Did you know that the vitamin content in hydroponically grown plants is 50% more than that of ordinarily grown ones? If you’re starting an indoor garden, you probably want to do it with the right equipment. But what is the best hydroponic system to buy?
7 best hydroponic systems and kits (+ Reviews)
For someone who wants to start indoor gardening on a small scale, choose a system that’s the right size (just for a few plants) to help you with the learning curve. Just a good number of pods is enough, and a grow light included is added value.
Experienced gardeners can scale up with much bigger hydroponic systems for multiple plants or a much larger garden. With that in mind, here’s a comparison of the best hydroponic systems to consider.
1. AeroGarden sprout gourmet herb seed pod kit
- Great control panel
- Reminders on when to add food and water.
- 10W full spectrum LED grow light included.
- Automatic on-off grow light for your plants.
- 3 pods – can grow 3 plants.
The AeroGarden Sprout Hydroponic System is great for both beginners and avid hydroponic gardeners. I found it much more suitable for growing herbs indoors – especially now that it comes with 3 seed pods ready for germination.
You’ll like it for its simple yet efficient system that reminds you when to feed the plant and also when to add water.
This small system comes with a good LED grow light kit attached so your hydroponic vegetables and herbs can get a full spectrum of light for photosynthesis. This light system is also automatic, switching on and off on its own so you won’t need to pay too much attention to this task.
What I liked about the grow lamp is that the arm is extendable to allow you to grow some kitchen herbs that are a little taller. You can easily grow shorter varieties of tomato in this hydroponic system.
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2. TopoLite grow tent room complete kit hydroponic growing system
- High-performance LED 300W to grow light kit included.
- Made from heavy-duty lightproof material.
- Has ventilation system for heat dissipation.
- Variable sizes ranging from 16’’ x 16’’ x 48’’ to 48’’ x 48’’ x 80’’
The TopoLife hydroponic system comes in the form of a tent for growing indoor plants. It is great especially if you want to scale your indoor gardening a little bit because it gives you much more room to work with.
The tent is available in various sizes and combinations all the way from 16 x 16 x 48 inches to 48 x 48 x 80 inches.
The combos make it possible to buy a full kit, complete with a 300W LED grow light and air filtering systems. You can also buy just the tent alone and set up your DIY hydroponic system on your own if you’re experienced with that.
The included fan is also very important for cleaning up the air in your grow tent, sucking out contaminated air, and feeding your hydroponic system with clean, fresh air.
3. PowerGrow systems deep water culture (DWC) hydroponic bucket kit
- Water level indicator system.
- Easy water draining system.
- Has an air pump for oxygen infusion.
- 4 pods for growing 4 different plants.
- Large buckets (5-gallons each).
- 1-year warranty
- Does not include a light kit.
This hydroponic kit is the best, especially for small or starter gardens. It is good enough to grow indoor and outdoor plants that grow a little bigger than kitchen herbs and shrubs.
The water level indicator also works great so you know when you need to change the water or add some of it to keep your plants’ roots submerged and feeding on the nutrients you added.
Keep in mind that in a deep water culture hydroponic system, there are no intervals but an oxygen pump does the job of preventing drowning in your hydroponic plants.
The PowerGrow hydroponic system is made of an air pump, air ducts, air stones, and basket lids, ready to grow 4 different plants at the same time.
As a preference for the best hydroponic system, I always look for a system that can measure nutrients and pH in the water. That’s the little problem with the PowerGrow Systems Deep Water Culture Hydroponic Bucket System. It does not include a pH meter, so you might want to buy one separately.
4. AeroGarden classic 6 with gourmet herb seed pod kit
- 6 pods for growing 6 different plants
- Has a 20-Watt LED grow light.
- Plant nutrients included.
- A wi-Fi-controlled option is available.
- Reminds you when to add plant food and water.
- MiracleGro-nurtured herbs are included for a quick hydroponic start.
This one is another of the AeroGarden hydroponic systems for growing small plants and gourmet herbs indoors.
For a start, it comes with pre-seeded pots, so you get some starter kitchen herbs to kick start your hydroponic system already.
Like every good hydroponic system for indoor plants, it also includes a LED grow light, this one being a 20W lamp built into the structure of the kit and standing just above the foliage of your vegetables or herbs.
