You might be wondering if you should buy the Harvest Elite but maybe want to learn more about it. If that sounds like you, this article is exactly what you need to read.
AeroGarden is one of the most popular brands of smart indoor gardens out there, and the Harvest family is a great choice to start with.
The basic Harvest is their most popular model, and we’ve even written an in-depth review on it, but you might be eyeing the Harvest Elite and wondering if it’s worth the extra bucks.
This article goes through all that and lays out all the interesting features Harvest Elite has. So, read on to learn if the AeroGarden Harvest Elite is the right smart indoor garden for you!
What is an AeroGarden Harvest Elite?
The AeroGarden Harvest Elite is a great mid-tier indoor garden system that’s designed for homes that are limited space and for those people who want to get into gardening but maybe don’t have the time and energy to take care of an outdoor garden.
The Harvest Elite can grow up to 6 plants in a space-efficient design and can easily fit on top of your kitchen counter. You can grow flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and even lettuce in one of these great systems.
The grow light hood comes with 20W of white, red, and blue LED lights that give your plants the full spectrum of light they require to grow quickly.
This particular model also has upgraded features that are useful for many types of indoor gardeners that we discuss in-depth in this article.
Types of Harvest Elite
When it comes to the Harvest Elite, there are three different models that have the same functionalities and features but differ mainly in size.
The base model Harvest Elite is an upgrade on AeroGarden’s most popular model Harvest and has the exact same size dimensions except it has added features that all other Harvest Elite models also include.
It comes in stainless steel, along with pearl and platinum steel like the other models, but you also have the option of buying it in a unique sage color which is a beautiful light green.
The next option is to buy a round model that’s called the Harvest Elite 360. The round design makes it a great option to grow 6 similar plants, or maybe even make it a feature in your kitchen or living room by growing fresh flowers in it. It’s also a great model to grow cherry tomatoes or lettuce in.
There’s also the AeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim which is great if you have limited counter space and want a slimmer design since this model has a 30% smaller footprint. It can also grow 6 plants, but they are in one row instead of the 2 rows of three plants.
AeroGarden Harvest Elite Features
Now that we’ve covered the different types of Harvest Elite, let’s look at the features that all of them have to understand more about what these great indoor gardening systems have to offer:
No. of Plant Pods
As we mentioned above, each of the Harvest Elite models can grow up to 6 plants. You have the option of growing any medium-sized plant and even larger ones if you’re willing to prune them regularly as they grow taller.
In case you’re looking at exclusively growing taller plants, you may want to read our review on the Bounty and Bounty Elite.
Design and Size Specifications
The Harvest Elite comes in stainless steel which is a great option if the rest of your kitchen appliances are also in stainless steel.
Each of the Harvest Elite models, namely the basic Harvest Elite, Harvest Elite 360, and the Harvest Elite Slim come in different sizes that we have listed in the table down below.
| Model | Height | Width | Depth |
| Harvest Elite | Up to 17.4 | 10.5 | 6.25 |
| Harvest Elite Slim | Up to 17.5 | 15 | 5 |
| Harvest Elite 360 | Up to 17.4 | 9 | 9 |
LED Grow Lights
All Harvest Elite models come with a 20-watt LED grow light panel that includes red, white, and blue lights to maximize photosynthesis giving you rapid, natural growth and abundant harvests. These lights are ideal for all stages of plant growth making them perfect for indoor gardening.
It comes with an automatic timer, so you don’t have to worry about turning the lights on and off manually every single day. You also have the option of setting up a custom grow light cycle to specify when the lights should turn on and off.
Water Pump and Tank
All AeroGarden models are built with a combination of hydroponics and aeroponics gardening systems, meaning instead of using soil and fertilizer they use water and soluble plant nutrients for plant growth.
These nutrients are delivered to the roots by a water pump. The pump installed in the reservoir is activated for 5 minutes every 25 minutes. It delivers oxygen to the roots while also preventing the growth of microorganisms and algae.
Control Panel
The Harvest Elite models come with LCD digital display control panels that help you customize the settings. You’ll be prompted to set up a digital clock and it will also display the days since planted to help you keep track of your plants.
