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Featured successful this article

Best Overall
Gardyn Indoor Hydroponic Garden
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Most Dramatic-Looking
Lettuce Grow Farmstand
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Best Budget Option
LetPot LPH-SE Senior Hydroponic Growing System
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I'm a lifelong works person. Even though I’ve spent galore years successful apartments aliases surviving situations wherever a afloat plot isn’t feasible, I’ve ever tried to turn something, whether it’s a azygous basil works connected a windowsill, a Topsy-Turvy tomato, aliases a fewer basil sprigs successful an old-school Aerogarden.
Several years ago, I moved to a location connected a quarter-acre batch connected nan outer separator of town, wherever residential improvement rubs up against undeveloped wildland. “My farming dreams are yet coming true!” I thought. It only took 3 seasons of difficult clay soil, deer, and persistent rabbits to disabuse maine of nan conception that outdoor farming was ever going to hap for me. My farming endeavors had to beryllium moved indoors. I’ve had various mini LED planter setups since then, but nan latest large-scale indoor vertical gardens person had maine intrigued. The expertise to turn 20, 30, aliases moreover 40 veggies and caller herbs, year-round, successful a abstraction smaller than a bookshelf? Sign maine up!
These gardens are decidedly an finance successful some clip and maintenance, and they're each different successful position of what they tin offer. The Gardyn Home 4.0 ($899), for example, offers full occurrence pinch nary greenish thumb required if you salary for a subscription, while nan Rise 3 ($1,499) offers insanely precocious imaginable yields. How tin you beryllium judge which is nan champion indoor plot for your circumstantial lifestyle? We tried immoderate of nan much celebrated systems connected nan marketplace correct now for 2 to 4 months each to spot which ones are worthy nan money and hassle.
Check retired our different location tech buying guides for group who for illustration surviving organisms, for illustration nan Best Kitchen Composters, Best Smart Bird Feeders, and Best Automatic Litter Boxes.
Update October 2025: We've added nan Auk Mini, LetPot LPH-SE Senior, and North Spore Boomr Bin arsenic picks, and ensured updated links and prices. We've besides added further accusation connected our testing process and, now that galore of nan gardens person entered semipermanent testing, a caller array introduction connected really easy each plot is to cleanable and reset aft each increasing “season.”
Best Overall

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck

Courtesy of Gardyn
Gardyn
Indoor Hydroponic Garden
Gardyn Home 4.0 (read our afloat reappraisal here) had 1 of nan easiest assemblies and setups retired of nan container and nan astir melodramatic occurrence of immoderate of nan brands I tried. Flowers, kohlrabi, thyme, moreover a full cauliflower—all thrived successful this pipe-based strategy pinch nan lights successful beforehand to let for taller works growth.
Part of nan occurrence is owed to nan subscription app add-on, “Kelby,” which monitors your plants (which turn successful proprietary pods called yCubes) via attached sensors and cameras and delivers customized watering and lighting schedules, arsenic good arsenic attraction suggestions. This subscription adds an further $408 a year to nan guidelines acquisition value (this includes 10 “credits” per period pinch which to bargain yCube refills). While you tin usage nan Gardyn without Kelby, if you want an indoor plot that's wholly foolproof for beginners, it mightiness beryllium worthy astatine slightest signing up for nan free 30-day trial.
Each Gardyn acquisition comes pinch your prime of yCube sets: “Salad Lover,” “Budding Florist,” aliases “Chef Faves.” I chose “Chef Faves,” which had an absorbing assortment of everything from breen and Toyko bekana greens to Thai basil and miniature sunflowers. Though Gardyn recommends starting nan yCubes successful nan company's add-on $80 nursery, I've germinated plentifulness of yCubes correct successful nan strategy conscionable fine. The seeds get tucked successful mineral wool, snug successful their small yCubes that slot into larger cups ("yPods") that fresh into nan pipes. When nan Gardyn waters nan plants, nan yPods capable pinch nutrient-infused water, and nan roots turn correct into nan water.
Every fewer weeks, nan roots request to beryllium checked for guidelines rot and maturation extracurricular nan yPod, examined for whether it's clip to prune, and/or tucked backmost successful if they've wandered excessively far. This attraction is admittedly a spot laborious, but if you do not do it consistently, you will beryllium very sorry erstwhile it's clip to cleanable nan Gardyn and hole it for its adjacent planning. (Ask maine really I know!)
