If you're tired of dragging heavy hoses across your lawn to keep your grass and garden looking lush and healthy, or struggle to find the time to water your outdoor space regularly, then an oscillating sprinkler could be the solution that you've been searching for.
With their easy setup and customizable settings, these simple yet effective devices can help you achieve a beautiful, vibrant lawn with minimal effort.
In this post, we'll explore the many benefits of oscillating sprinklers and some tips for choosing the right one for your lawn and garden.
How We've Selected the Best Oscillating Sprinklers
With so many oscillating sprinkler models with several features, it took intensive research to find the best top picks:
- We looked in depth at their spray pattern, water pressure, versatility, and essential features, such as a timer.
- We read many oscillating sprinkler reviews to determine which ones customers found durable and worth their money.
- We shortlisted products in the high budget range worth an investment and reasonably priced products that did the job reasonably well.
Top 5 Oscillating Sprinklers
This oscillating sprinkler manufactured by Aqua Joe earned the top spot on our list. Aqua Zoe has the motto, "When it comes to watering, don't stop the flow — Go With Joe! ". They have stood by it and manufactured one of the best oscillating sprinklers available. It has incredible features and is reasonably priced, making it a worthwhile purchase.
The Aqua Joe's indestructible oscillating sprinkler is a solid choice because of its high-quality, sturdy metal base. As a result, you won't have to worry about breaking, cracking, or bending. In addition, the metal base is extra-long, giving you better stability and durability than the other sprinklers. The metal fittings are secure and have a leak-resistant connection to your standard garden hoses.
The sprinkler has completely customizable coverage patterns. You can select your area settings for maximum coverage for any lawn size up to 4,400 square feet. It features 20 solid plastic nozzles that give an even water flow. And the water-powered turbo drive will provide you with optimal coverage. In addition, the sprinkler has a built-in cleaning tool that clears any clogs to keep it clean for longevity and good water flow.
It is incredibly lightweight at around 1.8 pounds for a metal oscillating sprinkler. The watering length is about 70 square feet, and the width is 63 square feet. The water pressure is good, measuring about 150 PSI. This sprinkler has a two-year warranty, so you do not have to worry much when ordering online. So, if it doesn't meet your expectations, you can always return it, which we believe is unlikely to happen.
What Stands Out
- Metal oscillating sprinkler.
- The coverage area is 4400 square feet with a water pressure of 12o PSI.
- Twenty clog-resistant plastic nozzles with a built-in cleaning tool.
- Leak-resistant connection.
- Lightweight.
- Two years warranty.
What to Keep in Mind
- If you have an uneven lawn, finding the right spot to put it might be challenging so that water flows evenly.
Melnor has been making innovative products for home-based gardeners for the last 70 years. Their products are engineered in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, and they vouch for their commitment to quality. Their MiniMax Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler is one product that has been raved about a lot.
Do not judge this oscillating sprinkler by its mini-size. It does the job like any other good oscillating sprinkler, even with this size. It has the full-size coverage area capacity for a large lawn of 4,000 square feet. In addition, the sprinkler is set on an adjustable metal tripod base so you can easily water your lawn from a height of 27 inches to 41 inches. So, from minor to tall plants, each will get their required water intake with an adjustment. How great!
It has a one-of-a-kind Zoom feature to adjust the watering area. You can zoom in for a smaller area, and for maximum coverage, zoom out. The infinity turbo drive is highly durable with silent and smooth operation too. It works to give an even water flow without creating puddles. The best thing is it has 360-degree adjustability.
The Melnor Oscillating sprinkler has a QuickConnect system, making connecting and disconnecting a breeze! A Power Adapter is included with the product, so you can keep it attached to your sprinkler head and connect it to the garden hose when needed. In addition, Melenor stands by its products with such pride that they have backed them with a lifetime warranty.
What Stands Out
- Mini-size tripod sprinkler.
- The coverage area of 4,000 square feet.
- Adjustable solid metal tripod base extending from 27 inches high to 41 inches.
- 360-degree adjustability.
- QuickConnect system with a power adapter included in the box.
- Lifetime warranty.
What to Keep in Mind
- It works great if you handle it with care. Otherwise, it might crack when attached to the hose.
Gardena has been making products for your garden since 1961. They are made in Germany, so you get high-quality and durable products. We agree they are a bit pricier, but their products are worth an investment. They have an excellent range of sprinklers for all sizes of lawns, but the ZoomMaxx is something we feel would be suitable for most home gardeners.
The ZoomMaxx has a solid circular base and sealed turbo gear which lets you water precisely for a coverage area of 2,400 square feet. With a spray length range of 10 to 60 feet and a spray width of 40 feet, it provides puddle-free watering. In addition, the sprinkler comes with a quick connect fitting, which automatically seals when disconnected.