Reminders
The LCD control panel displays and alerts you when you need to add plant food or when the water level gets too low. This is incredibly helpful and allows you to not have to worry about forgetting to water or feed your plants.
Vacation Mode
One of the best features of the Harvest Elite is that it comes with a vacation mode! When this feature is turned on, the grow lights will be on for 10 hours per day which deaccelerates plant growth and water evaporation.
This means that the plants survive for longer without needing to adjust the water levels or add more plant nutrients.
Where to Buy a Harvest Elite?
AeroGarden’s website is the best place to buy the Harvest Elite since you’ll be able to see if there are any new color options available and also check out any seals and sales that they’re currently running.
Otherwise, you can buy the Harvest Elite from a variety of online stores including Amazon.
The website is also the best place to explore all the seed pod options you have since the company sells more than 75 different pods!
While purchasing your Harvest Elite, you’ll be asked to pick a free seed pod kit. You can three different options, namely gourmet herbs seed pod, heirloom salad greens seed pod, or cascading petunias seed pod kit.
Our favorite is the gourmet herbs seed pod kit which allows you to try your hand at growing different herbs! It features fresh herbs such as Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil, and mint.
All the seed pods come with a germination guarantee meaning that if the seeds don’t germinate in 21 days, AeroGarden will replace the pod for free!
Why Should I Buy the Harvest Elite Instead of the Harvest?
Here are the top three reasons why you may want to choose the Harvest Elite instead of the basic Harvest model by AeroGarden:
You Travel a Lot
If you tend to travel frequently, then the Harvest Elite is worth the extra bucks! The vacation mode will allow your plants to survive for longer without needing the water to be refilled or liquid plant food to be added.
This makes it definitely worth the price and will save you money in the long term if you’re worried about your plants dying while you’re gone.
You Want a More Hands-Off and Customized Approach
The Harvest Elite allows you to customize the grow light cycle and even displays the days since planted which makes it easier to keep track of your plants without having to manually write down dates. So, if you’re looking for a more hands-off approach, we recommend the Harvest Elite over the basic Harvest.
You’re Looking for a Stainless-Steel Finish
If all the rest of your kitchen appliances are in a stainless-steel finish, then it makes sense to go for the upgrade Harvest Elite since the basic Harvest models don’t come in this finish.
How to Setup Your Harvest Elite
The Harvest Elite comes with easy-to-follow instructions making it incredibly simple to set it up. Once you’ve unpacked it, the first step is to fill the water tank up to the ‘fill to here’ mark.
Next, you’ll have to add the included liquid plant food according to the instructions into the water reservoir. Then add the seed pods to the different slots and cover them with the included grow domes that’ll allow humidity to be locked in while your seeds sprout.
Once that’s done, plug in the power cord and the light cord into your wall outlet and simply turn the power supply on. This is when you’ll be prompted on the LCD screen to set up your system.
The first thing you should do when setting up your garden is to adjust your settings. To get to the main menu, lightly tap the green leaf button, then tap it again to access the controls.
Press the down arrow until “Start A Garden” appears. To proceed, press the green button. To begin, set your clock to the current time by adjusting the time with the arrows and proceeding to the next step by pressing the green button.
Then you’ll select your light cycle by telling the garden what you’ll be planting, e.g. herbs, lettuce, flowers, and so on. Once you’ve picked your garden, you’re all set up.
To change when your garden lights turn on, tap the green button again to access the main menu, then tap again and scroll until you see ‘Set Light ON.’ This is where you can program a custom time for when your garden will turn on.
Is the AeroGarden Harvest Elite Worth the Price?
Yes, the AeroGarden Harvest Elite is definitely worth the price for anyone who travels a lot, lives in a small space, has other stainless steel kitchen appliances or home décor they want the system to match with, or wants to have more customizable functions.
The design is beautiful and the stainless steel option makes it more durable in the long run. But in case you’re looking to grow more than 6 plants, you may want to check out our review on the AeroGarden Bounty!
Every day is truly a great gardening day with perfect weather for your plants when you choose to go with the AeroGarden Harvest Elite.
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