

Like other devices on our list, you can connect this Aeon Matrix Yardian Pro to an app on your phone so you can water your lawn even on vacation.

8. RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer WiFi Hose Timer, Smart Water Timer for Garden Hose, Wireless Remote Control Irrigation System with Wi-Fi Hub Socket, Water Flow Meter

An inexpensive option for people looking for a basic smart sprinkler controller, the Rainpoint is a definite contender. You can remotely control the Rainpoint using wifi and an app. It, like other controllers on this list, has smart watering technology that will automatically skip a cycle on days when it rains.

It measures soil moisture to get your grass to optimum health and it has a built-in water-flow meter to help you monitor and use less water. Another great thing about this sprinkler controller is that you can add a family member to the app so they can help you take care of the sprinkler system. They’ll get the notifications and be allowed to make adjustments.

The drawback of this system is that it can only connect to 2.4GHz WiFi. That means if you have a dual-band router that does 5GHz, it won’t work for you unless you can independently enable a 2.4GHz band through your internet provider.

9. Netro Smart Sprinkler Controller, WiFi, Weather Aware, Remote access, 12 Zone

EPA WaterSense certified and fully automatic, the Netro smart sprinkling system controller connects to the cloud to control your sprinkler system from your phone or online.

It’s got the EPA WaterSense seal of approval, which means it’s been tested and proven to save water, which also saves you money on your water bill. Weather forecasting and past statistics play into this smart controller, which also takes into account local water rules in your area.

The sprinkling system controller can handle up to twelve zones, which makes this a great choice if you've got a decent amount of yard to cover.

Only requiring a handful of basic tools, users love this model because it’s incredibly easy to install. The device does need to be installed indoors, like in a mudroom or garage.

10. Orbit 21005 B-hyve Bluetooth Hose Faucet Timer

Not exactly a smart sprinkler system controller, this hose control deserves an honorable mention. We think that this device is great for families with little kids who like to turn on the hose in the summer, or forgetful adults who sometimes leave the hose running in the garden for too long.

This hose timer can save you tons of water, time, and money that you have to spend to clean up the mess that comes with flooding your backyard. This smart timer uses your cell phone's Bluetooth controls so you can set a timer through the app for when the hose needs to shut off.

It has a built-in meter that tracks how much water is being used, and you can measure usage either by gallons or by the amount of time the hose has been running.

Something like this is ideal if you’re watering plants in your garden, you want to turn on a sprinkler for kids to play in for a little while, you need to add a little extra water to a dead patch in your lawn, or you're filling up something like a swimming pool or water table.

If your hose is going to be running for a little while and you don't want to stand outside and wait, set your timer and walk away.

This particular timer is battery-operated, but you can get other hose timers that are powered in different ways.

Basic Lawncare 101

If you're willing to spend the time and money to install a smart sprinkler operating system, make sure you're doing the other things you need to be doing to keep your lawn lush and green.

One of the biggest things we recommend for green lawns is to learn more about the area in which you live, and the type of grass which grows in your area. Knowing which type of grass you have growing in your yard will help you determine exactly how to care for your grass. Not all grass is the same, believe it or not, and different grasses require different maintenance routines.

We also recommend that you regularly fertilize your lawn. You can go full DIY and fertilize your lawn yourself or you can hire professionals to come out twice a year and fertilize it for you.

You can buy specific fertilizers to address problems that you have with your lawn or you can use a basic fertilizer that is designed to keep your grass healthy. You can DIY your own fertilizer too, not just the application.

Aerating your lawn can also be valuable. The aeration process gives your lawn and dirt a chance to breathe and regenerate. Depending on where you live, there are different recommendations for how often to aerate.

We aerate our lawn every other year, but in some places, you need to aerate once a year or even more often than that. You can rent an aerator from a local hardware store or feed supply store, or you can hire an aeration professional.

Another big recommendation is to regularly mow your lawn. Mowing your lawn keeps everything looking nice, but it also keeps fungus and bugs under control. It's recommended that you mow your lawn once a week, but we find a sweet spot between seven and nine days.

If you're having problems with your grass, consider getting your soil tested. Soil testing shouldn't be very expensive and it's a great way to find out what's wrong with your soil.

Once you get the results of your soil test you'll be able to make changes to your lawn care routine so that your soil health improves. And better soil health means better grass and plant health.

Finally, for a healthy garden and a lower water bill, practice drought-resistant landscaping.

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