We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Home Products Outdoor & Patio Gardening Products The Best Indoor Garden Systems for Growing Greens at Home, Tested by Us Grow your favorite herbs and veggies without stepping foot outside. By Leslie Joblin and Lesley Chen Lesley Chen Lesley Chen is a San Francisco-based freelance writer who covers shopping, home, tech, health, and general lifestyle topics for various websites.Highlights *Her work has appeared on SFGate, Well + Good, BuzzFeed, Byrdie, and PureWow. *She has a BA in economics and psychology from UC Berkeley and an MBA from UCLA Anderson. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 24, 2024 Fact checked by Nicholas Blackmer In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Final Verdict Our Testing Process How to Shop More to Consider FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Lukas Smith Interested in growing your own veggies but lack the necessary outdoor real estate? Or, simply want to skip the soil and sweat? With hydroponic gardening, you can grow plants in nothing more than a Keurig-sized pod and a simple solution of water and nutrients. Many of today’s ready-made “smart” kits even allow you to do so inside the comfort of your own home. You can skip the weed maintenance, minimize the risk of pests, garden with less space and less water, and have fresh ingredients on hand year round. To find the best indoor garden systems, we tested 18 options in our own homes to evaluate their ease of setup and use, features, design, quality, value, and plant growth. For expert insight, we consulted Leslie Halleck, horticulturist and author of Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers. Our Top Picks Best Overall : AeroGarden Harvest Elite at Amazon $117 Jump to Review Best Budget: inbloom Hydroponics Growing System at Amazon $46 Jump to Review Best Small : AeroGarden Sprout at Amazon $74 Jump to Review Best for Herbs: Click & Grow The Smart Garden 3 at Amazon $100 Jump to Review Best for Vegetables: AeroGarden Bounty Basic Indoor Gardening at Amazon $180 Jump to Review Best Design: SALE Rise Gardens Personal Garden and Starter Kit at Amazon $349 $245 Jump to Review Best Overall AeroGarden Harvest Elite PHOTO: Amazon $117 at Amazon View on Aerogarden.com What Stands Out This system is easy to set up, compact, and low maintenance. What Could Be Improved The grow light on the system is bright and can be disruptive in small rooms. The AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden Hydroponic System can grow up to six different herbs and veggies, thanks to the 20 LED lights that simulate natural light and an adjustable lamp that can accommodate different-sized plants. We found that the garden was very easy to maintain with minimal effort. It has a self-watering system that goes off every 20 minutes and a water-level sensor that indicates when you need to add more water. Plus there’s a two-week timer that reminds you to add plant food. All of these features make the entire system very automated and hands off; you mainly just need to check on the plants and trim them as needed. Setting up the system was extremely easy. It comes with everything you need to get started (including seed pods and humidity domes), and it only took about five minutes to assemble. You fill with water, add two capfuls of plant food, and insert the plant pods with humidity domes. Then you select the plant pod setup you have. The display prompts you to add water and plant food when necessary, though we didn’t have to add water until a little over a week. As the plants grew, they gradually used more water. Each herb variety came with an estimated sprouting time range, and most of them sprouted within their given range. During the test period, most of the plants seemed healthy; some leaves withered, but only those under the main canopy that didn't get enough light. None of the six plants died, and the basil, when harvested, tasted comparable to fresh basil from a store. After six months of use, the system is working up to par. The garden doesn't take up much room nor is it heavy, making it great even for people who live in apartments or don’t have a lot of extra space. The light can be quite bright, though, so in smaller homes, it may be tough to find a spot for the garden where the light won't be too bothersome. Size: 6.25 by 10.5 by 17.4 inches | Plant Capacity: 6 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: No PHOTO: Real Simple / Brendan Harkness PHOTO: Real Simple / Brendan Harkness PHOTO: Real Simple / Brendan Harkness Best Budget inbloom Hydroponics Growing System PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $46 $40 at Amazon What Stands Out It’s a budget- and beginner-friendly system that’s easy to use. What Could Be Improved It’s a smaller system that requires more frequent water refilling. The inbloom Hydroponics Growing System is compact, sleek, and fits nicely on a countertop. It comes with grow lights and a self-watering canister that serves as the base of the planter. We found it requires minimal effort from the user, making it great for beginners who want to try their hand growing herbs. The garden system is easy to use and intuitive, and it has a water-level marker that lets you know when the water is low and needs refilling. During the testing period, we needed to fill it up two times a week at first and then every few days when the plants got larger and needed more water. Despite the increased frequency, refilling was simple and only took a few minutes. Setup was also a breeze, requiring only 10 minutes of active setup (following two hours of optional soaking time). You put the soil and the seeds in the grow baskets and then fill the canister with