Grow Box vs. Grow Tent

Our comparison will show you everything that you need to get the best yield and quality possible given your individual budget and growing constraints.

Direct Comparison

Grow Box

• Grow boxes do not draw attention, blending into their surroundings much easier
• With high-end locks and security available, grow boxes are the most secure way to cultivate
• Thanks to being completely customizable, greater complexity of design is allowed
• You can build a grow box smaller than any grow tent available
• The all-in-one ease of using a prebuilt grow box gives extreme convenience to non-technical growers

Grow Tent

• Grow tents are almost impossible to miss
• Anyone can cut into your grow tent
• Thanks to their easy assembly and fixed setup standards, grow tents are the easiest to start with
• Grow tents are cheaper than a small grow box
• Technical and non-technical growers will love the flexibility

Breaking It Down

Our comparison will look at which system is most versatile, which is most affordable, and whether or grow box or grow tent is the easiest to use for a beginner.

Grow System Versatility

Not everyone wants versatility but the potential to change how you grow is ever-valuable to novice growers. Let’s look closer at which system – grow box vs grow tent – gives the greatest scope for change and expansion.

Grow Box

A grow box restrains you to the purpose it was built for. Whatever hydroponic or irrigation and ventilation you have chosen, you will have to stick with. Larger, heavier and normally constructed to fit a specific space, grow boxes deliver the optimal environment for one type of grow.

Grow Tent

While the inlet and exhaust inlet and outlet are typically in a fixed position, grow tents are fairly versatile. They allow for almost any type of hydroponics which you prefer and will accommodate multiple sized fans and filters. You get grow tents of all sizes, and most have made provision for fitting everything from extra oscillating fans to multiple lights, thermometers, and hygrometers.

Winner

Grow tents are infinitely more versatile than most commercially manufactured grow boxes. However, if one had to have a massive custom grow cabinet made with provision for expansion and differing hydroponics, growth mediums, lighting, and ventilation, then at a very high cost, it could be more versatile. Until someone decides to splash out, grow tents are the clear winner for most of us.

Affordability

Whether you’re looking for the best bang-for-your-buck or trying to tweak your setup for the optimal yield and fattest heads, affordability is always a concern. Here’s a close look at what each setup will set you back.

Grow Box

The average purchase price of a grow box depends on its capacity and features but the least you can get away with is just over $300 without shipping. At this price, you’ll be growing one plant alone, with the cost stepping up to $500 for the minimum needs of most growers, namely two to three plants per grow box.

High-end grow boxes can cost in excess of $4,000 for an HPS-lit environment handling about six plants, while anything bigger will normally need to be custom built.

Grow Tent

Someone new to growing cannabis can get ahold of an entry-level grow tent for as little as $100. If you want a grow tent large enough for two to three plants then you’re normally going to be set back $150 for the grow tent, with another $150 for basic ventilation and lights.

A medium grow tent capable of sustaining six to eight plants will cost under $1,000 for a cutting-edge offering. Larger tents are also sold with prices at times being as low as $600 to $700 for basic 10 x 10 grow tents and just over $1,000 for those with superior features.

Winner

Grow tents are the cheapest option without a doubt. It is not just that they are cheap, they pack far more value for the average grower than grow boxes. Unless you’re building to simulate a specific condition which you want you to grow in, or need to custom-build your grow op into an irregular area, grow tents are better priced across the board.

Ease of Use

Once you’ve set up and familiarized yourself with your equipment, any grow system becomes relatively easy to use with the attention required driving your interest and enthusiasm rather than being an arduous task. Between grow boxes and grow tents there is massive differences which depends heavily on your individual setup.

Grow Box

Offering a truly automatic system of growing where you place your plants and the medium does most of the work, grow boxes offer unparalleled ease of use. This comes at the drawback of having far less room to customize your growing environment.

Grow Tent

When growing cannabis in a grow tent, you can choose from either soil-based cultivation or any type of hydroponics and lighting configuration preferred. With this benefit comes a greater learning curve. You’ll need to monitor humidity, airflow, and the number of nutrients supplied.

Winner

Certain grow boxes deliver such a comprehensive solution for cultivating cannabis that they even come with nutrient quantities and specially formulated blends to be used with the box. There is no simpler way to guarantee a great yield without needing to know exactly what you’re doing. Grow tents have a learning curve and some growers just don’t have the time. Grow boxes are hands-down the easiest to use.

Final Recount

• Grow boxes won ease-of-use, 1/3 sections compared.
• Grow tents won versatility and affordability, 2/3 sections compared.

Pros and Cons

Grow Tents

Pros

• Easy assembly
• Fixed setup standards
• High affordability
• Room for upgrades

Cons

• Hard to conceal

Grow Boxes

Pros

• Low maintenance
• Non-technical growing
• Inconspicuous

Cons

• Expensive
• Single-purpose growing (not flexible)

Final Verdict

Most growers prefer the convenience of a grow tent over the rigid-nature of a grow box. However, if you are pressed for space and need a custom-crafted solution, a grow box will serve you well. Similarly, if you aren’t limited by space nor a budget then cutting-edge grow boxes deliver everything that you need to grow monster-plants with high potency and great yields.

The best part is that you need very little knowledge to pull it off thanks to the engineering. However, these complex habitats can cost thousands of dollars without any of the peripheral requirements like ventilation and filters. Grow tents are the best across the board for small- and large-scale indoor growers. Whether you’re cramped or gifted with enough space for a veritable indoor greenhouse, grow tents are great.