Best Overall
Vego Garden Raised Garden Bed Kit
- This stylish bed is made of high-quality metal and can be set up into a variety of configurations to suit your specific space.
This stylish bed is made of high-quality metal and can be set up into a variety of configurations to suit your specific space.
- The assembly took two and half hours.
The assembly took two and half hours.
Our top pick for the best raised garden bed is the Vego Garden Raised Garden Bed Kit because it can be configured nine different ways.
You can assemble all twelve pieces that come with the kit into a raised garden bed that is 2 x 8 feet, 3.5 x 6.5 feet, or 5 x 5 feet. You can also use some of the pieces to create smaller beds in a variety of shapes—simply choose the configuration that best suits your space.
We tested the version that is 17 inches deep, which allowed us to grow plants with deep roots. Plus, we found that we didn’t have to bend over as much while gardening. Since this raised bed doesn’t have a bottom, the soil drained well, and we liked the fact that earthworms were able to get in to help improve the soil.
This raised garden bed does require assembly, and although the company says it should only take 30 minutes, it ended up taking us two and a half hours. The setup was relatively straightforward, but we were frustrated by the time-consuming process of removing the protective film from the front and back of each panel included in the kit. That said, the panels were free of flaws and looked great thanks to this protective film.
To attach all the panels together, we tightened each bolt, washer, and nut by hand and then finished with a cordless drill. If we had to do it over, we would start out using the cordless drill to speed up the process.
This durable metal bed was designed by combining zinc, magnesium, and aluminum-coated steel with a USDA-approved paint to ensure it will last season after season. The non-toxic paint made us feel more comfortable planting vegetables in the raised garden bed.
We didn’t test any accessories but a range of accessories are available for this raised garden bed kit, including grow lights and an arched trellis. Of course, keep in mind that these accessories can substantially increase your total cost.
Product Details: Dimensions: 24 x 96 x 17 inches | Material: Metal
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / LAURA MILLER
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / LAURA MILLER
Best Budget
Best Choice Products Mobile Raised Garden Bed
- This elevated planter is ideal for small spaces, and since it’s on wheels, it can be moved wherever you want it. Plus, it offers handy storage space.
This elevated planter is ideal for small spaces, and since it’s on wheels, it can be moved wherever you want it. Plus, it offers handy storage space.
- The raised bed’s material felt cheaper than some other models we tested, and assembly took almost two hours.
The raised bed’s material felt cheaper than some other models we tested, and assembly took almost two hours.
The Best Choice Mobile Raised Garden Bed fits perfectly on a patio or porch, so you don’t need a large yard—or any yard at all—to enjoy this raised garden bed. It features one generous planting space with four drainage holes to prevent roots from rotting if you get too much rain (or get carried away with watering).
During assembly, we were initially concerned with the quality of this raised garden bed. A couple of the predrilled holes were misaligned, and one of the pieces of wood started to splinter when we screwed in a screw.
It took us nearly two hours to assemble it with a standard screwdriver. The bottom slates have over 40 screws, which was the most time consuming part of the assembly. We used a standard screwdriver, but the process would have been much faster if we had an electric screwdriver.
Despite our initial concerns with the quality, it has stood up well to the elements, including a few storms. We planted a variety of flower seeds in the raised garden bed with potting mix, and were pleased to see seedlings in just a couple of weeks. At the time of publishing, the flowers have grown strong and tall, but haven’t bloomed quite yet.
We also love the foldable shelves on the side, which provide handy storage for tools or to set smaller potted plants on. The raised bed’s locking wheels are also a convenient feature so we could move the raised garden bed around easily, and it will be easy to roll away to store for the winter.
This is the perfect raised garden bed for those with limited outdoor space, and it’s also a great choice for beginner gardeners since it isn’t as expensive as other options. Additionally, we love that we didn’t have to bend down to do any gardening, which saved us some knee pain and back aches.
Product Details: Dimensions: 57 x 20 x 33 inches | Material: Wood
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / BRANDI FULLER
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / BRANDI FULLER
Best Splurge
Gardener’s Supply Company Elevated Cedar Planter Box
- This elevated planter eliminates the need for bending or kneeling and offers a generous growing space for multiple plants.
This elevated planter eliminates the need for bending or kneeling and offers a generous growing space for multiple plants.
- Due to its size, this planter required two people for assembly.
Due to its size, this planter required two people for assembly.
You can grow a lot in a relatively small space with the Gardener’s Supply Company Raised Garden Bed Elevated Cedar Planter Box. It features 16 square feet of growing space in its narrow footprint, which works well along the edge of a deck or patio.
