I like the conciseness and efficient use of our time. Especially good were the quick cut edits to remove the superfluous stuff. a shame other TH-cam channels don't do this. Excellent and unbiased information too.
Excellent review. Very informative with fair coverage given to each of the devices reviewed. Very good points with the pros and cons of each controller. Thanks for taking the time to test and provide this video.
I’m an irrigation tech. (27 years).. in Florida,so12 months out of the year😆 but the way to go is with the Rain Bird ESPME3. Because you can add in a flow sensor to detect whether you have a leak or you have no flow at all so it will shut a zone down To prevent further damage to your irrigation system depending on if you’re on a pump etc. etc. and all the other options you mentioned, besides your little graphs LOL but It can also stand alone without Wi-Fi and everything else. Most importantly it will last because it is high-quality! But good video anyways!! I give you a thumbs up
Am with you in the no more wires or holes in the wall. On the Skydrop issue, it already makes me uneasy knowing that they may not want an unbiased review. Keep up the great work !!
GREAT presentation and overview!!!! Thank you SO much for your review. You're a natural!!!. Honest, forthright, humble, candid, thoughtful and detailed review. I look forward to seeing more of you.
Thank you for the review. Well done! I was leaning towards the Rachio. Its nice to be able to buy it and not worry about not having done my research. Regarding Mark Spiegel's question: the Rachio says right on there web site in the Features section, "Share access with others. Option to share full or limited access with your irrigation professional." Thumbs up!
I am an irrigation contractorv (30+ years) and scrictly use the rachio gen 2 for the last 14 months. Over 70 controllers installed so far. The big irrigation suppliers carry this. Being EPA certified is a must. Rachio is not going anywhere. They are beating up Rainbird, Toro, Hunter, Weathermatic. The water savings these type of controllers save is incredible.
Thank you for the tutorial on the different systems. I got a link from Woot selling a gen 1 for $99.99 (refurbished), but I've not had great luck with refurbished units of any kind in the past, so I will probably opt for a new system.
Glad I could help! The one cool thing about the Rachio right now is that the "old" unit and the "new" unit both have the same software, so at least you're getting the latest smart watering stuff. Always a roll of the dice with refurbished things, but with my luck sometimes even the new stuff is funky.
My questions are, how did they work on auto pilot? Did this one water on par with the weather? This one watered in the rain, did they all kept there scheduling intact threw out use? Also the big question, as an Irrigation contractor, and have to go and service homes with these clocks, could I do that with out using personal PC or Phone of customer? Thanks for the videos.
One of the biggest benefits to the RainMachine, that you didn't mention, is that you can control it locally (from the device itself) without the need for any web browser or smart phone. This is great if you have a gardener, who may want to make adjustments, or water a station. This is what ultimately led me to getting a RainMachine!
Spruce Irrigation's 2nd Gen has the same functionality too; control it locally from the device itself. That was an added feature from their 1st gen product.
How does OpenSprinkler compare to Rachio? It has automatic weather-adjustment, garage-door integration, flow-meter support, and supports expansion to 48+ zones. Besides being half the cost of the others, its main benefits appear to be expandability and not requiring an Internet connection to function.
Note of caution with regards to BlueSpray garage door functionality. If you have the controller mounted on the exterior of your house, it would be super easy for someone to complete the circuit and open your garage door!
Very good review and explanations! I got a question though: Which of these DO NOT need internet? Or, is there something out there that CAN still be used even without internet? The information that can be pulled from the web may be helpful but is there a product that CAN be controlled remotely (internet required) AND also still be controlled just via wifi (in case internet is not present)? Thank you!
+pparado The RainMachine and BlueSpray run a web server on the device (like a mini computer), so your internet can go out and you'll still be able to control them on your home network. Rachio and Blossom don't have web servers, so they depend on the cloud to work. When the internet goes out with Rachio it will continue to water as scheduled, unless you have flex schedules (which depend on an internet connection). The Blossom will not work without an internet connection.
+The WiFi Garden This was a pretty huge differentiator for me. Not sure if I missed it in the review, but it's pretty important. The entire IoT HA space is riddled with small companies that can easily build a smart product but probably don't have the resources to support a cloud infrastructure for 10-20 years. Particularly when they aren't charging subscription costs. This is a large reason why I'm starting to backpedal from many devices. I have a Vera that only relies on the cloud for proxy support, and the RainMachine is my winner for the same reasons. I was a hair's breadth from the Rachio, but the simple fact is, I have a brick the day they go under.
+Drew Covi Very true. I hate to say it, but much like any computer, if these things are still working in 20 years it will be a miracle. Things are evolving way too quickly and we will look back at these "smart" devices and laugh our asses off at how dumb they were. You could still be using your compute from 10-20 years ago, but you'll be missing out on a whole lot of evolution.
+The WiFi Garden solid points. But after a year waiting on updates to the Blossom, contacting customer support and hearing they decided to stop supporting smart watering while they update their server, I realized some of these companies just don't have the best practices in place (I mean, run a development environment, and send out a notice to your users. amirite?). That said, these devices have always seemed like peripherals in the HA space. The real evolution will likely happen where they intersect, and I think folks should feel safe investing in an irrigation controller that can last ten years (twenty is admittedly a stretch).
+Drew Covi Ugh, I feel for you on the jankyness of dealing with updates and having your smart watering held hostage. I agree that $250 is a pretty big purchase, but with the savings you'll get on your bill AND the generous rebates available, it's worth it right now.
Super job on the review - looking into the Rachio. Attended a recent workshop, and they had one on display, suggesting its use. Where in Norcal are you?
Very informative...thanks a lot for the comparison...it’s absolutely better to know this stuff before making a purchase..I have a question about wiring, this might sound stupid....sorry....but since those are smart controllers, are there any wiring that need to be done? Any wiring with the pipes that are underground, or by the water supply/source, or any other location? I’m trying to find out if I can build a sprinkler system at my backyard by myself, I appreciate your feedback!
Hi and thanks for the review. The installation, App, and reporting metrics is interesting, but once in use , after the first few months, I'm guessing I'll quickly forget about all the reports and graphs and just let the controller do its thing. My hope is that you can review which controller adjusts to weather better. I have a Blossom which after two seasons I feel has a tendency to UNDERWATER. It never seems to lengthen waterings when rain is predicted but doesn't happen. Do the others use local data to determine a better watering solution? Which does the best job in this respect?
Looks like Rachio has become the leading one and am going with it. All devices have to integrate with Alexa and that is the cherry on the Rachio cake. Ordered it and same day delivery. Thanks for the video.
Great informative video. You may want to do an up-date and review the "SKYDROP" controller. Is also in line with the RainMachine as far as being able to use Web, Smart Phone and the unit to control it. I have been doing some research and I can see that the RainMachine may have a more sophistication Algorithm when it comes to being able to include the "Variables" of Wind and Rain sensitivity. I know from experience that a windy day can ruin a good watering when in a Lake front location for instance That said, the Skydrop deserves a chance and is very modern looking also. Also for people that budget is a problem, there is no need to replace their timer because of a rain and sprinkler system conflict. There are several controllers that can accommodate the addition of a dedicated "Rain Sensor" (wireless for about $50 or wired for $20) In fact, if wired to the common terminal (interrupting the circuit) a rain sensor could be added to just about any 24v controller.
+Hector Munoz Thanks Hector! I have reached out to Skydrop a few times, but they were hesitant to send me a unit. I'm reaching out to them again now! Good point about the rain sensor. For me personally I would hate to have to run another wire and drill another hole and then mount it to my house. Thanks for your insight, I really appreciate thoughtful comments.
