One problem with having a front-yard is that unwanted animals can access it and do harm to the yard or your family. Therefore, motion-activated sprinklers have surfaced as an effective, safe solution to chase these animals away. But how can you get the best motion activated sprinkler for your place? This post will guide you through this step-by-step instruction.
Here are the best motion activated sprinklers you can buy in 2024:
- Best Overall: Orbit 62100
- Best For Large Area: Orbit 62000
- Best For A Small Area: Hoont Motion Activated Jet Blaster
- Water-Efficient: Havahart 5277
- Best For Vegetable Garden: ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent 1,200 sq. ft.
| 5 Best Motion Activated Sprinklers | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Orbit 62100 | |
Best For Large Area | Orbit 62000 | |
Best For A Small Area | Hoont Motion Activated Jet Blaster | |
Water-Efficient | Havahart 5277 | |
Best For Vegetable Garden | ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent 1,200 sq. ft. | |
Best Overall: Orbit 62100
- Full of control – a control panel
- Prevent leakage efficiently – waterproof sealed battery compartment
- Able to motion activate many hoses and sprinklers of the same unit - flow-through riser
- Wish there was a remote to control it from distance
- Intelligent Sensing Technology usually have false alarms
This motion-activated sprinkler combines sound and water to deter animals as well as critters from your landscape.
It features a passive infrared motion sensor for day or night operation, a 120-degree field of view, and an adjustment knob to adjust the sensor up or down. Plus, you can shift it left or right if wanted.
While the battery compartment is super-easy to use, it is waterproof sealed so you have no leak problems. The flow-through riser allows you to connect additional hoses and sprinklers that are all controlled by the valve so these are all motion-activated off the same unit.
The latching solenoid valve can be cycled up to 5000 times on one set of batteries.
There’s also a control panel where you can adjust the range sensitivity, duration of the sprinkler, and choose a 30-minute water cycle. It also provides you with a dial to set a day/night or always position. When you’re done using it, set it to the off position.
| Orbit 62100 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 10 x 5 x 24.5 inches |
Water Pressure | 25+ PSI |
Spray Distance | 70 feet in diameter |
Coverage | 3,840 square feet |
Highlight Features | a control panel the waterproof sealed battery compartment flow-through riser |
If you’re looking for the best-overall motion-activated sprinkler, we find nothing can beat the Orbit 62100.
Best For Large Area: Orbit 62000
- Work well on windy days
- Ideal for large areas, up to 3,840 square feet
- Able to water your property 30 minutes at once - The dual-purpose sprinkler
- Deter animals and pests optimally - A powerful combo of noise, motion, and spray
- No day/night selection
- The water direction could be adjusted more
This motion-activated sprinkler is designed to be less customizable than its previous sibling, featuring no day/night selection but just the On/Off function.
Besides, it doesn’t have Intelligent Sensing Technology but that is also the reason many people love using it.
As stated above, this smart function becomes useless on windy days when there’re too many tree movements because it can’t detect a squirrel-eaten fruit underneath your "protected" tree. This more basic option turns out to work better in such a situation.
Regardless, aside from giving a bit shorter spray distance, other features of this sprinkler are quite similar to Orbit 62100.
| Orbit 62000 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 10.5 x 10.56 x 4 inches |
Water Pressure | 25+ PSI |
Spray Distance | 40 feet in diameter |
Coverage | 3,840 square feet |
Highlight Features | Coverage of up to 3,840 square feet A powerful combo of noise, motion, and spray The dual-purpose sprinkler |
If you want a better performer on windy days with less false alarm to protect your large landscape, this is a great choice.
Best For A Small Area: Hoont Motion Activated Jet Blaster
- 100% harmless – use water spraying to scare animals or pests
- Able to adjust the sensitivity – detection motion of 0-30 feet
- Ensure both repellent effectiveness and water-saving - The water jet 5-second intermittent spray cycle
- Unclear instructions
Opposite to the Orbit 62000 and Orbit 62100, this motion-activated sprinkler is specifically for small areas, up to 1000 square feet.
It is easy to set up with no tools or handyman skills required while the use of only water to deter animals/pests makes it 100% harmless.
This sprinkler can detect motion from a distance of 0 to 30 feet, and you can adjust the sensitivity, which is nice.
Once detecting an animal, pest, or anything potentially harming your property, it will jet water with a 5-second intermittent spray cycle, which is also our most favorite feature. This smart setting will not just ensure repellent effectiveness but also help you save more water.
| Hoont Motion Activated Jet Blaster Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 8.8 x 5.3 x 4.9 inches |
Spray Distance | 0 to 30 ft range |
Coverage | 1000 square feet |
Highlight Features | The water jet 5-second intermittent spray cycle detection motion of 0-30 feet |
If you own a small landscape and are finding a harmless yet effective way to get rid of those popooing in your area, this is the best bet.
Water-Efficient: Havahart 5277
- Eco-friendly and water-saving - consume 2-3 cups of water/spray
- 100% harmless to humans or animals – release a startling surge of water
- Easy to use and control – two spray settings and a metal spike
- You can’t adjust the time duration that the sprinkler will work once sensing motion
- The spike could be stronger
If you want to optimize the water used for each spray when your motion-activated sprinkler detects an animal/pest, this will never let you down.
Highlighting an eco-friendly design, it only consumes 2-3 cups of water/spray, even lesser than the Hoont.
The way it sprays water to scare animals away is also a bit different, which is a startling surge of water. And you’ve got two spray settings, either way, has no dripping with water on all the time, thanks to the tightly sealed design.
