Types of Irrigation Controllers

1. Manual Controllers (Old School)

What it is: You turn the system on and off yourself. No programming, no schedule.
Good for: Tiny yards, hoses with timers, or folks who love doing everything by hand.
Downside: You gotta remember to turn it on and off. If you forget—it floods or dries up.

“Set it and forget it” doesn’t work here. You gotta babysit it.

2. Basic Digital Timers (Simple and Affordable)

What it is: A programmable timer that turns on your sprinklers on a set schedule.
Good for: Most homeowners with basic lawns and garden beds.
Features:

Weekly schedules

Start and stop times

Manual override

Maybe rain delay

Mr. Lee’s Tip: These are the most common we install for our yard clean-up and irrigation customers. Brands like Orbit and Rain Bird make solid models in the $40–$100 range.

3. Smart Wi-Fi Controllers (Modern & Fancy)

What it is: Connects to your Wi-Fi and adjusts watering automatically based on real-time weather.
Good for:

Larger yards

Garden beds with different zones

Tech-savvy folks

Saving water without thinking about it

Features:

Adjusts for rain, wind, or freeze

Controls from your phone

Tells you when something’s wrong

Voice control (Alexa/Google Home)

Popular models:

Rachio 3 – Super smart, great app

Hunter Hydrawise – More advanced, good for pros

Orbit B-Hyve – Budget-friendly smart option

4. Commercial Controllers

These are overkill for most homeowners, but great for big apartment complexes, commercial properties, or parks.
They support dozens of zones, flow sensors, weather stations—you name it.

What Mr. Lee Recommends for Seattle Homeowners

Small Yard? ➝ Go with a basic digital timer or Orbit B-Hyve

Have multiple zones or care about water savings? ➝ Try Rachio 3

Love gardening but hate wasting water? ➝ Smart controller is worth every penny

Bonus: Seattle Water Tips

Our city charges more during peak season (summer), so a smart controller pays for itself by avoiding overwatering.

Always use a rain sensor or pick a controller with built-in rain delay.

Need Help Installing or Upgrading?

We install and program irrigation timers all the time for Seattle homeowners—from simple 2-zone systems to full-blown smart setups. If your sprinkler system’s still living in the ‘90s, give Mr. Lee a call. We’ll get you updated, dialed in, and saving water in no time.