You may not think you need lawn sprinklers for your UK garden. We already get so much rain! But irrigation gives you better control. With rainfall, you have to rely on shifty weather patterns (and unreliable weatherman). With sprinklers, you can manage timing and volume.
Sprinklers are also important for specific gardening tasks. Before coring, after fertilising, and during reseeding, a sprinkler is more efficient. So how can you be sure you found the best lawn sprinkler? Let’s start by reviewing ten popular models then we can narrow things down.
The Best Garden Sprinkler on UK Market
1. Hozelock Round Garden Sprinkler (Our Top Pick)
Rotary sprinklers often top the list for best garden lawn sprinkler. They cover large areas and are so fun to watch. This sprinkler has a few extra tricks up its sleeves. It’s an adjustable sprinkler, but it’s only the spray pattern that changes. How? The sprinkler has four arms. Two arms have a series of tiny holes that mist the garden when you turn them on.
The other two arms have wider slots instead of holes. So they send higher-powered streams of water. In both cases, the water can jet to a distance of 9m in all directions (the spray diameter is 18m in total). And it’s a spinning sprinkler so anything in range will get wet. The sprinkler sits on sled-style legs, and these feet are stable enough for grass, tile, or concrete.
The red dial at the top lets you swap between perforated mist and pressure streams. But Hozelock sprinklers are sized and set up for Hozelock adapters. So before you try to squeeze your hose into the side dock, double-check the size of the connectors and fittings. The sprinkler rises 23cm off the ground, so position it at a spot with good clearance.
This cute yellow sprinkler will brighten your yard and lift your spirits. But it will also attract the attention of curious kids and nosy pets so eventually, they’ll rip it to bits. Keep it hidden!
Pros:
- The water covers 18m in diameter and 254m2 in area.
- It has a stable base for both grass and concrete.
- You can adjust the pressure of the water.
Con:
- The plastic body will sometimes jam so you may need to nudge the arms forward.
2. Gardena Circle Pulse Lawn Sprinkler
When you see a colourful plastic device with this many colours, you may pause. After all, you’ve spotted similar bits and bobs on kids’ toys … and those always end up in a million tiny pieces. Or worse, in the ‘retrieval tray’ at the emergency room. But if your kids are older and your pets aren’t swallowers, this is a safe garden lawn sprinkler to buy. It sits on a circular base.
That said, the plastic is reasonably sturdy – hence the 5-year warranty. So if it does weaken in the sun, call the manufacturer. For now, let’s focus on its features. The wheel base lets you position the sprinkler on any surface, whether it’s turf or tarmac. The rotary dial on the side lets you pre-set full-pulse or semi-pulse. The base diameter is 7.87” and it’s 11.7” tall.
This garden sprinkler isn’t all plastic. It has some metal components for sturdiness. The nozzle is brass and the end cap is compatible with all Gardena devices. Apart from the circular base, this sprinkler has a ‘spiked foot’ with tri-metal parts for positioning. This keeps it stable when you’re watering the grass. Without this, water pressure may tip your sprinkler.
Not everyone is fussy about imports. Especially agricultural ones. So if you don’t mind waiting a few extra weeks for shipping, this Czech sprinkler is just the thing for your lawn.
Pros:
- The sprinkler comes with a 5-year warranty.
- You can set it to full pulse or partial pulse.
- It’s possible to connect multiple sprinklers on the same system.
Con:
- It has lots of small plastic components. These parts eventually get brittle and break off because of sun exposure.
3. Karcher Garden Sprinkler
Water pressure is a powerful force. So when you’re working with a sprinkler, you need a base that’s strong enough to counter the water’s momentum. This Karcher sprinkler achieves balance by widening its base. The wide, hollow base remains stable even when water is flowing at immense speed. The black-and-yellow colour scheme looks great in the garden.
This lawn sprinkler rises 10cm off the ground. It’s 20cm long, 24.8cm wide, and weighs a bit of 150g. The arms are a mix of metal and plastic, giving them extra strength and style. This is a rotary garden sprinkler. And you can lose yourself for hours watching those whirring water spirals with their splashes of yellow and black, pun intended. The connectors are universal.
That means if you have connectors and adaptors from your older sprinklers, you can use them here and they’ll fit. And if your linking sleeves get damaged, you can replace them with any sprinkler brand. Once you ‘plug’ the sprinkler into your mains, the water spray covers roughly 6m in every direction. If your yard is bigger, you may have to move the sprinkler.
