The Best Drip Irrigation Systems for Precision Watering

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Drip Irrigation Systems for Precision Watering and hope the blog can help you.

Treat yourself and your garden to one of these low-maintenance watering solutions, which are sure to make your neighbors green with envy!

Keeping up with watering your garden can be a challenge. Vacations, busy schedules, and changing weather conditions can all leave flowers, veggies, and shrubs thirsty. But install one of the best drip irrigation systems, which are sold in kits containing all you need, and you’ll solve this common problem. Drip irrigation is a system of hoses, nozzles, sprinklers, and tubes that deliver the proper amount of water to each plant, which helps you avoid both under- and overwatering.

When set to a timer, the best drip irrigation kits water automatically, and they’re easy to install and maintain. You’ll even find drip irrigation systems geared toward different types of gardens. Keep reading to learn how these worry-free watering systems work and why the following products rank as best in class:

1. BEST OVERALL: Dig GE200 Drip & Micro Sprinkler Kit 
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Bonviee Drip Irrigation Kit
3. BEST FOR RAISED BEDS: Raindrip R567DT Vegetable Garden Drip Watering Kit
4. BEST FOR HANGING PLANTERS: Orbit Hose End Hanging Basket Watering Kit
5. BEST FOR CONTAINERS: Orbit Micro Watering Drip Kit
6. BEST FOR LARGE PLOTS: Rain Bird Drip Repair and Expansion Kit

How We Chose the Best Drip Irrigation Systems

When curating our list of recommendations, we looked at the best brands on the market for drip irrigation systems, with tubing made from durable materials that are less likely to wear out in harsh outdoor weather. We made sure to include options for both small and large areas, with 50-foot-long tubing ideal for moderate-size gardens and up to as much as 250 feet long for larger spaces. We included some options that are easily extendable when needed for budding green thumbs looking to install new planters.

Our research also took into consideration the various types of systems required for different gardens. Our top picks include solutions for hanging planters, raised beds, containers, and large garden plots.

Our Top Picks

These top picks for best drip irrigation systems factor in all the considerations mentioned above. Whether it’s raised beds or hanging baskets, there’s a watering system on this list for your needs.

Best Overall

Dig GE200 Drip & Micro Sprinkler Kit

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This kit comes with everything you need to set up an extensive drip irrigation system. Its 124 pieces include micro sprayers, drip emitters, 200 feet of irrigation hose, stakes to hold the irrigation tubing in place, and various adapters. There are also plenty of elbow and tee joints, making it easy to customize the kit to suit the size and shape of the garden or landscaping bed.

In all, this kit can irrigate up to 700 square feet of gardens and landscaping and accommodate expansions of up to 1,000 square feet with the purchase of additional irrigation tubing. Setup requires no special tools, and Dig provides plenty of guidance for setting it up. Two guidebooks come with the sprinkler kit, and an instructional video is available online.

Product Specs 

• Length: 200 feet
• Filter: None
• Additional features: Pressure reducer, mist sprayers

Pros

• Adapters allow it to be customized to suit the size and shape of the landscaping
• Covers large area of up to 700 square feet and can be expanded to cover more area
• Plenty of guidance for setup with 2 guidebooks and online videos

Cons

• Some customers complain that the stakes aren’t strong enough to hold the tubing in place

Get the Dig drip irrigation system at The Home Depot.

Best Bang for the Buck

Bonviee Drip Irrigation Kit

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This drip irrigation kit provides plenty of coverage for landscaping potted plants or a garden while still leaving enough money for plants and gardening supplies. It comes with 106.5 feet of drip irrigation tubing, 16 drip emitters, stakes, and a connector for the faucet.

This drip kit is also easy to set up thanks to its manifold design. The faucet connects to the manifold, then individual lines run from the manifold to each drip irrigation emitter and mini sprinkler head. There’s no need to connect multiple joints and adapters. The manifold is limited to just a dozen emitters and mini sprinklers, so it may not be suitable for larger gardens and beds.

Product Specs 

• Length: 106.5 feet
• Filter: None
• Additional features: 12-port manifold

Pros

• Manifold design reduces the number of parts needed for setup
• Versatile design allows it to work with garden beds, potted plants, and lawns
• Comes with easy-to-follow directions for setup and operation

Cons

• Size of the manifold limits the number of emitters to 12

Get the Bonviee drip irrigation system at Amazon.

Best For Raised Beds

Raindrip R567DT Vegetable Garden Drip Watering Kit

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This kit makes watering raised beds straightforward and easy. It comes with a length of in-line emitter hose (spaced at 12 inches) and stakes to hold it in place. It simply screws onto a hose faucet or the end of a garden hose. This simple setup will have you watering your garden in minutes.

There’s not a ton of flexibility with this system, though. It doesn’t include any fittings for creating hose grids; it’s purely a plug-and-play kit that will keep your garden’s raised beds irrigated.

Product Specs

• Length: 50 feet
• Filter: None
• Additional features: None

Pros

• Simple design and clear instructions make it easy to set up
• Plug-and-play design with emitter hose that plugs directly into a garden hose
• Long 50-foot hose makes it ideal for larger gardens

Cons

• No flexibility in layout; does not include fittings to create watering grid systems

Get the Raindrip drip irrigation system at Amazon, Ace Hardware, or Shell Lumber. 

Best For Hanging Planters

Orbit Hose End Hanging Basket Watering Kit

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Hanging baskets add considerable beauty, but they can be a hassle to water using a watering can or wand. This drip irrigation kit from Orbit automatically waters your baskets, leaving you time to sit back and enjoy them. The system includes an automatic timer that will turn your system on and off according to your settings. It also features clips to pin the hoses in place so you can run them directly over your hanging baskets and tie in the nozzles.

