The AeroGarden systems fall into three classifications, each consisting of several models – Harvest, Bounty, and Farm. I suggest the Aerogarden Sprout if you have limited space and only want to grow a few (3) plant pods. Or the Harvest Elite from the Harvest family to grow 6 plants with advanced technology accents. But choose the Bounty Elite for the best model and ability to grow several plants (9) with high-tech features. However, if you need room to grow many plants (24), you’ll want the Farm 24Plus.
Check out the chart for quick stats on these top models of Aerogarden from each category of indoor garden system. But if you want to learn about the features and the various other models in each section, including aerogarden harvest vs. harvest elite, keep scrolling.
| AeroGarden model | Number of plants | Top Height of Lamp Arm | Size (Depth x Width x Height in inches) | Light wattage (LED) |
| Sprout | 3 | 10 inches | 11 x 5 x 15.5 | 10 |
| Harvest Elite | 6 | 12 inches | 7.5 x 10.75 x 17 | 20 |
| Bounty Elite | 9 | 24 inches | 11 x 16 x 21 | 45 |
| Farm 24Plus | 24 | 24 inches | 12 x 36 x 22 | 60 |
| Farm 12XL | 12 | 36 inches | 14 X 36 x 45.5 | 60 |
Here we should list all the aerogardens that are “Best for X”. This will act as our ‘Table of Contents’, so to speak.
- Best Overall – AeroGarden Bounty Basic
- Best Compact Model – AeroGarden Sprout
- Best for Small Budgets – AeroGarden Harvest
- Best for Herbs – AeroGarden Harvest Elite
- Unusual Shape – AeroGarden Harvest Elite 360
- Best Luxury Model – AeroGarden Bounty Elite
- Best Large Capacity – Farm 24Plus
- Best for Tall Plants– AeroGarden Farm 12 XL
- Best for Biggest Model– AeroGarden Farm 24 XL
Best Overall – AeroGarden Bounty Basic
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The Bounty Basic is the perfect device to incorporate into your household to provide plenty of year-round fresh harvest for families of all sizes. Basic operating features make it easy to use without a learning curve, an app, or Alexa capabilities. But it does provide advanced features like low water and liquid food reminders, automated light cycles, and vacation mode.
The most noticeable physical differences between the Bounty Basic and its updated relative, the Bounty Elite, are a black matte finish body and the absence of a touchscreen. In addition, the Basic’s light bulb power limit is 30 watts and adjustable up to 24 inches tall.
You can grow more vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the nine pod slots. And the hi-resolution panel allows for simple user operation. In addition, a large water reservoir reduces the need for refills for longer hands-off operations.
Key Features
Number of pods: 9
Maximum plant height: 24 inches
Light wattage: 30 watts
Dimensions: 17.25 W x 34” D x 11.25 H
Material: Matte metal finish
Water tank size: 1.1 gallons (4.1 L or 4.3 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The Bounty Basic can be a great choice for the AeroGarden hydroponic system to use for the food needs of up to four people. It offers automated processes for less maintenance and effort and can tolerate larger plants for a more diverse garden offering. And the lack of advanced tech features makes this model excellent for beginners, younger users, and those less experienced with technology.
Best Compact Model – AeroGarden Sprout
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The Sprout is the smallest hydroponics system offered by AeroGardens. It gives the ability to grow three small plants in a sleek modern stature without having to learn advanced skills or invest a lot of time or energy.
A black finish and small size create an almost sci-fi appeal that you can fit into any compact space. And the simple single soft button operation allows you to adjust the lights and the food reminders. The ease of use is perfect for all experience levels and ages.
However, you can only adjust the full spectrum light up to 10 inches, and the bulbs are only 10 watts. So, you won’t be able to use this model for most plants. Short herbs like parsley, basil, and dill are the best things to grow in an AeroGarden of this size.
