As winter in the southern United States comes to an end, it’s nearly time to take out the sprinklers with the arrival of warmer weather. Meross continues to broaden its range of products compatible with HomeKit, and its newest addition provides yet another smart outdoor watering option.
HomeKit Weekly is a series dedicated to smart home accessories, automation strategies, and everything regarding Apple’s smart home ecosystem.
The Meross Smart Sprinkler Timer is a WiFi-enabled outdoor watering control system designed for garden irrigation, drip systems, and more. With full HomeKit integration, users can manage their watering schedules through the Home app, Siri, or set automation routines based on time or weather conditions.
One of the advantages of this product, as an accessory to traditional sprinklers, is its versatility for future use. Some impressive features include:
- Automatic skipping based on hyper-local weather adjustments
- Water usage monitoring (available within the Meross app)
- An auto shut-off feature to prevent overwatering or flooding. It also shuts off automatically if battery levels are low.
- Ability to set schedules through the HomeKit or Meross app, ensuring that plants and lawns receive water even when you’re not home.
- Watering schedules maintain functionality even if there’s a loss of internet or Wi-Fi connection, although weather-dependent adjustments will require an active connection.
Installation is straightforward; you just connect it at the faucet and include the hose, allowing all water to pass through it.
Comparative Analysis: Meross Smart Sprinkler vs. Eve Aqua
Meross’s primary competitor is Eve, particularly with the Eve Aqua. While both devices are compatible with HomeKit, there are significant differences. Eve Aqua utilizes Thread technology for low-power, direct connectivity, providing quicker response times in the Home app.
In contrast, Meross depends on Wi-Fi and a hub but can support up to 24 timers, making it more suitable for larger or more intricate watering configurations. While Eve Aqua’s hub-free design is convenient, Meross adds valuable features like water usage tracking and weather-based watering adjustments, which are not offered by Eve Aqua.
Overall, both products deliver excellent performance.
HomeKit Use Cases
Thanks to HomeKit automation, you can program the Meross Smart Sprinkler to activate at sunrise for optimal watering and run for a predetermined duration. Pairing it with a HomeKit weather station could also prevent watering during rain. Additionally, for some added fun, you could incorporate an outdoor motion sensor to deter squirrels from invading your garden when motion is detected.
Conclusion
For those looking to upgrade their sprinkler system to HomeKit compatibility, Eve Aqua has long been the sole option available. Therefore, it’s a breath of fresh air to see Meross introduce a new alternative. While Eve’s Thread support is impressive, Meross comes in at a significantly more affordable price point.
You can purchase the new Meross Smart Sprinkler on Amazon or directly from Meross.
