Our Guide to the Best Oscillating Sprinklers Under $20

Eighteen brass nozzle jets sit on an 18.3 inch arm, and an iron counterweight in the base adds about 0.66 pounds over the earlier version of this model. That weight is what keeps the sprinkler planted when the arm swings hard at the end of each pass. A cleaning pin is built into the end of the chassis, so a clogged jet takes seconds to clear.

Next to the Orbit SunMate, you get brass instead of plastic jets, which resist the mineral scale that narrows spray holes over a season. The Amazon Basics and Eden units claim the same 3,600 square feet, but neither lists metal nozzles or a counterweight in its feature list, and the Meekamar costs less than both.

Pick it if you want the sturdiest build at this price and have a standard rectangle of lawn. If you need to water a narrow strip often, the Melnor Turbo gives you range sliders for shortening the sweep.

Sixteen nozzles feed a sealed turbo drive motor, a geared design that keeps the sweep smooth and quiet instead of jerking at the turnaround. A weighted base holds the unit in place, and the sliding range tabs let you cut the sweep short for a narrow bed.

Compared with the Amazon Basics sprinkler, the Eden gives up three nozzles but adds the sealed motor and a base built for stability. Against the Melnor Turbo it claims 800 more square feet. The Meekamar has brass jets, which the Eden does not.

Choose it if your sprinkler tends to creep or tip when pressure surges. If you want the nozzle count and a cleaning tool on the arm, the Amazon Basics is the better fit.

Nineteen nozzles sit on a durable plastic base, and the spray tube cap pulls off to double as a jet cleaner. Control knobs set the range, and rubber gasket filter washers in the hose coupling catch grit before it reaches the nozzles. The 3,600 square foot figure is stated at 60 PSI.

It has the highest nozzle count in this tier, which spreads water into finer drops than the Eden's sixteen. The tradeoff is a lighter plastic base with no weight claim, so it moves more than the Meekamar or Eden on a hard sweep.

Best for yards on hard or sandy water where nozzles clog. If wind or a sloped lawn makes the sprinkler walk, the Eden 96213 is the steadier choice.

Sixteen precision nozzles cover up to 2,800 square feet, and sliding range adjusters let you customize the spray distance so water lands on the bed and not the walkway. The InfinityDrive turbo motor is a geared design built for smooth oscillation and longer life, and a QuickConnect bundle is included for fast hose changes.

It claims the smallest area in the group, 800 square feet less than the Eden, so it is the least suited to a wide lawn. In return you get Melnor's quick connect, which saves time if you move the sprinkler between zones with other hose tools.

Pick it for a compact yard where range control matters more than reach. For a wider lawn at the same price, go with the Meekamar or Amazon Basics.

Seventeen jet nozzles throw a rectangular pattern across up to 3,000 square feet, in an impact resistant plastic body. It is the plainest unit in the group, with no adjustment sliders in its feature set and no metal parts.

Against the Meekamar it saves a few dollars but gives up brass jets and the counterweighted base. It sits between the Melnor Turbo and the Amazon Basics on coverage, with a lower nozzle count than the latter.

Buy it for a seasonal patch of lawn that gets watered now and then. If you will use it weekly, step up to the Meekamar or the Eden 96213.