6 Best Drip Irrigation Systems to Moderate Garden Water Flow
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I’m one of those gardeners who loves being precise with everything that affects my plants, which is why I’ve been using drip irrigation systems for years. Being able to deliver exactly how much water you want to exactly where you want it seems like a superpower, especially compared to the alternatives of a garden hose or a watering can.
The best drip irrigation systems can not only help you deliver water right where it’s needed, but can also drastically reduce the amount of water you need to keep your plants happy and healthy.
I’ve found 6 of the best drip irrigation systems that you can buy online, each of which has its own benefits and ideal use case.
Let’s get right into it!
Key Takeaways
After looking at all the drip irrigation systems I’ve used in the past and doing plenty of online research, I’ve come up with a list of six great options for you to use. Overall, I believe that the best drip irrigation system is the Maotong Drip Irrigation System Kit. I picked that product out of the crowd as a result of its excellent length, flexible setup, and the exceptional value for money it offers its users.
Whether you’re looking to deliver precise drips into the root systems of vegetables or use the misting function to water your flower beds, you’ll be able to set up the Maotong Drip Irrigation System Kit exactly as is needed.
I’ve also included a couple of products with different use cases, like the smaller Landtouch Micro Drip Irrigation System Kit and the universal expansion/repair kit Rain Bird DRIPPAILQ Drip Irrigation Repair and Expansion Kit.
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Best Overall: Maotong Drip Irrigation System Kit
Why this is a quality choice: The Maotong Drip Irrigation System Kit offers unparalleled flexibility and efficiency. The kit comes with 40 feet of main tubing and 200 feet distribution tubing. This allows you to set up a drip irrigation system that fits your home growing setup like a glove. And, it also comes with three different types of sprayers. With these, you can choose whether to water your plants using a mist, vortex, or drip emitter.
Who is this for? The flexibility that this system offers means that just about any home grower can arrange it in a way that fits what and where they’re growing.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The system comes with many parts (more than 130), so there’s some labor and experience needed to assemble the system.
Length: 240 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: 3 different sprayers, extra hose connectors
Best Budget: Flantor Store Drip Irrigation Kit
Why this is a quality choice: This simple and affordable drip irrigation kit is a great way to enable yourself to set up a basic irrigation system for your indoor or outdoor garden. Although it doesn’t come with the range of options as some other entries on this list of the best drip irrigation systems, the manufacturer has made an effort to give you lots of control over your plants’ water uptake. For instance, you’re able to adjust all the nozzles that come with the kit to control the rate and volume of water they emit.
Who is this for? I’d recommend the Flantor Store Drip Irrigation Kit to anyone who wants to get started with drip irrigation but doesn’t need anything too complex.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Although the materials this kit is made from represent a little bit of a compromise as a result of its price, it is durable enough to last for at least a couple years of use.
Length: 50 feet or 70 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: Adjustable nozzles
Best Custom Pattern: Abakuku Garden Irrigation System
Why this is a quality choice: This excellent drip irrigation system made by Abakuku is both incredibly tough and incredibly flexible. With 16 tributaries available, you can use this one system to water up to 140 square feet at once.
Who is this for? Gardeners who struggle with a lack of water pressure at the extremities of their drip irrigation setups can benefit from the Abakuku Garden Irrigation System’s pressure-boosting design.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: On the flipside, you won’t really want to employ this solution if your water pressure is high enough that you’d need a pressure-reducing solution.
Length: 164 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: Pressure-increasing design, mist sprayers
Best Smart Irrigation System: CIRYASR Solar Drip Irrigation System
Why this is a quality choice: The CIRYASR Solar Drip Irrigation System stands as a high-tech solution that allows gardeners to save time and labor once it’s set up. The automatic pump and timing systems can water your plants according to a set schedule without any involvement from you.
And, if there is a problem with the system (like a lack of available water, for example), then the system will automatically alert you via a mobile app.
Who is this for? You can really take advantage of this product’s solar power if you plan on using it in a remote area of your property that would be difficult to get power to.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: As you would expect given its features, the CIRYASR Solar Drip Irrigation System is quite expensive. I’d say that you should consider it if you really need its ability to act in an automated manner in remote settings, but look elsewhere otherwise.
