Last updated on March 17th, 2022
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Looking for an unusual water feature to add the element of sound to your garden? These sphere water features provide the background hum of bubbling water from a fountain structure.
Some of the globe fountains we review are stand-alone models while others are table-top units. In all cases, we list their pros and cons, discuss their features and give our recommendation. Our Buyer’s Guide discusses two key decisions in making your purchase choice.
BEST PICK
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RUNNER UP
Best 6 Sphere Water Features Reviews
1. Blumfeldt Solar Powered Liquitorre Garden Fountain
Best Pick
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No products found.The Blumfeldt Liquitorre Solar Powered Garden Fountain has a minimalist design appeal, made of dark grey polyresin with the same rippled effect in both the sphere and the tapered cylindrical stand. The water bubbles over this in waves. The polyresin is weatherproof – rain, sun and cold – though you might want to take the pump indoors in the winter.
The solar panel is large at 300cm2 and its 2W of output powers the pump to easily lift 200L/hour of water the 56cm height of the structure. This gives quite a strong stream of water from the opening at the top of the sphere. The water reservoir holds 5L of water so you don’t need to refill it too often.
Capturing solar power during the day is a 3.7V battery. If you need the battery to charge quickly, turn the water pump off and all the energy generated by the solar panel then goes directly to the battery. A fully charged battery runs for up to 8 hours in the evening. Just press a button on the back of the solar panel to switch to battery mode.
At night, when running on the battery, an ambient glow comes from the four white LED lights that surround the water exit point. This illuminates the top of the sphere and the bubbling water.
If you like this style of water fountain but want something a little larger, check out the Blumfeldt Liquitorre XL Garden Fountain – Solar Fountain. This is the same model but is 70cm high and has an 11L water tank.
Pros
- Polyresin solar powered fountain with a sphere atop a rising cylindrical tower base tapering at the bottom.
- Resin surfaces are rippled to add interest to the falling water.
- Operated by solar powered captured by a 300cm2 panel with 2 watts of power.
- Water pump can circulate 200L/hour of water.
- Water tank holds 5L of water.
- Built-in battery, (3.7V, 2Ah), when fully charged lasts for 8 hours of operation.
- Battery has LED light that indicates that the charge is running low.
- Four white LED lights at the top of the sphere where the water exits.
- Dimensions: 27.5cm (diameter) and 56cm (height).
Cons
- None found at present
Our recommendation
We’ve chosen the Blumfeldt Liquitorre Garden Fountain – Solar Fountain as the Best Pick in our review. We like that its design can fit into most garden landscapes and that its large solar panel generates enough power for a significant stream of water. The built-in battery lasts for 8 hours of darkness when fully charged, and the solar panel is on 5m of cable to move it around to receive the most sunlight. And, not least, this sphere water feature is not one of the more expensive models.
The Blumfeldt Liquitorre Garden Fountain – Solar is both stylish and functional for most gardens.
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Read next: Best indoor water fountains
2. Gardenesque Slate Globe Water Feature with Pump & LED Light (Medium)
Best Premium Pick
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The Gardenesque Slate Globe Water Feature is a premium spherical fountain as it is made of natural stone. This increases both its weight and its price, but this is a very attractive natural addition to your garden. This table-top model is powered by electricity so you need to have an outside power outlet (or an extension cord) within reach of the 10m power cord (included). The power cord comes out from the bottom of the bowl at the back so it’s a bit difficult to hide.
The natural slate pieces are of a light grey colour. The sphere and the supporting basin look different colours when compared to the sales photo as the running water temporarily darkens the stone. Each individual slate slice is hand placed in the structure so each fountain is unique.
The 6W motor powers the pump to circulate the water and as the surface of the sphere is uneven due to the positioning of the slate slices, the water runs down in irregular patterns. Just be aware that this isn’t a smoothly flowing stream, as some online reviewers complained about this! But it does make for interesting water watching.
A single LED light at the top of the sphere illuminates the bubbling water in the dark evening and nighttime. There’s no “OFF” switch for the light so it’s on even during the day.
Even though this model is marked as “Medium”, we couldn’t find any other sizes available on the sales site.
Pros
- Slate on concrete sphere fountain with a semi-spherical basin.
- Slate pieces are individually hand inserted into the concrete structure giving a unique finish to each fountain.
- Powered by electricity and comes with a 10m power cable.
- Six watt pump is included.
- The LED light is in the top of the sphere.
- Dimensions: 45cm (diameter of basin); 30cm (diameter of sphere) and 45cm (height).
- Weight: 32 kg.
