Aerogarden Farm Reviews [2022 Buyer’s Guide]

Every once in a while, an innovative product comes along that the world didn’t even know it needed. Maybe it solves a problem we didn’t realize we had, or it is so intuitive that it’s difficult to imagine a world without it. Things like zippers, paper clips, and even ice cubes all serve as ready examples, and one day, the Aerogarden Farm will be on that list.

As the global population goes up and the global food supply goes down, sustainability is going to become a prerequisite for survival. I think we can all agree that a proper hydroponic system setup will grow more food in less time. 

Traditional hydroponic system setups are typically prone to issues related to:

1. Lighting Efficiency/Efficacy

2. Size & Location

3. Technical Skill

A deficit in any of these areas will have a substantial impact on either the results you get from your garden, your motivation in working with the garden, or both.

So how does an Aerogarden work? The Aerogarden Farm Family uses two 60W LED grow lights that are fully adjustable via the dashboard’s touch-screen, the smartphone app, or even Amazon’s Echo device. These are full-spectrum, infinitely dimmable grow lights that, used in conjunction with the on-board Aerogarden software, provide Sunrise/Sunset functionality and programmable on/off cycles. 

The Aerogarden Farm Family also features an affordable stacking system that allows any two Farm models to be stacked vertically and interlocked adjacently. This feature makes the creation of a “grow wall” a breeze, and makes productive use of the underutilized vertical space in your operation. 

And we’ll be honest – when you’ve spent some time with an Aerogarden, it’s easy to take the indoors part of the deal for granted. But the truth is that too many of the hydroponic garden designs are better suited for use outdoors, or perhaps in a garage space at best. Spills, leaks, and other water hazards feel like a thing of the past; refilling an Aerogarden feels just like refilling our Keurig!

And on the subject of those traditional hydroponics systems, don’t get it wrong, we love ‘em! But because part of our passion for these systems stems from time spent designing and building them, we have to admit that there is a certain amount of technical aptitude that it takes to construct a quality DIY hydroponic garden. Particularly one capable of being indoors – from lighting to leaking, these systems can present unexpected challenges for the inexperienced. 

Aerogarden Farm Customer Reviews

The Aerogarden Farm family of indoor hydroponic gardens knocks these criteria down like dominoes. High-quality LED grow lights, a slim profile that fits snugly into indoor spaces, and dependable engineering that delivers reliable consistency that you can count on – this product seems like it belongs in a NASA lab! Yet there are two in my mother-in-law’s kitchen that feel like they’ve been there for decades.

That’s the kind of product the Aerogarden Farm turns out to be; a timeless innovation that we will someday forget living without. You don’t have to take our word for it – here are a few words from other satisfied Aerogarden Farm owners who would recommend the product:

“…the customer service team is top-notch…”

“…the most hands-off and hands-on version available”

 “…we have 6-Farm 24XLs and we love them!”

“Indoor Gardening Made Easy”

“It’s a great all-in-one solution that takes the guesswork out of gardening”

“It was mostly just a matter of watching it work…”

“one the of best looking indoor gardening option(s)”

And so it goes on. In fact, critical reviews are so uncommon that the few there are tend to jump out as hostile, making them somewhat unreliable. Most of the negative reviews we encountered were aimed at the price, but in the same breath would remark something like “I’ll just go plant outside for $20”. 

Well of course you can. That only means the FarmXL isn’t for you, in that case. 

But for all the people living in apartments or otherwise reluctant to garden outside, this unit is worth every penny. Some homeowners have to comply with Homeowner’s Association rules, and an outdoor garden is rarely compliant. Others may have allergies, or arthritis, or be confined to a wheelchair, or any number of other situations that can make “just growing in soil” a less appealing option. 

Indoor hydroponic gardens aren’t susceptible to destruction from invasive animals and are easy to keep pest-free without harmful pesticides. No need to worry about the neighbor’s cat digging up your plants, and because it’s hydroponic and indoors, you can grow twice as much food, twice as fast.  

The Farm Family units, specifically, include Aerogarden’s most advanced features. All units are connectable via the stacking modules (which are sold separately). All Farm units use automated lighting – not only in the programmable sense but also in that they are raised and lowered by the touch of an on-screen button. All Farm units feature full-spectrum LED grow lights, which provide optimal light while using the least possible amount of electricity. 

