The best Gardena water timers, compared.
Top pick: Gardena smart Water Control (19033-20) Best value: Gardena Water Control Easy (01896-20) – Best value in this set when one repeating preset is enough: score 88 at about £28.82, with 4.4 from 291 reviews and 15 presets. The days of the week cannot differ. Updated 22.10.2026.
A Gardena water timer on a UK outside tap is either a countdown shut-off or a battery watering computer that opens a valve on a schedule. You buy one so pots, a drip line or a sprinkler can run while you are out. The choice that matters is whether the unit can start itself on chosen days, how many outlets it has, and whether a phone is required. You tell a suitable unit by a matching 26.5 mm (G 3/4) or 33.3 mm (G 1) thread, one supervised cycle, the correct battery, and dry frost-free storage. A countdown only stops a hose you have already opened. Unattended starts need an electronic control that can open on a later day. These valves reduce flow against an open tap, and some UK taps still need an adapter. A timer does not cancel a hosepipe ban, and a sprinkler on a timer is still hosepipe use. Outside taps need a double check valve. Store the valve dry, with the battery out, before a frost. The checks are in the [water timer buying guide](/hub/garden-watering/gardena-water-timer/sub/gardena-water-timer-buying-guide).
A Gardena water timer on a UK outside tap is either a countdown shut-off or a battery watering computer that opens a valve on a schedule. You buy one so pots, a drip line or a sprinkler can run while you are out.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What should it do when you are not standing at the tap?
The Gardena smart Water Control (19033-20) is the app computer at £109.99, with 4.7 from 99 ratings, the highest star line in the set and a small sample. The saved listing contains two UK reviews, both positive, so there is no fault pattern to quote from them. The listing offers a schedule assistant, claimed Apple Home, Alexa and Google Home support, a 0.5–12 bar valve and a frost alert through the smart app. That alert warns you before it gets too cold, and it does not say the valve is safe to leave out in frost. The voltage field says 9 volts and does not say the cells are included, while the current UK page for 19033-20 says three AA cells. The bullets do not name a gateway in the box, so changing the plan from elsewhere is a separate purchase, and five years of cover depends on registration. A 4.7 from 99 ratings does not replace the Select’s 6,653 reviews for a one-tap weekday job, and the outlet count is not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one outlet programmed from a phone beside the tap, and you will buy a gateway only if you need remote edits.
Less suitable: Two zones, a choice based on review volume, or leaving the valve outside because an alert exists.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the frost alert mean it can stay outside in a freeze?
The listing says the smart app sends a warning before it gets too cold. It does not say the valve is safe to leave out in frost.
What battery does the table list?
The voltage field says 9 volts. It does not say how many cells, and the bullets do not say a battery is included. The current UK page for 19033-20 says three AA cells. Those two lines are not reconciled.
How many UK reviews are in the saved listing?
The star line is 4.7 from 99 ratings. The saved listing contains two UK reviews, both positive, so there is no fault pattern to quote.
The Gardena MultiControl Duo (1874-20) is the two-outlet computer in this set that does not need a phone, listed at £106.27 with 4.4 from 3,715 reviews. The listing says the two outputs can be programmed independently, for example a Micro-Drip line and a sprinkler, with up to three waterings a day and weekdays stated. A 9 V alkaline battery is not included, and the bullets claim about a year from that cell. A Gardena rain sensor and a soil moisture sensor can be connected, and neither is in the included list. Reviewers say to take the whole unit indoors if frost is forecast, including in April and May, and one buyer who left it out over winter reported damage. At more than twice the Select price, it earns its place when you have two zones on one tap. One Select feeding two open hoses is not the same arrangement.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One tap must water two areas on different programmes, and you do not want a phone account.
Less suitable: A single border, a balcony of pots, or a budget near the £30 Easy.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it water two areas?
The listing says two outputs can be programmed independently, for example a Micro-Drip line and a sprinkler.
Is the rain sensor included?
The bullet says a Gardena rain sensor and a soil moisture sensor can be connected. They are not in the included list. The box note says batteries are not included either.
What do reviews say about frost?
Reviewers say to take the whole unit indoors if frost is forecast, including in April and May. One left it out over winter and reported damage.