Our recommendation
The Gardenesque Slate Globe Water Feature with Pump & LED Light (Medium) is the Best Premium Pick in our best Sphere Water Feature review. We like that it’s made of natural slate, a more organic option than the usual polyresin. It’s a table-top model which works well with the need to plug it into an outside power outlet. Place it on your patio table and discretely run the cord to an outside wall of your home. The 6W pump is powerful and produces quite a high spurt of water on top of the sphere.
The Gardenesque Slate Globe Water Feature offers a solid and natural water feature that is interesting both to look at and to listen to.
Read next: Best solar powered water features with back up battery with up to 8 hours if running time
3. Primrose 30cm Eclipse Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature
Runner-up
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The (Primrose) 30cm Eclipse Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature is for those who are looking for an electric table-top globe fountain that mixes materials for interest. This water feature is designed simply – a polished stainless steel ball sits atop a round resin bowl with a granite appearance. Both these materials are weather-resistant, including frost, rust and UV rays.
Four white LED lights around the water opening at the top of the sphere add illumination and highlight the plume of the water. There’s no OFF switch for the lights, so they’re on as long as the pump is running.
If the appearance of this fountain is a bit too stark for you, consider placing rocks or stones in the basin. Just be sure that whatever you add allows the water to flow through it to the reservoir underneath so that it can circulate again. Adding rocks will help to keep the sphere centred in the basin as some online reviewers report difficulty with doing that.
Pros
- Stainless steel sphere sits above a round resin basin to form the water feature.
- Sphere is silver high quality stainless steel that’s been polished.
- UV-resistant polyresin basin is a speckled grey that resembles granite.
- Powered by main electricity and 2m cord is included..
- White LED lights at the top of the sphere for illumination.
- Dimensions: 46cm (diameter of basin); 30cm (diameter of sphere) and 46cm (height).
Cons
- Difficult to get sphere centred in basin.
- Lights are on as long as the fountain is.
Our recommendation
The (Primrose) 30cm Eclipse Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature by Ambiente is an electric table-top sphere fountain with a mix of materials for an interesting appearance. Adding rocks or other materials to the basic softens the very minimal design and lets you customise the fountain to the décor of your garden or patio. This model is a great choice for those who like their garden features to be a bit eclectic.
4. Premier Tower Outdoor Garden Patio Water Feature With Stainless Steel Ball
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The Premier Tower Outdoor Garden Patio Water Feature with Stainless Steel Ball is for those who aren’t quite decided if they want a stainless steel water feature or a natural-looking one. This electric water feature is also a contrast in shapes – the rectangular tower offsets the sphere for visual tension.
The tower structure is made of polyresin finished in a grey colour to resemble granite. The tower has a round basin at the top in a square form and tapers down towards the base. At 78cm tall (in total), this is one of the tallest fountains in our review.
On top of the tower is the stainless steel sphere from which the water comes and trickles down into the basin. The polished steel reflects the outside scenery through the flowing water which interestingly distorts the scene. As the sphere has a smooth surface, the water flows down evenly. An LED light at the top of the sphere illuminates the water as it exits. Unlike most other LEDs in fountains, this light is a warm white for a cosier ambience.
Pros
- Polished stainless steel sphere on a rectangular angled resin tower base.
- Resin is a speckled grey colour to look like granite.
- Powered by electricity and comes with 5m of power cord.
- Warm LED light on the top of the sphere where the water exits.
- Dimensions: 26cm (width and depth) and 78cm (height).
Cons
- Relatively short power cord (5m).
- No “OFF” switch for the lights.
Our recommendation
The combination of materials – polished steel and granite-like polyresin – in the Premier Tower Outdoor Garden Patio Water Feature with Stainless Steel allow this stand-alone, electric water feature to look at home in both modern and classic gardenscapes. You just need to have a nearby power outlet, or an extension cord, to enjoy this feature at your home.
5. Primrose Ambiente Brushed 75cm Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature
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The Primrose Ambiente Brushed 75cm Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature is just that – a brushed stainless steel sphere that water flows out of and over into the ground or surface below. Place this into a flower bed for a truly unusual contrast between the metal and the foliage or use it to highlight the more modern aspects of your garden design.
This sphere is made of high grade (grade 304) stainless steel so it’s resistant to rust and mould. It’s run by electricity and comes with a 10m cord to plug into your outside outlet. Unlike the other models in our review, this Primrose Ambiente’s reservoir and pump are separate from the sphere. You need to hide the reservoir directly under the globe, as the water is pumped up from here and returns to there to be collected and circulated. This means that the reservoir has to be easily accessible to add water to when needed. Think carefully about where and how you’re going to place this fountain.
Having a separate water tank and pump results in the sphere being hollow and empty, and quite light, a complaint made by some online reviewers. You may need to stake it down in some way so that it’s not blown around by strong winds.