AeroGarden Farm 24Plus, w/Salad Bar Seed Kit

60w Full-Spectrum Led Lights
24” Overhead Clearance
24 Seed Pod Capacity
Dual 4.5-gallon nutrient bowls
Wi-Fi/Amazon Echo/Smartphone Connectivity

Overall Dimensions:
Height 34″
Width 36″
Depth 14″

“24” is the number to keep in mind with the Aerogarden Farm Plus unit, as it accommodates 24 seed pods and gives them each 24” of overhead clearance as well (a 12” improvement over the basic Aerogarden Farm model’s clearance). The “overhead” comes from two completely automated 60w full spectrum led lights, which are suspended from the unit’s digital dashboard. That dashboard is the direct interface used to manage the lighting and nutrient delivery of your garden,  or you can opt to use the Aerogarden app or Amazon’s Echo device to adjust these settings as well.

Sorry, but we think “Alexa, lower the lights 2 inches” is just too cool. The future is now. 

The 60w led lighting system is incredibly intuitive, with easy-to-use options like sunrise/sunset programming available for quickly matching your new Aerogarden to your own household schedule. There’s no fumbling with lighting chains, either, as the Aerogarden Plus farm will automatically raise or lower lights at the touch of a button (or an Echo voice command!).  

The Aerogarden Farm Plus has included two 4.5 gallon grow bowls; one for each side of the system. Located within proximity to a sink sprayer, a unit like this is a dream come true for gardeners that find it hard to get around or those who might be otherwise confined indoors. 

The Aerogarden Farm Plus comes with a Salad Bar 24-pod assortment including heirloom greens, aromatic and flavorful herbs, and plump, juicy hydroponic tomatoes. This assortment also includes two 3 oz. bottles of all-natural Plant Nutrients (enough for a season of growth from a full farm).

AeroGarden Farm 24XL, w/Salad Bar Seed Kit

60w Full-Spectrum Led Lights
36” Overhead Clearance
24 Seed Pod Capacity
Dual 4.5-gallon nutrient bowls
Touch Screen Control Panel
Automated Lighting Adjustments
Wi-Fi/Amazon Echo/Smartphone Connectivity
Dimmable Lighting
Vacation Mode

Overall Dimensions:
Height 46″
Width 36″
Depth 14″

The Aerogarden Farm 24XL takes everything that is great about the Aerogarden Farm Plus, and throws-in an additional 12” of adjustable overhead clearance on both sides of the unit. And of course, it still packs all of the features included with the Plus model, and still works with the stacking modules. 

The additional 12” brings the total overhead clearance of this unit to 36” – a whopping 3 feet of clearance! This creates opportunities to grow taller varieties of plants, covering the range of anything you would consider growing indoors, to begin with. For this reason, we consider this the best option for anyone that is on the fence about getting into multiple units right away.

Like the Aerogarden Farm Plus, the featured unit includes Aerogarden’s Salad Bar 24-count seed pod assortment and two bottles of nutrient solution to get you started. For more info, check out our write-up on the best AeroGarden seed pod kits. The additional height comes through extensions in the vertical legs of the unit, and do not negatively impact the stacking feature of the units. By strategically stacking Aerogarden units atop one another, an entire cloning nursery operation can fit in a corner, closet (like a grow tent), or can occupy entire rooms. 

Should I Get an Aerogarden Farm?

We will concede that the Aerogarden Farm isn’t for everyone – right now. In 1972, a personal HP computer ran for about $95,000; that’s about half-a-million in today’s dollars with inflation. Today, you can get a laptop that’s about a million times stronger*  for $100. That’s about $15 in 1972, by the way. – Not actually a million times stronger, probably

Our point is that Aerogarden is a little bit ahead of its time. When it first launched, it was considered an overpriced desktop novelty. That might have been justified at the time, honestly, but with the innovations in LED grow lights and almost 20 years of user-focused hydroponics design considered, the FarmXL or FarmPlus is hardly a novelty. 

If you’re looking for something a bit smaller and less expensive, Aerogarden makes several table-top style units. For more info on that check out our Best Aerogarden reviews where we cover the Sprout, Harvest and Bounty.

We realize that the die-hard DIY crowd and the dedicated soil & sunshine growers aren’t going to be on the bandwagon, at least not right away. But one good look at the Aerogarden Farm Family, and it’s easy to see that this thing is around to stay. Whether you get one now when they are still in “bragging rights” territory, or you wait until they’re a Black Friday blowout, we’re betting you see more of these indoor hydroponic gardens in the homes of your friends and family – not less.

— As always, thanks for reading, everyone. Until next time, stay safe, and be sure to check out our other articles on hydroponic gardening, LED grow lighting, nutrient solutions, and more!