+Hector Munoz I find rain sensor to be pretty much useless. It can rain for an hour for enough water to get through to make it realize that it's raining. In hot climate like Texas, it can dry out in a day even though the ground is good for a few days. The weather based algorithm is also unreliable. What it does is use rain data and temperature to guess how much water is in the ground. The data comes from a weather station that could be miles from your property and it may rain there but not at your home. Besides, inches of rain means nothing if you have shallow soil. Using weather to guess how wet the ground is is like using your car speed and how long you drive to guess how much gas you have left in the tank. Soil sensor is the way to go.
+Dzuy Nguyen LOL. I guess the perfect system has not yet been invented. Even a ground sensor does not tell the system how uniform the water absorption is in different parts of the yard, unless several sensors are placed throughout the property. (sun exposure, drainage, lot levels, etc. But you are absolutely right on!
Main concern: getting alerts if something goes awry when not home; in that event, being able to shut down remotely--or having controller shut down automatically. Please advise best product for that goal. Thank you!
great overview of thous devices. it's most detailed at a most understandable way. did you try connecting external sensors like temp sensor and humidity sensor connected directly to the controller? also, there were several complains about the WiFi connectivity. did you encounter any issue with that?
Great overview. Have you checked into the Orbit b-hyve controller? It is only $99 and seems to fit more into the set-and-forget category. It has controls both for smartphones, web and on the device itself. It will auto-adjust based on weather conditions, although it is either completely automatic or completely manual as far as scheduling and watering times go, which makes the auto-scheduling pretty worthless in my opinion. My flowers don't need to water for as long as my trees and my trees don't need to water as often as my flowers.
Thanks Shawn! I did check it out and I have a couple videos here on my channel about it. It's decent but it was a little buggy when I tested it. It may be more mature now!
Cool. I searched and found your review. It appears as though most of the bugs have been solved. I didn't have any app or website issues and setup was a breeze. In fact, I have been running the controller for a week now and have yet to even touch one of the buttons or dial on the unit itself. I'll investigate the smart settings more now. :)
Best comparison of wifi sprinkler controllers I've found, very useful. I am trying to decide between the Rachio and the RainMachine, and perhaps you could help with these 2 questions: 1. Does the Rachio let you "cycle and soak," meaning, water, wait then water again in cycles (like the RainMachine does)? 2. Does the RainMachine allow you to customize watering by type of landscape, type of soil and slope (like the Rachio does)? Thanks in advance.
Howdy! The Rachio has cycle and soak: support.rachio.com/article/283-smart-cycle-overview Yes, it allows you to input your yard's details. But RainMachine's smart watering isn't "set it and forget it" like Rachio or Blossom. You come up with your own schedule and then it will skip a day if it rains, water more if it's hot, water less if it's cold. The Rachio takes all that landscape info and turns it into a smart schedule.
Thanks for the fast response! Did you mean that the RainMachine allows you to input yard details, but nothing is done is that information (the amount of watering doesn't factor in the yard/soil type -- only the weather matters?) In that case it sounds like a description or label (grass or flower bed or tree), and nothing more.
Yes, I'm not sure what it does with the info. You should reach out to RainMachine support, they'll answer your question pretty quickly I bet and give you all the info you need.
RainMachine actually responds on a Sunday, with detailed replies. Very impressive support. The controller does adjust the watering amount based on the type of vegetation you enter for each zone (from their FAQ, the coefficients are grass: 0.8, fruit trees: 0.95, flowers: 1.0, vegetables: 1.15, citrus: 0.65, bushes: 1.0, and other: 0.8). Of course, you can factor that into your base amount, but this gives you a second way of fine-tuning according to your type of landscape.
I'm considering the Spruce unit for my SmartThings setup, which at $150, seems to be a good bet. However I can find very little information about the Spruce (and no reviews, since it isn't available on Amazon - you have to buy direct from the company). I'd appreciate your thoughts.
One thing you didn't mention was what about water scheduling for different seasons. Here in california we can only water on certain days and for so long. I want to be able to program it for the full year per water district guide lines and not water on rainy days.
I have a Rain Machine, and you can set up restrictions - no watering during certain months, or days of week, or hours of day. I'm not sure if that's good enough for your needs.
Hi Brian can you please give your opinion on Hunter Hidrawise? Can't find any comparison online between Rain Machine and Hunter Hidrawise and would like to decide between the 2. (Unfortunatly Raccio doesn't work internationally). Thank you!
I bought the H2OPro Smart Sprinkler Timer with flow meters and it works great. Only uses home WiFi so it will continue operating as long as I have power at home. Internet is needed for getting local weather but it will still continue running if internet access goes down. I've never had a great desire to check my sprinkler while on vacation so internet access seems overrated. Bigger issue for me is that I always have trouble with animals chewing on my sprinkler heads and drip lines which cause big leaks but the H2OPro monitors flow and sends me e-mail alerts when there's a problem which is a big water savings.
Great review! I’ve had a Cyber-Rain now for around 10 years and am having some issues and want to get something newer. Today, would you still recommend the Rachio as your first choice?
As a professional NO! These clocks have very limited manual controls that make it extremely difficult to use if for some reason you can't use the APP. Get a B HYVE 67946, the one with the rotary dial on the front. Keep in mind every company makes a bad model, but I've used everything and know which are good. All rachio clocks are crap and overpriced
Nice review, thanks. I haven't looked at your other review videos yet so you may have already answered but I have a few questions. 1) Do any units offer a hardwired ethernet connection? 2) do any of the units integrate with a soil moisture sensor? 3) do any of the units integrate wth a flow sensor or can you add zone GPM to calculate water usage? As far as sky drop review, why not buy one, review it and return it within 30 days for a refund? Keep up the good reviews and thanks again.
+Craig Crowder Hey Craig, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 1) There are very few that do hardwire ethernet, but the BlueSpray and GreenIQ support it in their current devices. 2 & 3) Check out my smart sprinkler comparison here: thewifigarden.com/wifi-sprinkler-controller-comparison If you click on the image of each sprinkler controller on this page you can see more details of which controller support which inputs. I also think having a flow sensor would be an awesome addition to my system. 4) I really want to build relationships with these companies, so I wouldn't feel comfortable buying and returning one of their products. I'm well on my way to becoming the authority with smart sprinkler controllers, so hopefully they won't be able to ignore me much longer!
+Craig Crowder BlueSpray has the Ethernet and flow sensor support. With flow sensor, it can provide a graph of how long it waters and how much water it uses. Soil sensor is in the work.
+Dzuy Nguyen I'm testing a rainmachine hd-16 right now. I decided having a ethernet connection wasn't a show stopper. The following is from their wiki and pretty much sums up their approach to "smart'. "Calibration efforts using complex formulas that take in consideration soil type, inclination and hypothetical solar irradiation amounts coupled with perfect water distribution among all sprinkler heads is possible but not practical nor accurate in gauging what’s best for your garden." wikipage.rainmachine.com/index.php?title=How_It_Works
Hey Fabio, sorry I missed your comment. I am going to branch out into more smart home gadgets. I just got an "Open Sesame" wifi garage door unit that I'll be showing on the channel soon!
I have only two zones (back and front) but wifi is a must as it is for property in the other coast. the question is which will also work with irrigation well pump ? I have a pump that needs to be turned on for water to come out. what do I do?
Thanks Jeff! The Rachio app and web app are both very nicely designed and easy to use. That's a huge plus for me. Rachio is also the #1 seller in the category, so I think it will have the staying power. Almost every controller, including Rachio, is an upstart company giving it their best shot, so in a year or so I think a few of these companies will be fading away. I have an entire review on the Rachio Gen 2 on my channel as well!
+Everything home repair Definitely two points that I missed. I do my yard myself, so I'm the only one who uses the controller, but I know a lot of people have gardeners. Also, I'm in Northern California so no winterizing needed!
Hey man, thanks so much for doing this! Quick question if you don't mind, any of these give you the ability to add another controller? We have a pretty large backyard and for whatever reason there is one big controller and one small and they work independently. THANKS AGAIN!!
Interesting. You should be able to put all the wires into one controller, especially if you get a 16 zone one. But there may have been a reason they set it up that way!