Key Features
Number of pods: 3
Maximum plant height: 10 inches
Light wattage: 10
Dimensions: 11 x 5 x 15.5
Material: matte
Water tank size: 0.3 gallons (1.1 liters or 1.2 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The AeroGarden Sprout can be an excellent starter model if you want to see what it’s like to grow plants indoors using hydroponics without investing much money and time into a large system. It can also be the perfect choice for a single person concerned about the amount of space needed for a hydroponics system. And the ease of use makes it the best model for inexperienced and younger users.
Best for Small Budgets – AeroGarden Harvest
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There are a few simple differences between the AeroGarden Harvest vs. Harvest Elite. However, the AeroGarden Harvest is the top basic choice when you need an indoor hydroponics system for average-sized plants while shopping on a budget.
This Harvest model has no advanced bells or whistles, meaning zero learning curve. Instead of a touchscreen interface, this hydroponics case has a simple touch-button operation, although you get the advantage of the buttons having illumination for easier viewing.
The basic features mean that you must remember to refill the large water tank as needed and add fertilizer. But, although basic, this model does send alert reminders when you need to give your plants attention. And it controls the timer that runs the operation of the automatic 20W light for unmonitored day and night cycles.
Key Features
Number of pods: 6
Maximum plant height: adjustable up to 12 inches
Light wattage: 20W
Dimensions: 10.5 W x 6 D x 17.4 H
Material: Matte
Water tank size:
Who Is It for?
The AeroGarden Harvest can be the ideal starter countertop hydroponics system to experiment with growing plants with water and air, like herbs and short veggies. The simple user interface and non-technical functions make this model ideal for users of all ages, and the slim design can fit all kitchen spaces. In addition, you can get enough year-round harvest for medium-sized households.
Best for Herbs – AeroGarden Harvest Elite
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The Harvest Elite is the luxury model of the Harvest, meaning it has extra features that make it pricier and more automated. For example, you can navigate with the user-friendly touchscreen control panel and get alerts for low water and nutrients.
This hydroponics system can grow six individual plants. The ability to adjust the 20W lights to accommodate 12-inch specimens makes the Elite excellent for growing herbs, flowers, or wide plants like lettuce and greens. You can also start plants that you’ll transfer outside later.
And the slim size and stainless steel finish in your choice of four colors mean it can look good anywhere you put it. Although with the bright lights that run up to 16 hours a day, you may want to find a place that won’t be in constant direct line of sight.
Key Features
Number of pods: 6
Maximum plant height: 12 inches
Light wattage: 20 watts
Dimensions: 7.5 x 10.75 x 17
Material: stainless steel with four color choices
Water tank size: 0.7 gallons (2.6 L or 2.75 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The Harvest Elite is the top-of-the-line hydroponics model for growing six plants under 12 inches tall for a small-capacity herb or starter garden for outdoor flowers and plants. This aerogarden herbs hydroponics system size can produce enough harvest to serve two to four people. In addition, the advanced reminders and automated light cycle reduce the work you’ll have to put in to get a bountiful harvest, making it good for all experience levels.
Unusual Shape – AeroGarden Harvest Elite 360
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The Elite 360 is available in the Harvest and Bounty models. They share the same features as the Elite versions, including a thin, streamlined 20-watt (Harvest) LED light hood, a large water reservoir, and an LCD control panel.
You can grow six plants simultaneously with the Harvest 360 or the Harvest or Elite. The main difference is that the 360 has a round, streamlined shape rather than the traditional rectangular look.
The full spectrum grow light adjusts to accommodate plants up to twelve inches tall. And there are two pre-programmed light cycles – 12/12 or 6/18, controlled by a push button. In addition, vacation mode will automatically provide the right watering and lighting needs, and alerts warn you when it’s time to add water or plant food.
