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Blossom 7 Smart Watering Controller Review

Yaro

July 27, 2017

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Blossom is a relatively new player in the smart sprinkler system market and is not as famous as other manufacturers like Rochio or Skydrop. However, the Blossom 7, or sometimes called Blossom 8 sprinkler system (more on this later) is very popular nowadays, being one of the best selling smart watering systems on the market. The reviews for Blossom 7 has also been widely positive in many smart sprinkler controller reviews.

The key highlight for the Blossom 7 is the balance of the whole package: it is one of the most affordable smart sprinkler system available, yet it is very well-designed and rich in features. The physical design is very simple with a minimalistic approach, much like the unspoken design credo for many smart home devices nowadays. The app is also very beautiful and intuitive, on par with other smart sprinkler apps out there.

The Blossom 7, as the name suggests, features 7-zone functionality, although you can use the Pump Start Relay (PSR) or master valve connection to make it a Blossom 8 zone. There was a 12-zone version deemed the Blossom 12 Zone Smart Watering Controller but has since been discontinued.

So, let us first discuss the key features of the Blossom 7.

Blossom 7 Features

Simple and Minimalistic Design

Out of the box, Blossom 7 definitely looks and feels like a modern smart home device. The Blossom 7 looks very simple, there is no onboard control or touchscreen, and looks like a simple light switch. However, the package design, manual, and the unit itself are very well presented.

Easy Installation

As with many smart watering systems we have reviewed before, Blossom 7 installation is fairly simple and intuitive. There are some (really well-designed) stickers in the package, that you can use to tag your wire placements before you remove your old sprinkler controller.

Blossom Bridge

Many smart home devices suffer issues with Wi-Fi connectivity, especially when installed outdoor.Blossom came up with an (actually old) idea to extend the Wi-Fi signal by using your electrical outlets (sold separately). A simple, but very useful feature, and an added value.

7+1 Zones

As mentioned, the Blossom 7 has 7 zone functions and an additional Pump Start Relay (PSR) connection. If you have a master valve, the effective zone becomes 7, but you can opt to use the PSR connection for an additional zone when necessary.

Xona Technology

Our lawns are composed of different soil types and vegetations, and this unique feature by Blossom allows better recognition of layout, soil type, and vegetation. As a result, the watering is more accurate, specific to each zone.

The App

As with the physical design, Blossom also features a very nice smartphone/tablet app, available for iOS and Android. It is very simple and minimalistic in design and is also very easy to use. The downside, there aren’t many tweaking or customization options featured in the app. However, it fits the product mission for a simple and easy to use interface.
Real Time Weather Analytics

Blossom 7 uses a cloud-based weather forecast solution to provide a real-time weather data. In practice, Blossom 7 will gather several different real-time weather data from multiple weather services near you, and create an optimized watering plan for your lawn.

Review of Blossom 7 Sprinkler System

Installation

Installing the Blossom 7 Smart Watering Controller, as with other products we have discussed before, is extremely easy. Considering the simplicity of the overall design, arguably it is even easier with the Blossom 7. As mentioned, included in the box are cool-looking stickers you can use to tag the wiring placements of your old sprinkler controller. This way, you can easily rewire them to the Blossom 7.

If necessary, you can purchase the additional Blossom Bridge to extend your Wi-Fi signal over electrical outlets. This is a rather useful feature when the Blossom 7 is installed outdoor where the Wi-Fi signal often does not reach.

The plastic material of Blossom Irrigation Controller is surprisingly sturdy and feels really solid when we mounted it to the wall. The Blossom 7 unit came in two pieces, the bracket, which we will use to mount to the wall, and the controller itself as the front plate. Securing the controller to the bracket might need a little extra force, but once it is locked in, it feels solid and secure.

The App

As usual, we then need to download the Blossom 7 app and connect the Blossom 7 to our Wi-Fi through it. With the Blossom 7, at least currently, you will need an iOS or Android device to set up the Wi-Fi connection. There is no web app available, which is unfortunate, but this might be fixed in the near future.

The Blossom app itself is very simple and well-designed and it is extremely easy to use. Yet, the simplicity, in our opinion, is a double-edged sword. Once you set up your location and set up your zones, you are basically done with the app. It doesn’t give you much monitoring reports as well as customization options.

For those who want simplicity, this might be a good thing. However, a lot of us want to know what is actually happening and how you can fine-tune the scheduling. It will indeed give you the information of the next scheduled watering cycle, the previous cycle, and it will notify you if the next watering cycle will be canceled due to rain.

Regarding Blossom troubleshooting, we are also glad to inform you that their hotline and support team are very responsive and fast.

Pros and Cons

Here are what we liked and disliked from the Blossom 7.

Bottom Line

The Blossom 7 is an excellent choice for those who want a simple device with the plug-and-play approach, which is actually, a lot of us. However, the lack of micromanagement features and monitoring might be an issue, especially in a Blossom VS Rachio comparison.

The lack of third-party integrations is also a major downside for smart home enthusiasts. It is, however, quite reliable in performance, almost flawless. It lacks some features found in other competitors, but we might argue that we don’t really need them. Excellent and affordable overall chance.