Have you revisited the RainMachine since the new version and updated software? I'm leaning more towards it since it has dedicated controls as well as being able to access it directly without registering for a online account. Are you aware of any others that can be accesed directly through its IP address?
+C Muir I haven't played with the Rainmachine since my review of the mini 8 a couple months ago. I do want to go back to these controllers now that it's been almost 6 months since I first started looking at them. The Bluespray can be connected to directly.
I am trying to set up the Rachio Generation 2. I opened my old system box and there are 8 wires, which correspond to my 8 zones. Besides, there is a wire for PUMP… WHERE DOES THIS WIRE GO? Thanks for any comment.
I believe you, but there is a slight difference. The master valve is designed to turn on/open whenever you are watering, and shut off when you are not. The purpose is that, if you have a leak in one of the zones, the master valve will stop water from flowing out of the leak when you are not watering. If you connect that wire to M, it should work as described above. If you connect the wire to C (which is always energized), the master valve will stay open all the time. It "works" in the sense that you have flow, and watering happens the way it normally does, but it defeats the purpose of having a master valve. In a way, that's OK. Many systems don't have a master valve, and they work fine. The way you have it wired, the master valve is still there but it's like a dummy valve and does nothing.
Great video, thanks for doing it. I may have missed it being mentioned but doesn't the Rachio require their servers (and connectivity thereto) for control? Thought I read that somewhere. Whereas the RainMachine does not? Also, I love the idea of getting an email when some event happens on the controller, like the start and/or end of a watering cycle. You said that feature wasn't in the RainMachine but is coming soon? Thanks again.
You are correct about the Rachio using cloud servers and RainMachine having a built in server. This is a deal breaker for some people, but for me it is not. If my internet is out, I have more things to worry about. If Rachio's servers are down they are in deep shit. If the servers go down it does just run whatever schedule you had going. So it would take a LOT of down time (weeks?) to really mess up your watering.
And yes, RainMachine has promised IFTTT "trigger" integration soon, so you could hook in all kinds of things like flashing your kitchen lights or getting an email when watering starts or stops. They have also said they will add more robust smart watering soon. So RainMachine is still evolving and getting better.
+The WiFi Garden Unless....their servers go done BECAUSE they are in deep sh*t (like going belly-up). Also on the RainMachine: went to their site and read their FAQ...wasn't thrilled with their response to questions about soil type and nozzle size - both answers seemed to say "...you can adjust...based on your own experience..." Hmm...what if I have no experience? Do I need to do weeks worth of testing?
My dad runs subsurface irrigation with his lawn and he's using the RainMachine. As long as the pumps are the same as normal sprinklers then you're good to go.
My understanding, confirmed by Rachio, is that if they go out of business (as many such small companies are prone to do), the Rachio controller will loose most of its usefulness. This is true for most of these smart controllers. I'm choosing the Rainmachine because it does not have this limitation. It will continue to support smartphone control, local control and weather based control even if the company no longer exists. To me that is an important factor. (BTW, I have no affiliation with Rainmachine.)
I have read the same at Amazon feedback and question. It's awesome that we have the freedom to choose what to buy, and the fact that there are options available to pick and choose is icing on the cake. Giving that the Rainmachine and the Rachio are both equally at par features to features, I would opt for one made in the USA. My thought is if I buy stuff made here at home, maybe, just maybe, the company won't go out of business from our patronage. To me that is also an important factor. (BTW, I have no affiliation with either Rainmachine or Rachio).
Or, you could go with a product like the Toro Evolution Controller which uses the preferred RF 900 MHz radio signal to communicate, vs. Wi Fi. Wi Fi. A radio signal has 3x the strength of the Wi Fi signal and requires NO passcode from the end-user. Plus, you get the comfort and backing of a $2 Billion+ company. The Rachio's of the world may come and go, but Toro will stand the test of time and stand behind their products. We are and will continue to be huge fans of Toro in our house!
After using this now I'm happy with it. I will add two comments. One is that while it seems it can work if the company were to go under, access from my laptop to manage it is dependent on their website, so I would have to rely only on the mobile app, which is not quite as complete as the web site. One thing I wish it had is a rain sensor port. (The water district required the install of a rain sensor to get a rebate.) It can work with a rain sensor, but it does not know that the rain sensor is in the loop, and when the sensor is causing watering to be suspended, so the history of watering is then inaccurate. (Rain sensors used without a rain sensor port are connected between the common port and the common wires going to the valves. They operate by connecting/disconnecting this common wire and thus transparently prevent watering.) I don't know how many of the weather based controllers have this same limitation - I assume most are the same way.
If it requires no passcode, can your arrogant and nasty neighbor someday stumble upon your signal and spitefully mess with your system? I see several wifi networks with my computer, so it seems possible.
Brian - Thanks for all the great information. I was wondering if you could help recommend a controller for my situation. I have plenty of water but limited amount at a time, so I am currently running a zone for about 5-8 min, waiting 5 minutes and then running again for 5-8 minutes, etc. I am looking for a controller that can handle multi start/stop on each zone, then do the same on the next zone and the next Then do the same the next day with different zones. No more than 6-8 zones needed. Any recommendation would be appreciated.
I know the Rainmachine and Rachio both have the ability to do a "soak period" but I'm not sure how many you can incorporate. I would reach out to Rachio and RainMachine support with that question and see what they say. They both have great support with smart people!
I have a Rain Machine HD-12. It can do two things: 1. Divide each zone into smaller segments (up to 300!) with time delays between segments (up to 300 minutes). 2. Insert time delays (up to 59 minutes) between zones. Basically you can have time delays within each zone, and between zones, to allow the water supply or water pressure to recover. I think that's what you are looking for. The only thing is that there is only one delay setting per program, so what you do for one zone applies to all the zones.
Thank you for this! Like you, it drive me nuts when I set my sprinkler and it rain as soon as I leave the house. I think I'm going to invest to one of this. Now, do you have video how to install it 🤣
Do you know of a WiFi controller that will allow you to control the master valve individually by zone? I use my master valve for my rust system. On my old manual Rainbird I could set it to come on for certain zones but have yet to find a WiFi controller that will allow you to do this. It's either off or on all the time.
How many master valves do you have? I have a Rain Machine controller, and it can control ONE master valve (you must connect it to zone 1, and there is a setting where you designate it as a master valve). When you set it up like that, the master valve opens at the beginning of a program and closes at the end.
So between the Rachio and RainMachine, who's software is better? I'm undecided if the interface on the device head itself (RainMachine) is needed or not? Can more than one person install the app on the smart phone and use it? Like my wife etc? Are any of the two's app iPad compatible? or just smart phone?
For my tastes, Rachio software is better. If you don't have a need to control the unit manually, then it's not needed. I haven't tested logging in with different accounts, but you can definitely all log in with the same email/password. The apps are all iPad compatible.
How about access for my sprinkler repair guy? I currently have an Irritrol PC Control system, which is clunky (program thru a complicated PC program) but I like it, because it has a wireless remote controller. I leave it out when my repair guy comes and he can repair the system without needing access to my garage. Do any (or all?) of these controllers have a "guest" password so they can access my system this way? I am toying with the idea of using both control systems at the same time - I would remove all programming from the Irritrol system and tie in the Rainmachine system "in parallel". That way, I would only use my Irritrol remote when my repair guy needs it to manually control my zones, but otherwise, all programming/ sprinkling would be done thru the Rainmachine. Think that will work?? Thx!
Yes, Rachio has a "guest access" feature inside the web app that you can invite them to use your controller. Here's more info: support.rachio.com/article/342-landscaper-access-new
+The WiFi Garden Thx! I ordered the rain machine. I'm pretty sure I will hook up both controllers together (in parallel) with a shared 24V power supply. My old Irritrol unit will not have any programming - it will just be a "dumb" controller - it will only be controlled manually with the Irritrol wireless controller when needed for repairs, etc. I think it's a good solution and I think it I'll work as expected - no need to trash a perfectly good remote. It will arrive in about a week. Will let you know how it goes.
