The best 2 zone water timers, compared.
Top pick: RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer – Top pick in this set: listing score 84, the highest in the file, with 4.2 from 86 reviews, brass inlet and outlet, and IP65. UK reviews limit each zone to one start in 24 hours. Best value: Johgee 2-zone timer with brass inlet – Best value in this set: score 80 at about £31.59, with 4.2 from 49 reviews and starts from 1 hour to 15 days. Held slightly for brass-to-body leak reports. Updated 22.10.2026.
A 2 zone water timer is a battery-powered valve that screws onto one outside tap and runs two outlets on separate schedules. In the UK you use one when a single tap has to feed two areas. You tell a suitable timer by how often each outlet can start, how long a run can last, and whether the inlet is brass or nylon. Confirm a 3/4 inch thread and a washer on a short tap thread. Rain delay is a pause you set. A rain-sensor port is often a separate part, and AA cells are often not in the box. IP65 and IPX5 mean water jets, not frost protection or immersion, so drain the unit before a hard frost. Both outlets share one inlet. Ofwat's 0.7 bar minimum is at the communication pipe, not the garden tap. A timer does not lift a temporary use ban, and it is not the double check valve a hose-union tap needs. The order of those checks is in the [2 zone water timer buying guide](/hub/garden-watering/2-zone-water-timer/sub/2-zone-water-timer-buying-guide).
A 2 zone water timer is a battery-powered valve that screws onto one outside tap and runs two outlets on separate schedules. In the UK you use one when a single tap has to feed two areas.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How often must each zone start?
Across 86 amazon.co.uk reviews the RAINPOINT ITV256 scores 4.2 at £59.99. It is a keypad dual-zone timer with a 3.3 inch LCD, brass inlet and outlet, IP65 housing, and a rain-sensor port that needs a separate part. Reviewers like the dial, the clear screen, and being able to stagger front and rear when the tap cannot feed both at once. The hard limit in UK reviews is one start per zone in 24 hours, so morning and evening on the same outlet is outside what this unit does. Rain delay is 24, 48 or 72 hours. The solar panel is also sold separately. No repeated UK report of a stuck-open valve in the saved review notes. It is the top pick here when you want brass ends and a large screen and can live with one run per zone per day.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One outside tap feeding two areas that each need at most one programmed run per day, with brass fittings and a large on-unit screen.
Less suitable: Beds that need morning and evening starts on the same zone, or anyone who wants hourly repeats without buying another class of timer.
Specifications
Common questions
How often can each zone start?
The amazon.co.uk bullets do not state a start interval. UK reviews on this listing say each zone can start only once in 24 hours.
Is a rain sensor in the box?
No. The listing names a rain-sensor port and a separate rain-sensor part. The solar panel is also sold separately.
Does it need Wi-Fi or a hub?
No. Control is the keypad, LCD and rotary dial on the unit. No Wi-Fi or hub is stated on the listing.
Across 49 amazon.co.uk reviews the Johgee brass-inlet dual-zone timer scores 4.2 at £31.59. The listing gives starts from 1 hour to 15 days and runs from 1 second to 99 minutes, with a brass swivel inlet, child lock, and IPX5. Owners use it for greenhouse plus garden, new turf in a heatwave, and water-now without wiping the programme. The recurring fault in UK reviews is a leak at the brass-to-body joint rather than at the tap washer, and a few report outlet B staying open or a holiday programme that did not run. NiMH cells were refused on one unit. It is the best value here when you need flexible starts on a brass neck at about half the RAINPOINT ITV256 price, provided you check the brass joint for drips before you leave.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Two zones that need flexible hourly-to-daily starts on a budget, with a brass inlet and no smart hub.
Less suitable: Anyone who will not pressure-test the brass joint before travel, or buyers who need a brass outlet as well as a brass inlet.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the inlet brass?
Yes. The listing states a brass swivel inlet. A brass outlet is not stated. The body is described as 30% reinforced nylon.
How long can a programmed run last?
The listing states 1 second to 99 minutes per run, with start intervals from 1 hour to 15 days.
Will it take rechargeable NiMH cells?
One United Kingdom review says high-capacity NiMH cells were not accepted. The listing does not name a cell chemistry beyond the display showing remaining power.
Across 42 amazon.co.uk reviews the Insoma SGW06M-PRO-TT scores 4.2 at £33.99. It is a keypad dual-zone timer with brass inlet and outlet, runs from 1 to 360 minutes, starts from 1–23 hours or 1–15 days, and a rain delay of 1 to 15 days. UK reviewers praise the clear dial, the washers and PTFE tape in the box, and keeping new turf watered over a two-week holiday. The written UK sample is only four of 25 reviews, and one of those UK notes says it leaks badly. Pressure is stated as up to 116 psi, about 8 bar, rather than a bar range. It sits just under the top-pick score when you want long run times and brass on both ends, but the thin UK complaint file means you should watch the first full cycle closely.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Longer drip or sprinkler runs from one tap, with brass ends and a rain delay measured in days rather than hours.