Length: 50 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: Pump, solar panel and battery, automatic watering
Best Small Irrigation Kit: Landtouch Micro Drip Irrigation System Kit
Why This is a Quality Choice: The penultimate entry on our list of the best irrigation systems is the Landtouch Micro Drip Irrigation System Kit, which is distinctive because of its comparatively small footprint. The truth is that not everyone needs a huge drip irrigation system like the others on this list.
With 50 feet of tubing included, you can water a wide, but not massive, area without having a lot of extra pieces and tubing left over.
Who is this for? If you’re planning to construct a modestly sized drip irrigation system, then this product is an excellent choice for you.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some customers have noted that the hose remains stiff for quite a while after shipping, but you can dip it in some hot water to help make it more flexible.
Length: 200 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: Pressure reducer, mist sprayers
Best Expansion Kit: Rain Bird DRIPPAILQ Drip Irrigation Repair and Expansion Kit
Why this is a quality choice: The Rain Bird DRIPPAILQ Drip Irrigation Repair and Expansion Kit can help you save a damaged irrigation system or greatly expand it. The Repair Kit comes with 112 parts that have universal connections, allowing you to make it work with just about any irrigation system.
Who is this for? This is an excellent option for gardeners who already own a drip irrigation kit that they want to either repair or extend.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This isn’t a kit that includes everything you need to set up a fully functional drip irrigation system, but it does have a lot of utility if you already have such a setup.
Length: 250 feet | Filter: None | Additional features: Universal connections
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Buying Considerations for The Best Drip Irrigation Systems
Length
If you’re going to go through the expense and effort of purchasing and setting up a drip irrigation system, then you should ensure that it will adequately cover all the ground that you have to keep watered.
First, I’d recommend making a detailed sketch of the area in which you plan to use drip irrigation. This can help you estimate the length (and layout) of the drip irrigation system you’re looking for and narrow down your options.
Water Pressure
The water pressure going into a drip irrigation system makes a big difference to its performance. Too little means that the outskirts of your drip irrigation system won’t get very much water. Too much water pressure will put a lot of pressure on the joints and links of your setup. Luckily, there are options that can, alternatively, increase or decrease water pressure within the drip irrigation system based on their design.
Additional features
There are several additional features that some, but not all, drip irrigation systems have—each of which can sway a buying decision in the right circumstances. For example, some drip irrigation systems come equipped with mist nozzles, which are better at watering certain types of plants than the traditional drip nozzles.
Another feature that can make the difference is whether or not an irrigation system supports automatic watering. If your daily schedule makes it such that you would benefit from a system that could water your plants on its own, it’s worth shopping around for an option with this feature.
How I Choose These Products
I put together this light by combining insight from years of experience and online research about new and unfamiliar products. The fact that I’ve used so many different drip irrigation systems through the years has given me a good eye for quality, as well as a sense of which brands to look out for.
I also tried to include a few different types of products that will be well-suited to different use cases. The goal is for every gardener to find a drip irrigation system that fits their project. I hope that this approach has worked for you and led you to a drip irrigation system that you’re excited to order and install!
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Final Verdict
Overall, the Maotong Drip Irrigation System Kit is the best drip irrigation system that’s out there right now. It has great quality components and can be arranged in hundreds of different ways to create the ideal irrigation system for your gardening project. Drip irrigation systems boast unmatched convenience and efficiency, so why not start using one today!
FAQs
What type of drip irrigation is best?
There’s simply no general answer to the question of what type of drip irrigation is best. It depends entirely on what types of plants you’re growing and what your growing environment looks like. For some gardeners, a simple soaker hose will be the best solution. Others genuinely need a complicated system like the CIRYASR Solar Drip Irrigation System.
However, much like how a classic gardening tool like a hori hori knife will work best when sharpened, a drip irrigation system will best water your plants when it’s set up properly.
What is a major downside to drip irrigation?
Drip irrigation systems are an excellent way to deliver precise amounts of water to exactly where it’s needed. However, such systems do have some drawbacks. They are often expensive and labor-intensive to get set up initially. This requires money and time that some gardens may not want to invest. These systems also require regular maintenance. Clogs and leaks can both compromise the proper operation of a drip irrigation system.
Which irrigation system is most effective and why?
Drip irrigation is the most effective way to water plants because it delivers water directly to the roots of plants in a controlled manner. This means that you need to use much less water than you would for other irrigation techniques.
In contrast, a sprinkler system will spray water all over an area. Then, most of it evaporates without being utilized by your plants. However, drip irrigation systems are relatively complicated to install and run as a result of their many parts and the possibility of clogs and leaks.
