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Once you’ve decided to start an indoor garden to grow your own food, you’ll want to find the best options available. However, choosing the best indoor garden kit can be a daunting task given the numerous types that may seem similar at first glance. Thus, we’ve broken them down by type and features to find the ones that might work best for you, as well as ones reviewers have had the best luck with in their urban indoor farming endeavors.

There are various styles of indoor garden kits for countertops, windowsills, or to use as a hidden design feature. We’ve included traditional pots as well as electric ones that are hydroponic and non-hydroponic. Some are more complex with apps and buttons to help you make adjustments, while others are far simpler, requiring nothing more than watering and harvesting. One even has a misting system. 

The choices on our list come in a variety of colors and have space for three to 15 plants, depending on how ambitious an indoor gardener you are. Also, keep in mind that many of these systems often have good sale prices. So, keep a watch on the one you want if it doesn’t fit your budget right now. Not only do the nine indoor garden kits we’ve chosen to include on our list have a variety of options, but they also have the best ratings, which is why you’re likely to find one that will work for you.

One of the best options when looking for an indoor garden kit is the Ahopegarden’s 10-pod hydroponic growing system. Ahopegarden has a lot of great hydroponics systems, which might make it difficult to choose, but this one is noted as the top seller in hydroponic systems on Amazon. It’s a good choice when you’re looking for a fairly simple 10-pod hydroponics option that still does everything you need it to do without an app.

The water reservoir holds 3 liters of water and has a see-through portion, so you can tell when it’s time to refill it. You get a choice of black or white plastic, and the control buttons are on top of the full-spectrum LED light that adjusts up to 15.3 inches tall. The lights have two growing modes for veggies or fruit, as well as an automatic timer that keeps it on for 16 hours and turns it off for eight hours. Reviewers like that it comes with everything you need except seeds, which means you can choose the best seeds for a kitchen garden. They say that it’s easy to plant, quiet, and that the plants grow quickly. Some customers have liked it enough to purchase a second one to grow more plants.

Purchase the Ahopegarden Indoor Garden Hydroponics Growing System: 10 Pods at Amazon for $69.99

Ahopegarden has another great 12-pod growing system for the same price. Like the previous one, it’s a good choice when you’re looking for a simple option that doesn’t require an app to use. The main differences are that this one holds more plant pods and water, the light extends taller, and the controls are different.

Not only does it hold 12 rather than 10 plant pods, but it has a 5-liter capacity instead of three. The light rises to 17 inches, accommodating taller plants, but this one only comes in black. Its LED full-spectrum lights mimic sunlight with either a 16-hour or 22-hour light mode, and there are still only two growing modes. It still has a water indicator viewing area on the front, but the controls are an LCD smart screen on the front instead of buttons on the top. It comes with everything you need to get started with hydroponic gardening except seeds.

Reviewers like how easy, reliable, fast, and quiet this growing system is, and the fact that it only needs to be filled once a month. A few reviewers switched to this system from other brands and have been impressed. Even people who’d never gardened before had no trouble using it.

Purchase the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit: 12 Pods at Amazon for $69.99

LetPot is another brand with two high-rated options. They both have manual controls built into the machine as well as a phone app, which might appeal to tech-savvy gardeners. But the LPH-Air model is the smallest of the two, with 10 pods.

Rather than holding 3 liters, like the 10-pod Ahopegarden one, this system holds 4 liters, allowing two to three weeks between watering times. It comes in either mint green or black colors and extends to 17 inches tall. Water circulation is on an automatic 30-minute cycle and comes in at less than 20 decibels of sound. The lights have two brightness levels, modes for veggies or for fruit and flowers, and a 24-hour adjustable timer. It’s controllable with buttons or a phone app. It comes with everything you need to grow your plants except seeds, and is the only one on our list that also includes plant support rods.

Reviewers like the large tank size, quiet pumps, ease of setup and use, water flow, and light functions for this kit. They also find the app useful in that it shows specific parameters for various plants at different stages; it’s worth noting that some customers had some frustrations with it as well. After loving this unit, many reviewers bought multiple kits for additional growing space.