The Gardena Water Control Easy (01896-20) is the lowest price in this set at £28.82, with one radial knob and 15 predefined schedules plus a manual position. It shows 4.4 from 291 amazon.co.uk reviews, and it is the best value here when a single repeating preset is enough and the days of the week do not have to differ. A UK review says the batteries are not included. The current pattern for this Easy family is two AA alkaline cells, which the amazon technical table does not print. One reviewer found the on position shut the flow after a few minutes, so filling a watering can was a poor use, and another wrapped the tap fitting with PTFE tape to stop a weep. The comparison block claims high pressure without a bar figure. Manual watering is listed, but that short shut-off is the complaint to plan around.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest electronic Gardena in this set for one repeating preset on a single tap.
Less suitable: Chosen weekdays, two zones, several short pot runs a day, or filling a watering can from the open position.
Specifications
Common questions
Are batteries in the box?
The technical table does not list a battery. A UK review says the batteries are not included. The current pattern for this Easy family is two AA alkaline cells.
Can it stay open to fill a watering can?
Manual watering is listed. One reviewer found the on position shut the flow after a few minutes, so they used it for irrigation rather than filling.
Did reviewers get a dry tap joint?
One reviewer wrapped the tap fitting with PTFE tape to stop a weep. The listing does not mention tape.
The Gardena smart Dual Water Control (19034-20) lists two separate valves at £136.95, with 4.4 from 144 reviews, and it claims Apple Home, Alexa and Google Home plus a schedule assistant. The valve is stated for 0.5–12 bar with Safe Stop, and the listing voltage is 9 volts, while Gardena’s current UK page for 19034-20 says three AA cells. Those two power lines are not reconciled in this file. The included line says 1x smart Dual Water Control, and the technical table says number of items 2. The bullets claim smart-home compatibility and do not name a gateway or say one is in the box, so edits away from home need that gateway, sold separately, plus internet and an account. Bluetooth beside the tap is the part you can use without it. Five-year cover on the bullets depends on registration at gardena.com, and 144 ratings are a thinner sample than the Duo’s 3,715.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want two zones and you will use the app at the tap, buying a gateway only if you need to edit the plan away from home.
Less suitable: One hose, a buyer who will not register for the cover, or anyone who assumes the gateway is in the carton.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it water two areas?
The listing says two separate valves, each with its own control, for two garden areas.
Is a gateway named in the listing?
The bullets claim smart-home compatibility. They do not name a gateway or say that one is in the box. Edits away from home need that gateway, sold separately.
How many pieces are in the box?
The included line says 1x smart Dual Water Control. The technical table says number of items 2. Those two lines are not reconciled in the saved listing.
The Gardena Water Control Select (1891-28) stores three schedules, each with a start time, a duration and a weekday, so it can open one tap while you are out. On amazon.co.uk it is listed at £53.99 with 4.3 from 6,653 reviews, the largest rating count in this set, and it is the top pick when you want weekday watering from one tap without a phone. Water Now runs a manual cycle without clearing those programmes. The listing states a sensor connection, though a soil sensor is not in the included line, and the amazon technical table does not name the battery. The Select manual specifies a 9 V alkaline cell, a vertical mount and frost-free storage, and Gardena quotes about 0.5–12 bar with a minimum flow around 20–30 litres an hour, so the valve reduces flow against an open tap. UK reviews still report leaks and split casings after cold nights, so you take it indoors before frost rather than treating the housing as frost-proof.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one outside tap to water on chosen days, with up to three schedules, and you will set it at the tap.
Less suitable: A countdown shut-off, many short pot cycles, two zones, or editing the plan from another room.
Specifications
Common questions
Can I water on chosen days?
The listing says you can store three schedules, each with a start time, a duration and a day of the week.
Is a rain sensor in the box?
The listing says there is a sensor connection. It does not say a sensor is included.
Does the listing state the battery?
The amazon technical table does not state a battery type. The Select manual specifies a 9 V alkaline cell. Reviews mention a battery that can last through a season if it is removed for winter.
