LetPot SE Review
When we think of countertop hydroponic gardens, we sometimes throw all of them into one big category and say “well, they’re pretty much all the same” … But what we should be doing, is making sure that they check all the boxes: Does it look good (Check), Does it work as promised (Check), Did it come with everything (Check), Was it worth the money (Check).
And for me, as a reviewer, that’s exactly what I did. Any my conclusion? Well, not only did the LetPot SE check all the boxes (with ease I might ad), but I believe, without a doubt, that there may finally be a rival to the AeroGarden!
Does the system have room for improvement? Sure. But for what this model is advertised as (which is basically the little brother to the LetPot Max), I found it to be a great system with a lot of promise. And seeing that I’ve had the system for several months now (with no issues so far), I see myself growing in it for a long time to come.
So with that being said, let’s look at what I liked and what I didn’t like about the LetPot SE. And if you’d like to look at the product yourself while reading the review, feel free to click on any of the links in this article which will take you to Amazon, which offers additional information, buyers feedback, and pricing options. Now back to our review!
Unboxing the Letpot SE
What I liked: I’m never been one to care too much about unboxing, but I will say that the LetPot SE came packaged pretty well. After opening the shipping box and revealing the “actual” LetPot Box (yes, there’s a box inside another box), I’ll say that the branding and packaging made its presence known. It looked clean, was packaged well, and had everything laid out and organized appropriately.
What I didn’t like: Just as I noted with my review of the iDOO, I would have enjoyed some stickers and swag, but hey, it is what it is and everything I needed was in there.
Setting up the LetPot SE
What I liked: Setting up the system was pretty straightforward (all you had to do was follow the directions and put everything together). One thing that I liked in particular was that the system included a little water gauge/indicator at the top that would float up as the reservoir was filled.
- The instructions were great and walked you through everything.
- The system included everything you needed in little paper baggies inside the reservoir.
- The stainless steel exterior blended in well with the other kitchen appliances.
What I didn’t like: There’s really no negatives here except that the system was really light and I like my systems to have a little bit of weight to them (makes them feel more durable). But then again, that’s just a personal opinion so don’t put too much stock into it (I can see definitely see the benefits of having a lighter system).
- WiFi connection appeared mandatory (more on that below).
- While nutrients were included, the bottles were pretty small.
Letpot SE Features
What I Liked: The features are what make the LetPot stand out, and for the most part, everything worked flawlessly. After going through the WiFi prompts/directions, all I really had to do was visually check it from time to time.
- The light was extremely easy to move up and down and didn’t require a tightening knob. All you have to do is put it in position and leave it.
- The App was clean, intuitive, and worked really well.
- The App allowed you to turn it off/on whenever you want, had custom lighting (hours) adjustment, the ability to switch between two different LED modes (Veggie and Herbs/Flowers and Fruit). There was even a plant diary you could log and keep up with (although I’ll admit I didn’t really mess with it that much).
- Once connected to WiFi, I could easily turn it off/on and check everything.
- The system would start beeping when the water was low (which I found a little annoying but also super helpful).
What I Didn’t Like: I may be in the minority on this one, but it’s sometimes nice to have a non-WiFi option. And unfortunately, the LetPot didn’t seem to have one (or at least didn’t appear to provide instructions on how to set it up without WiFi).
- Connecting the LetPot to WiFi seemed mandatory — and yes, there are on/off buttons on the physical light (to change light from veggies and herbs to flower and fruiting for example), but it wasn’t clear if I could adjust on/off timing without the App.
- Because you have to use WiFi for the system to work, it did require you to provide your email address (which is not something I ever enjoy doing).
- There were 12 holes but only 6 hole covers included in the box. It’d be nice to have 12 just to cover all the holes up when they’re not in use.
Starting Seeds in the Letpot
What I liked: Starting seeds was a breeze. I followed the instructions that came with the box, and within a couple days, I had several sprouts rearing their beautiful two-leave heads into the air.
- The light can get really low which prevents your seeds from getting “leggy”
- The plastic humidity domes fit well and did a good job of providing a good ‘starting environment’ for the seedlings.
What I didn’t like: At no fault of the LetPot, I started with some really bad seeds (and I know this because they didn’t work in other systems either), so I wasn’t able to grow the red lettuce. However, because I was using collards for the middle holes (which get really really big) I didn’t bother starting over because a couple collard plants are plenty enough for a system this size.
- The roots seemed to have some trouble penetrating the grow sponges, which caused the roots to curl around the top (though they did eventually push through after a couple weeks).
- As with other countertop gardens I’ve reviewed, there’s no directions on whether you’re supposed to use the stickers with the middle part in place or removed. Although I’ve personally concluded that it doesn’t matter either way, it would be nice to include that information for beginners.
Growing in the LetPot
What I liked: All in all, growing in the LetPot SE was pretty great. I liked the way it looked, I liked how easy it was to monitor everything, and I liked the results. The collards I grew looked incredible using the nutrients that they provided; there was almost zero discoloration or “bad spots” and they had a nice, firm texture to them.
- The water depth was pretty decent for a system this small.
- Really quiet system and could barely hear the pump at all.
- You can record your growing days using the app.
- Replacing the water/topping it off was really easy.
- Cleaning was a breeze, including the pump area (really easy to take apart and get those rogue roots out).
- The hole to fill up the reservoir was big and easy to take on/off which made filling it up a breeze.
What I didn’t Like: As with most countertop gardens, they tend to cram a lot of grow area into one little space. And they do that without really explaining what you can grow and how far apart your plants should be. It would have been nice to have a little blurb in there that says something along the lines of “if growing larger plants, only grow 5 plants in the system and plant every other hole for best results” — or something similar.
- Can be difficult to grow 12 large plants at once. Better for herbs and small vegetables
- The light is adequate (and comparable to other systems out there), but my guess is that it will probably have some limitations when trying to grow large flowering plants.
The Final Verdict
Expectations: Before receiving the LetPot SE, I had some pretty high hopes. It looked like a design that would fit in well with my other appliances, it had WiFi capability, and it had some pretty decent reviews on Amazon. Additionally, it was priced well and seemed like it would hold up over time.
Reality: Overall, I’m extremely happy with it. It’s an intuitive system that’s easy to set up, easy to grow in, and easy to clean and maintain. What I love most, though, is how seamlessly it fits into my kitchen. It not only blends well with other appliances but also adds a touch of elegance to the space. So if you’re looking for a stylish and affordable way to grow healthy vegetables right on your countertop, the LetPot SE is an excellent choice!
Quick Note: For purposes of this review, I followed the directions exactly and only used products/materials that came with the package.
