Aerogarden vs. Click and Grow – 11 Points Deconstructed

Aerogarden and Click and Grow are two of the most known indoor hydroponic gardens that give a taste of the future by growing plants without burying them in the dirt. It’s so convenient that once you try it, you’ll wonder why you did it any other way!

Skip the misery of the brutal heat, annoying bugs that come with caring for an outdoor garden by setting up an indoor garden for your herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers. It’s also perfect if you don’t have yard space, have limited mobility, or want to keep fresh ingredients close by for convenient cooking. And if that isn’t enough to persuade you, how about that plants grown in hydroponic containers don’t need much in terms of care?

It can be difficult to choose between either an AeroGarden or a Click and Grow. In this comparison guide we’ll break down all the awesome features of these two brands to help you decide which smart garden is the right fit for your indoor garden growing needs.

I’ve been obsessed with hydroponics since I watched Back to the Future decades ago. The draw of not dealing with the hassles of growing a garden outdoors overruled my traditional values. So, I quickly became an indoor garden convert. Now I’m trying to bring other gardeners into the future of gardening with me. Keep reading to learn more to see if an Aerogarden or Click & Grow is a good match to add to your home.

Table of Contents

• Aerogarden vs. Click And Grow – A Quick Company Breakdown
• Aerogarden vs. Click and Grow Models
• Types of Plant Pods by Brand
• Click and Grow vs. Aerogarden Features Breakdown
• Comparison of Looks – AeroGarden vs. Click & Grow
• How to Water – Click & Grow and AeroGardens
• Noise Levels – Comparing the AeroGardens and Click & Grow
• Adding Fertilization – Click & Grow and AeroGarden
• Let it Glow – AeroGarden vs. Click & Grow LED Lighting.
• Energy Consumption – The Shocking AeroGarden vs. Click & Glow Truth
• Smart Control Features – Click & Grow and AeroGarden
• FAQ

Aerogarden vs. Click And Grow – A Quick Company Breakdown

Aerogarden and Click and Grow brands allow you to grow plants indoors without using soil. These kits use water treated with minerals and nutrients and LED lights to grow plants.

AeroGarden is a Colorado-based soilless indoor gardening kit that hit the consumer market in 2006. What started as a single hydroponics model has now grown to encompass 15 models and over 100 seed kits. 

An AeroGarden alternative is Click & Grow, an Estonia-based hydroponics brand established in 2009 with the same goal of growing plants indoors. But this AeroGarden competitor’s garden kit uses newer technology inspired by NASA to give you a bountiful harvest without having to do work.

Aerogarden vs. Click and Grow Models

Both brands offer several different models to choose from in varying sizes. AeroGarden breaks its product offerings into three product lines with a few variations under each family. These are the Harvest, Bounty, or Farm 24 models – the Harvest is the most popular.

The Click and Grow brand offers six smart indoor gardens of varying sizes, from a space-saving model with three pods to a large capacity, 51 pod multi-shelf farm unit. The Smart Garden 3 is C&G’s best seller.

Both brands’ best sellers have comparable price ranges and come with a starter seed set. For example, C&G sends you three basil plant pods to start your garden while you get a six-pod mixed herb starter kit with the AeroGarden.

Click & Grow vs. AeroGarden Price Comparison

In the pricing category, the most popular model from both brands is about the same – $140. This cost is for the C&G Garden 3 or between $130 to $170 for the AeroGarden Harvest. 

But when comparing these prices, don’t avoid a higher price tag without seeing what that cost will get you. 

For example, while the Harvest can cost nearly $50 more than the Garden, the price increase seems fair when you consider that the Harvest allows you to grow six plants at a time while the Garden only supports three plant pods at a time. If you only want a three-pod hydroponic unit, you can scoop up the AeroGarden Sprout for under a hundred dollars.

Click & Grow vs. AeroGarden Pre-Seed Pods Price Comparison

When debating between the C&G or AeroGarden, it’s wise to consider the upfront cost of the machine. But you also want to compare the pricing of the plant pods, which are necessary to grow plants successfully, with a hydroponic machine.

