Generally speaking, making something grow from a seed is easy; put some dirt in a pot, put a seed in the dirt, and then continue to water it until it’s fully grown and ready to harvest. Just about any seed will, at least, germinate with these simple steps, and the vast majority of fruit and vegetable plants are easy to raise.
A review unit was provided by Hey abby’s PR team.
But what does your outdoor garden look like? Does it look messy, filled with tall grass and weeds that grow around your plants? And, do you find the occasional pest in your planter box? I think that’s the biggest difference, here: the Hey Abby Grow Box allows you to grow whatever without any of the mess; no dirt, grass, or pests.
Now, I realize hydroponics isn’t anything new, and I’m quite familiar with the concept. In fact, I use my Aerogarden all year to grow plants. But what the abby Grow Box does is keep everything controlled, packed neatly into a gorgeous outer shell (a tall white cabinet with wooden accents and a small viewing window, essentially). It looks great, and it keeps all of your plant matter contained right in a 2-square foot area, whereas, with my Aerogarden crops, they’re entirely visible unless I put the entire unit in a grow tent.
The viewing window also has a cover, so you can grow whatever you want to grow in secret (I’m sure you can see how that might come in handy).
The abby Grow Box has a modern look to it, and, in fact, looks borderline futuristic, thanks to the smart dial on the front of it. This dial (which looks similar to a Google Nest thermostat), is loaded with functionality and monitors the crop contained inside, giving you all sorts of important information for growers (like temperature, humidity, etc).
The abby is definitely geared towards growers who want to grow their plants without all of the fuss, presenting a more set-it-and-forget type of solution. Yes, it’s a little on the pricier side of things, so it might not fit everyone’s budget. However, what you’re getting for the price will easily pay for itself over time (through the money saved by growing instead of buying plants/vegetables elsewhere). And, abby does have a Klarna buy-now-pay-later option to make it a little easier on the wallet.
It’s also worth noting that there is no assembly required – a blessing for those (like yours truly) who hate putting things together. It comes ready to use right out of the box. The top-notch LED lighting system and fans are all hooked up and ready to go when it ships. The hey abby iOS app is super helpful with your initial setup as well, showing you how to plant your first crop.
Aside from being blessed with no assembly required, abby’s smartphone features are also a big plus. Specifically, the fact that abby monitors your plant for you and pushes alerts to your smartphone when necessary is a blessing, as it eliminates the need for you to check in on your plant every day.
It’s also worth mentioning that the abby box served as a conversation piece in my home, as well. Every time I had a new visitor who hadn’t seen it, they were immediately curious as to what exactly it was and its functionality.
I do wish there was more information provided on some of the included accessories and what they’re used for. For example, the magnetic hooks, training ties, and the net; their uses might not be obvious for inexperienced growers, so a brief overview of some sort (maybe in the app?) would be a great addition.
There are two issues I have with the abby. The main gripe I have with it is that it doesn’t have a heating or cooling solution, so you are pretty much at the mercy of your area’s climate. While it does have adjustable intake and outtake fans that allow you to control the humidity within the device, it doesn’t allow you to adjust the temperature. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is worth mentioning in case you were growing certain crops that require higher or lower-than-average temperatures.
The second issue is that there isn’t an Android app available for the abby just yet. While we’re told it is in development right now and it’s slated to launch in September of this year, it should’ve been available at launch. Unfortunately, that means you’ll need to dust off the iPad or use another iDevice to use the smart app. Hopefully, the abby Android app launches sooner rather than later.
There’s also a $25/month subscription available for abby which provides the following:
- abby’s original solid fertilizer x8
- Activated carbon filter x2
- Sponge
- plant basket
- Access to community features (expert support, oxygen rewards, IOT control, and Plant Community
The subscription is billed every three months, and it provides you with everything you need to start growing. You also get an included 3-month subscription with your initial purchase, so you can see if it’s worth it or not.
If you’re looking for something that keeps your plants looking incredibly neat and tidy, the abby grow box is the premium option. It’s a gorgeous cabinet that looks great in any room, whether you want it to be a centerpiece for your living room or you just want to get some tomatoes growing at the office. While its full functionality isn’t quite yet realized, the company continues to make minor tweaks to what the abby is and what it does. Once that Android app launches, I’d give it a glowing recommendation. For now, it’s well worth the price tag only if you’re an iPhone user.
Pros:
- Set it and forget it
- No assembly required
- Stylish look
- Easy to Use and Setup
Cons:
- No Android app yet
- No cooling solution
