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BT Bob's Review Rating Scale:
Superior
product doing what is says it does well at exceptional value
Excellent
product with few limitations and with great value
Does
what it says pretty well, but could be better
Some
limitations or draw backs, but basically works.
Hey, it's your money.
Do what you want with it.
Product Description:
A sprinkler is a device for -- come on! You know what a sprinkler is!
A "pulse" type sprinkler is the kind that shoots out a jet of spray and
a little springy thing goes "tsit, tsit, tsit" as it makes parts of a circle.
Go drive through a sub-urb on a summer afternoon if you don't know what
this is.
Review:
As I was describing in the "Hose Timers Compared" review, I have placed
several sprinklers around my yard that I basically leave set. Thus,
I have ended up with two of the Melnor brand pulsating sprinklers and two
of the Better Homes and Garden brand. I run them from the same hose
system, so the pressure and water flow is pretty much the same for each
sprinkler. Both companies make numerous models, but I selected the
more expensive brass models, hoping for reliable service, uniform spray,
and wide area of coverage as well.
Both sprinklers share many of the same features. Both are mounted on one of those metal spikes to which the hose is attached. Setting them up was simple. (Hey, this is not psychotherapy. We are talking about sticking a sprinkler into the ground and attaching a hose!) Both can be adjusted to go back and forth over any part of a circle using two adjusting rings. Both have water diversion screws that can be extended into the stream to cut down on the distance and make more of a spray. Both also have water diversion hoods that can be lowered into the stream to further alter the spray.
The Melnor sprinkler claims to cover a 100 ft. diameter circle. When the water began to flow, the Melnor sprinkler produced an impressive stream of water. Adjusting the point where it turns and goes the other direction was very easy. Two rings are attached that can be set to ANY position with ease. There are no notches on this model, so you can truly set it for any range. (Some of the plastic models have notches into which the rings "click" and it always seems that I want to set the position between clicks!) Standing back and watching the sprinkler do its thing revealed a very uniform spray from the sprinkler to the furthest point of the coverage. Both of the Melnor sprinklers have worked flawlessly (never leaked, stuck in one position, etc.) since purchase over a year ago.
The Better Homes and Gardens sprinkler says it covers a 90 ft. radius (I think -- either that or 85 ft.) The rings that are used to set the turning points, like the Melnor sprinkler, can be set at any position. However, they are difficult to move at all and when they finally move, I generally end up moving them further than I wanted to. They take a good bit of effort to get them set to cover all of, but only the area you desire. Once they are running, however, they provide a uniform spray from the sprinkler to the end of coverage that is almost equal (if not equal) to the Melnor model. However, one of the two Better Homes and Gardens tends not to pulsate (and therefore does not move around the circle) unless the water diversion screw is pretty well into the stream. This, of course cuts down on the distance the stream covers, but with the screw extended so, the sprinkler works very reliably. The other one worked without this adjustment or any other problems since purchase last year. (That is, until my son stood on it to get a boost to climb onto the shed it is placed beside. This bent some of the pieces, but with a hammer, vise grips, and pliers, I was able to get it working again good as new!)
Here's how the two compare:
Radius Covered: Didn't measure either one, but the Melnor seems
to go farther.
Uniformity of coverage along radius: Call it a tie.
Reliability: Gotta give the Melnor the nod here because of that
diversion screw thing on the Better Homes and Gardens
Ease of adjusting area covered: No contest -- Melnor by a mile!
Price: Melnor is around $17.00 while Better Homes and Gardens
is about $14.00
| Better Homes and Gardens brand brass Pulsating Sprinkler
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Melnor brand brass Pulsating Sprinkler
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