The 5 Best Raised Garden Beds The Spruce Has Tested

There was no clearer option for our best overall recommendation than the Keter Splendor Raised Garden Bed—our writer, Jeremy, has owned this now for five years without a single complaint. It’s survived a direct hit from a hurricane and still looks great and is perfect for many vegetables, from okra to heirloom tomatoes to banana peppers.

The setup is easy and can be completed solo. The legs pop right in without needing tools, there’s a false bottom that supports the soil with a space at the bottom for the water reservoir, and a tube that runs through to show when the reservoir is full.

I love that this option includes a self-watering feature, since a common problem with raised beds is the soil drying out quickly. There is a little pop-up indicator (cutely shaped like a leaf) that shows how full the reservoir is and takes the guesswork out of watering. 

Another smart feature: the drain plug at the bottom, which you can pull if you’re experiencing a lot of rainfall to avoid swamping plants. I think this bed is versatile for vegetables, flowers, and herbs, too, so it works for a variety of gardeners.

_{Dimensions: 45 x 19 x 30 inches︱Material: Polypropylene resin︱Assembly Required: Yes}

What I don’t love about raised garden beds is how costly it becomes to buy and fill raised garden beds, so saving a bit on the actual container is highly advantageous. That’s a great aspect of the Keter 29-Gallon Elevated Garden Bed, which provides tons of growing space at a nice price.

During testing, we planted basil, tomatoes, and marigolds in this bed, but we think it’s great for growing anything. Though we wish the weather were better, we were impressed with how well this held up in the rain, cold, and wind. The faux wood helps ease your mind from fading or other damage.

The simple setup is a huge pro—this took less than an hour with clear directions and not-too-many small pieces. It’s also worth mentioning the gorgeous farmhouse design, which is sure to enhance the look of your patio. 

Similar to our best overall, this has the same pop-up water level indicator and drain plug to avoid overwatering plants. It’s unclear after putting it together if it’s truly self-watering, but we haven’t noticed any watering issues so far.

We can’t think of much to change about this bed, other than the portability—once full, it would be really difficult to move, so we wish it came on wheels. But if you want a permanent piece to last for garden seasons to come, this is a great option.

_{Dimensions: 44 x 19 x 31 inches︱Material: Plastic︱Assembly Required: Yes}

As mentioned, raised garden beds are notorious for needing constant watering, since the moisture from the ground doesn’t help hydrate plant roots. But, in comes the self-watering garden bed from Vego Garden to save the day! Its large wicking cells store and distribute water to your plant babies as needed and provide lots of growing room for crops of all kinds.

This is the option I have at my townhouse—while I thought moving was going to limit my growing options, I fit six tomato plants, six pepper plants, and over eight cucumbers towards the back, which will grow up a trellis. I think this bed would look beautiful with flowers, too.

This holds whatever you like—fruits, veggies, flowers, or herbs, too. It stores water at the bottom and distributes it evenly to your plants, so you can be assured they’re staying hydrated from the bottom. I also love the iconic design and color options—it’ll complement your yard without being an eyesore.

As a note, the website says assembly takes “just a few minutes,” but this took me about an hour to build (with some teamwork). There are several small bolts and nuts to keep track of, but once built, it has a sturdy frame that hasn’t moved an inch.

_{Dimensions: 2 x 4, 2 x 6, or 2 x 8 feet︱Material: VZ 2.0 (Steel & zinc alloy)︱Assembly Required: Yes}

Not all garden beds have to look utilitarian, which is one of the many reasons we love the Devon Garden Planter from Grandin Road. Its beautiful design, simple assembly, and durable frame won us over during testing as we established our herb garden.

Strong rain and winds are no match for this raised garden bed, likely thanks to the unique design of the plastic growing container and wooden legs. Our previous raised garden bed was all wood, and it looked worn in comparison to this one.

Assembling the raised garden bed was easy. We had to put together the legs, which form the frame of the bed. As a note, you do need a cordless drill to screw the nails in, which we figured out mid-assembly. Once the frame is done, place the plastic bin of the bed on it, and you’re done.

One cool feature of the raised garden bed is the water reservoir. It’s been raining a lot in New Jersey, so we love that the bed collects water underneath it to distribute later. We wish we had chosen the black color so it shows less dirt, though a little power washing or a garden hose can help.

_{Dimensions: 48 x 18 x 30 inches︱Material: Polyethylene resin︱Assembly Required: Yes}

Herbs are beautiful when planted between veggies, but why not give them their own dedicated space? This bed has several compartments to let each herb thrive in its own home, and the compact size doesn’t take up too much room on our patio.

We’ve had this garden bed for four years now and can keep on growing in it. In our experience, it suits herbs best rather than larger crops like tomatoes, but we could see this as the perfect vessel for a flower garden, too.

Another great aspect of this is its construction. There’s a handy shelf underneath to store pots, garden tools, and soil, plus the height is perfect. We didn’t have to bend over to use it, though this might change for taller gardeners. 

I recommend covering this in the wintertime or storing it in the garage, as the wood faded and weathered in a few places during testing. 

_{Dimensions: 23 inches tall︱Material: Cedar Wood︱Assembly Required: Yes}