AeroGarden Reviews – Which System Is Best?

Emily KingJun 8, 2021

While some of us are blessed with an uncanny ability to nurture a backyard garden, others struggle to manage work, kid’s sport schedules and summer vacations–making gardening seem exhausting and better left to a magazine.

Yet, modern technology has come to our aid again in providing an easy, simple way to make that garden dream of yours a reality all year long–with an amazing invention called hydroponics.

Aerogarden is a top brand for convenient soil-free gardening, so we will be sharing more about their products, Aerogarden reviews, and which system is best for you.

What is an AeroGarden?

AeroGrow designed and manufactured AeroGarden, a soil-free hydroponic gardening system that is self-contained and takes care of the ins-and-outs of nurturing a plant from seedling to finished product.

The beauty of hydroponic systems like this is that they can grow products all year long that you would typically only find at your local grocery store once a year.

Not only that, but an Aerogarden can grow almost anything, which means you can amaze your friends at your next dinner party when you tell them that the salad they are eating includes lettuce straight from your garden.
Customers have raved over the simplicity and ease of an aerogarden, as the machine automatically turns itself on and off, alerts you when your plants need to be watered, and stimulates a natural day/night cycle with its light source.

Selecting an Aerogarden

While there are a lot of soil-free systems, Aerogarden seems to be the dominant brand. It’s the most popular brand and Aerogarden reviews rave about it.

We will be taking a look at their different options and listed them below to help you figure out which would be best for you. The main difference between Aerogarden models is how many plants you will be able to grow at one time and the height at which they will be able to grow.

AeroGarden Sprout ($69 – $100)

This particular Aerogarden is great for growing herbs, lettuce, and leafy greens. It’s the smallest model they offer (and the most affordable), so it’s a great place to start if you’re a beginner to hydroponics.

AeroGarden Harvest ($100 – $130)

This mid-range Aerogarden is a great option for if you would like to grow more than one type of plant, as you could grow up to 6 different vegetables and herbs together.

It’s available in the regular version as well as the Elite, which looks more sleek.

Aerogarden Bounty ($150 – $250)

The Bounty is another great mid-range Aerogarden model for those who want a larger harvest. It can grow up to 9 plants, up to 24” tall.

\It includes everything you need to get started, including seed pods (Basil, Parsley, Thyme, Chives, Dill, and Mint) as well as their growth fertilizer.

AeroGarden Farm ($500 – $750):

Apart from the sticker shock, the Farm models are a great option for anyone with a houseful, as you can grow up to 24 plants at one time!

They offer a few different Farm models, each of which can house 24 plants – the main change is how tall your plants are able to grow.

Note: Aside from the initial price of the machine, you’ll also want to account for the refills. That said, there are hacks to use your own seeds and save on this price (some people just reuse the Aerogarden pods).

Our Aerogarden Reviews

Personally, I’ve tried both an Aerogarden model as well as other brands of in-home hydroponics, so I will be sharing my full experience.

I decided to try hydroponics because I absolutely love growing my own plants, but I have the absolute opposite of a green thumb (especially because my current house has very poor lighting). It’s also cheaper in the long run, especially since I always buy organic produce.

On top of that, hydroponics are great for the environment because they use much less water and don’t require farmland, so I figured I would give it a shot!

Overall

My overall experience with Aerogarden has been fantastic. I’ve also tried a popular, cheaper alternative to Aerogarden that cost about half the price (this machine) and I definitely liked Aerogarden better. They both grew plants pretty equally, but the Aerogarden looks and feels higher quality, with easier-to-use functionality.

I also love that you can grow both vegetables and flowers!

Now that I’m obsessed with hydroponics, I do wish Aerogarden offered a floor-standing system. I’ve been eyeing the gorgeous Gardyn system for the past few months and I’m really considering making the investment. It doubles as a gorgeous decor piece!

Upkeep

Like Aerogarden advertises, there truly isn’t much upkeep at all. I will mention that the plants do grow very closely to each other, so you will have to prune them regularly. However, this is pretty simple and the machine will alert you when this needs to happen.

Aside from that, it alerts you when your plants need watering, which is an amazing feature. As someone with a very non-green thumb, this was a lifesaver.

Conclusion

To sum up our Aerogarden reviews, we’d definitely recommend giving one of their systems a shot. There is nothing like serving a meal with vegetables and herbs that you grew yourself – the beauty of having an Aerogarden is that you don’t have to have that quintessential green thumb to make it happen!

If you’re new to this type of gardening, we’d recommend starting with the base model to get a feel for it (you can often find the Aerogarden Sprout on sale for as low as $70 or even less – I bought this model as a gift for someone during a $40 sale).

That said, you don’t need to blow your budget on an Aerogarden if you’re weary about the price. There are a ton of cheaper alternative smart garden systems to consider. This definitely requires a bit more research and reading reviews to make sure people like the system, but can save you some money in the long run.