Gardena 280 Classic Oscillating Sprinkler Polo

I usually don't get that excited about any garden tools, but I do love this thing. I bought it to replace an oscillating sprinkler from another brand that was constantly getting clogged with dirt from the hose and that, eventually, broke on its frame. I've long trusted Gardena as a brand, so the only choice for me was which Gardena sprinkler to go for - I eventually chose the ZoomMaxx as it caters for smaller gardens, and our front lawn is something like 500 square feet in size.The ZoomMaxx comes in two parts - the plastic base and the plastic head - in a cardboard box without any instructions. It's not the hardest thing to use, and instruction videos are available on YouTube, but a `quick start' user guide would be helpful as the controls aren't marked, or even overly obvious. The only assembly you have to do is to screw the base and the head together, making sure that the included mesh water filter is inserted between them.In the pictures the base doesn't look overly big or stable, but I've found it more than adequate to keep the sprinkler level and secure whilst it's doing its thing. The head is the strongest point on the ZoomMaxx and feels very well put-together with no rattles or looseness; pretty typical for Gardena. Not so typical is the thin joint where the head meets the base, which is undoubtedly the weakest point on the ZoomMaxx; I'm sure that any rough treatment could easily cause it to snap. Given that the hose connector is on the base, the two breaking apart would render the whole sprinkler useless, so my advice is to be very careful with it.The ZoomMaxx has three orange-coloured controls - a small flow rate screw on the front, two angle control wheels above it, and two width switches on the sides. The flow rate screw, as you've probably guessed, adjusts how much water flows through the ZoomMaxx and, thereby, how far the sprinkler throws its water streams. With the angle control wheels, you can adjust how far the sprinkler head tilts backwards and forwards, whilst the width switches move the angle of the 16 sprinkler nozzles, enabling you to alternate how far to the sides the streams go.The controls combine to give you a lot of control over the shape and size of the water spread the ZoomMaxx throws out, which is perfect for those with differing sized and shaped lawns. There is a limit as to how small you can make the size of the spread, but according to Gardena this is as little as 97 square feet at 4-bar water pressure - lowering the flow either at the tap or on the sprinkler will bring this down considerably. Gardena states that the maximum area the ZoomMaxx will do at 4-bar is 216 square metres (about 2300 square feet) but with our water pressure there's no way I could test this. I will say, however, that I have to dial down the tap a bit and not use the full range of the ZoomMaxx to cover my 500 square-foot lawn, so 2300 seems achievable.To use, and like pretty much every sprinkler the ZoomMaxx is simplicity itself, and is just a case of positioning it and turning on the tap. The nozzle angle switches are a little awkward to move when the sprinkler is on, so it's best to avoid a drenching either by adjusting the sprinkler before you turn it on or by turning it off at the tap before you venture anywhere near it. The angle wheels are easier to move, but the ZoomMaxx has a knack of throwing water up quite efficiently and quite far so you'll still want to take care unless you like an outdoors shower.As a means to water our lawns, the ZoomMaxx really is the best sprinkler we've had. Having had nozzles clog up on in the past, the included mesh filter is a cheap but thoughtful inclusion, and the whole sprinkler feels really well put-together. It covers a good area, even with our fluctuating water pressure, and the adjustability means that it can do a whole variety of lawn sizes. I do have doubts about the durability of the joint between the head and the base but I won't mark the ZoomMaxx down for that until and unless it actually breaks there.