+The WiFi Garden let me know what you think of the skydrop when you get a chance. Just ordered it when I spotted the 50% off deal for the 4th. Fingers crossed!
Hi Brian, here is Giulio from Italy. I'd have an advice on which unit could better fit my needs (I have a small terrace not a garden but I'm obsessed with technology, you know). There are so many different brands - rachio, rain machine, sky drop, green iq etc etc). Please help me to make a choice keeping in mind that I live in Europe. I really don't know if this kind of thing could be plugged into a 230 volt net. Please help me. Thank you, G
Does anyone know if the RainMachine software will log USAGE of water? (Assuming no flow meter options exist.) I.e., do I get to hand enter a gpm based on what I believe my flow to be for each zone? So I can see that "Zone 2 used 1500 gallons the week of June 11-17, 2017." Or that "the irrigation system put on the equivalent of 0.5 inches of water the week of June 11-17, 2017" (regardless of the weather). Why do I ask? Well, can I look back and say: "Why doesn't zone 4 have any usage logged, and why is the lawn dying? OH CRAP, for some reason zone 4 is only running on Mondays, and got left out of the schedule the rest of the week!" Or many other reasons.
Yes you can define each zone as using so many gallons per minute, and it will tell you for each watering event which zone was watered, for how long, and what the water usage was. It also tells you the total water usage for the last week, last month and last year, and % water savings compared to the nominal program (if no weather adjustment were made). What you don't get is total water usage for each zone for the week or month, but only water usage of event. And yes, it does tell you if watering was skipped for a zone because of recent or upcoming rain.
Great video. Thank you for the rebate info. I looked into it and Cal Water offers a $125.00 rebate. I could not justify $200 to the wife for a controller. I can justify $75.
I'm a fan of the rainmachine's touchscreen. I like that if the Internet is down I can still water my lawn using the rainmachine. If I had the rachio I can't. I have a rachio generation 1 device and I'm still not able to set it up. It uses blink up to sync to wifi and app. Not a fan. Generations 2 looks better, but I still would rather have the option to enter my wifi security Into the device. I'm working with customer support with Rachio, we'll see how that goes.
Of all the "smart" controllers, only BlueSpray and RainMachine work without internet. If you think that's not important, think Revolv. Revolv is a home automation gateway, acquired by Nest. You'd think with Nest backing and lots of money, it'll last. Well, it got yanked and customers are left with useless devices. Rachio has deep funding, but they're also burning a lot of money trying to capture a slow moving market. That makes me nervous.
+Dzuy Nguyen Yep, it's a serious thing to think about, but one of the reasons I wanted a smart sprinkler controller was so I could stop worrying about stuff! I've weighed the options and I'm trusting that Rachio will be around for a few years.
Good video but #1 should have been installing a controller your irrigation service person is able to access, program, run and test so your system can be repaired without you standing around waiting for the service person to tell you to run the zone #3 again, and again. Also, there are rain sensors, been around for many years. They work great.
+Mark Spiegel Yeah, I didn't realize that a solid group of people pay to have everything done for them. I'm more of a blue-collar Do It Yourselfer, so that's my angle on these reviews. Definitely something to think about.
When you end your video you should have given a slide of comparison with Tick n Cross marks. I would have got much more clarity which to buy. Anways rest was useful. Thanks.
Not helpful. Had hoped would really get into the nitty gritty of how much control and flexibility the Rachio and RainMachine provide, which for me is deciding factor. Why spend time on other models?
Hey Michael, I have review and setup videos of each of the controllers on my channel if you want to get really deep. If you click that "i" in the top right of the video it has all the links.
The Rachio has push-in wire connectors as opposed to the vastly superior screw in terminals all others use. WiFi will NEVER be as a reliable (or as easy) as a wired Ethernet connection to the Internet will be. I ended up switching to the WIRED version of HydroFlash. LOVE IT.
I'm wanting a digital and WiFI timer to be used in a slightly different application (but similar). I'm wanting something I can use to control an outdoor misting system (which is somewhat similar sprinkler system). I would only need 1 zone and does not need to be a "smart system". Ie...I want to program it to definitely go off certain times a day (and for only short periods of time). Would be great if something allowed to run in "seconds" and not just minutes. This will be hooked up to delivery booster pump and a solenoid valve. Also the booster pump is run on 12VDC so not sure I can use a standard sprinkler timer system.
How many people entered the closed area and died from bear attack after the sign was removed? LOL The concern about Rachio going out of business is legitimate however because it is compatible with Alexa I wonder if a 3rd party app could be developed through amazon skill developer....
This was a great find! I'm in the process of setting up my sprinklers, picked up a Rachio, and now am watching this. Thanks for being so in-depth!
Glad it helped!
I like the conciseness and efficient use of our time. Especially good were the quick cut edits to remove the superfluous stuff. a shame other TH-cam channels don't do this. Excellent and unbiased information too.
Excellent review. Very informative with fair coverage given to each of the devices reviewed. Very good points with the pros and cons of each controller. Thanks for taking the time to test and provide this video.
I’m an irrigation tech. (27 years).. in Florida,so12 months out of the year😆 but the way to go is with the Rain Bird ESPME3. Because you can add in a flow sensor to detect whether you have a leak or you have no flow at all so it will shut a zone down To prevent further damage to your irrigation system depending on if you’re on a pump etc. etc. and all the other options you mentioned, besides your little graphs LOL but It can also stand alone without Wi-Fi and everything else. Most importantly it will last because it is high-quality! But good video anyways!! I give you a thumbs up
i just came her from your q and a and just looked up WiFi sprinkler review lol keep up the good work on BKXC love your vids
Am with you in the no more wires or holes in the wall.
On the Skydrop issue, it already makes me uneasy knowing that they may not want an unbiased review.
Keep up the great work !!
+Hector Munoz Thanks, man!
GREAT presentation and overview!!!! Thank you SO much for your review. You're a natural!!!. Honest, forthright, humble, candid, thoughtful and detailed review. I look forward to seeing more of you.
Thank you for the review. Well done! I was leaning towards the Rachio. Its nice to be able to buy it and not worry about not having done my research.
Regarding Mark Spiegel's question: the Rachio says right on there web site in the Features section, "Share access with others. Option to share full or limited access with your irrigation professional."
Thumbs up!
Thanks, Rick, I appreciate the love!
Great video! I took your advice and ordered the Rachio. Pretty excited to install it. Thanks for the reviews!
+Wade Burris Awesome! So glad to hear that it helped.
I am an irrigation contractorv (30+ years) and scrictly use the rachio gen 2 for the last 14 months. Over 70 controllers installed so far. The big irrigation suppliers carry this. Being EPA certified is a must. Rachio is not going anywhere. They are beating up Rainbird, Toro, Hunter, Weathermatic. The water savings these type of controllers save is incredible.
Thanks for all your reviews they have been very helpful. Just bought the Rachio. Forgot to check if the County had any rebates ;)
Glad I could help, man!
So I really love how you have spelled out the criteria. Great video review. Really interested in a Skydrop review if you are going to do one.
+Mike Norton I've been bugging them for months to send me a review unit and it sounds like they're going to soon.
Thanks for your videos automated my entire home and this is one subject I had no idea where to start
Thank you for the tutorial on the different systems. I got a link from Woot selling a gen 1 for $99.99 (refurbished), but I've not had great luck with refurbished units of any kind in the past, so I will probably opt for a new system.
Glad I could help! The one cool thing about the Rachio right now is that the "old" unit and the "new" unit both have the same software, so at least you're getting the latest smart watering stuff. Always a roll of the dice with refurbished things, but with my luck sometimes even the new stuff is funky.
You did an amazing job with the video, thorough and well planned. Thank you for posting.