Key Features
Number of pods: 6
Maximum plant height: 12″
Light wattage: 20-watt
Dimensions: 17.4″ H x 9.25″ D x 9.25″ W
Material: stainless steel
Water tank size: 0.7 gallons (2.6 L or 2.75 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The round design of the compact 360 models makes them the exact companion to put on a kitchen island, your table, or tucked into the corner of your counter. In addition, the low height and small pod capacity make this model suitable for growing fresh herbs and dwarf plants.
Best Luxury Model – AeroGarden Bounty Elite
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The newest technologically upgraded hydroponics model AeroGarden is the Bounty Elite, the luxury model of the Bounty line. You can also check out the luxury Bounty Elite Artisan model. Designed for large plants, this model includes a trellis for growing nine taller plants that need support, like peppers or tomatoes. But if growing larger plants, it’s best to leave pod slots open in between for the plants to spread.
It has automated reminders, a touch screen panel, WiFi capabilities, and Alexa compatibility for operation via an app or voice device. And there’s also a stainless steel body in three colors with an adjustable 24-inch tall 50-watt automatic light. You can control the sequence that toggles between sunrise and sunset for the fastest plant growth. And you can also adjust the dimness of the lighting to meet your plants’ preferences.
This indoor growing system can support up to nine plants at once – vegetables or herbs. And to keep your plants healthy and to bloom all year round, it comes with pre-measured Miracle-Gro liquid plant food. You can also activate vacation mode to keep your plants safe if you’re away for an extended time.
Key Features
Number of pods: 9
Maximum plant height: 24″
Light wattage: 50-watt
Dimensions: 34″ H x 11.25″ D x 17.25″ W
Material: stainless steel
Water tank size: 1.1 gallons (4.1 L or 4.3 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The Bounty Elite’s ability to grow nine 24-inch tall plants makes it an excellent model to provide all the fresh produce needed for a two-to-four person household. The advanced technological features, like vacation mode, automatic alerts, WiFi and smart abilities, and touchscreen, also means this model is for the tech-savvy who needs a device that allows most hands-off growing. It can also be the ideal choice for people who need the ability to grow taller, heavier plants.
Best Large Capacity – Farm 24Plus
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Most standard-size households won’t need the large capacity abilities of the Farm 24Plus (or the Farm 24Basic or the Farm 24XL), which can grow up to 24 plants simultaneously in the 12-pod bowls. You can position these bowls side by side or hang them vertically to save space with the stacking bracket (not included). But the versatility of what plants you can grow make this model a great choice when you want to produce a versatile range of plants, including taller specimens.
We love that this Farm can grow larger-sized plants – up to 24 inches (36 with the XL). And you can adjust the two independent 60W LED grow lights to go along with the size of your plants on either row. The lights are dimmable and automated, and you can activate nutrient and low water reminders and a vacation mode.
The Farm allows you to grow various plant types to replace a full outdoor food garden in a sturdy steel frame with magnetic trellis supports. And you also get advanced features like a touchscreen display, WiFi, voice, and app control. But the unit size can be problematic for tight areas since it’s too large to place on a counter or surface.
Key Features
Number of pods: 24
Maximum plant height: 24 inches
Light wattage: 60 watts (two lights)
Dimensions: 36″ W x 34″ H x 14″ D
Material: matte
Water tank size: 2 gallons (7.6 L or 8 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The AeroGarden Farm 24Plus system can be ideal for growing a large selection of taller plants with full technological assistance. With the ability to grow up to 24 plants at once, you can create a full garden of various foods to feed a large household of more than four people. But you can also use this growing station to produce or start several colorful flowers, large vegetables, and smaller fruits simultaneously to replace a full outdoor garden.
Best for Tall Plants – AeroGarden Farm 12 XL
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The AeroGarden Farm 12 XL is our favorite recommendation if you want to grow a smaller assortment of taller plants like tomatoes, fruit bushes, and flowers.
This hydroponics system can hold 12 plants that grow up to three feet in height. But you can also stack the tall narrow trellises for a vertical garden to save floor space for small spaces.