water. Everything, including the soil and different types of seeds, is included. The automatic watering system constantly moves the water to help prevent mold, and the LED lights automatically stay on for 16 hours and off for eight. We initially tested basil seeds, which proved to be especially successful. They sprouted within seven days and remained healthy throughout the testing period and beyond, tasting fresh and delicious. The system maintained its quality during six months of use, although we did eventually need to replace the seeds once the plants became too limp. We chose to replace them with basil and cilantro and received mixed results—while the basil thrived, the cilantro was a bit dry. So, for this system, we'd recommend sticking with basil. Size: Not listed | Plant Capacity: 5 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: No PHOTO: Real Simple / Alexandra Domrongchai PHOTO: Real Simple / Alexandra Domrongchai Best Small AeroGarden Sprout PHOTO: Amazon $74 at Amazon $60 at Aerogarden.com $74 at Home Depot What Stands Out The garden is a great size for kitchens and easy to maintain. What Could Be Improved Adjusting the grow light timer can be challenging. If you want a few fresh herbs but don’t have a ton of counter space, the AeroGarden Sprout is a compact garden system that can grow three plants at a time without soil. Setting up the garden system was intuitive, and it came with all of the essentials: seed pods, a lighting structure, and plant food. It took about 10 minutes to set up (which included reading through the straightforward instructions). Once the system is plugged in, you put in the pods, set the light to the lowest height, add plant food and water, and that’s it, although setting the correct timer on the light took some trial and error. Once you have the system going, there isn’t much maintenance. It’s self-watering, so you need to monitor the water level, and a red light flashes when you need to add plant food. The height of the lights can be slid up and down to adjust the lighting as the plants grow. It took about seven to 10 days for the seeds to sprout (we used basil, dill, and parsley), and everything appeared healthy throughout the test. We also found that the plants responded well to the plant food and grew faster after we added it the second time. After six months of use, the system is still exceeding our expectations. While some of the plants have become a bit overgrown, we've noticed no changes in quality. Size: 11.94 by 3.42 by 14 inches | Plant Capacity: 3 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: No PHOTO: Real Simple / Katy Stovall PHOTO: Real Simple / Katy Stovall Best for Herbs Click & Grow The Smart Garden 3 PHOTO: Amazon $100 at Amazon $100 at Nordstrom $100 at Bloomingdales What Stands Out This garden is an easy starter system for herbs with great plant growth. What Could Be Improved There’s an app, but it doesn’t control the garden, and it doesn’t come with a variety of herbs. You can always enjoy fresh home-grown herbs with the Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit, which only takes a minimal amount of space on a counter or table and has a self-watering system for simple use. In just five minutes, we were able to set up the system. It comes with three basil pods (you will have to order your own if you want something other than basil). Simply drop the pods in, add the plastic covers, add water, and plug it in. There’s a water indicator to let you know when you need to refill, and the light automatically stays on for 16 hours, turns off for eight, and then repeats. You can adjust the height of the light as your herbs grow, catering to their needs. The free app also provides plant details and tips, though we found this less helpful as it doesn’t control the garden itself. There isn't any way to clean the tank other than emptying it, but we didn't have much need to. We saw seeds emerging in five days and sprouting within a week. The plants seemed very healthy throughout the initial testing period, and after six months of use, the system is still meeting our standards. If you're seeking an easy system to grow your own herbs, we can't recommend this one enough. Size: 9 by 4.9 by 12.5 inches | Plant Capacity: 3 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: No PHOTO: Real Simple / Margot Cavin PHOTO: Real Simple / Margot Cavin Best for Vegetables AeroGarden Bounty Basic Indoor Gardening PHOTO: Amazon $180 at Amazon $231 at Wayfair View on Aerogarden.com What Stands Out The system is very quiet, maintenance free, and has a touchscreen panel. What Could Be Improved Setting up the timer and controls can be confusing when you first start. Not everyone has a large backyard (or cooperating weather) to grow their own veggies, but the AeroGarden Bounty Basic Indoor Garden can let you enjoy fresh ones all year. The hydroponic garden is countertop-sized but can grow up to nine herbs and veggies. It took us about 15 minutes to set up the system, which included assembling the metal grow deck, attaching the grow lights, and adding the planting pods. The seeds come pre-loaded in the pods, so planting involves just placing the pods into the openings on the deck. Then we filled the reservoir and added the included liquid plant food. We had some trouble figuring out how to set up the timer and control the grow lights, but the touchscreen base walks you through how to program the garden’s settings. Once that’s set up, the lighting and nutrient schedules are automatic, and the garden basically takes care of itself. The automatic light schedule comes on at sunrise and sunset to give the plants the right amount of light, the water reservoir lasts for weeks at a time, and the garden alerts you with a red