This was a great video, and a GREAT review. I bought a rachio2 because of this. THANKS!
can you update rachio 3 Vs Rainmachine , what would you buy
My questions are, how did they work on auto pilot? Did this one water on par with the weather? This one watered in the rain, did they all kept there scheduling intact threw out use? Also the big question, as an Irrigation contractor, and have to go and service homes with these clocks, could I do that with out using personal PC or Phone of customer? Thanks for the videos.
One of the biggest benefits to the RainMachine, that you didn't mention, is that you can control it locally (from the device itself) without the need for any web browser or smart phone. This is great if you have a gardener, who may want to make adjustments, or water a station. This is what ultimately led me to getting a RainMachine!
Spruce Irrigation's 2nd Gen has the same functionality too; control it locally from the device itself. That was an added feature from their 1st gen product.
Actually, I believe he did mention that.
How does OpenSprinkler compare to Rachio? It has automatic weather-adjustment, garage-door integration, flow-meter support, and supports expansion to 48+ zones. Besides being half the cost of the others, its main benefits appear to be expandability and not requiring an Internet connection to function.
Note of caution with regards to BlueSpray garage door functionality. If you have the controller mounted on the exterior of your house, it would be super easy for someone to complete the circuit and open your garage door!
Very good review and explanations! I got a question though: Which of these DO NOT need internet? Or, is there something out there that CAN still be used even without internet? The information that can be pulled from the web may be helpful but is there a product that CAN be controlled remotely (internet required) AND also still be controlled just via wifi (in case internet is not present)? Thank you!
+pparado The RainMachine and BlueSpray run a web server on the device (like a mini computer), so your internet can go out and you'll still be able to control them on your home network. Rachio and Blossom don't have web servers, so they depend on the cloud to work. When the internet goes out with Rachio it will continue to water as scheduled, unless you have flex schedules (which depend on an internet connection). The Blossom will not work without an internet connection.
+The WiFi Garden This was a pretty huge differentiator for me. Not sure if I missed it in the review, but it's pretty important. The entire IoT HA space is riddled with small companies that can easily build a smart product but probably don't have the resources to support a cloud infrastructure for 10-20 years. Particularly when they aren't charging subscription costs. This is a large reason why I'm starting to backpedal from many devices. I have a Vera that only relies on the cloud for proxy support, and the RainMachine is my winner for the same reasons. I was a hair's breadth from the Rachio, but the simple fact is, I have a brick the day they go under.
+Drew Covi Very true. I hate to say it, but much like any computer, if these things are still working in 20 years it will be a miracle. Things are evolving way too quickly and we will look back at these "smart" devices and laugh our asses off at how dumb they were. You could still be using your compute from 10-20 years ago, but you'll be missing out on a whole lot of evolution.
+The WiFi Garden solid points. But after a year waiting on updates to the Blossom, contacting customer support and hearing they decided to stop supporting smart watering while they update their server, I realized some of these companies just don't have the best practices in place (I mean, run a development environment, and send out a notice to your users. amirite?). That said, these devices have always seemed like peripherals in the HA space. The real evolution will likely happen where they intersect, and I think folks should feel safe investing in an irrigation controller that can last ten years (twenty is admittedly a stretch).
+Drew Covi Ugh, I feel for you on the jankyness of dealing with updates and having your smart watering held hostage. I agree that $250 is a pretty big purchase, but with the savings you'll get on your bill AND the generous rebates available, it's worth it right now.
Super job on the review - looking into the Rachio. Attended a recent workshop, and they had one on display, suggesting its use. Where in Norcal are you?
Very informative...thanks a lot for the comparison...it’s absolutely better to know this stuff before making a purchase..I have a question about wiring, this might sound stupid....sorry....but since those are smart controllers, are there any wiring that need to be done? Any wiring with the pipes that are underground, or by the water supply/source, or any other location? I’m trying to find out if I can build a sprinkler system at my backyard by myself, I appreciate your feedback!
Hi and thanks for the review. The installation, App, and reporting metrics is interesting, but once in use , after the first few months, I'm guessing I'll quickly forget about all the reports and graphs and just let the controller do its thing. My hope is that you can review which controller adjusts to weather better. I have a Blossom which after two seasons I feel has a tendency to UNDERWATER. It never seems to lengthen waterings when rain is predicted but doesn't happen. Do the others use local data to determine a better watering solution? Which does the best job in this respect?
Great video with very valuable information. Now that the Rachio Gen 3 is out do you think this is the best available?
Looks like Rachio has become the leading one and am going with it. All devices have to integrate with Alexa and that is the cherry on the Rachio cake. Ordered it and same day delivery. Thanks for the video.
Great informative video. You may want to do an up-date and review the "SKYDROP" controller. Is also in line with the RainMachine as far as being able to use Web, Smart Phone and the unit to control it.
I have been doing some research and I can see that the RainMachine may have a more sophistication Algorithm when it comes to being able to include the "Variables" of Wind and Rain sensitivity. I know from experience that a windy day can ruin a good watering when in a Lake front location for instance That said, the Skydrop deserves a chance and is very modern looking also.
Also for people that budget is a problem, there is no need to replace their timer because of a rain and sprinkler system conflict.
There are several controllers that can accommodate the addition of a dedicated "Rain Sensor" (wireless for about $50 or wired for $20)
In fact, if wired to the common terminal (interrupting the circuit) a rain sensor could be added to just about any 24v controller.
+Hector Munoz Thanks Hector! I have reached out to Skydrop a few times, but they were hesitant to send me a unit. I'm reaching out to them again now!
Good point about the rain sensor. For me personally I would hate to have to run another wire and drill another hole and then mount it to my house.
Thanks for your insight, I really appreciate thoughtful comments.
+Hector Munoz I find rain sensor to be pretty much useless. It can rain for an hour for enough water to get through to make it realize that it's raining. In hot climate like Texas, it can dry out in a day even though the ground is good for a few days.
The weather based algorithm is also unreliable. What it does is use rain data and temperature to guess how much water is in the ground. The data comes from a weather station that could be miles from your property and it may rain there but not at your home. Besides, inches of rain means nothing if you have shallow soil. Using weather to guess how wet the ground is is like using your car speed and how long you drive to guess how much gas you have left in the tank. Soil sensor is the way to go.
+Dzuy Nguyen LOL. I guess the perfect system has not yet been invented. Even a ground sensor does not tell the system how uniform the water absorption is in different parts of the yard, unless several sensors are placed throughout the property. (sun exposure, drainage, lot levels, etc. But you are absolutely right on!
Main concern: getting alerts if something goes awry when not home; in that event, being able to shut down remotely--or having controller shut down automatically. Please advise best product for that goal. Thank you!
great overview of thous devices. it's most detailed at a most understandable way.
did you try connecting external sensors like temp sensor and humidity sensor connected directly to the controller?
also, there were several complains about the WiFi connectivity. did you encounter any issue with that?
Thanks! I did not try to attach any external sensors. I never had any WiFi problems with mine!
Great overview. Have you checked into the Orbit b-hyve controller? It is only $99 and seems to fit more into the set-and-forget category. It has controls both for smartphones, web and on the device itself. It will auto-adjust based on weather conditions, although it is either completely automatic or completely manual as far as scheduling and watering times go, which makes the auto-scheduling pretty worthless in my opinion. My flowers don't need to water for as long as my trees and my trees don't need to water as often as my flowers.
Thanks Shawn! I did check it out and I have a couple videos here on my channel about it. It's decent but it was a little buggy when I tested it. It may be more mature now!
Cool. I searched and found your review. It appears as though most of the bugs have been solved. I didn't have any app or website issues and setup was a breeze. In fact, I have been running the controller for a week now and have yet to even touch one of the buttons or dial on the unit itself. I'll investigate the smart settings more now. :)
Awesome, that's great to hear!
