Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Battery Sprinkler Controllers by Zone Count

Five battery sprinkler controllers ranked by what a first-timer actually has to program, from the four-valve Orbit 57865 to Hunter's six-zone XC Hybrid.

Best Lightweight Planter Box: Toriexon Leads

Five planter boxes compared on weight, size and material, from a 3 lb 7-pack to a 20 lb self-watering window box. Here's which one earns the top spot and when a runner-up wins.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Electric Lawn Mower When Strength Is Limited

Deck width gets all the attention in mower guides, but the figure that actually matters is how much machine you have to push. Five electric mowers compared on listed weight, cutting width and height range.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Electric Lawn Mowers: MZK 20V Leads

Five electric mowers compared on deck width, weight and cutting height, with a clear pick for anyone squeezing a mower between garden borders and a fence line.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Folding Adirondack Chairs for Wide Open Yards

Five folding adirondack chair sets compared on seat count, material and per-chair weight, so you know which one actually fills a wide yard and which one you can carry alone.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Smart Sprinkler Controller by Zone Count

Five smart sprinkler controllers compared on zone count, mounting location and published warranty terms, with a named winner and three conditions that flip the pick.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Hose Reels for Large Yards: VEVOR Leads

Five hose reel carts and reels compared on published hose capacity, weight, wheel count and footprint, with a named winner and the conditions that flip the pick to something else.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Cordless Sprinkler Controllers: Rachio 3 Leads

Five app-controlled irrigation timers compared on zone count, mounting location and published warranty terms, with a named winner and three conditions that flip the pick.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Battery Powered Self Watering Planter Box Picks

Battery power and self-watering rarely arrive in the same planter. Here's what each of these six picks actually does, which one suits a desk versus a balcony, and where the wick-fed reservoirs beat anything with a battery in it.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Solar String Lights: Brightown 52FT Leads

Six solar string light sets compared on run length, socket count, bulb style and charging backup, with a clear first pick for anyone hanging lights for the first time.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Lawn Mower for a Greenhouse Grower's Plot

Six walk-behind mowers compared on cutting width, weight and emissions for the tight grass strips around a greenhouse. Reel mowers lead, but two battery picks earn their place on bigger plots.

Garden & Outdoor Living

Best Heavy Duty Retractable Hose Reels: Giraffe Leads

Seven wall-mounted reels compared on hose length, hose diameter, mounting footprint and shipping weight, with the Giraffe Tools 130 ft model taking the top spot and five conditions that flip the pick.