flashing light when it's time to add more liquid plant food and water. After six months of use, we were pleased to find that all of these components were still working as they were on day one. The silent operation is a plus, too—even when the garden is actively circulating water and nutrients, it's incredibly quiet. We planted salad greens, herbs, and tomatoes, and they all grew true to the timing listed on their pods (with the basil the first to sprout). They all appeared to be healthy and grew faster than expected throughout the testing period. Maintaining the plants takes minimal effort, though they do require a trim every few days. Size: 16 by 6 by 8 inches | Plant Capacity: 9 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: No PHOTO: Real Simple / Karla Murthy PHOTO: Real Simple / Lisa Pezzuto PHOTO: Real Simple / Lisa Pezzuto Best Design Rise Gardens Personal Garden and Starter Kit PHOTO: Amazon Orig. $349 $245 at Amazon View on Risegardens.com What Stands Out It’s an easy-to-use system with an intuitive app. What Could Be Improved It’s a pricier option than the others. If you like your devices to be smart, the Rise Gardens personal garden certainly qualifies. You can download a companion app to control all the timers, lights, and watering system in growing your own herbs and veggies. It took us under 30 minutes to set up the garden and the app, which was longer than most other systems on our list but still manageable. Everything required for assembly is included, and you basically just need to put the tray in place, add water, plug it in, and start the seedlings. The system feels sturdy, and the app is also simple to set up—in the app, you can add all the plants you are growing and receive reminders when to change the water and add nutrients. Maintenance is also low effort: You just need to change out the water in the starter tray and main garden every week or so. The seeds sprouted very quickly, about one to two days after starting, and all the plants stayed healthy throughout the testing period. After six months of use, the system is still working as good as new. Given its intuitive design, even someone without much experience could use this garden to grow their own plants. Size: 18 by 11 by 16 inches | Plant Capacity: 8 | Wi-Fi Compatibility: Yes PHOTO: Real Simple /Lukas Smith PHOTO: Real Simple / Lukas Smith Final Verdict Our top pick is the AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden Hydroponic System with LED Grow Light and Herb Kit, due to its ease of setup, use, low maintenance, and compact size given the number of plants it could grow. For a budget-friendly pick that just requires a little extra watering, we recommend the inbloom Hydroponics Growing System. Our Testing Process We tested 18 different indoor garden systems over the course of six weeks and evaluated them on setup, ease of use, design, quality, and overall value for money. First we unpackaged and set up the garden to see how easy the instructions were and timed how long it took. We also noted what additional features came with the garden, such as timers, self-watering systems, smartphone apps, and more. We set up the indoor gardens with grow lights away from a window so we could use the grow light exclusively. For indoor gardens without a grow light, we set them up close to a window with ample sunlight. We tried to give the plants about 14 to 16 hours of sunlight or grow light per day. We planted seeds (whether included or not) in the indoor garden, making sure we planted at least basil seeds, and then took care of them based on the manufacturer’s instructions. We tried to maintain a consistent environment across all tests, with a temperature between 60°F and 80°F, as much light as possible, and moderate humidity levels (between 40% to 60%). We also kept the plants away from any heat sources to prevent them from drying out. For hydroponic and aquaponic systems, we used filtered water. During the test, we took note of the variety of seeds that were included with the garden, how difficult it was to plant and care for the seeds, how quickly the seeds sprouted and grew, and how healthy the seed/plants were. At three and six weeks, we checked on the seeds, measuring the growth from root to the tallest sprout. For basil, we used the leaves for cooking after around four to six weeks if there was enough growth and noted the taste. We continued using the systems long-term, assessing their performance after three and six months of use. How to Shop for Indoor Garden Systems Like a Pro Size When selecting the size of your indoor garden, the most obvious consideration is the amount of indoor real estate that you can allot to it. However, there are also a few less obvious things to consider, including your expertise level, maintenance preferences, and the plants you hope to grow. Many smaller countertop models include only water and nutrient indicator lights, making them best suited for growing small, hardy, low-maintenance plants like herbs that can thrive in low-intensity lighting. With this system-plant combo, you won't need to worry about pollinating or harvesting. The small size of the unit also simplifies routine cleaning, since you’re working with fewer pieces and a smaller surface area. On the other hand, those who want more hands-on experience growing a greater variety of produce will probably prefer of a larger system. Most of these systems are designed as compact, vertical towers with a small footprint, so they’re still compatible with many small living spaces. Available Plants The variety and type of plant shipped to you—seeds, starter plants, etc.