Best comparison of wifi sprinkler controllers I've found, very useful. I am trying to decide between the Rachio and the RainMachine, and perhaps you could help with these 2 questions:
1. Does the Rachio let you "cycle and soak," meaning, water, wait then water again in cycles (like the RainMachine does)?
2. Does the RainMachine allow you to customize watering by type of landscape, type of soil and slope (like the Rachio does)?
Thanks in advance.
Howdy!
The Rachio has cycle and soak: support.rachio.com/article/283-smart-cycle-overview
Yes, it allows you to input your yard's details. But RainMachine's smart watering isn't "set it and forget it" like Rachio or Blossom. You come up with your own schedule and then it will skip a day if it rains, water more if it's hot, water less if it's cold. The Rachio takes all that landscape info and turns it into a smart schedule.
Thanks for the fast response! Did you mean that the RainMachine allows you to input yard details, but nothing is done is that information (the amount of watering doesn't factor in the yard/soil type -- only the weather matters?)
In that case it sounds like a description or label (grass or flower bed or tree), and nothing more.
Yes, I'm not sure what it does with the info. You should reach out to RainMachine support, they'll answer your question pretty quickly I bet and give you all the info you need.
I will. If I hear from them, I will post the information here.
RainMachine actually responds on a Sunday, with detailed replies. Very impressive support. The controller does adjust the watering amount based on the type of vegetation you enter for each zone (from their FAQ, the coefficients are grass: 0.8, fruit trees: 0.95, flowers: 1.0, vegetables: 1.15, citrus: 0.65, bushes: 1.0, and other: 0.8). Of course, you can factor that into your base amount, but this gives you a second way of fine-tuning according to your type of landscape.
I'm considering the Spruce unit for my SmartThings setup, which at $150, seems to be a good bet. However I can find very little information about the Spruce (and no reviews, since it isn't available on Amazon - you have to buy direct from the company). I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Hahahha what, TH-cam algorithm is too smart. Mixing my favorite mtb youtuber with with wifi irrigation systems.
can you please suggest are Hydrawise and rachio comparable as my sprinkler contractor is gave the quote with Hydrawise.
One thing you didn't mention was what about water scheduling for different seasons. Here in california we can only water on certain days and for so long. I want to be able to program it for the full year per water district guide lines and not water on rainy days.
I have a Rain Machine, and you can set up restrictions - no watering during certain months, or days of week, or hours of day. I'm not sure if that's good enough for your needs.
Hi Brian can you please give your opinion on Hunter Hidrawise? Can't find any comparison online between Rain Machine and Hunter Hidrawise and would like to decide between the 2. (Unfortunatly Raccio doesn't work internationally). Thank you!
Thank you for the review. Very well done! . if i loose the wifi or no internet which one can work stand alone ?? RainMachine or Rachio
I bought the H2OPro Smart Sprinkler Timer with flow meters and it works great. Only uses home WiFi so it will continue operating as long as I have power at home. Internet is needed for getting local weather but it will still continue running if internet access goes down. I've never had a great desire to check my sprinkler while on vacation so internet access seems overrated. Bigger issue for me is that I always have trouble with animals chewing on my sprinkler heads and drip lines which cause big leaks but the H2OPro monitors flow and sends me e-mail alerts when there's a problem which is a big water savings.
What is your opinion for a 30-station with over & under-water alarms/notifications?
Great review! I’ve had a Cyber-Rain now for around 10 years and am having some issues and want to get something newer. Today, would you still recommend the Rachio as your first choice?
As a professional NO! These clocks have very limited manual controls that make it extremely difficult to use if for some reason you can't use the APP.
Get a B HYVE 67946, the one with the rotary dial on the front.
Keep in mind every company makes a bad model, but I've used everything and know which are good.
All rachio clocks are crap and overpriced
Have you tested the Skydrop controller? It is also WaterSense® Certified.
Nice review, thanks. I haven't looked at your other review videos yet so you may have already answered but I have a few questions. 1) Do any units offer a hardwired ethernet connection? 2) do any of the units integrate with a soil moisture sensor? 3) do any of the units integrate wth a flow sensor or can you add zone GPM to calculate water usage? As far as sky drop review, why not buy one, review it and return it within 30 days for a refund? Keep up the good reviews and thanks again.
+Craig Crowder Hey Craig, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
1) There are very few that do hardwire ethernet, but the BlueSpray and GreenIQ support it in their current devices.
2 & 3) Check out my smart sprinkler comparison here: thewifigarden.com/wifi-sprinkler-controller-comparison If you click on the image of each sprinkler controller on this page you can see more details of which controller support which inputs. I also think having a flow sensor would be an awesome addition to my system.
4) I really want to build relationships with these companies, so I wouldn't feel comfortable buying and returning one of their products. I'm well on my way to becoming the authority with smart sprinkler controllers, so hopefully they won't be able to ignore me much longer!
+Craig Crowder BlueSpray has the Ethernet and flow sensor support. With flow sensor, it can provide a graph of how long it waters and how much water it uses. Soil sensor is in the work.
+Dzuy Nguyen I'm testing a rainmachine hd-16 right now. I decided having a ethernet connection wasn't a show stopper. The following is from their wiki and pretty much sums up their approach to "smart'.
"Calibration efforts using complex formulas that take in consideration soil type, inclination and hypothetical solar irradiation amounts coupled with perfect water distribution among all sprinkler heads is possible but not practical nor accurate in gauging what’s best for your garden."
wikipage.rainmachine.com/index.php?title=How_It_Works
Your review is that what I was looking for. I will buy Rachio. Do you do another type of review? like digital house lock? Garage wifi sensor etc..
Hey Fabio, sorry I missed your comment. I am going to branch out into more smart home gadgets. I just got an "Open Sesame" wifi garage door unit that I'll be showing on the channel soon!
I have only two zones (back and front) but wifi is a must as it is for property in the other coast. the question is which will also work with irrigation well pump ? I have a pump that needs to be turned on for water to come out. what do I do?
Video was instrumental in my upcoming decision. Currently using a rain bird system and want to move into a wifi system. Thanks
Awesome, glad I could help you out!
Wifi Garden, other than ITTT triggers, can you elaborate on why you like the Rachio software better? Great reviews!
Thanks Jeff! The Rachio app and web app are both very nicely designed and easy to use. That's a huge plus for me. Rachio is also the #1 seller in the category, so I think it will have the staying power. Almost every controller, including Rachio, is an upstart company giving it their best shot, so in a year or so I think a few of these companies will be fading away. I have an entire review on the Rachio Gen 2 on my channel as well!
The Rain machine has a touch screen to program without a divice and it is good for winterizig!
+Everything home repair Definitely two points that I missed. I do my yard myself, so I'm the only one who uses the controller, but I know a lot of people have gardeners. Also, I'm in Northern California so no winterizing needed!
You get a thumbs up just for having Carcassonne in the background!
Haha, thanks!
Which ones can be operated manually, without Wifi?
Hey man, thanks so much for doing this! Quick question if you don't mind, any of these give you the ability to add another controller? We have a pretty large backyard and for whatever reason there is one big controller and one small and they work independently. THANKS AGAIN!!
Interesting. You should be able to put all the wires into one controller, especially if you get a 16 zone one. But there may have been a reason they set it up that way!
Have you revisited the RainMachine since the new version and updated software? I'm leaning more towards it since it has dedicated controls as well as being able to access it directly without registering for a online account. Are you aware of any others that can be accesed directly through its IP address?
+C Muir I haven't played with the Rainmachine since my review of the mini 8 a couple months ago. I do want to go back to these controllers now that it's been almost 6 months since I first started looking at them. The Bluespray can be connected to directly.
Thanks for the reply.. Which unit did you end up keeping? The Rachio?
I keep all of them so I can go back from time to time and test them out again. The Rachio is my #1, for sure.
