Rain Bird HET200 2-Station Hose End Timer
Our score: 8.0/10 out of 102-zone · Batteries power · 15 psi minimum water pressure
No Canada price yet
Hose timers
A hose timer screws onto an outdoor faucet and turns the water on and off for a hose, a sprinkler or a drip kit. Plain timers are set with a dial and buttons; smart ones use an app over Bluetooth, which works only near the timer, or over Wi-Fi, which often needs a separate hub. Makers say to bring them indoors before the first frost.
Before you buy
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or neither Bluetooth works from your phone near the faucet. Remote control and weather skipping need Wi-Fi, often through a separate hub.
- Count the outlets A timer with two or four outlets can water a lawn and beds on separate schedules from one faucet.
- Check the faucet thread US and Canadian outdoor faucets use 3/4 in garden hose thread. If a timer’s maker gives a different thread standard, check the fit at your faucet before you rely on it.
A hose timer is the simplest way to automate a drip kit: see the best drip irrigation kits.
Top picks
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Best overall
Orbit B-hyve XD 1-Outlet Smart Hose Timer
Set it at the faucet or by phone; add a hub later for Wi-Fi
- 1-zone
- 2-yr warranty
- Batteries power
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Best multi-outlet
Orbit B-hyve XD 4-Outlet Smart Hose Timer
Four outlets with their own schedules from one faucet
- 4-zone
- 2-yr warranty
- Batteries power
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Best smart
Rachio Smart Hose Timer with Wi-Fi Hub
Rain skip, flow alerts and up to eight valves on one Wi-Fi hub
- 1-zone
- 1-yr warranty
- Batteries power
More kits
4 kits, sorted by our score
Rain Bird HET100 1-Station Hose End Timer
Our score: 7.8/10 out of 101-zone · Batteries power · 15 psi minimum water pressure
No Canada price yetNetro Pixie 2 Smart Hose Faucet Timer
Our score: 7.6/10 out of 101-zone · 2-yr warranty · Solar power
No Canada price yetEve Aqua Smart Water Controller (3rd generation)
Our score: 7.0/10 out of 101-zone · 2-yr warranty · Batteries power
No Canada price yet
Hose timers questions
Do I need a hub for a smart hose timer?
For Wi-Fi control away from home, often yes: Orbit's B-hyve XD and Rachio's timer use a hub, while Netro's Pixie 2 joins your Wi-Fi itself. Bluetooth control needs no hub but works only near the timer.
Why is my hose timer leaking at the faucet?
Usually a missing or worn washer, or a connection that went on crooked. Check the washer and its filter screen, then reconnect the timer straight and hand-tight.
Can I use a timer on a frost-free faucet?
Often, but some frost-free faucets have a vacuum breaker that drips while a timer holds the water on. If yours leaks from the top, check with the faucet maker.
Which batteries do hose timers use?
Most models here take two AA or AAA batteries. Netro's Pixie 2 has a built-in battery charged by a small solar panel. Each product page lists the type.
What do I do with a hose timer in winter?
Take it off the faucet before the first frost, remove the batteries and store it indoors. Orbit's warranty doesn't cover freeze damage.
Can one timer water a lawn and garden beds?
Yes, with a multi-outlet timer: each outlet runs its own schedule, so a sprinkler and a drip kit can share one faucet. Orbit's B-hyve XD comes in a four-outlet version and Rain Bird's HET200 has two.
Guides
- The best hose timers, smart and plain: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, hubs and plain dials compared.
- How to winterize a sprinkler system, drip kit and hose timer: when to bring timers in and what to do with the batteries.
- The best drip irrigation kits for raised beds and gardens.
Other categories
- Sprinkler system kits: buried pop-up sprinklers that run from an outdoor faucet.
- Drip irrigation kits: emitters and dripline for beds, raised beds and containers.
- Sprinkler controllers: smart and plain timers for in-ground systems with valves.