11 Best Indoor Seed Starters: Your Buyer’s Guide

1. 1. Burpee Exclusive Glow ‘n Grow Tabletop Grow Light and Seed Starting Kit

   

   Price: $139.70

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   Pros:

   • Great for windowless rooms
   • Comes with adjustable grow light
   • Self-watering

   Cons:

   • Expensive
   • Requires set-up
   • Only 32 cells

   This kit from Burpee is the ultimate seed starter setup for your home. The set comes with a light as well as a self watering cell tray for your seeds. The light has its own sturdy metal frame, as well as two chain hangers that allow you to adjust the height, and two 20 Watt broad spectrum lights. The 32 cell tray has a reservoir included that automatically waters your seedlings through the bottom of the cells. They absorb only as much water as they need, so you do not have to worry about over- or under-watering. 

   Find more Burpee Exclusive Glow 'n Grow Tabletop Grow Light and Seed Starting Kit information and reviews here.

2. 2. KORAM 10-Pack Seed Starter Trays

   

   Price: $17.99

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   Pros:

   • 10 pack
   • Inexpensive
   • Comes with dome, dibber and widger

   Cons:

   • Inconvenient to have multiple trays if you are planting only a few different types
   • Plastic is not eco-friendly
   • Some reviewers received the wrong parts

   If you want to divide your seedlings by type of plant, this 10-pack from Koram is a great choice. Each tray has six cells, for a total of 60. The trays are very small and easy to fit on any shelf or table in your home or greenhouse.

   They come with a humidity lid with adjustable opening on top, as well as plant labels, seedling dibber and seedling widger. The bottom of the cells are reinforced with thick plastic to handle the stress of removing seedlings, so you can reuse them over and over.

   Find more KORAM 10-Pack Seed Starter Trays information and reviews here.

3. 3. Seed Starting Kit by Window Garden

   

   Price: $17.99

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   Pros:

   • Fiber soil plugs included
   • Seedlings won't get root bound
   • 30 cells total

   Cons:

   • Not as many cells as other kits
   • Replacing the cells is more expensive than using potting soil
   • Coco coir may dry out faster than potting soil

   This set of three seed starter trays comes equipped with fiber soil packs so you do not have to buy your own potting soil. Fiber soil is great for developing roots, and prevents seedlings from becoming root bound as they often do in regular plastic seed starter cells. The mini greenhouses in this kit have 10 cells each for a total of 30 seedling cells. The greenhouses are reusable and you can purchase replacement fiber soil cells next season. The cells use organic, pre-rinsed coco coir for low salt content. 

   Find more Seed Starting Kit by Window Garden information and reviews here.

4. 4. MegaGrow Indoor Seed Starter Plus with Grow Light System

   

   Price: $199.00

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   Pros:

   • 72 total cells
   • Heating mat included
   • Grow light included

   Cons:

   • Grow medium may not be as effective as soil, may dry out faster
   • Expensive
   • Not many reviews

   This kit from MegaGrow has bsolutely everything you need to get your seeds started inside. It includes a four foot T5 grow light system with stand, 2 waterproof heat mats to keep your seeds warm, two self watering mini dome greenhouses with 32 cells each, and 72 wonder soil potting wafers. The wafers expand when you add water and are perfect for seed germination. 

   Find more MegaGrow Indoor Seed Starter Plus with Grow Light System information and reviews here.

5. 5. Burpee 72 Cell Self Watering Seed Starting Kit

   

   Price: $19.99

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   Pros:

   • 72 cells total
   • Inexpensive
   • Self watering

   Cons:

   • No heating pad included
   • Soil sold separately
   • Does not come with grow light for indoor use

   This self watering tray from Burpee is the ultimate no-hassle system for growing your seeds. Each tray has 32 cells as well as a reservoir. Just fill the reservoir up with water and your seedlings will absorb just as much water as they need through the bottom of the tray. This is a two-pack, so you get 72 cells total. 

   Find more Burpee 72 Cell Self Watering Seed Starting Kit information and reviews here.

6. 6. Culinary Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit by Mountain Valley Seed Company

   

   Price: $41.66

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   Pros:

   • Includes everything you need, just add water!
   • Comes with seeds
   • Multiple different sizes and options

   Cons:

   • Relatively expensive
   • No heat mat
   • You can't choose your seeds

   If you want an all-in-one kit including seeds and everything, this is the perfect starter kit for you. This set includes three mini greenhouses with 12 cells each, seed labels, seed starting pods, and even decorative pots to transplant your seeds into. You can choose from

   You can choose from multiple different kits. Pictured above is the premium culinary herb kit, or you can choose a smaller sized deluxe or basic kit. There is also a medicinal and herbal tea kit.

