Swapped my sprinkler timer for a cheap hose faucet one, wish I did it sooner

Old wifi timer in Dallas kept resetting after every power blip, spent 4 months re-programming zones. Bought a $25 mechanical one at the hardware store last week, it just works. Anyone else ditch the smart stuff for dumb simple timers?

2 comments

2 Comments

craig.olivia3d ago

Do you actually use all those smart features every week, or just when the weather surprises you? The wifi units are great until the network hiccups or the app updates and changes something, then you're stuck on your phone troubleshooting instead of watering. My old one had all those options too, but I found myself checking the app less and less anyway. The mechanical one has a simple dial and I set it once back in March, and it hasn't needed a second thought since. Honestly, most folks only need the basic cycles, and the extra control is just something to fiddle with when things go wrong. If your setup works for you, that's fine, but there's real peace of mind in a knob you can turn without pulling out your phone.

noraroberts3d ago

Mechanical timers have their place, sure, but the smart ones give you way more control when you actually need to adjust for weather or skip a zone. My wifi unit reboots fast after a blip, and the app saves all my schedules so I never reprogram anything. You traded a little frustration for a whole lot of flexibility... I'll keep my fancy one.