The 9 Best Grow Tent By Size – A Complete Review [Updated 2023]

Many people think the best way to grow plants is to put them in a pot and wait for them to thrive on their own. However, this isn’t always best for the plant and can waste time if you don’t know what to do with them after they grow.

Any grower knows there is more than one way to plant a seed and get it to bloom into a great plant. Plants need light, water, and nutrients – just like humans do – and they can’t get any of those things from the soil because dirt isn’t very nutritious! So if you want your plants to be healthy, happy, and strong, you’ll have no problem with this task if you know how best to provide them with water, light, and nutrients.

This blog post reviews the best grow tents as one of the best ways to give your plants everything they need for a healthy life! And if you’re not sure what that means, don’t worry; we’ll go through it in detail below.

What is a grow Tent?

A grow tent is a large plastic or fabric cover that helps plants thrive by providing an enclosed space in which it will be best for the plant to grow. The best ones have a lot of light, air circulation, and ventilation to help make your plants strong and healthy!

They are best suited for people who don’t have the space or budget for traditional gardening. They’re perfect if you want to get into production-level farming without investing in a larger property. The best part about these tents is that you can set them up anywhere – just ensure you have access to a power supply for the best results.

The 3 best Small Grow Tents

Here is our list of the 3 best grow tents in small sizes on the market:

1. Yield Lab Reflective Grow Tent 2’ x 2’ x 4’ – Best Overall

The Yield Lab Reflective grow tent is easily one of the best grow tents you can find. It offers plenty of space for plant nurturing in 3-5 plants and maintains a distance of 12-20″ between them. It also offers a highly reflective Mylar lining to ensure 360* light coverage.

Equally noteworthy is this mylar hydroponic grow tent 210D Oxford Cloth cover. It has enough thickness to keep the inside insulated from any temperature changes. The cover also has high-quality sticking and heavy-duty zippers to prevent air and light leaks.

Supporting the entire structure is this grow tent’s heavy-duty steel frame. It can withstand 110 lbs of weight and is coated to help prevent rust and corrosion. But since its height is on the lower side, taller users may find it difficult to move easily underneath the tent.

Our Verdict:

The Yield Lab Reflective mylar grow tent is an ideal choice for those who don’t have much indoor space. But they still want to have the best indoor grow system where they can grow their favorite plants.

2. Goliath Grow Tent 3’x3’x 6’11”

Multiple features of the Goliath grow tent make it a practical product choice. First among them is its 1680D thread fabric density, making this grow tent 9x denser than other models. Diamond Mylar Reflective walls also redistribute up to 30% more light.

The grow tent has a height-extension kit to let you increase its height by 12 inches. Its heavy-duty zippers and double-cinching circulating ports give you complete control over the air entering this grow tent at any time. And that’s not where the good news ends.

Goliath further sweetens the deal by equipping this hydro-grow tent with an interlocking steel frame, which is at least 2x stronger than competing tent frames and boasts a massive weight-holding capacity. That’s why this best grow tent can afford to burden its exterior with many types of equipment.

Our Verdict:

The Goliath Grow Tent is one of those tents available at affordable prices. There’s no second opinion about this fact as it is anything but cheap. But it has the features and the sturdiness to justify its asking price.

3. Gorilla Grow Tent 2’x4′ Lite Line

The grow tent market is filled with manufacturers that claim to have an unmatched quality products. The lite line of Gorilla tents is a rare one that stays true to this word. It offers 1680D material, a height-adjusting roof, a diamond shape highly reflective interior, and an all-steel interlocking frame.

The Gorilla grow tent lite line also comes with an extension kit to increase its height by up to 1 foot. It also offers a rear-access door and an observation window to monitor your plants’ condition without disturbing their growth.

This lite line grow tent offers a unique IR-blocking door and double cinching ducting ports. The former prevents the entry of those harmful infrared rays, which harm plant growth. Double-cinching ducting ports, meanwhile, give you full control over the tent’s inside climate.

Read our complete review of gorilla grow tents brand.

Our Verdict:

Although the Gorilla grow tent lite line isn’t inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination, its heavy-duty construction, climate control features, and sturdy frame make it a must-have. On top of that, you get a one-year warranty which is a sweet deal.