Purchase the LetPot LPH-Air Hydroponics Growing System Kit: 10 Pods at Amazon for $89.99

The other LetPot that reviewers tend to praise is the LPH-SE hydroponics model with 12 pods. The main differences between the two models seem to be color, size, and controller style. It’s the most expensive on our list, but it’s the only stainless steel model, has the largest water capacity, and the highest light lift. There’s a 21-pod version of this model for a little over twice the cost.

The 12-pod system has a 5.5-liter water tank, which allows the longest time between refills (up to three weeks). The light extends to 30 inches and pivots 180 degrees to accommodate taller plants. It uses a full-spectrum LED light with two growing modes (veggie and fruit), two levels of brightness, and a customizable 24-hour timer. In addition to a continuously updated app, it also has touchpad controls on the machine instead of just buttons. It also comes with extras like sponges and baskets to get started, except seeds.

Those who have a variety of hydroponics systems find this to be the best, with plans to purchase more. Reviewers especially like the large tank capacity and how high the light can extend to grow taller plants. They find that plants grow faster and that the app works better than some other brands. Reviewers also like that it’s quiet (less than 20 decibels). However, you need to buy support rods separately.

Purchase the LetPot LPH-SE Hydroponics System: 12 Pods at Amazon for $119.99

Now, let’s move on to the only one of the best indoor garden kits that Amazon lists as being one that customers usually keep: the Rainpoint system, which includes space for 13 pods. One thing you’ll notice right away is that it has a different modern style profile than the others, being either black with a wooden or grey bottom and thick feet, keeping it off surfaces.

Like several of the others on our list, it has a 5-liter tank capacity. The light can also rise to 20.5 inches (approximately 12.5 inches between base and light). You can also see the water level on the side of the tank. The company doesn’t provide a lot of technical information in its product listing, but it does claim a 95% germination rate and says you should expect plants to grow 200% faster than with regular soil; that means that you can expect a basil harvest within 15 days. It also comes with everything you need except seeds for growing plants indoors.

Reviewers like the portable size, how fast plants grow, and that it’s silent. They also like that it’s easy to set up, use, and clean, with clear instructions. Plus, people like that the feet on the bottom of the machine keep it off the counter and make it easy to clean around. Customers have also been happy that customer service replaces the rare faulty unit.

Purchase the Rainpoint Indoor Hydroponics Growing System: 13 Pods at Amazon for $69.99

The only misting hydroponics growing system on our list is the Lesujo. It’s a 15-pod system (the largest capacity out of everything we’ve mentioned unless you get the 21-pod version of the LetPot LPH-SE) and comes in black or white. So, there’s enough room for an indoor tea garden along with your fruit and veggies. The heated water pump is another unique feature in case your indoor air temperature doesn’t keep the water temperature ideal.

While the tank will hold 5 liters (long enough for a two- to three-week vacation), 2.5 liters is the usual max, and 2 liters is best. The pump is practically silent, only producing five decibels of noise. The LED light has three growth modes instead of two, including one for seedlings as well as ones for veggies and flowering plants like fruit. The lights are on a 0- to 24-hour smart timer, which is dimmable and extends slightly over 15 inches. You’ll find a control screen and buttons on top of the system. The company promises 50,000 hours of operation (which is over 5 years) and provides everything you need for growing, minus the seeds. 

Reviewers echo the company’s claims that the misting system makes germination 50% faster. They like that it’s easy to set up and use with the enclosed instructions. Plus, they like that it’s quiet, not bulky, and has a heated water pump.

Purchase the Lesujo Hydroponics Growing System Kit: 15 Pods at Amazon for $89.99

The Click and Grow three-pod herb garden kit is popular and has the most reviews of any on our list. The company says this system type is “easier than hydroponics,” which can be high-maintenance. Instead, it focuses on smart soil pods and comes with three basil pods, with 75 other plant varieties available from the company. There are only six plant varieties available directly through Amazon; others are available through the brand’s monthly subscription program.

