Smart indoor gardens cost anywhere from about $115 to $900 or more, and the cheapest one to buy is not always the cheapest one to run. This article brings together Wired's hands-on testing, updated in November 2026, with prices and specs we checked on each maker's site on 14 November 2026. The goal is to show which systems are worth the money for which homes. The Review NYU did not test any of these gardens.
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Short answer. Going by Wired's testing, the Gardyn Home 4 ($899 on Gardyn's store, checked 14 November 2026) grew the most, but it needs regular root care and works best with a paid membership. For most small homes, the LetPot LPH-SE (from $119.99) or the Auk Mini 2 ($239 list price) offers better value, because both take any seeds and need no subscription. The Lettuce Grow Farmstand (from $599 for the outdoor version) suits families who want a large modular tower and can deal with a heavy 20-gallon tank.
This is a research-based comparison, not a hands-on test. On 14 November 2026 we read Wired's indoor gardening systems guide (last updated November 2026). All test observations, scores and verdict labels here come from that guide and are credited to it. On the same day we checked current prices and specs on the makers' pages: Gardyn's shop page, Lettuce Grow's systems and Farmstand pages, the AeroGarden store on Scotts Miracle-Gro's site and its "back in business" post, LetPot's store and Auk's Mini 2 page. Gardyn's membership prices come from search excerpts of Gardyn's own pages rather than full page reads.
We could not load Just Vertical's EVE page (it returned a 404 error), so the EVE price is Wired's figure. Prices for Rise, Click & Grow, InstaFarm and Lykyn are also Wired's. We do not rate these products ourselves.
Wired's guide, by commerce editor Kat Merck, was updated in November 2026. It draws on about two years of home growing, mostly with press samples sent by the companies. Its picks, with Wired's labels:
Wired also tested the Rise Garden 3, which had the largest capacity but ran hot, and the Click & Grow Smart Garden 9, which was among the slowest growers. It does not recommend the AeroGarden Harvest Lite, whose pump failed after about a year.
We took prices from each maker's own store on 14 November 2026 where the page loaded. Where it did not, the table says the figure is Wired's. Several of these were sale prices.
| System | Price (source, 14 November 2026) | Plant capacity | Type and footprint | Ongoing costs | Wired's label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardyn Home 4 | $899 (Gardyn store); Studio 2 is $549 | 30 (Studio 2: 16) | Vertical floor unit, about 24 x 12 x 64 in (Wired) | Optional membership, about $39/month (Home) or $25/month (Studio) per Gardyn; own yCubes, or $5 seedless cubes (Wired) | Best Overall (9/10) |
| Lettuce Grow Farmstand | From $599 (Small, outdoor, no lights); Medium outdoor $699; Nook $799 (Lettuce Grow store) | 18, 24 or 36 (Nook: 20) | Tower, 22 in diameter, about 4 sq ft; 20-gallon tank | Live plants from $29.99 for 6; Glow Rings extra for indoor use of the outdoor version | Statement Piece (8/10 review) |
| Auk Mini 2 | $239 list price in page data; a $209 promotional price showed (Auk store) | 4 | Tabletop, about 16.9 x 7.5 x 14.6 in (Wired) | Any seeds; 6 months of nutrients included, per Auk | Best for Growing Herbs |
| AeroGarden Bounty | $114.98, reduced from $229.95; Elite $274.95 (Scotts Miracle-Gro store) | 9 | Countertop, 17 x 11 in base (Elite, Wired) | Seed pod kits from $16.95; generic sponges fit, per Wired | Best for Beginners |
| LetPot LPH-SE | From $119.99 (LetPot store) | 12 | Tabletop, about 16 x 7 x 9.8 in (Wired) | Any seeds; generic plugs from about 7 cents each (Wired) | Best Budget Option |
| Just Vertical EVE | $579 as listed by Wired (maker page not readable) | 12 | Cabinet tower, 19 x 8 x 57 in (Wired) | No subscription; a year of seeds included, per Wired | Least Obtrusive Large Garden |
Two caveats. First, the $599 and $699 Farmstand prices are for the outdoor version. The indoor version adds Glow Rings, and we did not record its price for each size. Second, Wired puts Gardyn's membership at $259 a year, while Gardyn's pages showed about $39 a month for the Home model. Our Gardyn membership figures come from search excerpts of Gardyn's pages, so confirm the price at checkout. Our guide on comparing subscription services shows how to work out the yearly cost.
Asked whether growing your own saves money, Wired's guide answers "In short, no." You pay for convenience and freshness. Then come refills, power and sometimes a subscription.
Subscriptions. Gardyn's membership powers Kelby, an assistant that uses cameras and sensors to adjust watering and light. Wired says the garden still works on manual controls without it. At about $39 a month, a year comes to roughly $468 (our arithmetic). Gardyn also listed a prepaid year for the Home at $408, on sale from $468. Add the $899 unit, and the first year with membership costs roughly $1,300 to $1,370.
