This Is the Best Indoor Herb Garden for Home Cooks. Here's Why

At the time of writing, I’ve been using my AeroGarden for 531 days. I know this because it says so right on the tiny dashboard. (It’s smart enough to alert me when it needs nutrients and water but not smart enough to listen to my conversations, which is just how I like it.) Right now, on my countertop I have a pint container stuffed with chives and an explosion of cherry tomatoes.

I’ve been wanting to write about my AeroGarden for 525 days, ever since I saw the first tiny green leaf sprout up from the soil pod and felt the newfound pride of a plant-mom. But the editorial team wasn’t sold on it, which is understandable. For one, it’s an expensive purchase, definitely not a necessity—one that would take ages to pay for itself. Plus, with our guide to storing fresh herbs, it makes a whole lot more sense to just go to the store and get a big bunch. But fresh herbs aren't as plentiful in the colder months. So now, atop my herb-filled soapbox, let me tell you a little bit about my splurge that paid off.

I own the AeroGarden Harvest. It’s about the size of a small houseplant or large cat, 11 x 8 inches. It sits nicely on my windowsill, but you can keep it anywhere, regardless of natural light. My unit holds up to six seed pods, which are essentially tiny plastic grow baskets with pre-seeded sponges. To get the whole unit up and running, all you need to do is place the pods into the water chamber and add water.

AeroGarden Harvest Elite

$149 at Amazon $125 at Aerogarden.com

Depending on what you’re planting, the machine will set an automatic timer for its built-in lights. Herbs require 17 hours of light daily, for example, and you’ll get an alert whenever it needs additional water or nutrients. Soon enough—most seeds germinate between five and 15 days—you’ll start to see some sprouts.

I’ve grown all sorts of herbs with the AeroGarden but some do better than others. Mint is the playground bully, growing so tall and so thick that it steals all the light from everything else. Chives, on the other hand, are my star pupil. They shoot straight up. You can snip to order, and they’ll miraculously go right back up in a few days. Since the light is adjustable, they can grow pretty tall. Mine have gotten to be about eight inches and seem a lot heartier than what you find at the grocery store. As you can imagine, everything I make is covered in chives now.

Genovese and Thai basil also grow extremely well but require more frequent pruning. If you can keep up with the pruning, you can have yourself a solid bunch of basil every week. That’s enough to make and keep a batch of pesto on hand for whenever you need it.

I’ve been growing cherry tomatoes since April, and while they take longer to harvest—I waited about two months before I saw any fruit—they’ve provided me with the most excitement. Who wouldn’t love picking a generous handful of your own adorable tomatoes every few days? The AeroGarden website says that the lifespan of the herbs is about four months and the tomatoes have nine. My current garden has long surpassed its expected lifespan and I don’t see it slowing down.

It’s nice to know that if I take care of it, it will take care of me. It’s a constant that I appreciate in these uncertain times. When that little light turns on automatically with a click, it reassures me that, at least, I’ll have what I can grow.

FAQs

What can you grow with an Aerogarden pods?

Aerogarden sells seed pods for many different herbs, greens, and vegetables.

How long does the Aerogarden last?

It takes about five to 15 days for Aerogarden seeds to germinate. Depending on what you're growing, you can have weeks of, say, herbs or lettuce once it's ready. Buy new pods and you can keep the growing going year-round.

How do you clean an Aerogarden?

The Aerogarden can be disassembled and cleaned in the top rack of a dishwasher on the warm (not hot) cycle, without a heated dry cycle. You can find instructions for cleaning it without a dishwasher here.

Why We're the Experts

• Ariel Kanter was the director at Serious Eats.
• She wrote a variety of pieces, including a roundup of pasta tools and essential knives for the home cook.
• We've reviewed indoor herb gardens and named the Aerogarden one of our winners.