Aiper IrriSense test: Smart garden irrigation with weaknesses

Irrigation plays a major role for garden owners. However, those who install a comprehensive irrigation system often have to invest not only a lot of money, but also time. In the Aiper IrriSense test, we looked at a smart solution in the field of irrigation systems that not only promises simple set-up and coverage of lawns up to 445 m² in size. Many smart features such as automated watering based on real-time weather data are also on board. I was able to try the whole thing out in my garden.

AIPER IrriSense Bewässerungssystem Garten mit App, Individueller...

€ 649.00

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Technical data

Model	Aiper IrriSense
Coverage area	445 m²
Spraying distance	12 m
Cable length (power)	10 m
Suitable hose size	3/4″ garden hose 3/4″ garden hose
Required water supply	26 L/min flow rate at constant water pressure of 45 psi or 2.0 bar
App features	– Watering map – Watering schedule – Watering depth – Weather sensors – Remote control
Other features	– EvenRain technology – Adaptive re-spray technology – Drainage mode in winter
Price	€ 649.00 *

Scope of delivery

Aiper IrriSense
DC charger
Extension cable
Locator
4x stake sets
Allen key
Quick connection hose set
Quick guide
Operating instructions
Non-return valve

Aiper IrriSense test: design and workmanship

At first glance, the Aiper IrriSense looks more like a pedestal fan. My neighbor looked correspondingly surprised when he saw the IrriSense for the first time. Aiper has opted for a monolithic, column-shaped design here. The housing is finished in an elegant and modern anthracite. However, for regions like mine, where the water is very calcareous, the dark housing could be a disadvantage. After all, limescale stains could quickly build up here.

There is a pressure gauge on the top that measures the water pressure emitted by the appliance. Aiper has also placed a rain sensor here to help you save water. There is also a button in the area of the rain sensor that you can use to start the watering process as required. The water outlet is located at the top of the front.

If you look closely, you can see a small, triangular lip here. This is intended to break the water jet in order to send it as far as possible and spread it widely. Underneath is the Aiper logo. The lower half of the cylindrical body of water is characterized by furrows. This is a cover plate that gives you access to the inner workings of the blaster. The base is located at the bottom. Thanks to the pre-drilled holes, you can easily anchor the IrriSense to the ground.

Aiper IrriSense test: quick setup

As a little helper in the “smart garden”, the Aiper IrriSense promises quick and uncomplicated setup. And in practice, the plan worked for me. At least at the beginning. With adapters, pegs and an Allen key, Aiper includes everything you need for installation in the garden. All you really need is a power socket and a water connection with a suitable garden hose. As soon as the IrriSense is supplied with water and electricity, it is almost ready for use.

Next, you need to take out your smartphone and download the Aiper app. Here you pair your smartphone and irrigation system and follow the clear step-by-step instructions from Aiper. My smartphone didn’t really want to locate the Aiper via Bluetooth. Fortunately, you can also simply scan the QR code on the back of the device. Once the smartphone and IrriSense have found each other, it’s time for the most important step in the setup: mapping. Here you regulate the range of the water jet step by step and mark the corner points.

This allows you to create a map of the lawn to be watered within a few minutes. I had a few problems at the beginning because the water jet didn’t reach far enough. I was very surprised by this, as Aiper actually specifies a range of up to 12 meters. However, my test area only measured 6 meters in length. But I was able to solve the problem quite quickly. Apparently the water pressure was too low. A walk to the house connection was enough. There I turned the water up to the stop and was able to continue with the installation.

Afterwards I found out that the water flow rate should be 25 liters per minute. The whole thing went quite quickly, but for my taste the mapping could be a little more accurate. The lack of accuracy can be attributed to the water jet. As already mentioned, a lip at the water outlet ensures that the jet is broken and drips downwards at a fairly wide angle. This should be borne in mind if there are objects on the edge of the lawn that should not get wet.

In addition, the system sometimes reacted quite sluggishly when I wanted to adjust the beam width and angle. This could have been due to the rather weak Bluetooth signal. Although I was only 2 to 3 meters away from the device, the connection strength was not really good. After the quarter of an hour promised by Aiper, I was therefore unable to reach my destination during setup. I was only able to achieve a satisfactory result after 30 to 45 minutes. But since you only have to set up the IrriSense once in the best case scenario anyway, I don’t think that’s too bad.

