Break and Freeze Sprinkler Gauge

Seems to work well for tracking rainfall and nice to keep an eye on irrigation in our landscape beds. Already had some freezing temps and they hold up fine, much better than the plastic versions. A little more cost, but worth it for durability.

I’ve gone through my fair share of hard plastic rain and sprinkler gauges. They usually last one season before they either get brittle from the sun, crack from a sudden freeze, or shatter when I accidentally bump them with the lawnmower. I decided to try the Taylor "Break and Freeze" line and ended up getting both the 2-inch Sprinkler Gauge and the 7-inch Rain Gauge to cover all my bases. Here is what stands out after testing both: The "Squish" Factor (Durability): The silicone construction is the real winner here. It feels flexible and rubbery rather than rigid. The claim is that if water freezes inside, the gauge just expands rather than cracking, and based on the material, I 100% believe it. It also bounces back if you drop it, which makes it much more rugged for garden work than the acrylic ones. Capacity & Precision: Having both sizes is actually surprisingly useful. The 2-inch model is perfect for auditing my sprinkler zones. The scale is smaller and more precise, making it easy to see exactly how much water the lawn is getting during a 15-minute cycle. The 7-inch model is the workhorse for storms. It holds a significant amount of rainfall, so I don't have to worry about it overflowing during a heavy overnight downpour. Ease of Installation: Installation couldn't be simpler. Both models came with a ground stake that feels sturdy. I opted to install both directly into the ground rather than mounting them to a post. You just snap the gauge into the holder and push the stake into the soil. They have stayed upright and stable even on windy days, and it's easy to pull them up if I need to mow around them. Value for Money: At first glance, they might cost a few dollars more than the cheap, brittle plastic tubes, but the value is definitely there. Considering I usually have to replace the cheap ones every year because they crack or cloud over, these feel like a "buy it once" investment. The longevity of the silicone makes them a bargain in the long run. Easy to Read: The numbers on both units are bold, widely spaced, and very legible. I can check the levels from a few feet away without having to bend down and squint, which is a nice bonus. The Bottom Line: These do exactly what they promise—they measure water accurately and they don't break. Whether you need the high capacity of the 7-inch for heavy rains or the precision of the 2-inch for tuning your irrigation, this is a smart upgrade from standard plastic. Highly recommended.

This is a very clever design for a rain gauge. It is made out of a silicon material instead of rigid plastic and exhibits the best properties of both. It is pliable, soft and generally unbreakable (the gauge itself) which gives it a great value as I always end up breaking my rigid plastic gauges within the year. At the same time this gauge is rigid enough to stand upright and catch the rain. The markings on the side are easy to ready and it also comes with a floating sight gauge you place inside the gauge. I anticipate, however, that this little piece will eventually go missing at some point as when you dump out the water this floating gauge is likely to follow. As with most rain gauges the level of precision in trying to read if you received two or three tenths of rain is not great, but it gets the job done. The large size makes will tend to make it a bit more accurate and easier to read however. There are two ways to mount the gauge. You can use the blue ring when you mount on top of a raid or post. You will need a wide post if that is how you are mounting it as it is a horizontal mount (and not vertical like a lot of the smaller gauges are). You will need to provide your own screws or nails to mount this. The second way to mount is via the spiked bracket you can push into the ground. I did find that when I pulled the gauge out of the bracket it was a little snug which is good so the gauge doesn't get blown away; however it may also end up pulling the bracket out of the ground along with the gauge. Overall a clever design to extend the life of your rain gauge and make it easier to handle. I can't wait to start using it (once the ice-age here in the Midwest ends this spring).

I've had a rain gauge mounted to my deck rail for the past 25 years or so and every few years I have to replace it. Why? The harsh Kansas sun brutalizes anything made out of plastic and makes it hard to read after hours baking in the heat. I've had glass ones break or be so small that they're hard to read and I've had hard plastic ones break because I forget to bring them in during winter and they freeze and crack. That's why I was so happy to receive this silicone, freeze-proof rain gauge to review. As you can see from my pictures, it mounted on my deck rail just fine and I took a picture of it after our first substantial rain. The red marker in the bottom makes it easier to read the water level because it floats on the top of the rainwater in the gauge. The gauge also comes with a spiked holder so that you can mount this in your yard if you don't have another option available. I didn't try it but it's of a similar design to most other items that use a spike to go down into your yard. So why am I only giving 4 instead of 5 stars? Well, this gauge is harder to read than my last one. The freeze-proof design is certainly great but even WITH the red float, it's hard to see the amount of rain in the gauge from inside my patio door. (My last gauge used a more vertical design with a curved front that acted like a lens and made the numbers on the back larger and easier to read from 10 feet away. This silicone gauge has no such lens effect.) So I'm removing a star because you can't easily get an accurate reading from the gauge unless you actually go up to it and get close to it. Still, I'm anxious to see if it really IS freeze-proof and plan to leave it up all winter. (In fact, the gauge is pretty wide so I'm wondering if it will measure snow. Probably not accurate but I will still take a look when we get a snow just for kicks.) And if I get more than 2 or 3 years out of this gauge before the brutal Kansas sun takes its toll, then I will be happy. 4 stars.

