If you are considering getting an Aerogarden, and you are not sure what kind of model to get, then this guide may be helpful. This AeroGarden Buying Guide will tell you everything you need to know about all of the different models on the market, their pros and cons, and how each one can fit into your lifestyle.

What is an AeroGarden?

Simply put, an AeroGarden is an all-in-one indoor hydroponic garden. Using hydroponics technology and LED grow lights, the AeroGarden provides an ideal environment for plants to grow, providing light, water, and nutrients. According to the makers themselves, plants grown in the AeroGarden can grow up to five times faster than those grown the old fashioned way, in the dirt!

The best thing about the AeroGarden is that it makes the entire process of hydroponic gardening simple and easy for anyone to use. By following just a few simple steps of watering them and feeding them liquid plant food, you can expect to see some homegrown herbs, fruits, and vegetables within a few short weeks or months.

Can you live solely on AeroGarden food?

Can it replace buying produce at the grocery store?

I’m afraid I have to be very frank with you on this one. The AeroGarden is a hobby garden. It’s great for getting started into hydroponic gardening, or perhaps gardening in general. But on its own, I’m afraid it is not a viable way to live indefinitely.

Unless you have a dozen of these things sitting in a large basement growing loads of nutrient-dense veggies, it is still easier to just go to the grocery store and buy what you need. All that talk you may hear from them about 100% sustainability or off-grid living on these things is just marketing at best, and blatant lies at worst.

That being said, if you love plants, and you feel that you will get a lot of enjoyment out of gardening, then this is where you’ll find value in an AeroGarden. In my experience, it was a lot of fun to be able to grow a plant in a little cup with minimal effort, and to be honest, it did provide an easy source of fresh herbs that would otherwise have me going to the grocery store for just one thing.

If you feel passionate about gardening, then only you can put a price on this hobby.

I hope that paragraph didn’t sound too harsh, but I felt that it was important to get that out of the way before you consider setting up an indoor garden. 

The Many Different AeroGarden models

Of all the different models of Aerogarden out there, they all fall into 1 of 2 different types of models: countertop models and floor models. Obviously, the countertop models are smaller, and can be placed on a table or a kitchen counter. Floor models, as their names suggest, are large, bulky models that are better suited to a different spot in your home, and they are large enough to grow a bigger variety of plants. They’ve pretty much made something for everyone!

When it comes to cost, size truly matters and you really do get what you pay for. The cheapest and smallest models can only grow a small number of plants, whereas the large expensive models can grow up to 2 dozen plants. As I mentioned earlier, it might be in your best interest to put a price on how passionate you feel about hydroponic gardening in general. If you think you only need a few herbs once in a while, it would be pointless to buy the biggest one out there.

At a glance, here is a list of all the AeroGarden models as of writing. I’ve organized the models from smallest to largest (that is, the number of pods/plants that can grow in a unit), so feel free to keep reading for more details on each:

• Herbie
• Sprout
• Harvest
  • Harvest 360
  • Harvest Slim
• Harvest Elite
  • Harvest Elite Slim
  • Harvest Elite 360
• Harvest XL
• Bounty
  • Bounty Basic
  • Bounty Elite
• Farm
  • Farm 12
  • Farm 12XL
  • Farm 24Basic
  • Farm 24Plus
  • Farm 24XL

Herbie

The AeroGarden Herbie is the smallest countertop model, designed with kids in mind. It has 2 growing pods and about 6″ of growing height, making it just the right height to grow simple herbs like basil and oregano. Not gonna lie, if you are thinking of getting into hydroponic gardening, you may want to consider skipping this one; it is way too small for starting the hobby. However, if you have kids who are interested in gardening, or plants in general, this might be a great way to introduce them to indoor gardening.

Sprout

The AeroGarden Sprout is essentially your standard entry-level model, with only 3 grow pods and a 10″ growing height. This model is just the right size for a small kitchen or office, or perhaps a college dorm.

One big con to this model is its size; at only 10 inches of growing height, you will be very limited in what you could grow. Large plants like tomatoes or peppers will not be able to grow to their full potential, meaning the Sprout may only be good for herbs and leafy greens.

Honestly, if you have doubts on whether or not hydroponic gardening is right for you, then this may be the cheapest way to try things out before considering a larger model. It fits on pretty much any countertop, so if you’d like an easy place to keep some fresh herbs available for cooking, then this is a good budget option.

Harvest

The AeroGarden Harvest is their most popular model, not only boasting 6 pods and 12″ of space for plants to grow, but has the greatest variety in model sizes and features. This was my first ever model, and in my opinion, a good starting point for those who are serious about indoor hydroponic gardening.

There are 3 different versions of the base Harvest model; the standard rectangular model, a round 360 model, and the Slim model. All of them have the same number of pods and growing height, so it is best to pick the one that best fits inside your home.

Harvest Elite

If you have the money to spend, the Harvest Elite is a “premium” option to consider. Functionally, it still has the same 6-pod capacity and growing height as the base Harvest model. The only difference between the base model and the Elite, is that this one has a stainless steel finish and a LCD display that has a few customizable features such as vacation mode, a plant food countdown timer,  a time schedule for lights, and a counter that tracks how many days have passed since you started your garden.

