Gardeners love 'robust' sprinkler that gives 'fantastic coverage'

We're finally at the start of an actual heatwave - something that has felt like a very long time coming in the UK, after weeks of rain and grey skies. This means it's about to be the most challenging part of the year so far for your garden, though, which will be at risk of drying out. 

So, a key tool in any gardener's arsenal is a good sprinkler, whether it's just to keep a lawn happy or to drench a carefully laid-out flowerbed full of plants. One of the most impressive on the market is this Gardena AquaZoom compact sprinkler, which has a stellar reputation thanks to its glowing customer reviews. 

It's a deceptively small sprinkler that sits on a round base to keep it balanced and grounded, and its small head means it can be really directional if you like. It's also able to rotate - the £29 version says it can cover up to 216 square metres without being moved, which is quite a big patch. There are also other options if you wanted to tailor it to the size of your lawn - going all the way up to a £49.92 model that can cover 250 square metres of garden.

What's most impressive is that after some 17,000 reviews on Amazon, it's sitting on an average 4.4-star rating, showing that the vast majority of people are super impressed after buying it. These reviews also contain some really useful notes about what it's like to set up and use in your garden. 

One user wrote: "The construction feels like heavy-duty plastic. With the exception of the metal rods in the base, which I believe are for the axis/to rotate. There are a couple of dials to adjust the water streams and direction. The first one adjusts the 'throw' which can increase the distance from 3-15m, and then there are dials to change the spread."

So, it's clear that you can adjust it heavily, which is really useful. Another review was even more glowing and less technical: "I recently purchased what I can confidently say is the best sprinkler I have ever owned. From the moment I set it up in my garden, it has been an absolute pleasure to use and watch in action. This review comes just a day after purchasing it, but I couldn't wait to express my satisfaction."

A third user wrote: "It does an excellent job in our (albeit smallish) garden - and that's despite low water pressure. Indeed, the maximum spray range is at least 30% better than our old sprinkler."

A few people have been somewhat less enamoured with the sprinkler, though. One such critic complained: "Very poor instructions, I'm struggling to know how to adjust it for maximum watering coverage!" Another wrote: "My only gripe with this unit is that it's too light-weight and so it has a tendency to move on the ground unless it's placed securely."

Still, these complaints are swimming against the tide of pleased customers more widely, and it looks like the Gardena AquaZoom compact sprinkler is a great buy at £29. If you want something a little different, though, you could pick up a modern-looking Verve Oscillating Sprinkler at B&Q for just £25, with a comparable coverage area of 210 square meters for a little less cash. The Titan Oscillating Sprinkler, available from Screwfix for £7.18, offers an even cheaper option, covering a smaller 125 square meters.