Getting back into it, should I buy a Harvest XL or a Bounty?

[bluetech]

I'm mainly going to grow peppers and tomatoes, herbs from time to time. I won't always be using the seed pods they sell, kinda want to try differen't peppers and what not. So I'm undecided should I get the XL which is cheaper and seems to be the only one that comes with that railing thing or go for a bounty? I don't need to grow 9 plants at once and not sure if the extra room is needed, other advantage of bounty is, the hood raises 6 extra inches, but this will double the price and then some, wondering if the bounty is worth it? I figured if anyone would have some good advice for me it would be you guys.

[scarfguy]

I have both the XL and (various) bounties.  I found the XL just isn't quite tall enough for most of the peppers I've grown. The extra space of the bounty makes a big difference for peppers and tomatoes. I grow two pepper plants in a bounty, one on each side in the holes furthest from each other.   

The bounty allows you to set the on and off time anytime.  On the otherhand, the XL and smaller models require you to be awake at the time of day you want to set the "light on" time.  Doesn't seem like a big thing at first but it soon becomes a pain-in-the-butt.

Of the models of bounty, I've found the 40 watt light of the bounty is adequate for peppers. The 50 watt power of the bounty elite is really a bit more than necessary and the 30 watt light of the bounty basic always seemed a bit less than adequate.

You really can't go wrong with any of them. They are all "fun" and no matter which one you buy, it won't be your last one!

[patlab]

I have a few harvests, one of which is the xl. I also have a few bounties. I agree with scarfguy that the bounty (not the basic) would be your better choice. They are great for peppers and tomatoes.

[tompepper7]

Hello bluetech.

I suspect part of he answer to your question is how careful you are choosing tomato and pepper varieties and how proficient you are at pruning.

I have peppers growing in 2 Bounty Basics (one pepper each). A somewhat new Habanero Habanada that is over a foot tall and the width of the Bounty with the first pepper growing at 90+ days. An older Red Habanero that is 2.5 feet tall and a yard wide growing 8+ months. I purchased a one foot light extension (not from Aerogarden) I am using for the Red Habanero.

I do have a couple Harvest XLs that are great for lettuce and kale.

[bluetech]

Apr 25, 2023 18:56:49 GMT -5 tompepper7 said:

Hello bluetech .

I suspect part of he answer to your question is how careful you are choosing tomato and pepper varieties and how proficient you are at pruning.

I have peppers growing in 2 Bounty Basics (one pepper each). A somewhat new Habanero Habanada that is over a foot tall and the width of the Bounty with the first pepper growing at 90+ days. An older Red Habanero that is 2.5 feet tall and a yard wide growing 8+ months. I purchased a one foot light extension (not from Aerogarden) I am using for the Red Habanero.

I do have a couple Harvest XLs that are great for lettuce and kale.

Where do you get an extension from? Also they say the LEDs last 2-4 years, what then do you just toss the unit and have to buy a new one?

[tompepper7]

Where do you get an extension from? Also they say the LEDs last 2-4 years, what then do you just toss the unit and have to buy a new one?

I am in the 2-4 so have not had to deal with EOL yet.

This is the Bounty extension. I see they now have a Harvest extension I will need to check out.

[bluetech]

So I think I'm going to get a Bounty, but now I'm curious is the app version worth the extra money? Not a whole lot of difference between the middle tier and the most expensive Bounty, anyone have experience with the app?

[scarfguy]

I didn't find the app very useful or very well written. 

HOWEVER, there are others here that really like the app.

The only reason I have opted for the Elite model is for the 50W light. I use it for a full herb garden and some flowers.  I use the bounty for peppers and I use the bounty "basic" for germinating seedlings that are going to outgrow the 24" bounty height.  For things like vine tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and melon, I start them out in a bounty basic and then remove the light hood and suspend an external light (100W) (on an external timer )  above them.  I can handle a growing height of 5-6 feet with this setup.

I have 2 bounty elites, 3 bounties, and 4 bounty basics.

BTW, the app and the wifi support is available on both the bounty and the bounty elite.

[bluetech]

So whats the difference between these Bounties, just the lighting, if you look on the website it says the basic Bounty doesn't have a touch screen etc. but it sure looks like it does. aerogarden.com/gardens/bounty-family/

[scarfguy]

Correct, the basic bounty does NOT have a touch screen.  The (regular) bounty and the bounty elite have touch screens.   I kinda like the one without the touch screen better. The touch screen is right below the water hole so when you drip water onto the touch screen it will frequently execute a command and then you wonder what you just did.

The bounty elite has the bigger light and also has the sunrise/sunset feature. It's kinda cool but I don't know if the plants find it useful.

[scarfguy]

With regard to the question about LED longevity...

About a year ago, the aerogarden website started offering replacement light hoods for various models of aerogardens.  I manage to obtain a couple of replacement hoods for the harvest, harvest slim, harvest XL, bounty basic, and bounty elite.  These were not offered all at the same time but they were available for a week or two each.   I thought this was going to be a continuing offering but eventually they all were removed.

My guess is that they must have had a surplus of these and the offering was a one-time event. Haven't seen them since.   SO... check the aerogarden website periodically, if you find a replacement light hood for one of your units, GRAB IT!

[bluetech]

Apr 26, 2023 16:22:18 GMT -5 scarfguy said:

With regard to the question about LED longevity...

About a year ago, the aerogarden website started offering replacement light hoods for various models of aerogardens.  I manage to obtain a couple of replacement hoods for the harvest, harvest slim, harvest XL, bounty basic, and bounty elite.  These were not offered all at the same time but they were available for a week or two each.   I thought this was going to be a continuing offering but eventually they all were removed.

