The best sprinklers for lawns and gardens

Get the Full StoryWater is essential for plant life.

Selecting the best type of water delivery system can save money, protect natural resources, and give the gardening results you desire.

We tested these five sprinklers to find the best ones for durability, water distribution, ease of use, and price.

For a gardener on a budget, the Melnor XT 4000 Oscillating Sprinkler will provide the irrigation your plants need.

Every gardener, even one without a green thumb, knows that plants need water to survive. Even if you are devoted to cacti and other drought-tolerant xeriscaping grasses and plants, they still need some moisture. That's why it's important to understand the watering requirements of different plants, your local climate and soil, and how to properly add supplemental water.

One of the best places to start and it's free is your local county extension office. Tied to land-grant agricultural colleges in every state, Extension horticulturists can answer your questions and help you determine your gardening needs. Even as a farmer's daughter, I learned so much from the horticulture specialists and county agents I worked with at Clemson University Extension who helped community members with problems or taught them to become Master Gardeners.

Before you start sprinkling water everywhere just because you think you should, spend some time observing these four things:

Plant variety in the garden: Trees, shrubs, lawn grasses, annuals, and perennials all have different water needs. If you are just getting started, try to group plants with similar water needs together.

Climate and annual rainfall: Windy, dry climates are very different from cloudy, humid areas and require different water levels and methods of delivery to get the most moisture to the plant's root system.

Soil type: Get to know your dirt. Clay soil is heavy and water is absorbed slowly so you need to water at a slow rate. Water passes through sandy soil quickly and plants need to be watered more often. Loam soil, a combination of sand, clay, and organic matter, distributes water evenly and is the easiest to manage.

Size and slope of the garden: Sprinkler choices will depend upon the terrain and the size of the area that needs watering.

If you don't have an automatic irrigation system installed and don't have time to water every area of your garden with a garden hose or watering can, you are going to need a sprinkler to help distribute water in your garden. We've tested these five sprinklers for durability, water distribution, ease of use, and, of course, price.

Here are the best sprinklers in 2020:

Best sprinkler for large lawns: Nelson 1865 RainTrain Traveling Sprinkler

Best sprinkler for small lawns: Melnor XT Turbo Metal Oscillating Sprinkler with Flow Control

Best shelf sprinkler for flowers and vegetables: Gardena 1951 Spike Sprinkler

Best soaker hose: Gilmour Flat Soaker Hose

Best budget sprinkler: Melnor XT 4000 Oscillating Sprinkler

The best sprinkler for large lawns

Ace Hardware

The Nelson 1865 RainTrain Traveling Sprinkler moves along a garden hose allowing you to water large areas without having to move the sprinkler.

When you need to provide water to a large, open expanse, the bright yellow Nelson 1865 RainTrain Traveling Sprinkler that can cover 13,500-square-feet is a perfect choice. Moving along a customized hose path that you lay out and powered by the force of the water, the RainTrain is both practical and fun to watch.

The body of the train is made of cast iron that has a fired, rust-proofed coating and weighs about 17 pounds. The sprinkler arms are made from aluminum and can be set to cover an area with a diameter of 15 to 55 feet at three different speeds. An automatic shut-off keeps the sprinkler from overwatering at the end of the line.

I am impressed with the high-grade materials and durability after several seasons of use. Even though I've had no problems, it's good to know that the RainTrain has a two-year warranty. There is a bit of a learning curve to make sure the sprinkler runs at the speed you desire and know how to set up the hose path.

One tip that will make the operation more trouble-free is to use a 5 8-inch hose. A smaller hose can cause the train to jump the tracks. Lay out the hose properly, especially curves, read the manual to avoid kinks and the train will chug along easily.

Pros: Covers large lawns without having to move the sprinkler, made of durable materials, two-year warranty, replacement parts available

Cons: Necessary learning curve for first use, not suitable for heavily planted, or highly sloped natural areas

The best sprinkler for small lawns

Walmart

Made with durable materials, the Melnor XT Metal Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler with Flow Control provides precision watering for small areas.

When I moved from my after-college apartment to my first home, I happily went out and bought "yard stuff." I didn't give much thought to quality or appropriateness for my garden, I just bought a lawnmower, hose, sprinkler, and rake that I could afford. If I had been a bit more astute, I would have known that you get what you pay for and chosen a more durable sprinkler like the Melnor XT Metal Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler with Flow Control.

The sprinkler I bought was 100 plastic, light-weight, and the hose connection soon cracked and began to leak. That's why I prefer the metal components of the Melnor XT. The base of the sprinkler is metal so it stays in place. There is a removable metal filter that can be cleaned and the end plug doubles as a cleaning tool for the nozzles.

Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, the sprinkler features controls to adjust the width, range, and flow of the watering pattern. I can pinpoint specific areas, like a newly-planted bed, that need watering. There are 20 nozzles that can cover up to 4,500-square-feet.

I am particularly impressed with the smooth movements and the ability to adjust the spray so that I am not shooting water high into the air where too much evaporates before it ever hits the ground and the roots of the plants. While I use this sprinkler for specific planting beds around the house, I gave it to a friend as a house-warming gift for her patio home and she finds that it covers all of her garden-watering needs. She agrees that I chose a winner.

Pros: Adjustable width, range, and flow of water pattern, all-metal components, heavy-duty, limited lifetime warranty

Cons: Must be moved frequently to cover large areas of lawn

The best shelf sprinkler for flowers and vegetables

Amazon

For newly seeded areas or tender young plants, the Gardena 1951 Spike Sprinkler delivers the water they need without harming their growth.

Just as babies need a gentle touch, so do young plants and freshly planted seeds to encourage growth. The Gardena 1951 Spike Sprinkler delivers the moisture they need in a fine mist spray that protects your investment and hard work.

I love to collect seeds from fellow gardeners and nurse them along into mature plants. There is a true sense of accomplishment that just can't be achieved by purchasing a full-grown plant from a commercial nursery. Whether I direct-sow into the soil or start the seeds indoors, the water they need must be delivered gently or the seeds will wash away or drown. That's why I love the Gardena Spike Sprinkler.

The easy-to-move and connect spike delivers water in a fine mist that soaks into the soil slowly and doesn't beat down fragile seedlings. The mist is delivered in a circular pattern that can reach a diameter of up to 10 yards. However, by just reducing the water pressure, the diameter can be adjusted to cover much smaller areas.

Pros: Simple to install, delivers water in a fine mist spray, adjustable for coverage area, compatible with other Gardena sprinkler components, 12-month warranty

Cons: Hose connector is plastic and can break if not handled carefully

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