I've had nary complaints pinch nan Gardyn complete nan 5 aliases truthful months I've been utilizing it, and I particularly for illustration that Gardyn offers a Vacation Mode, and has users wholly quiet retired and cleanable nan h2o vessel each period pinch baking soda to forestall algae maturation and/or bacteria. Note that nan smaller Gardyn Studio 2 is simply a caller exemplary for autumn 2025 and now features nan aforesaid upgraded camera, columns, and sunrise-sunset lighting arsenic nan Home 4.
Light Cycle 14-16 hours Pump Cycle 5 minutes, 3 times a time (varies pinch Kelby) Spots for Plants 16 (Studio) aliases 30 (Home) Nutrients Included 7-inch-tall vessel of 7-3-11 works nutrient (plenty for 1 cycle) Plants to Choose From 100+ Maintenance Needs (Varies pinch Kelby.) Clean vessel and switch h2o pinch caller nutrients each 4 weeks, cheque and reroute roots each 3 aliases truthful weeks, apical disconnected vessel pinch h2o and nutrients arsenic needed. Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 2/10 (each file conception and yPod will request to beryllium scrubbed; if you neglect to cheque and reroute roots each 2 weeks, this could emergence to a 9/10) Can You Grow Your Own? Yes; Gardyn sells yCubes for your ain seeds for $5 each. (Or you tin conscionable get creative.) Dimensions Approx. 24" H x 16" W x 7" D Power Consumption 40 watts Warranty 2 years WIRED
- Foolproof for achromatic thumbs, particularly pinch nan subscription
- Lights mounted connected nan beforehand let for unlimited works height
- Rockwool increasing mean prevents fungus gnats and different pests
- Gardyn offers a immense assortment of seeds
- Has picnic mode
TIRED
- Requires a subscription to entree each features
- Difficult to cleanable and reset successful betwixt “seasons”
- Maintenance tin beryllium finicky
Most Dramatic-Looking

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck
I was not alert until I opened nan container that Lettuce Grow was founded by Zooey Deschanel and her ex-husband, Jacob Pelenchik, and that contempt their divorcement they proceed to activity together promoting it. Lettuce Grown's Farmstand (read our afloat reappraisal here) is surely a unique-looking structure, pinch a bulbous, water-filled guidelines topped by tiers group successful betwixt rings of full-spectrum LED lights. The full setup looks not dissimilar an old-school strawberry planter redesigned arsenic a group portion for 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are models for indoor and outdoor usage (the second is nan same, conscionable sans nan ray rings).
I recovered nan Farmstand to beryllium connected nan easy extremity to combine and group up; everything snaps and clicks together reasonably intuitively. It's besides important to statement that this strategy is very modular—though Lettuce Grow recommends nary much than six levels for stability, if you bargain a Small Farmstand (18) and determine later connected that you want to make it a Medium (24) aliases a Large (36 plants), you tin bargain extra levels and light rings that threat connected successful little than a minute.
The biggest rumor I had pinch nan Farmstand is that, astatine nan outset, nan institution sends grown seedlings (each Farmstand comes pinch credits for users to prime nan plants they want), which is adjuvant successful position of success, but successful my lawsuit resulted successful a monolithic whitefly and aphid outbreak. A hunt done Lettuce Grow's Farmstand Community Facebook group revealed pest-infested seedlings to beryllium an highly communal issue. It's besides worthy noting that nan 20-gallon reservoir renders nan portion immobile erstwhile it's full, and this makes it difficult to quiet and refill—Lettuce Grow sells a dolly for $60, but I wish it were included.
Otherwise, I highly urge nan add-on smart timer plug ($25), arsenic without it, your pump and ray timer options are constricted to nan dial-style timers that travel pinch nan increasing system. My smart plug kept disconnecting from nan Lettuce Grow app (which I didn't find basal successful utilizing nan Farmstand), but nan expertise to group nan timing for nan lights and pump was good worthy nan price.
We haven't tested it yet, but if you're looking for thing simpler, Lettuce Grow precocious released nan Counterstand Set ($149), a trio of amber vases that relies connected nan Kratky method, a set-it-and-forget-it hydroponic strategy that doesn't require pumps aliases electricity.
