Top 5 Best Sprinkler Heads 2023:
- Rain Bird 1804VAN Professional Pop-Up Sprinkler
- Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler
- Hunter PGP-ADJ Rotor Sprinkler Heads
- Toro 3-Inch Pop-Up Sprinkler Head
- Orbit 55662 Voyager II
The one bit that holds together a horticulturist, a gardener and a landowner is an effective sprinkler head.
To properly cultivate, manage and maintain the perfect status of either a farm, a garden or a lawn, one truly needs the support of the best sprinkler heads.
In order to avoid manual engagements such as carrying immense amounts of water in buckets to water your lawn, or connecting pipes in order to distribute water, you should invest time and money in something as useful as a good sprinkler head to evenly distribute water.
There are many factors that are included when one begins to think of a good sprinkler head: whether it distributes water efficiently and evenly, do leakages happen, and is there any water waste included.
We are going to delve into a thorough investigation of this matter, cover all of the important bases in order to find, and, finally, curate a list that includes best sprinkler heads.
Factors To Consider When Buying A Sprinkler Head
Combing through the market can be neither aimless nor arbitrary.
We find it best to set the parameters and the qualifications that we are going to extensively investigate in order to find the best sprinkler heads.
Although it might appear like an easy job, we can assure you that it is not something to be taken lightly; sprinkler heads have much evolved since times of sheer simplicity.
With their evolution, they have become increasingly complex, and many of them include as many benefits as well as hidden shortcomings that we are keen on discerning on your behalf.
A bad investment can lead up to a lot of unnecessary payments, the most important of them being the negative influence on the increase of your household utility bills.
After careful consideration, we have compiled a list of our top 5 factors that will help you in your search for the most suitable sprinkler head, which include:
1. The Right Type
With our intentions firmly set in aiding you in your quest to find the best sprinkler head, the one that fits your needs the most, we have organized a list that will neatly sum up the foundations of customer needs.
Not all sprinkler heads are devised to do the same thing.
Whether you want to cover your small, front lawn or irrigate your entire farm, we will make sure that you get the information that you require in order to select the right sprinkler head.
- Pop-Up Sprinkler Head: This type of sprinkler heads is one that is most commonly found on your regular lawns. It goes without saying that you should first and foremost inspect the material of the pop-up sprinkler before you buy it – because pop-up sprinklers are purchased precisely because of their durability. They can “pop up” when in use, or retract when they are not being used, which makes them discreet and sleek.
- Spray Sprinkler Head: This type of sprinkler heads is best suited for lawns that aren’t vast in size; if you have a small lawn or a small garden, this is definitely your go-to. These sprinkler heads do not cover a lot of spraying distance, but what they do is actually more amazing: their strength lies in their ability to disperse more water. These sprinkler heads do not contain any parts prone to any kind of mechanical damage, so that is a huge plus.
- Rotary Sprinkler Head: Rotary or “rotor” sprinkler heads cover larger areas – large as in a really, really big lawn or an enormous garden. They are ideal for farming conditions, too. These ones are more economical and practical, as they disperse a significantly smaller amount of water than, say, spray sprinkler heads. One of their most notable qualities is a strong water stream.
- Impact Sprinkler Head: These heavy-duty sprinklers can be effectively used both from the smallest to the largest area that needs water coverage. They are, however, ideal for larger spaces, such as farms and larger lawns and gardens.
There may be other classifications of sprinkler heads, but more or less they all fall into our categories, and these are the ones that you will encounter when you shop. We have decided to fuse tradition with novelty so that you could get the best of both worlds.
2. The Material
Do not judge a book by its cover can be applied to your process of selecting your sprinkler head, too.
Sprinkler heads come in all shapes, sizes and materials as well.
We are aggressively taught not to accept anything that is, for example, made out of plastic, because plastic is almost automatically considered as something bad. It has become a dirty word in the 21st century.
But! Here is the thing – plastic is actually the only material that is not prone to rust, it can stay around or in water for as long as it may, and nothing will happen to it. So, good quality plastic is actually a plus when it comes to sprinkler heads.
However, there is a downside to everything and plastic has its own shortcomings too – cheap plastic is something you should completely avoid.
Another set of good materials that you should keep your eyes out for are stainless steel, brass and bronze. They not only guarantee the durability of your product of choice, but they also provide you with the luxury of not thinking about whether your sprinkler head might break. Be sure it won’t.
The material that you should be wary of is zinc. Although it may look attractive and appealing, and sprinkler heads may seem a bit more sophisticated (and, let us admit it freely – we are all a bit shallow), beware – zinc makes neither a friend, nor an ally for you or your irrigation system.
3. Product Price
Price, of course, is an unavoidable factor when it comes to investing in something.
We want to make sure that your investment is not an overpriced gadget, but that it is the best-suited options and that it is valued against its performance.
See Also: The Best Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
5 Best Sprinkler Heads In 2023: Detailed Reviews
Now that you are familiar with key factors of the best sprinkler heads, go over the reigning top 5 sprinkler heads on the market and our detailed opinion of each of them!
1. Rain Bird 1804VAN Professional Pop-Up Sprinkler
This pop-up sprinkler head comes off strong – the built material, which is stainless steel, ensures that the product radiates reliability and durability which instantly gives the product a huge boost – as we mentioned before, pop-up sprinklers are most commonly used for your everyday lawn maintenance.
What we found especially interesting was the fact that this product allows each customer to adjust the spray pattern to their liking, and this includes the full 360 degrees.
The pop-up height of four inches is quite convenient, and it can be used for watering more than just your lawn – you can include oddly-shaped gardens as well.
This sprinkler head also prevents water leakage, which not only goes into preserving our precious water but, as a bonus, it ensures that your irrigated area stays lush and beautiful, just as you want it.