The rest of the features are the same as the Farm 24, including the ability to monitor and control the features via an app and WiFi, vacation mode, automatic alerts, and a two-gallon water tank size that you will need to refill bimonthly or every three weeks, and plant feed.
Key Features
Number of pods: 12
Maximum plant height: 36 inches
Light wattage: 60 watts
Dimensions:
Material: Matte
Water tank size: 2 gallons (7.6 L or 8 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The Farm 12 XL can be a great addition to any household where you want the ability to grow taller plants but don’t want to develop a lot of different plants. This unit should provide enough for a two-person to a four-person household.
Best for Biggest Model – AeroGarden Farm 24 XL
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The Farm 24XL is one of the only models of AeroGarden that allows you to grow large tall plants up to three feet (36 inches). There’s enough room for up to 24 plants in two separate bowls. You will need an area with enough space to place the growing unit when the bowls rest side by side. Or you can use a trellis to grow the plants stacked over each other.
You get two adjustable 60-watt super-thin LED lights that operate on an automatic daytime to a nighttime sequence that you can customize. The touchscreen control panel or the app can also change the light dimness. Unfortunately, the control panel is awkwardly placed at the top of the device, which can be a challenge to access if you put the unit on an elevated platform like a bench or table.
Although you can grow up to 24 plants, you can also leave some pods open to use larger plants. But it also requires regular maintenance and pruning of the plants so the roots of the bigger plants don’t cause clogs to the pump or filter or get tangled with other plant roots.
Key Features
Number of pods: 24
Maximum plant height: 36 inches
Light wattage: two 60 watts
Dimensions: 36” W x 14” D x 45.5” H
Material: Matte
Water tank size: 2 gallons (7.6 L or 8 quarts)
Who Is It for?
The larger setup, advanced features, and regular maintenance make the Farm24XL best for gardeners with experience using hydroponic growing systems to have an indoor garden for a year-round harvest. The ability to produce multiple plants is probably too much for a single user or a duo. Reserve this option for larger households, professional uses like restaurants or homemade goods, or when you want a massive bounty of fresh goods. Welcome to browse the AeroGarden store and all the products using the button below.
What Is an AeroGarden System?
AeroGarden is the brand name of a modern indoor hydroponics growing system. This garden system allows you to grow outdoor plants inside your home without using dirt or having to plant your specimens in pots or on the ground.
The basis of all AeroGardens is that they use water as the growing medium for their plants. The water contains minerals and nutrients that provide the necessary components normally delivered through the dirt.
Models in the Harvest and Bounty categories are compact enough to fit onto a counter or table. But the Farm series AeroGardens are larger models that rest on the floor and offer a vertical garden that reduces how much floor space it uses.
How Do AeroGarden Indoor Growing Systems Work?
Hydroponic systems like AeroGarden make growing a healthy, plentiful garden as easy as a few steps. Once you insert the seed pods into the AeroGarden tank, there’s nothing to do until the machine alerts for water refills or adds the included fertilizers.
The name AeroGarden refers to the type of hydroponics this device uses – aeroponics. Simply put, instead of covering the roots with dirt, the roots rest in the air. Mist nozzles below the plants provide nutrients as a spray at assigned intervals as controlled by a pressure pump. And once the excess moisture falls off the plants, it recycles back into the water reservoir for reuse.
While the water reservoir and sprinklers keep the plants healthy below, LED growth lighting takes care of the top half. Every AeroGarden has built-in bulbs that distribute a full spectrum of lighting. The height of these lights will affect the size of plants you can grow.
Setting up your AeroGarden takes minutes and a few simple steps. But, no matter your gardening experience, you can have germinated seeds in 7 to 14 days with bounty ready for harvest within 4 to 6 weeks. And your plants will continue producing for at least six months.
Features of an AeroGarden System
There are several significant features to learn about the AeroGarden System.
