A sprinkler takes the effort out of watering; all you need to do is move it around every 30-minutes or so.
If you think a sprinkler could help you with your yard maintenance, you need to settle on the best model for your watering application. There are hundreds of models from dozens of manufacturers available from online retailers.
We spent countless hours testing and scouring through the models currently on the market settle on the top-10 products for our review. From our top-10, we selected these three models as our top picks for the best oscillating sprinkler. Choose the model that suits your watering needs and your budget.
In this review, we’ll look at the best oscillating sprinkler system for your yard.
Our Top Picks
Contents
- 1 Our Top Picks
- 2 Oscillating Sprinkler Reviews
- 2.1 Eden Turbo 94116 Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.2 Gardena Aquazoom Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.3 MaxFlo Oscillating Rotary Sprinkler
- 2.4 Gardena Solid Base ZoomMaxx Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.5 Gardena Staked ZoomMaxx Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.6 Orbit Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.7 Melnor Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.8 Melnor MiniMax Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.9 Aqua Joe Oscillating Sprinkler
- 2.10 Eden 94113 Essential Oscillating Sprinkler
- 3 Other Best Selling Options
- 4 Oscillating Sprinkler Buyer’s Guide
- 5 Oscillating Sprinkler FAQs
- 6 Oscillating Sprinklers – The Verdict
- Best Pick: Eden 94116 Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
The Eden 94116 oscillating sprinkler wins our award for the best overall model in this review. This sprinkler comes with a cast iron base, providing stability to the sprinkler in use. The sturdy metal design also prevents dogs from chewing on the sprinkler if you forget to pack it away. This model includes 20 anti-clogging nozzles, with a built-in cleaning tool included. This model features a 3-way adjustment of flow, spray width, and spray length, allowing for custom watering patterns to suit any yard. This model comes with coverage for up to 4,973-square feet, making it suitable for the largest yards. - Premium Pick: GARDENA Aquazoom Oscillating Sprinkler
The Gardena Aquazoom wins our award for the best premium model in this review. This oscillating sprinkler comes with a streamlined design and low center of gravity to prevent movement and flipping when you turn on the water. - Budget Pick: MaxFlo Oscillating Rotary Sprinkler
Homeowners looking for the best budget buy in this review will get loads of value from this MaxFlo oscillating sprinkler. This model comes with a triple watering arm design, featuring adjustable spray heads with spray nozzles angled in different directions for optimal coverage. The adjustable spray head also for custom watering patterns, with coverage for up to 3,600-square feet. This model comes with a flow-through design, allowing you to connect multiple sprinklers in series. This model features a sturdy base with handle cut-outs for easy carry and storage.
Oscillating Sprinkler Reviews
Eden Turbo 94116 Oscillating Sprinkler
If you want to reduce your watering responsibilities in the garden this year, let this Eden oscillating sprinkler do the work for you. This model wins our award for the best overall oscillating sprinkler in this review. The outstanding feature of this model is the cast metal base, providing stability to the sprinkler.
The steel base ensures the sprinkler doesn’t move under high water pressures, keeping it firmly on the ground. Pets love to chew on garden sprinklers, and if you leave it out overnight, Fido might destroy it. However, with the steel base, you don’t have to worry about the dog chewing it to pieces.
The Eden 94116 oscillating sprinkler comes with 20 clog-resistant nozzles. If they do become clogged, there’s a built-in tool included for freeing them up. You get a three-way adjustment of the spray’s flow, width, and height, with a turbo motor covering up to 4,973-square feet.
This model comes with quick-connector compatibility for easy fitment to your hose. There are a flow adjustment knob and two sliders to adjust the range of the sprinkler crossbar.
- Excellent value
- Solid rust-resistant steel base
- 20-clog resistant nozzles
- Sliding tab for an adjustable range
- Flow control knob
- Sealed turbo drive
- Built-in nozzle cleaning tool
- Quick connect adapter
- Covers up to 4,973-square feet
Gardena Aquazoom Oscillating Sprinkler
Gardena makes some of the best gardening tools and equipment available. This oscillating sprinkler wins our award for the best premium model in this review. You get a sturdy plastic base, featuring holes that reduce weight while providing a hanging loop for easy storage.
This Gardena sprinkler covers 3,800 square feet, with an adjustable spray length from 23-feet to 69-feet. You also get full control over the spray width between 13-feet to 18-feet. The adjustable flow rate knob gives you efficient watering of your lawn to suit your yard’s size and your garden’s water requirements.
This model comes with a sealed turbo motor, allowing for fast and efficient watering of your lawn or flowerbeds. This Gardener model offers even watering of your yard, with no pooling and full coverage between the spray nozzles when in use.
