Orbit Vs. Rain Bird: Which Is The Better Sprinkler System?

The key to a healthy lawn and garden is a reliable sprinkler system. There are a number of models out there today that can be easily attached to your garden hose and the majority of the work is done – all that may be required is for you to move the sprinkler to various locations around your lawn. For the ultimate convenience, you could consider installing an underground sprinkler system set on a timer to ensure even, efficient watering.

Regardless of whether or not you want an above-ground or underground sprinkler system, at some point in your search for the best, you may find yourself torn between Orbit and Rain Bird – two excellent brands that offer a wide range of high-quality irrigation products. In fact, Orbit and Rain Bird represent the gold standards in terms of well-built, reliable, and relatively affordable sprinkler systems. With that said, how do you decide which is better?

The choice between Orbit and Rain Bird ultimately comes down to your specific needs, if you’re comfortable with the warranty offered, and whether or not saving a couple of bucks upfront matters more to you than ensuring that your lawn is covered. In fact, many experts claim that while Orbit products are more affordable than Rain Bird, you get what you pay for in irrigation products that are lower in quality.

Located in Utah, Orbit Irrigation Products is a supplier and manufacturer of over 2,000 irrigation products for residential and commercial applications. They make products like sprinklers, timers, valves, and even low volume and micro-irrigation products that are focused on water conservation. Orbit has manufacturing facilities in the United States and China, selling their products globally to over 40 countries.

You can find Orbit Irrigation’s products in major retail centers like Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart. Oftentimes, choosing Orbit is an affordable solution since they offer virtually everything!

Rain Bird is, arguably, the most known name in the irrigation business. Their high-quality sprinkler products have made them a favorite among both professionals and homeowners. Headquartered in Azusa, California, Rain Bird Corporation began in 1933 and since then they have produced and offered the widest array of irrigation products for golf courses, farms, sports arenas, commercial properties, and homes in over 130 countries worldwide.

The company is committed to “The Intelligent Use of Water,” which shows in not only their high-quality products but also their expert water management professionals with a passion for water conservation. Rain Bird’s sales, manufacturing, and marketing teams have come together to create innovative water-conserving products such as pumps, dripline, sprinklers, and timers/controllers.

The sprinklers from Rain Bird set the standard in terms of reliability, durability, and efficient watering. Rain Bird offers a sprinkler for virtually every application – from high-efficiency nozzles and pop-up spray heads to impact, hose-end, and rotors.

Whether your lawn has tall or short grass, steep slopes, and unpredictable water pressure, areas of high wind or non-potable water systems, there’s a Rain Bird sprinkler for you. You can count on Rain Bird to meet your very specific needs every time.

In addition to sprinklers, Rain Bird offers a comprehensive line of automatic irrigation timers and sprinkler controllers to suit every need – from the smallest home system to the largest, most complex commercial application.

Rain Bird allows you to choose from easy-to-program zone-based timers, powerful and versatile modular timers, and even self-adjusting, weather-based smart timers that constantly make adjustments based on the current weather. They also offer both indoor and outdoor models, depending on your needs.

Although both Orbit and Rain Bird claim to have the highest quality irrigation products on the market, many experts believe otherwise. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for and since Orbit is cheap in price it is also cheaper in terms of quality. In fact, most professionals refuse to replace anything with Orbit and, instead, opt for Rain Bird or even Hunter.

In terms of warranty, the customer satisfaction policy that Rain Bird offers is much better than the limited warranty policy from Orbit. Rain Bird will replace or repair any Rain Bird professional product that fails at no charge within the specified warranty period. Which, depending on the product, could be between 1 and 7 years. Meanwhile, Orbit will only replace products within one year from the purchase date.

With that said, it’s important that you do plenty of research on the specific irrigation product that you are interested in. That way, you can read reviews and see professional recommendations on whether or not that particular brand and model is the right choice for your needs.

Related Questions

Is there a difference between sprinkler valves you buy at Home Depot and those you buy from a commercial irrigation store?

Valve and controller models will vary considerably between those found at big box stores like Home Depot and those available at a local commercial irrigation store. Reputable companies that get their stock from irrigation suppliers are more geared towards professionals, while Home Depot sells lower quality versions of the same sprinklers and controllers that are easier for homeowners to use. That’s why it’s recommended to, when possible, get sprinkler controllers from vendors instead of box stores.

Are Orbit and Rain Bird compatible?

In most cases, many of the parts, keys, etc. between Rain Bird, Orbit, and even Hunter are interchangeable. Of course, there are some exceptions but an Orbit key does work with a Rain Bird flush-out valve.

Is Rain Bird or Hunter better?

Irrigation products from Hunter are slightly more durable when compared to Rain Bird. They have the ability to handle a greater PSI, which is crucial when it comes to water pressure, extreme weather conditions, and winterization. Since sprinkler heads sit in the ground they will experience extreme temperatures and it’s important that they can withstand these temperatures. Hunter controllers are also generally easier to program than controllers from Rain Bird.