Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)

Overview

Review Summary

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Specs

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Overview

Review Summary

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Specs

Reco

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller WiFi 16 Zone 2nd Generation Works with Amazon Alexa

Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)

9.5

SCORE

/10

Total Reviews

1000

Old Reviews

Unverified

206

Spam Test

Yes

WIFI

Review Analysis - 794 recent, verified reviews

Detailed Mode

Setup

416

installation, install, rachio, breeze, sprinkler

+100%

" ... Set up was very straight forward. ... Set up is zone by zone. ... "

" ... Setup was a breeze. ... "

" ... This thing was a breeze to setup and already worked like a charm . ... "

" ... Cool to use my SMART phone - easy to setup. ... "

" ... I was able to set up Alexa but that was a little more challenging but it works. ... "

" ... Installed this bad boy and, WHAM! ... "

Ease of Use

347

easy to use, app, install, easy to set, intuitive

+100%

" ... Real user friendly with the series of questions that make sense for day to day use. ... "

" ... This thing was a breeze to setup and already worked like a charm . ... "

" ... It went in easy. ... I was able to set up Alexa but that was a little more challenging but it works. ... "

" ... Easy to set up and easy to use. ... "

" ... Easy to set up, great interface on your mobile device. ... "

" ... So easy to use via the APP. ... "

" ... Easy to install. ... "

Apps

178

alexa, easy to use, rachio, zones, watering

+97%

-3%

" ... Integrates well with home wifi and even alexa. ... "

" ... app is easy to use and is bring our grass back to life! ... "

" ... So easy to use via the APP. ... "

" ... The app makes it really easy to set up and to change the program remotely. ... "

" ... And you can control it with Alexa. ... "

" ... The ease of use on the app and the ability to give my sprinkler company access to blow out my system and use the app to do it was astonishing. ... "

Device Compatibility

164

app, sprinkler, sprinklers, rachio, zones

+95%

-5%

" ... I was able to set up Alexa but that was a little more challenging but it works. ... "

" ... Integrates well with home wifi and even alexa. ... "

" ... And, also got it to work with Alexa flawlessly. ... "

" ... Easy to set up, great interface on your mobile device. ... "

" ... So night to be able to do everything from your phone. ... "

" ... It’s also nice to be able to check out and troubleshoot my system just turning zones on and off with my phone while I’m out in the yard. ... "

" ... out of all of my "smart home" devices this is my absolute favorite. ... "

" ... After that, I had to reconnect every "smart" device in my house, but the Rachio controller had no problem receiving the wifi signal and connecting to the password-protected network. ... And you can control it with Alexa. ... "

Software Platform

alexa, rachio, intuitive, integration, easy to use

+94%

-6%

" ... Integrates well with home wifi and even alexa. ... "

" ... And, also got it to work with Alexa flawlessly. ... "

" ... And you can control it with Alexa. ... "

" ... The ease of use on the app and the ability to give my sprinkler company access to blow out my system and use the app to do it was astonishing. ... "

" ... Works great with my Android devices and Google home. ... "

" ... App is easy to use and install in simple. ... "

Water Resistance

rain, weather, watering, lawn, rachio

+95%

-5%

" ... Check with your local water utility before you purchase this because there is a good chance they offer rebates that will cover most of its cost. ... "

" ... And the best part you can water your grass anywhere anytime from your phone. ... "

" ... Works great would be a better investment if I had city water to my sprinkler. ... "

" ... It will skip watering when it detects rain in the forecast but will also skip if there’s been plenty of rain recently. ... "

" ... If it's going to rain tomorrow, your sprinklers are now smart enough to stay off. ... "

" ... It figures out pretty well how much to water, and when not to. ... "

Water Usage

lawn, zone, lot of water, gallons, water bill went

+90%

-10%

" ... Huge water savings by adjusting the time to run based on the weather conditions. ... "

" ... Terrific features that help to save on water. ... "

" ... It saves a lot of water. ... "

" ... Best of all it's saving me money on my water bill. ... "

" ... It figures out pretty well how much to water, and when not to. ... "

" ... I was concerned because I like to control the water cycles of my lawn. ... I don't know how much water I saved but the convenience is well worth it. ... "