I prefer that AeroGarden markets their pre-seeded pods, which you can get in mixed packs to grow several plants from one kit. And all seed pods come with a germination guarantee. If your seed pods are defective or don’t grow, you can get a replacement seed pod by contacting the brand.

In terms of variety, Click & Grow beats AeroGarden with over 70 types of seed pods. And you can sign up for a customized subscription. The price per plant pod averages $1.91 to $4.65.

Click & Grow offers a higher range of single-plant pods. In addition, you can choose from over 20 variety packs of plant pods from AeroGarden. They also give you an option to create a custom mix. Breaking it down, you’ll pay $1.85 to $3.32 a plant pod.

Types of Plant Pods by Brand

You can get many of the same plant pods from either smart indoor garden brand. But they will be packaged and sold differently. The seed pods will also look different, which can affect the plant’s success in the future.

AeroGarden makes it easier to grow various plants simultaneously versus the single focus on one plant species from Click & Grow. 

Click & Grow Plant Pod Types

C&G comes in three or nine pod packs for a single plant seed or 9 or 54 packets of mixed seeds. The plant pods are small cylindrical capsules filled with fertilized potting soil – a blend of peat moss with coconut coir – and three to five seeds. 

Or you can buy empty pods – “Grow Anything Indoors” – that you can fill with your choice of seeds. There are more than 70 types of plant seeds, including:

• Leafy greens (22 kinds)
• Culinary herbs (22 categories)
• Veggies and fruits (11 types)
  • Tomatoes (2 mini varieties)
  • Strawberries
  • Peppers (7 varieties)
  • Peas
• Herbal tea
• Ornamental flowers and plants (19 kinds)
  • Petunias (3 colors)
  • Pansies (2 colors)
  • Ferns
  • Grass

AeroGarden Plant Pod Types

AeroGarden plant pods come in a different look and design than C&G pods. AG pods have a cone-shaped plastic wrap – a grow basket – filled with a pre-seeded Canadian Sphagnum peat moss sponge covered by a green label.

Most of AeroGarden’s plant pod packages come in various packs of herbs, tomatoes, flowers, or lettuce plants. There are a few rare single-variety packs. Otherwise, you’d have to choose a Custom Seed Kit.

Most pods are universal to all sizes of AeroGarden machines, except for larger seed pods. You can also get an AeroGarden Grow Anything Kit, which lets you choose unfilled plant pods ready for seeds. 

Plant Pods

Plant pod categories that you get with an AeroGarden are:

• Fresh Tea Kit – Lavender Chamomile, Mint
• Gourmet Herbs Kit – Thyme, Mint, Genovese Basil, Thai Basil, Dill, Curly Parsley
• Herb Lover’s Kit – 4 types of basil and eight culinary herbs)
• Italian Herbs Kit – Thyme, Italian Parsley, Savory, Genovese Basil, Oregano, Mint
• International Basil Kit – Marseille, Napolitano, Lime, Genovese, Thai, others)
• Pesto Kit – Genovese Basil
• Chimichurri Kit – Italian Parsley, Oregano, Cilantro
• Cocktail & Mocktail Herb Blend – Dill, three kinds of Basil, Lavender, Mint 
• Pizza Herb Kit – Thyme, Genovese Basil, Chives, Oregano
• Lots of Lavender – Lavender

There are also 28 Aero herb gardens available for a Custom Herb Kit or 19 plants for Custom Salad Kits. And an impressive variety of lettuce and salad green seed kits:

• Mixed Romaine – Green and Red Romaine Lettuce
• Salad Greens – Green, Butter, Red Leaf, and Romaine Lettuce
• Bok Choi 
• Heirloom Salad Greens – 6 heirloom lettuces
• Mixed Kale – Red Russian, Lacinato/Dinosaur, Curly
• Japanese Greens – Shungiku, Tatsoi, Mizuna
• Swiss Chard – Rainbow 
• Southern Greens – Dinosaur/Dacinato, Collard Greens, Swiss Chard
• Great Greens (only for farm models)
• Salad Bar (farm models only)

AeroGarden also sells vegetable seed kits of peppers and tomatoes:

• Mighty Mini Cherry Tomato 
• Red Heirloom Cherry Tomato
• Jalapeno Pepper
• Golden Harvest Cherry Tomato
• Salsa Garden – Jalapeno, Red Heirloom Cherry Tomato
• Chili Pepper – Red Fire Chilies, Jalapeno, Purple Super Hots
• Sweet Bell Peppers – (bounty and Farm only)
• Jumbo Veggies – Sweet Bell Pepper, Poblano, Mega Cherry Tomato (Bounty and Farm only)
• Fairy Tale Eggplant (Farm and Bounty only)
• Cayenne Pepper (Bounty and Farm only)
• Heirloom Cherry Tomato (Farm models only)
• Salad Bar (Farm Models Only)
• Mega Cherry Tomatoes (Bounty and Farm only)

Want a custom tomato and pepper kit? You can choose from three types of peppers and two tomato varieties. 

In terms of flower seed kits, there is a lower selection of only three kinds – Cascading Petunias, Lots of Lavender, or Mountain Meadow. Or you can create a custom flower seed kit, which gives you a choice of 16 incredibly beautiful flower seeds. Welcome to have a look at their website for more inspiration!

Click and Grow vs. Aerogarden Features Breakdown

I studied these impressive indoor gardening kits to compare how they stack up on crucial selling features. As a result, both brands have earned a superb reputation, although each targets a different demographic.

You can get more accessories with the AeroGarden, like replacement lights, propagator kits, and supplemental water reservoirs. It can handle growing taller plants like tomatoes. But Click & Grow has a more simplistic use that might be better for beginners. It takes the guesswork out of gardening by telling you when and how to care for the plants.

Comparison of Looks – AeroGarden vs. Click & Grow

Since a hydroponics garden like AG or C&G is to grow plants indoors, you’ll likely care about the visual aesthetic. Click & Glow has a more modern look that will appeal to urban life. For example, you can add plant stands to display the machines without taking up counter space. In comparison, the AeroGarden systems look more like kitchen appliances, which can look stylish when left on your counter. 

Both brands share similarities in size. But some significant visual differences also affect the machine’s functionality. 

If you prefer a more tech feel, you might lean towards the aesthetic of the AeroGarden brand. These devices have a more futuristic look with LED light plates, exposed front panel buttons, and an optional front-mounting control panel or screen. You can also get different finishes – stainless, white, or black.

Click & Grow machines have a more minimalist, sleek, clean-lined appearance without buttons and screens. In addition, the smallest versions are ready to use straight out of the box, whereas it can take a couple of steps for AeroGarden due to having an additional pump part and a separate water tank. 

How to Water – Click & Grow and AeroGardens

An important feature to consider when shopping for a hydroponics machine is how easy it is to add water. Water is a substitute for dirt, so your plants won’t survive if you can’t figure out how to fill the machine up.

Both machines contain a water tank at the machine base. However, in terms of cleaning, the C&G tank is easier than AG. This significant feature is due to the main difference in the brands – the pump. AeroGardens smart gardens have a small pump inside the water reservoir, which helps increase oxygen by aerating the water. But this extra part can make cleaning the tank more challenging. 

Click & Grow hydroponic gardens do not have a pump to circulate water – they rely on a passive wicking system. So you’ll have an easier time rinsing and cleaning the tank before replacing it in the base.

Noise Levels – Comparing the AeroGardens and Click & Grow

Due to the pump inside the water tank, AeroGardens tend to make a slight noise while operating. As a result, you may hear a subtle bubbling sound when the pump runs throughout the day, occurring intermittently and lasting a few minutes.

The size of the pump, the loudness, and the frequency that the pump turns on vary by AG model. The Harvest has a 30-minute cycle, with 5 minutes of runtime to 25 minutes of standby.

Since the Click & Glow doesn’t have this extra part, it operates in complete silence, seamlessly blending into the background. 