Light Cycle Customizable, 14 to 17 hours recommended Pump Cycle Customizable, 15 minutes each hr recommended Spots for Plants 18 to 36, depending connected model Nutrients Included Two 1-pound bags of Jack’s works food: 5-12-26 and 15-0-0. Plants to Choose From 100+ Maintenance Needs Top disconnected vessel and check/rebalance pH erstwhile a week. Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 4/10 (roots each turn into nan center, truthful you'll only request to cleanable nan rings wherever nan pods are, though getting nan h2o retired of nan indoor exemplary is simply a situation without a hose, and refilling takes forever) Can You Grow Your Own? You'll person to get creative; nary action offered by Lettuce Grow. Dimensions 22-inch diameter base, 62 inches gangly (requires 4 quadrate feet) Power Consumption 96 watts Warranty 3 years WIRED
- Unique space-age vibe
- Roots turn into nan center, truthful it's easy to clean
- Maintenance is comparatively simple
TIRED
- Lettuce Grow's proprietary seedlings could present pests
- Twenty-gallon h2o reservoir makes it difficult to move, empty, and refill
- No picnic mode
Best for Growing Herbs Only

Courtesy of Auk

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck
The Auk Mini is arguably 1 of nan best-looking tabletop hydroponic gardens, disposable successful 2 wood finishes (walnut aliases oak) and featuring a modern Nordic flair (read our full reappraisal here). Setup and cognition are astir arsenic elemental arsenic it gets—plant immoderate you'd for illustration successful nan 4 pots, which are designed to activity pinch coco coir (provided), capable nan reservoir, adhd pumps of nan provided nutrients, and plug it in. The lights will beryllium connected for nan adjacent 17.5 hours while nan coco coir absorbs nan enriched h2o done slots successful nan cookware bottoms. Sprouting took conscionable days, and I had afloat harvestable cilantro, parsley, and basil—enough for pesto, even—within a fewer weeks. In fact, it's been almost 3 months since I first group up nan Mini, and I americium still harvesting these aforesaid herbs. They look worse for deterioration astatine this point, pinch floppy, dormant stems and leggy parsley sprigs stretching each which way, detracting from nan aesthetic, but I stock immoderate of nan blasted for not keeping up connected my harvests.
Unlike different systems, nan Auk requires nary pH tests, pumps, tubing, aliases timers, and nary futzing pinch an app. The only downside is nan value compared to similar-sized tabletop systems for illustration nan LetPot (below), which person much works slots, arsenic good arsenic nan limitations of nan ray barroom height. There is simply a ray programme for tomatoes and peppers (tap nan fastener 3 times to activate), and Auk sells seeds for these, but successful my experience, fruiting plants for illustration these will turn good past a 17-inch ray barroom earlier they person a chance to flower. So it's astir apt champion to instrumentality to herbs only.
Light Cycle 17.5 hours Pump Cycle No pump Spots for Plants 4 Nutrients Included 2 bottles; 6 months' worth Plants to Choose From Any; comes pinch basil and parsley, but Auk offers astir celebrated herbs, arsenic good arsenic seeds for lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. Maintenance Needs Refill vessel w/water and nutrients whenever nan dial is connected nan reddish dot Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 8/10 (just dump retired pots, return apart, clean, and refill) Can You Grow Your Own? Yes Dimensions 17.5 x 8.5 x 14.5 Power Consumption Approx. 9W per day Warranty 100 days WIRED
- Stylish Nordic design
- Easy to support and clean
- Grow immoderate you want
TIRED
- Not perfect for fruiting plants
- Out-of-control herbs will detract from nan planter's stylish design
- No Vacation Mode
Best Budget Option

Photograph: Kat Merck
LetPot
LPH-SE Senior Hydroponic Growing System
A bounty of Aerogarden dupes litter nan “hydroponic garden” hunt pages connected Amazon (full disclosure: I person utilized multiple Aerogardens successful nan past but not nan astir caller models), but LetPot is by acold nan astir established. Instead of Aerogarden's max-size nine-pod tabletop models, LetPot's “Senior” features 12 holes for pods, and you tin turn immoderate you want, though nan 16-inch ray tallness will apt beryllium limiting for tomatoes, peppers, aliases different fruiting plants. I utilized a packet of rainbow chard seeds, also from Amazon, and had contiguous and sustained success. Even though nan Senior is LetPot's second-largest exemplary (the “Max” has 21 pod slots), I for illustration that it's still astir nan size of a breadbox. In fact, I support it correct connected my eating room array truthful it's easy to snip disconnected a mini vessel of babe chard for salads. (It would besides beryllium awesome for starting seedlings for different gardens, for illustration nan Lettuce Grow, above.)
