Our favorite automatic hose timer, the Orbit 62061Z Single-Outlet Hose Watering Timer, is easy to install and operate, and it allows you to set the start time, duration, and frequency to meet your watering needs. Here are the best automatic hose timers to add to your garden. With this hose timer, you select the start time, watering duration, and watering frequency using its digital screen. You can set the watering duration from 1 to 240 minutes, and the watering frequency to repeating intervals ranging from 6 hours to 7 days. You can also override settings and manually use your hose. A neat feature is its rain delay, which pauses all watering for 1 to 3 days. The Orbit Single-Outlet Hose Timer is easy to install on any standard 0.75-inch faucet—no tools are required. It uses two AA batteries (not included), and its weather-resistant construction lets you leave the hose timer outside all summer long. However, we’ve noted an occasional water hammer effect because its valve shuts off very quickly. So you may want to attach it to a water hammer arrestor to protect your pipes. Because of its mechanical design, this timer requires no batteries, and it has a manual watering setting in case you need to use your hose for another task. The simple design requires no programming, so you can just twist it into place and start using it immediately, Its high-impact construction should last for several seasons. This hose timer has a brass connection that’s more durable than most plastic pieces, and it operates on two AA batteries. It requires water pressure from 10 to 100 PSI, and the timer connects to any standard 0.75-inch garden hose. Its Wi-Fi hub needs to be plugged into an outlet inside your home. While the manufacturer says you can expand the system with additional timers, we’ve seen problems when trying to control multiple units at the same time. This timer has two high-flow valves, and filter washers ensure a leak-free seal to your hoses. Manual watering buttons on the timer allow you to easily override the programmed schedule if you need to use the hose. Or you can enable a water delay through the app, pausing the schedule when it’s forecast to rain. With this hose timer, you control the start time, watering frequency, and watering duration with extreme precision. You can set the runtime anywhere from 5 seconds to 6 hours. It also offers a rain delay option you can set to 24, 48, or 72 hours. However, we found that the controller is water-resistant, not waterproof, so it’s best installed in a semi-sheltered location, if possible. Because of its simplicity, this hose timer is somewhat limited in programming. You can set the watering duration from 3 to 90 minutes at preset intervals, and the frequency has a variety of common settings, ranging from 1 hour to 1 week. However, one of this hose timer’s major shortcomings is it doesn’t have a start time setting: It starts when you start it. The Instapark Timer uses a 24-hour time display format (commonly called “military time”), and you can set its watering duration from 1 to 360 minutes, in 10-second intervals. You can choose from a wide range of settings, including popular options such as every 1, 2, 3, or 7 days. Be careful when you install this hose timer—its plastic connections aren’t the most durable. But overall, it’s a well-made unit for controlling your garden hoses. You program this timer, with its large LCD screen, using the rotating dial on the front. It offers watering durations from 1 to 360 minutes, and you can set its rain delay button for 24, 48, or 72 hours. The timer is made of durable, high-impact plastic, with a metal coupling for durability, and it automatically shuts off the water if the battery is low, helping to ensure it doesn’t get stuck. The only downside is it can create a slight water hammer effect when it shuts off the hose, so you may want to install it with a water hammer arrestor. When programming this timer, you can have it water on certain days or at designated intervals. A manual option allows you to use the hose outside of its scheduled watering time, and you can set a rain delay up to 7 days. Or, connect this timer to the manufacturer’s soil moisture sensor, which pauses the timer when the ground is wet.
Programmability
Hose timers are digital or analog—you program the former through a digital screen, while the latter relies on dials. No matter which type you choose, most hose timers offer a few programmable settings. Standard settings include the start time, or when it turns on to begin watering; run time or duration, or how long the water is on for; and frequency, or how often it waters (for instance, every six hours, every day, every other day, etc.).
Water Pressure
Most hose timers list an ideal water pressure range, which is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). Make sure your faucet’s water pressure lies within this range—otherwise, the timer may not work correctly. To test your home’s water pressure, you may need to pick up a water pressure gauge from your local hardware store.
Extra Features
There are a variety of advanced features that you may want to consider as you shop for a hose timer. “Do you want an electronic device that runs on a battery or a solar-powered one that comes with its own tiny solar panel on the device?” says Allison Vallin Kostovick, gardener and founder at Finch + Folly Farm. “If choosing solar, you have to be mindful as to where your hose connects. If it is in a shady spot, the solar panel will not be able to capture the needed sun’s rays.” Other features include Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, a rain delay function, and the option for manual watering when you want to use the hose for other tasks.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. On her five-acre homestead, she has many gardens to care for during the summer, and she uses the Melnor 73280 Digital Water Electronic Hose Timer to keep her flower and vegetable patches well-watered with minimal effort. While researching this article, she spoke with Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau, and Allison Vallin Kostovick, gardener and founder at Finch + Folly Farm, for information on the benefits of hose timers and how to use them effectively. She prioritized products that are easy to operate and have a wide water pressure range, ensuring they are compatible with most household faucets.