The Primrose Ambiente Stainless Steel Sphere comes in a choice of two finishes and several sizes. For example, a polished steel sphere in the same size for a more reflective surface or the brushed finish in a 60cm diameter sphere for a smaller fountain
Pros
- Sphere fountain made from brushed grade 304 (high quality) stainless steel.
- White LED lights within the water output opening.
- Powered by electricity and comes with a 10m power cord.
- Water reservoir is external to the sphere; needs to be hidden.
- Dimensions: 75cm (diameter) and 95cm (height).
Cons
- Sphere is very light.
Our recommendation
The Primrose Ambiente Brushed 75cm Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature is a model for the sphere fountain purist – just a stainless steel (polished or brushed) sphere. Powered by mains electricity, this fountain has a separate reservoir and pump that need to be placed in the ground or surface underneath the sphere. This is a mild inconvenience for the pureness of the sphere’s form, though this is an expensive water feature.
The Primrose Ambiente Brushed 75cm Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature makes a high design statement wherever you place it in your garden.
6. Friendship Fountain Water Feature with Halogen Lights 109cm by Ambienté
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The Friendship Fountain Water Feature by Ambienté may not totally qualify as a sphere water feature, but it does have a sphere as part of the sculpture. We include it here to offer an alternative view of what a sphere water feature can look like.
We’ve already reviewed this contemporary fountain in our 8 Best Self-Contained Water Features article – it’s #3 in the list.
Buyer’s Guide
Besides choosing the best design for your garden theme, which we really can’t help you with, you have two main decisions to make when purchasing your sphere water feature. How do you want the fountain to be powered and do you want it to be a focal point of your garden? Here’s what to think about.
Electric or solar powered
All the sphere fountains in our review are self-contained with respect to water. They have a reservoir from which the water is pumped to the top of the sphere where it then flows down the outside, is collected in the reservoir and the process starts again.
But you need power to work the pump and you have two choices for this. The first is a unit that’s powered by mains electricity. For this, you need access to an outside power outlet and a long enough cord to reach wherever you position your water feature. Some of the models we review come with a 10m power cord, but you may have to buy your own long cord or an extension lead. A difficulty here is putting the cord safely out of the way if it stretches across your patio or lawn.
The second option is to select a solar-powered water feature. A solar panel, which you can usually put a distance away from the fountain, converts the energy from sunlight and uses it to power the fountain motor and LED lights. This is great when it’s sunny, but check that the unit comes with a battery that stores this solar power for when it’s dark out.
There’s often a switch on the structure that lets you switch from the solar panel to battery panel. With this option, you’re not constrained at all as to where you place your new sphere water feature.
Stand-alone or table-top
Your decision here depends on where you plan to place your water feature and how visible you want it to be. The stand-alone models in our review have the sphere on top of a well-designed stand to form a complete unit. The shape of the stand adds another design element to your garden design that may complement or contrast with the sphere. A stand-alone model becomes a centrepiece – visually and audibly – in your garden.
An alternative choice is a table-top model. These are usually spheres inside a semi-spherical basin. These work well if your focus is more on the sound than the look of the water feature as you can place them semi-hidden away in your flower beds for a more mysterious soundscape. They’re also great to have on your patio coffee table so you can watch the water bubbling away from close up.
Size
We’ve added “size” in its own right here primarily as a warning. Check the dimensions of the water feature you’re thinking of buying – convert it to the measurement units you’re familiar with, and even go into the garden and measure it out, especially the height. One of the most common complaints from online reviewers is that, when it arrived, the water feature was smaller than they expected.
Final conclusion
At Pyracantha, we’re fond of water features and are intrigued to explore all that they can add to a garden through their visual appearance and the sound of flowing water. A sphere water feature adds an organic shape to an otherwise formal landscape or fits naturally into a more casual garden design. Choose a stand-alone globe fountain for a focal point or a table-top model to nestle among your flowers and shrubs. All the fountains in our review have LED lights that illuminate the sphere at night time for a discreet glow.
Our Best Pick of the water features is the Blumfeldt Liquitorre Garden Fountain – Solar. This stand-alone model draws the eye to its stunning shape and you never have to worry about plugging it in.
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Our Runner-up is the (Primrose) 30cm Eclipse Stainless Steel Sphere Water Feature. This is a table-top model that you can place it on your patio table or settle it within your flowers and bushes for a hidden sound effect.
If you want to expand your search of garden water features, we recommend our other reviews on this subject: Top 8 Best Bird Baths and 8 Best Self-Contained Water Features.
If you like the idea of solar-powered water features, in particular, we have a review just on those – Amazing Solar Powered Water Features for Small Gardens.
And if you’ve been inspired to look for even larger water features, check out our 6 Best Preformed Ponds For Creating A Water Garden and Top 4 Best Raised Pond Kits reviews for the latest ideas.
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
