Have you ever stared at the enormous range of hydroponic net pots available and wondered how on earth you’re supposed to choose the best option for your system?
They are available in multiple sizes, different materials, and colors. And although the primary purpose of these net pots is to allow plant roots into your hydroponic’s nutrient solution while still retaining some growing medium, they aren’t all created equal.
Rather than let you battle through all the options online, we will list our top net pot selection below.
Quick glance at the best hydroponic net pots available today:
- Best Overall Net Pot: CZ Garden Net Cups
- Best DWC Net Pot: Hydrofarm Wide Lip Bucket Basket
- Best Heavy Duty Net Pot: VIVOSUN Heavy Duty Net Pots
- Best Budget Net Pot: xGarden – Lightweight Economy Net Pots
- Best Net Pot with Lid: HORTIPOTS
- Best 6 Inch Net Pot: Hydrop Crunch
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Best Six Hydroponics Net Pots Reviewed
Best Overall Net Pot: CZ Garden Net Cups
CZ Garden’s Net Cups are made from BPA-free, food-grade safe plastic. A premium plastic has been utilized for molding, which means you can reuse them.
As you’d expect, these cups have a nice wide rim with a flange design, which helps prevent light from touching the water source.
There’s also a generous lower shield that helps stop light from getting to the reservoirs and also helps with rigidity.
Another excellent design factor is the raised bottom, which helps when you remove the cups from the system and place them on a surface to inspect the roots.
But the materials utilized in producing these net pots are what sets them apart from the competition. The plastic is non-toxic, durable, food-grade, reusable, recyclable, and, most importantly, for outdoor grows UV resistant.
These are very versatile. Gardeners can use them with multiple types of hydroponic setups. Whether you’re thinking of using them in an ebb or flow system, or just a Kratky wide mouth mason jar, the CZ Garden’s Net Cups are perfect.
Pros
- Great material
- Large lip
- Good design
Cons
- Bit shallow and not able to accommodate all plants
- The design of the logo at the bottom makes it difficult to clean
You can’t fault the CZ Net Cup as an all-around great net pot. It’s honestly the solution we’d suggest for all levels of hydroponic enthusiasts.
Best DWC Net Pot: Hydrofarm Wide Lip Bucket Basket
With hydroponics, you want a net pot with a wide rim. This is especially true if you own a deep water culture (DWC) setup with ample root for root development.
While listed as a six-inch pot, it is actually 12 inches across at the rim. The glossy black plastic ensures that mold can’t embed itself into the pot.
The wide rim also ensures that the pot is more rigid. Our reasoning for selecting this as the best DWC net pot is its size.
Most entry-level DWC setups allow for large grows, making them perfect for this pot.
However the slot design is relatively narrow, so it could be tricky if you’re planning on growing a plant with a large taproot.
But for adventurous and fibrous roots, this is perfect.
Pros
- Huge lip
- Rigid
- Mold resistant
Cons
- Large and not suitable for all setups
- Expensive in the overall genre of net pots
If you own a DWC set up in a large bucket, the Wide Lip Bucket Basket from Hydrofarm is perfect. And because it’s rigid, you can be sure that the plastic will age well without cracking.
We do want to note that, this is a niche pot in an already unique subsection of the gardening world. Although it would also work in a simple tower or nutrient film technique (NFT) system.
Best Heavy Duty Net Pot: VIVOSUN Heavy Duty Net Pots
Available in multiple sizes, including 2, 3, and 4 inches, the VIVOSUN is an excellent and affordable heavy-duty net pot.
Created from durable plastic, it is tough and is guaranteed to be used for multiple crops. This is because the plastic has an anti-breakage element.
Also, the plastic is anti-UV and won’t leak any toxic elements into your water.
It has a reasonably sized lip and well-sized, long thin slots, which allows it to hold most of the growing mediums.
The 12 pack also comes with an equal amount of reusable plastic labels.
Overall, these are great and can be used for other plants such as orchids and hoyas, which require wood chips and loads of oxygen at the roots.
But for hydroponic growing we think the lip could have been thicker.
Pros
- Hard-wearing
- Affordable
- Nice extra labels
Cons
- Could have had a larger lip
We are nitpicking with VIVOSUN net pots, as you’ll certainly achieve your goal of growing a great hydroponic crop if you used them.
But what if you’re on a tight budget?
Best Budget Net Pots: xGarden – Lightweight Economy Net Pots
A pack of 50 two-inch net pots will set you back only $10.95. If this isn’t large enough, you might consider spending a bit more money, and for $4 extra, you can pick up a pack of 25 four-inchnet pots for $14.95.
This is a bargain for those looking to hit the hydroponic-ground running. While not heavy duty or as rugged as the previously mentioned pots, these are also made from BPA-free plastic, which means they are food- and environmentally safe.
The plastic is also lightweight and UV resistant, though how tolerant it will be in extended periods of direct sunlight is unknown at this time.