At 29 inches high, it brought the garden up to waist level, eliminating the need for bending or kneeling while working in the garden. Although the manufacturer says it can be assembled in less than an hour, it took us nearly 90 minutes—even with a helper.
Because of this raised bed’s 8-foot boards, we discovered that it took two people to assemble and set up this raised bed. Despite having to recruit a helper for assembly, we appreciated the easy-to-follow instructions and the online video tutorial.
It’s more expensive than some raised beds, but it’s built to last thanks to rot-resistant cedar wood that holds up well to all types of weather and powder-coated aluminum corners for extra stability. We found it spacious enough to plant a variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, kale, peppers, and lettuce.
The raised garden bed includes a fabric liner on the bottom to help protect the wood box. The 10-inch planting depth is shallower than some of the other planters we tested, so keep this in mind when you’re choosing which seeds to plant—deep root vegetables may not be the best option for this raised garden bed.
Product Details: Dimensions: 24x96x29 inches | Material: Cedar and aluminum
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / CAITLIN SOLE
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / CAITLIN SOLE
Best for Patios
Vegepod Small Raised Garden Bed
- This easy-to-assemble raised garden bed features a self-watering system and a cover that protects plants from animals and bugs.
This easy-to-assemble raised garden bed features a self-watering system and a cover that protects plants from animals and bugs.
- The irrigation system that helps keep plants watered was a bit tricky to set up.
The irrigation system that helps keep plants watered was a bit tricky to set up.
If you’re dreaming of growing fresh vegetables right outside your door, the Vegepod Small Raised Garden Bed with Garden Cover is the perfect choice for you. Its small size makes it a great option for patios or decks, and it includes a mesh cover to help protect plants from bugs and animals and shield them from the harsh summer sun.
We were able to assemble it without any tools, and we got the cover and base put together in 30 minutes. Initially, the package arrived without all of the necessary parts. However, when we reached out to the company, they were helpful and shipped the missing parts immediately.
We found the cover helpful, and it stood up well to the wind and rain throughout the testing period. This cover also helps to create a beneficial microclimate to increase yields—so you can grow a lot of produce in a small amount of space.
We liked the fact that this raised garden bed kit includes a self-watering system so you don’t have to worry about your plants if you’re away on vacation. It uses a wicking system that allows the soil to pull up water from the reservoir below the plants when needed.
The raised garden bed also features a mist-spray watering system that runs along the top of the cover. Setting up this system initially was a bit difficult. We found it challenging to clamp the pieces of tubing together just right so they would stay attached and not leak, and it took awhile to orient the emitters correctly so they wouldn’t spray outside of the cover.
Once we got the system set up correctly, it seemed to work well. You could also hook this system up to a garden hose for a more traditional watering system from above rather than below with the self-watering system.
This raised garden bed required 4 cubic feet of soil to fill, and we planted four pepper plants in it. If you are looking for more planting space, the company also offers two larger sizes of planters.
Product Details: Dimensions: 39x20x13 inches | Material: Plastic, iron, polypropylene
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / VIVEKA NEVELN
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / VIVEKA NEVELN
Best Large
Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed
- A tongue-and-groove system made assembly and installation of this raised garden bed simple and easy.
A tongue-and-groove system made assembly and installation of this raised garden bed simple and easy.
- It doesn’t have a bottom, so we recommended adding landscape fabric to help prevent weeds.
It doesn’t have a bottom, so we recommended adding landscape fabric to help prevent weeds.
Made of cedar that’s naturally resistant to rot and insects, the Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed will stand up well to the elements. During testing, we were happy about the quality of the wood and thought the natural look of the cedar bed enhanced our garden space.
We were also pleased that this raised garden bed was simple and easy to assemble. Thanks to a tongue-and-groove system, the raised bed frame fits together without any tools. However, we wish the instructions included illustrations to help us better understand how the frame fit together.
It was so easy to assemble, that when we decided we wanted the raised garden bed in a new location, we simply took it all apart and put it back together instead of moving the whole frame. Because it is a frame, keep in mind that it doesn’t have a bottom piece. We recommended placing some landscaping fabric down before adding your soil to help prevent weeds.
Because the raised garden bed features routed corner posts, you can easily attach more boards to expand the bed later—or even stack beds to make them deeper. Keep in mind that because of this raised bed’s large size, it will take up a considerable amount of space in a small yard.
It also took quite a bit of soil (47 cubic feet) to fill it, so be sure to factor that into your overall budget. We also found that plants in the center of the bed were a little more difficult to reach than they were in the smaller beds we tested.
Product Details: Dimensions: 96x48x17.5 inches | Material: Cedar
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / BRIE GOLDMAN
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / BRIE GOLDMAN