The Costco Find That's A Game-Changer For Watering The Garden, According To Buyers

Even if you love gardening, there are usually some tedious tasks that you would rather not do. One of the most demanding — and most dependent on the weather — is watering. Whether you are away for a weekend, forgetful, or simply want something that will make the process of keeping your plants alive and well a bit easier, Costco is selling a product that may just solve all your watering woes. The Rachio 3 WiFi Smart Sprinkler has over 4,200 ratings and has maintained a 4.7 out of 5 star average. While the ratings alone are not always the best indicator of what you should or should not purchase, they are a good starting point. Though there are a ton of self-watering planter ideas out there, with the Rachio, you'll get a much more hands-off experience, which could end up saving you time, energy, and money.

If you really want some detailed insight into how it will perform in the real world, however, one of the best places to dig deeper is reviews left by customers. To help make the review-scouring process a bit easier, we took it upon ourselves to sift through the reviews to determine how the sprinkler performed for those who actually bought it. Overall, the responses were positive — but like anything, there were some negative responses that you may want to consider before making the decision to go all in. 

The intention behind this design was to create a sprinkler that allows watering to be scheduled and controlled from an app, eliminating both the need to remember to water your plants and the physical labor that often comes with it. To make sure that your yard is watered evenly, it has an auto yard-mapping feature that allows you to create a virtual landscape. This function allows you to monitor and customize watering in up to 12 different areas, to meet the needs of different plants versus grassy areas. The smart technology can determine whether or not your lawn is getting watered efficiently and thoroughly. It can also adjust the watering frequency and quantity based on weather — for example, skipping watering cycles if you have been getting frequent rain. If you want to adjust it yourself, you also have the option to do so in the app. "Grass, shrubs, and flowers all look great," wrote one Costco reviewer. "Love the fact that I can make adjustments from my phone or computer. No more going to the garage to reset for the seasonal weather changes." 

Another reviewer on Costco's website also noted that it was easy to make adjustments on the fly. "I love this thing!... If I see plants in one area are a little wilted, it's super easy to turn those sprinklers on for a few minutes. Honestly, it's completely revolutionized the way we water." If you really want to make the most of this watering tool, however, you will want to choose the best sprinkler spot for greener grass. 

Though the majority of customers did seem more than satisfied, there were also those who found that it did not live up to their expectations, and they were not afraid to leave their honest opinion in the reviews. Most negative reviews had to do with poor Wi-Fi connectivity and a long, laborious troubleshooting process. There were, however, some serious concerns shared by a customer that were centered around the device failing to function after a power outage. Though this may seem like a fluke, they also claimed that it happened three times, to three different units. So, while you may have some genius hacks for power outages, you may still run into issues with this product. 

Escalating this issue posed another complication — dealing with customer service. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident as other customers that experienced issues and attempted to resolve it through customer service also found that assistance was challenging to get ahold of — some, so much to the point, that they were unable to get in contact with them at all, with one Costco customer writing, "I emailed Rachio customer service 3 times and NEVER received a reply." 

When choosing products to recommend, one of the first places we look is the average ranking left by customers. Though this is not a foolproof system, it is a good place to start. Most people are inclined to leave reviews when they have particularly positive or particularly negative experience with the product, so looking to see what shows up here can give us at least an inkling as to how it performed for customers. Next we look through the customer reviews for specifics on both pros and cons of the product, and the general opinion and experience of customers that purchased it. 

We make it a point to consider both positive and negative reviews, and especially make note of issues or benefits that are mentioned by multiple reviewers. Though not always available, we also reference hands-on reviews from professionals in order to get a more detailed understanding of how all of the features work when handled by someone with experience in the field.