Imagine that you have to go out to work and you will be away from home for three days. You have a small garden with plants that need daily watering. So when you come back, they will most likely be withered and half dead. Unless use an irrigation controller.
The irrigation programmer is a system that allows you to establish a schedule for watering the plants so that you do not have to worry about it. But which are the best on the market? What should you take into account when buying it? How does it work? If you are already imagining what it will be like to have a garden full of vegetation and that you do not have to take care of watering, read on to get the best programmers.
Top 1. The best irrigation controller
Pros
- Digital programmer.
- It allows to establish 8 programs per day.
- User friendly LCD display.
Cons
- It works with batteries.
- Complex when scheduling.
- Minimal quality.
Selection of irrigation controllers
Aqua Control C4099O Irrigation Programmer for Garden, For all types of Taps, Opening at 0 Bar. Old C4099N
It is an automatic irrigation programmer with frequencies of different hours or once a week. It works with batteries.
CROSOFMI Garden Irrigation Programmer Automatic Irrigation Timer Control Large 3 Inch Screen
Irrigation from 1s to 300min, with frequencies from 1h to 15 days. It's waterproof and durable, with manual watering even if you want to water yourself instead of waiting for the schedule to skip.
CRSOFOMI Automatic Irrigation Programmer for Garden Rain Sensor Timers for Hoses 6 Independent Programs
It has 6 independent programs and two frequency modes. It also has a rain sensor chip for watering to stop and restart at the next watering program. This is quite useful in areas of regular rain, because it is not watered when wet.
GARDENA Irrigation programmer Flex automatic irrigation in a short time for the terrace and balcony, easy operation, Water Now function 1890-20
It serves both for the terrace and for the balcony thanks to the short irrigation cycles, and manual irrigation without having to remove it from the water tap or have another alternative irrigation system.
Aqualin Two Outlet Water Hose Timer Electronic Irrigation Controller Garden Watering Computer
It has two programmable and separate valves to connect two hoses or just one. It can be configured for up to 240 minutes and in different irrigation periods. Also, if it detects rain, it will not activate.
Irrigation controller buying guide
Irrigation programmers are a very useful element to help you take care of the garden since your plants never lack water. However, the truth is that there are many different types, of different facilities, sizes, prices, etc. And when you go to buy one, you may have doubts as to which would be the best for your case.
If so, then we give you the keys that you have to look at in order to make a smart purchase.
Type
Within the programmers, we can find two large groups: On the one hand, the electrical ones, which are connected to the current; and, on the other hand, those of batteries or autonomous, that work with batteries or with solenoid valves.
In general, these programmers are connected to let the water pass at a certain time and for a certain time.
Installation
Related to the above, the installation of an irrigation controller will depend above all on whether they are electric or battery operated. In general, the former are more complicated to install, but also more durable over time.
For their part, battery-operated or autonomous ones have a simple installation, although they are limited (in terms of distance to be able to use it, location, etc.).
Price
Depending on the above, the irrigation controller system will be more expensive or cheaper. On the Internet and in stores you can find very affordable prices (about 20 euros) to others much more expensive (we are talking about 100-150 euros).
How does an irrigation controller work?
The operation of an irrigation controller is very easy to understand. These devices connect to water taps, and what they do is prevent the water from circulating freely. Only when a certain time slot (or several) has been programmed, the appliance does not open to let the water run out and can advance along an irrigation hose.
That is, a programmer needs, on the one hand, the water tap. On the other, an irrigation hose. In this way, the water as it passes through the hose can: water through holes in the hose; or water directly at the other end of the hose.
Where to buy
If now that you know more about what an irrigation controller is and how it is used is exactly what you are looking for, then you should get one. As we have mentioned, prices vary a lot in terms of the model, but also according to the stores where you buy it. So we give you some options.
Amazon
Amazon is perhaps where you will find more variety because, being made up of many stores, they have different products. This allows you to choose between different types, sizes, materials, etc. And, of course, in price.
Leroy Merlin
In Leroy Merlin it is easy to find irrigation programmers since they are products that are usually used in gardening. But They don't have as many to choose from as you could want. In this case we are talking about a limited stock of models.
Lidl
Physically, finding an irrigation programmer in Lidl is not easy, especially since the business of this supermarket is to offer different products two days a week, in such a way that, if they arrive one week, they are not usually in the stores the next.
However, for some time now they created the online store, where you can get one there. Yes indeed, They only have one model, without being able to choose more. So check that it is the size, type ... you need to make a good purchase.
Do you have questions about an irrigation controller? Do you already know which one you are going to buy?