Do you find it challenging to devote proper time to your garden? If you are a gardening enthusiast who has difficulty remembering schedules, then a hose timer is the perfect gardening equipment, especially for your watering needs.
A hose timer is a simple device that connects directly to the hose or its water faucet. It is positioned between the hose and the water source and controls the flow of water to plants, and your lawn as a whole.
It can ensure you don’t forget to water your garden yet another day, and you can also go out on vacations by simply using a few settings and reminders.
Hence, we have gathered our picks of the best hose timers to solve your worries.
Our Top 7 Picks For Best Hose Timers
- Orbit Digital Hose Faucet Timer
- Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
- LinkTap G1S Wireless Water Timer
- Rainpoint Sprinkler Timer with Wi-Fi Hub
- Orbit Dual Valve Digital Watering Hose Timer
- Rainpoint Sprinkler Timer
- Instapark PWT-7D Outdoor Faucet Hose Timer
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Orbit Digital Hose Faucet Timer | • Intuitive timer • Good area coverage • High functioning sprinklers | |
 | Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller | • Easy installation • Remote-controlled sprinklers • Creates easily modifiable schedules | |
 | LinkTap G1S Wireless Water Timer | • Contains water-saving features • Works nicely as an in-ground sprinkler system • Robust fit and long-lasting | |
 | RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer with Wi-Fi Hub | • Slick design with minimal noise production • Keeps track of water usage • Single outlet fit for small yards | |
 | Orbit Dual Valve Digital Watering Hose Timer | • Saves time • Solid design • Super simple to program | |
 | RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer | • High-quality materials used • Flexible watering cycles • Easy to program via a rotary dial | |
 | Instapark PWT-7D Outdoor Faucet Hose Timer | • Easily accessible timer • Durable feel • Long-lasting batteries |
Best Hose Timer Reviews
Read on to find details of each of these products below.
#1. Orbit Digital Hose Faucet Timer
The Orbit digital hose faucet timer is a simple-to-use irrigation system for your lawn. This sprinkler kit contains a digital timer and 12 high-efficiency sprinklers that make it easy to water up to two watering areas. The digital timer also tells you about rain delays. Hence, be assured, you will never have to water during rain anymore!
It also uses Blu-Lock tubing and fittings, which reduces the required insertion force by half of the traditional barb fittings. Moreover, it has push-on fittings and quick-release collars that make removal easy. Therefore, the easy to install Blu-Lock Tubing system makes installations efficient.
In addition, a more retaining ring automatically grips the pipe when there is an increase in water pressure. The Blu-Lock also does not require any glue or plumbers tape. Hence, it avoids the usage of harmful chemicals used in traditional PVC settings and protects the environment.
On top of this, quick and diverse adjustments can be made. For example, you can adjust from 40 to 360 degrees while the water is on or off.
This hose timer has a 200 lb. pressure gauze, which makes it ideal for medium to medium-large area coverage. Meanwhile, it also allows residential water and flow and a run-time of 1-240 minutes. You can also choose your intervals ranging from every 6 hours to once a week.
What We Liked
- Intuitive timer
- Good area coverage
- High functioning sprinklers
What We Didn’t Like
- Installation can take up to a day
#2. Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
If you are looking for a sprinkler that you can operate from the comfort of your home, the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller is a perfect fit for your backyard. With exclusive weather intelligence, this hose timer can pinpoint the forecast in your location with ease to offer reliable and precise weather monitoring.
Moreover, it can make adjustments to the watering amount according to the data it collects. It uses a wide range of features like rain skip, wind skip, and freeze skip. With an easy-to-use web app available on most browsers, you can schedule your watering with confidence. You also be guided through the app with a detailed explanation. Even better, there is a choice to customize for your specific landscape.
In addition, this provides you with an easy DIY installation, arranged in less than 30 minutes without any need for external tools or help. It can make recommendations curated specifically for the needs of your lawn. Just in a few clicks, add details like plant type, sun exposure, and soil type to create a schedule ideal for the needs of plants residing in your backyard.
Above all, it uses smart intelligence features to provide an intuitive service. It also offers in-built tutorials for any queries that may arise during its setup. This hose timer ensures you can stay up-to-date with weather changes and maintain the garden within optimal conditions.
What We Liked
- Easy installation
- Remote-controlled sprinklers
- Creates easily modifiable schedules
- Provides flexible updates
What we Didn’t Like
- Wi-Fi compatibility issues for some phones
- Slow adaptability to software
#3. LinkTap G1S Wireless Water Timer
The LinkTap G1S hose timer certainly ranks high both in its appeal and easy-to-use features. Why worry about remembering when to water your plants? You can fully automate your entire gardening experience! Even more, it comes with six different modes designed to cater to your varying watering needs.
