In the UK, we're renowned for not being able to deal with hot temperatures, and with hopefully another scorching summer on the way, your lawn could be left thirsty and unhealthy.
If your lawn and plants are in need of nursing back to health, or you want to ensure they stay in tip-top condition, investing in a sprinkler is a great way to go. A sprinkler is an excellent way to ensure your garden gets enough water, without completely flooding it and using more water than you need.
They allow for even watering and more control than is possible with a standard garden hose and are quicker and easier. If we’ve convinced you that you need a sprinkler in your life, read on as we show you the best sprinklers for small, medium and large gardens, as well as ones suited to flower beds and busy households.
Best garden sprinklers:
1 of 6WISDOMWELL Garden Sprinkler
Best sprinkler overall:This three-armed sprinkler rotates 360 degrees, enabling even water coverage. By twisting the nozzles from 3 to 5, you can adjust the spray range, angle and speed, and you can buy several of these sprinklers and connect them together for larger spaces. It's a good weight, so won't topple over, and the 2020 upgraded version aims to improve insufficient water pressure.Specs:• One-year warranty• Spray: 31ft - 48ft• Size: 9.8 x 7.8 x 3.9inReview: "Comes with many connections, the thing is weighted so it will not fall over. It spins but the speed is dependant on water pressure. All connections are made of plastic. Doesn't make much noise while spinning so great if you are away from it relaxing outside, great to keep lawns from drying out in the hot summer weather."
2 of 6Sun Joe SJI-OMS20 Aqua Joe Indestructible Oscillating Sprinkler
Best sprinkler for large gardens:Sun Joe claims that this sprinkler is 'indestructible', so it's great for homes with kids or dogs that love to play with the sprinkler in summer. It can cover large areas, up to 4,400² ft, and has 20 plastic clog-resistant nozzles so is even great for those in hard water areas. Specs:• Two-year warranty• Coverage: up to 4,400²ft• Spray: up to 70ft• Material: metal and plastic• Size: 43.18 x 16.51 x 7.62cmReview: "Well made water sprinkler weighted base the metal alloy construction really pays off. The flow pattern and coverage are superior to any previous sprinkler I owned. Bit of an investment but I feel it will provide many years of reliable use. I highly recommend it avid lawn maintenance aficionado for many year."
3 of 6GARDENA Classic Oscillating Sprinkler Polo 220
Best for small to medium-sized gardens:This oscillating garden sprinkler from Gardena promises to be long-lasting and durable, which is backed up by its five-year warranty. The integrated fine-mesh stainless steel filter is there to keep contaminants out, making it unlikely to have a blockage. Its 90-220m² reach is ideal for small to medium-sized gardens. Specs:• Five-year warranty• Coverage: 90-220m²• Spray: 7-17m• Sprinkling width: up to 13m• Size: 39.5 x 11.6 x 8cm• Material: stainless steelReview: "Covers a large area so long as you have a good pressure at the tap. Works well and makes watering gardens a cinch because of the wide adjustible area that it can cover."
4 of 6Gardena Aquazoom Compact Rectangular Sprinkler
Best sprinkler for keen gardeners:This smart-looking sprinkler is perfect for flower beds and plants, so it'll suit the green-fingered among you. It has an adjustable spray range, from 3m - 12m, a built-in filter and soft nozzles to prevent any soil from clogging it up. The round base keeps it stable, so you can relax knowing that all the watering is taken care of.Specs:• Five-year warranty• Coverage: 9 - 216m²• Spray: 3 - 12m• Material: plastic• Size: 26.7 x 7.9 x 27cmReview: "I spent ages looking for a sprinkler that was gentle and would water the flower bed and not just the lawn. This is very gently and easy to adjust to the desired area."
5 of 6Hozelock Pro Aquastorm Rectangular Sprinkler
Best rectangular sprinkler: This option from Hozelock is designed to be super sturdy, due to its solid sledge shape. Its oscillating action and 20 jets give you full and even coverage and it can reach up to 200m². As well as the traditional jet feature, it also can give a fine-spray – ideal for smaller areas, seedlings and greenhouses. Some reviews suggest the sprinkler stops working after a while, which may happen to those in hard water areas. Giving it a soak with water and vinegar should help to remove any limescale build-up.Specs:• Two-year guarantee• Coverage: 200m²• Size: 50 x 40 x 30cm• Material: plasticReview: "Brilliant sprinkler. Very long range, we have a large garden length ways and it hits both ends with ease, without even being at its full range of motion. The sprinkler covers the ground with a good consistency of water, very light and easy to use and manoeuvre. The red toggles just basically allow quite refined control on how far it goes forward and how far back, it's pretty useful! This is our second one, and the only reason for replacement is because a very large husky 'played' with it and bulldozed it across the garden... Even then it worked, but one of the red toggles was intermittent, pretty sturdy thing overall for something so light! Highly recommended."
6 of 6Amlion Garden Sprinkler
Best value sprinkler:Don't let the affordable price tag of this Amlion sprinkler fool you, as the company promises premium quality to last you extensive use. This rotating irrigation system pledges to save water by allowing you to alter the distance and pressure, dependant on your needs. It has three nozzles and rotates 360 degrees.Specs:• Spray: 25-32 ft• Material: ABS plastic• Size: 3.54 x 8.07 x 0.79inReview: "Order was so fast to deliver as always very impressed with Amazon. This sprinkler is great value for money and so easy to use. Set up was quick and it's so light and easy to use. The spread of water is so far and I'm very impressed with such a small sprinkler and how far the water travels."
£11.99
Tired of lawn maintenance? Why not give artificial grass a try?
Types of garden sprinklers:
There are a variety of different garden sprinklers out there, but which one do you go for? It all depends on the size of your garden and what you plan to use the sprinkler for. If you envision it going in your greenhouse to keep your plants damp or to water smaller plants and seedlings, a sprinkler with a fine-spray function is for you. If you have a large lawn you want to maintain, then you need to look out for a sprinkler with an extensive water reach.
Oscillating sprinklers
A selection of the sprinklers recommended above come under this category. These are long, rectangular sprinklers that wave backwards and forwards – spraying water in a rectangular shape. These sprinklers can usually be adjusted to reach different distances, making them an ideal choice for small to medium-sized gardens.
Rotary sprinklers
These sprinklers have multiple arms which rotate 360 degrees in a circular motion. They can usually be altered to different speeds. They can be used in gardens of all sizes, but are best for smaller spaces.
Stationary sprinklers
These unmoving sprinklers are often the cheapest option and are ideal if you have one area of your garden you would like to water, or are only covering a small space.
Pulsating sprinklers
These sprinklers are what you’re likely to see in sprawling grassland or used in farming due to their ability to cover large areas. As the name suggests, they pulse water out to achieve far distances.
What to do if your sprinkler gets clogged up
If you live in a hard water area, you may occasionally see that limescale has clogged up your nozzles and the sprinkler isn't working the way it should.
If this happens, the simplest thing to do is to soak your sprinkler in a mixture of vinegar and water, and remove any debris gently with a toothbrush.
Sprinkler maintenance
While some sprinklers will offer frost-proofing, many do not, so it's best to store your sprinkler somewhere dry and warm over the winter period.
Make sure to clean your sprinkler regularly to avoid any build-up, and keep it in pristine condition.
Before use, check for any damaged or broken parts, and address any leaks immediately, as ignoring them could lead to uneven coverage and a soggy, overwatered lawn.
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