To start, conscionable capable nan 5.5-liter reservoir pinch h2o and adhd 15 milliliters of each of nan included nutrients, which travel dehydrated but reconstitute to 100 ml; capable for six aliases truthful h2o fills. A water-level gauge connected nan apical sticks up for illustration a thermometer and is easy to position from crossed nan room. There is an accompanying app successful which you tin group nan 16-hour model you want for nan 24-watt lights, but this characteristic did not activity pinch my trial model, contempt my syncing and resetting it aggregate times—I ended up having to move nan full strategy disconnected erstwhile I went to furniture and connected erstwhile I woke up, which admittedly wasn't ideal. However, this was nan only rumor I've had truthful acold successful nan 2 months I've been testing nan LetPot, which is different exceedingly easy to usage and maintain.
The LetPot comes pinch a battalion of integrative inserts, peat plugs, and germination stickers, but they're not proprietary—many vendors connection nan aforesaid benignant for arsenic small arsenic 5 cents each. This, mixed pinch nan LetPot's already debased price, makes this plot 1 of nan fewer that is apt to salary for itself successful a reasonable magnitude of time.
Light Cycle 16 hours (cutomizable successful app) Pump Cycle Every 30 minutes erstwhile strategy is on Spots for Plants 12 Nutrients Included Two bottles of “A” and “B” works nutrients; reconstitutable to 100 ml each Plants to Choose From Exclusively turn your own Maintenance Needs Refill h2o and nutrients erstwhile needed Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 7/10 (just region nan pods and cleanable nan holes, top, and reservoir) Can You Grow Your Own? Yes Dimensions Approx. 16 x 7 x 9.8 inches Power Consumption 0.424 kWh/day Warranty 1 year WIRED
- Easy to cleanable and maintain
- Pod refills are inexpensive and easy to find
- Grow immoderate you want
TIRED
- App is unreliable
- Light tallness is limiting for fruiting plants
Biggest Harvests

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck
There are aggregate sizes of nan Rise 3 garden, but each of them travel nan aforesaid creation playbook: A metallic framework pinch a furniture hiding a h2o tank, aggregate levels of shallow reservoirs, and an LED-light “roof" supra each level. I tested nan three-level version; each level's reservoir had a lid pinch varied numbers of pod slots adding up to 48 for nan full system, but you tin bargain lids pinch much slots to let your plot to clasp up to 108 plants. The h2o is pumped from nan vessel successful nan bottommost furniture and flows done each level's reservoir. The works roots conscionable dispersed retired wrong nan reservoir.
The Rise has acold and distant nan biggest capacity of immoderate non-DIY indoor plot I’ve seen and would beryllium much than capable to support a ample family successful nightly salads for months. Overall, it's a beautiful accepted shape factor—in fact, I'm beautiful judge I saw 1 of these successful nan area of my assemblage biology class. Since it's truthful large, assembly was a spot tricky, and vague instructions weren't helpful. However, Rise does travel pinch a smart plug for nan lights and pump, arsenic good arsenic an app that offers reminders connected erstwhile and really to adhd h2o and nutrients and equilibrium nan pH.
Unfortunately, I didn't find retired until aft I had already group it up that nan peat pods request to germinate first successful plastic-lidded “nurseries.” My trial portion didn't travel pinch capable nurseries for nan number of seed pods I had, truthful I had to improvise pinch shallow integrative containers, pinch nan pods weighted to support them upright successful water. After a fewer days, I noticed nan containers—all of them, including nan provided nurseries—had begun to turn algae, and nan black-plastic aboveground of nan Rise trays was noticeably warm. I brought retired my infrared somesthesia gun to test—the 195-watt LEDs paired pinch nan achromatic integrative had brought nan aboveground up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. For reference, each of nan different indoor farming systems were room temperature, successful nan mid-70s.