Just like the base model, the Harvest Elite line has 3 different versions to choose from; the original rectangular model, the round 360 model, and the Slim model. Once again, they all have the same pod capacity, so it is just a matter of picking the one that best suits your living space.

The only real drawback to the Elite is that you are paying more for convenience features and a shiny appearance, both of which plants could care less about. The Elite model won’t enhance the growth of your plants any better than the base model, so if you want something practical and you don’t care about looks, then it’s best to go with the base Harvest model.

Harvest XL

The Harvest XL is an interesting hybrid of the Bounty and the Harvest models. It still has 6 pods, but it has an 18″ growing height, allowing for plants to grow to a much larger size. If you really like peppers and tomatoes, this is a good way to get started with trying to grow them to maturity.

Bounty

The largest countertop model is the AeroGarden Bounty, packing 9 growing pods and a whopping 24″ of height for plants to grow. Previous models were great for growing herbs and leafy greens, but with the extra height provided by the Bounty, this is where you can start growing larger plants like tomatoes and peppers. In fact, a trellis system is included with the Bounty to ensure that tall plants are supported as they grow larger.

Bounty Elite

Just like the Harvest line that came before, there is an Elite model for the Bounty. Unlike the cosmetic difference between the two, the Bounty Elite actually has an extra feature that justifies the higher price tag.

And that is the grow lights. The Elite provides 50W of power out of its LED lights, whereas the base Bounty model only has 30W (for comparison, the Harvest only has 20W). This extra power makes it ideal for plants that need a lot of light.

The Bounty Elite also has a touchscreen for its LCD display, making it just a little easier to manage the settings on your AeroGarden.

Farm

Lastly, we have the Farm line of AeroGarden systems. These are much larger than the countertop models, and as such, they were designed to sit on the floor. They were also made for bigger families and semi-professional hydroponic growers. All Farm models have the same LCD touchscreen features of the Bounty model.  Just like the Harvest, there are a variety of different models, with the only difference being the size of each one. They also have 60W grow light panels that can be adjusted up and down to best provide your garden with the most light.  They also come with an adjustable magnetic trellis, allowing for support for larger plants.

There are two different sizes of Farm models in terms of floor space; a 12-pod model and the 24-pod model. If you get the 24 pod model (aka the Farm24), it has two separate grow light panels, allowing you to effectively grow 2 farms at the same time! 

One of the big features is the stackable design of each Farm model. With the right tools and accessories (sold separately), the Farm models can be built on top of each other, allowing you to take advantage of vertical space to grow even more plants.

Farm 12

The cheapest of all the Farm models, this one has 12 growing spaces and a growing height of 12 inches, making it about the same as a Harvest model.

Farm 12XL

If you like peppers and tomatoes, the AeroGarden Farm has a very tall model as indicated with the XL in the name. These ones have 36 inches of growing height, which makes them a great idea for growing tall plants to maturity. Just like the cheapest Farm model, it only has 12 pods for growing.

Farm 24Basic

The Farm 24Basic is the first model I bought myself. This one is very similar to that of the Farm model, where the grow height is at most 12 inches. However, it has 24 grow pods, meaning you can grow a large number of herbs and greens, and even has enough room to grow 4 larger plants such as tomatoes or peppers.

Farm 24Plus

The Farm 24Plus, just like the 24Basic model, can grow up to 24 plants. However, it also has a 24 inch growing height, which makes it the “Bounty” of the Farm models. This makes this model ideal for growing larger plants with minimal pruning. Not surprising, it is taller as a result.

Farm 24XL

Lastly, we have the big one. Just like the Farm 12XL, it has a whopping 36 inches of growing height. And with 24 pods, you essentially have all the space you need to grow large vegetables to maturity, and you might even have enough room to grow some vining plants, provided you have a trellis system set up.

The biggest con of this one, is the cost. It costs a crazy high amount for what it can do. The XL Farm models are only good for growing large plants, so if you only care about herbs and leafy greens, then you will definitely want to skip this one. By this point, if you have the money to afford an AeroGarden Farm, you might be able to build your own hydroponic garden for much cheaper, but that is a post for another day.

Overall, the AeroGarden Farm models are the most expensive models when it comes to indoor hydroponic gardening. They take up a decent amount of floor space, so this model is best suited for those who are seriously invested in indoor gardening. The modular nature of these units means that you could establish a “vertical garden” inside your home.

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So there you have it; a comprehensive look at all of the many AeroGarden models out there.

In the end, any of them will provide you a place to grow plants indoors, all year round. With a few exceptions, they all fit on your kitchen counter, making it an easy way to access fresh herbs and veggies when you need them. When it comes to choosing a model, it’s best to base your decision on your needs, living space, budget, and your overall passion for gardening.

I hope this guide was helpful for you.

Until next time, wherever you live in the world, have fun and happy gardening!