These pots are also fairly versatile and can accommodate most growing mediums. At a push they could be used for orchids and hoyas.
The lip at the top of the pot is also small compared to its competition. Also, the slots for roots are very narrow, which will automatically steer you away from any plants with taproots. But if you are looking to cut costs on your hydroponic setup, this is for you.
Pros
- Cheap
- Fairly good materials
Cons
- Low quality of materials
- Small slots
- Narrow lip
While it’s not always wise to buy the cheapest item, you will have these pots for seasons before the defects show themselves.
We think these are the best in a sector with a million and one affordable net pots.
Best Net Pot with Lid: HORTIPOTS
HORTIPOTS offers a nice-sized lip and is available in most U.S. standard net pot sizes. If you were concerned about rigidity, the side of the pots is extra thick to ensure nothing slips out. The heavy-duty plastic construction with PP plastic is suitable for various crops.
But it’s the addition of the lids that separates the HORTIPOTS from the crowd. Available in multiple colors or as a reflective layer, these pots will ensure no water evaporates or excess exposure occurs.
The slots are nicely sized and will allow growers to tackle a variety of crops.
However, the quality of the heavy-duty plastic falls a little short compared to the others mentioned on this list.
But overall, still, a product that works well.
Pros
- Lids included
Cons
- A bit lacking in quality
You can’t go wrong with these net pot package. If your setup requires lids, you’ll be happy with these.
But what if you’re interested in growing something really big.
Best 6 Inch Net Pot: Hydrop Crunch
You will need a larger net pot if you’re planning on growing larger plants in your system. Most of the previously mentioned net pots are around two to four inches, however, the Hydro Crunch comes in at six inches.
The plastic is also UV-resistant and non-toxic.
The slots in these pots are narrow, allowing for easy cleaning. This package comes with 24 units, which is helpful for people looking to grow a large crop.
However, the narrow slots limit your selection of what you can grow, and the lip isn’t as big as you’d expect with such a large net pot.
Pros
- Size
- Good price point
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Could have a larger lip
- Narrow slots
We think that if you’re looking for a larger pot for plants that can handle squeezing their roots through the narrow slots, then this is perfect.
But you will have to plan your hydroponic rig around the size, which will most likely be a large DWC setup. In turn, this expansion plan will cost more.
Now that we’ve taken a good look at the best hydroponic net pots to get you growing in 2022, let’s break down what you’ll need from a net pot.
After all, there are many different hydroponic setups.
What Criteria Does a Net Pot Need To Meet?
While we’ve outlined our top recommendations, the truth is that each hydroponic system requires its own net pot solution.
This is especially true if you’ve constructed your system yourself, which is pretty standard for those DIY-inclined.
Building your system might mean you require net pots with a different shape to the norm. Also, the longevity of the pot might differ depending on your requirements.
All these factors can make it difficult to invest in a standard solution.
So, what factors should you consider?
Net Pot Size Matters
As we’ve touched upon in this article, size matters. Most net pots come in predetermined sizes, and it’s all U.S. standards for a change.
If you start at two inches, your system could be used for germination. And these seedlings are then transplanted into the soil or a deeper system.
But if you plan to plant into a basic mason jar system, you will need a larger diameter on your pot with a broader lip.
And for those using a 5-gallon bucket for a DWC, you will want to splash out on a 6-inch net pot with a wide lip.
While most net pots are round, you can venture into purchasing a square pot to cram more plants into a given system.
But as a rule of thumb, most containers and reservoirs are round.
Materials
What your pot is made from matters. Most of our net pot solutions are created from environmentally friendly plastics. This ensures no toxic chemicals leach into the water source.
But there are always new and exciting materials being tried and tested, so, keep your eyes peeled for the next development.
Design
The net pot’s design matters along with the size of its slots. Depending on your preferred crop, you might want a pot with large spaces. But go too big and your growing medium could fall through.
This is a balancing act, which, if performed correctly, could mean the difference between a great crop and a poor one.
Also, we’ve spoken glowingly about pots with wide lips but you could need a slimmer fit in some cases, think narrow channels on an NFT.
The design also affects how easy the pot is to clean when replacing dead plants, plants with issues, or rotating crops.
The pot design essentially affects how user-friendly your hydroponics unit is.
Hydroponic System
Certain hydroponic systems require specific pots. DWCs prefer larger pots, and NFTs can use smaller ones.
Aeroponics also doesn’t require large pots as the water vapor carries all the nutrients and minerals the plants need.
So the type of hydroponic system can completely change your pot requirements.
If you’ve considered all these elements you can be confident you’ve selected the correct net pot.
Our Thoughts on The Best All-Round Net Pot
We selected the CZ Garden Net Cups as the best net pot because they were the product that met all the basic requirements of cost, quality, and great design.
Another reason we selected the CZ Garden Net Cups is because you will always be able to reuse them in one form or another, which for gardeners is a must.
And if they didn’t work in your system perfectly, you could easily use them in another project.
They would be great for plants with roots in the air or another hydroponic system.