When the neck of the pop-up sprinkler is retracted, its design allows for the debris to be removed easily.
Pros
- Heavy-duty material
- Adjustable flow pattern
- Works just as good at low water pressure
- Prevents water leakage, preserves water
- Efficient design
- Easy to set up and replace if needed
- Good value for money
Cons
- The claimed reach of the sprinkler is 15 feet; we found it to be a solid 12 feet
2. Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler
Where tradition meets modernity is precisely the Rain Bird 25PJDAC Brass Impact Sprinkler product.
Impact sprinklers are designed in a way so that they can perform any job that they are put on – from a lawn to a farm – and this one does not disappoint.
The combination of brass, stainless steel and bronze is a pledge of loyalty and durability – this sprinkler head will make sure that your lawn stays hydrated, lush and beautiful.
When it comes to water pressure, this product handles it as it should – there is no muscling about it, it just performs its job as it should, which is something we found to be great. This is where the heavy-duty materials come in to collect their accolades.
It is easy to adjust and to set up – this impact sprinkler head offers either a full circle or half a circle of coverage.
When it comes to dirty water usage, this product may even be the leading champion in the race – its performance is nearly impeccable as you can get water from creeks, rivers, ponds, even water that is high in minerals.
Pros
- Heavy-duty product
- Built materials of high quality
- Handles high water pressure impeccably
- Allows for great area coverage
- It is easy to set up and adjust
- Handles dirty water
- Good value for money
Cons
- Although we had no problem with any leaks, there have been reports of leakages; it needs a bit more pressure in order to operate, so its performance on low pressure is not as fascinating as on high water pressure
3. Hunter PGP-ADJ Rotor Sprinkler Heads
Hunter is a household name when it comes to irrigation and it is commonly associated with quality and durability, two things that are right at the top of our requirements.
Rotary sprinkler heads are designed in such a way that they are able to supply large areas with water, and this one delivers as expected.
This product allows you to disperse water over a large portion of your intended area, and you can adjust the rotors to your liking from 50 to 360 degrees.
A nod of praise to the Hunter team is needed: these sprinkler heads come in a package that is ready for use, and they require minimal attention when it comes to setting them up.
When it comes to dirty water, they proved to be excellent – these sprinkler heads have an improved mechanism on the gear drive that ensures there will be no jamming. They also contain a trap in the bottom which is designed to collect and remove the debris.
Pros
- Great built
- Both durable and reliable
- Comes pre-adjusted and ready to use
- Easy to set up with minimal attention required
- Great with handling dirty water
- Easy to adjust
- Good value for money
Cons
- We didn’t find any!
4. Toro 3-Inch Pop-Up Sprinkler Head
It’s high time we dedicate a portion of our attention to smaller products that are excellent in their own way. Such is Toro 3-Inch Pop-Up Sprinkler head, amazing in its own way – it is ideal for smaller areas, front lawns, and backyard gardens.
It is a versatile sprinkler head that works on many sprinkler systems, which is a thumbs up from us.
The adjustable pattern works perfectly, you have the total control of the spraying, and there was no leakage when we tested it out.
The 3 inches pop-up height that this product holds is more than suitable from small lawns along with a 15 foot included nozzle.
To sum it up: Toro Sprinkler Head does what it is intended to do. It isn’t an ambitious sprinkler head designated for your home and beautiful gardens.
Pros
- Easy to set up and adjust
- Durable and reliable
- It comes with a prepared 15-foot nozzle that is adjustable
- It is ideal for dispersing water over smaller areas
- Good value for money
Cons
- It needs to be replaced more often than some other sprinkler heads if used all the time
5. Orbit 55662 Voyager II
What makes Orbit’s 55662 Voyager II stand out as an excellent product is its amazing range – it is able to cover a larger lawn.
The spraying diameter is adjustable, so you have control over what area you want to be watered exactly; it also holds the first place in its class for having the largest spraying cover of distance.
Since it holds the first place in its class, we should mention that this distance covers 25-inches to 52-inches.
It comes with bonus nozzles, which is something we greatly enjoy because it allows each customer to adjust and customize it according to their liking.
Also, these bonus nozzles can be used as a way to control water waste and leakage in order to ensure that this does not occur in your yard.
This sprinkler head comes with a filter which is designed in a way to keep debris out, which makes this product excellent and compatible for dirty water usage, as you do not have to worry about clogging or jamming.
Pros
- Amazing spraying distance
- Easy to set up and adjust
- Bonus nozzles included
- Good dirty water resilience
- Has a filter to keep the debris out
- Good value for money
Cons
- If you adjust your nozzles efficiently, there will be no water leakage, but if not, leakage may occur
And The Winner Is…
After careful consideration of all the products that we reviewed, we decided to hail the Hunter PGP-ADJ Rotor Sprinkler Heads as the winner!
Why?
Not only is this sprinkler designed to cover larger areas and to supply them with water; it is also highly adjustable and customizable.
As we have previously mentioned, its impeccable reputation in the irrigation system world gave this product an air of stability which performed even better than it was expected to when it was put to the test.
The gear drive ensures that you can pump your water from a pond nearby, a local river or a creek because it handles dirty water in a terrific way. It does not get clogged up, and there is also a trap at the bottom that will help you collect and remove the debris.
A bonus on top of a bonus is that this product comes pre-assembled and it even includes instructions (although they did not leave us with much work to do!) but, you know, just in case.
This product is economical and practical when it comes to water usage, and as much as we tried to find a flaw, we couldn’t.
It doesn’t require setting up, can utilize dirty water, covers a large area, has adjustable rotors – if you want what is best for your lawn or your garden, Hunter PGP-ADJ Rotor Sprinkler Heads is your answer.