Here’s a sprinkler after Wizzy’s own heart. Or maybe you’re thinking about bumblebees. Either way, this broad base sprinkler works just as well on flat ground or hilly terrain.
Pros:
- Its reach is roughly 133m2.
- It has three rigid arms made of metal and plastic.
- It’s a universal design so you can link it to any sprinkler.
Con:
- You’ll need to check the underside before every use – if any debris or moisture sneaks in, the arms might stick and refuse to spin.
4. Costwise Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler
Learning to use this sprinkler may be a tad tricky. The bright orange tabs are all adjustment options, but how can you tell which flap does what? It’s fairly straightforward once you figure it out. The sprinkler is an oscillator, which means it waves from side to side like a fan. It has 16 nozzles and you can use the orange tabs to close some and limit the amount of water.
Using the tabs, you can set the sprinkler to only spray the left and right, or the top and bottom. You can even alternate. The nozzles sit on a sturdy metal frame that can support the movement and pressure without taking any damage. And to prevent those nozzles from clogging, the sprinkler has an internal filter and an external nozzle-cleaning tool.
Inside the garden sprinkler, gears allow the oscillator to turn undisturbed. This gear chamber is waterproof so the rotors won’t stick like some of the other models we’ve looked at. The sprinkler covers 375m2 of turf and has a reach of 12 to 15 metres on either side. The white knob lets you control the amount and pressure of water – it can be full or partial flow.
Don’t let its looks fool you – this delightful-looking sprinkler has a tough metallic base and seemingly endless adjustment options. You can tweak the water’s direction and pressure!
Pros:
- The sprinkler comes with a tool to clean its nozzles.
- It has a firm metal base and pretty orange accents.
- You can adjust the sprinkler in several ways.
Con:
- Sometimes, winter weather affects the sprinkler, so clean and dry it thoroughly before putting it away for the holidays.
5. Silverline Spiked Garden Sprinkler
For the most part, sprinklers are ‘planted’ on grassy lawns or flowerbeds. So if they have a stake, it doesn’t need to be that hardy. As long as it can sink into wet grass, it’ll do. But our soils are largely clay and it can get quite compacted. Silverline uses a metallic spike that holds fast to the ground, even when the sprinkler head is spinning at high pressure.
This spiked sprinkler has a rather small footprint. It weighs a smidge under 400g and measures 1.4mm by 0.7mm by 3.5mm. Because it’s so small, you’ll probably need to install multiple sprinklers in a series. To be safe, order your sprinkler with a 10-pack or 12-pack of hose connectors. The sprinkler head spins 360° on its axis but you can set a half-circle.
Silverline has a rugged, Spartan design without aesthetic accessories. But it does come in two colours – green and yellow. It’s easy to connect and disconnect the sprinkler from its hose adaptor. The half-inch quick-release valve offers convenient de-linking when you’re done in the yard. This construction style facilitates ‘daisy chaining’ for wider reach and coverage.
If you’re unfamiliar with gardening tools and appliances, this sprinkler may puzzle you. But professionals love it, so consider crossing to the rugged side. It lasts far longer than plastic.
Pros:
- The sprinkler stands on a metal spike.
- It offers 360° of coverage.
- You can choose full rotations or half rotations.
Con:
- This sprinkler is fully metallic so the spring sometimes comes loose. Realign it to correct the problem.
6. Wisdomwell Rotating Lawn Sprinkler
This is probably what you envision when you think about a sprinkler. It looks heavy-duty in the pictures, but once you have it in your hands, you may panic. Physically, it feels light and flimsy. But again, you’ll be surprised because it’s tougher than you think. This vibrant green sprinkler is made of premium ABS plastic so it can withstand, sunshine, kids, pets, and pests.
The sprinkler has three arms with four nozzles each. These nozzles can be adjusted to shift water pressure from two-and-a-half to four-bar. You can also tweak your sprinkling angle because each of the four nozzles is slightly tapered to face a different direction. You can also twist the black sleeve left or right. This lets you shift the sprinkler angle from 15° to 45°.
All this achieves a broader irrigation diameter of 26 to 33 feet. As the grass gets hydrated, your kids will love playing in that patterned fountain. You can programme it to shoot streams diagonally while stationary … or coil into swirls when the arms rotate. It’s not a tall sprinkler – it rises 3.5 inches above the ground. The possibilities of this sprinkler are myriad.