Less suitable: Buyers who want a large UK review sample before they trust holiday watering, or anyone who needs an IP65 claim.
Specifications
Common questions
Can both zones run at once?
The listing states single zone, both zones independent, or both at once.
How long is the rain delay?
You can pause for 1 to 15 days, then the plan resumes. No rain sensor is named in the bullets.
What batteries does it use?
Two AA alkaline batteries, not included. The listing claims more than six months of life.
Across 174 amazon.co.uk reviews the Johgee 326 scores 3.9 at £30.99, the largest review count in this set. It is a nylon-body dual-zone keypad timer with starts from 1 hour to 15 days and runs from 1 second to 99 minutes. No brass inlet is stated. Owners like short soaker runs and staggered beds while away, and some units run without leaks once the menu is learned. UK reviews also report inlet leaks, short tap threads that need trimming, a swivel collar that came off after about two summers, and both outlets stuck open. Several buyers who leaked point to the later Johgee with a brass neck. It is the cheapest shelf price here, but the plastic collar and leak pattern make it a cautious pick rather than a default.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A tight budget and short drip cycles where you will watch the first weeks and accept a nylon tap connector.
Less suitable: Holiday watering you cannot check, or shoppers who already know they want a brass inlet after reading leak complaints.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this model have a brass inlet?
No brass inlet is stated on this listing. Bullets describe a reinforced nylon body. UK reviews describe a plastic tap connector and point buyers to a later Johgee with a brass neck.
What is the run-time range?
The listing states 1 second to 99 minutes, with start intervals from 1 hour to 15 days.
Does it shut off on a low battery?
The listing claims the chip turns the timer off before the battery is empty. That is a product-data claim, not a measurement from a lab.
Across 86 amazon.co.uk reviews the SONOFF SWV-ZF2E Hydro DUO scores 3.9 at £40.20. It is a Zigbee 3.0 dual-zone valve with a brass inlet, flow meter, IP65 claim, and up to six schedules per outlet, and a Zigbee hub is required. The three United Kingdom reviews in the file praise Home Assistant or Hubitat control, weather watering, and flow readings that confirmed water was delivered on a two-week trip. There is no keypad screen on the unit. Pairing can show as Bluetooth until you retry from further away. Overlapping interval windows blocking the second channel appears in non-UK reviews and is a fit risk if you expect both outlets to run overlapping programmes. Choose it when you already run Zigbee and want app schedules plus a flow meter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A home already on Zigbee or Home Assistant that wants two app-controlled outlets and a flow reading.
Less suitable: Anyone without a hub, or buyers who want a large LCD and rotary dial on the tap with no smart stack.
Specifications
Common questions
Do I need a Zigbee hub?
Yes. The title states a Zigbee hub is required. Home Assistant is named in the bullets. UK reviews mention Home Assistant, Hubitat and the eWeLink app.
Is there a screen on the unit?
No screen is described in the listing. A UK review says there is no screen and control is from Hubitat or the eWeLink app.
Does it measure water use?
Yes. The listing states a flow meter that records duration and water use over daily, monthly or six-month windows.
Across 53 amazon.co.uk reviews the RAINPOINT IOB247-UK scores 3.8 at £59.99. It is a keypad dual-zone timer with brass inlet and outlet, IP65 housing, starts every 1–12 hours or 1–7 days, and runs up to 3 hours 59 minutes. Owners like the dial, the brass feel versus plastic timers that cracked, and spares such as a filter and PTFE tape. The serious pattern in UK reviews is a valve stuck open that watered for hours or a whole day, including while the owner was away, plus erratic timing and units that stopped after a few weeks. Rainpoint replaced some dead first units. At the same £59.99 as the ITV256 top pick, the stuck-open reports keep this as a lower-ranked brass option rather than a travel default.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Keypad brass dual-zone use when you need starts more than once a day and will stay home to watch the first weeks.
Less suitable: Unattended holiday watering, or anyone choosing between this and the ITV256 at the same price who wants fewer stuck-open reports.
Specifications
Common questions
How often can it start?
The listing states every 1–12 hours or every 1–7 days, with run times from 1 minute to 3 hours 59 minutes.
Is installation tool-free?
The listing describes a 360° rotating joint as tool-free installation.
Does the valve shut on a low battery?