The Gardena Water Control Flex (1890-20) is listed at £49.49 with 4.3 from 4,338 reviews, and the bullets describe it for balcony and terrace drip on potted plants. Programming is swivel and press, and the control unit can be removed for manual watering. Gardena's UK Flex page states runs from 1 second to 99 minutes and up to six cycles a day on a 9 V cell, which matches short, frequent pot watering rather than a Monday-and-Thursday border. UK reviews say that 9 V battery is required and is not in the box, and the amazon technical table does not name the cell. The listing does not name the tap thread, and reviews say the adapters in the box did not fit a standard UK outside tap, so an extra adapter was needed. The listing does not describe weekday programming, so a free weekday menu does not apply to this unit. At this price it sits just under the Select and it solves a different job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Pots on a balcony or terrace that need several short drip runs through the day.
Less suitable: A lawn on chosen weekdays, or a tap where the supplied adapter will not seat.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it meant for pots?
The listing bullets describe it for balconies and terraces and for drip on potted plants.
Which battery do reviewers fit?
UK reviews say a 9 V battery is required and is not in the box. The technical table itself does not name the cell. The UK Flex page states a 9 V cell.
Will the supplied adapter fit a UK tap?
The listing does not name the tap thread. Reviews say the adapters in the box did not fit a standard UK outside tap, so an extra adapter was needed.
The Gardena Water Control EasyPlus (1897-20) is set with two radial knobs that pick a duration and a frequency from 69 predefined schedules, including a manual position, at £39.99. It shows 4.3 from 169 amazon.co.uk reviews, a much smaller sample than the Select. Those 69 lines are presets, not three free weekday programmes you write yourself, so a bed that needs Monday and Thursday at 6am is a poor fit if none of the presets match. One UK review says you cannot see how long it is until the next watering, and the listing does not describe a next-run display. Gardena's UK Easy Plus page states two AA alkaline cells, no sensor socket and about 0.8–10 bar. A UK review says to take it indoors over winter because freezing could crack it, and the listing itself gives no frost rating. The amazon article 1897-20 and the UK page article 1897-28 are not shown to be the same box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a repeating preset on one tap and you do not need to pick individual weekdays.
Less suitable: Different days of the week, two outlets, or a schedule you change from a phone.
Specifications
Common questions
How is the EasyPlus set?
Two radial buttons choose watering duration and frequency from 69 predefined schedules, including a manual position.
Does it show the next watering time?
The listing does not describe a next-run display. One UK review says you cannot see how long it is until the next watering.
What do reviews say about frost?
One UK review says to take it indoors over winter because freezing could crack it. The listing itself gives no frost rating.
The Gardena Water Timer (1169-20) is a countdown shut-off, listed at £31.99 with 4.1 from 2,808 reviews. You turn a wheel for a run of 5–120 minutes, or you leave it on continuous flow, and UK reviews describe it as clockwork with no battery to replace. It will not open the tap at 7am the next day, because the listing does not describe a start time on a future day. The thread line is 26.5 mm (3/4 inch) or 33.3 mm (G1), and the body is listed at 200 g. Several UK reviews say the mechanism stuck open and left the water running, or that the body split when the tap was turned on. That stuck-open pattern is why it is a poor tool to leave for a holiday, even though the price sits near the Easy. Use it when you are at the tap and you only need the hose to stop.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are at the tap and you want a hose you have already opened to shut itself off after 5–120 minutes.
Less suitable: Holiday watering, weekday schedules, or any job where nobody is there to turn the tap on.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it turn the water on tomorrow morning?
The listing sets a run of 5–120 minutes, or continuous flow. It does not describe a start time on a future day.
Does it need a battery?
The technical table does not list a battery. UK reviews describe it as a clockwork timer with nothing to replace.
What fails in the reviews?
Several UK reviews say the mechanism stuck open and left the water running, or that the body split when the tap was turned on.
This page compares the eight Gardena water timers kept in the display file. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines captured on 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. The two awards are the display awards: the top pick is the weekday computer on one tap, and the best value is the lowest-priced preset unit. A higher listing score on a small sample does not replace that job. The weights below follow the buying checks in that order and sum to 100. In sentences this page says top pick and best value.
Job
30%A mechanical countdown only stops a hose you have already opened. It will not water the garden on a later morning. Unattended starts need an electronic water control.