The sprinkler head has rubber nozzles to ensure your lawn has good water flow without leaving any dry patches. The ZoomMaxx is entirely adjustable with three different settings of watering area. The most valuable thing it has is the built-in timer which most sprinklers don't have. You can set the shut-off timer according to your need between 5 minutes to 120 minutes.
The ZoomMaxx oscillating sprinkler is easy to clean with a rust-resistant cylindrical filter that does not let dirt enter the sprinkler. It is made from patented durable material, which will protect it against frost and UV radiation. Gardena has given a five-year warranty for all their products, which is good enough.
What Stands Out
- It is made in Germany with high-quality patented, durable materials to protect it from UV radiation and frost.
- The coverage area of 2,400 square feet.
- Rubber nozzles provide even watering without leaving any dry patches.
- Three adjustable watering area options.
- Shut off the timer between 5 minutes to 120 minutes.
- 5-year warranty.
What to Keep in Mind
- The flow control knob is small, so getting a good grip for precise settings might be difficult.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly sprinkler that still gets an excellent job done, look no more. The Aqua Joe Mini Oscillating sprinkler is your new best friend. It is a plastic oscillating sprinkler with 20 clog-resistant rubber nozzles.
The sprinkler has customizable options for setting the spray width, length, and water flow. It can water an area of up to 4,250 square feet with a minimum spray width of 29.5 feet to a maximum of 59 feet. This allows you to use it from any small to large garden area. In addition, the sprinkler neck can rotate 360 degrees, clockwise and counterclockwise.
The Aqua Joe sprinkler can fit into a standard garden hose, so you don't have to invest in a hose specifically for it. No matter what type of flower beds or differently shaped areas are in your garden, it will easily water them. It is lightweight, weighing only 1.1 pounds. The company gives you a 2-year warranty for any claims.
What Stands Out
- It features adjustable spray width, spray length, and water flow.
- Budget-friendly oscillating sprinkler.
- The coverage area of 4,250 square feet.
- 360 degrees rotation clockwise and counterclockwise.
- 20 clog-resistant rubber nozzles.
- 2-year warranty.
What to Keep in Mind
- You must be careful while moving the sprinkler and ensure the water is not on. As the plastic connectors are not screwed into the sprinkler head, they snap on.
The Gardena AquaZoom oscillating sprinkler system is made in Germany with high-quality polypropylene. It is reliable and durable.
Gardena says this is the most straightforward and convenient lawn watering solution, and we agree. The design is very appealing, with UV and frost protection. In addition, it has an extra wide foot with metal pieces, which makes it quite sturdy.
The oscillating sprinkler features 16 nozzles with two different adjustment settings for watering lengths from 9 feet to 59 feet with built-in sliders. Secondly, the width controllers can adjust the spray width for up to 45 feet max. They help you with precise watering and ensure no dry spots are left. The maximum coverage area of this oscillating sprinkler is 3,900 square feet.
The AquaZoom has a removable, rust-resistant metal filter that does not let dirt enter. Thus, making it very easy to clean. In addition, the AquaZoom comes with a 2-year warranty.
What Stands Out
- It is made in Germany with high-quality polypropylene with metal pieces.
- UV radiation and frost protection.
- Two different adjustments of spray length and spray width for your convenience.
- The coverage area of 3,900 square feet.
- Easy to clean because of the removable, rust-resistant metal filter.
- 2-year warranty.
What to Keep in Mind
- This sprinkler requires excellent water pressure and a large water flow if you want maximum coverage.
What is an Oscillating Sprinkler?
The oscillating sprinkler head has holes that gently spray water in an arch. When the water touches the ground, it covers a rectangular space. This watering pattern not only works for watering your usual lawn, but it works amazingly for any raised bed garden or landscaping done on steps. Most oscillating sprinklers have adjustable features and customizable spray patterns for your convenience.
They are made from high-quality metal or plastic pieces. A standard oscillating sprinkler will have around 16 to 20 holes on the arm. The nozzles are mostly made from plastic or rubber. Some oscillating sprinklers come with mechanical timers that you can set according to the water flow your lawn requires.
What Features to Look for in an Oscillating Sprinkler
The features you must look at in-depth when choosing the oscillating sprinkler are mentioned below. You will know, in and out, about an oscillating sprinkler after reading it.
Sprinkler coverage area and sprinkler size:
The first thing you need to do is measure the area of your lawn to decide on the size of the sprinkler. Just multiply the length and width of your lawn to get the coverage area. If a lawn, for example, is 65 feet wide and 70 feet long, you will need an oscillating sprinkler with a maximum coverage area of 4,500 square feet.
The oscillating sprinklers can water a square or rectangular area only. Most oscillating sprinklers have the option of continuously adjustable watering patterns, as you would sometimes want to spray the whole lawn.
