Hello,

I have several oscillating sprinklers on timers. When the sprinklers work, they work very well. But the life expectancy of most oscillating sprinklers seems to be about that of a mayfly. The problem seems to be that the gears and other working parts are usually made of plastic. Would it really cost that much more to use metal instead of plastic for those small, critical parts? Some sprinklers that advertise being made of metal have metal housings and stands but not metal gears! Duh!

I've looked at a lot of websites that purport to list the "best" oscillating sprinklers. They often recommend products which on Amazon have close to one out of five users giving the product one star. Complaints frequently have to do with units ceasing to work right away or within a few months (which echos my experiences).

Can anyone recommend one or more brands of oscillating sprinkler that use metal gears etc. and get reasonably good reviews from users? I'd rather pay more one time than pay less three or four times.

Thanks,
Bill

Go to a yard sale.

Metal gears are fine but MUST be lubricated; I have had several old ones with metal gears that bind over time.

Had one real nice OLD metal one, except for part of the frame, worked great till the plastic finally went pfft from being in the sun.
Tried gluing together but that type of plastic did not take any type of glue.

RE: "Go to a yard sale."

Hardy Har. What are the odds? Anyhow, I'm avoiding yard sales until Mr. Pandemic goes away.

After starting this thread, I did further research and found one model--Aqua Joe SJI-OMS16--that on Amazon has only four percent one-star ratings. Similar results were found elsewhere online where it's sold. One reviewer said the casing is metal and the moving parts are hard plastic. Anyhow, I've ordered a few and will see how good they are.

Bill

So after using an oscillating sprinkler for 10 days now, I have been through two. One broke, the other malfunctioned. Hoping the pending hurricane will remedy my problem but I am curious.

Any thoughts on the ones you have tried? @BSquared18

I have three I use often: A large built in timer Gardena, a Melnor with three setting wide to very narrow by turning the barrel, and another, do not know the brand and am too lazy to walk outside and check that works OK , all metal but adjusting it is a true task.

Of these the Gardena is great as you can set it and walk away and it will shut off but the Melnor, no longer made I am pretty sure, actually works best for setting width of spray as you can get it down to a narrow 8 foot spray that reaches a good deal far than the wide spray and cam be reduced by adjusting faucet opening.
You turn the barrel to one of the three width settings, but you better pay attention to those faint marks on the frame or you will walking out and resetting, and resetting, and resetting....

The last name less one works OK but adjusting it is annoying, no guide marks; at the same time it is totally metal and can be taken apart completely to clean it debris gets in the line.

I have others that I do not use or rarely do, so I learned by trial and error, that you get what you paid for 98.6 percent of the time, UNLESS you go to yard sales where you can find really good stuff cheaply and if it is crap, toss it, while you can also find good ones no longer made.