Forget Farm to Table — These Indoor Gardens Will Have You Growing Fresh, Healthy Veggies Right in Your Kitchen

Seed starting, as I mentioned, is intimidating for me. So when I heard about the LetPot Seed Starter, I was intrigued. This setup comes with a tray and lid, soil plugs, a heated base, and a grow light.

To start, you fill the tray with water, drop the soil plugs into the tray, and add your seeds (which aren’t included). The LetPot has app connectivity, which lets you monitor the soil temperature. It also has automated settings based on what plants you’re hoping to grow. I chose basil and mint.

The seeds began to sprout in about five days, at which point I removed the cover. The soil plugs are a bit difficult to dig into; they come with divots, but if you want to cover your seeds, it’s helpful to have a little gardening soil on hand to sprinkle on top. I was initially skeptical of the moisture levels, but so far, my seedlings are growing steadily, with no signs of wilting or rot.

You do have to purchase new soil plugs after using up what comes with the set. (Regular gardening soil would become too waterlogged.) And eventually you have to transplant your seedlings to a new container. But if you’re just starting out, and you love the instant feedback provided by the app, this is a fun way to test out your indoor gardening skills.

When I first assembled my Lettuce Grow Farmstand, my immediate thought was that it looked like something from The Jetsons. The vertical hydroponic tower can hold up to 36 plants (I opted for the 24-plant version) while taking up just a few square feet of floor space. That makes it one of the highest-capacity systems we tested. It can be used indoors with Lettuce Grow's Glow Rings or outdoors in a sunny location. Plus, its modular design lets you start small and add tiers over time, if you wish.

Unlike many countertop systems that are limited to herbs and lettuce, the Farmstand can support everything from leafy greens to tomatoes, peppers, and beans. (The dwarf tomato plants are, frankly, adorable.) I also appreciated that the seedlings arrive partially grown in small plugs that are ready to insert into the stand, which takes some of the uncertainty out of getting started. Once established, the recirculating hydroponic system requires relatively little day-to-day attention beyond monitoring water and pH levels and adding nutrients. (I made it part of my Wednesday morning routine.)

I started harvesting lettuces within four weeks, and since then have enjoyed a ready supply of leafy greens along with parsley, dill, and cilantro. The growth rate has been impressive; plants I started at the same time and planted outdoors are about half the size of the hydroponic ones. I also like that the water recirculates every hour on the hour; it’s like having a grandfather clock, with gently gurgling water rather than a Westminster chime.

There are inevitably a few trade-offs. Assembly took me a while to figure out, and the system becomes extremely difficult to move once the 20-gallon (gal) reservoir is filled. (You’ll probably want to spring for the dolly.) It’s also one of the most expensive options we tested. But if you want to harvest enough produce to actually supplement your grocery shopping, the Farmstand is a choice that truly impressed me.

Of course, water itself doesn’t have the nutrients needed to sustain growing plants indefinitely. That’s where Click & Grow’s pre-seeded pods come in; they contain the nutrients your plants need, so you don’t have to add fertilizer or measure the pH. Once you set up the shelving, which comes with a grow light, you pop the pre-seeded pods in. It comes with nine basil, nine green lettuce, and nine mini tomato plants, hence the “27.” Then you wait for them to grow. You could be gathering your first harvest in as little as a couple weeks.

“I love the basket design of this indoor garden,” says Scully, who tested three Click & Grows. “It was super-easy to get things growing quickly, and it looked super-cute in the corner of my kitchen.”

There's a trade-off, though: You can’t fill it with your own growing media. Instead, you have to use Click & Grow’s pods. You’ll also have to make sure you remember to water it, because this one doesn’t come with an app to remind you, like other indoor gardens. But for a growing system that’s attractive and almost beginner-proof, it’s hard to go wrong with this one.

If you love tech and plants, you’ve come to the right place. Gardyn’s Studio 2 setup uses cameras and sensors to gather information about your plants. The info is compiled in the app, where you can be alerted to the plants’ watering, lighting, and nutrient needs. The vertical design means you get a higher yield without taking up quite so much space.

The Studio 2 supports a wide variety of plants. Plus, the latest version has a sunrise/sunset light setting to create a transition that mimics natural lighting conditions. One caveat: You need a subscription to access all of the app’s features and to purchase refill seed pods.