" ... I could do without it telling me how much water it saved. ... "

Product Reliability

rachio, rainbird, installed, sprinklers, sprinkler

+96%

-4%

" ... I had it for a whole season now and it’s working fine. ... "

" ... And I still had to keep changing the settings as the seasons changed and what I set today wouldn't have been good tomorrow. ... "

" ... I have this for couple months and so far been very happy with it. ... "

" ... And I still had to keep changing the settings as the seasons changed and what I set today wouldn't have been good tomorrow. ... "

" ... Set up took all of 5 minutes and it has been working perfectly for weeks. ... "

" ... been the best investment this year. ... "

" ... saves time, replaced rainbird. ... "

Wifi

wi fi, network, controller, rachio, sprinkler

+93%

-7%

" ... Easy to wire and link to WiFi. ... "

" ... For those of you that have Apple AirPort Extreme, there was no problem with wi-fi setup. ... "

" ... My landscaper installed it but "knew nothing" about the wifi ("smart") part of it. ... Their people were great -- help me set up the controller for manual operation until I could get the wifi network sorted out. ... After that, I had to reconnect every "smart" device in my house, but the Rachio controller had no problem receiving the wifi signal and connecting to the password-protected network. ... "

" ... I was able to walk around my house using wifi and VZ network to test each zone and take a picture to save the photo for each zone. ... "

" ... Found my WiFi almost instantly and was a snap to configure my zones. ... "

Controls

controller, sprinkler, zones, zone, manually

+86%

-14%

" ... The best feature I like is you can adjust or fix any sprinkler without having to run back and forth between sprinkler and controller. ... "

" ... instant control of all watering on your property, at the touch of button. ... "

" ... Takes the guesswork and time off your hands using the old style of turning knobs and pushing buttons to set times and zones. ... "

" ... The ability to review/control sprinklers from my phone is great although looking for UI improvements for manual control and system testing. ... "

" ... phone controls make blowing out your system simpler . ... "

" ... And you can control it with Alexa. ... To set up watering manually or perform some other operations, you remove the cover to access controls. ... "

Capacity

backyard, zone, rachio, front yard, friends and family

+100%

" ... I'm very happy with it and can turn my sprinklers from my living room. ... "

" ... I really like turning on the zones from the yard. ... "

" ... Amazing addition to any modern home. ... "

" ... I lived in apartment the past 5 years and am new to this. ... "

" ... Just installed in my backyard sprinkler system. ... "

" ... I have a shady clay backyard and a sunny (still clay) front yard, and I used to have one of the two: ... Granted I could have better landscape planning in my backyard. ... "

" ... My yard is greener than those around me. ... "

Price

worth, worth every penny, excellent product, worth the price, savings

+100%

" ... It may cost more than most controllers but it is worth it to me. ... "

" ... NOT priced competitively BUT excellent product ... "

" ... Money well spent. ... "

" ... My gardener installed it for me for a low price. ... "

" ... If you're into gadgets and saving money, this is for you. ... "

" ... For the price, this is an incredible unit and you will be very happy with it. ... "

" ... Can save you a ton of money if you let it, plus maintain your lawn for you . ... "

Network

signal, network, wifi signal, controller, wi fi

+97%

-3%

" ... I lived in apartment the past 5 years and am new to this. ... "

" ... I have coupled it with a portable router for a rental and it has worked flawlessly. ... "

" ... It's great being able to turn on the sprinklers anywhere in my house, and even from inside the car (when I'm within wireless range, of course.) ... "

" ... The Rachio needs to be close enough to get a strong signal from your router. ... The great thing about this controller is that it is Wi-Fi and can be controlled from your phone anywhere your phone has a signal. ... "

" ... My entire house is full of IOT devices and I am a huge fan of connected technology. ... "

" ... Very good wifi antenna that will grab a weak signal and stay connected. ... "

Gaming

controllers, recommend this controller, love this controller, irrigation, highly recommend

+100%

" ... pretty good controller. ... "

" ... Love this controller! ... "

" ... I love this controller. ... "

" ... Love the controller. ... "