—differ by system, so before choosing an indoor gardening system, it’s good to have an idea of both what you want to grow and your own patience levels. While all of the tall tower systems we included in our list allow you to grow up to about 36 plants, the specific types of plants available vary by brand. Some setups are specifically geared towards herbs and greens, while others are engineered to facilitate the growth of larger produce. So if you’re, say, a connoisseur of spicy peppers, you’ll want to comb through the produce catalogs before making your final choice. Features Most indoor gardening systems come with features such as self-watering containers, grow lights, automatic timers, and nutrient indicators. The sophistication of these functions varies by brand and price point. Basic starter models may simply remind you when it’s time to add more food, while pricier systems can monitor your plants for periods of optimal fertilization, harvesting, or changes to the water’s pH. (Of course, those using a beginner model to grow a few low maintenance herbs wouldn’t need as much outside input anyway!) The features that truly set some models apart are smart functions that monitor your plants and provide real time in-app advice about pollinating and harvesting. Some of these systems also allow for in-app or voice (i.e. Amazon Alexa) control over core system functions (like turning the lights on or off). Whatever your specific needs, there’s a model for you. More Indoor Garden Systems to Consider AeroGarden Bounty Elite: We liked that this model was low maintenance and Wi-Fi compatible, but the grow light was very bright and the basil wasn’t super flavorful. iDOO Hydroponics Growing System Kit Indoor Herb Garden 8 Pods: This indoor garden is compact and reasonably priced, but we found the instructions weren’t totally clear and the garden doesn’t come with seeds. Questions You Might Ask What can I grow with an indoor garden system? You can grow pretty much everything in an indoor garden system, including herbs, salad greens, produce, and houseplants. However, Halleck says the type of plants you can grow largely depends on the type of system. “Small countertop growing systems have a very small footprint and limited height space for growing, so you’ll want to match the mature size of the plant you’re growing to the area covered by your grow light,” she says. Halleck recommends starting with compact herbs, lettuces, and other small leafy greens. “Too often I see hobbyists trying to grow dill or other very large herb species that quickly outgrow the unit and end up burning against the grow light. These small countertop systems also use lower-intensity grow lighting, so don’t expect to grow big-fruited tomatoes!” If a countertop system is all you’ve got room for, don’t lose hope. Despite their compact size, Halleck says there are certain systems that can support dwarf fruiting cultivars of cherry tomatoes, peppers, or certain strawberries—you just shouldn't expect the same yield you'd get from outdoor sunlight or a higher-intensity unit. For those who want to grow larger species of herbs and fruiting crops indoors, Halleck suggests a tower-type unit, which not only offers a greater growing space but also provides ample light. Ultimately, she says, it comes down to this: “If you're using small systems with low-intensity lighting, stick to leafy greens and herbs. If you step up to high-intensity lighting, you can grow more fruits and veggies.” Do indoor garden systems require maintenance? “Passive hydro, hydroponic, and aquaponic units will require some regular cleaning as well as water and nutrient replenishment and potentially some pH monitoring and adjustment,” Halleck says. “In general, the larger the system, the more monitoring and maintenance it requires.” On the plus side, Halleck says that some units do the monitoring for you and let you know when it's time to add the nutrients or pH buffers they include. Of course, the system itself is only half the story; your plants will need you to show them some love, too. Halleck advises to always scout your plants regularly for possible pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies. And don’t forget about harvesting! “The best way to keep herbs and greens compact enough to thrive (and not burn) in small units is to prune them for harvesting regularly,” she says. What are the benefits of an indoor gardening system? According to Halleck, indoor gardening systems are for just about anyone, including those with limited outdoor space, people who want to grow small amounts of veggies and herbs year round, or anyone looking to get a jump on the outdoor growing season. They also use only a fraction of the water required by outdoor gardening (95% less with some systems) and avoid many (not all) pests and diseases seen in outdoor gardens, as most of these originate in the soil. Plus, you can skip the sweat and stooping that accompany digging in the dirt. Beginners and those with black thumbs can also benefit from the extra monitoring and in-app advice offered by some of the larger tower-type units. Halleck adds that they're also useful for anyone with mobility limitations that keep them from heavier outdoor gardening activities. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Leslie Joblin, who is a gardener living in hardiness zone 7b and a writer with two years of experience writing lifestyle content. Her work has appeared in The Spruce, MyDomaine, and Brides. This roundup was updated by Lesley Chen and Jamie Fischer with long-term insights gathered over six months of testing. To compile this list, we took 18 popular options and rated them on ease of setup, ease of use, quality, design, and value for money. We also solicited advice from Leslie Halleck, pro horticulturist and author of Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers.