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The rachio switch platform allows you to toggle zones and schedules connected to your Rachio irrigation system on and off. After the connection is established, you can utter simple demands and questions such as "water the lawn in the backyard," "start watering," or "is the sprinkler running?" – no need to ask Google to talk to Rachio anymore. " If you have a big yard to water, from a time and money viewpoint, it's possibly best to invest in an irreversible in-ground watering system," states Lars Felber, supervisor of public relations for Eve. "But, if you have just a couple of plants, then a hose-based system will certainly suffice." Rachio and the Google Assistant make it easy to control watering using more than 48 simple voice commands.

Rachio has a history of rolling out new hardware with features not available to the previous generation. For example, HomeKit support is available only on the Rachio 3. Comparatively, all updates, including HomeKit, have come to the RainMachine controller we’ve been testing since 2017. According to experts we spoke with, many weather-based controllers fail to calculate ET effectively and often end up watering when they don’t need to. Keeping that concern in mind, we evaluated how each controller responded to changes in weather during testing and whether it allowed us to select a weather station versus a data source chosen by the controller. The system and app are easy to set up, and it adjusts watering according to hyper-local weather via your on-site weather station or Wunderground.
Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor Irrigation Controller
When rain was in the forecast, it would skip waterings for two to three days around the rain event, depending on how much rain was predicted. In a few cases, the sprinklers didn’t turn on for an entire week due to rain. The Rachio 3 used less water than we would have with our old system .

When the system was first set up in mid-winter, we noticed it wasn’t watering at regular intervals, which was easy to track because Rachio 3 can send notifications to your phone when it operates. As the weather changed, however, passing through spring and into summer, the watering increased, especially during really hot periods. The different zones all received enough water for the vegetation that was planted there, and the ground was never soggy like it used to be with our old controller. The Rachio 3 is often expensive, usually around $230 for the eight-zone version and $280 for the 16-zone model.
How smart sprinkler controllers work
Hopefully, it won't take long for them to provide native integration as well. The same as above is basically true for pipe leak detectors from LeakSmart and Flo by Moen. You can now ask Google Assistant itself for leaks and shut off water from your house without moving a finger or valve.

Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time. Allows a list of zones to be passed with a corresponding list of durations to create a custom schedule directly from Home Assistant.
Google Assistant adds native support for Rachio, LeakSmart, and other sprinklers and leak detectors
But with this EPA certification, they will be able to qualify for rebates, and hopefully they’ll become more affordable as a result. We’ll continue to monitor this area and update this guide if we find a soil-moisture-sensor controller that performs as well as the weather-based controllers and doesn’t cost a fortune. One feature we like is Adaptive Frequency, which skips a schedule if RainMachine’s algorithms determine that it needs to water for only a few minutes and then adds those minutes to the next watering. If you have local watering restrictions, you can tell the device about them, and it works around them. You can also share access with a landscape tech using a temporary access PIN, and you can choose from a variety of weather services, including private weather stations. The RainMachine Touch HD also has an option to tweak rain and wind sensitivity to prevent overwatering in inclement conditions.
Locate inspiration within our comprehensive Shopping Guides, in-depth How-Tos, and also handy tips as well as Ideas. Learn exactly how to live more sustainably, uncover the latest must-have electronic devices as well as discover what finest fits your way of living, house, workspace, and everything in between. If you need something to wear during training sessions, look for goods made of high-quality fabrics that are also waterproof. Rachio's mission is to advance the smart home outside, through conservation and connection. As a Certified B Corp, we uphold the highest standards of environmental impact and transparency. Collectively, Rachio users have saved billions of gallons of water.
After four seasons of testing more than a dozen models, we continue to recommend the Rachio 3 for most people. It adjusts to real-time weather conditions the most accurately and integrates with the most smart devices, yet it remains simple to use. It’s also WaterSense-certified, and it has basic controls on the device and lets you choose your weather station.
This will allow you to find out if any zones need repairs before proceeding. It can help to take a picture of your current wiring configuration so you have a guide — be sure to unplug the old controller before removing the cover to take a picture. To test the Ranchio 3, we had an individual read through all of the directions and set up the controller. Our tester then used the system for several weeks, exploring the features, functions and customization options while paying particular attention to the controller’s automatic weather-adjustment accuracy. During our testing, the RainMachine Touch HD would regularly drop offline, which is something that rarely happened to the Rachio 3 despite their being connected to the same network. Although the RainMachine continued to operate while offline, and we could still control its functions from the device, remote access is a key feature, and not being able to use the RainMachine model consistently was frustrating for us.
Since then, he has mostly been faithful to the Google phone lineup, though these days, he is also carrying an iPhone in addition to his Pixel 6. This helps him gain perspective on the mobile industry at large and gives him multiple points of reference in his coverage. Outside of work, Manuel enjoys a good film or TV show, loves to travel, and you will find him roaming one of Berlin's many museums, cafés, cinemas, and restaurants occasionally.
A typical attribute of a lot of these applications is the ability to arrange your system based upon a calendar or an existing clever home trigger. One crucial thing to take into consideration is the number of areas the lawn sprinkler can fit. If you have a larger backyard as well as wish to set up different sections for different times of day, having more areas suggests even more flexibility and also control. After using the Rachio 3 for several months, it became obvious that overwatering had been a problem for our lawn. Since the Rachio 3 was able to tie into local weather information, it was able to keep all vegetation healthy while offering a significant reduction in water usage. The optional “Yard Map” showed us a satellite view of our home, drawing shapes for each zone so we had an overview of our entire irrigation system.
Designed to help you care for any type of landscape, from a plant paradise to a desert oasis. If you go to the calendar tab and tap on a schedule, there’s a Quick Run button at the top of the schedule settings. The “Explore” option opened the Google Assistant app, where I searched for Rachio and was able to link and login to my account. However, Rachio still does not show up in my Device list and when I ask my Google Home to “Talk to Rachio” it says Rachio account is not linked and it tells me to link it in the Google Home app. When you open the assistant, you’ll see a little blue drawer icon in the top right corner.

The touchscreen provides complete control, so you don’t have to rely on the app, and the unit doesn’t require an internet connection. But its watering method and forecasting are less precise than those of the Rachio 3. This is the most flexible and easy-to-use smart controller for your yard or garden irrigation system. "New smart irrigation controller installation. Bye bye old, welcome to the technology, home owner very happy with her new timer." Aeon Matrix Smart Sprinkler Controller For homeowners looking to have smart irrigation along with additional home security, the Aeon Matrix sprinkler controller includes a built-in HD security camera. Before beginning the installation process, it is best to test the lines of your old irrigation system to confirm which line operates which sprinkler.