Its plastic ‘steering wheel’ base is roughly 6 inches across with a 20mm inlet. The nozzles are angled, but you can also twist the arm for adjustable streams. It has a 12-month warranty.
Pros:
- You can adjust the angle and direction of the spray.
- The water pressure is 2.5bar to 4bar.
- It’s easy to link this to a double-pass system.
Con:
- It’s hardly a deal-breaker (and the quality is quite good regardless) … but this sprinkler is made in China.
7. Greenkey Metal Base Pulsating Garden Sprinkler
We’ve seen a sprinkler that looked a lot like this one. It has the same silhouette … but this version is metal. Specifically, the sprinkler head is zinc and the hose connector is brass. The wide green base is an alloy and the paint is waterproof. So you won’t have a rust problem with this sprinkler. It does jam sometimes though, especially when it’s damp, so store it dry.
The base is 22.6cm at its widest point. And once assembled, the sprinkler weighs 840g so it’s unlikely to tip. But it’s designed to work with pressurised water. So your mains should be at least 2 bar for the sprinkler to be effective. At that pressure, your sprinkler will cover a diameter of 25 metres or so. If the pressure is too low, the sprinkler won’t rotate.
It can also be useful to check the spray nozzle for gunk. In case any part of the sprinkler gets gummy, WD-4o will sort you out. Height-wise, the sprinkler is 5.6cm tall and 20.2 cm long. This is a pulsating sprinkler with adjustable angles. It can shoot straight up (0°) or spread to 360°. The sprinkler has a 2-year guarantee with universal fittings but buy metal connectors.
If you like the look of a wide-based sprinkler but are uncertain about plastic, buy this metallic version. It’s tougher but retains its glossy good looks. And it has a quality guarantee.
Pros:
- The sprinkler has a solid metal construction.
- It has a reach of about 25m.
- The device comes with a 24-month warranty.
Con:
- When the metal bits get wet, they might get stuck, so dry them carefully before storage.
8. Grüntek Primavera Oscillation Lawn Sprinkler
Does this oscillating sprinkler look familiar? It’s similar in shape and colour to a model we saw earlier. But in terms of features and accessories, it’s a little less endowed. It still has an adjustable diameter. And you can choose to spray one side or both sides. The orange dial at the tip lets you easily pick your irrigation direction. Maximum coverage is 336m2 at 4bar.
Unlike a few competing models, you can’t control the volume or pressure of your sprinkler. That’s directly influenced by the pressure at the source. And because you rely on the grid, the nozzles may get clogged by hard water or other garden contaminants. The sprinkler comes with a cleaning pen to get gunk out of the nozzles. And its turbo setting extends usage time.
Ideally, the sprinkler can survive 800 hours of continuous use. But for something so durable, it’s surprisingly light. The sprinkler weighs a little under 300g and it measures 42.5cm by 12cm by 7cm. Yes, it’s made of plastic, but its flexible plastic – the type you can step on without damaging it. It works with generic connectors and click systems so it’s compatible.
Grüntek sprinklers rely on Germany’s reputation for top engineering quality. Always screw the cleaning needle back into position though. It’s a small component so it may get lost.
Pros:
- You can adjust the watering arc from 15m to 21m.
- It works well with rectangular gardens.
- The blue centre shaft has 16 watering nozzles.
Con:
- It doesn’t work as effectively with round or asymmetric lawns.
9. Gardena Turbo Garden Sprinkler
All the sprinklers we’ve looked at so far have been surface sprinklers. When you’re not using them, you can de-link them from the hose, clean them, dry them, and store them. But this turbo sprinkler is a more permanent installation. You have to dig a trench to keep the sprinkler out of sight. It’ll be a mid-sized trench since the sprinkler is 8.25 inches tall.
The diameter of the sprinkler ‘tube’ is 3.25 inches. It’s a pop-up sprinkler, ideally linked to a Gardena control system. This branded water control system includes a timer so you can set the sprinkler to turn off and on unprompted. It’s an important feature because the best time to water your lawn is between 4 and 5 am. You probably won’t want to get up and turn it on.
If you choose this sprinkler, you may need to hire a landscaper or plumber. The water mains connect to the sprinkler via unseen pipes. It’s not exactly a DIY project and it’s not intended for novice gardeners. So unless you have experience installing pop-up sprinklers, set aside some cash in your budget. You’ll need it to cover the labour costs for installation.
Sprinklers can be distracting. Especially if you have kids and pets that regularly play on the lawn. In such cases, a pop-up like this one may be a smarter sprinkler selection.