I am trying to set up the Rachio Generation 2. I opened my old system box and there are 8 wires, which correspond to my 8 zones. Besides, there is a wire for PUMP… WHERE DOES THIS WIRE GO? Thanks for any comment.
Hey Oswaldo, my guess is that wire goes to the "common" wire marked C in this diagram: support.rachio.com/article/472-wiring-label-gen-2
I have a similar set-up. I think that wire is for the master valve or relay pump (if you have one) and should go to terminal M.
The wire (pump) goes to the common wire marked C. It works perfect. Thanks for your comment.
Awesome, glad the community could help!
I believe you, but there is a slight difference. The master valve is designed to turn on/open whenever you are watering, and shut off when you are not. The purpose is that, if you have a leak in one of the zones, the master valve will stop water from flowing out of the leak when you are not watering.
If you connect that wire to M, it should work as described above. If you connect the wire to C (which is always energized), the master valve will stay open all the time. It "works" in the sense that you have flow, and watering happens the way it normally does, but it defeats the purpose of having a master valve.
In a way, that's OK. Many systems don't have a master valve, and they work fine. The way you have it wired, the master valve is still there but it's like a dummy valve and does nothing.
very thorough review--thanks for the info!
I am new to this and would like to setup sprinkler system. Any starting guides and then install these Wifi controllers?
Great video, thanks for doing it. I may have missed it being mentioned but doesn't the Rachio require their servers (and connectivity thereto) for control? Thought I read that somewhere. Whereas the RainMachine does not?
Also, I love the idea of getting an email when some event happens on the controller, like the start and/or end of a watering cycle. You said that feature wasn't in the RainMachine but is coming soon?
Thanks again.
You are correct about the Rachio using cloud servers and RainMachine having a built in server. This is a deal breaker for some people, but for me it is not. If my internet is out, I have more things to worry about. If Rachio's servers are down they are in deep shit. If the servers go down it does just run whatever schedule you had going. So it would take a LOT of down time (weeks?) to really mess up your watering.
And yes, RainMachine has promised IFTTT "trigger" integration soon, so you could hook in all kinds of things like flashing your kitchen lights or getting an email when watering starts or stops. They have also said they will add more robust smart watering soon. So RainMachine is still evolving and getting better.
+The WiFi Garden Unless....their servers go done BECAUSE they are in deep sh*t (like going belly-up). Also on the RainMachine: went to their site and read their FAQ...wasn't thrilled with their response to questions about soil type and nozzle size - both answers seemed to say "...you can adjust...based on your own experience..." Hmm...what if I have no experience? Do I need to do weeks worth of testing?
+Kip Landingham Just read a FAQ on their site and it seems they now support it. Thanks again for the review, very helpful.
+Kip Landingham My replies aren't landing where I thought they would - FAQ on RainMachines' support site suggest they now support IFTTT triggers.
do you know if any of these controller can support for lawn or turf subsurface the irrigation system?
My dad runs subsurface irrigation with his lawn and he's using the RainMachine. As long as the pumps are the same as normal sprinklers then you're good to go.
My understanding, confirmed by Rachio, is that if they go out of business (as many such small companies are prone to do), the Rachio controller will loose most of its usefulness. This is true for most of these smart controllers. I'm choosing the Rainmachine because it does not have this limitation. It will continue to support smartphone control, local control and weather based control even if the company no longer exists. To me that is an important factor. (BTW, I have no affiliation with Rainmachine.)
I have read the same at Amazon feedback and question. It's awesome that we have the freedom to choose what to buy, and the fact that there are options available to pick and choose is icing on the cake. Giving that the Rainmachine and the Rachio are both equally at par features to features, I would opt for one made in the USA. My thought is if I buy stuff made here at home, maybe, just maybe, the company won't go out of business from our patronage. To me that is also an important factor. (BTW, I have no affiliation with either Rainmachine or Rachio).
Or, you could go with a product like the Toro Evolution Controller which uses the preferred RF 900 MHz radio signal to communicate, vs. Wi Fi. Wi Fi. A radio signal has 3x the strength of the Wi Fi signal and requires NO passcode from the end-user. Plus, you get the comfort and backing of a $2 Billion+ company. The Rachio's of the world may come and go, but Toro will stand the test of time and stand behind their products. We are and will continue to be huge fans of Toro in our house!
Scott Parcel absolutely true.... Too many of these companies just disappear... The lesser dependency you have on them the better.
After using this now I'm happy with it. I will add two comments. One is that while it seems it can work if the company were to go under, access from my laptop to manage it is dependent on their website, so I would have to rely only on the mobile app, which is not quite as complete as the web site.
One thing I wish it had is a rain sensor port. (The water district required the install of a rain sensor to get a rebate.) It can work with a rain sensor, but it does not know that the rain sensor is in the loop, and when the sensor is causing watering to be suspended, so the history of watering is then inaccurate. (Rain sensors used without a rain sensor port are connected between the common port and the common wires going to the valves. They operate by connecting/disconnecting this common wire and thus transparently prevent watering.) I don't know how many of the weather based controllers have this same limitation - I assume most are the same way.
If it requires no passcode, can your arrogant and nasty neighbor someday stumble upon your signal and spitefully mess with your system? I see several wifi networks with my computer, so it seems possible.
Brian - Thanks for all the great information. I was wondering if you could help recommend a controller for my situation. I have plenty of water but limited amount at a time, so I am currently running a zone for about 5-8 min, waiting 5 minutes and then running again for 5-8 minutes, etc. I am looking for a controller that can handle multi start/stop on each zone, then do the same on the next zone and the next Then do the same the next day with different zones. No more than 6-8 zones needed. Any recommendation would be appreciated.
I know the Rainmachine and Rachio both have the ability to do a "soak period" but I'm not sure how many you can incorporate. I would reach out to Rachio and RainMachine support with that question and see what they say. They both have great support with smart people!
I have a Rain Machine HD-12. It can do two things: 1. Divide each zone into smaller segments (up to 300!) with time delays between segments (up to 300 minutes). 2. Insert time delays (up to 59 minutes) between zones.
Basically you can have time delays within each zone, and between zones, to allow the water supply or water pressure to recover. I think that's what you are looking for. The only thing is that there is only one delay setting per program, so what you do for one zone applies to all the zones.
Thank you for this! Like you, it drive me nuts when I set my sprinkler and it rain as soon as I leave the house. I think I'm going to invest to one of this. Now, do you have video how to install it 🤣
which device provides these smart phone wifi capabilities... but also is easy for a landscaper to work with as well at the unit? Thanks.
Hi Brian with the rainmachine vs rachio can you install them outside?? Or are there weatherproof enclosures designed to house them outside?
Rachio has an outdoor enclosure I used. Works well. Can't say for the Rainmachine.
Do you know of a WiFi controller that will allow you to control the master valve individually by zone? I use my master valve for my rust system. On my old manual Rainbird I could set it to come on for certain zones but have yet to find a WiFi controller that will allow you to do this. It's either off or on all the time.
How many master valves do you have? I have a Rain Machine controller, and it can control ONE master valve (you must connect it to zone 1, and there is a setting where you designate it as a master valve). When you set it up like that, the master valve opens at the beginning of a program and closes at the end.
So between the Rachio and RainMachine, who's software is better? I'm undecided if the interface on the device head itself (RainMachine) is needed or not? Can more than one person install the app on the smart phone and use it? Like my wife etc? Are any of the two's app iPad compatible? or just smart phone?
For my tastes, Rachio software is better. If you don't have a need to control the unit manually, then it's not needed. I haven't tested logging in with different accounts, but you can definitely all log in with the same email/password. The apps are all iPad compatible.
+The WiFi Garden thanks. So if you had to pick one for your house or already did, which one are you going with? What changed in Gen1 to Gen2 Rachio?
If I had to go with just one it would be the Rachio. Rachio did a good job outlining the differences here: community.rachio.com/t/generation-2/2706
Thank sir, great job with all the reviews! I only have 7 zones working. But having options to add more is good for me.