The Best Medium Grow Tent

Here is our list of the 3 best grow tents in medium size on the market:

Click here to view our 10 best 4×4 grow tent.

1. Goliath Grow Tent 4′ x 8′ x 6’11”

Goliath has always been one of the most trustworthy grow tent makers on the market. Models like this are the reason why. Its heavy-duty zipper resists problems like sticking from the surfacing, and the double cinching ports save the tent from the entry of humidity and heat.

This is the best grow tent of its size and offers a full range of climate control features. They include eight 11″ ventilation sockets, four 3″ round sockets, two back viewing windows with a zipper, and multiple front windows. All of them combine to let you regulate this model’s inner temperature at all times.

On top of everything else, it is constructed with 1680D thread fabric density denser than most competitors. The tent also comes with a height-adjusting kit that lets you increase its growing height by up to 1 foot.

Our Verdict:

Provided you are one of those who have no concerns that this grow tent doesn’t offer 360* light coverage, we see no motive why you shouldn’t give it a go. It has features that make it the best grow tent on the market.

2. Gorilla Grow Tent 5′ x 9′- Best Overall

Most grow tents you see on the market are ideal for experts or beginners. This Gorilla tent brand is different. Its expert configuration, which has pre-positioned ducting ports where they should be, makes this grow tent an ideal choice for both. That’s not where the good news ends.

Large viewing windows on the front of the Gorilla grow tent, let you monitor the plant-growing environment without compromising it. The doorways provide 360-degree easy access and a larger layout, ensuring hassle-free maneuvering between the plants. A heavy-duty floor tray traps moisture droplets that may find their way inside.

That is easier said than done. That’s because its high quality, extra thick 1680D material, and cinching ports make it impossible for moisture to penetrate the tent. This tent also has a highly reflective interior to make the most of the sunshine on any day.

Our Verdict:

Don’t have any concerns about the excessive price of this grow tent? Then this Gorilla grow tent already offers you plenty of reasons why it deserves your money.

3. Yield Lab 4′ x 4′ x 6.5″ Reflective Grow Tent

The Yield Lab Mylar hydroponic grow tent costs less than its counterparts reviewed above. But that doesn’t mean that corners have been cut to keep its asking price low. Have doubts about this claim? Then check out its 210D exterior and reflective Mylar. Both of them are excellent examples of utility.

The 210D tent exterior serves a double purpose. It prevents light leakage from permeating inside and keeps unwanted odors and sounds from making their way outside the grow tent. The Mylar interior, meanwhile, is supplemented with a mesh covering to save your growing cannabis from the invasion of bugs.

To further sweeten the deal, Yield Lab has equipped this Mylar hydroponic grow tent with a double water-resistant floor tray. With the Velcro seals and reflective Mylar interior, this feature keeps this grow tent nice and watertight. And you also get a viewing window to monitor your growth without disturbing it.

Our Verdict:

The Yield Lab Mylar hydroponic grow tent is a high-quality, sturdy, affordable grow tent. It can last many grow cycles, and the features to protect your growth during all of them. 

 

The Best Large Grow Tent

Here is our list of the 3 best grow tents in large size on the market:

1. Goliath Grow Tent10’ x 10’ x 6’11’’ – 7’11’’ – Best Overall

Here is a grow tent at an affordable price that will not explode your budget. It features a 1680D thread density exterior nine times denser than other models. The thickness of the exterior allows it to prevent the entry of environmental irritants into the tent.

The grow tent also allows you to increase its height by 1′. Its built-in reflectivity increases incoming light’s distribution by as much as thirty percent, letting you make the most out of sunshine on any given day.

Supporting everything that this tent offers is its sturdy steel frame. The interlocking pins and strong metal poles, all of which are made of the same material, are up to 5x stronger than their average counterparts, which positively impacts the shelf life of this grow tent.

Our Verdict:

The Goliath Grow tent is hands down affordable. But it hasn’t cut any corners to keep its asking price low. You can gauge the truthfulness of this claim by going through this model’s review. That’s why I recommend it for growers who want to boost their yields.

