The RainMachine Pro-8 ($169) is an eight-zone programmable smart sprinkler controller that uses your local weather data to adjust watering times and cut down on water usage.
It's easy to install, offers extensive water-usage reports, and supports Alexa, Siri, and Google voice commands.
It's a solid smart sprinkler controller, but it lacks more advanced features like dual-band Wi-Fi that you get with the more expensive Editors' Choice Rachio 3.
Design and Features
At 6.0 by 6.0 by 1.0 inches (HWD) the Pro-8 is considerably smaller than both the Rachio 3 and the Orbit B-Hyve 12-Station Smart WiFi Sprinkler controllers.
The top portion of the glossy black and white enclosure sports a 1.7-inch color touch-screen panel as well as backlit up and down buttons used to cycle through Zones and Programs, a water can button for manually starting and ending a watering cycle, a Wi-Fi signal indicator, and a back button that takes you to the previous menu screen.
The touch-screen panel displays the current time and temperature until you touch it, then a four-pane menu window opens with selections for Programs, Zones, Stats, and Settings.
This controller is designed for indoor use only.
To access the push-in wiring terminals, remove the bottom cover.
Here, you'll find eight zone terminals, two common terminals, a master valve terminal, two 24VAC terminals for connecting to the power supply, and a handful of accessory terminals for optional devices like flow meters and rain sensors.
There's also a LAN port for connecting the controller to your network via an Ethernet cable, and a reset button.
Under the hood is a Wi-Fi radio, but it doesn't offer 5GHz connectivity like the Rachio 3 does.
For that you'll have to upgrade to the more expensive RainMachine Touch HD model.
For those worried about IoT hacking, the Pro-8 is cloud independent and stores all of your data locally instead of on a company server.
Included in the box are the controller, two mounting screws, an AC power supply, and a setup card.
The Pro-8 will automatically adjust watering times based on your local forecast using data from multiple weather sources including NOAA, WUnderground, ForecastIO, Netatmo, CIMIS, and OpenWeatherMap.
You can also add your own weather source and configure the controller to consider rain and wind conditions when adjusting your watering cycles.
Or, you can just have it follow your fixed programming schedule without using any weather data.
Each zone can be programmed based on its specific properties such as soil type, slope, vegetation type, sprinkler head type, and sun exposure.
You can program and control the Pro-8 using the small touch-screen panel, but it's much easier if you use the mobile app (iOS or Android) or the web console.
The mobile app opens to a Dashboard screen that tells you when your next watering cycle will begin and how much water you've saved over the past seven days using weather-based watering schedules.
Oddly, the mobile app does not offer a historical tally of how many gallons of water you've used.
To view that information you'll have to use the web console.
There's also a Weather tab that displays the weekly forecast with expected rain totals, a Temperature tab that displays a graph of weekly minimum and maximum temperatures, and a Rain Amount tab that shows a graph of daily rainfall in inches.
At the bottom of the Dashboard screen are Devices, Dashboard, Zones, Programs, and Settings buttons.
The Dashboard button takes you back to the Dashboard from wherever you are, and the Devices button takes you to a screen where you can see all installed RainMachine controllers and their IP addresses.
Use the Zones button to open a screen that displays tabs for each zone by name with a photo of the zone area and the last time it was activated.
Tap any zone tab to start and stop watering, change photos, and edit zone properties.
Here, you can change the zone name, enable weather-based watering, and enter specific zone data such as soil type, sun exposure, slope, and sprinkler head type.
The Programs button takes you to a screen where you can create watering programs using start and end times, frequency (daily, odd days, even days, selected days) and enable the Adaptive Frequency feature which will skip watering and carry it over to the next cycle to promote deeper root penetration.
You can include as many zones in each program as you want and set different watering times for each zone.
Advanced settings allow you to use a fixed schedule or use weather-based watering, and apply local watering restrictions.
Use the Settings button to configure notifications, view watering history, configure the Dashboard, select weather sources, and edit system settings such as password, date, time, and location.
In addition to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit support, the Pro-8 supports IFTTT applets that allow it to work with other IFTTT-enabled devices and integrates with the SmartThings and the Home Assistant home automation platforms.
Installation and Performance
Installing the Pro-8 was very easy.
I took pictures of my existing controller wiring before uninstalling it, downloaded the RainMachine app, and proceeded to install the device using the wiring diagram on the setup card.
Once wired, I attached the Pro-8 to a panel on the wall using the provided screws and connected to it using my phone's Wi-Fi settings.
Following the app instructions, I tapped Setup and selected my Wi-Fi SSID from the list, then entered my password and waited a few seconds for the Pro-8 to join my network.
I gave it a name and a password, verified my location on the map, entered my email address (required for remote access), and the physical installation was complete.
If you're an iOS user, you have an option to pair the Pro-8 with HomeKit during the initial setup, but for some reason the Apple Home app would not pair with the device during my installation.
I tried several times to add it manually using the IoT setting on the device's control panel, but it failed every time.