The G1S hose timer is convenient to use and enjoyable throughout. In addition to controlling watering from your smartphone, you can also schedule several water cycles in advance. You can also make modifications to a pre-scheduled water cycle as and when required.
If someone forgets if they already watered their plants for the day, this hose timer also allows checking the watering history, ensuring a healthy and thriving garden. What’s more, it provides advanced watering options without reducing the water pressure of individual devices.
Above all, it is made from durable, long-lasting materials and is running in just two minutes. Further, it has long-distance and wireless coverage and sends updates based on real-time status. The design is to maximize safety. Hence, in the event of an electricity outage, pre-scheduled watering is not interrupted.
What We Like
- Contains water-saving features
- Works nicely as an in-ground sprinkler system
- Robust fit and long-lasting
What We Didn’t Like
- Complications while accessing web-app
#4. RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer with Wi-Fi Hub
Are you worried about messing up the watering schedule of your garden? Worry not, because by using the RAINPOINT sprinkler, you can assure smart watering by following its intricately designed individual programs.
You can use the RainPoint app from any location and water plants, even when going out. It has a rain delay feature that senses the weather changes and soil moisture automatically and also adjusts the watering schedule. Moreover, it has a built-in high-quality solenoid valve able to withstand high pressure, which ensures no water leakage.
The 3 individual watering plans allow the comfort of a customized watering frequency and duration, as it starts 3 times a day. It also includes two watering modes, namely, irrigation and mist. They keep track of the water flow and provide a more efficient plan for your garden using scientific techniques. More than all, it issues real-time updates, and hence, if a water cycle is missed, you will get notified immediately.
Additionally, one can also share the progress and updates of their garden with family members. With this, time spent hand-watering in the garden is saved, because of the sharing home irrigation management.
Bonus Tip: Are you on the lookout for ways to surprise the gardener in your family? Shuffle through these 12 enticing gardening gifts and make your gardening family happier.
What We Like
- Slick design with minimal noise production
- Keeps track of water usage
- Single outlet fit for small yards
What We Didn’t Like
- Requires exact 2.4GHz range for connection to Wi-Fi
#5. Orbit Dual Valve Digital Watering Hose Timer
The Orbit hose faucet offers 2 timed and automatic outlets, unlike many other products that provide one manual and one-timed. It allows you to control two separate watering stations and control the sprinkler in your garden with minimal hassle. With a weatherproof shield, it offers a 6-year limited manufacturer warranty.
In addition, it also has a simplistic design which makes the process of lawn watering easier. It also has a rain delay feature that is customizable for 24, 48, and even 72 hours. The program lasts as long as the batteries do, and hence using extra-strength batteries is more efficient for this hose timer.
It has simple-to-understand settings with a self-explanatory interface and dials, and it is set up in as quick as 30 minutes. Above all, it has a versatile set and efficiently saves time and water.
What We Liked
- Saves time
- Solid design
- Super simple to program
What We Didn’t Like
- Leakage problems might occur
#6. RAINPOINT Sprinkler Timer
While looking for the best hose timer, you might also like one with a trendy design. This hose timer has an exclusive self-cleaning filter valve with an upgraded water inlet filter. It provides a unique leak-proof design that can stand up to 116PSI of water pressure.
Its watering system can reduce the power consumption and control the on-off valve more stably. It requires two AA batteries that can function for about a year. Over that, it consists of a durable structure because of heavy-grade-industrial material, which makes withstanding wind and rain easier for this timer.
Offering a week cycle mode and a day cycle mode for irrigation, it ensures worry-free travels and well-working watering cycles. Even more reliable, it has both automatic and manual watering features. They allow you to water your garden either using durations or manually.
Moreover, with a large dial and a 2.5″ LCD screen that makes reading and programming much more efficient, it is also hassle-free to set up. Above all, it also offers a safety shut-off feature. This prevents your backyard from overflowing when out of home, especially if the batteries die in the middle of watering.
What We Liked
- High-quality materials used
- Flexible watering cycles
- Easy to program via a rotary dial
What We Didn’t Like
- Lacks adjustable manual function
#7. Instapark PWT-7D Outdoor Faucet Hose Timer
The Instapark hose timer offers a digital faucet with 2 independent and programmable outlets. This provides flexible and effective control of watering frequency and duration in straightforward steps. You can have a lush green garden by simply setting a few timers, and enjoy family time!
