5 Best Automatic Plant Waterers (2023 Guide)

Both indoor and outdoor plants require a certain amount of water to grow healthily. If you often forget to water your plants or will be away for a few days, self-watering systems are available to keep your houseplants alive and thriving. Automatic watering systems for indoor plants are also convenient because you don’t need someone else to come over and check on them.

In this review, we researched the best automatic plant waterers on Amazon. Learn more about our top recommendations below. 

Top 5 Automatic Plant Waterers

• Best Automatic Plant Waterer Overall: Tomorotec Clear Glass Self-Watering Spikes
• Best Smart Plant Watering System: Kollea Automatic Watering System
• Best Plant Watering Stakes: Blumat Classic Plant Watering Stakes
• Best Outdoor Watering System: Raindrip Automatic Watering Kit
• Best Decorative Watering Bulbs: Blazin’ Bison Self-Watering Bulbs

Best Automatic Plant Waterer: Tomorotec Clear Glass Self-Watering Spikes

Pros and Cons

✔ Each watering bulb is individually crafted and hand-blown
✔ Can easily adjust the rate of water emptying by inserting at various angles
✔ Adds a subtle decorative element to potted plants and other greenery

✘ The glass is fragile and could break if forced into the soil too hard
✘ Some customers complained about dirt clogging the end of the tube

Good for: This two-pack of self-watering glass bulbs is a simple way for homeowners to water plants for a few days. 

What Customers Are Saying

Our read-through of reviews showed us that customers who wanted an easy but effective way to keep their plants hydrated over a few days found these watering globes satisfactory. In their positive reviews, they highlighted the globes’ radiant iridescence, transparency to see how much water was filled inside of them, and simple overall design. However, in the critical reviews we read, some customers said the bulbs didn’t hold as much water as they wanted, and others shattered a bulb easily with minimal force. 

Best Smart Plant Watering System: Kollea Automatic Watering System

Pros and Cons

✔ The system waters multiple plants using its included tubing
✔ The system remembers its previous setting, even after it’s turned off
✔ Has a large-capacity 2000mAh rechargeable lithium battery and USB power cord

✘ Though fairly simple, the setup is more complicated compared to other systems
✘ Requires charging to function as designed

Good for: We recommend this automatic watering system for homeowners with multiple indoor plants that require the same or similar amounts of water. 

What Customers Are Saying

According to our verified-buyer research, users who thoroughly read the product instructions had largely successful experiences using this waterer to keep their plants healthy. Satisfied customers added that the system reliably pumped water to their exact settings and that the tubing didn’t spring any leaks. Conversely, we found several users had issues with the water system’s battery, stating that it died prematurely, while one user reported that the pump volume and frequency were inaccurate. 

Best Plant Watering Stakes: Blumat Classic Plant Watering Stakes

Pros and Cons

✔ Setup takes as little as 15–20 minutes
✔ Each stake is made of high-quality clay
✔ Made in Austria for product quality and consistency

✘ The DIY watering approach isn’t as simple as watering globes
✘ Some users had poor results when using these watering stakes outdoors

Good for: These terra cotta watering stakes offer continuous hydration. They’re designed for beginner and intermediate plant owners who tend to over- or under-water their plants.

What Customers Are Saying

Happy customer reviews that we encountered who used these watering spikes said their plants thrived, even when they left them unattended for multiple weeks. On the other hand, we learned that a minority of customers had poor experiences using the clay dripper spikes outdoors, stating that the plants didn’t receive enough water. But, overall, users had the best experiences when they used this system for smaller indoor plants.

Best Outdoor Watering System: Raindrip Automatic Watering Kit

Pros and Cons

✔ Can water up to 20 plants at once
✔ Includes a timer, tubing, fittings, emitters, clamps, and stakes
✔ The kit installs in three simple steps

✘ May be overkill for those with only a few houseplants
✘ Not designed for indoor plants

Good for: This automatic drip irrigation kit is ideal for customers with outdoor plants and a hose spigot who wish to water up to 10 or more plants at once. 

What Customers Are Saying

Positively, we found the majority of reviewers said this kit was an excellent value and that it was installed easily. Negatively, some customers said that the quality of the auto-watering system’s drippers was poor and that the drip watering system didn’t work well for plants in long, narrow pots.

Best Decorative Watering Bulbs: Blazin’ Bison Self-Watering Bulbs

Pros and Cons

✔ Easy to fill and insert into the soil
✔ The manufacturer offers a 100% lifetime guarantee
✔ Offered in a four-pack

✘ The plant-watering spikes can get hot if placed on a windowsill
✘ Fragile and prone to breaking

Good for: These colorful watering globes are good for homeowners with small indoor gardens that want an easy and decorative way to keep their plants watered. 