Once nan plants were grown, nan somesthesia came down to thing warmer than “normal” but much reasonable: 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, this is thing to see successful position of room placement and what plants mightiness thrive. Over time, I noticed herbs and lettuce bolted faster successful nan Rise 3 than successful different gardens, apt owed to this heat, which besides puts plants astatine consequence for cases of root rot. I'm still a large instrumentality of nan Rise's shape facet and its capacity, and I deliberation it would beryllium a first prime for heat-tolerant crops for illustration tomatoes and peppers. In fact, nan tomatoes I did turn successful nan Rise were notably bigger and amended tasting than nan ones grown successful different systems. Also statement that, dissimilar different gardens, nan Rise 3's pump runs continuously, resulting successful an audible splashing noise—if this bothers you, it whitethorn not beryllium nan champion prime for mini spaces.
Light Cycle 16 hours Pump Cycle Continuous Spots for Plants 36 to 108 Nutrients Included 1 vessel pH equilibrium solution and 1-ounce sample container of Sprout, capable for 1 application. You will request to acquisition nutrients. Plants to Choose From 100+ Maintenance Needs Top disconnected h2o reservoir erstwhile a week, check/rebalance pH erstwhile a week. Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 2/10 (even aft draining, each level will still person immoderate h2o successful its reservoir that's difficult to remove, and roots person a inclination to turn down nan tubes to nan adjacent level) Can You Grow Your Own? Yes; emergence offers pouches of seedless pods; 12 for $13. Dimensions Approx. 65" H x 36" W x 16" D Power Consumption 195 watts (for 3-level) Warranty 3 years WIRED
- Huge yields possible
- Cabinet is useful for storing nutrients and supplies
- Despite nan tallness limit imposed by nan roof, tomatoes and peppers had sizable harvests and tasted great
TIRED
- Lights tin tally hot
- Continuous pump is noisy
Easiest to Maintain

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck
“Like a java capsule machine, but for plants,” sounds Click & Grow’s trading copy. Sure enough, nan Click & Grow Smart Garden's seed pods travel successful a Nespresso-evoking integrative three-pack pinch a tear-off cover. (Pods tally astir $3 to $5 each.) Put a nutrient-packed “smart soil” seed pod successful 1 of nan Click & Grow’s cups pinch nan wicking bottom, capable nan reservoir, and that’s it. In what was nan astir elemental watering strategy I tried, a wick astatine nan bottommost of nan cup will bring h2o up to nan pods, and nan roots enactment successful nan cups. Plug it in, and nan LED turn lights will enactment connected for nan adjacent 16 hours.
I tested nan Smart Garden 9 pinch 3 pods each of lettuce, basil, and herb plants. Overall, location are astir 75 pods to take from, including herbs, flowers, leafy greens for illustration arugula, and vegetables. There is simply a Smart Garden Pro that connects to Wi-Fi and has app control, but contempt nan “smart” successful nan name, this is not that—there's nary app needed aliases required for nan non-Pro version.
All successful all, this plot was refreshingly low-maintenance. A small bobber connected 1 extremity tells you erstwhile nan h2o level is debased and needs a top-off simply by floating little than nan increasing surface. That’s it. No adding nutrients aliases checking pH aliases worrying astir pumps. It's besides small, truthful you tin plop it connected a support aliases countertop.
At nan aforesaid time, this was besides nan slowest-growing plot I tested. I had it group up nan aforesaid week arsenic nan Gardyn, above, and had already been harvesting months’ worthy of greens and vegetables by nan clip I sewage 1 Click & Grow lettuce leaf. One of my lettuce pods didn’t moreover sprout astatine all. After 2 months, I had harvested a fistful of basil and lettuce leaves (literally, 1 handful), and nan cherry tomatoes had grown past nan lights without making a azygous flower. Meanwhile, nan Lettuce Grow, which was started aft nan Click & Grow, had astatine slightest 15 visible tomatoes by that time. Still, this isn't a bad plot by immoderate stretch, and it’s a viable action for engaged group who are willing successful increasing thing for illustration flowers, wherever yields aren't a concern.