Perhaps the best part of this system is its “Flex-Mist” flexible nozzle tubing that will hold its position, creating pinpoint accuracy and minimizing water waste. While this system works very well for hanging baskets, it would be difficult to retrofit it for other uses. The clips won’t keep hoses in place in a flower bed, likely leaving the nozzles in the dirt.

Product Specs

• Length: 50 feet
• Filter: None
• Additional features: Pressure reducer, faucet timer, mist sprayers

Pros

• Comes with a programmable faucet timer that automates watering
• Accurate sprayer attachments are ideal for hanging planters
• Includes clips that secure the mini sprinklers to hanging baskets

Cons

• Not designed to work as a traditional drip irrigation system for gardens

Get the Orbit hose-end drip irrigation system at Amazon or Lowe’s.

Best for Containers

Orbit Micro Watering Drip Kit

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Watering containers can be tricky, but Orbit has figured out how to get the job done effectively with its Micro watering drip kit. It includes eight bubblers and all the necessary hoses and fittings to hook them up in pots and containers. The hose can hide behind a pot or run through it from the bottom. Either way will feed a bubbler to water an entire pot.

The kit will cover 250 square feet, but it only has eight bubblers. For this reason, large multiple-container gardens may require more kits. Perhaps the best way to use this Orbit system is as an expansion kit for an already-installed system.

Product Specs

• Length: 50 feet of 0.5-inch tubing and 50 feet of 0.25-inch tubing
• Filter: None
• Additional features: Hole-punch tool, micro bubblers, 3-in-1 faucet adapter

Pros

• Easily expandable to handle larger gardens and landscaping beds
• Can cover a broad area of up to 250 square feet
• Kit can be customized to work with landscaping beds, gardens, and potted plants

Cons

• Kit only comes with 8 bubblers, limiting its capacity

Get the Orbit micro watering drip irrigation system at Amazon, Lowe’s, or Orbit.

Best for Large Plots

Rain Bird Drip Repair and Expansion Kit

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While some folks run multiple drip systems, an easier approach for an extensive garden may be to expand the system you already have. This Rain Bird drip irrigation kit has all the fittings, nozzles, and drip-irrigation tubing you’ll need to run extra sections of drip irrigation across your property. It includes 40 pressure-compensating, self-piercing emitters and features a clever installation and removal tool that makes putting emitters and fittings into the lines much easier.

Just keep in mind that this is an expansion and repair kit; it doesn’t come with any faucet connectors or valves. It’s meant for making additions or fixes to your established system, not installing a brand-new one.

Product Specs

• Length: 250 feet
• Filter: Yes
• Additional features: Emitter installation and removal tool, faucet adapter

Pros

• Large number of emitters make it ideal for larger gardens
• Includes a filter and bug guards, which help to minimize clogs
• Comes with adapters and accessories to suit various needs

Cons

• Expansion kit doesn’t come with faucet connectors or valves

Get the Rain Bird drip irrigation system at Amazon, Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, or Shell Lumber. 

Jump to Our Top Picks

What to Consider When Choosing a Drip Irrigation System

Now that you’re familiar with the different types of systems and emitters, you can focus on creating your garden’s ideal system. The size and type of garden, along with the type of soil and other factors, are worth noting and planning for. Here are some factors to keep in mind when buying a good drip irrigation system.

Types of Nozzles in Drip Irrigation Systems

Drip irrigation systems require several different emitter nozzles. Depending on your garden’s design and needs, some of these nozzles will be better suited than others. Before you attempt to plan out your irrigation system, familiarize yourself with the following types of emitter nozzles, each with strengths and weaknesses worth considering.

Micro-Spray Sprinklers

Micro-spray sprinklers are helpful devices that can make the most of a low-pressure drip irrigation system. They install alongside taller plants or are used to hit a few plants with greater water needs while leaving less-needy plants alone. They’re designed with improved spray range over other emitter types with the same pressure. Construct micro-spray sprinklers from four pieces as follows:

• Run a length of 0.25-inch tubing to the sprinkler’s desired location.
• Attach tubing to a base with a stake driven into the ground.
• Use a piece of stiff tubing to create a riser and attach it to the base.
• Screw a micro-spray nozzle onto the end of the riser.

The riser allows the head to stand above taller plants and makes directing the spray easier. Micro-spray sprinkler heads often have built-in adjustable valves to control the spray.

Point-Source Emitters

Often favored by landscape gardeners and seen as great for plants that don’t do well with water on their leaves (like tomatoes and eggplants), point-source emitters are nonadjustable, preset nozzles that distribute a set amount of water to a plant per hour. They’re excellent for use with “satellite” plants in planters and hanging baskets as well as sensitive vegetables. Point-source emitters can be installed via a few different methods:

• Plugged directly into the main hose
• Installed under the plant with a length of tubing connecting to the main hose
• Plugged into the main hose with a length of tubing running to the plant.

Whichever way you install emitters, they’re usually preset at 0.5, 1, or 2 gallons per hour (GPH). You need to use a manufacturer’s chart to determine the correct nozzle for your particular plants. Too much water could drown plants that prefer to be a little dry, while too little water will stunt a plant’s potential.

In-Line Drip Emitters

For those with a more laid-back approach to garden irrigation, in-line drip emitters are a fast and easy way to distribute water. These hoses are smaller in diameter than the main hose but may come in various lengths. Emitters are built into tubing throughout its length, allowing gardeners to weave the hose in between plants and provide water without putting a bunch of emitters in the main hose. This is a low-maintenance and leak-reducing irrigation method.

In-line drip-emitter hose waterin