What Customers Are Saying

According to our research, customers who over- or under-water their plants said that these glass globes delivered the perfect amount and frequency of water over the course of several days. They added that the uniquely designed bulbs looked beautiful in their home garden. However, we also found a few critical reviews where customers mentioned that the bulbs were difficult to fill.

Buying Guide for Automatic Plant Waterers

To find the best automatic watering system for your plants, it’s important to consider factors such as capacity, timing mechanisms, and water flow. Here’s a brief description of each factor. 

Capacity

Consider how many plants you need to water, as well as the size of the plants and how much water they usually take. While a single watering globe can only water one plant while you’re gone, a complete irrigation system could water 10–20 plants at a time.

Timers

Some automatic plant waterers have digital or programmable timers to control the frequency and duration of watering. Digital plant watering timers generally include more features and configurations, allowing you to conveniently set the unit and forget about it. Waterers with mechanical “timers,” such as water globes, provide users with more of an estimation as to how long the water will last. However, waterers with mechanical timers are often cheaper and require little installation. 

Water Flow

Your plants will suffer if too much water is dispersed into the soil at once. If the water flow is too little, your plants will dry up. A system with an easy-to-adjust water flow is ideal if you’re not sure exactly how much water to give your plants. 

Automation

All plant waterers in this review are designed to consistently disperse water when your plants are unattended. However, some systems can be connected to a spigot to continuously water your outdoor plants. Other products, like watering globes, can only hold a limited amount of water. Consider the watering schedule of your plants and how much automation is necessary for the best results. 

How To Care for Your Plants While You’re Away

Watering your plants regularly is critical to keep them alive. However, there’s more you can do before you leave home to make sure you return to lush and healthy houseplants or outdoor plants. Here are some tips to care for your plants while you’re gone. 

• Set up your automatic plant waterer several days before you leave home. This gives you time to adjust the waterer to ensure your plants are receiving the appropriate amount of water.
  • You can use a moisture meter to gauge the soil moisture of your plants.
• Orient your plants so that they receive the appropriate amount of sunlight while you’re gone. Keep in mind that the more sunlight your plants receive, the more water they’ll consume.
• Prune any dead or dying foliage, as well as buds or flowers.
• If you regularly fertilize your plants, skip the fertilizer until you’re home.
• If using a self-waterer isn’t an option, “shower” your plants thoroughly before you leave. Many houseplants can survive just fine for a week or longer with one thorough watering.
  • When in doubt, too much water is usually better for plants than too little water. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Automatic Plant Waterers

What is the best automatic plant watering system?

The best automatic plant watering system is one that works best for the type of plants you have, as well as the number of plants you have. If you have an outdoor garden, an automatic drip system that connects to a garden hose may be the best solution. Conversely, a simple watering globe could be best for a single houseplant, such as a pothos. 

What are the different types of automatic watering systems for plants?

There are many ways to keep your plants watered while they’re left alone, although plant watering globes and spikes tend to be the most popular for casual plant owners due to their simplicity. Here are some other types of automatic plant waterers: 

• Drip watering systems
• Self-watering mini plant pots
• Self-watering plant pot reservoirs
• Stackable self-watering planters
• Vertical herbal garden walls

What are the pros and cons of an automatic plant waterer?

The pros of automatic plant waterers include their inexpensive price tag, configuration, ability to water multiple plants at a time, and simply keeping your plants alive while they’re unattended. The cons of using an automatic plant waterer include the potential for your plants to die if they receive too much or too little water. 

How long do automatic plant waterers dispense water?

Automatic plant waterers tend to dispense water anywhere from one to two days or as long as multiple weeks. Systems connected to a replenishing water source may be able to water your plants continuously. No matter which automatic plant waterer you choose, each product is designed to only dispense small amounts of water at a time based on how porous the potting soil is. 

What is a drip irrigation system?

A drip irrigation system uses a network of small tubes to send water to your plants from the source. The source could be a large bowl of water or a garden hose spigot. 

How We Selected the Best Automatic Plant Waterers

To provide our readers with the best automatic plant waterer recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.

Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of plant waterers with a significant number of verified-buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers. 

Expert Insights: Through our years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is key to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews from trusted publications and independent reviewers and drew insights from reader contributions.

Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any out-of-stock items. From there, we pared the list down further by comparing each model’s feature set and selecting the best-in-class options for various buyers, budgets, and scenarios.

Why You Can Trust Us

This Old House has empowered homeowners and DIY-ers for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement advice in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content. 

Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published over 1,600 reviews on products in the home improvement space, from ceiling fans and floor coating to doorbell cameras and garage door openers.

Once we conclude our research, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.

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