Like the name suggests, it’s meant to be super easy, without having to do anything but add water and pods and plug it in, since the nutrients are already in the soil. The LED pro-grow light for this system is more like an overhanging wand, raising 20.5 inches off the ground (a bit over 12.5 inches between base and light). It’s self-watering and has a timer that’s on for 16 hours and off for eight hours, with no noise. It has both an app and buttons on top of the container and comes in three color options: black, white, and grey. 

Reviewers find the system a breeze to use, and that you can pretty much set it up and forget it until the app reminds you it’s time to water. We noticed that the larger-capacity versions have lower reviews, which is probably why customers purchase more of the 3-pod version instead.

Purchase the Click and Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit: 3 Pods at Amazon for $99.95

You’d think that traditional non-electronic garden planters wouldn’t need much scrutiny, but the only two we found with exceptional reviews include this Kibaga planter and the next product on our list. Kibaga is a traditional three-pot planter that utilizes sunlight rather than a grow light. This planter is the cheapest of the two traditional planters we included and the cheapest growing system we found overall.

It’s a simple, no-frills planter with three cream-colored pots that come on a single tray for catching any water that might run out of the drainage holes (also making it good for bottom watering). All the pieces are made from powder-coated galvanized steel, which is rust-proof. The tray isn’t too large as it’s 13×4.1 inches, with the pots standing 3.7 inches tall. It doesn’t come with potting soil, fertilizer, or plants, so that’s up to you. But you don’t have to worry about plant height since there’s no light in the way, like with the hydroponics systems.

Reviewers find the planter to be made of high-quality material and like that it has rubber feet to keep it in place and prevent rust marks. Plus, they enjoy that they can use the tray for bottom watering. People appreciate the convenient size for a countertop or sunny kitchen window, but you still might want to measure first.

Purchase the Kibaga Beautiful Herb Garden Planter Indoor Set of Three at Amazon for $14.99

The other non-electronic traditional planter on our list is from Volila, which is also a set of three pots on a long tray. There are a few differences here, in that the square size of the pots and their added height give you more volume to hold dirt for growing easy fruits and veggies, or herbs. They also come in more colors with design and material differences.

Like the Kibaga planter, the Volila has three pots on a single tray, but they come in black, grey, or white, with red, pink, and teal options sometimes available. The pots have drainage holes for top or bottom watering options. Unlike the Volila, these are made from alloy steel and have leather pulls on the sides of the trays. Plus, they have slots to add plant names to the front of the pots, with labels included. At 13.8×4.1 inches, the tray is slightly longer, with the pots being slightly taller at 4.1 inches. However, we found no mention of rubber feet to prevent rust.

Customers appreciate that they fit easily even on narrow window sills or countertops. They also tend to like the cute design and the fact that it comes with extra labels in case you change up the plants in the pots. The bottom tray is also helpful to keep water off the windowsill or countertop.

Purchase the Volila Herb Planter Indoor Set of Three at Amazon for $24.99

Finding a good indoor gardening kit can be a challenge, which is why we scrutinized available ones deeply before including them on our list. First, we only looked at highly-rated ones with hundreds or thousands of reviews to ensure there were a lot of reviews to consider. While we found plenty of options using that criteria, many that appeared to have high ratings actually didn’t have a high percentage of four- and five-star reviews, which we think is fairly important.

Once we had a good list, we removed a few that had a higher percentage of negative reviews than others on the list or more negatives than similar products from the same brand. We also wanted to ensure that the negative reviews for a particular growing kit didn’t all seem to complain about the same problem. We know there are going to be shipping mishaps and machines that come out of the factory as lemons, but we didn’t think it was good if every customer giving a negative review was negging on the same thing.

The nine garden kits that made it to our list represent the best ones we were able to find. Now, it’s up to you to decide which style is best and which features are most important to you.