   Find more Culinary Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit information and reviews here.

7. 7. Windowsill Herb Garden Kit by Sustainable Seed Company

   

   Price: $38.82

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   Pros:

   • All inclusive for starting a garden in your windowsill
   • Non-GMO seeds
   • Eco friendly non-plastic pots

   Cons:

   • Relatively expensive
   • Seed pods may dry out faster than soil
   • Not guaranteed to fit in all windowsills, check the measurements first

   This seed starter kit is designed to fit on your windowsill for effortless growing of 10 heirloom kitchen herbs. This kit makes starting an herb garden easy and fun, instead of intimidating. It comes with 10 pre-labeled seed pots, two plastic trays to prevent water leaking on to your windowsill, 10 seed starter pods, a herb planting guide and 10 non-GMO seed packets. The plants include basil, dill, chives, lavender, cilantro, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

   Find more Windowsill Herb Garden Kit by Sustainable Seed Company information and reviews here.

8. 8. Jiffy J450 42mm Professional Greenhouse 50-Plant Starter Kit

   

   Price: $37.13

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   Pros:

   • Inexpensive
   • Includes grow pods
   • 100 cells total

   Cons:

   • Flimsy plastic, not very reusable
   • Pods dry out faster than soil
   • No labels included

   Jiffy is a trusted gardening brand, and this greenhouse tray is one of the biggest available. This set includes two trays with 50 cells each, for a total of 100 cells. Each cell has its own expanding seed pod that makes starting your seeds as easy as adding water.

   Find more Jiffy J450 42mm Professional Greenhouse 50-Plant Starter Kit information and reviews here.

9. 9. Herb Garden Starter Kit by Sower’s Source

   

   Price: $21.99

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   Pros:

   • All inclusive kit
   • 10 culinary herb seeds included
   • Eco friendly biodegradable pots

   Cons:

   • Relatively expensive
   • Type of herbs is not listed
   • Seed pods may dry out faster than soil

   If you are a beginner and a bit intimidated by gardening, this kit lets you start out with just a few plants. This kit includes everything you need to grow a little herb garden in yoru own kitchen. It comes with the seeds, pots, seed pods, and seed markers necessary to grow 10 easy culinary herbs. The pots included in this kit are biodegradable, making them much more eco friendly than plastic seed cell trays. 

   Find more Herb Garden Starter Kit by Sower's Source information and reviews here.

10. 10. Hydrofarm Jump Start Germination Station

    

    Price: $37.03

    Amazon Customer Reviews

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    Pros:

    • Comes with heating pad
    • 72 cells total
    • Great for cold climates

    Cons:

    • Expensive
    • No seed pods included
    • No grow light included

    This simple kit from Hydrofarm is the perfect start to your gardening season. It comes with a 72-cell tray and dome as well as a matching heat pad. The heat pad is essential in colder climates because seedlings require warmth in order to germinate, and sometimes the greenhouse dome is not enough. By keeping them nice and warm, you trick them into thinking it is spring so they will sprout.

    Find more Hydrofarm Jump Start Germination Station information and reviews here.

11. 11. Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit w/ 7″ Dome & T5 Light

    

    Price: $58.48

    Amazon Customer Reviews

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    Pros:

    • T5 light included in the dome
    • Watertight bottom
    • Tray and dome kit

    Cons:

    • Expensive
    • Grow media not included
    • Seed cells not included

    This kit is truly unique, because it combines the greenhouse dome lid with a built in T5 grow light. This guarantees that the light will always be the optimal height from your seedlings, and it saves space as well. This kit is just the tray, dome and light – you will have to purchase seed pods separately. The tray measures 10 x 20 inches and has no holes, so water will not leak out of the bottom.

    Find more Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit w/ 7" Dome & T5 Light information and reviews here.

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on your growing season. Seeds and seedlings are very fragile and particular abotu their environment. They require just the right amount of humidity and the proper warm temperature in order to grow.

Weather is not entirely predictable, and a surprise frost or cold spell can destroy your garden before it even begins. If you start your seeds indoors, you do not need to worry about the weather.

See Also:

• 5 Best Raised Garden Bed Kits: Your Easy Buying Guide
• 21 Best Potting Benches You’ll Absolutely Love
• 13 Best Automatic Indoor Gardens for Busy Gardeners