If you have a hard time deciding between two of Miracle Gro’s trendy countertop gardens: the AeroGarden Bounty vs. Ultra, you have come to the right place.
On this page, you would find a comprehensive comparison of both products, detailing and analyzing the features and offerings of the two models in question. We’ve done the research for you, all you have to do is read on to find out which countertop garden is the better option of the two when it comes to satisfactorily meeting your indoor gardening needs.
AeroGarden Bounty – Click here
AeroGarden Ultra – Click here
Design and Appearance
Both countertop gardens are similarly designed in the usual pattern and style of recent AeroGarden models. A container having a wide opening and a narrow base contains several growth pods and features a centered LED lamp with an adjustable height. The overall effect is a bulky yet stylish contraption that does wonders for your kitchen décor.
Construction
Both AeroGarden models are constructed from plastic. You might doubt the durability and sturdiness of a device wholly made from plastic, but raving customer reviews would prove you wrong.
For one, the plastic used has considerable thickness and gives these gardens a sturdy and durable feel. Secondly, these gardens can withstand years of use as long as they are used properly. If you treat your AeroGarden right, then you would enjoy it for a very long time.
Color and Finish
Both countertop gardens are coated with a matte black finish. Though highly durable, this matte finish gives the gardens a dull appearance. Both models can only be gotten in black; no other color option is available. This is kind of a bummer if you like your kitchen appliances in bright, cheery colors or any other color apart from black.
Size, Weight, and Ease of Cleaning
The AeroGarden Bounty and Ultra are two of the biggest AeroGarden models in existence. They are designed to accommodate a large number of growth pods as well as sufficient growing area for very high yields.
Their huge size inevitably translates into a corresponding increase in weight, making them as heavy as they are large. This means they are not portable. You can’t just move them around at will without exerting considerable effort.
Their size and weight makes it very hard and difficult for you to carry out routine maintenance, or worse, thoroughly clean these devices.
Growth Technology (Hydroponics)
The advent of Indoor countertop gardens makes it very possible to plant herbs and vegetables right in your kitchen any time of the year, be it winter, summer, spring or fall. This is because these gardens do not depend on the weather and other elements of nature to grow their crops.
They are designed with specific growth technologies to achieve this purpose. And what’s more? You don’t need to spend time laboring over these gardens as they grow on their own with virtually little input from you.
All AeroGarden models, including the Bounty and Ultra being compared, make use of a NASA-tested growth technology known as hydroponics. Hydroponics involves the use of water, air, and nutrients to grow crops; soil is neither needed nor used. The roots of the plants are suspended in water and air enriched with the required nutrients and minerals for the highest possible yield.
Get more details on the Aerogarden Bounty
Get more details on the Aerogaden Ultra
Growth Pods
The Bounty is designed with 9 growth pods while the Ultra has only 7. Each growth pod can only accommodate one plant at any point in time. So, the logical conclusion should be that the Bounty can grow 9 plants at the same time while the Ultra is limited to only 7. Hundreds of customer reviews state that this is not the case. In reality, the 9 growth pods are too much for the limited size of the Bounty’s container.
There is inadequate space between the pods to provide enough breathing space and growing room for each plant. So, the plants crowd each other, growth is stunted, and output is drastically reduced. For adequate spacing of your crops and to get the desired output volume, it is advisable to use only 7 of the 9 available pods at any point in time.
Therefore, practically speaking, the Bounty has the same growth pod capability of the AeroGarden Ultra.
LED Lighting System and Yield Volume
For the purpose of photosynthesis, both AeroGarden models are fitted with LED lamps. The downward surface of the lamps is covered with energy-efficient LEDs that provide the full spectrum of light needed for maximum growth and yield. Though both lamps are designed to produce high yields, the LED lamp of the Bounty combines red and blue LEDs for the highest possible yield. The Bounty is AeroGarden’s most prolific countertop garden yet.
The Bounty’s LED lamp consumes more power as it has a 45-watt rating compared to the 30-watt rating of the Ultra’s.
The height of both lamps can be increased to a maximum of 24 inches. This height can sufficiently accommodate fully-grown tall plants.
LCD Touchscreen Control Panel
Both AeroGarden models come with an easy-to-use LCD touchscreen control panel. However, the design of this panel differs for the two gardens. The control panel of the Ultra is shaped like a remote-control unit and is partly touchscreen, partly button-operated.
The upper part of the panel is occupied by a small blue touchscreen interface while the lower area consists of buttons. The Bounty’s panel looks like a sleek mini-tablet and can only be operated via its large black touchscreen interface. There are no buttons on the Bounty’s control panel.
Pros and Cons of the AeroGarden Bounty
Pros
- Sturdy and durable
- Highest yield
- Fully touchscreen panel
- Sleek control interface
Cons
- Heavy and difficult to clean
- Too many growth pods crammed into a small space
Pros and Cons of the AeroGarden Ultra
Pros
- Sturdy and durable
- High yield
- Pods are adequately spaced
Cons
- Heavy and difficult to clean
- Limited touchscreen feature
Summary
The Ultra is a solid offering from Miracle Gro’s AeroGarden collection. It is well-constructed and performs admirably and effectively, giving you your full money’s worth. It just doesn’t have the sophistication and extra design features of the Bounty. The Bounty on the other hand is the highest-yielding AeroGarden model and comes with all the frills you should expect from the most popular model in the AeroGarden lineup.
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