2. Gorilla Grow Tent 8′ x 16′

Here is one of those Gorilla tents that won’t stop protecting your growth. It comes with a diamond shape highly reflective interior (that enhances natural light’s distribution) and double cinching duct ports (that let you regulate inner climate) and increase your yields.

This Gorilla tent offers easy-view windows and a rear access door which together ensure that you monitor your grow without disturbing it. Then there is the special IR-blocking roof which keeps harmful infrared rays from reaching your crop and includes a removable floor tray to keep your indoor garden clean.

What’s more, all of this model’s doorways offer 360-degree hassle-free access. With the tent’s larger layout, Gorilla grow tent ensures you can maneuver freely. That is why the chances of your feet ruining weeks of hard work are next to none.

Our Verdict:

The Gorilla provides vast inner space, gives you all you need to regulate its inner climate, and steel poles that can last years. Also available are valuable accessories like a removable floor tray, height extension kit, and excellent observation windows. What more can you ask for!

3. Secret Jardin Intense 480 v3.0

The Secret Jardin Intense Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent is made of robust components. It features stainless steel corners that are rustproof and corrosion-resistant. The extra thick 900D canvas fabric density, tear-proof of this indoor grow tent promises longevity, and the aluminum tubes holding the frame up won’t break down soon, too.

Its roll-up easy-access doors are supplemented with high-quality zippers to ensure easy entry and exit. The Mylar hydroponic Grow Tent interior lining is strong yet not too thick. But it still boasts good light reflectivity properties to prevent inner light from escaping this massive indoor grow tent.

One area where this grow tent disappointed us was its weight limit. All the other large models worth their salt, including the two mentioned above, can hold up to 175 lbs of weight. This one, however, drops the buck at 165 pounds.

Our Verdict:

Whether you look at this tent size or the features that it offers, the Jardin Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent is massive in every sense. That’s why, had it not been for its slightly lower weight limit, this indoor grow tent might have been our top pick for large models.

How To Select A Grow Tent?

What is it that separates the best indoor grow tents from the riffraff? The answer to this question can be found in the features of the below-mentioned models. Those that sell like hotcakes offer something that meets the requirements of their users. Others that remain unsold don’t.

Here’s how to choose the right grow tent in 2023:

1. Select the right size Grow Tent

Choosing the right size grow tent depends on three key factors:

1. How many plants do you wish to grow
2. The type of plant you want to grow and the growing method you intend to use
3. Review the tent size and placement of ports and windows. You want to be able to install your tent and equipment in the exact arrangement you have in mind. Only then should you buy the grow tent you may be looking at.

Most people only look at their room space while selecting grow tent size. That is the wrong approach. Another factor that you must consider when finding the best indoor grow tent is the plant density per square foot, which means how many plants, vegetables or cannabis plants, you’re going to place in the grow room.

If you want to get a grow tent that already includes all the accessories without you haveing to purchase them separately, you can look into our grow tent kits review.

2. Choose the right material

Those of you who are in the know may be aware that grow tents are made of two different materials. The exterior material tends to be thicker than the inner lining material, whose primary purpose is to provide optimum light and be lightproof to the plants.

Exterior Material

Here are the most common exterior grow tent materials:

• Weaved Nylon: As with other woven fabrics, weaved nylon also tends to be sturdy and doesn’t shrink or wrinkle after washing. But it is also pretty expensive and tends to have a low absorbency.
• Polyester: Experts tell us that polyester material is ultra-durable, has excellent moisture-evaporating properties, and dries quickly. On the flip side, it isn’t environmentally friendly as polyester material is resistant to biodegradation.

Interior Material

The following are the most common interior materials for grow tents:

• Mylar: is made from flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This tent material displays high tensile strength, is dimensionally stable, and offers excellent aroma and gas barrier properties.
• Gray: Grow tents with a gray interior are highly affordable and, therefore won’t leave a dent in your bank account. However, they aren’t known for their sturdiness or quality

3. Ducting Ports, Cord Ports, and Viewing Windows

The best grow tents don’t stop at providing you with an enclosed space where you can grow your plants. They also give you maximum control over the environment of your grow tent. That means letting you decide how much sunlight and air you want to enter the tent at any time.