The only issue we have with this oscillating sprinkler is the plastic design. If you have dogs, make sure you pack the sprinkler away after use to prevent them from chewing on the base.
- Adjustable spray range
- Adjustable spray width
- Quick-connect compatible
- Quality gardening brand
- Flow control knob
- 3,800-square-feet of coverage
MaxFlo Oscillating Rotary Sprinkler
Homeowners looking for the best value deal in this review will get the most value out of this MaxFlo model.
This oscillating sprinkler feature a triple-arm watering head that spins 360-degrees. You get access to multiple watering patterns through the adjustable sprinkler heads on each arm, featuring multi-angle nozzles.
This model features a fast flow rate, adjustable through your tap connection. Open the tap to increase your range, or close it to reduce the range. You get a flow-through design, allowing you to connect multiple sprinklers in series to cover the largest lawns and yards.
This oscillating sprinkler features a wide, sturdy base, with grips for carrying it around the yard and easy hanging storage. This sprinkler system gives you coverage of up to 3,600-square feet. It comes with an affordable price tag, making it the best budget buy in this review.
- 360-degree oscillating action
- Flow-through design
- Triple spray arms
- Adjustable spray direction
- Multi-angled nozzles
- 3,600-square feet of coverage
- Affordable value
Gardena Solid Base ZoomMaxx Oscillating Sprinkler
This compact ZoomMaxx model from Gardener is another top choice for an oscillating sprinkler. You get a weighted base design, preventing movement of the sprinkler during operation at full power. The base has handle cut-outs that also act as convenient on-the-wall storage for your sprinkler, out of the way of your pets.
This model comes with an adjustable sprinkler action, offering you flexible coverage from 76-square feet to 2,300-square feet, making it suitable for use in mid-sized to smaller yards. The sprinkler head comes with an adjustable flow rate tab and tabs to control the range of the sprinkler width on either side of the head.
The ZoomMaxx comes with a flow-through design and quick-connector attachments for mounting multiple sprinklers in series. The sprinkler head contains 16 clog-resistant rubber nozzles and a sealed turbo drive for fast and efficient watering.
- Weighted base design
- Fully adjustable for length and width
- Flow control
- 16 flexible nozzles
- Sealed turbo drive
- Coverage for 2,300-square feet
Gardena Staked ZoomMaxx Oscillating Sprinkler
This Gardena ZoomMaxx model comes with a step-stake design instead of a molded base like the previous product covered in this review. The step-stake design makes it easy to drive into your lawn or flowerbeds, providing a stable sprinkler that doesn’t move when you turn on the water.
The metal step spike is easy to adjust using the dial, providing a clean staking action into the soil or lawn. The sprinkler head comes with all the outstanding features of the previous ZoomMaxx model. You get 16 rubber sprinkler nozzles with anti-clog technology.
There are two adjustable tabs under the sprinkler head, allowing you to set the range of your spray width on either side of the head. You can lock the sprinkler in one position or let it ossiculate to your preferred settings.
The sprinkler head comes with the same sealed turbo drive you get in the previous Gardena models and adjustable spray throw between 76-square feet to 2,300-square feet.
- Step stake design
- 16-flexible watering nozzles
- Adjustable length and width
- Sealed turbo drive
- Swivel function on the spray head
Orbit Oscillating Sprinkler
The Orbit oscillating sprinkler is a great choice for mid-sized to larger yards. This model comes with a flatbed crossbar design, featuring aluminum construction with 17 clog-resistant nozzles.
There’s a flow control knob on the side to adjust the water pressure running through the sprinkler and adjustable tabs to set your watering width. This Orbit model covers up to 3,600-square feet, with fast and efficient watering of your lawn, thanks to the gear-drive motor.
This sprinkler comes with a wide plastic base to prevent movement during use. However, we feel it’s a bit light, but the wide footprint ensures stability. The sprinkler has a lightweight design, and it’s easy to hang up out of the way from your dogs.
There’s a swivel connection for your hose attachment, with an adjustable range of the crossbar to suit your watering needs.
- Wide base for sturdy use
- Lightweight plastic body
- Swivel connection
- Adjustable flow rate
- Gear-drive
- Aluminum crossbar
Melnor Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
This model is a great choice for the largest backyards and lawns. Melnor makes some top-quality, affordable gardening products, and we find this model especially impressive.
There’s a wide base for a sturdy footprint, preventing the sprinkler from moving around when you turn on the water. This model comes with 20 precision spray nozzles on the crossbar, offering coverage up to 4,500-square feet.