Seedlings. Lettuce Grow sells live seedlings from $29.99 for six. At that price, replanting all 24 ports of a Medium Farmstand costs about $120. Lettuce Grow says each plant can stay on the tower six to eight weeks.
Open systems. The LetPot, Auk and EVE take any seeds. Wired says this makes the LetPot cheaper overall than the AeroGarden Bounty. On 14 November 2026 the two units cost about the same: $119.99 for the LetPot and $114.98 for the Bounty.
Power. Wired's spec tables show about 6 kWh a month for the Auk Mini 2, 40 watts for the Gardyn Home and 96 watts for the Farmstand. Our guide to reading a product spec sheet explains how to turn watts into a monthly cost.
These matches are our reading of Wired's notes, not new tests.
Small apartment, mostly herbs. Wired lists the Auk Mini 2 among its silent gardens: no pump and no pH tests. The LetPot LPH-SE holds 12 plants and is about the size of a bread box. Its light reaches only about 16 inches, though, which Wired says is too low for tomatoes or peppers. Grow lights usually run around 16 hours a day, so keep them out of rooms you need dark.
Beginner on a countertop. The AeroGarden Bounty has a screen and buttons, so it works without the app. That helps, because Wired's tester gave up on the app after it kept "forgetting" her garden. When the water runs low, Wired says, the pump sounds like a pet drinking.
Household that wants volume. The Gardyn Home 4 (30 plants) and the Farmstand (up to 36) both stand about five feet tall or more. Wired says both have loud pump cycles. A full Farmstand cannot be moved, and Lettuce Grow sells a dolly for $79.99. Wired lists the Rise Garden 3 at $1,499. It holds the most, but its lights heated the trays to 95°F.
Living room. Wired says the Just Vertical EVE blends in best, with a hidden tank, a quiet pump and softer LEDs. But it holds only 12 plants, and it ships from Toronto. Wired's tester paid a $9 import fee.
Wired found most systems easy to set up. The real work is ongoing upkeep and the clean-out between plantings. Wired scores each system on how easy it is to reset after a planting (out of 10): Gardyn Home 4 scored 2, Farmstand 4, AeroGarden Bounty 7, LetPot 7 and Auk Mini 2 scored 8. The EVE had not been scored yet.
The systems that grew the most were also the hardest to keep clean. Gardyn needs its tank cleaned every four weeks and its roots checked every few weeks. Wired calls this "a bit laborious." The Farmstand needs a weekly top-off and pH check. Its roots grow into the center, which makes it easier to clean, but draining 20 gallons indoors is a chore. Lettuce Grow estimates about 15 minutes of care a week; that is the maker's figure.
Vacation modes vary. Gardyn's site lists Vacation Mode as a membership feature. The Auk Mini 2 and the Bounty Elite have one, but the basic Bounty does not. Wired counts the lack of one as a minus for the Farmstand.
Wired gives no weighed, side-by-side harvest totals, so treat every yield claim as a best case. Our guide on testing a product during the return window suggests logging your harvests in the first weeks, so you can decide in time whether to return the garden.
Yes, as of 14 November 2026. Wired notes that AeroGarden announced in late 2024 that it was closing, then came back with a refreshed line led by the Bounty. On 14 November 2026 the AeroGarden storefront on Scotts Miracle-Gro's site was taking orders. A Scotts Miracle-Gro post, AeroGarden is Back in Business (And Growing), says the brand is "not out of business."
The same storefront also had a "Last Chance Clearance" section advertising up to 60% off. Pre-holiday clearances are common, and we found nothing saying the brand is closing again. If you rely on its pods, though, keep that history in mind. Wired notes that generic sponges also fit. Our guide on telling whether a sale is a real deal explains how to check a "reduced from" price.
Bottom line: Wired's testing backs the Gardyn Home 4 for the biggest harvests, if you will do the cleaning. For most small homes, the LetPot LPH-SE or Auk Mini 2 gives you fresh herbs for about $120 to $240 with no lock-in, based on prices checked 14 November 2026.
Wired's November 2026 guide names the Gardyn Home 4 as its best overall indoor garden and scores it 9/10. It holds 30 plants and was $899 on Gardyn's store on 14 November 2026. It needs regular root checks and cleaning, and some features depend on a paid membership.
According to Wired's tester, no. The guide says ready-made systems mainly remove hassle and guesswork. Proprietary pods, seedlings and subscriptions add recurring costs that cut into any savings. Open systems that take any seeds, such as the LetPot, come closest to paying for themselves.
Yes. AeroGarden announced a shutdown in late 2024 but has returned under Scotts Miracle-Gro. On 14 November 2026 its store was selling the Bounty for $114.98 and the Bounty Elite for $274.95, and a Scotts Miracle-Gro post said the brand is back in business.
Based on Wired's testing, the Auk Mini 2 suits herb growers who want a quiet garden with no pump. The LetPot LPH-SE holds 12 plants in a bread-box-sized unit and takes any seeds. Both are tabletop units priced from about $120 to $240 on the makers' sites on 14 November 2026.