For a more traditional soil-based setup, the Vego Garden EZ Self-Watering Herb Planter covers all the basics. It’s set up more like a window box and has a reservoir underneath that you fill with water. As the plants mature, their root systems wick up the water, giving them just the amount they need. A small indicator rises or falls with your water level, so it’s easy to see at a glance if the Vego Garden needs to be topped off.

The setup doesn’t come with seeds, soil, or a grow light. But you can pull the drain plug and convert it to an outdoor planter, if you wish. I filled mine with potting soil and started some basil seeds. While I initially worried that the soil wasn’t providing enough moisture, the instructions said this could take a couple of days, and they were correct.

I like that I can see when the water levels are low. And now, my seedlings are several inches tall and just about ready to start acclimating to the outdoors. If you want a no-frills setup that lets you move your herbs indoors or out as needed, this is our top choice.

If you want an indoor garden that’s capable of producing full salads as opposed to snips of fresh herbs, you might like the Rise Gardens 3 Indoor Garden. According to the company, its three-tiered model can produce as much as 40 pounds (lbs) of produce a month.

The hydroponic system constantly recirculates, which makes a soothing background noise like that of a fish tank. The powerful full-spectrum grow lights can accommodate not only leafy greens, but herbs and vegetables as well. The app lets you know when water levels are low or nutrients need to be added. It also provides guidance on planting and harvesting.

The Rise takes up quite a bit of space. But you also don’t have to use Rise’s seed pods and growing medium. Plus, you have the ability to grow a truly impressive harvest from inside your own home.

“This finally made me feel like I could actually grow my own fresh veggies,” says Scully, who tested an earlier version of the Rise. “I love buying fresh produce in the summer, but this made it easy to do it all year long — and it even allowed me to teach my 6-year-old son a little about gardening and the importance of eating fresh veggies.”

My first thought when I saw this setup was that it was like a bar cart, only for plants. Vego Garden’s Two-Tier Grow Light Garden comes with two sets of LED grow lights and is made of sturdy metal shelving. It has wheels so you can move it around. (That’s nice if you need to get closer to a power source.)

This is more of a setup for plants; you need to provide containers, soil, and the plants themselves. It has no app connectivity, but you can tap the lights to cycle through settings, including seedlings, greens, fruit, herbs, houseplants, and microgreens. The two-tier setup also means you can support two types of plants at once.

It was quite easy to assemble (it took me less than an hour), and the grow lights attach via magnets. It also comes with little magnetic cord-keepers to help minimize unsightly cords. The whole setup is sleek and stylish. If you want a system that isn’t an eyesore and has an eclectic collection of indoor plants, this is a great option.

If you like the idea of a countertop garden and you don’t want to miss out on app connectivity, the ēdn SmallGarden provides an excellent compromise. The wood and galvanized-aluminum body give the ēdn a warmth that indoor garden systems often lack. And the app lets you set grow light timing, sends water alerts, and provides growing advice.

The SmallGarden uses a pod system, and each unit can fit up to 10 pre-seeded pods. While it won’t provide big yields, it’s not meant to. It’s made for the indoor gardener who wants a snip of this and a stem of that, all without taking up too much precious counter or shelf space.

“This was definitely the prettiest of the indoor gardens I tested,” says Scully. “The sleek wood design made it almost look like a piece of art. Plus, I could either use the pre-seeded pods or plant my own seeds in unseeded pods; I liked that flexibility.”

The SmallGarden is an attractive, compact piece that’s great for ensuring you always have, for example, some fresh basil on hand. One caveat: While you can use your own seeds, you need to purchase one of ēdn’s “Plant Your Own Seedpods” in order to do so.

If your gardening space consists mainly of a kitchen countertop, the Auk Mini 1, with its petite footprint and attractive design, might be the indoor garden that will turn that dark corner into a miniature, herb oasis. The hydroponic garden has its own grow light, and it comes with coco fiber, nutrients, and basil and parsley seeds. It’s self-watering via a tank built into the base, and it’s just the right size for growing one or two herbs at a time.

Scully tested the Auk, and she loved that this was the only indoor garden that felt like a true garden. “It came with dirt and seeds, though I could also plant my own seeds if I preferred. I also liked that the garden adjusts easily, so you can raise the grow light as your plants grow.”

We also like that you don’t have to use Auk’s growing media or seeds; according to the company, you can even grow cuttings or full-sized plants in its system. The Auk Mini 1 is expensive, and if you’re looking for a big harvest, you’ll need something bigger. But it’s a great choice if you’re short on space and don’t want to miss out on growing your own herbs.