If protected in a plastic garden box or with a homemade wooden construction, it lasts for many years. The sun and the ice are the problem.

4 years with one change in the programmer's body that inexplicably pierced and 2-3 batteries broke and the electronic system. I think I should put a positive sign.

Today I installed it, easy to set up and looks good in construction.
I will come back for any issues or additional comments.

If you want to have peace of mind and enjoy your holidays or not have your mind on watering, pay a little more and get Gardena. There are no second thoughts. Every time I tried to be cheap and bought something cheaper, I regretted it.

The main negative thing I noticed is that the connection of the two plastic pieces on the top is not of good contact and definitely not airtight... in the rain, etc...
I'm talking about the plastic piece where the battery goes, with the basic watering programmer.

You can program it down to seconds... it's incredibly easy and much better than the old model I had a decade ago. Now, only time will tell how long it will last... if it breaks quickly, I will come back. So far, I would say it's worth its money, but with closed eyes

I have been using it for 1+ year. The programming is very easy, I didn't have any difficulty at all despite not having used automatic watering in the past. The 9V battery has not needed to be changed since last year. It has also not had any leaks in its connections. Only the wheel it has to navigate through the menu sticks slightly (maybe due to salt), but it does not affect functionality

Everything is great except for one thing: The rain sensor from the SAME company is NOT compatible with this specific model, despite its name (flex) and the advertising (as a new, improved model) that the company does for it. It only accepts the (more expensive) soil moisture sensor.

I bought it for €45 and it's the best Gardena I've ever bought. The watering adjustment is very easy and the screen can be removed for even greater convenience. It takes a 9V battery and the screen shows how much is left. I am very satisfied for the money I spent.