Is Costco's Smart Sprinkler Worth Buying? Here's What Users Say

Whether you're looking for a clever way to keep squirrels out of your yard or just want an easier approach to lawn care, sprinklers can be a helpful investment. Not only do they save you the time and hassle of watering your lawn (and use less water to do so), but they can also offer consistent water to help reduce weeds. However, with so many options available, choosing the right sprinkler for your needs can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to deciding what features you need and those you could do without.

In your search for a sprinkler, you may find yourself browsing Costco's selection. Costco offers a smart sprinkler under the brand name Rachio. According to its description on the Costco website, the online-exclusive Rachio 3 smart sprinkler controller uses real weather data to determine the right time to water your garden. You can also create customized schedules based on your plants' needs to avoid poor watering habits that may be ruining your lawn. Currently, the Rachio 3 smart sprinkler sits just under $200.

If you've put time and effort into the plants in your life, the last thing you want is to invest in any product that looks good on paper but doesn't deliver. Reading reviews can be a great way to gauge how other buyers feel about their experience. At the time of writing, the Rachio 3 smart sprinkler has a 4.7-star rating across more than 4,200 reviews on the Costco website.

When shopping around for sprinklers, there are a few factors you'll want to keep in mind. These include installation, watering zones, and ease of use. Overall, the Rachio 3 smart sprinkler received positive remarks about many of these factors. For example, one verified purchaser said this: "Took me about 45 minutes to install the hardware and another 30 minutes to set the 1st schedule. All was very straight forward and easy to follow instructions. Got this over a month ago. It even adjusts the original schedule based on the average rain for the current month of the year."

Another buyer on the Costco website shared a similar sentiment in their review: "Very easy to install and easy to use. [...] One of the best features is the cell phone app 'quick run' for individual stations, which I use a lot for testing and adjusting individual sprinkler heads without having to run back and forth to the garage." While another reviewer also enjoyed the easy setup, they mentioned the app itself in their review as well, saying, "I think the app could [be] better. Sometimes I have to hunt for what I'm needing. Other things, like starting an existing program right now, don't seem to be available at all. You can work around all the shortcomings, but you shouldn't need to."

Some buyers in the reviews mentioned issues with connecting their smart sprinkler to the internet. One verified purchaser said, "Requires an internet connection but refuses to connect. I can see from the router that it connects and the internet is sufficient for me to watch TV yet this thing never works," while another noted that, although installation was easy, their "device will not connect to wifi."

When researching the Rachio 3, Outdoor Guide spent time learning about how the product worked and its different features, as well as deep diving into its reviews. This smart sprinkler received a positive rating overall, but we wanted to look beyond star ratings alone to see how customers felt about their purchase. This included reading reviews to see if those who had left positive ratings included any potential drawbacks or cons in their review. We also wanted to learn more about the experience from those who left negative reviews to understand how the sprinkler worked for them.

Not everyone will have the same experience when testing out a new lawn gadget, especially something personalized like a smart sprinkler. However, taking time to read reviews can highlight some potential drawbacks you may experience, as well as a variety of advantages that you may be interested in.