My guess is that they must have had a surplus of these and the offering was a one-time event. Haven't seen them since.   SO... check the aerogarden website periodically, if you find a replacement light hood for one of your units, GRAB IT!

How much we're they if you don't mind me asking?

[scarfguy]

Hmmm... I couldn't find the invoice.  If I remember correctly, the harvest and harvest XL were not very expensive...  like about $40-$50 each..  The bounty light hoods were a bit expensive I thought at somewhere around about $100. or so.

[lynnee]

bluetech, you've already received excellent answers to your question, so I'll just vote.

Definitely the Bounty is the better choice, because the stronger light makes things grow much faster than they do in a Harvest or Harvest XL. The Bounty is the most versatile of all the AGs. (And I love my Farms.) You can grow almost anything in a Bounty--even vines like cucumbers.

I love the app, so I buy the Elite models. However they have more complicated electronics, so are more susceptible to glitches and failures. So far, AG has always replaced my AGs that developed problems while they were still under warranty--that's a good reason to buy direct from AG.

[bluetech]

Apr 26, 2023 22:22:09 GMT -5 lynnee said:

bluetech , you've already received excellent answers to your question, so I'll just vote.

Definitely the Bounty is the better choice, because the stronger light makes things grow much faster than they do in a Harvest or Harvest XL. The Bounty is the most versatile of all the AGs. (And I love my Farms.) You can grow almost anything in a Bounty--even vines like cucumbers.

I love the app, so I buy the Elite models. However they have more complicated electronics, so are more susceptible to glitches and failures. So far, AG has always replaced my AGs that developed problems while they were still under warranty--that's a good reason to buy direct from AG.

Not sure what they used to have but its a 1 year warranty now, not very long when your investing hundreds in a product. For 44 extra bucks, you can get a 3 year warranty from Amazon, kinda sounds better to me since the LEDs have 2 - 4 years, meaning only 2 years after buying a product (say you bought a 24XL) your already screwed 2 years later if the LEDs fail after throwing almost a grand at this item. Just trying to be a realist about it, I have my sights on an elite Amazon sells them for less, but if I get the 3 year insurance it adds up to the same amount from buying directly from them. They should also honor the warranty no matter where you bought it from. Still debating in my head on this, I really don't like the fact that if the LEDs go you have to wait and hope they have something in stock or just suck it up and buy a new one.

[lynnee]

bluetech, none of the LED lights on my AGs have failed in 2 to 3 years. Maybe they are less intense than they used to be, but they don't wink out suddenly like incandescents. The plants still grow okay.

The one-year warranty seems adequate for AGs because problems usually surface quickly if they're going to.

You should never pay the full suggested retail price for an AG. The official AG website offers deals all the time, and basically rotates through all of the models. The price offered in the website deals is basically the lowest you'll find anywhere for any of the AGs. The AG "Deal of the Day" is usually the rock-bottom price.

The worst thing about the AG warranty is that it's a super pain to get a defective Farm model. They had a bad batch or something, and I got one of them. AG shipped me a new hood immediately when the pump controller in mine was defective, but I still had to take it apart and reassemble it with the new hood.

I think that AG honors the warranty on models purchased at Amazon or other websites. Isn't the Amazon insurance something extra that Amazon adds on?

[bluetech]

AG has a sale right now, but the Bounty Elite is 50 bucks less on Amazon. Yes the extra insurance is an Amazon add-on, its 44 bucks for the Elite, so my thoughts are right now, $290 + $44 from Amazon = 3 year warranty or $350 from AG = 1 year warranty and free seed kit.

[lynnee]

bluetech, Is the AG price on the Bounty the "Deal of the Day"? Those are the real "deals" that the web site offers, the ones that are cycled through all the models.

If you want to buy the cheaper one from Amazon, just check to see whether the $44 insurance comes from somebody other than AG. If so, then the basic AG 1-year warranty should protect you.

There are no guarantees, of course. Any AG may fail on day 366. That hasn't been my experience, though. Be sure to register your AG bought elsewhere, and keep the sales receipt as a proof of purchase. If you buy direct from AG, then they have the proof of purchase.

EDIT: I see you already answered my question about the $44 insurance. Did you read the fine print, re what you have to do to collect on the insurance? Does it require return of the item for assessment of whether it was user-caused damage? AG just sends a replacement, and doesn't ask you to ship the failed item back. Or at least that's what they still did a year ago.

ANOTHER EDIT: Must confess that I never buy extended warranties on electronics. I've been badly burned in the past: First, by shipping back the item at my expense, only to be told that it wasn't a product defect that caused the failure; and second, by having the seller go out of business, taking my warranty with it.

.

[bluetech]

Ended up going with the Bounty Elite, its $262 on Amazon right now, don't think I'm going to get a better deal than that. Do these new ones still use the same pods from years ago? I have a grow anything kit from 2008 lol. I figured I could just get some planting material and plant food if I can still use those. While I'm on the subject any recommendations for food?

lynnee I'm same way I normally skip the extra insurance stuff but I have a feeling it might come in handy for this. Now to figure out what to start with.

[bluetech]

Apr 27, 2023 14:25:30 GMT -5 bluetech said:

Ended up going with the Bounty Elite, its $262 on Amazon right now, don't think I'm going to get a better deal than that. Do these new ones still use the same pods from years ago? I have a grow anything kit from 2008 lol. I figured I could just get some planting material and plant food if I can still use those. While I'm on the subject any recommendations for food?

lynnee I'm the same way, I normally skip the extra insurance stuff but I have a feeling it might come in handy for this. Now to figure out what to start with.