If you want to enjoy a lush lawn, a sprinkler system is crucial, but when you have a small lawn, you need to choose the right model for your needs. Small area sprinklers are specifically designed for small lawns to avoid overwatering issues.
Our researchers have reviewed 22 small lawn sprinklers to assess the benefits they can offer. We’ve compiled a list of picks and our editor’s choice, the GrowGreen Sprinkler offers fantastic versatility with different sprinkler speeds and types with a full 360º rotation. We’ve also ranked other sprinkler systems at different price points to ensure that there is a top pick for everyone.
Our researchers deliberated for hours to research the best sprinkler for small lawn products. We’ve evaluated the different types of sprinklers, so you can assess which one is best for your preferences. However, we’ve also explored the coverage areas and spray distances, which can help you to calculate whether a particular sprinkler model can provide adequate irrigation for your lawn area, but we’ve also looked at materials, adjustability and warranties offered. We’ve presented our findings as a simple overview table and a list of detailed reviews. Finally, we’ve included a buying guide to help you to make your final purchase decision.
More features: 360˚ rotation, 80PSI water pressure
The GrowGreen sprinkler is a multi-purpose unit that any garden or lawn owner deserves. You can use it for various purposes, including watering your lawn or garden and setting it up for your kids to play and cool down on hot summer days. The sprinkler comes in an ultra-durable body. It is made with high-quality ABS plastic and rust-proof polymer to give you worry-free long-lasting performance.
The GrowGreen sprinkler scoops the top spot on our list for all the right reasons. It is powerful and can sprinkle your yard with water evenly at 80PSI water pressure. Further, the sprinkler can rotate up to 360 degrees and spray water as far as 32.8 ft away. As if that’s enough, you can customize your watering by adjusting the sprinkler’s nozzles so that they can spray in any direction. The sprinkler will stay put wherever you place it as its bases are weighted to prevent it from moving.
The GrowGreen sprinkler is also our best overall pick because it is super easy to install, and it saves on water. Its water conservation technology sets it apart from other sprinklers on this list. The technology ensures the sprinkler delivers an even layer of water and does not overspray. If you are looking to conserve water, the sprinkler should be your prime pick.
Other features: twin touch controls, adjustable width and pattern range
The Melnor XT4200M is our premium pick and we believe it’s the best oscillating sprinkler for small lawn watering. This sprinkler can water 4,200 sq. ft. and this is an excellent level of coverage for a sprinkler at this price point. The user can control the width, flow and range of watering to ensure that every part of the lawn gets the watering that it needs.
The controls are simple to use. Melnor have installed their “Twin Touch” control system on this sprinkler so it’s easy to get the exact settings that you need. This sprinkler is supplied with 20 spray nozzles that deliver consistent watering performance is the water pressure is good. The incoming water pressure can also be adjusted using the yellow clips that are located at the center of the sprinkler unit.
This is also an excellent sprinkler for newly seeded lawns thanks to the “Zoom Control” feature. This offers a gentler watering experience that will not disturb or damage the seeds as they develop. If you need an oscillating sprinkler for your small lawn the Melnor XT4200M is an ideal choice.
Other features: 4-way adjustment, zoom control, flow-through base
The Melnor 65003-AMZ MiniMax Turbo is the best value sprinkler choice on our list. The compact design is deceptive; this sprinkler can water an area of up to 4.000 sq. ft. making it an ideal choice for smaller and medium sized lawns. The width and range of the water flow can be easily adjusted and the “Zoom” feature allows the user to helps to focus the watering to avoid wasting water on paths and driveways.
This oscillating sprinkler is smooth and quiet and it provides even watering coverage without puddling. Melnor refer to this as their “Infinity Turbo Drive” and it’s designed to extend the life of this sprinkler unit for many years to come. Many Melnor products including this sprinkler have a quick connect system that makes changing tools simple. The Quick Connect product adapter allows the user to attach the sprinkler to a hose end whenever they want to use it.
Other features: adjustable spray coverage, 360° watering, anti-backsplash arm, tripod base
The Orbit 56667N Zinc Impact Sprinkler is an unusual entry on our list because it sits on a tripod base. The sprinkler head can be adjusted from 16” up to 37” in height making it an ideal choice for watering plants and flowers that high off the ground. For the best results the sprinkler head should be set to the height of the plants being watered. When it comes to watering a lawn, the tripod legs are expandable so you can set the sprinkler to water larger areas easily.
This Orbit sprinkler has a spray area of 80 ft. and the sprinkler head has a full rotation of 360º for even water distribution. The sprinkler can also be adjusted to work in smaller areas without wasting water with a screw located on the sprinkler head. The user can adjust the sprinkler down to an area of 10ft. but it takes a little trial and error to find the exact setting that you need by turning the screw.
Other features: adjustable spray diameter
The Gardena 1951 is a simple and effective low cost sprinkler solution for smaller gardens. It can cover a maximum surface area of 1,000 sq. ft. with a 36 ft. diameter spray. This is a great option for users that need to deliver water to smaller front gardens, flower beds and raised vegetable beds. This sprinkler is mounted on a stake, simply push the unit into the ground where you need water, connect it to a water supply and turn it on. There are no complicated moving parts and when you’re done simply pull it up and move it somewhere else.