How do they do that? You can also find an observation window by offering ducting ports, cord ports, and in most tents. The former two – ducting and cord ports – provide space for electrical cables and ventilation ducting. The window lets you control the level of ventilation in the enclosed tent area.

4. Frame

Getting the right frame is crucial for your tent’s stability and if you want your indoor grow tent to last years. That’s because a frame not only holds the tent’s cover in place but also withstands the weight of its ventilation equipment (fans, filters, ducting, etc.) and lights.

That’s the main reason why the poles that hold together the entire grow tent also need to be sturdy. Or else the whole structure’s integrity might be called into question. We’re going to talk about all three popular frame materials here:

Metal

Although metal poles aren’t thicker than 1 mm, heavy-duty metal frames can withstand an eye-watering amount of weight. Gorilla tents, for instance, can tout a 150-300lb weight limit.

Metal poles do have their fair share of shortcomings too. Those that don’t come with a rust-resistant coating – most don’t! – will snap in a few years, leaving you with no options but to buy a replacement for your grow tent.

Plastic

Even though they are much lighter than their metal counterparts, plastic frames still boast respective weight capacities. You can count on them to hold up to 100lb.

While they aren’t susceptible to rotting, plastic frames will bow over time. In the short term, their bending will cause the equipment of your tent to hang lower. In the long term, it will break the frame.

Steel

Most growers think there’s virtually no difference between steel and metal frames when it comes to growing tents. People who know better disagree. That’s because steel poles are a combination of various metals.

It offers all the advantages that heavy-duty metal offers – huge weight capacity, long shelf life – and none of the shortcomings. But the fact that it’s incredibly heavy is one of the main failings of steel.

5. Zipper

When selecting the best indoor grow tent, you should pay special attention to its zippers. Quality zippers help insulate your indoor garden and are its first line of defense against pests, pathogens, and airborne contaminants. If the zipper is faulty, so would your indoor plant growing environment. Another point is that zippers and frame selection can affect your tent’s stability.

Here’s what you need to pay attention to when selecting a zipper for your tent:

Single Vs. Multiple Zippers

Single zippers are easy to open/close and provide maximum isolation for grow tents. But they also make it difficult for you to get in/out of your plant growing space.

Multiple heavy-duty zippers don’t have that fault. Still, if not completely shut, they may let air in or odors out, so you will need to pay more attention to environmental conditions.

Internal Pull Vs. External Pull

Do you spend most of your daily time in or outside your grow tent? The answer to this question will determine which of these two zippers will be more beneficial for you.

Internal pull zippers are worth a shot if you spend more than 15 minutes inside your tent simultaneously, as they’d let you close the tent from inside. Otherwise, go for an external pull zipper.

6. Light

Contemporary grow tents use one of three light sources. They include high-intensity discharge lamps (HID), compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), and light-emitting diodes LED grow lights. Here’s how all three light sources compare with each other:

HID

HID lights are dimmable and are available in two types – high-pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halides (MH)- and therefore let you customize their output.

But they also produce excessive light heat, which can burn the cannabis plants in your tent if you aren’t careful with their placement. You also need pricey add-ons, i.e., a reflector and a blast, to operate them.

CFL

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are generally inexpensive when compared with LED grow lights. They also last longer and emit light that covers a bigger surface area.

However, due to the spectrum these lights belong to, they aren’t recommended for use during both the vegetative and flowering stages of growth.

LEDs

LED grow lights provide numerous benefits for grow tents. They are incredibly energy-efficient, run at cooler temperatures, offer a wide range of color spectra, and require no extensive setup for their installation.

On the flip side, while LED grow lights have a low running cost, their upfront cost is still several times higher than other grow lights discussed above.

Read here our in-depth guide for grow lights for herbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I Need A Tent To Grow Indoors?

You don’t necessarily need a tent to grow indoors. But we still recommend that you use one. That is because the best grow tents help you regulate your plant growing environment, thereby maximizing your plant’s yield and quality—especially when dealing with sensitive cannabis plants.

Their airtight construction makes it almost impossible for pests to get near your harvest. It also prevents odors and smells from making their way out of the tents.