" ... This Controller is amazing. ... "

" ... This is a great controller. ... "

Cables

wire, wiring, rachio, zones, zone

+60%

-40%

" ... Installation couldn't have been easier (as long as your existing wires are labeled). ... "

" ... You'll be wiring the box to the added three prong outlet. ... Wiring and setup was a breeze the only issue you will have is if you need to remove any of the zone wires, as once there inserted they don't want to come out. ... "

" ... They had to be cut, which meant we lost all possibility of knowing which individual wire out of 35 (being 18-7 wire) went with what valve. ... We just picked 3 cables and wired 1 to the 8 station and 2 to the 16 station controller. ... It is nice that there are 2 common connectors for each set of 8 connectors. ... The cord is 6 feet long. ... "

" ... Make sure you use an installer than is able to convert the wiring if your wiring is a large gauge. ... "

" ... Replacing the old controller was rather simple, just make sure your existing wires have enough length to reach the Rachio terminals. ... "

" ... Very very easy to install, just remember to press hard when inserting wires and give them a little tug to make sure they stay in. ... "

Marketplace

described, exactly, works as expected, works, big deal

+97%

-3%

" ... This product is what I expected. ... "

" ... perfect as described! ... "

" ... You folks nailed it, and thank you! ... "

" ... When it went on sale again I took the plunge and am SO glad I did so. ... "

" ... They are smart, do exactly as advertised and are way to use. ... "

" ... Works as advertised. ... "

Remote

controller, zone, smart sprinkler controller, programming, remote mode

+100%

" ... I recommend this to anyone looking into Smart Sprinkler Controllers. ... "

" ... I went from an old quirky unit to this and for an irrigation control unit it is really GREAT. ... "

" ... Programming was a breeze. ... "

" ... And we have irrigation control while we are out of town - how cool is that? ... "

" ... Control with "Alexa" is really useful too. ... "

" ... Controlling the RainMachine at the controller is very simple and easy, too. ... "

Features

weather, scheduling, zone, rachio, many features

+100%

" ... thermostats, light bulbs, cameras, smart locks . ... "

" ... Besides all the other features. ... "

" ... Lots of options for custom watering each zone. ... "

" ... Awesome, great features. ... Auto adjusts for weather and seasons. ... "

" ... Only had for a few weeks so far so looking forward to using more of the many features. ... "

" ... The auto scheduling based on local weather is great. ... "

" ... We've been slowly adding smart features to our home. ... I have my Rachio set on the most advanced setting. ... You can even add more customization per zone, but I left the rest (such as root depth) at the default setting. ... "

" ... The reporting features are very good, and this thing will try to save water by adjusting your set programs as the season changes. ... "

Product As Described

described, exactly, works as expected, works, worked

+100%

" ... This product is what I expected. ... "

" ... perfect as described! ... "

" ... They are smart, do exactly as advertised and are way to use. ... "

" ... Works as advertised. ... "

" ... It works exactly as intended. ... "

" ... - Works as expected ... "

" ... Better than I expected. ... "

User Manual

manual, instruction manual, read the instructions, rachio could, zone

+94%

-6%

" ... I would like more manual control over zone time. ... "

" ... I found the install instructions extremely complete/thorough. ... "

" ... I love the manual function too. ... "

" ... - Pretty good instructions ... "

" ... I love how easy it was to install and set up, good instructions. ... "

" ... The total watering times were roughly the same as what we were seeing with our old manual system. ... "

Build Quality

wires, wire, whomever, walled, screw

+65%

-35%

" ... Well made and thought out. ... "

" ... I like the idea of saving a few extra drops where I can. ... "

" ... Quality materials in the hardware and the best help when you need it. ... "

" ... Well made product. ... "

" ... I also got the protective box as it is outside by the manifold. ... "

" ... Guys and gals - this alone makes this product stand apart from 99% of the other toys out there. ... "

ISP

forget, system, violation, sprinkler, recliner

+94%

-6%

" ... Set it and forget it. ... "

" ... It has allowed me to set up the system once and just forget about it. ... "

" ... I took the leap and i am so glad that i did. ... "

" ... With this controller I set it and forget it. ... "