Aiper IrriSense test: Aiper App

The heart of the Aiper IrriSense control system is the Aiper app. In practice, it scores with a very good overview, but there were still a few problems. Even with a core feature such as creating a schedule. My planned watering times collided several times with supposedly bad weather. Although it wasn’t raining at all, irrigation units were simply skipped. However, this is obviously a pure software problem, so hopefully this will be resolved in future updates.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only problem I encountered. When I wanted to manually assist with missed watering sessions, that didn’t work at first either. There is a separate button on the IrriSense for this purpose. However, a software update fixed the problem, so everything works perfectly in the latest version. But I would also like to see a little more in terms of the range of settings available in the Aiper app in the future.

For example, I have a lawn in the front garden and one in the main garden. That’s why I’d like to be able to create several maps and then simply change the location of the Aiper IrriSense. This would also be interesting if the IrriSense has a fixed location, but you want to water certain areas of the garden more often than others. This is particularly interesting for people with green fingers who want to water certain plants more often than others. However, Aiper will certainly be upgrading here too.

Unfortunately, the smart irrigation system also has some minor weaknesses when it comes to customizing the map. Unfortunately, you cannot adjust the map afterwards to add new areas to be irrigated. This would be interesting, for example, if you wanted to enlarge the lawn or perhaps add new plants on the patio to the irrigation area. Instead, you have to completely recreate the map again if you make changes.

Aiper IrriSense test: Weak smart home connection

However, the lack of setting options should only bother die-hard irrigation professionals. Personally, I found this to be almost an advantage, as I was able to familiarize myself with the system in no time at all. Operating the Aiper IrriSense is child’s play and almost self-explanatory. You can easily start the irrigation via the app. The app offers a total of three different watering thicknesses (3 mm, 6 mm and 13 mm). You can also set a weekly water consumption limit. The app gives you four different levels to choose from.

Depending on which level you choose, the watering unit will be longer or shorter. Alternatively, you can also simply cool the lawn. This is advisable for freshly sown lawns on very hot days, for example. You can also manually set the maximum range of the water jet via the app. If you are surprised at the short range of the water jet despite the high water pressure, you should take a look here. A little gimmick is the transformation into a stationary water pistol.

You can control the IrriSense remotely via the app and start a little water fight in the garden. As the Aiper IrriSense is connected to the network, I actually assumed that smart home networks such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit would be supported. This would make it possible to start watering via voice control, for example.

Aiper IrriSense test: How does it water?

In practice, the first thing I noticed was that the IrriSense has a really impressive range. In the endurance test, I tried to get the maximum out of it and reached 10 to 11 meters. Although this does not correspond to the specified maximum range of 12 meters, it is still a really strong value in my opinion. The IrriSense’s water jet is surprisingly wide and its width cannot be adjusted.

Aiper calls it EvenRain technology, which promises the most even watering possible, just like a heavy downpour. And the plan works. The IrriSense watered my lawn evenly. However, it does have one disadvantage compared to professional irrigation systems based on several sprinklers.

As the water only comes from one corner, obstacles on the lawn can ensure that the watering is no longer even. So if you have a rotary clothes dryer or a tree on the lawn, for example, there will be areas on the lawn that the IrriSense cannot reach with its water jet. However, if this is not the case for you, the Aiper sprinkler guarantees even watering, which is also gentle on the lawn thanks to EvenRain technology.

Conclusion

The Aiper IrriSense impressed in testing as a well-designed and innovative solution for smart garden irrigation. Its largely uncomplicated setup, modern design and even water distribution thanks to EvenRain technology make it an attractive option for garden owners with medium-sized lawns. Control via app and automatic adjustment to weather data are also clear advantages – at least in theory. In practice, however, it becomes apparent that the software still has room for improvement: inaccurate weather forecasts and limited mapping functions detract somewhat from the overall impression.

The lack of smart home integration and limited flexibility in area planning are also points of criticism that Aiper will hopefully address with future updates. For anyone looking for a simple and semi-automatic solution for lawn irrigation, however, the Aiper IrriSense is definitely recommended. However, those looking for maximum precision, smart home connectivity and complete control may want to look for an irrigation solution consisting of several smaller sprinklers. The high RRP of just under 649 euros should also not be forgotten. However, this level of expenditure is also quickly incurred if you set up an irrigation system consisting of several sprinklers.