This sprinkler gauge is pretty good. I’ve been using it to keep track of how much water my own lawn is getting, and I really appreciate the bright purple color because it makes it so easy for me to spot in the grass. It is made of a clear, thick plastic that feels strong and reliable, and I don't feel like it’s going to crack or break if I accidentally knock it over. The build quality is solid, and it really feels like it was put together well. I didn’t notice any defects in the craftsmanship, and the measurement markings are printed so clearly that I can read them from a distance without any trouble. The shape helps it stay steady in the ground for me, so it doesn’t tip over when my sprinklers are running. It's held up well against the weather, so I haven't had to worry about it falling apart outside. It works well for my gardening and for checking that my sprinklers are hitting the right spots. The plastic is simple, and I find it very easy to rinse out if dirt gets inside. I would recommend this as an option to consider if someone needs a sturdy and simple tool to help manage their outdoor watering.

Living in South Florida, where "partly cloudy" means "grab the life jackets," I needed a rain gauge that could handle our biblical downpours without turning into a cracked mess. Enter the Taylor large silicone break-and-freeze sprinkler gauge—my new best friend and official "How Screwed Are We Today?" meter. This thing has a massive capacity (up to 6-7 inches, depending on which tropical storm is flexing), bold numbers so big I can read them from my porch while hiding from the wind, and that cheerful bright red floating marker that bobs up like it's saying, "Hey buddy, we're at 4 inches already—time to move the cars to higher ground!" The silicone is genius. It laughs at freezing (not that we get much here, but nice to know) and bends instead of breaks when a palm frond inevitably smacks it during a tantrum from Mother Nature. Installation? Easier than evacuating I-95. Stake it in the ground with the double-tapered edge (super stable, even in soggy soil) or mount it on the fence—done in 30 seconds. Wide mouth catches rain faster than my roof leaks, and cleaning is a breeze—just rinse it out after the storm passes and the iguanas fall from the trees. Thanks to this gauge, I've perfected my sprinkler timing (no more drowning the lawn) and now accurately track how much water God is personally sending to test my flood insurance policy. During the last storm, it filled to the brim and just chilled there like a champ—no overflow drama, no cracks. If you're in hurricane alley and building your own personal ark (complete with two mosquitos and a pair of confused flamingos), this is the gauge you need. Accurate, durable, hilarious to watch during a deluge. Five stars. Would survive Category 5 again. Highly recommend—your lawn (and your sanity) will thank you.

Testing yesterday overnight and today - gave me a chance to see how it works for accuracy AND NOT BEING HAMPERED - or damaged - BY FREEZING! That being OK in sub-freezing weather IS a deluxe feature for SURE! (the bird bath a few feet away DID have a frozen solid surface - at least 1/2" - 3/4" of ice on the top of it this morning!) Hard to know accuracy until I've used it a little longer - but i had it installed near another gauge - and they SEEMED to be in agreement. THIS one has a more fine scale than my oldie does - ALSO a deluxe quality feature! The sturdy little stake bottom made it easy to install in a PLANTER - where the the potting mix is NICE VS our pretty hard - especially NOW! - MUCH clay included - "lawn" area! Putting it in a (currently just "dirt" in it - no plant) planter is also handy here to avoid "interference" from grass/fallen leaves etc too. (RUSTIC yard - I confess!) It IS a pretty SHORT item too though. I expect that's part of it's PRIMARY USE with lawn Sprinklers??? It seems to be a LITTLE smaller end of capacity for use as a rain gage - BUT - for MOST rain events it should be FINE. I AM hoping to get 2 -3-4 DIFFERENT styles of gauges to be .... checks and balances on each other! THIS is just the 2nd one... I think HANDINESS, "FREEZE PROOF", and EASY TO READ - but also having pretty FINE GRADATIONS are the big pluses with this little guy. Capacity and price/value for the money - might be the ... less than best features!??? (I could just be a little extra lazy, kinda cheapskatey person too...) I DO really LIKE it! and I WILL for sure keep it in the ultimate group of rain gauges when I get another couple more for the set - to (hopefully) get best accuracy between them.

The name is weird and I don’t understand it (break and freeze— as far as I can tell, this is darn near unbreakable)— but we love this thing. It’s simple, it’s easy to read, it’s easy to install (push it right in the ground), and it should last WAY longer than the plastic and glass ones we’ve had before. For us this is both a rain and sprinkler gauge, because one source of water needs to complement the other, and we’ve got it set up outside my husbands study window. The floating marker makes it readable from inside our house. We expect this to last for years, if not forever, and we’re both happy with it. This is one of those “buy once” things— spend a little more and you’ll have one that lasts for years vs replacing something cheaper multiple times.