Everyone thinks getting into Hydroponics is hard and takes a ton of money.
..Which is a total lie.
Our goal here at henrys-hydroponics.com is to allow everyone to start this wonderful hobby.
Our buyer’s guide below goes over some options that will allow you to get started with growing your vegetables FAST.
We know it’s intimidating, but taking the first step into a new hobby is always the hardest!
Best overall hydroponic system: The AeroGarden Bounty Elite
There’s really no debate.
The AeroGarden Bounty Elite has a digital display, a dimmable LED light that can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times, and a wide variety of accessories and equipment to ensure the long-term health and happiness of six plants.
It is also compatible with smart home technology such as Alexa.
Along with its sleek design, the Bounty Elite can grow up to 9 different vegetable, flower, or herb varieties at once, making it our best overall hydroponic system.
Helping you find the best hydroponic system for your vegetables
Hydroponic systems, with their well-designed features and sturdy construction, allow you to quickly grow flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables for your tea, cooking, and selling needs.
Hydroponics is actually pretty profitable.
We’ve been in this business a long time, tried and tested more hydroponic systems than we can count.
Below are our recommendations on a variety of products to help ensure you’re using the best of the best, considering things like user-friendliness, design, capacity, and so on.
Our top picks, highlighted below, include a digital display to monitor the development of your seedlings.
They also have other valuable features like self-regulating water flow, LED lighting, plenty of room for growing your veggies, and so on.
Sneak Peak Top List
- Best overall – AeroGarden Bounty Elite
- Runner up – AeroGarden Harvest Elite
- Best for beginners – iDOO Hydroponics Growing System
Smart garden hydroponics: choosing the best hydroponic growing system
Many types of hydroponic systems can be used to grow fresh vegetables, and the best part is that these systems include everything needed to grow herbs and vegetables successfully.
We get it; hydroponic garden systems come in SO MANY forms, each with its unique mechanism, making it pretty difficult to choose the right one for your needs.
This article is here to lend a helping hand, so you can choose the best hydroponics system to grow your crops.
But first, let’s make sure you understand the basics.
What is a hydroponic system?
Hydroponics is made up of two parts: “hydro” (which means water) and “ponic” (which means work or action).
These hydroponic setups allow you to cultivate various plants, fruits, and vegetables in a soilless environment.
Water farming has been around for centuries, but thanks to technological advancements, we now have high-tech, self-operating machines that require very little upkeep.
Different hydroponic structures have different mechanisms and configurations to help your basil, strawberries, lettuce, and other plants grow.
However, there is some overlap. Most standard hydroponic setups have similar components.
These include:
Water
Since hydroponics depends on water farming, water is a crucial system component.
The supplied water must be regularly replaced for optimal plant growth and have a pH balance of about 6-6.6.
Water is also needed to transport the nutrient solution around the plant.
Light
Photosynthesis cannot occur without light, and the constant presence of well-balanced LED lighting allows these plants to mature more rapidly.
Excellent for boosting plant development, these lights are a must-have, and that’s why eco-friendly LED bulbs are part of any ideal setup.
Nutrients
Hydroponic systems are popular because of the health benefits of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Fruits and vegetables keep their nutritional value because the system is fed a nutrient solution with phosphorus, nitrogen, and a couple of other minerals.
After the water is treated with this nutrition solution, it flows through the system where plants take in their nutrients.
Since hydroponic structures don’t have access to soil, they require nutrient solutions to make up for the nutrients they lack.
For this reason, nutrient solutions are developed specifically to aid hydroponic plants.
Oxygen
Hydroponic systems also use oxygenated water, which is essential for the plant’s healthy development.
Because plants can’t survive in water without oxygen, it’s an integral part of the hydroponic system.
While this may be shocking to some, who assume CO2 would be on this list – Oxygen is much more important (as we allow the CO2 process to happen naturally).
Root bases
The plant’s roots are anchored to some medium inside these systems, preventing the plants from drowning when submerged.
This component can be made from various materials, including peat moss, perlite, rock wool, and many others.