2. Are Grow Tents Worth It?

Here are several reasons which prove grow tents are worth it:

• Grow tents are incredibly easy to assemble
• Extremely energy efficient
• Supreme pest control
• Prevent light leak
• Multiple sealed compartments
• Lightproof and space-efficient
• Great for beginners and pros alike

3. Are Grow Tents Dangerous?

Grow tents aren’t dangerous as long as you use quality equipment and take particular care with their installation. That is to say that they won’t pose a hazard if you don’t let wires on the ground, keep electronics away from water, prevent the overloading of circuits and keep the tent’s interior free of any flammable liquids and objects.

4. What Are The Best Grow Tent Brands?

There are some marijuana tent brands whose best grow tents bear the seal of approval of thousands of growers. Some of them offer budget models. Others target users at the high end of the spectrum. Examples of such tent manufacturers include:

• Goliath
• SuperCloset
• Gorilla Tents
• Secret Jardin
• Yield Lab
• VIVOSUN

5. Do Grow Tents Hide Smell?

Some of the best tent brands on the market offer odor control. Their airtight construction allows them to keep odors that are coming out of the marijuana plants. Some grow tent models even use activated carbon filters to neutralize the smells in the tent, making sure the air going out via the exhaust fan is odorless. 

6. How To Control Humidity In A Grow Tent?

Follow these tips to control humidity in your grow tent:

1. Don’t overwater your plants
2. Remove stagnant water daily
3. Seal and insulate your grow tent
4. Install a dehumidifier inside the tent
5. Add more exhaust fans to improve the ventilation system
6. Create air holes to regulate airflow

7. How to control the temperature in a grow tent?

Here’s what you need to do to control the temperature in your grow tent:

• Use LEDs: Your tent’s lighting system can also increase its temperature. That’s why you should use a LED panel. They use fewer watts than HPS bulbs, and LED panels produce less heat since more watts equals more heat.
• Use a clip-on fan: Experts tell us that moving air always ‘feels’ colder than still air because it evaporates moisture from your skin. This is why you need a clip-on fan to get stale air moving around in your grow tent.
• Install air conditioner: Still can’t bring the temperature inside your grow tent down? Then you may have no choice but to install an air conditioner.

8. How to set up grow tent ventilation?

Install exhaust fans in your grow area to ventilate the tent.

• Select a spot inside the tent where you’re going to install the fans – it should preferably be far away from the plants.
• Connect the fans to the ducting, carrying the air from the fan’s mouth to the outside of the tent.
• Keep the ducting path as short (and straight) as possible to enhance efficiency.

Tip: Growing cannabis? That means you may need additional ways to improve the ventilation of your grow tent. One method which we recommend is using ventilation socks. They let you improve airflow and come at an affordable price point.

9. How To Clean Grow Tent?

Follow these steps to clean the grow tent:

1. Leave the exhaust fan running and turn off everything else
2. Take down the hanging lights and remove all containers and pots from the growing area
3. Make sure that you’ve got an empty floor tray at your disposal
4. Vacuum the floor tray with a broom and remove surface dirt from surfaces with a cloth
5. Wipe the lights you took off in the first step with a moist, dry microfiber cloth
6. Use a 10% bleach solution to wash and scrub all flood trays, pots, and containers
7. Switch off the exhaust fan and wipe clean dust from its blades and dusting
8. Take out the fan’s pre-filter sleeves and rinse them with water
9. Give the sleeves enough time to air dry before reinstalling them

Conclusion

The best grow tents do far more than increase the yield when growing plants. These tents bring professionalism to your growing routine, keep irritants like pests and pathogens from entering the tent and provide you with a safe and secure working environment.

Some grow tents, and mainly the 2-in-1 grow tents, offer dedicated spaces to store plants in different growing stages. You can use one of their compartments for plants still in the seeding phase. And the other can be exploited to store flowers ready to bloom.

All these grow tents are incredibly easy to set up and use. You don’t need to have decades of farming experience under your belt to make the most out of them. Put all these grow tent reviews together, and one can quickly gauge that all these best grow tents are worth their asking prices.