The 5 Best Indoor Gardens, According to Our Tests

Our Favorite Indoor Garden

The AeroGarden Bounty Basic grew healthy, tasty veggies and herbs, and we loved how user-friendly it was from the start. It's a great value for the money, and it can grow a variety of plants. The brand has numerous choices on our list so there is an option for any indoor gardener.

How We Tested Indoor Gardens

We tested 18 indoor garden systems overall, from small, countertop herb gardens to larger in-home gardening systems. The majority of the gardens we tried were hydroponic, but we also tested a few soil-based models. We started by recording the time each system took to set up and how easy the process was.

We placed gardens with grow lights away from windows, whereas those without them were set up in front of a South-facing window for the most light. For consistency, we planted basil seeds in each model. We kept the temperature consistent during our testing period and humidity between 40 and 60 percent. We measured the plants at three and six weeks and rated the indoor gardens based on how fast seeds sprouted and grew, how healthy the plants appeared, and the taste at the end of testing.

Of course, we assessed indoor gardens on more than growing basil. Throughout testing, we considered how easy the systems were to keep up, and we also factored in the footprint of the indoor gardens, the variety of seeds they come with, and their features. We rated each model's features on their effectiveness too: Features included grow lights, self-watering systems, timers, and apps, all of which we rated on user-friendliness and how useful they were for gardening. 

Factors to Consider

Hydroponic vs. Soil Based

Many indoor garden systems are hydroponic, but this is not the only option. Hydroponics are easy to set up and low maintenance, but they also require electricity and specialized equipment. In addition, they require that you buy replacement seed pods and bulbs that are compatible with that system. A soil-based system, on the other hand, is traditional gardening brought indoors. While it's a bit more work than a set-and-forget system, it also requires no electricity and fewer other resources.

Plant Capacity

Think about the size of the unit itself as well as how many plants it grows. The ideal system will fit comfortably within your space but also let you grow enough plants, based on how much produce you want. Most of the small systems we tested fit anywhere from three to nine seed pods, while larger indoor gardens were able to hold a lot more.

Setup and Installation

Setup and installation can be complicated or simple, so look for a system that matches how much time you want to spend putting your new garden together. Make sure you have all of the gardening tools you need before you get started as well. While many systems include the seeds, food, and anything else you'll need in the box, not all do. 

Day-to-Day Care

Do you want a system you can set up and (mostly) forget about? Or do you want to be more hands-on, checking your plants and watching them grow? A hydroponic system can run on its own for a while, but a soil-based system will give you the chance to interact with your plants more fully as it requires more time and attention.

Long-Term Care 

When a plant’s roots get too large for its container, it’s time to transfer it to a new one. If you have a soil-based garden, you can re-pot the plants in larger containers. The same principle applies to hydroponic gardens. Because roots grow, too, even automated growing systems aren’t hands-off all the time. "As herbs get bushier, you'll need to add water more often,” says Ariel Kanter, a food writer who has two Aerogarden systems at home. “Roots can sometimes grow into the water circulation system and cause clogs.”

According to Kanter, your plants will do best if you clean out your growing system every few months, taking out the plants once as they grow large and planting them outside. Also, if you’re investing in a growing system garden, look into its warranty, according to Thrasher. “Most companies stand behind their product and will back it up with a warranty,” she says.

Additional Features

These days, indoor garden systems have a range of features. Think about what features connect with the way you're likely to use the system. For example, do you think you'll forget to turn the light on and off? Look for one with a timer. Want to keep an eye on the water level consistently? Get one with a water level indicator that will alert you when it runs low. Some smart indoor gardens also offer smart connectivity features such as wifi capability, apps, and compatibility with smart assistants, like Alexa.

Other Indoor Garden Systems We Tested

Strong Contenders

AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden Hydroponic System ($120 at Amazon)

Like the other AeroGardens we tested, we found this one to be largely easy to set up and use, and it pretty much ran itself once it was set up. The extendable arm and light, however, were flimsier than we expected.

AeroGarden Sprout with Gourmet Herbs Seed Pod Kit ($60 at Amazon)

This one is easy to set up and use, like other AeroGarden products, and it's a good size for kitchens. We found the grow light timer on this model a little confusing to use, though.

Amazing Creation Stackable Planter ($40 at Amazon)

This system is simple to set up, affordable, and a great design for compact apartment spaces. We just wish it had drainage holes to keep our soil consistently moist without overwatering. 

iDOO Hydroponics Growing System Kit Indoor Herb Garden ($70 at Amazon)

This system was relatively easy to set up and low maintenance, but it has fewer features than some of the other systems we tested, and it doesn’t come with seeds.

Rise Gardens Personal Garden and Starter Kit ($349 at Amazon)

This system comes with everything you need, assembly is simple, and it self-waters. We liked the app, too. We think the cost for the value is too high, though.

Lettuce Grow Farmstand ($773 at Amazon)

While we found it relatively easy to use, the grow lights arrived later as a separate package, turning what should have been a simple setup into a multi-day waiting game. Plus, even the smallest model costs several hundred dollars, so it's quite an investment to start.

ingarden Superfood Microgreens Indoor Growing Kit ($149 at Amazon)

While we were initially impressed with this indoor garden's performance (and even featured it in our list of top picks), long-term usage highlighted a few of its flaws. It sprouted beautiful microgreens during our first round of testing, but when we attempted it again with fresh seed pods, all of them turned out to be duds. Since you can only use Ingarden's proprietary seed pods with this system, we were discouraged by just how many pods we had issues with. The system itself works great, but we wish there were more flexibility and options for starter pods.

What Didn't Make the List

Some of the products we tested didn't perform as well as expected for the price or had components that didn't function properly or didn't seem well built. The Back to the Roots Indoor Aquaponic Garden and Fishtank is a fun idea (a fish as a garden helper — why not?), and we found it easy to use. But, we weren't overwhelmed with the quality, and we found that the pump didn't work as well as expected. While we love the look of the Modern Sprout Smart Growhouse, we were surprised at how slowly our seeds germinated, making it feel like less of a value for the cost.

Our Expertise

• Julia Skinner, PhD, is the original author of this piece. She is a food writer and avid gardener, who educates the public on food waste reduction and fermentation through her business, Root. She curated this list of the best indoor gardens based on insights from our in-house, editor-led tests.
• Valerie Thrasher co-owns Box of Rain Organic Garden Center in Montana with her husband. She contributed expert insights on indoor gardens and how best to grow them.
• Ariel Kanter is a freelance writer and editor living in Highland Park, Illinois, and she also contributed indoor gardening expertise to this piece. Follow her @arielkanter on Instagram and subscribe to her Rel's Recs Substack.
• Arnesia Young is an associate editor for Food & Wine, and she also contributed to this piece by updating it with insights from our long-term indoor garden tests that took place over six months. While she didn't get to try one of these models for herself, she loves plants and has her own indoor garden made up of several houseplants that she tends on a regular basis.