Houseplants are not just an enthralling decor option, but also an art in its own form. While no plant chooses to live in your living room, we can do our best to stimulate its natural growing environment. Most people only talk about water, light, or humidity, but all of them must go with a correct container that hosts your plants.
You don’t need to be a horticultural expert to take care of a succulent or a fern. Just choose one of the best pots for indoor plants below, and you can keep them alive and thriving with ease.
How to Choose An Indoor Plant Pot
Size
Size matters, and it’s more important than just picking a pot as long as your plant can fit in it. This is because the size of your pot can result in a huge difference in the growth of your plant.
For example, while indoor plants usually need a smaller pot compared to outdoor ones, a too-tight pot can also cause a whole host of problems. The roots of your plants may get root-bound faster if there is no room for them to grow. Many kinds of plants will survive this, but it isn’t an ideal situation you want to grow your plants in.
On the other hand, if your pot is too big for your plant, it’s easier to overwater the pot, which may lead to various issues like houseplant diseases and root rot.
Watering
If you can’t afford to water your plants every day, it’d be much wiser to go for pots that have reservoirs or drip trays. You can fill water in the bottom tray and let your plants soak it up later. Self-watering models are also an excellent choice. Many pots come with a smart watering system that can keep providing your plants with water for several days.
Materials
Manufacturers have put out a lot of indoor plant pots with different materials, each with its own upsides and downsides.
Ceramic
Pros
- Sleek look, neutral tone, suitable for different decor styles
- Some are durable and frost resistant
Cons
- Brittle, break easily if you drop them
- Heavy
- Expensive
Metal
Pros
- Unique look, especially go well with the industrial style
- Can be reused and repurposed
- Durable
Cons
- Get hot easily, drying out the soil and burning your plants
- May corrode or rust if there is no protective coating
Plastic
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight, easy to handle
- Various available options with different designs
Cons
- Less durable
- Usually have a cheap feel
- Not an eco-friendly option
Best Pots For Indoor Plants
Greenaholics Cylinder Ceramic Pot – Best Overall
A lot of people don’t have any specific requirements for the pot or planter for their plants, and some even wish to have one that can be reused several times. This Greenaholics medium ceramic pot is catered for those needs, with one of the stylish looks and best build quality for indoor plants.
The 2.4-inch diameter makes these Greenaholics pots an ideal choice for snake plants (Sansevieria), prayer-plants (maranta), or orchids. Those pots are not too big or too small while being able to provide a good environment for overgrown plants as well. You can use one of them to replace your old pot that can’t host your plants anymore.
The pots are made from high-quality ceramic and don’t have any cracks. With five different color options, you can freely choose whichever one you think fits best to the decor of your room. They will look great wherever you put them, either on the window sill or on your work desk.
One of the best things about them is that the pots and the trays come together within a single package. Remember that other brick-and-mortar stores like Home Depot or Walmart usually only sell pots and trays separately. This sometimes leads to situations when you find out that while stores still have plant plots, the trays are already sold out, and vice versa. These indoor planters with saucers make sure that that won’t ever happen to you.
But on the flip side, since the bottom tray is permanently attached to the pot, if you overwater the plants, water may overfill the tray and get absorbed back to the pot.
Verdict: This set of two Greenaholics ceramic pots is a great place for various kinds of plants, especially if you want to have a durable pot that can last several years.
Pros
- Medium size, suitable for a wide range of plants
- Durable ceramic
- Stylish look, multiple color options
Cons
- Expensive
- The pot and the bottom tray are permanently stuck together
Novelty Full Depth Round Cylinder Pot – Best Basic Plastic Pot
While there are plenty of options that come with extra handy features or high-end designs and materials, a lot of people just seek to own a simple pot that works for them and their plants. This Novelty model is a product like that. No one can deny that there are numerous better models out there, but this pot provides one of the best values you can get for its price.
The Novelty cylinder pot includes a solid all-in-one drainage solution that will fit nicely in any room. The bottom tray is already attached to the pot, so you don’t need to worry about having separate pieces that can easily come loose. Instead, the brilliant shape of these parts made them look like a single product with no extra component.
The plastic has a decent build quality given its price. According to many customers, it can survive some drops without developing a crack or coming loose. However, many have complained that the black version may have some noticeable blemishes on it.
Verdict: This Novelty round pot is a great choice for those who just want a basic pot for their indoor plants with no special requirements.
Pros
- Cheap
- Multiple size options
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Only basic design
- Some defects on the surface may happen
Greenaholics Small Hexagon Pot – Best For Small Succulents
We can run into succulents pretty much anywhere these days, from work desks in a typical office to a corner in a random living room. These small plants are popular for a reason. Even if you are not an enthusiastic gardener who spends a lot of time researching and learning about different plants, taking care of succulents will be still easily within your capability.
