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Drip irrigation is an ingenious water delivery system that uses tubes/drip lines alongside (or on top of) plants to direct water directly onto them. When done correctly, drip irrigation can result in higher-quality yields while saving a ton of water. While you can purchase a pre-punched drip line, buying your own drip line and customizing it for your plants can make your gardening even more efficient. A drip irrigation hole puncher is a mandatory tool needed to customize your garden's drip irrigation system, so we've compiled a list of the best drip irrigation tools. The top spot goes to the One Stop Outdoor Drip Irrigation Hole Puncher because of its sharp hole cutter, minimal squeeze resistance, and because it's made out of durable plastic and non-corrosive materials.
Our Top Picks For Drip Irrigation Tools
The Best Drip Irrigation Tools
Best Overall
This drip irrigation hole puncher is perfect for ¼” fitting and emitter insertion, punching holes of about 3mm in diameter. The precise and small hole assists in avoiding any waste loss and maintaining suitable water pressure in your irrigation tubes to achieve the most out of your drip irrigation system. The punch tool is made from corrosion-free plastic material which is bound to be reliable and durable for your time in the garden.
The easy-to-use hole puncher just requires you to insert your tubing into the tool slot and press down the hole puncher’s handle in order to get the perfect sized puncture. Overall this is the best drip irrigation hole puncher tool your can purchase to get the job done!
Pros
- Made from corrosion-free plastic material
- Sharp hole cutter
- Easy-to-hold hole puncher
Cons
- Handle too small for some
Best Tool Set
This 1 ¼ inch orbit cutter comes with a drip irrigation hole puncher and a separate spring-loaded drip tubing cutter to help you cut out your tubings for the main irrigation pipe. The drip tubing cutter can cut pipes up to 1 ¼ inch in diameter, allowing you to work with an ample variety of tubes. Both the tools in the kit feature a comfortable ergonomic grip, making it easy on your hands if you’re willing to punch hundreds of holes in a day. Furthermore, the cutter’s heat-treated blade also helps in making sharp and precise cuts for your expensive tubings.
However, there have been reports of the hole puncher not working effectively on scorching days. Some users have suggested rubbing an ice cube over your hole punch spot to make the tubing rigid. Overall, this hole-punching kit is the perfect tool in its price range for any pipe alterations and hole punches for your drip irrigation system.
Pros
- Ergonomic design hole puncher
- Spring-loaded cutter requires less force
Cons
- Plastic material is prone to breakage
- Hole puncher is ineffective in a hot environment
Most Practical
This 2-in-1 tool allows you to efficiently punch in 3mm wide holes in your tubing while also acting as a ¼ inch insertion tool to plug in your fitting. The ergonomic drip irrigation hole puncher is specifically designed to rest comfortably in your hand while you punch away holes in your piping. The gadget is made with non-corrosive durable plastic which won’t be letting you down in the field.
There have, however, been a couple of complaints regarding the fitting insertion tool’s effectiveness. As a fix, users have recommended dipping your tubing in hot water which allows the emitter to slip on effortlessly. All in all, it’s one of the most practical tools you can equip in the garden, achieving the title of “Amazon’s Choice” which is an exceptional feat in itself.
Pros
- Lightweight tool construction
- 2-in-1 tool saves space
Cons
- The insertion tool is ineffective when dealing with rigid pipes
Most User-Friendly
This spring-loaded 2-in-1 drip irrigation hole puncher is able to cut all sizes of tubing for your gardening needs. The hole puncher allows precise and small punctures in your piping for drippers and installing tubing fittings up to one-fourth of an inch in diameter. The ergonomic grip is perfect for gardeners cutting tons of pipings the whole day, providing a comfortable and firm grip.
The Rain Bird HPTCX comes in a bright purple color, making it extremely easy to spot on the field and avoiding any possibility of your tool getting lost. The two-sided stainless steel blade is perfect for a smooth cut, removing the risk of crushing your tubing while cutting.
Pros
- Bright color makes it hard to misplace
- Safe design keeps hands protected
Cons
- The blade becomes dull after a couple of cuts
Most Tools Per Set
This drip irrigation hole puncher tool by Mini Skater features a pack of 6 pieces of black hole punchers perfect for punching holes of 4mm in size. The handy little tool is extremely lightweight and easy to carry on you in the field. All you need to do for a precisely punched hole is to insert the tool from the side of your tubing, apply a bit of pressure, and voila!
However, the tool lacks any protective features and can damage your hand if not used carefully. The mini tool can also be easily misplaced in the garden and the black color can be difficult to spot as it blends in with the dirt. Maybe that’s where the extra pieces come into play!
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Best value for its price
Cons
- No safety features
- Easy to misplace
The Best Drip Irrigation Tools Buying Guide
Why Use a Hole Puncher for Drip Irrigation?