One of the best things about purchasing a Gardena sprinkler is the 12-month part and labor warranty supplied with their products. If the unit fails it will be repaired or replaced free of charge during the initial year of ownership. If the sprinkler fails later there is a national repair service that offers a free estimate on parts and labor to get the product fixed. That being said, the Gardena 1951 is very inexpensive and it would be cheaper to simply buy another unit. It’s easy to imagine dedicated gardeners using a few of these sprinklers if they have multiple small areas that need water.
Other features: two wheel base, adjustable spraying distance
The GREEN MOUNT Lawn Sprinkler is our editor’s choice because it has an impressive range of features for a relatively modest price point. This may be the best sprinkler for small square lawn watering on our list because it has an auto-rotate feature with a full 360º rotation. This ensures that every area of the lawn within the effective radius will receive an adequate volume of water.
The base is extremely stable, this adds a little weight to the device, but it sits on handy wheels making it easy to maneuver into position. This sprinkler has both a heavy-duty impulse and a two-arm metal sprinkler. Both of these sprinklers can deliver water out to 20 ft. and 40 ft., respectively making this a very flexible option.
The overall quality of the GREEN MOUNT Lawn Sprinkler is very impressive for the modest price. The flexibility of the two different sprinkler types is very useful and it gives the user options that are not available on many other sprinklers.
If you want a lush, healthy lawn, a sprinkler system is crucial, However, when you have a small lawn, it can be challenging to choose the right unit. So, here we’ve compiled a buying guide with the things to consider, features to look out for and the answers to common questions to aid you making your final purchase decision.
There are three main reasons why you may want to install a sprinkler system for a smaller garden.
With so many sprinkler systems on the market, it can be tricky to choose the right one for your property. Here we’ll explore features to consider to help you to narrow your choices and find the best one for your specific needs.
There are four main types of sprinklers and the one you choose will depend on the size of your garden and how much water your garden needs. Let’s take a closer look at these different types of sprinklers in a little more detail.
Every sprinkler is designed for a certain level of coverage and this should match or exceed the size of your lawn. For a smaller lawn a sprinkler with a coverage area of 4,200 sq. ft. such as the Melnor XT4200M is ideal. Some smaller models such as the Gardena 1951 have a far lower coverage area under 1,600 sq. ft. If you have a smaller garden you have a couple of choices, you can get a single sprinkler to ensure you have adequate coverage. Alternatively, you could get more than one sprinkler to cover the entire area and have more flexibility.
Many modern sprinklers such as the GREEN MOUNT Lawn Sprinkler have a number of settings for watering timing and water pressure. It’s a great idea to purchase a sprinkler with a wide variety of settings because it will be a more flexible sprinkler that’s well suited to more watering tasks.
Choosing the optimal watering settings, it extremely important to avoid overwatering and water waste.
This could also be considered as the flow rate; it’s the volume of water that you will receive when using that sprinkler. The volume of water use is expressed as Liters per Minute or L/m and this should be efficient. Generally speaking, you will need a water pressure of 30-35 Pounds per Square Inch or PSI and a water flow of 10-13 Gallons per Minute or GPM to support a modest sprinkler. A water sprinkler that sprays water further will need more and vice versa. So, if you purchase a sprinkler with a longer spray distance and you have low water pressure the unit will not spray to the full distance. If that’s the case, read our review on the best sprinklers for low pressure. This is an important consideration because you need full coverage to water the entire area. This is less of an issue with sprinklers for smaller gardens but it’s worth checking before making a commitment to buy. If the water pressure is too low contact a local plumber and they can help you to adjust it to make it more usable in the garden and elsewhere in the home.
The manufacturing material use in a sprinkler will affect how well it stands up to daily use and how long it will last before it fails. Generally speaking, a sprinkler that’s made from plastic will be less sturdy compared to a sprinkler made with metal. Most modern sprinklers have some plastic parts, but better products may have sturdy metal bases or connectors to improve the overall durability. Another key consideration is corrosion prevention to ensure that your sprinkler doesn’t succumb to rust that will shorten its useful lifespan. Another problem with plastic sprinkler models is that they can fade and become weakened when exposed to hot sunlight. Some people avoid this problem by storing their sprinklers under cover when they are not in use.
Like any modern tool or appliance there may be a manufacturer’s warranty available for your sprinkler. A great warranty proves that the manufacturer has confidence in their product and it provides a certain level of cover if anything goes wrong. A sprinkler has a relatively harsh life, dealing with water pressure can wear out parts quickly and this can be a problem. More expensive sprinklers can usually be repaired and if you have an inexpensive model it’s more cost effective to simply replace a failing product.
The price of your new sprinkler has to be within your budget but you may be surprised at how much you can get for your money. However, you do get what you pay for and a more expensive sprinkler is likely to have more features and durability when compared to a cheaper product. Finding the right balance of features for the best price is a great idea but this will vary a great deal depending on the factors mentioned earlier. In our opinion the Melnor 65003-AMZ MiniMax Turbo is the best value sprinkler on this list.
As you can see there are some great options for small lawn sprinklers on the market today. From the Melnor 65003-AMZ MiniMax Turbo, which offers an intuitive and easy to use system to the premium Melnor XT4200M, which provides an impressive coverage. However, the stand out as the best sprinkler for small lawn has to be our editor’s choice, the Green Mount.
This fantastic sprinkler system includes an auto rotate feature and full 360º rotation with different spray speeds and types to ensure proper coverage of any small lawn. The Green Mount sprinkler is made from heavy duty materials ensuring impressive quality despite the modest price tag. It is also backed by a two-year manufacturer’s warranty, making it a fantastic option.
