10 Self-Watering Planters to Make Gardening Much Easier

The whole point of a self-watering planter is that it's easy to use. The watering mechanism on this budget planter is easy to access. A clip-on attachment fills the reservoir from the bottom, and the hollow legs allow moisture to flow into your plant's soil, while maintaining air circulation for its roots. Breathability and practicality make this a pretty powerful planter.

This gorgeous planter is made from mouth-blown glass in a two-toned clear and olive green color. It uses a cotton water cord that slowly draws up moisture from a reservoir, making it both simple to use and beautiful to display. Fill the inner pot with soil and your moisture-loving plant of choice, and let nature do the rest.

"I was looking for a cute self-watering planter and ended up buying this MoMA one. My spider plant absolutely loves this pot and has been thriving in it," Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao says. How this planter works: To use it, simply fill up the outer glass reservoir, and your plant will absorb the water slowly with the porosity of the terracotta walls. "It's easy to use and clean, plus I like watching the water levels decrease throughout the week as my plant drinks up the H20."

The balancing act of two pots meets this burgundy colorway to make this planter so gorgeous to look at and place on your table. Not only does it use a sub-irrigation insert that draws up water from below, it has aeration stones that promote root health. The stylish planter is made from ceramic material, that'll dry out faster in sun exposure, so it's a better fit for indoor plants that you want to have on display.

For the extra dedicated plant parent (and the high-maintenance plant babies), this high-tech indoor plant system could be a great fit. It's tall but sleek, and great for growing vegetables that need height but don't have the outdoor space. A built-in water pump sets water flowing through the columns a few times a day, but the water schedule is completely customizable to what your plants need. It also pairs with an app that keeps track of the water levels and humidity, so it's as easy to use as possible.

For trailing, larger plants that you want to take up vertical real estate, like ferns, try one of hanging planters. You won't have to get up on a ladder every day to keep them hydrated. The clear plastic adds some texture with its ridges, but also allows you to see the water levels without needing to dig through soil. Even better: it comes with two planters for under $20!

House Beautiful gardening contributor and longtime plant lover Arricca Elin SanSone highly recommends this planter for gardeners who need to move their plants around. The sturdy casters on this garden bed make shifting it around on a patio much easier. There's a water reservoir with a two gallon capacity and a perforated aeration screen that promotes airflow, so you'll avoid drowning your plants' roots.

For urban gardening, where you're more likely to have a fire escape or balcony than a back patio, this compact planter is perfect. The fill point for the water is easy to access at the top of the garden bed. For even more ease, there's a level indicator that will let you know exactly when to refill the reservoir. When it gets colder and you want to move your plants indoors, simply use the included drip tray to prevent mess.

For senior gardeners who can't spend long hours bent over their favorite plants, raised garden beds are a great alternative to planting in rows. SanSone loves this pick for anyone who has back pain or knee issues, as the bed is at hip height to minimize time spent hunched over. Reviewers say it's easy to assemble. One shopper wrote: "I like these so well I have four of them and I bought one for my sister-in-law for her birthday. They're the perfect height no bending down. It has a nice shelf at the bottom to put pots and things on. They were also very easy to assemble."

Self-watering pots are supposed to be simple to use, and this one from West Elm lives up to that effective and easy design. Fill up the saucer at the spout, and sit back and watch your plants thrive as they slowly soak up the water through the cast stone planter. For colder climates or gardening in the winter, the pot is frost-proof to protect your plants.