How about access for my sprinkler repair guy? I currently have an Irritrol PC Control system, which is clunky (program thru a complicated PC program) but I like it, because it has a wireless remote controller. I leave it out when my repair guy comes and he can repair the system without needing access to my garage. Do any (or all?) of these controllers have a "guest" password so they can access my system this way? I am toying with the idea of using both control systems at the same time - I would remove all programming from the Irritrol system and tie in the Rainmachine system "in parallel". That way, I would only use my Irritrol remote when my repair guy needs it to manually control my zones, but otherwise, all programming/ sprinkling would be done thru the Rainmachine. Think that will work?? Thx!
Yes, Rachio has a "guest access" feature inside the web app that you can invite them to use your controller. Here's more info: support.rachio.com/article/342-landscaper-access-new
Did some searching and could not find any similar function for the Rainmachine.
+The WiFi Garden
Thx! I ordered the rain machine. I'm pretty sure I will hook up both controllers together (in parallel) with a shared 24V power supply. My old Irritrol unit will not have any programming - it will just be a "dumb" controller - it will only be controlled manually with the Irritrol wireless controller when needed for repairs, etc. I think it's a good solution and I think it I'll work as expected - no need to trash a perfectly good remote. It will arrive in about a week. Will let you know how it goes.
+jbreakstone Awesome, very curious. It seems pretty straightforward.
Do you know if any of these can run a weather based program in Canada?
Very nice, was considering the sky drop or rachio
Thanks! I just started testing the Skydrop, but the Rachio is a great buy.
+The WiFi Garden let me know what you think of the skydrop when you get a chance. Just ordered it when I spotted the 50% off deal for the 4th. Fingers crossed!
+Dana Simmelink My full review will be up in a couple weeks, but you'll be enjoying yours before then!
if wanted to buy a rain machine hd-12. how can I protect it from the Arizona heat and elements? my current controller is located outside.
You can put it inside a weatherproof box
Do any of these work within another home automation system such as Control 4 ?
Can any of these run multiple sprinkler heads at the same time?
Hi Brian, here is Giulio from Italy. I'd have an advice on which unit could better fit my needs (I have a small terrace not a garden but I'm obsessed with technology, you know). There are so many different brands - rachio, rain machine, sky drop, green iq etc etc). Please help me to make a choice keeping in mind that I live in Europe. I really don't know if this kind of thing could be plugged into a 230 volt net.
Please help me.
Thank you,
G
Can you turn off the setting so that when it rains it still waters?
Does anyone know if the RainMachine software will log USAGE of water? (Assuming no flow meter options exist.) I.e., do I get to hand enter a gpm based on what I believe my flow to be for each zone? So I can see that "Zone 2 used 1500 gallons the week of June 11-17, 2017." Or that "the irrigation system put on the equivalent of 0.5 inches of water the week of June 11-17, 2017" (regardless of the weather). Why do I ask? Well, can I look back and say: "Why doesn't zone 4 have any usage logged, and why is the lawn dying? OH CRAP, for some reason zone 4 is only running on Mondays, and got left out of the schedule the rest of the week!" Or many other reasons.
Yes you can define each zone as using so many gallons per minute, and it will tell you for each watering event which zone was watered, for how long, and what the water usage was. It also tells you the total water usage for the last week, last month and last year, and % water savings compared to the nominal program (if no weather adjustment were made). What you don't get is total water usage for each zone for the week or month, but only water usage of event. And yes, it does tell you if watering was skipped for a zone because of recent or upcoming rain.
what if i have three controllers? will the rainmachine or the rachio communicate with the other controllers.
Great video man!
Great video. Thank you for the rebate info. I looked into it and Cal Water offers a $125.00 rebate. I could not justify $200 to the wife for a controller. I can justify $75.
+Billy Blythe Awesome! People need to get these rebates while they last. The money will run out once everyone catches on.
you might want to check out some autonomous robotic lawn mowers such as robomow, been using mine for a couple years
Oh wow, that would be neat. I don't think my is big enough for it though.
I'm a fan of the rainmachine's touchscreen. I like that if the Internet is down I can still water my lawn using the rainmachine. If I had the rachio I can't. I have a rachio generation 1 device and I'm still not able to set it up. It uses blink up to sync to wifi and app. Not a fan. Generations 2 looks better, but I still would rather have the option to enter my wifi security Into the device. I'm working with customer support with Rachio, we'll see how that goes.
Is the company Blossom still in Business
Of all the "smart" controllers, only BlueSpray and RainMachine work without internet. If you think that's not important, think Revolv. Revolv is a home automation gateway, acquired by Nest. You'd think with Nest backing and lots of money, it'll last. Well, it got yanked and customers are left with useless devices.
Rachio has deep funding, but they're also burning a lot of money trying to capture a slow moving market. That makes me nervous.
+Dzuy Nguyen Yep, it's a serious thing to think about, but one of the reasons I wanted a smart sprinkler controller was so I could stop worrying about stuff! I've weighed the options and I'm trusting that Rachio will be around for a few years.
Go Hunter Hydrawise! Hunter is a great company and makes great products.
You are a mountain biker and a sprinkler aficionado ?
What about the orbit B-hyve?
but...but...but...with Rachio if you have problem connecting with Wi-Fi or you have disconnection issues, extremely limited manual controls!
Have you reviewed the Hunter HC pro?
HEY! Its that MTB guy!!
Good video but #1 should have been installing a controller your irrigation service person is able to access, program, run and test so your system can be repaired without you standing around waiting for the service person to tell you to run the zone #3 again, and again. Also, there are rain sensors, been around for many years. They work great.
+Mark Spiegel Yeah, I didn't realize that a solid group of people pay to have everything done for them. I'm more of a blue-collar Do It Yourselfer, so that's my angle on these reviews. Definitely something to think about.
I love the touch and wanted to install it in my house but you can’t hide the wires with out some creativity
When you end your video you should have given a slide of comparison with Tick n Cross marks. I would have got much more clarity which to buy. Anways rest was useful. Thanks.
Hahahahaha, really strange watching you talk about sprinklers instead of mountain bikes. See you on the trail bro! 👍🏻👍🏻
They all need an outdoor option. Buying a separate box makes for even more expense..
By the way, Skydrop is EPA Certified.
Not helpful. Had hoped would really get into the nitty gritty of how much control and flexibility the Rachio and RainMachine provide, which for me is deciding factor. Why spend time on other models?
Hey Michael, I have review and setup videos of each of the controllers on my channel if you want to get really deep. If you click that "i" in the top right of the video it has all the links.
Thank you
Well done sir
+mikerobisonpm Glad I could help!
What about sky drop?
+J Dub Reached out to Skydrop several times but they didn't want to send a unit for review. Still open to giving it a look.
The Rachio has push-in wire connectors as opposed to the vastly superior screw in terminals all others use.
WiFi will NEVER be as a reliable (or as easy) as a wired Ethernet connection to the Internet will be. I ended up switching to the WIRED version of HydroFlash. LOVE IT.
I'm wanting a digital and WiFI timer to be used in a slightly different application (but similar). I'm wanting something I can use to control an outdoor misting system (which is somewhat similar sprinkler system). I would only need 1 zone and does not need to be a "smart system". Ie...I want to program it to definitely go off certain times a day (and for only short periods of time). Would be great if something allowed to run in "seconds" and not just minutes. This will be hooked up to delivery booster pump and a solenoid valve. Also the booster pump is run on 12VDC so not sure I can use a standard sprinkler timer system.
How many people entered the closed area and died from bear attack after the sign was removed? LOL The concern about Rachio going out of business is legitimate however because it is compatible with Alexa I wonder if a 3rd party app could be developed through amazon skill developer....
Haha, they sold those in the gift shop!
holy crap! its bkxc!!!
Totally ! Love BKXC ! I thought I clicked on the wrong vid! Great work Brian