Drip irrigation can be an extremely tricky irrigation mechanism to maintain as the slightest damage to your main pipe can result in destroying your whole irrigation system. Using house tools like an ice pick can damage your main pipe as you’re never able to cut a precisely sized hole and the pipe will most probably end up leaking water. A hole puncher helps you in making precise cuts of the size you want them to. This makes for minimal water leakage and an efficient drip irrigation system with suitable water pressure for your plants.
What Makes a Good Drip Irrigation Hole Puncher?
Grip
For people punching hundreds of holes in a day, a tool with a comfortable ergonomic handle is crucial. This factor is often overlooked, but when you’re on your 60th hole and your hands have gone sore, you would definitely be rethinking your buying decision.
Sharpness
Remember, tubings can be fragile and any unnecessary amount of pressure can cause them to break in your hands. A sharp hole puncher helps you to make precise punctures without messing up your pipe or causing any leakages.
Durability
A drip irrigation hole puncher is something meant to be used in a rough manner in your fields and gardens. A fragile tool would crack and break easily, potentially harming your hand or pipes in the process. We would recommend spending those extra bucks for getting a durable hole puncher which would last you for years to come.
Tip
Plastic-tipped hole punchers have taken over the market but they don’t always live up to their purpose. A plastic-tipped hole puncher is bound to get rounded up and dull down after a couple of uses in the garden. On the other hand, metal-faced hole punchers are relatively more expensive but will keep their sharp and pointy tips intact in most situations. We recommend always going for a metal-tipped hole puncher if you’re meaning to use the tool often.
2-In-1 Hole Puncher vs Single-Purpose Hole Puncher
The market is packed with 2-in-1 hole punchers, however, most of them are low-quality and ineffective tools. A 2-in-1 hole puncher can save you a whole lot of space and make it easy for you to carry all your required tools from pipe to pipe, however finding a good quality 2-in-1 puncher is similar to walking on water. In comparison, a single-purpose hole-puncher is almost guaranteed to serve its purpose and get you the ideal puncture you need to insert your fittings.
How to Use a Standard Hole Punch Tool?
Most hole punch tools, like the Orbit listed above, have a designated holder that you can slide in your pipe to keep it stable while puncturing. After inserting the pipe into the tool, all you need to do is press down on the handle for a clean and precise hole.
In case your hole puncher doesn’t have any holder for your pipe, you’ll need to hold the pipe manually and attempt to punch in the hole from the side. If your pipe collapses and bends while trying to punch the hole, we recommend rubbing an ice cube on the target surface to make it more rigid.
Spring-Loaded vs Normal Hole Punch Tool
A spring-loaded hole punch tool is usually larger in size, featuring a handle connected to a spring. Spring-loaded hole punchers require relatively less amount of force than normal hole punchers as most of the energy used is stored in the spring. This can be quite useful for individuals lacking hand strength due to arthritis or aging as they would be able to get the job done without stressing their hands. However, springs can often wear down after a couple of uses while a normal hole punch tool can last for decades if used right!
Plastic-Faced vs Metal-Faced Hole Punch Tool
Plastic-faced hole punch tools can seem quite lucrative by their price point, however, low-quality plastic tends to bend and deform after a couple of hole punches. Most plastic tips begin to get dull and round up, however, this isn’t the case with a metal-faced puncher. Anyhow, if you’re not a regular hole puncher, a cheap plastic-faced tool would be sufficient for your gardening adventures.
Does the Hole Size Matter?
Hole size is something overlooked by most gardeners, however, its importance is grave when it comes to building an efficient drip irrigation system. A hole too small would result in higher water pressure in your pipes than needed while a larger hole would do the opposite. In order to achieve a suitable water pressure, you should be looking for a hole puncher providing a puncture size of around 3mm in diameter. The snug fit will also help you to reduce any water loss and wastage from your irrigation pipes.
People Also Asked
What sized tube should I get for my drip irrigation system?
The standard size for a mainline tube is half an inch while a micro-tube in a drip irrigation system usually features a diameter of one-fourth of an inch.
What type of hole puncher should I get?
The type of hole puncture you should be getting depends on your daily usage and hand power. If you’re an elderly individual lacking hand strength or someone who punches tons of pipes a day, a spring-loaded hole puncher is what you need.
Can you change the blade of a tubing cutter?
Unfortunately, not all tubing cutters allow for blade replacement and are usually rendered useless once the blades get dull. However, spending a bit more money and getting your hands on some rather expensive articles will allow you to replace your blade once it gets blunt.
My tube gets bent when I try to punch a hole. What should I do?
This issue is quite common in warm environments as the pipe will bend and collapse whenever the slightest force is applied to them. A quick hack to fix this is by rubbing ice over where you want to punch the hole as it will make the target area rigid and easy to pierce.
Where should we ideally punch a hole in our drip irrigation tube?
Ideally you should punch your hole on the side of your pipe as it would save you from stepping over and crushing any emitter or connector attached to your hole.