Light Cycle 16 hours Pump Cycle No pump Spots for Plants 3-9 (for Smart Garden) Nutrients Included Already successful nan pods; nary applications necessary Plants to Choose From 75+ Maintenance Needs Top disconnected reservoir arsenic needed Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 9/10 (just dump retired h2o and dispose of cups; roots turn afloat wrong nan cups) Can You Grow Your Own Plants? Yes; Click & Grow offers “Grow Anything” pods for $2-$3 each. Dimensions Approx. 24" W x 16" H x 7" D Power Consumption 13 watts Warranty 1 year WIRED
- No pH tests, pump maintenance, aliases nutrients needed
- Very easy to cleanable and reset
- Proprietary pods make nan process cleanable and simple
TIRED
- Growth complaint is unimpressive
- Cost of proprietary pods tin adhd up
- No Vacation Mode
Best for Growing Mushrooms

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck
North Spore
Boomr Bin Automated Mushroom Monotub
If you're looking to get successful connected nan functional mushroom trend, aliases conscionable for illustration to eat and study astir fungi, this is an easy, out-of-the-box measurement to commencement your ain indoor mushroom farming operation. In nan vein of nan different hydroponic farming systems, this setup isn't for those who already cognize really to build a monotub/fruiting enclosure pinch spare parts from nan hardware store. However, if you've ne'er grown mushrooms indoors before, particularly harder-to-cultivate varieties for illustration enoki aliases shiitake, nan Boomr Bin takes retired immoderate of nan guesswork. And yes, I did opportunity “some,” arsenic it doesn't travel pinch insubstantial instructions for nan full setup, conscionable nan mechanical components. There's a tub pinch a lid, filters, a hygrometer, a humidifier, and a instrumentality to support airflow. Luckily, North Spore has a well-curated YouTube channel detailing conscionable astir thing you'd request to know, from setting up nan bin (with substrate) to prepping fruiting blocks.
I've tally nan Boomr Bin done respective harvests now, some times pinch fruiting blocks (North Spore sells them, but you tin usage immoderate brands’). In a small complete 1 week, I had much oyster mushrooms and lion's mane than I knew what to do with, and to my surprise, nan blocks continued to consequence complete and complete and complete again—friends and neighbors began avoiding maine connected nan thoroughfare aliases nan market store, lest I instrumentality them pinch different container of fungus. The only periodic attraction I performed connected nan Boomr Bin was making judge nan humidifier didn't person a h2o plug blocking nan fog, and that it hadn't tally empty, though I only had to refill erstwhile a period aliases so. Note that h2o plugs tin beryllium avoided wholly by placing nan humidifier below nan bin.
Another pro tip: If you'd alternatively not woody pinch an automated setup, North Spore sells individual-block spray-and-grow kits ($30) that are besides rather prolific, though nan mushrooms will not beryllium arsenic ample aliases arsenic plentiful arsenic successful nan bin.
Light Cycle None needed Pump Cycle Included humidistat keeps humidity astatine 80 to 85 percent Spots for Plants Holds up to 25 lbs. of substrate aliases 3 fruiting blocks Nutrients Included None needed Plants to Choose From Any Maintenance Needs Make judge humidifier is clear and full, move up aliases down instrumentality if needed, cleanable between Ease of Resetting After Each Planting (Out of 10) 7/10 (just disassemble, wash, and sanitize, though nan filters that instrumentality connected nan sides whitethorn yet discolor and request to beryllium replaced) Can You Grow Your Own? Yes Dimensions 22”(W) x 15”(D) x 11”(H) Power Consumption Uses a mini computer-type fan, humidifier, and humidity conroller Warranty None WIRED
- Bountiful harvests
- Easy to maintain
TIRED
- No insubstantial instructions, and there's a learning curve pinch mounting up
Interesting but Not Recommended

Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro

Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Plantaform
Smart Indoor Garden
Plantaform is “the world's first smart indoor plot that uses fog to turn plants,” according to nan company's property release, and it has decidedly garnered attention, winning an Innovation Award astatine 2025's CES. The “fogponics" technology, ostensibly building connected NASA-developed aeroponics, delivers h2o and nutrients to plants' roots via an ultrafine mist.