Schedule
25%Preset knobs offer a fixed list of repeats. A free programme stores start, duration and weekday. Short pot cycles and two outlets are different jobs from one border on chosen days.
Phone and add-ons
20%Bluetooth beside the tap does not need extra hardware. Edits away from home need a gateway, sold separately, plus internet and an account. A soil sensor is optional and is not in these boxes.
Tap and flow
15%Match a 26.5 mm (G 3/4) or 33.3 mm (G 1) thread and tighten the nut by hand. Published bands sit around 0.5–12 bar or 0.8–10 bar. These valves reduce flow against an open tap.
Winter and power
10%Store the valve dry and frost-free with the battery out. Cells are 9 V, two AA, or three AA on the current UK pages for the phone models, and those lines are not the same fact. A frost alert only warns you.
Choose by the job, then the schedule, then whether a phone or a second outlet is actually in the box. A star line is not a frost rating, and a timer is not a hosepipe-ban exemption. Prices below are amazon.co.uk lines from 19 October 2026.
A water timer on a UK outside tap is either a countdown shut-off or a battery watering computer that opens a valve on a schedule. A countdown stops a hose you have already opened. It will not open the tap at 7am next Tuesday. Unattended starts need an electronic water control. You are choosing between a mechanical run, preset knobs, a free weekday programme, two outlets, and a phone beside the tap. The job comes first.
A 5–120 minute wheel stops a hose you have already opened. It does not store a start time on a future day. Unattended watering needs an electronic control, a fresh battery and one test cycle before you travel.
Store every unit dry and frost-free with the battery out. A frost alert only warns you. Bluetooth beside the tap is not the same as edits from elsewhere. Those need a gateway, sold separately, plus internet and an account.
A timer does not cancel a notice under the Water Industry Act 1991. Thames Water’s drip exception from 23 July 2026 needs drip or trickle irrigation, a pressure-reducing valve and a timer, not a spray. A sprinkler on a timer is still hosepipe use.
A countdown, 15 or 69 presets, three free weekday programmes, short pot cycles and two outlets are different products. Presets will not invent a Monday-and-Thursday start if that line is not on the dial. Two areas need two outlets that can be programmed separately, not one valve feeding two open hoses.
Match 26.5 mm or 33.3 mm and tighten by hand. Cells are one 9 V, two AA, or three AA on the current UK pages for the phone models, and the amazon 9 volt line is not the same fact. A gateway and a soil sensor are separate purchases. A frost alert only warns you. Five-year cover depends on registration.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You need an electronic schedule, a fresh battery, one test cycle, and someone who can reach the stopcock. The Gardena Water Control Select stores three schedules with start, duration and weekday, at about £53.99, with 4.3 from 6,653 reviews. It does not need a phone. Skip it if you only wanted a countdown shut-off.
Short runs, several times a day, usually into drip, are the Flex case. The Gardena Water Control Flex is about £49.49, with 4.3 from 4,338 reviews. The UK page states 1 second to 99 minutes and up to six cycles a day on a 9 V cell, not included. Some reviewers needed an extra adapter for a UK outside tap.
Two-zone gardens need two outlets, not one Select feeding two open hoses. The Gardena MultiControl Duo is about £106.27, with 4.4 from 3,715 reviews, and the listing says the two outputs can be programmed independently, with up to three waterings a day. The 9 V battery is not in the box.
In this set the top pick is the Gardena Water Control Select (1891-28): about £53.99, 4.3 from 6,653 amazon.co.uk reviews, listing score 86. It stores three schedules with start, duration and weekday, plus Water Now, without a phone. The best value is the Gardena Water Control Easy (01896-20) at about £28.82, score 88, with 4.4 from 291 reviews and 15 presets on one knob. The smart computer’s 94 is a higher listing score from 99 ratings. It does not replace a one-tap weekday job or the lowest preset price.
Gardena Water Control Easy (01896-20)
Best value in this set when one repeating preset is enough: score 88 at about £28.82, with 4.4 from 291 reviews and 15 presets. The days of the week cannot differ.
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.
Manufacturer pages, the Select manual, and UK public sources for bans and backflow. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 19 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.
