iDOO vs AeroGarden vs Click & Grow: Which Countertop Garden Is Actually Worth Buying?

Here’s something the other comparisons won’t lead with: Click & Grow isn’t a hydroponic system. The brand markets itself alongside AeroGarden and iDOO constantly, but it runs on pre-seeded peat-based soil pods, not water and nutrients. That’s not a knock, it’s genuinely the most approachable option on this list. But if you’re expecting to skip soil entirely, you’ll want to know that upfront.

The other two are proper hydroponics. And between them, the choice is mostly about how much you’re willing to spend per pod slot and whether the AeroGarden name is worth the price premium to you.

The Grow Method Actually Matters

With the AeroGarden Harvest buy on Amazon and the iDOO 12-Pod buy on Amazon , your plants are sitting in net cups over a water reservoir. You add liquid nutrients, the pump circulates, roots hang in water. That’s the hydroponic method, and it works well for herbs, lettuces, and fast-growing greens. You do need to stay on top of water levels and nutrient top-ups, it’s not hard, but there’s more ongoing involvement than people expect.

Click & Grow’s system is closer to a self-watering pot with a grow light attached. The pods come pre-loaded with soil and seeds. You fill the reservoir, the wick pulls water up, and the light does the rest. There’s no measuring nutrients, no pH fiddling. The tradeoff is that you’re buying those pre-seeded pods every time you want to grow something new. You can’t just grab seeds from a packet and go.

That’s the real split between these systems. Everything downstream follows from it.

iDOO 12-Pod: The Value Case

Twelve pods for the price of a 6-pod system is the headline, and it holds up. The iDOO 12-Pod has an adjustable light arm that goes up to 11.3 inches, a built-in fan for air circulation, and an auto-timer so you’re not manually flipping the light. The fan is a feature AeroGarden’s Harvest doesn’t have at this price tier, and it does make a difference for basil and other herbs that like a little airflow.

The light arm adjustment matters too. Taller plants (tomatoes, peppers if you’re ambitious) need clearance. 11.3 inches isn’t a lot of vertical room, so manage your expectations if you’re going beyond herbs and greens.

My main gripe with budget hydroponic kits at this price point is usually build quality, the plastic feels thin, the pump can be audible at night. The iDOO is no exception. It’s not loud, but it’s not silent either. My partner would notice it in the bedroom. On a kitchen counter or shelf it’s totally fine.

The other thing worth knowing: you’ll need to source nutrients yourself. There’s no branded nutrient subscription pulling money out of your wallet, which I actually prefer, but you do need to figure out dosing. I’ve had good results with diluted nutrient solutions for herbs; I go lighter than the recommended dose, especially in the first few weeks. There’s more on what works in my hydroponic nutrients guide .

AeroGarden Harvest: The Dependable Middle Ground

The AeroGarden Harvest is 6 pods. The iDOO is 12. On paper that looks like an obvious loss for AeroGarden, but the Harvest has been around long enough that there’s a genuine track record behind it, lots of real growers, lots of documented results, a deep community of troubleshooting resources.

The light performance on the Harvest is solid for a 6-pod footprint. AeroGarden’s lights are one area where they’ve historically done well, and the Harvest reflects that.

The cost picture changes when you factor in nutrients. AeroGarden’s system is designed around their branded liquid nutrients, and while third-party alternatives work well (and I’d actually recommend looking at them, the AeroGarden nutrient alternatives piece covers this properly), the default assumption is that you’re buying AeroGarden’s bottles. Budget for that ongoing cost if you’re sticking with the official system.

Pod kits are the same story. AeroGarden’s branded seed pod kits have a price that adds up. The Harvest typically ships with a herb kit included, but what’s in that kit can vary by retailer and bundle, check your specific listing before assuming what you’re getting. After that first kit, you’re buying more, either from AeroGarden or sourcing your own using grow sponges and seeds. I’d recommend going the DIY route eventually, but it’s not where most beginners start.

Click & Grow Smart Garden 3: The Actual Beginner Pick

The Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit buy on Amazon is the smallest, cheapest entry point here, three pods, a grow light, a reservoir. That’s it. There’s nothing to mix, nothing to measure, nothing to calibrate. You pop in pods, add water, plug it in.

