Watering plants with sprinklers requires little effort, but without proper scheduling, your plants may receive too much or too little water.
Whether you have a small garden or a large farm, automating your sprinkler system is essential for efficiency.
Smart sprinkler controllers simplify this process by connecting to the internet for weather data and automating irrigation schedules. Some can adjust based on real-time conditions, while others offer manual controls for customization.
List of Best Smart Controllers for Sprinklers Irrigation
Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller
Rachio allows easy control of sprinklers, supporting 8 to 16 zones.
Rachio Controller has sensors to map the area’s weather conditions. The weather detection system pulls weather data from more than 300,000 weather stations, satellites, and radar sources to provide the best possible weather-based watering schedule for your area.
It also integrates with the Apple Homekit ecosystem, providing exclusivity for Apple device users. Additionally, it supports voice commands through Alexa.
Rachio LED light bar that runs the width of the cover and tells you which zone is currently being watered and flashes when there is a system or connectivity error.
Aside from Apple, the Android app is also available for monitoring the sprinkler system.
Orbit B-hyve Smart 12-Zone Sprinkler System
Orbit, a company with over forty years of experience, so no doubt that the B-hyve 12-Zone Sprinkler system is the popular sprinkler controller.
The controller has all the features like weather and moisture detection, remote access, and an app.
In addition to these features, the controller is waterproof and has a monochrome LCD panel with four large rubberized buttons (Prog ABC, Back, Clear, Rain Delay). And a large jog dial for accessing the menu and entering selections. With the Prog ABC button, you can create separate watering programs for different parts of your yard that require specific needs (like lawn, flower bed, and vegetable garden). Pressing the Rain Delay button will cancel all watering for up to 32 days.
With its 12-zone capability, this sprinkler controller effectively covers your backyard. It offers complete remote access via the B-hyve app and supports voice-activated commands through Alexa.
Rain Bird ST8I-2.0 Smart Indoor WiFi Sprinkler
Rain Bird STBI-2.0 is one of the most popular indoor sprinkler controller in the world.
It has all the features like an app, weather detection, and moisture tracking.
Furthermore, it also offers a built-in timer function for a worry-free automated supply session. Plus, a real-time digital display that will show you the real-time status of the system.
Rain Bird ST8I app is designed to manage multiple controllers from a single phone.
Netro Smart WiFi Sprinkler Controller
Similar to the other controllers on this list, the Netro Smart controller utilizes sensors and weather radar for sprinkler system control.
However, the uniqueness of the controller lies in its cloud infrastructure, where it pulls in data about the local weather and historical climate data to help minimize water consumption while ensuring overall plant sustainability.
It also offers fully automatic scheduling capabilities, allowing you to input vegetation and soil details, and the cloud will create the optimal schedule.
What’s even better is that Netro offers a lifetime cloud service subscription with the Netro Smart Sprinkler.
Additionally, Netro supports Alexa for smart access.
Hunter HC Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller
The Hunter HC controller is user-friendly, featuring a touch screen for convenient irrigation control even without internet access.
The controller has sensors to measure air and soil moisture and includes weather prediction functionality for scheduling
Moreover, using the flow meter, the controller monitors your pipes and sprinklers to give automatic alerts when a pipe is broken to prevent property damage.
Hunter HC controllers come with two variants, with 6 and 12 zones, and the 12 zone variant offers monitoring of the electrical current flowing to your solenoid valves. If the current is too high or too low, Hydrawise will alert you and tell you which valve is not working properly. This allows you to correct a failed valve before damage is done to plant materials.
Wyze Smart Sprinkler Controller
If you’re in need of a compact, cost-effective smart controller, the Wyze sprinkler controller, priced under $100, offers all the features you need.
Wyze Smart controller comes with the basic functionality like 4 control buttons for quick access to controlling options and LED-backlit zone status update right on the device for clarity of the performance.
Installation is straightforward, requiring no screwdriver; simply connect it to your valve wiring using simple spring clips.
There is a weather-based controlling system on the controller, which costs $10 per year and uses localized weather information to manage your watering. Do remember that with the subscription, three years of the service is currently included with the product.
Eve Aqua Smart Controller
If you cannot live without the Apple HomeKit ecosystem to run the essential home task, then you should use the Eve Aqua Smart Controller.
The Eve Aqua controller is only operated by the Apple device, so there’s no product registration required to initiate a product warranty, no cloud services to sign up for. All communications occur between your iOS device and your HomeKit hub with end-to-end encryption.
However, to control the device locally, you can use Bluetooth connectivity, but to unlock the full scheduling and smart functionality, Apple’s Thread network usage is advised.
Moen Smart Sprinkler Controller
This sprinkler controller released in 2023 available in 8 zones.
This controller lacks manual buttons for control; instead, you’ll need to install the app on an iOS or Android device to manage it.
The app provides most data, including weather information and soil moisture levels. However, to measure soil moisture accurately, you’ll need to install their own sensors, which are designed to last for at least 6 years.
If you’re an irrigation nerd, buying sensors along with the controller provides you with a lot of awful data to play with.
Moen also offers compatibility with both Alexa and Google Assistant (although not Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem), allowing you to initiate watering zones with voice commands.
ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler Controller
The ImoLaza controller is available in models with 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16 zones.
Voice commands are not supported, but manual setup is possible.
ImoLaza operates by utilizing evapotranspiration (ET) data to calculate the water requirements for your lawn and garden. To measure evaporation data, controllers ask many questions like root zone depth and crop coefficient.
The mobile app collects the weather data from local weather sources for more accurate irrigation scheduling.
Final Thoughts…
These smart sprinkler controllers provide automated irrigation solutions that save water, time, and money while ensuring optimal plant health.
By leveraging advanced sensors and weather data, they enhance irrigation efficiency and reduce manual intervention. Choose the right controller based on your specific needs, compatibility requirements, and budget to optimize your watering system.
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