Latest Update.Avoid this product, it has a major design flaw and a Customer Services Department that is inept. They show no interest in determining the exact nature of the failure mode. They have been sent many high resolution photographs of the external evidence of the failures. I expected that they would be anxious to examine the internal detailing so that they fully understood the failures and could most precisely effect a design correction for a new Gardena Aquazoom Mk2. They are still most interested in declaring that the product only has a 2 year warranty. This is disgraceful.Somewhat surprised I sent a full set of detailing and a covering letter to the UK Managing Director, asking him to get involved to solve the problem with the Gardena Aquazoom products and importantly protect Gardena's reputation. I have as yet had no reply from the MD. Instead I have had what appears to be permission to return 2 of my 3 garden sprinklers to Amazon for reimbursement. Why should Amazon be involved and incur the costs of replacement?Let me state again:The Gardena Aquazoom Garden Sprinkler models 250/2 and 350/3 are not fit for purpose.Both of my first two devices have failed catastrophically within their 2 year warranty period.Gardena show no interest in finding out why. I suspect that they already know why.I do not understand their response to date, it is not whether I should get any money back. The real problem is in ensuring that their products are fully fit for purpose and that the reputation of Gardena is secured.Why did the MD of the UK affiliate not get involved?Why are Gardena not concerned about a recurring catastrophic design failure mode?Garden sprinklers are not cutting edge rocket science. It is not acceptable that both of my first two devices failed identically and are now completely useless.Original Review.Avoid this product, it has a major design flaw that renders the device completely unusable after some two to three years. This is an expensive water sprinkler which initially works well, but it is unacceptable that it fails in such a dramatic manner in such a short time.I have three of these devices, the first of which was purchased from Amazon in May 2013. This device failed utterly within some two years.I thought that this was just bad luck and bought another on from a Garden Centre in 2015. I thought that if I had any further problems then I could cannibalise the two to create a worker.A few weeks ago this second Gardena sprinkler type 350/2 also failed totally, but in an identical manner. The failure mode is such that an internal support of the full length orange rubber nozzle strip collapses, the rubber nozzles fall back into the central body and result in a complete water leak from the body. Less than some 10% of the water exits properly via the nozzles. More than 90% of the water just freely gushes from the central body. The two Gardena Aquazoom sprinklers suffered identical failures, obviously a design error. Thinking that Gardena are a responsible company I decided that I would write to them and explain the series of events and highlight their problem with this family of sprinklers, which are top of their range. I expected at least some form of compensation or a product replacement.In the mean time, rather than let my lawns dry out, I made the stupid mistake of ordering a third Gardena Aquazoom 350/2. I was in a hurry, the weather was hot, and the lawns needed watering.I have written three times now to Gardena explaining the problems with this product range of theirs. To date I have only had a series of rebuttals and statements that the product only has a two year guarantee. Please send proofs of all purchases and detailed photo's of the failed devices.I was wrong to make repeat purchases of a product that I thought was reliable and durable, when the evidence showed otherwise.I was wrong to think that if a second failure occurred then I could cannibalise a obtain a worker.It did not occur to me that two expensive Gardena products would both fail in an identical manner, ruling out the ability to cannibalise.It did not occur to me that having bought three of these devices that Gardena would be ungracious.I have asserted that the Gardena Aquazoom range, the 350/2 and 350/3, is not fit for purpose. They most certainly are not.They are expensive, they are pretty, when they work they work well. But they fail catastrophically in a very avoidable manner.I will provide Gardena with the copious details they ask for, together with the photographs of all three of my sprinklers to prove that my statements are correct. I hope to get at least on of my two failed devices replaced. This is vital because I will not be at all surprised if my latest Gardena Aquazoom 350/2 also fails in an identical manner.These are German products, it would appear that Gardena have a similar outlook to that which VW Cars had regarding the cheat device for their exhaust emissions.In the mean time my advice is to avoid buying a Gardena Aquazoom 350/2 or a Gardena Aquazoom 350/3.Gardena need to get an design department capable of securing the rubber nozzle strip properly.As a minimum I would expect that they showed an interest in examining these two identically failed products. They seem to have more accountants than engineers.Pathetic.

Sceptical about purchasing this product, but it works perfectly, sturdy construction and waters my whole garden without flooding areas.

really good sprinkler, sprays pretty far with a little spread, or a shorter distance with more spread. fine tuning on the dial on the side is easy.my water pressure sucks (thanks yorkshire water) so it wont return back on an oscillating setting. so i just let it go 360.