Talking about the application of this model, it is perfect to repel opossums, raccoons, dogs, or skunks without harming them.
Besides, the metal spike design allows it to be installed anywhere wanted around your property.
| Havahart 5277 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 2.6 x 6.5 x 22.25 inches |
Spray Distance | 100 feet |
Highlight Features | consume 2-3 cups of water/spray release a startling surge of water two spray settings the metal spike |
We highly recommend the Havahart 5277 for anyone looking for the most water-efficient motion-activated sprinkler with no compromise of repelling effectiveness.
Best For Vegetable Garden: ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent 1,200 sq. ft.
- Effective to humanely scare animals/pests off your vegetable garden - the spray distance of 20’-30’
- Easy to control – adjustable sensitivity
- Eco-friendly – consume really little water
- A bit expensive
- Eat up batteries fast
Last but not least, this motion-activated sprinkler from ScareCrow is our suggestion for the vegetable garden because it utilizes a mix of sound and water to startle pests or animals (like birds, rabbits, and deer) without harming them.
It’s best that you can turn the tool off while weeding and the sensitivity can be adjusted.
We find the spray distance of 20’-30’ is ideal for a garden area of up to 1200 square feet. It gives a short burst when motion is detected. Works exactly as advertised.
The best part is it consumes so little water that is also great for water-conserving.
| ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent 1,200 sq. ft. Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 12.6 x 7.3 x 3.6 inches |
Spray Distance | 20 to 30 feet. |
Coverage | 1,200 sq. ft. |
Highlight Features | consume really little water adjustable sensitivity the spray distance of 20’-30’ |
ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent Sprinkler is a great way to teach annoying animals or pests that your vegetable garden isn’t Club Med.
How To Choose The Best Motion Activated Sprinkler?
Types
When shopping for a motion-activated sprinkler, you need to choose a certain type, which is determined based on different criteria.
- Power source: decide to go with either a solar-powered or a battery-powered product. In this case, solar-powered sprinklers are better as they are eco-friendly, cost-efficient, and less likely to be damaged. However, you can only install them in sunny places while battery-powered sprinklers can be installed anywhere.
- Source of water: for this criterium, it’s either a hose or hose-free sprinkler. Many motion-activated sprinklers are connected to your garden hose but hose-free ones use gallons filled with water that supply dozens of spray per fill. You can install a hose-free sprinkler anywhere you want.
- The spraying range: for this factor, there are two types: 120 degrees and 360 degrees. Of course, you should always choose the 360-degree type to maximize the protection of your yard.
Durability
A sprinkler can be made of plastic or metal. No matter what material you opt for, make sure it’s sturdy so that you can make good use of it for at least 5 years.
Detection length
Detection length refers to how far the motion-activated sprinkler can detect an animal, which can go up to 30 feet.
While some products have a fixed length, others come with variable lengths. So, you need to measure the size and shape of your garden to pick the suitable detection length.
Which Brands Make The Best Motion Activated Sprinkler?
Orbit
Founded in the 1970s, Orbit has become a market leader in terms of outdoor water products. Here, you will find high-quality and smart sprinklers for your garden.
Hoont
Hoont is another great choice for buying sprinklers. The brand stands out from competitors for well-designed, functional, effective, and reliable products.
Havahart
With 75 years of experience in the business, this brand has gained trust from consumers. It’s well recognized for innovation and technology.
FAQs
How do motion-activated sprinklers work?
A motion-activated sprinkler uses infrared sensors to detect any animal wandering into its protected area by sensing movements and heat.
When the sensors detect an animal, the sprinkler will be activated, shoots water, and make startling sounds to chase the intruder away.
How to install a motion-activated sprinkler?
Follow these steps to install a motion-activated sprinkler:
- Unless it’s a hose-free sprinkler, you need to attach it to your garden hose.
- Insert the right batteries in the sprinkler and put its pole into the turf.
- Place the sprinkler and the sensor so they look toward the direction of potential incoming animals.
- Set the sprinkler’s sensitivity and turn on the hose (if it’s a hose-connected sprinkler)
How effective is a motion-activated sprinkler?
A motion-activated sprinkler is effective for chasing animals away without doing any harm to them.
Besides, it doesn’t require human participation in operation except for the initial installation.
How do I get my sprinkler back and forth?
First, you need to disassemble the sprinkler’s head and hand-wash any dirt or debris stuck in it.
Then, remove the filter from the bottom of the sprinkler head and rinse it in a bucket of clean water to get rid of any debris. Finally, reinstall everything and the sprinkler should rotate.
How do you fix a sprinkler that won't rotate?
When a sprinkler doesn’t rotate, it’s most likely that something has clogged its head, meaning you have to clean the sprinkler head.
First, you need to take out the head of the sprinkler and wash out any debris or dirt. Then take the filter out and rinse it in clean water to remove dirt and debris too. Next, reinstall the head and test it.
If it still doesn’t work, make sure you have adjusted it right. Otherwise, you should replace the head.
Conclusion
This is the end of our detailed guide to choosing the best motion activated sprinkler to chase animals from your front yard. We hope that after reading this post, you will quickly and easily find the perfect product for yourself.
Harry RamosI’m Harry Ramos, who's crazy about all things green. I’m here to share some experience in my gardening adventure and how to choose the best products for your garden. Let's dig in, get our hands dirty, and celebrate the simple, earthy pleasures of the garden together!