Adding Fertilization – Click & Grow and AeroGarden

AG and C&G seed pods require fertilizer to grow in water with artificial lighting. But here’s where you need to pay close attention!

Click & Grow seed pods already have a slow-release fertilizer added to the smart soil planting medium. So, you never have to add fertilizer to C&G gardens! 

But you will need to provide a biweekly dose of liquid fertilizer for AeroGarden seed pods. This fertilizer comes included with the plant pods.

Let It Glow – AeroGarden vs. Click & Grow LED Lighting

Both smart gardens rely on 40W LED plant lights to provide the nutrients for indoor-grown plants. And both brands use an adjusting height light stand arm and built-in light timer. 

Where these smart gardens differ is through the brightness and tone of the lights. Click & Glow has warmer-toned bright lights that operate on a 16-hour on/8 hours off built-in cycle. You can customize this schedule on the more expensive models using the Click & Glow app. 

While AeroGarden bulbs are cooler and extra bright. Most models have a light hood with red, white, and blue bulbs for full spectrum lighting. And they automatically go on 15 hours on/9 hours off cycle, customizable on luxury models with the app. 

Energy Consumption – The Shocking AeroGarden vs. Click & Glow Truth

Before you decide on using a smart hydroponic garden, you must consider whether you can afford the maintenance and use. 

Unlike traditional gardens, which use soil and sunlight, C&G and AG require LED lights, which will use electricity and cost money on your power bill. But both brands have low power consumption.

AeroGardens have a 2x to 3x higher wattage use than Click & Glow due to having more intense LED lamps. Another reason is due to the electric water pump. Other things that will affect power usage are additional features and the light schedule.

Smart Control Features – Click & Grow and AeroGarden

High-end models of both AG and C&G can be controlled through brand apps. But this feature is not available for either brand on the lower-priced models. 

Both apps do most of the same features – set customized lighting schedules, feeding and water reminders, and provide crop information. 

Download the Click & Grow app from Apple or Google. You can also get the AeroGarden app in the Google Play Store or Apple shop.

FAQ

Is AeroGarden better than Click and Grow?

The different light bulbs give the AeroGarden hydroponic system a slight advantage over the Click and Grow. However, AeroGarden also has more products and model sizes and styles.

Is there something better than AeroGarden?

There are several other brands of hydroponic growing systems on the market, but none of them have the superior reputation and product range that AeroGarden does. The closest you’ll find to an equal match is the Click and Grow.

Is AeroGarden worth the money?

AeroGarden requires a large investment of money, which may cause many people to hesitate between switching from traditional outdoor soil gardening to indoor hydroponics. But the many benefits you get from an AeroGarden, including how little work there is to get your bounty makes it worth the price you pay. 

How good is Click and Grow?

Click and Grow has several beneficial features that make it a worthy rival brand to AeroGarden. First, both brands were closely matched in many categories, making C & G one of your home’s top hydroponic garden units.

Do AeroGarden pods work in Click and Grow?

AeroGarden pods have a different design than the inner components of Click and Grow. So, you cannot interchange the pods to use in other machines. AeroGarden pods will only work in other AG machines, and the same for the Click and Grow pods, which won’t work in an AG. These pods have very different shapes, sizes, and inner contents.

Which Growing Kit Would You Choose? 

Two of the top hydroponic indoor garden brands are Aerogarden and Click & Grow. Aerogarden has been around for a few years longer than Click and Grow. And these machines have more technological panels, brighter lights, and an electric water pump that consumes two to three times more power than the Click & Grow models.

Click & Grow costs slightly more than Aerogarden machines. But they offer single pod plants with a larger selection of individual plants, whereas Aerogarden only sells plants in packs. In addition, both brands let you choose a custom order pack. 

Overall, the minor differences between these two hydroponic brands suggest that the best one is situational and based on your needs. First, consider the size and style of the machine. Then figure out how many plant pods you’ll want to grow. Light tone and brightness, power consumption, and the types of plants you want to grow will determine which choice is the right one for you. 

But as a personal preference, I give my winning card to Aerogarden, mainly because there is less work for me to remember to do, and there is a larger selection of seed pods.

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