![]() ![]() I experienced no leaks whatsoever, throughout weeks of testing in a variety of weather conditions. The hardware offers a snug fit to your spigot and hose. Manual runs are easy to kick off through the app (or you can just press the button on the device, as noted), and detailed logging chronicles every successful and skipped run watering session. In my testing, the unit didn’t skip a beat, successfully watering at prescribed intervals and skipping days appropriately when it rained. Once your schedule is set and your hose is aimed at whatever you want to water (you can also use it with a drip irrigation system), you can largely forget about it, just like you would a standard irrigation system. Once the device is in operation, the app will log each watering session and each skipped session. Rachio’s well-designed app makes this hose timer easy to set up. The hose timer can interact with Rachio’s most basic “rain skip” feature-letting you skip that day’s watering if a preset amount of precipitation has recently occurred in your area-but it does not include the more advanced Rachio weather intelligence features, lacking options to skip watering based on wind, freeze, or soil saturation conditions. Just give the timer a name and set up a schedule: daily, weekly, or somewhere in between. If you’re familiar with Rachio’s irrigation controllers, you’ll immediately note that the hose timer offers much simpler operation, eschewing questions about soil type and shade levels, letting you quickly get down to business. Once that final step is completed, you’re ready to start watering. A similar, but slightly shorter, process is required to connect the timer to the hub, along with another firmware update that takes another 10 minutes or so. After a firmware update-which took about 10 minutes-the hub was up and running and ready for the next step. From here, you just use the Rachio app to scan a QR code printed on the device and walk through a few basic steps to make the connection to your network. ![]() The hub plugs into wall power and is ready for configuration in less than a minute. The Rachio Smart Hose Timer is powered by two AA batteries that fit into a compartment on the back of the unit. Rachio says the hub must be within 200 feet of the spigot you attach the timer to, but one hub can support up to four hose timers. You must first connect Rachio’s 2.4GHz Wi-Fi hub, which is included, to your network. ![]() Rachio’s hose timer, like Orbit’s, is outfitted with a Bluetooth radio, but unlike that device, you can’t connect your smartphone directly to the Rachio. The Rachio Smart Hose Timer ships with a Wi-Fi hub that can control additional timers on up to 4 spigots. (You’ll need a very small screwdriver to get them installed.) A single weatherproofed button on the top of the device lets you manually start and stop water flow through the device and is also used for initial setup. Two AA batteries (not included) are secreted under a hatch secured with a pair of bolts. A snug connector attaches to your water spigot, and a hose attaches to the other end. The roughly 3 x 2 x 7-inch Rachio Smart Hose Timer couldn’t be simpler. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart sprinkler controllers. ![]()
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