Both the Click and Grow and the AeroGarden are top brands in the indoor gardening space. And while both have impressive functionality and features, it’s important for aspiring growers to know which one is right for them. After all, these hydroponic herb gardens are expensive, so you want to get the best bang for your buck. In this AeroGarden vs. Click and Grow smart garden comparison, we’ll look at the following:
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Which Is Better: Click And Grow Or AeroGarden?
Let’s start with an introduction of products from each of these two countertop hydroponic systems. The chart below offers insights into the amount of plants and general features of each AeroGarden and Click and Grow model.
Photo
Title
Price
Buy
AeroGarden White Sprout
$82.00
AeroGarden Black Harvest Indoor Hydroponic Garden
$109.99
AeroGarden Harvest 360 Indoor Hydroponic Garden, Black
$83.99
AeroGarden Harvest Elite - Stainless Steel
$109.50
AeroGarden Bounty Basic - Indoor Garden with LED Grow Light, Black
$195.27
AeroGarden Classic 6 with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit
Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Herb Garden (Includes Basil Plant Pods), White
$99.95
This comparison chart highlights a few key differences between the brands. First, it shows that AeroGarden has far more models than Click and Grow, but Click and Grow’s biggest model – the Wall Farm – can grow over twice as many plants as the AeroGarden Farm models.
Features are another point to consider. Many higher-end AeroGarden models have some nice bells and whistles, such as wifi connectivity, vacation mode, and a touchscreen. Only the Smart Garden 9 PRO has wifi connectivity (app-controlled grow light) and something similar to a touchscreen or control panel.
Finally, the lights’ overall wattage tells us a little bit about these systems’ energy output. For the most part, the Click and Grow systems seem to use less electricity a month than their AeroGarden counterparts.
We’ll explore these features and others throughout this article.
Founder Mattias Lepp began researching his indoor smart garden after reading a Nasa article. Working with universities worldwide, Lepp developed his different hydroponic systems, launching the prototype in 2013 and releasing the Smart Garden 9 in 2017. Made in Estonia, the Click and Grow products ship to countries across the globe.
Here’s a look at Lepp’s vision for starting the Click & Grow Smart Gardens:
Click and Grow Models
There are five Click and Grow models currently, which grow between three and 51 plants at a time. Except for the Grow Wall, the models’ names tell you how many plants grow in each unit. The Smart Garden 9, for instance, grows up to nine plants, while the Smart garden 3 grows up to three.
The current pricing for these different models, as of 2021, is as follows:
Click and Grow Smart Garden 3: Starting at $99.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden 9: $199.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden 9 PRO: $259.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden 27: $599.95
The Wall Farm: $2,499.95
Click and Grow Setup
Here is a quick overview of setting up the Click and Grow. Notice how simple it is to put your system together and start planting.
AeroGarden
AeroGarden is usually considered one of the top indoor garden systems – at least in the United States and Canada (it can only ship to these two countries currently).
AeroGarden’s owned by AeroGrow International, which also has significant investment from the gardening company Miracle-Gro as of 2013. Here’s a quick review of each AeroGarden model with costs.
We should note that AeroGarden regularly has sales and other discounts – often 20-40% off the initial price. Even as of writing this, most of these indoor gardens are discounted below their regular retail price.
Here’s a quick unboxing we did with the AeroGarden Bounty. Like the Click and Grow, this system is easy to setup and start growing.
What Comes Inside Each Hydroponic System?
AeroGarden and Click and Grow have relatively similar components – at least on the smaller models. Here’s a comparison of what comes in the AeroGarden Bounty and the Smart Garden 9 garden kits.
Component
AeroGarden Bounty
Click And Grow Smart Garden 9
Water Tank/Reservoir
Yes
Yes
Grow Deck
Yes
Yes
Light Post
Yes
Yes
Control Panel
Yes
No
Water Pump
Yes
No
Trellis System
Yes
No
Seed Pod Kit
Yes
Yes
LED Light
Yes
Yes
Plant/Net Cup
Yes
Yes
Grow Dome
Yes
Yes
App Access
Yes
Yess
Where Can You Buy AeroGarden And Click And Grow?