After several phone calls with RainMachine's tech support, I was able to pair it, but I had to jump through several hoops to do so, including installing a new unit, powering down and restarting the controller, turning off my phone's Wi-Fi, and powering my phone off and on.
The Pro-8 did a wonderful job of following my watering programs and responded instantly when I used the app to manually start and stop individual zone watering and programs.
It also adjusted watering cycles based on my local weather forecast and responded quickly to voice commands.
Setting up the Alexa skill was easy enough, but Alexa could not execute commands using the default zone names assigned during the initial setup procedure.
I had to disable the skill, rename my zones, and then re-enable the skill in order to get Alexa to recognize the zone names.
Once the names were changed, the Pro-8 handled Alexa voice commands with aplomb.
It also had no trouble starting and stopping zone watering and starting programs using Siri voice commands once I managed to get HomeKit working.
I created an IFTTT applet to have the Pro-8 begin watering a zone when a Ring Stick Up Cam detected motion, and it worked like a charm, but my applets to have the Pro-8 trigger another IFTTT device did not work at all.
For example, I created an applet to have a Philips Hue light turn on when a zone began watering, but it wouldn't run.
The same thing happened with my applet to have a Wemo Mimi smart plug turn on when a Pro-8 watering program was run.
Conclusion
With the RainMachine Pro-8 smart sprinkler controller, you can create watering programs for up to eight individual gardening zones, or let the controller decide the best watering cycles based on soil and vegetation type, rainfall, and other weather conditions.
It's easy to install and can be controlled in a variety of ways, either using a mobile app, a web console, or the built-in touch-screen display.
It also works with the top three voice platforms and supports IFTTT applets, but it has trouble executing some IFTTT commands.
You'll pay a bit more for our Editors' Choice for smart sprinkler controllers, the Rachio 3, but it offers dual-band Wi-Fi and has no issues with IFTTT or HomeKit compatibility.
It also works with multiple home-automation platforms including Alarm.com, Control4, Nest, Nexia, SmartThings, and others.
Pros
Easy to install.
Weather-based watering.
Works with Alexa, Siri, and Google voice.
Supports HomeKit.
Mobile app and web console control.
View More
Cons
No 5GHz Wi-Fi support.
Finicky HomeKit pairing procedure.
Some IFTTT compatibility issues.
Mobile app lacks water-usage reports.
View More
The Bottom Line
The RainMachine Pro-8 is a helpful, easy-to-use smart sprinkler controller that will adjust watering cycles based on the weather.
The RainMachine Pro-8 ($169) is an eight-zone programmable smart sprinkler controller that uses your local weather data to adjust watering times and cut down on water usage.
It's easy to install, offers extensive water-usage reports, and supports Alexa, Siri, and Google voice commands.
It's a solid smart sprinkler controller, but it lacks more advanced features like dual-band Wi-Fi that you get with the more expensive Editors' Choice Rachio 3.
Design and Features
At 6.0 by 6.0 by 1.0 inches (HWD) the Pro-8 is considerably smaller than both the Rachio 3 and the Orbit B-Hyve 12-Station Smart WiFi Sprinkler controllers.
The top portion of the glossy black and white enclosure sports a 1.7-inch color touch-screen panel as well as backlit up and down buttons used to cycle through Zones and Programs, a water can button for manually starting and ending a watering cycle, a Wi-Fi signal indicator, and a back button that takes you to the previous menu screen.
The touch-screen panel displays the current time and temperature until you touch it, then a four-pane menu window opens with selections for Programs, Zones, Stats, and Settings.
This controller is designed for indoor use only.
To access the push-in wiring terminals, remove the bottom cover.
Here, you'll find eight zone terminals, two common terminals, a master valve terminal, two 24VAC terminals for connecting to the power supply, and a handful of accessory terminals for optional devices like flow meters and rain sensors.
There's also a LAN port for connecting the controller to your network via an Ethernet cable, and a reset button.
Under the hood is a Wi-Fi radio, but it doesn't offer 5GHz connectivity like the Rachio 3 does.
For that you'll have to upgrade to the more expensive RainMachine Touch HD model.
For those worried about IoT hacking, the Pro-8 is cloud independent and stores all of your data locally instead of on a company server.
Included in the box are the controller, two mounting screws, an AC power supply, and a setup card.
The Pro-8 will automatically adjust watering times based on your local forecast using data from multiple weather sources including NOAA, WUnderground, ForecastIO, Netatmo, CIMIS, and OpenWeatherMap.
You can also add your own weather source and configure the controller to consider rain and wind conditions when adjusting your watering cycles.
Or, you can just have it follow your fixed programming schedule without using any weather data.
Each zone can be programmed based on its specific properties such as soil type, slope, vegetation type, sprinkler head type, and sun exposure.
You can program and control the Pro-8 using the small touch-screen panel, but it's much easier if you use the mobile app (iOS or Android) or the web console.
The mobile app opens to a Dashboard screen that tells you when your next watering cycle will begin and how much water you've saved over the past seven days using weather-based watering schedules.