For those who just want to add a green touch to their workplace with small succulents, have a look at the hexagon pots from Greenaholics. With these cute ceramic containers, even a novice can keep their succulents and cactuses alive and thriving with no issue.
Like the cylinder models above, these hexagon pots are also made from high-end ceramic. They have an almost flawless finish with no crack visible to the naked eye. The smaller size even makes the pots even more durable and has a better chance to survive an accidental drop. Some customers have said even though they dropped these Greenaholics pots from a few feet, they didn’t shatter at all.
As a bonus, Greenaholics includes an information card inside each package. It will tell you how to grow and take care of succulents. They aren’t difficult to keep alive and you may have successfully done it, but the techniques introduced in the card may be still useful.
But since the hexagon pots are tiny and can fit into your hand, make sure to do the measurement carefully before purchasing. Additionally, the thick bottom will be also an issue if you use the bottom watering method for your plants.
Verdict: These hexagon pots from Greenaholics are great containers to grow small plants on your desk. Inexpensive and adorable, they are a no-frill option for those who just want a simple pot for their succulents.
Pros
- Cheap
- Durable ceramic with a stylish look
- Come with bamboo trays
- Available in various sets
Cons
- Too small for many people
Lechuza Classico Color – Best Self-Watering Pot
Self-watering planters are a convenient way to grow indoor plants. They reduce the hassles and avoid errors relating to manual watering. Equipped with an intuitive level indicator and a separate water reservoir, this Lechuza indoor pot will make the task of caring for your plants simpler, making sure that they receive the necessary water daily and never go thirsty.
As part of Brandstätter Group, which also owns the famous toy company Playmobil, Lechuza doesn’t disappoint its customers when it comes to product quality. The pot is made from durable PP plastic that can resist UV and frost pretty well, so people who worry about the severe winter where they live should be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Each pot has a diameter of around 9 inches, enough for small and medium houseplants. Even though the material here is only plastic, the surface finish is only clean, well-done, and fits nicely into any modern decor.
Most customers are happy with this Lechuza self-watering pot and its ability to provide their plants with water for several days. This period can go up to several weeks, depending on the specific plant and its water requirement. The built-in indicator will tell you exactly when you need to water the pot again, and as a result, the roots of the plants won’t either drown or dry out, making sure your plants will thrive with minimal care.
However, compared to other traditional pots, this self-watering product is not exactly a budget-friendly choice. You can easily buy a pack of 3 or 6 of other models with the money spent on this pot.
Verdict: The Lechuza Classico Color pot is not a budget-friendly choice, but if you have always craved the convenience that self-watering planters bring, it’s one of the best options for you right now.
Pros
- Convenient and time-saving self-watering ability
- UV and frost resistance
- Elegant design
Cons
- Expensive
- Made of plastic
- Not suitable for large plants
Mkono Medium Self Watering Planter – Budget Self Watering
While the Lechuza pot above has demonstrated what a self-watering system could do in an impressive way, it’s still a big investment if you don’t want to spend that much money on your planting accessories right away. That’s the reason those who want to go for less expensive self-watering planters should have a look at products such as this Mkono pot.
It’s a bit smaller than the Lechuza pot with an inner diameter of 3.9 inches, but this should be still enough for various plants, including ocean spider, golden devil’s ivy, herbs, and African violets. And like the German product, Mkono has also used durable PP plastic to make this self-watering planter, so you don’t need to worry about it breaking down when you’re not around.
There is another reason newcomers should try out this container first before playing with something more serious: it’s very user-friendly and easy to set up. Just put the cotton rope through the inside holes before potting your plants in that same spot, and finally water the outer pot.
But you have to be careful to add just enough water below the inner pot, otherwise, you may overfill it. Many customers need to seek help from a marker though since this Mkono pot has no indicator line like the Lechuza competitor.
Once you have got everything done correctly, this pot can keep providing water for your plants for 10 days or more, depending on how much water they need. However, the soil may be too moist for some plants like cactuses and succulents even though they fit perfectly into the pot.
Verdict: This Mknono product is an easy-to-use, durable, and overall solid self-watering pot if you don’t want to spend big money on a container for your plants.
Pros
- Affordable (for a self-watering planter)
- Solid build quality
- Work great with many plants
Cons
- No water level indicator
- Not great for larger plants
Final Words
Pots and planters are a crucial part of houseplant care. Not only do they keep your plants healthy, but these containers, like the best pots for indoor plants above, can also add a stylish look to the decor of your house. With so many products with different designs in the market, there is no reason you shouldn’t start to grow a houseplant right away to brighten up your living environment.