Here are the best hydroponic systems for any indoor garden
First, a hydroponic system must effectively supply water to the plant. In addition, it must have a high-intensity grow lamp that can be adjusted to cater to the plants’ changing height.
Hydroponic systems come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but the ones listed below are great for keeping your vegetables healthy.
Here are our top 3 indoor hydroponic systems.
- Best overall – AeroGarden Bounty Elite
- Runner up – AeroGarden Harvest Elite
- Best for beginners – iDOO Hydroponics Growing System
AeroGarden Bounty Elite – Best overall
The AeroGarden Bounty Elite Indoor Garden has a strong LED grow light that can be extended up to 24 inches above the grow deck, making it suitable for plants of varying heights.
The Bounty Elite has nine pre-seeded pods, and no sowing is required.
Simply place the pre-seeded pods in the mesh pots, place them in the grow deck, then adjust the display to turn on the grow light and start the water circulation.
The Bounty Elite communicates through Wi-Fi with Amazon’s Alexa or a mobile app to remind growers when to apply water or nutrients.
Pros
- Plants can grow to be as tall as 24 inches.
- Automatic LED lights
- It includes a wide selection of seeds.
- Fully functional with smart home technology
Cons
- Not suitable for small spaces
- More costly than other alternatives
AeroGarden Harvest Elite – Runner up
This sleek countertop option is perfect for small spaces because of its size. This will save you from having to deal with soil.
The AeroGarden Harvest Elite is a convenient way to start an indoor vegetable garden, as it includes six growth stations and pre-seeded pods.
The system consists of a reservoir, and a grow lamp that can be adjusted to reach a maximum height of 12 inches above the top deck of the reservoir as plants develop.
As a bonus, the system includes basic prompts to help inexperienced gardeners get the most out of their setup. Once the seeds have been planted, the digital screen will count down the days until it’s time to water the plants again (included).
The Harvest Elite also monitors the water level, and a warning signal is displayed on the screen when the water supply is about to run out.
People who purchase this item will receive six coconut coir seed pods with seeds already planted, six mesh pots, and six plastic lids to cover the pots until the seeds sprout.
The efficient technique allows seeds to germinate in days, harvest in weeks, and provide food for use throughout the year.
Pros
- It has a digital display that monitors growth and performance.
- Several accessories are included.
- The LED light can last up to 18 hours.
- Easy to use
Cons
- Plants can only grow to a maximum height of 12 inches.
iDOO Hydroponics Growing System – Best for beginners
The iDOO Hydroponics Growing System is an excellent choice for beginners to hydroponics because it offers 12 individual growing areas, a self-cleaning water recirculating mechanism, and an autonomous LED grow light.
LED grow lights, which provide a broad spectrum of light, are used to speed up plant growth.
The grow light has full-spectrum bulbs that mimic natural sunlight, and users can select between two light modes (vegetable or fruit) to create a unique light sequence for each plant.
A transparent window in the reservoir shows owners the exact amount of water left in the tank, making it easy to know when to refill it.
At the same time, an overhead fan promotes mild air circulation, which is excellent for pollination and preventing the leaves from getting too soggy, ensuring optimal growth for all the plants. The iDOO smart garden kit is one of the best smart garden options for growing veggies, and it has a clear viewing window and intelligent soil sponge pods.
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Pros
- It is reasonably priced
- Automatic LED lights and water circulation
- There are two levels of lighting and an overhead fan.
Cons
- Plants can only grow up to 11 inches tall.
- It requires maintenance
Final Thoughts & Verdict
Hydroponics is the future of gardening, and there are numerous advantages to using hydroponic systems, encouraging more and more people to invest in them.
For those looking to grow their veggies hydroponically indoors, the AeroGarden Bounty Elite is your best bet.
This is the one to go for if you want a simple hydroponic system that yields fast results and requires minimal effort.
This sleek 9-pod system, equipped with automatic LED lights, a digital screen, a timer, and so on, would make your indoor farming adventures a breeze! Get your hands on this sleek device today!
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