" ... I can do this from my recliner, or from another state when needed. ... "

Outdoor Unit

rachio, enclosure, outside, installing, easy to install

+100%

" ... make sure you get the outdoor enclosure if you are installing this outside. ... "

" ... Just installed in my backyard sprinkler system. ... "

" ... You need the outdoor enclosure to install this outside. ... "

" ... We mounted this in the Rachio outdoor enclosure. ... "

" ... I plugged it into an outdoor outlet. ... "

Design

timers, thoughtful, sooo, modern, graphs

+92%

-8%

" ... I can’t imagine the old style will exist for much longer. ... "

" ... Sooo much easier than the old style timers. ... "

" ... Quality materials in the hardware and the best help when you need it. ... "

" ... If you are interested in changing your sprinkler controller you should give this one a look. ... "

" ... Or, rather, it allows whatever intelligence I possess to shine. ... It gives my great pleasure to work on it, and to enjoy the aesthetic value it adds to my home. ... "

" ... Modern, thoughtful design. ... "

Other

rachio, watering, skip, sensors, sensor

+92%

-8%

" ... My old raim sensor is also connected and the Rachio tells me if it was the rain sensor that cause the skip in the schedule or if it was the weather station. ... "

" ... There are other sensors you can add for soil condition, etc. ... "

" ... Here comes the most amazing part: You don't need a rain sensor. ... "

" ... It also allows you to wire in an existing rain sensor. ... "

" ... ---- I have now used the Rachio for several months, and have added a toro rain sensor. ... "

Call quality

rachio, watering, voice control, turn the zone, tempted

+100%

" ... Instead of trying to get him access to the house, I had him call me when he needed to test the system and I activated it remotely. ... "

" ... As someone else complained as well, it's easy to think you've shut it off by voice for the day when, in fact, you've shut off watering permanently. ... "

" ... I had to do a repair the other day, and it was very nice to turn the zone on right from my phone, isolate the problem, perform repair, and turn the zone on again to test it, all while standing in the area. ... "

" ... For those that care, you're able to turn the sprinklers on and off with your voice. ... "

Accuracy

nozzles, rachio, psi, hills, zone

+91%

-9%

" ... Tracks the rain and tells me when to skip. ... "

" ... To do that, you need to know your PSI and use the specifications for your nozzles or whatever it is you are using to calculate your inches/hour. ... "

" ... To really get an accurate estimate, and I know you can read this from the Rachio site and forum posts, you would need to collect water from the various heads or zones you use. ... "

" ... In fact I think it's more accurate than the weather on the news, though that's not too difficult. ... "

" ... All the great reviews I read are accurate. ... "

" ... IF you want this to be super accurate, go out and measure each zone, check for slope, look at your nozzles, what type of sprinkler etc. ... "

Overall performance

fast, takes, old, fantastic, enough

+91%

-9%

" ... My old one was fast enough. ... "

" ... Does a fantastic job of managing the system and watering only as needed. ... "

" ... Completely works on its own and takes care of the job. ... "

" ... Once they were all solid everything worked great! ... "

" ... It's only been a week but super impressed so far! ... "

" ... gets them to stop fast. ... "

Returns

sent, support, replacement, result, response

+20%

-80%

" ... I would return this product, if it hadn't been more than 30 days . ... "

" ... Was broke sent back . ... "

" ... I should have checked before now but now I have a nonworking controller and past the Amazon return deadline. ... "

" ... The replacement does not respond at all. ... "

" ... I returned the product as a result. ... "

" ... I ran the system very shortly before sending it back. ... "

Delivery

repackaged, remember, rave, ordered, notifies

+90%

-10%

" ... I ordered from Amazon and it was delivered fast via Prime. ... "

" ... Everything I needed was in the box. ... "

" ... Product arrived the next day and I installed it on the same day. ... "

" ... This is exactly what its advertised to do and it does so in a very sophisticated manner. ... "

" ... Arrived on time and in good condition. ... "

" ... I cannot remember a product which so completely lived up to the rave reviews it had received. ... "

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Specifications

Connectivity

WiFi: Yes

Recommendations

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Yes

WIFI

Recommendations

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