Pros:
- It’s installed underground so it’s safer for pets.
- You can install automated control boxes.
- It can be a cheeky way to startle unwanted wildlife.
Con:
- Underground installations need more work than surface sprinklers.
10. Hozelock Plus Rectangular Lawn Sprinkler
Jet sprinklers offer a happy compromise between speed, pressure, and power. And this suitably named Hozelock Plus matches that description. It’s ideal for linear lawns – not so much for circular ones. The metal shaft offers equally efficient irrigation whether the water mains are pumping at 1bar or 10bar. But you need to unscrew the sprinkler for maintenance.
One side of the sprinkler has a red/orange slider knob. It lets you pick the direction of oscillation. And if you nudge both sides of the slider to the centre, the sprinkler will shoot vertically (or diagonally) instead of following the fan. The other side of the sprinkler has a small yellow knob. The knob conceals the nozzle cleaner – which you should frequently use.
In addition to the nozzle cleaning tool, this sprinkler has water-powered gears and an internal filter to reduce clogging. This is the smallest Hozelock Plus – two larger models have a range of 200m2 (17 nozzles) and 260m2 (20 nozzles). To open the sprinkler for cleaning, you need a 17mm screwdriver, so be sure to have one in your toolbox or garden shed.
Most yards have regular shapes. And this is the best garden lawn sprinkler for square and oblong patches of grass. Clean and maintain it regularly to lengthen its lifespan.
Pros:
- It works with both low and high water pressure.
- The sled feet offer non-slip stability on any surface.
- It can water rectangular lawns up to 180m2.
Con:
- It doesn’t come with a hose connector so order one from Hozelock.
Buying Guide
The best garden lawn sprinkler is easy to use, right for your yard, and suitable for your budget. And yes, the type of grass matters, since they don’t all need equal amounts of water. But there are other factors too, so let’s look at the most important sprinkler shopping tips.
Soil Type
Most UK soils are clay-based with a little sand. And we’re an island, so the water table is never far away. Clay holds water longer than other soils, so you don’t want your lawn to get soggy. You can get away with watering once or twice a week, and you want the garden to get roughly an inch of water spread over seven days. So you may want a sprinkler with a timer.
Sprinkler capacity plays a role here. Most sprinklers are connected to the water mains, though you can also link them to an irrigation tank. So the capacity of the sprinkler is more about duration and reach than volume. You can get a sprinkler with a wider range for large yards. Or you can get a portable sprinkler that cycles through different parts of the garden.
Sprinkler Type
Depending on who you ask, sprinkler types can range from 2 to 8, with some hardware stores claiming over a dozen variants. These sprinklers are slight variations – maybe one has a night light or an audible alarm, or self-cleaning functionality to remove limescale. But the general categories are (a) mounting style (e.g. spike) and (b) spraying style (e.g. mist or fog).
Some sprinklers are staked into the ground so you can ‘uproot’ them when you need to cut your grass or work in the yard. Others are permanent so you have to carefully work around them. Still, others stay hidden in the grass and only ‘pop up during use’. Misters release foggy moisture while stream sprinklers have more pressure. Some sprinklers have gears and ‘fans’.
Heights and Depth
Before you buy a sprinkler, estimate the area of your garden in square metres. For in-person purchases, the hardware store can advise you on the best garden lawn sprinkler for your lawn size. Think about the shape too. If your yard is irregular or borders public paths, you don’t want to wash everyone that strolls by. In terms of height, you can pick a raised one.
Or you can get a pressure sprinkler that ‘lives’ underground and only springs up during use. This can be helpful if you have kids, pets, or garden rodents that may play with the sprinkler and damage it. The height of your sprinkler is also driven by the depth of your lawn. The longer you prefer your grass, the more (height and) clearance your sprinkler will need.
Power Splash!
Based on our research, we recommend buying a rectangular Hozelock Plus. Here’s why:
- The Hozelock Plus weighs about 300g.
- Its sled feet sit snug on any surface.
- The coverage of this sprinkler is 180m2.
- It has 15 jets on a glossy metal shaft.
- You can set the sprinkler for full or partial oscillation.
- The orange sliders make it easy to adjust your angles and direction.
- It performs just as well at 1bar or 10bar water pressure.
- This gear-driven sprinkler has a 2-year warranty.
What type of garden lawn sprinkler do you have right now? Show us in the comments!