Water flow and pressure:
The sprinkler head is an arm with holes that sprays water up in the air, and from there, it falls onto the ground. It has around 16-20 jet holes angled differently in each product. Most sprinklers let you adjust the water flow to set it according to your need for the coverage area.
The Per Square Inch (PSI) water pressure of sprinklers varies, and you can choose one that suits your city's standard water pressure. It's important to check this because the sprinkler head might need to be revised if the city water pressure is low. If the city's water pressure exceeds the sprinklers' capabilities, it will cause problems. The water can mist when coming out of the jet holes because of the high-pressure push.
Durability and warranty:
When getting the sprinkler, checking the material is very important. You will either get plastic or metal sprinklers. A metal sprinkler is durable and will withstand any temperature, but it is heavy on the pocket. And one of the cons of metal sprinklers is that they can rust if not maintained properly.
A plastic Sprinkler is light and cheaper but is less durable than a metal one. It might get cracked or even stop working after a rough season.
It would be best if the company's warranty backs the product. Most companies back their product with a 2-year warranty, while others give a five-year warranty.
Sprinkler timer:
In today's world, everyone is focused on conserving water and reducing wastage. Getting a sprinkler head with a built-in timer will be a bonus. With the help of the timer, you won't have to worry about manually turning the sprinkler off. Some sprinklers can set the start and end times; otherwise, in a standard sprinkler, you must reset it after each use.
Frequently Asked Questions About
Do oscillating sprinklers work well?
Yes, oscillating sprinklers can work well and are popular for watering lawns and gardens. They are designed to provide good coverage for a wide area. They can be adjusted to control the distance and direction of the spray. However, their effectiveness can depend on several factors, including the size and shape of the lawn or garden, the water pressure and flow rate, and the type of soil.
What is the best oscillating sprinkler system for new grass seed?
The best-oscillating sprinkler system for new grass seeds would provide a gentle and consistent spray to prevent the seeds from washing away or being disturbed. Look for an oscillating sprinkler with adjustable nozzles that can be set to low pressure and a narrow range so that the water is delivered gently and evenly to the soil surface. It's also important to choose an oscillating sprinkler with good coverage and adjustability so that you can easily customize the watering pattern to suit the shape and size of your lawn.
How many inches per hour for oscillating sprinklers?
The inches per hour (IPH) for oscillating sprinklers vary depending on water pressure, nozzle size, and sprinkler design. However, as a general rule of thumb, oscillating sprinklers typically apply water at about 0.5 to 1.5 inches per hour. It's important to note that the IPH can also be affected by the watering duration and soil type.
To determine the appropriate watering duration for your lawn or garden, performing a "catch can" test is a good idea. This involves placing a series of containers at different locations within the sprinkler coverage area, running the sprinkler for a set period of time, and measuring the amount of water collected in each container. Based on the test results, you can adjust your watering schedule and duration to ensure that your lawn or garden receives the appropriate amount of water.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an oscillating sprinkler compared to other types of sprinklers for lawn irrigation?
Advantages:
- Oscillating sprinklers are relatively inexpensive compared to other types of sprinklers.
- They are easy to set up and use, even for those without experience with irrigation systems.
- Oscillating sprinklers are versatile and can be used for various lawn and garden sizes and shapes.
- They provide a gentle and even spray, which is ideal for new grass seeds or delicate plants.
- They are adjustable and can be customized to suit different watering needs.
Disadvantages:
- Oscillating sprinklers may be less effective for larger lawns or gardens as they have a limited coverage area.
- They may not be as durable as other sprinklers, as the plastic parts can wear out over time.
- They can be affected by wind, which can cause the water to be distributed unevenly.
- They can waste water if not set up properly or if there are leaks or other issues.
- They can be less efficient than other sprinklers, as some of the water can be lost to evaporation.
Is an oscillating sprinkler better than a drip irrigation system?
It depends on your specific watering needs and preferences. Drip irrigation systems are generally considered to be more water-efficient than oscillating sprinklers, as they deliver water directly to the plant roots. However, oscillating sprinklers can be easier to set up and more effective for watering large areas like lawns. Choosing between the two systems will ultimately depend on your specific circumstances and goals.
What Option of Best Oscillating Sprinkler is Best for You?
Overall, all the options we discussed present their own pros and cons. It comes down to what works best for you and your home.
We hope this post has illuminated some points that will make your decision-making process a bit easier. If you encounter any issues or confusion in your search for the perfect oscillating sprinkler, never hesitate to seek help from customer service support or use user forums as an extra resource.
No matter what option you go with, we're confident the oscillating sprinkler will bring good results to your home or garden.
All that's left for you to do is relax and enjoy hassle-free maintenance of lawns and gardens!
Items reviewed:
1. Aqua Joe Oscillating Sprinkler
2. MiniMax Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