This model comes with a three-way adjustment of the watering length, width, and the flowrate to the crossbar. This Melnor oscillating sprinkler features a built-in cleaning tool for the anti-clog nozzles, with adjustable spray coverage using the convenient side tabs that lock into place to secure your watering pattern.
This model features a flow rate dial on the top of the base, with quick-connector adapters for your hose. This model features Melnor’s Infinity drive, providing fast and effective watering of your lawn, with twin touch controls allowing for custom watering of any size lawn.
- Full control of range, width, and flow
- 20 precision watering nozzles
- Covers up to 4,500-square feet
- Infinity turbo drive
- Quick connector compatible
- Nozzle cleaning tool included
Melnor MiniMax Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler
Melnor gets a second mention in this review for this outstanding model. Once again, Melnor delivers a top-quality sprinkler at an affordable price point. This model features a wide footprint preventing movement of the sprinkler during use. The cut-out handles provide easy carry around the yard and secure wall-storage away from pets.
This model features a sprinkler head suitable for use in mid-sized gardens and lawns. You get a flow-through design in the base, allowing you to connect multiple sprinklers in series. The base also allows the custom positioning of the sprinkler head through a 360-degree range of motion.
The sprinkler head comes with 16-spray nozzles, featuring tab adjustment for customized watering patterns. You get a 4-way adjustment of the sprinkler nozzles, the sprinkler head movement, a rotary positioning, as well as full command of the flow rate.
This model has a small size, with a powerful watering action covering up to 4,000-square feet. The Infinity drive motor on this Melnor model ensures fast and efficient watering of your lawn and flowerbeds.
- Coverage up to 4,000-square feet
- 3-way adjustment of flow, width, length
- 360-degree positioning
- Quick connector compatible
- Infinity turbo motor
- Sturdy wide base
Aqua Joe Oscillating Sprinkler
Aqua Joe is the sister brand of Sun Joe. The “Joe” range of gardening appliances and power tools offers some of the best value-for-money in the market. This oscillating sprinkler keeps up with that tradition, offering superior watering at an affordable price point.
The Aqua Joe oscillating sprinkler comes with a plastic base. It’s not as wide as we would like, and you can expect some minor flipping or movement if you turn on the water too fast. However, the plastic crossbar offers effective watering of your lawn and flowerbeds, featuring 16 spray nozzles at different angles for optimal coverage of your yard.
The Aqua Joe offers custom watering angles using the tabs on the crossbar sides, allowing you to set it up for narrow or wide watering.
You get coverage of 3,600-square feet with this model and an adjustable flow rate for use in any size yard. This model features compatibility with quick-connectors sold separately and leak-resistant connections.
- Customizable watering patterns
- Coverage for up to 3,600-square feet
- Leak-resistant connections
- 3-way adjustment for flow, width, and length
- 16-clog resistant nozzles
- Lightweight base
- Affordable
Eden 94113 Essential Oscillating Sprinkler
Here we are at the end of our review, and we come full-circle with our final model being another offering from Eden. This 94113 model from Eden is another top choice for mid-sized to larger gardens. However, th9is model comes with the standard weighted plastic base, instead of the steel model that won the best overall model in this review.
However, the weighted base keeps the sprinkler firmly in place, even during max-flow operation. The plastic crossbar comes with 16 clog-resistant nozzles and the same built-in nozzle cleaning tool you’ll find on the top model in this review.
You get fully adjustable watering patterns, with movement tabs on either side of the sprinkler crossbar. The sprinkler covers up to 3,600-square feet, with flowrate control for compatibility with any size yard. This model comes with a sealed turbo drive for fast and efficient watering of your lawn, and it’s compatible with quick-connectors.
- Excellent value for money
- 16 clog-resistant nozzles
- Coverage for up to 3,600-square feet
- Aluminum crossbar
- Built-in cleaning tool
- Sealed turbo drive
- A weighted, sturdy base
- Adjustable flow, width, and length
Other Best Selling Options
- 20 Precision rubber nozzles provide maximum coverage of a large lawn or garden up to 4, 500 sq. Ft.
- Twin touch adjustment controls the width of the watering pattern to cover the whole yard or a narrow flower bed
- Infinity turbo drive provides a smooth operation for even watering and extended life
- Quickly connect and disconnect the sprinkler with an included Quick Connect Product Adapter (Requires Quick Connect Product End Connector sold separately)
- Backed by the Milnor Limited Lifetime . Melnor stands behind its products
- Questions, Text 563563 to chat directly with a Aqua Joe expert
- CUSTOMIZABLE: Completely customizable coverage patterns
- RANGE: Superior range control covers up to 3600 sq ft
- DURABLE: Leak-resistant connection so you can water with peace of mind
- CLOG-RESISTANT: Equipped with 16 clog-resistant nozzles
- Note: Packaging May Vary
- Customizable: completely customizable coverage patterns. Range: superior range width control covers up to 4500 sq. Ft
- Powerful: turbo drive motor for long life dependable operation
- Durable: Leak-resistant connection
- We’ve got you covered : your new Turbo oscillating sprinkler is backed by the snow Joe customer promise. We will warrant New, powered products for two years from the date of purchase. No questions asked. Contact snow Joe
- Flexible tube that can bend, but will not break!