You can buy both AeroGardn and Click and Grow from their respective websites. AeroGarden is also available in many American retailers, such as Kohl’s, Best Buy, Target, and Home Depot. It’s also available – often with discounts – on Amazon.
Click and Grow is available at Best Buy and Williams Sonoma stores. The Smart Garden 3 is for sale on Amazon, but the other Click and Grow models are not available there.
Feature Comparison Of Each Indoor Garden
Every hydroponic system has some excellent qualities, as well as some problems or lackluster features. Here’s a brief overview of these two systems.
Water Distribution – Water Pump Or Wick?
Both Click and Grow and AeroGarden use a type of hydroponics, although different ones. Under the umbrella of hydroponics growing systems, there are six main categories:
Deep Water Culture
Nutrient Film Technique
Ebb and Flow
Wick Systems
Aeroponics
Drip Systems
Click and Grow products use the wick systems method, often called Capillary Precision Irrigation (CPI). Water travels from the water reservoir to the plants via a wick (like a string). This method is incredibly energy efficient, as it doesn’t require a pump or aerator. The fact that Click and Grow uses this method is one of the reasons why it costs less to run these systems monthly than the AeroGarden models.
AeroGarden uses a hybrid of a few different hydroponic methods. Called “Ein Gedi Aeroponics,” the roots hang into the space above the water tank, and water drips into the seed pods. But when the roots grow long enough, they sit in the moving and nutrient-rich water below. The air pump moves the water and air bubbles over the roots, which keeps the roots from dying.
Fertilizer Needs
AeroGarden
You need to feed your plants with liquid nutrients at the time of planting and every two weeks after that. You mustn’t over-fertilize or under-fertilize your plants, which can both cause damage.
Click And Grow
You don’t have to add plant food to your indoor garden. All the nutrients the plant needs are in the smart soil and release slowly over the next several months.
At first glance, this is better than AeroGarden’s method, but it brings into question if Click and Grow’s smart soil has enough nutrients to last as long as the plants do. I don’t have enough data at this point to say either way, but there are reports from some customers reviews saying that the plant growth of the Click and Grow are smaller than that of the AeroGarden.
Pricing
The cost of these brands depends on the model you purchase. In terms of the amount of plants you can grow at a single time, both AeroGarden and Click and Grow have two comparable products.
AeroGarden – 3 Plants
The retail pricing for the AeroGarden Sprout is $95.95, but it regularly offers a discount on Amazon, where the price is only $89.21 or lower.
The plant/seed pods are the growing mediums provided by Click and Grow and AeroGarden. They’re functionally the same, with your seeds inside the pod. Both types of plant pods are GMO and pesticide-free.
The Click and Grow is different because the smart soil has slow-release nutrients inside the growing medium, meaning you don’t need to fertilize.
What Can You Grow In AeroGarden And Click And Grow?
You can grow everything from fresh herbs and veggies to flowers and fruits in Click and Grow and the AeroGarden. These indoor smart gardens also have options that allow you to use your own seeds, so the sky’s the limit! Here’s a full list of everything offered by AeroGarden and Click and Grow.
Click and Grow Plant Pod Packs
Photo
Title
Price
Buy
Click and Grow Smart Garden Dill Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Romaine Lettuce Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Red Kale Plant Pods, 3-pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Yellow Tomato Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Arugula Plant Pods, 9-Pack
Click and Grow Smart Garden Catnip Plant Pods, 3-Pack
Click and Grow Smart Garden Purple Chili Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Garden Sage Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
Click and Grow Smart Garden Cockscomb Plant Pods, 3-Pack
$9.95
AeroGarden Seed Pod Kits
From personal experience, I recommend greens and herbs (especially basil plants) with these systems. I am not a fan of mini tomatoes, which rarely do as well as advertised.
