Best Smart Sprinkler Controllers of 2025
Count on these CR-tested models from Orbit, Rachio, and Rain Bird to keep your lawn green while complying with drought restrictions
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Perfecting your lawn is easier said than done, especially in parts of the country facing severe drought and accompanying water use restrictions. Smart sprinkler controllers help solve those issues. They connect to the internet and use real-time weather data to adjust the frequency of watering so that you don’t overwater your grass during an afternoon shower, for example, or underwater on a dry, hot day. And their app-based controls make it a breeze to create watering schedules that comply with your local watering restrictions, such as watering only on odd-numbered days or at unusual hours of the night. Smart controllers can save you money on your water bill, too.
Below you’ll find ratings and reviews of the best smart sprinkler controllers from our tests. One crucial factor sets these top performers apart from the rest of the pack.
“The ability of these smart sprinkler controllers to make fine-tuned watering adjustments greatly depends on the robustness of their weather data,” says Larry Ciufo, CR’s test engineer for sprinkler controllers. “You’re going to want a controller that uses a lot of forecast data to make its adjustments.”
In CR’s tests of smart sprinkler controllers, we evaluate, among other features, how easy it is to wire the controller to the sprinkler system’s water valves and whether the controls are simple to use. To evaluate a system’s watering accuracy, we collect rainfall data from a rain gauge, then evaluate how much a controller overwaters or underwaters based on that data.
All models below, listed in alphabetical order, feature smartphone app controls and are certified under the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program.
CR members can click on each model name for detailed ratings and reviews. For results on all the smart sprinkler controllers we test, see Consumer Reports’ smart sprinkler controller ratings.
CR’s take: The Orbit B-Hyve 57950 looks like a traditional sprinkler controller but is plenty smart. It earns a top rating in our tests for convenience because of its easy-to-use controls and weatherproof casing, plus it’s a cinch to connect to the internet. Its weather responsiveness isn’t quite as good as the competition’s because it uses more limited weather data, though it still beat out other models in our tests. It features manual controls with its LED screen as well as app and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant. This model works with up to 12 sprinkler zones; a six-zone version is also available.
CR’s take: The Rachio 3 8ZULW-C is a solid sprinkler controller that’s easy to connect to WiFi and is highly responsive to local forecasts, receiving a very good rating for that capability. It lost a few points because its wiring instructions are unclear, and it lacks a backup battery and weatherproof casing. (A weatherproof enclosure is sold separately for $30.) In addition to app controls, this Rachio also features manual controls on the device itself, and app and voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. This model works with up to eight sprinkler zones; four-zone and 16-zone versions are also available.
CR’s take: The Rain Bird ST8-2.0 earns a high spot in our ratings, but it does have a few shortcomings. It receives a middling rating for weather responsiveness, meaning its watering adjustments aren’t as accurate as the other models here. It can also be difficult to connect to the internet. But once it’s up and running, the Rain Bird is very convenient to use. There are manual controls with an LED display, as well as app and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant, and it comes in a weatherproof enclosure. This model works with up to eight sprinkler zones.