- The sliding range adjusters make it easy to position the water exactly where it’s needed without wasting any on the sidewalk or driveway
- TurboTek motor provides a smooth operation and long life for years of reliable use. Clog resistant design works through sediment so water continues to run evenly
- Quickly connect and disconnect the sprinkler with an included QuickConnect Product Adapter (Requires QuickConnect Product End Connector sold separately)
- Backed by a Melnor Limited 7-Year Warranty. We stand behind our products.
- Easy control: control your spray with the adjustable spray Width, spray range, and water flow
- Range: Max width - 59 ft. Max coverage area - 4, 250 sq. Ft.
- 360º: adjustable neck rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise
- Clog-resistant: 20 clog-resistant rubber nozzles for an even watering every time
Oscillating Sprinkler Buyer’s Guide
The heatwave brings with it the official start to summer – and you’re melting. With temperatures in the 120s, you’re feeling mighty uncomfortable inside your home. It’s time to adjust the thermostat and get a cold glass of water to quench your thirst.
That’s when you realize you haven’t watered the garden in the last two days, and your new flowerbeds must be dying for a drink right now. As you wander out into the garden, the heat hits you in the face after being in the cool of the air conditioner indoors.
You look out to the flowerbeds you planted earlier in the week, and it’s not looking good. The lawn is starting to show more brown thatching, and you need to get some water around your yard immediately if you want to stop everything drying out.
You grab the hose and get to work. Nearly two hours later, you finish your watering duties, with your sweat-soaked shirt clinging to your back – lovely. Why not make your watering duties easier with an oscillating sprinkler for your yard?
A sprinkler is an essential piece of gardening equipment for your yard. Chances are, you don’t have hours to spend watering your garden each week. If you want to reduce your watering duties, then you’ll need to invest in a sprinkler system to do the work for you.
After reading through the reviews of the best oscillating sprinkler, you might find yourself experiencing confusion about choosing the right model for your yard and watering duties. That’s okay. We understand that it’s tough trying to settle on the right product for your flowerbeds and lawn.
In this section, we’ll unpack the benefits of a sprinkler for your yard. We’ll also include tips and information on what to look for in the best oscillating sprinkler system.
How Does an Oscillating Sprinkler Work?
An oscillating sprinkler consists of three parts – the base, the crossbar, and the drive motor.
You connect the sprinkler via quick-connect systems, allowing for an easy setup. When you turn on the tap and put water through the hose, the water pressure activates the gear drive or motor in the sprinkler.
The drive motor propels the crossbar in a back-and-forth motion, watering your garden. Most oscillating sprinklers come with adjustable watering range, width, and length. As long as there is the water pressure in the sprinkler, it will work fine.
If the water pressure is low in your area, you might have some issues with running your oscillating sprinkler. Since the drive components work under high-pressure, low water pressure in your hose causes inefficient and ineffective watering.
What Do I Look for In an Oscillating Sprinkler?
- Spray Range – The crossbar on the sprinkler head moves from side to side, watering your yard. Most models come with flow rate dials, allowing the spray throw’s easy adjustment to suit your watering application.
- Coverage Area – Check the coverage area of your prospective sprinkler. Mid-sized to smaller yards suit sprinklers with capacities up to 3,400 square feet. Larger gardens need coverage up to 3,800-square feet, while the largest lawn and estates need a 4,500-square foot range or more for optimal coverage of your grass and flowerbeds.
- Durability – Look at the quality of the sprinkler. Your model should not have a flimsy appearance. Look for sprinklers offering steel or weighted bases to reduce movement when you turn on the tap.
- User-Friendly – Choose an oscillating sprinkler with user-friendly operation. Your model should come with convenient controls for adjusting the spray width, length, and flow rate. Look for models with open bases for easy carry around the yard and wall-storage out of the way of pets.
- Maintenance – Oscillating sprinklers sometimes have issues with clogging of the nozzles. Some models come with built-in cleaning tools for easy maintenance of the sprinkler. However, it’s usually easy to poke the nozzles clean using a toothpick if you don’t get a dedicated tool with your sprinkler.