We were surely captivated by nan futuristic look of nan egg-shaped planter, but contributor Lisa Wood Shapiro tested it to turn lettuce (read our afloat reappraisal here) and recovered that not only tin different types of plants not beryllium mixed (i.e., you tin only turn lettuce astatine 1 time, aliases tomatoes, aliases herbs), nan instrumentality degraded her indoor aerial quality, arsenic tested pinch an air value monitor. Users are to adhd an included fertilizer operation to nan water, pinch nan resulting concoction being what's aerosolized successful nan container. Which, arsenic Wood Shapiro found, was not airtight. She suggested nan Plantaform's usage successful a basement aliases different abstraction wherever aerial value wasn't arsenic overmuch of a concern, but it's astir apt champion to clasp disconnected connected this 1 until Plantaform tin activity retired immoderate much kinks.
Light Cycle 14 hours Pump Cycle 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off Spots for Plants 15 Nutrients Included 6-month proviso of 10-7-20 works food Plants to Choose From 6 works mixes Maintenance Needs Refill vessel w/nutrients each 2-3 weeks Can You Grow Your Own? No Dimensions Approx. 24" H x 24" W x 24" D Power Consumption 60 watts Warranty 2 years WIRED
- Fascinating design
TIRED
- Degrades your location indoor aerial quality
FAQs
In nan simplest terms, hydroponic farming intends to turn plants without roots successful soil. Sometimes nan plants are suspended successful water, for illustration successful nan Rise aliases Gardyn; sometimes they're successful pods attached to a wick, for illustration successful nan Click & Grow; and sometimes they person h2o sprayed aliases misted connected their roots, for illustration successful nan Lettuce Grow and Plantaform. Usually this is successful performance pinch an artificial ray source, either indoors aliases successful an outdoor enclosure.
What Are nan Benefits of Hydroponics?
In summation to nan evident positive of cleaner nutrient without mud, dirt, aliases synthetic pesticides, hydroponic systems usage overmuch little h2o than accepted increasing methods, since each nan h2o utilized is either recirculated aliases taken up by nan plants. Some farmers besides opportunity they get higher yields from hydroponic systems, arsenic nan variables of weather, light, and nutrients are acold easier to control. And, because of these variables, farmers are besides capable to turn varieties of plants from conscionable astir immoderate play aliases region. And location are nary weeds!
What Kinds of Things Can I Grow successful a Hydroponic Garden?
Just astir thing you tin deliberation of! I asked FX Rouxel, creator of Gardyn, if location was thing you couldn't turn successful these systems, different than ground-dwelling plants for illustration peanuts aliases potatoes. “All nan things that person large roots,” he said—like carrots, parsnips, and truthful on. “Otherwise, mostly things that are excessively big, for illustration apples aliases lemons.” So, location you person it: No agelong roots, nary trees. But thing other is adjacent crippled to try.
What Are nan Downsides of Hydroponics?
First of all, it's nary concealed hydroponic systems costs much than conscionable planting immoderate seeds extracurricular successful nan dirt. Then you've sewage to interest astir powerfulness outages, pump maintenance, algae, and conscionable wide maintenance. And if you're not careful, h2o tin harbor immoderate nasty stuff, moreover if that's conscionable fertilizer, arsenic WIRED reviewer Lisa Wood Shapiro recovered erstwhile she reviewed nan Plantaform (4/10, WIRED Review).
Will I Save Money By Growing My Own Vegetables?
In short, no. There are galore ways to build your own hydroponic strategy pinch items from nan hardware store. The ready-made systems simply region a awesome woody of hassle and guesswork from nan process, and usually look beautiful cool successful nan process. It's besides bully to person warranty and tech support successful nan arena thing goes wrong, and is often nan lawsuit pinch thing filled pinch water, erstwhile thing does spell wrong, it goes really wrong.
I unboxed, assembled, and group up each plot precisely arsenic described successful nan provided instructions, utilizing nan seeds, pods, aliases seedlings that came pinch nan garden. I paid attraction to easiness of setup, easiness of use, attraction needs, really overmuch abstraction each strategy took up, and really good (or not well) nan plants did and why. I noted what was aliases was not included pinch each system, and allowed each of nan plants to turn to nan harvest stage, paying attraction to bolting, yields, and wide health. I'm a full-time moving parent, truthful I besides paid attraction to attraction needs, ray schedules, and immoderate wide hassles that came up that irritated me.
How Does WIRED Acquire Gardens to Review?
Most of nan gardens WIRED receives to trial are samples provided by nan companies, pinch nary guarantee of sum aliases anticipation of what that sum will look like. Some of nan gardens are kept by WIRED successful bid to execute extended testing, while others are donated locally.
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