With this kit, you also get plant nutrients for your hydroponics, which saves you money when you’re starting a new garden.
The control panel is easy to use. You get automatic light on and off switch, while at the same time the unit has a Wi-Fi option to simplify the operation even further.
5. Vegebox hydroponics growing system
- Smart LED control system
- Large water tank ()2.1l for healthier hydroponics
- Wide-angle LED grows light (adjustable) for bushier plants.
- 9 pods included.
- Safe non-UV light.
The VegeBox Hydroponics System is also a great unit for starting a simple indoor hydroponic garden for herbs and small plants. You get 9 pods, which are great for growing a number of herbs and plants in your indoor garden.
The water tank on this kit is large enough to support 9 different plants to full-grown length. The LED light kit above is also good enough for providing enough light to support the photosynthesis of your herbs and vegetables growing in water.
It is a powerful 25W LED light, casting light at a 133-degree angle (adjustable). This makes it the perfect hydroponic grower for growing those busy or leafy vegetables and herbs in your indoor gardens.
As a standard I prefer, the automatic on-off light reduces the need for the attention you pay to this hydroponic system, so your plants still get an adequate light and darkness cycle that’s enough for growing healthy plants.
6. DreamJoy 4 layers 36-72 plant sites hydroponic site grow kit
- 36 to 72 pods are great for an indoor hydroponic vegetable garden.
- Safe water culture hydroponic system materials.
- Expandable pipe system.
- Neat and easy to assemble.
DreamJoy’s kit is one of the best hydroponic systems on the market today. It scores great points for being neat, and easy to set up while providing many pods or grow sites for anyone planning to tend an indoor hydroponic garden.
This kit can even fit inside a grow tent since it can be built as a stack or as a single layer.
The simplicity of this unit means you can start your hydroponic vegetable garden straight away even without experience. The very impression you get when you look at it tells you that what you’re getting is fast yet maximum convenience vegetable gardening with no soil needed.
Note this hydroponic system is not limited to vegetables only. You can easily grow other indoor plants as well, especially if you go with the stack-less design.
7. Ecogrower hydroponics growing system indoor herb garden growing kit
- Adjustable height to allow taller plants
- 20W LED grow light included.
- Water level reminder.
- 4 pods for growing at most 4 plants.
- Not limited to herbs (can grow other indoor plants)
- In-built water circulation system.
This Ecogrower Hydroponics Growing System is one of the best on the market for simple indoor plants. The water circulation system reduces the chances of going wrong when growing your hydroponic plants.
The height adjustment option is something I like because it allows room to grow slightly bigger indoor plants and vegetables, such as some short varieties of tomatoes.
The grow light is a LED auto on-off system providing full-spectrum, high-quality lighting for the plants. What’s more – there’s a water level reminder, so you will always be on point to refill the tank whenever needed.
Since you are growing 4 plants with this kit, the tank needs to be large enough, and so it is. 2.5L capacity is good for hydroponics in this water garden system.
8. AeroGarden farm plus – white (24″ Grow Height)
- Smart controls over WiFi.
- Phone reminders for water level and nutrient replenishment.
- 24-inch headroom for taller plants.
- Includes Miracle-Gro plant food.
- 60 watt LED full spectrum to grow light system
- 24 pods (can grow many plants)
The AeroGarden Farm Plus is part of the Farm Plus series that includes the base model, this model, and the XL model. All of these are some of the best hydroponic systems on the market today for a number of reasons.
The first impressive feature here is that the system is Wi-Fi capable, which makes it a smart hydroponic system. Through your phone, you’re able to get notifications on your plant’s needs, such as the water level as well as when it is time to replenish the nutrients.
You can also control the grow lights using your smartphone, making it a highly convenient grow system for your indoor plants.
I also like the fact that I received Miracle-Gro plant food that lasted an entire season when I tested this unit. This gives you great value for your money, or savings – whichever way you want to look at it.
You can grow plants that are as tall as 24 inches, so it will be convenient for many different indoor plants and vegetables.
Important shopping features for hydroponic systems
- Grow light included?
- Size
- Pods
Type of hydroponic system
- drip
- Flow and ebb
- Water culture
- Wick