- Price – You can pick up an oscillating sprinkler at price points anywhere between $15 to $70, depending on the model and brand. Choose a sprinkler that offers the best balance between budget and performance; some of the most affordable models in this review offer the best performance for your yard.
- Warranty – Your sprinkler should come with a warranty. Most manufacturers offer limited lifetime warranties, allowing for a replacement if you experience defects with the sprinkler.
- Watering Patterns – Select a model that offers you custom watering patterns. The crossbar should come with two fully-adjustable directional tabs. Set these tabs, and the spray only moves in the range set by the tabs. This feature allows for effective and efficient watering of the widest or narrowest flowerbeds and lawns.
What are the Benefits of Watering with an Oscillating Sprinkler?
Buying an oscillating sprinkler for your yard is a great way to cut back on your gardening duties this summer.
Here are the top benefits of purchasing an oscillating sprinkler for your gardens watering requirements.
- Free Up Your Time – How many hours do your spend watering your lawn each week? Sure, it’s relaxing standing in the garden enjoying your lawn and flowerbeds as you water. However, we all have those moments where life gets in the way, and we must choose between more important projects – or watering the lawn. An oscillating sprinkler does the watering for you, and if you link it to a sprinkler system, you get autonomous watering of your grass and flowerbeds.
- Portable and Easy to Move – An oscillating sprinkler is lightweight and compact, allowing you to move it around the lawn or flowerbeds for effective watering.
- Good for Lawns and Flowerbeds – The adjustable sprinkler crossbar or head makes it easy to set custom watering ranges to suit your flowerbeds or lawn, reducing overwatering.
- Wide Range – An oscillating sprinkler gives you a wide sprinkler range, allowing you to cover your entire lawn with the sprinkler.
- More Affordable than an Underground System – Underground sprinkler systems can cost you upward of $4,000, depending on your garden’s watering requirements. With an oscillating sprinkler, you get an affordable option for watering your garden. Connect the sprinkler to your controller system for fully autonomous watering of your lawn and flower beds this summer.
Oscillating Sprinkler FAQs
Why is my sprinkler not oscillating?
If the sprinkler doesn’t start oscillating when you turn on the tap, chances are the water pressure in your home is too low. Weak water pressure also prevents the machine’s effective oscillation, leading to low output from your sprinkler.
How long should I use my oscillating sprinkler in a single watering session?
We recommend leaving your oscillating sprinkler to run for an hour before switching its location in your yard. However, remember to turn it off after you finish. Set the alarm on your phone if you’re going back inside, or you might forget about it and wake up to your lawn being underwater the following morning.
How long does it take an oscillating sprinkler to water an inch of soil?
The best way to check on your sprinkler’s output is to run a test in your backyard. Set up the sprinkler and start it. Place a Tupperware container in the sprinklers watering path, and see how long it takes to fill to an inch depth. In most cases, you’ll find it’s around thirty minutes. Remember to move your sprinkler around every hour to prevent waterlogging of your flowerbeds and lawn.
Where can I purchase the best oscillating sprinkler?
We recommend you pick up your oscillating sprinkler from Amazon, the world’s largest eCommerce retailer. With Amazon, you know you’re getting the best price, and you have an outstanding range of products available. Prime members qualify for free shipping, with buyer protection on your order. Amazon offers you hassle-free returns if there’s anything wrong with your oscillating sprinkler.
Oscillating Sprinklers – The Verdict
The right osculating sprinkler reduces your watering duties around the yard this summer. Instead of waking up to dry, half-dead flowerbeds and a brown lawn – you can give your garden all the water it needs.
By now, you should have a good idea of the best oscillating sprinkler models. However, we realize it’s challenging to settle on one when you have so many good options in this review. If you’re having trouble selecting your ideal oscillating sprinkler, why not go with one of your top picks?
- The Eden Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler wins our top choice for the best overall model in this review. You get 4,973-square feet of coverage, with a powerful spray throw up to 72-feet. This model comes with a steel base to prevent movement during use and your pets chewing on it if you leave it outside.
- The Gardena Aquazoom Oscillating Sprinkler is our best premium choice in this review. It comes with 3,800-square feet of coverage, and a low-counter of gravity between the base and sprinkler crossbar, preventing flips and movement. You get adjustable watering patterns, and it’s compatible with quick-connectors.
- The MaxFlo Oscillating Rotary Sprinkler is our top choice for homeowners on a budget. This model comes with an affordable price tag and excellent performance. You get triple spray arms, with adjustable watering patterns and angles spray nozzles. This model covers up to 3,600-square feet and features a flow-through design for adding more sprinklers.