For someone who’s never grown anything indoors and is genuinely unsure whether they’ll stick with it, this is the right starting point. Period. The system works. The herbs grow. The learning curve is basically zero.

The pods are the limiting factor. You’re buying Click & Grow’s branded pods each time, and the selection, while decent, isn’t unlimited. You can’t just use any seeds. The cost per pod is higher than sourcing your own seeds and growing medium, and if you’re growing and replacing pods regularly, that adds up. It’s the “razor and blades” model, the hardware is cheap, the consumables are where they make their money.

Three pods is also just a small footprint. You’ll outgrow it if the hobby clicks.

Click & Grow Smart Garden 9 Pro: For When You’re Ready to Scale

The Smart Garden 9 Pro buy on Amazon is the grown-up version. Nine pods, Bluetooth connectivity, app control with touch controls on the unit itself. It’s marketed as easier than hydroponics, and for a soil-based system it genuinely is well-designed.

The app and Bluetooth angle is a nice feature if you care about that kind of thing. I’m lukewarm on app connectivity for garden systems in general, my AeroGarden WiFi model’s app is clunky enough that I rarely use it, but the 9 Pro’s implementation gets reasonable marks for usability.

What you’re paying for here is a polished system that’s been refined over several product generations. The light is well-positioned for nine pods. The design is clean enough that my partner hasn’t complained about it on the shelf, which is not a small thing.

But you’re still locked into Click & Grow pods. At nine pods, that cost-per-harvest calculation starts to sting more than it does at three. If you’re running this garden hard, three harvest cycles a year across all nine spots, you’re buying a lot of pods. That’s worth thinking through before committing.

Who Should Actually Buy Which One

If you’re a total beginner who just wants herbs on the counter with minimal effort: Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit. Don’t overthink it. You can always graduate to hydroponics later.

If you want real hydroponics and the most pod capacity for your money: iDOO 12-Pod. The built-in fan and adjustable height arm are genuine advantages, and twelve spots gives you room to experiment. My lettuce tip-burn piece covers light and airflow techniques that apply here too.

If you want a tried-and-tested hydroponic system with a strong community behind it and you don’t mind paying a bit more for the peace of mind: AeroGarden Harvest. Six pods is plenty for a focused herb setup, and the support resources alone are worth something when you’re troubleshooting for the first time.

If you’re already past the beginner stage and want a polished soil-based system with app control and nine spots: Smart Garden 9 Pro. Just go in clear-eyed about the pod costs.

The one I’d tell a first-time buyer to skip: don’t start with the 9 Pro. It’s a good product, but it’s more system than a beginner needs, and the pod costs at full capacity are real. Start small, see if you actually use it, then scale.

I sent my mom the three-pod Click & Grow last year. She’s been growing basil consistently for eight months and hasn’t killed a single pod. For her, that’s the right answer. For me, with more counter ambition and a tighter budget, iDOO is where I’d put a first-timer’s money if they want real hydroponics. Check current pricing on all four before you decide, these fluctuate enough that the gap between models can shift meaningfully depending on when you’re looking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Click & Grow actually hydroponics? No. Click & Grow uses pre-seeded peat-based soil pods in a self-watering container with a grow light. It’s simpler than hydroponics but you’re growing in soil, not a water-nutrient solution. AeroGarden and iDOO are true hydroponic systems.

Can I use my own seeds in iDOO or AeroGarden? Yes, in both cases. You’ll need grow sponges or net cup inserts and seeds of your choice. It’s cheaper than buying branded pod kits and gives you much more variety. AeroGarden also sells blank pod kits for this purpose.

Can I use my own seeds in Click & Grow? Click & Grow sells a “grow anything” cup that lets you use your own soil and seeds, but the standard system is designed around their proprietary pods. It’s not as flexible as the hydroponic options for DIY seed growing.

How often do you need to change the water in a hydroponic countertop garden? For systems like the AeroGarden Harvest and iDOO, most growers do a full reservoir change every 2 to 4 weeks and top up with plain water in between. Exact timing depends on how fast your plants are drinking.

Is iDOO as good as AeroGarden? It depends what you’re measuring. The iDOO 12-Pod offers more pod capacity and a built-in fan at a lower price point. AeroGarden has a longer track record, a larger community, and arguably better build quality. For beginners on a budget who want maximum growing space, iDOO holds up well.