The listing claims the valve shuts if the battery is low. UK reviews still include valves that stayed open, so treat the claim as a product line, not a guarantee.
Scores compare the six amazon.co.uk 2 zone water timers kept in this set. Prices, stars and review counts are the listing lines captured on 21 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. The score starts as the amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, times 100, rounded to a whole number. A thin written UK sample, a leak at the joint, or a valve reported stuck open then reduces that figure. A once-per-day schedule is a fit limit in the assessment, not a second deduction. Price is not inside the score. The weight below is 100. In sentences this page says top pick and best value.
Amazon stars
100%The amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, times 100, rounded. A thin UK review sample, brass-to-body leaks, a plastic collar that leaks, or a valve stuck open is then held below that star conversion. Price, a missing hub, and a once-per-day limit are stated in the assessment and are not a second score.
Choose by the ban, the starts per day, and the inlet before the shelf price. A star line is not a dry joint, and rain delay is a pause you set, not a forecast. Prices below are amazon.co.uk lines from 21 October 2026.
A 2 zone water timer screws to one outside tap and opens two outlets on separate schedules. UK shoppers on amazon.co.uk are choosing between keypad timers and one Zigbee hub valve, not between lab-tested winners. Quality shows up as a schedule that can start as often as you need, a joint that does not weep, and a valve that closes when the cells fade. Check the ban before the stars. A sprinkler on a timer is still hosepipe use under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991.
A two-zone title can still mean one start per zone in 24 hours. Hourly intervals, where they are printed, run from 1 hour toward 7 or 15 days. Morning and evening on the same outlet needs the hourly line.
Rain delay is a pause you set, not a forecast. A sprinkler on a timer is still hosepipe use. Thames's drip exception needs an approved drip layout, a pressure-reducing valve and no spray. A sprinkler timer does not meet that sentence by itself.
UK reviews include leaks at brass-to-body joints, plastic collars that split, and valves stuck open for hours. Fit the washer, run one full cycle at home, and fit fresh alkaline cells. The timer is not the double check valve on the tap.
Confirm the watering method is allowed this week, then read how often each outlet can start. One start in 24 hours, hourly intervals, and app schedules are different products. Keypad models need no hub. The Zigbee valve needs a hub and has no keypad screen in the listing. Price comes after that.
Brass inlet or brass on both ends is not a promise of a dry joint. Rain delay is 24 to 72 hours on some listings and 1 to 15 days on another, and a sensor port is not a sensor in the box. AA cells are often extra. Two zones share one inlet. Ofwat's 0.7 bar minimum is at the communication pipe, not at the garden tap. IP65 and IPX5 are jets, not frost protection.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You have one outside tap and two areas that each need at most one programmed run a day. The RAINPOINT ITV256 is about £59.99, with 4.2 from 86 reviews, brass inlet and outlet, a 3.3 inch LCD and IP65. UK reviews say each zone starts only once in 24 hours. The rain sensor is a separate part. Skip it if the same outlet must start morning and evening.
You need starts from 1 hour to 15 days and a brass inlet without a hub. The Johgee brass-inlet timer is about £31.59, with 4.2 from 49 reviews, runs from 1 second to 99 minutes, and a child lock. UK reviews report leaks at the brass-to-body joint. Check that joint before you leave. A brass outlet is not stated.
You already use Home Assistant, Hubitat or eWeLink and you want app schedules plus a flow reading. The SONOFF SWV-ZF2E is about £40.20, with 3.9 from 86 reviews, a brass inlet, IP65, and up to six schedules per outlet. A Zigbee hub is required, and there is no keypad screen. Skip it if you want a dial on the tap and no hub.
In this set the top pick is the RAINPOINT ITV256: about £59.99, 4.2 from 86 amazon.co.uk reviews, listing score 84. It has a brass inlet and outlet, IP65 housing and a rain-sensor port. UK reviews say each zone starts only once in 24 hours. The best value is the Johgee brass-inlet timer at about £31.59, score 80, with 4.2 from 49 reviews and starts from 1 hour to 15 days. It is held slightly for brass-to-body leak reports.
RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer
Top pick in this set: listing score 84, the highest in the file, with 4.2 from 86 reviews, brass inlet and outlet, and IP65. UK reviews limit each zone to one start in 24 hours.
Johgee 2-zone timer with brass inlet
Best value in this set: score 80 at about £31.59, with 4.2 from 49 reviews and starts from 1 hour to 15 days. Held slightly for brass-to-body leak reports.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public sources used for temporary bans, backflow, watering practice and pressure at the communication pipe. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 21 October 2026. This is not a lab test.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines. We did not run a lab test.