Oddly, the mobile app does not offer a historical tally of how many gallons of water you've used.
To view that information you'll have to use the web console.
There's also a Weather tab that displays the weekly forecast with expected rain totals, a Temperature tab that displays a graph of weekly minimum and maximum temperatures, and a Rain Amount tab that shows a graph of daily rainfall in inches.
At the bottom of the Dashboard screen are Devices, Dashboard, Zones, Programs, and Settings buttons.
The Dashboard button takes you back to the Dashboard from wherever you are, and the Devices button takes you to a screen where you can see all installed RainMachine controllers and their IP addresses.
Use the Zones button to open a screen that displays tabs for each zone by name with a photo of the zone area and the last time it was activated.
Tap any zone tab to start and stop watering, change photos, and edit zone properties.
Here, you can change the zone name, enable weather-based watering, and enter specific zone data such as soil type, sun exposure, slope, and sprinkler head type.
The Programs button takes you to a screen where you can create watering programs using start and end times, frequency (daily, odd days, even days, selected days) and enable the Adaptive Frequency feature which will skip watering and carry it over to the next cycle to promote deeper root penetration.
You can include as many zones in each program as you want and set different watering times for each zone.
Advanced settings allow you to use a fixed schedule or use weather-based watering, and apply local watering restrictions.
Use the Settings button to configure notifications, view watering history, configure the Dashboard, select weather sources, and edit system settings such as password, date, time, and location.
In addition to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit support, the Pro-8 supports IFTTT applets that allow it to work with other IFTTT-enabled devices and integrates with the SmartThings and the Home Assistant home automation platforms.
Installation and Performance
Installing the Pro-8 was very easy.
I took pictures of my existing controller wiring before uninstalling it, downloaded the RainMachine app, and proceeded to install the device using the wiring diagram on the setup card.
Once wired, I attached the Pro-8 to a panel on the wall using the provided screws and connected to it using my phone's Wi-Fi settings.
Following the app instructions, I tapped Setup and selected my Wi-Fi SSID from the list, then entered my password and waited a few seconds for the Pro-8 to join my network.
I gave it a name and a password, verified my location on the map, entered my email address (required for remote access), and the physical installation was complete.
If you're an iOS user, you have an option to pair the Pro-8 with HomeKit during the initial setup, but for some reason the Apple Home app would not pair with the device during my installation.
I tried several times to add it manually using the IoT setting on the device's control panel, but it failed every time.
After several phone calls with RainMachine's tech support, I was able to pair it, but I had to jump through several hoops to do so, including installing a new unit, powering down and restarting the controller, turning off my phone's Wi-Fi, and powering my phone off and on.
The Pro-8 did a wonderful job of following my watering programs and responded instantly when I used the app to manually start and stop individual zone watering and programs.
It also adjusted watering cycles based on my local weather forecast and responded quickly to voice commands.
Setting up the Alexa skill was easy enough, but Alexa could not execute commands using the default zone names assigned during the initial setup procedure.
I had to disable the skill, rename my zones, and then re-enable the skill in order to get Alexa to recognize the zone names.
Once the names were changed, the Pro-8 handled Alexa voice commands with aplomb.
It also had no trouble starting and stopping zone watering and starting programs using Siri voice commands once I managed to get HomeKit working.
I created an IFTTT applet to have the Pro-8 begin watering a zone when a Ring Stick Up Cam detected motion, and it worked like a charm, but my applets to have the Pro-8 trigger another IFTTT device did not work at all.
For example, I created an applet to have a Philips Hue light turn on when a zone began watering, but it wouldn't run.
The same thing happened with my applet to have a Wemo Mimi smart plug turn on when a Pro-8 watering program was run.
Conclusion
With the RainMachine Pro-8 smart sprinkler controller, you can create watering programs for up to eight individual gardening zones, or let the controller decide the best watering cycles based on soil and vegetation type, rainfall, and other weather conditions.
It's easy to install and can be controlled in a variety of ways, either using a mobile app, a web console, or the built-in touch-screen display.
It also works with the top three voice platforms and supports IFTTT applets, but it has trouble executing some IFTTT commands.
You'll pay a bit more for our Editors' Choice for smart sprinkler controllers, the Rachio 3, but it offers dual-band Wi-Fi and has no issues with IFTTT or HomeKit compatibility.
It also works with multiple home-automation platforms including Alarm.com, Control4, Nest, Nexia, SmartThings, and others.
Pros
Easy to install.
Weather-based watering.
Works with Alexa, Siri, and Google voice.
Supports HomeKit.
Mobile app and web console control.
View More
Cons
No 5GHz Wi-Fi support.
Finicky HomeKit pairing procedure.
Some IFTTT compatibility issues.
Mobile app lacks water-usage reports.
View More
The Bottom Line
The RainMachine Pro-8 is a helpful, easy-to-use smart sprinkler controller that will adjust watering cycles based on the weather.