Additionally, the weather and impact resistance ABS construction proves ideal for irrigation applications in gardens, yards, greenhouses, and flowerbeds. Apart from that, this hose timer offers a waterproof feature at IP66 and offers a rain delay feature as well.
The Instapark hose timer has a dust cover display with a bright, vivid, and large screen, providing better access to setting options like current time, new start time, duration, and watering frequency for both outlets. Best of all, it has low power consumption with low power indication on the screen and an additional detachable battery compartment.
What We Liked
- Easily accessible timer
- Durable feel
- Long-lasting batteries
What We Didn’t Like
- Cannot set up watering for separate days of the week
Buying Guide For The Best Hose Timer
We have compiled all the information you need to know for starting your journey of finding the best hose timer for your garden. Read on to solve all your queries and find the points you should consider before making your final purchase.
Why Do You Need A Hose Timer?
Here are 2 of the most common reasons DIY gardeners opt for a hose timer:
- Prevents water wastage
While hand-watering is the go-to option for any traditional gardener, it wastes more water than you think. Moreover, carrying around the hose results in the loss of a lot of water too. Many drops are wasted away on your lawn and as you carry the hose to your garden.
If you pair a drip irrigation system with a good functioning hose timer, you can water your plants for a precise set time. No need to worry about hurrying up home to water your plants, and above all, not a single drop of water gets wasted this way.
Bonus Read: In need of sprinklers to water your yard but got no clue where to start? Read these 7 best sprinkler controller reviews and make gardening more convenient.
- Different plants, different water requirements
Every plant has varying needs when it comes to moisture. Some may need more water than others, while some may need as little as a few drops. Some might require direct and deep watering right over the soil, while some may want water mildly sprinkled from the top.
Furthermore, when using a hose, it is impossible to control the direction you are watering in. More times than possible, you may end up overwatering or run a danger of diseases like powdery mildew. It’s an uninvited hassle that can be averted using a hose tier.
Choosing A Suitable Hose Timer
Amidst the extensive options available, it is hard to decide which hose timer will make the best addition to your garden. Here are a few points that will help to find the best hose timer for your garden faster.
- Number of outlets
When gardening, there are so many plants that need water at once. Hence, you need to check how many outlets are offered by the hose timer and how many you require. If the hose timer displays only a single outlet, then you can water only one spot in your garden.
However, gardeners often grow many plants at once. Most times, the water requirements and placement locations are vastly different too. Therefore, in this case, a double-output model will work better. Since it allows the programming of varying watering cycles for plants having different needs, it works more efficiently.
If you have a large yard, you can also opt for a multiple outlet hose timer.
- Delaying rain
While watering manually is the traditional way of gardening, sometimes nature showers unexpected spells. In these cases, watering your garden anyway will be a waste of water and could potentially over-water your plant too.
Hence, always look for a rain delay feature in hose timers. It ensures plants are not getting watered when not required. It is also efficient and quick as you update your timer, and the watering can resume after a certain period it was not necessary for.
Above all, always check to see how it functions.
- Mechanical or digital
Selecting the best hose timer is arduous because there are a lot of options available. But, hose timers come in two versions, mechanical and digital.
Mechanical hose timers can function without batteries. It is efficient and straightforward to use – you approach your hose and fill in the instructions, and the hose does the remaining work. It also cuts off the water immediately when the planned time finishes.
Meanwhile, digital timers require batteries which need replacements regularly. But, they work just as well and have a wide range of setting options. They are easy to program and cater to different needs for different times of the year.
Tip: Ensure that your digital timer is waterproof. Otherwise, it could cause damage to the entire unit.
- Programming
Not all hose timers allow equal precision in programming the watering cycle. In most cases, you won’t be able to choose the start time, duration of a watering cycle, and frequency.
If the plants growing in your backyard have precise water requirements, you should pay attention to how much control you have over the programming of your hose timer. If given proper attention, you can find the best hose timer with no stress in programming it.
Conclusion
When maintaining a garden, watering is a crucial step. If not done with care, it can damage the plants and even result in festering diseases.
Hence, selecting a hose timer that fits your needs and has the required attributes is a must for any DIY gardener. To help fasten your process, we have compiled a list of the seven best hose timers to provide more insight into their uses and functions.
Bonus Read: Have several garden hoses that need organization? Read these garden hose storage solutions and find an answer to your storage worries.