Seed Pods
One of the main features of AeroGarden systems is the pre-planted seed pods. These pods come with an outer cone-shaped plastic basket that contains a peat moss soil sponge and non-GMO seeds.
These pods do not have any pesticides or herbicides, making the plants 100% safe and organic. They’ve also been pretreated with a portion of liquid plant food that guarantees your seeds will germinate within 7 to 14 days or your money back.
You can get several seed pod kits, including empty pods that allow for growing seeds that you provide. Most of the seed pods are compatible with all brands of AeroGarden, except for several larger plants like tomatoes, peppers, or fruiting plants. These will need to grow in the Farm category of devices.
LED Lighting
AeroGarden’s full spectrum LED lighting ensures your plants get the right light exposure that promotes growth up to five times faster than plants grown in the sun. The wattage depends on the model, ranging from 30 to 60 watts.
These grow lights are white daylight LEDs that speed up growth, red LEDs that encourage better flowers and fruiting, and blue lighting that increases yield. And these colored LEDs will maintain an optimal temperature based on the specific plant’s preferences without getting too hot and harming the plants.
The larger Farm series of AeroGardens have two lights to cover the larger number of plants. But the Harvest and the Bounty models come with a single lighting set. The luxury models of these categories also allow you to adjust the lighting to different heights to account for the plant height.
Water Reservoir and Nozzles
The water reservoir is one of the most crucial components of an AeroGarden machine. Without this tank, you aren’t using hydroponics.
The water tank size will vary by model, with all of them being large enough that you don’t have to do frequent refills. You can usually wait to refill the tank every two to three weeks.
Because your plants rely on water for their nutrients, keeping the water clean and fresh is important. Changing the water in your AeroGarden machine every four to six weeks is recommended, usually when it’s time to feed your plants with the included liquid plant food.
Automated Features
Most models can set the light operation for an automatic cycle to replicate day and night hours. They can even send alerts when you need to attend to your machine or plants.
The AeroGarden makes it easier to keep your plants healthy by reminding you when it’s time to add fertilizer. It will also alert you when the tank needs water added.
With the Elite models that connect to WiFi, you can monitor and control the growing conditions with automated processes. Some let you click through an app, and others allow you to use your voice. You can even set vacation mode, which takes care of your plants for up to two weeks.
FAQ
Is the AeroGarden worth it?
Several benefits make the AeroGarden worth the money you spend. The ease of growing plants without the risk of killing them, the reduced work and risk of pests, diseases, and labor, and the break your wallet gets having to buy fresh produce make up for the system’s price.
What is the newest AeroGarden model?
The newest AeroGarden models are the Bounty Elite and the Harvest Elite.
Which AeroGarden is best for lettuce?
We found the Harvest Elite to be the best model for growing spreading plants like lettuce and other wide-leafy plants.
Which AeroGarden is best for tomatoes?
Tomatoes grow best in the farmer series of AeroGarden plants due to being able to support taller plants.
Which AeroGarden is best for herbs?
The Harvest Elite is also a great hydroponics model for growing herbs, although you can grow herbs easily in any model, including the Sprout, basic Harvest, and Bounty models.
What is the difference between the AeroGardens?
The main difference between the different AeroGarden models is that there are four families – Harvest, Bounty, Farm, and Sprout. Then there are several models within the first three classes – the Elite, the Elite 360, and the Elite Artisan. This means that there are advanced features like touchscreen control panels, WiFi capabilities, and automated services.
Which Product Is for You?
The most user friendly option, and the overall crowd pleaser seems to be the AeroGarden Bounty Basic. No matter what stage you are in your green journey, by the sounds of things this beauty won’t cause too much confusion while still allowing for abundant offerings. The Elite version of Bounty is a natural step up. Not to forget the XL options available for those wanting to have an ever growing shrubbery. Whatever floats your mini jungle ideas there is something out there for everyone!
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