Upgrade Your Dinner Menu With These Super Sleek Indoor Herb Gardens

We're already wishing for the warmth and freshness of springtime, but having an indoor herb garden is one practical way to breathe new life into your home year-round.

Whether you're a natural-born green thumb or just want to add some freshness and greenery to your kitchen or living space, an indoor herb garden looks and smells beautiful. From simple jarred herb kits to high-tech hydroponic potted gardens, there are tons of smaller-scale options that will liven up your windowsill, office shelf, and dinner menu.

Here are our favorite top-rated indoor herb gardens that take the guesswork out of indoor gardening.

The Best Indoor Herb Gardens

• Best Overall: AeroGarden Harvest Elite
• Best for Culinary Herbs: Aquaphoric Herb Garden Trio
• A Hydroponic Option: Grow-Anywhere Growbar LED Light & Hydroplanter
• Best Splurge: Gardyn Home Kit
• Best for Dark Rooms: Mindful Design LED Indoor Herb Garden
• Easiest to Use: Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit
• Best for Gifting: Mason Jar Indoor Herb Garden
• Best Tower Garden: Mr. Stacky 5-Tier Herb Garden Planter
• Best for Repurposing Herbs: Cole & Mason Self-Watering Indoor Herb Garden Planter
• Best for Teaching Kids: Back to the Roots Water Garden

What to Consider

It may seem obvious, but the first thing to consider when looking for an indoor herb garden is how often you'll actually use it. Are you planning to clip herbs every week? Do you only use herbs every now and again? Or are you looking to have fresh herbs on hand all the time? If you don't want to use it very often, don't invest in an expensive garden system. There are plenty of options under $100, but they come with fewer bells and whistles.

How often you use herbs will determine the size of the indoor herb garden you need — whether it fits nicely on your countertop or takes up lots of floor space. And speaking of size, you'll want to consider just how much space you have: If you’re an apartment dweller with minimal space, a huge countertop garden probably isn't the way to go. But if you have a house and can spare a couple of square feet, do it!

You'll also want to think about just how much effort you want to put into growing your own herb garden. If you don't always have the best luck keeping plants alive, a system that automatically waters your plants is the best choice. If you feel like you're ready to venture out into something a little more challenging, you can try a hydroponic system: It requires you to add fertilizer to the water and monitor your sprouts more closely.

From beginner plant parents to experienced green thumbs, there's an indoor herb garden for everyone.