RAINPOINT WiFi Water Timer (2 outlets) with Smart Gateway hub for weather-based smart irrigation
Product description
The essentials
If you’re trying to make garden watering more predictable (and less wasteful), the RAINPOINT WiFi Water Timer is built for exactly that: scheduling irrigation across two independent zones, then letting it react to weather and—optionally—soil moisture. It’s the kind of setup that suits people who don’t want to babysit a tap every week, but still want control rather than a “set and forget” timer that ignores real conditions.
On paper, the two-zone design and WiFi remote access are the main selling points. You can run different schedules per zone, pause or tweak plans from the RainPoint app, and get notifications if something goes wrong (like a valve issue or low battery). It also leans into weather-based automation, which can be a big help when the UK forecast is doing its usual unpredictable thing.
That said, it’s not a complete ecosystem on its own if you want the moisture-aware behaviour—there’s mention of a soil sensor sold separately. So depending on how “smart” you want to go, you may need a bit more than just the timer.
Where it shines (and why it matters day to day)
The most practical advantage here is how it handles watering as two separate areas. Instead of one programme controlling everything, you can manage each zone on its own schedule set. The timer supports multiple watering modes (Normal, Mist, and Cycle & Soak), plus several frequency options including daily, odd/even days, weekly, and every 2–30 days. For a typical garden layout—say, lawn plus a more delicate border—this sort of flexibility is genuinely useful.
Key features that buyers tend to care about
A few details stand out beyond the headline “smart timer” label:
- Stable WiFi pairing via a smart gateway hub: the timer is paired with an HWG023 Smart Gateway over 2.4GHz WiFi. The stated coverage is up to 200m, which is relevant if your garden is a bit spread out.
- Designed to cope with outdoor wear: it uses a coil valve described as delivering a stronger, more consistent water flow. There’s also an upgraded 100% brass inlet aimed at reducing leaks and wear, plus an IP65 waterproof rating for outdoor reliability.
- Weather-based automation: schedules can be adjusted and executed based on local forecast data. It also references custom “smart scenes” such as Rain Delay and a high-temperature increasing watering approach.
- Water usage tracking: it includes a high-precision flow meter and tracks usage over the past 30 days and 12 months, with the ability to export water reports for analysis.
- Remote and voice control: remote adjustments and status monitoring are via the RainPoint app, and it’s compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control.
One nuance to keep in mind: while it supports weather-based automation, real soil-moisture control is tied to pairing with an HCS026 Soil Sensor (sold separately). If you don’t plan to add the sensor, the system will still work as a scheduler, but it won’t reach the same “react to ground conditions” level.
Tech specs
- Type: WiFi irrigation water timer (2 outlets) with smart gateway hub
- WiFi pairing band: 2.4GHz
- Zones: 2 independent zones
- Schedules per zone: 6
- Total schedules: 12 schedules
- Watering modes: Normal, Mist, Cycle & Soak
- Frequency options: Daily, Odd/Even days, Weekly, every 2–30 days
- Gateway device pairing: pairs with HWG023 smart gateway
- Coverage (gateway): up to 200m (650ft)
- Weather/soil support: weather-based automation, soil moisture support with HCS026 soil sensor (sold separately)
- Weather delay / smart scenes: includes examples like Rain Delay and high temperature increasing watering
- Water usage tracking: flow meter with reporting over past 30 days and 12 months
- Outdoor protection: IP65 waterproof rating
- Valve inlet material: 100% brass inlet
- Alarms / reminders: real-time APP reminders for valve failure and low battery, status checks for online/weak signal/offline
Practical tips for getting the most from it
A timer like this is at its best when you treat it as part scheduling, part adjustment. For example, imagine you’ve got two zones: one for lawn and another for a mixed border. You could set a regular baseline schedule for each zone, then let weather-based automation handle the “extra” days when rain is expected—effectively reducing the urge to manually override every time the forecast changes.
If you’re trying to cut down water bills, the usage reporting feature is the bit people sometimes ignore. But here it’s built in, and the reports can help you spot patterns (like watering too frequently during rainy weeks). It won’t magically optimise everything on its own, but it gives you evidence to refine your plan.
Also, if you rely on automation, pay attention to the app reminders. The system mentions real-time alerts for valve failure and low battery—useful if you’re away from home and don’t want to discover a problem days later.
Who it’s for (and who should think twice)
It makes sense if you want two-zone irrigation control, remote access, and weather-based adjustments without getting into complex DIY setups. The ability to use voice control is a nice extra if you already use Alexa or Google Assistant around the house.
It may not suit you as much if you’re only after a basic hose timer, or if you don’t plan on using (or can’t place) a smart gateway and are expecting the timer to function independently in a simple plug-and-go way. Also, if you need moisture-based watering, factor in that the soil sensor is sold separately—otherwise you’ll be relying on weather and scheduling rather than real-time soil readings.
Final verdict
The RAINPOINT WiFi Water Timer with 2 outlets and gateway-based pairing is a solid “middle step up” from basic mechanical timers: more control, two independent zones, remote app management, and automation that uses the forecast. It’s also positioned with outdoor durability in mind (IP65 and brass inlet), which matters for long-term hose timer use.
But it won’t be the best match if you expected full soil-moisture intelligence straight out of the box, since that depends on adding the HCS026 soil sensor. If you’re happy with weather-based logic and scheduling, this is the kind of smart irrigation timer you can actually live with day to day—especially when you want alerts and usage reporting rather than just schedules.
Quick questions before you buy
Quick overview (FAQ)
Quick overview (FAQ)
Quick overview (FAQ)
Quick overview (FAQ)
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Does it work without the soil sensor? Yes, it supports scheduled watering and weather-based automatic irrigation, but soil moisture control is described as requiring the HCS026 soil sensor (sold separately).
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Can I control it when I’m away from home? The timer is designed for remote adjustments and status monitoring via the RainPoint app.
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How many schedules can each zone run? The information provided states 6 schedules per zone (12 schedules across two zones).
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Will I get alerts if something goes wrong? It mentions real-time APP reminders for valve failure and low battery, plus status checks for online/weak signal/offline.
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Is it suitable for outdoor use? It’s rated IP65 waterproof, and it’s intended as an outdoor irrigation hose timer.