Plant pods with Click and Grow are only $3.32 per plant, which is lower than some hydroponic competitors but higher than the average cost of an AeroGarden plant. That said, Click and Grow has a membership, which can cut costs significantly.
Grow Lights
Both brands use LED grow lights to give your plants the right amount of light they need. See the comparison table at the beginning of the article to compare wattage.
Click and Grow
Overall, their lights appear to be more energy-efficient than the AeroGarden lights, in the sense that you don’t spend as much keeping them on. We don’t have enough data on how the lower wattage lights affect the plants.
Click and Grow also claims that their LED lighting system only needs replacing every seven years.
On most models, the Click and Grow units have lights that turn on with a basic timer that activates when the system is plugged in. The lights are on for 16 hours and off for eight.
AeroGarden
The AeroGarden models require more energy to run than their Click and Grow counterparts. There are quite a few reviews online that say the AeroGarden plants grow larger than the Click and Grow, but that’s anecdotal at best.
On most AeroGarden models, growers can set the time of day they want the lights to be on and off, and there is a vacation mode in which the lights come on less.
Design
Both AeroGarden and Click and Grow are aesthetically pleasing. Each of these brands make excellent accent pieces for any living room or kitchen.
App
Both brands give growers access to an app. There are several differences between the Click and Grow app and the AeroGarden app.
Click and Grow
The app provides basic information about your plants and what to expect, and it gives you the option to set watering reminders or create a photo album of your plant growth (which is fun!).
Functionally, the app is not connected by wifi to your hydroponic garden in all systems except the Smart Garden 9 Pro. This system connects via Bluetooth and provides simple lighting system control.
AeroGarden
Depending on which model you purchase, the app does a variety of different things. All units receive gardening tips to teach you how to care for your plants and increase yields. Starting at the Bounty Basic and up, the units have a wifi connection to the app. The app reminds you when to feed your plants with plant food, when to add water, and even when you should harvest. Further, you can set the time of day that your light is on in the home. It’s nice to have all of this information in a single spot.
Control Panel
AeroGarden
Most AeroGarden models have a basic control panel, and all Bounty models and beyond have a touchscreen where you set a “Quick Plant,” which just shows you how to start your seed pods and light.
Click And Grow
Click and Grow models are simple, and the lighting system starts when you plug in the unit. Because of this, it doesn’t need a control panel. The Smart Garden 9 has the closest thing to a control panel with a “snooze the light” touch control option.
Water Level Sensors
Both AeroGarden and Click and Grow have low-water sensors.
AeroGarden
Most AeroGarden units beep when the system is running low on water. On models connected to wifi, the app also reminds you when water levels are low.
Click And Grow
The LED lighting flashes when Click and Grow units are low on water. When you see the flashing lights, simply add water to the reservoir.
Material
Click And Grow
Click and Grow models are made with ABS plastic. For the Smart Garden 27, the plant stand is made from wooden materials.
AeroGarden
The AeroGarden families are typically made from PET-free plastic with a matte finish. There are also a handful of models made with stainless steel
Warranties
Both AeroGarden and Click and Grow have basic warranties that cover any design flaws.
They also both offer germination guarantees in the event that your seed/plant pods don’t germinate correctly.
Final Thoughts on Click And Grow Vs. AeroGarden
Both indoor gardening brands have a lot going for them. They both can grow several plants at a time, and they both rely on simple hydroponics to water the seed pods. Overall, Click and Grow is a simpler system with fewer features than AeroGarden. But in the end, do the features matter all that much if the results are the same?
Have you grown with AeroGarden or Click and Grow products? We want to know about your experience. Send us an email at Devri@twopeasinacondo.com with pictures or stories about your experience. If we like what you share, we may add it to this article!
Patrick likes to pretend that urban gardening is just a hobby, but he’s actually prepping for the apocalypse. He’s a practical grower, specializing in hydroponics systems and grow lights. His dream is to one day feed his family with just the food he grows in his Chicago-based condo.
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