6 Best Metal Raised Garden Beds for Expanding Your Garden
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There’s no better way to increase your growing space than installing a few raised metal garden beds. Whenever someone asks me what the cheapest, easiest, or quickest way to get started gardening, my answer is the same.
The best metal raised garden beds can be assembled within minutes and you can have a new patch ready for planting in an afternoon. And, since they come in so many shapes, sizes, and configurations, almost anyone who has a little bit of space outdoors can find one to suit their needs.
We’ve found 6 of the best metal raised garden beds to help you start on this spring’s projects. Whether you’re planning on beautifying your lawn with a new patch of flowers or planting an entirely new patch of vegetables, there’s an option for you.
Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
This list of the best metal raised garden beds is a result of my considering all the ones I’ve bought over the years and checking out tons of online reviews for the ones I haven’t. Overall, I decided to recommend the GADI Raised Garden Bed Kit as the best available to order online.
It’s a simple and no-frills product that represents exactly what raised garden beds should be: an easy and inexpensive way to increase your growing space. It also has a couple of innovative features, like air vents in the side that can help keep the roots of your plants healthy. I’ve also added a couple of options that have different design features, like the small and circular SnugNiture Round Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit and the greenhouse-style Quictent Galvanized Raised Garden Bed with Cover.
Now let’s move on to looking at each of my recommendations in detail.
Best Overall: GADI Raised Garden Bed Kit
Why This is a Quality Choice: The outstanding GADI Raised Garden Bed Kit ticks all the boxes for a great metal raised garden bed. It’s strong, with four metal cross-beams, and has two coats of anti-rust paint on top of the galvanized steel exterior. As I indicated just above, the air vents/drainage holes on the side of this garden bed go a long way towards ensuring that your plants are rooted into the best possible environment.
Who is this for? I’d heartily recommend this raised metal garden bed to anyone who has a bit of outdoor space they want to transform into an excellent growing environment.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some gardeners prefer squared edges to oval garden beds like this one since you can squeeze in a few more crops with the extra space.
Size (in.): 67 x 20 x 10 | Drainage: Open bottom and holes on the sides | Colors: 5 | Assembly time: 20 mins
Best Budget: FOYUEE Galvanized Raised Garden Beds
Why This is a Quality Choice: The FOYUEE Galvanized Raised Garden Beds present an affordable solution for expanding your garden space. Crafted from sturdy steel without a bottom, these straightforward raised beds facilitate ground penetration for your plants while ensuring ample drainage. The robust build, featuring metal cross-beams and rust-proofing, ensures that you won’t have to replace these garden beds after a year or two of use.
Who is This For? These garden beds are well-suited for individuals seeking substantial additional growing space for cultivating vegetables.
Flaws but not Deal-breakers: It’s worth noting that a few customers have observed that the metal is quite thin, so it’s important to be cautious during assembly to prevent bending.
Size (in.): 96 x 48 x 12 | Drainage: Through the open bottom | Colors: 1 | Assembly time: 5 mins
Best Value: MOFEEZ Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit, 2Pcs
Why This is a Quality Choice: These MOFEEZ Galvanized Raised Garden Beds stand out from the rest as a result of the exceptional value they offer in a single order. The considerable surface area you receive with this two-pack not only maximizes your gardening space but also provides the added benefit of two separate beds. This division offers the flexibility to create distinct growing environments for different plant types.
Who is This For? The MOFEEZ Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit is perfect for anyone looking to expand their growing space on a budget, just like the previous entry on this list.
Flaws but not Deal-breakers: Assembly can pose a slight challenge because of the precise alignment that the product’s numerous joints require. Customers have tackled this issue successfully by aligning all components before securely tightening any bolts.
Size (in.): 72 x 36 x 12 | Drainage: Through the open bottom | Colors: 1 | Assembly time: 25 mins
Best Small Beds: SnugNiture Round Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit, 3Pcs
Why This is a Quality Choice: Not everyone possesses the ample space necessary to install the more expansive options on this list, which is why I’m including the SnugNiture Round Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit as a compact alternative. This pack of three galvanized steel planters stands out not only for its smaller footprint but also for its pleasant circular appearance and color options.
Who is This For? These are the best metal raised garden beds for individuals who have limited yard space but want to cultivate their own garden nonetheless.
Flaws but not Deal-breakers: A few customers have raised an issue with the edges of the panels of these garden beds not fitting together tightly. Others, however, haven’t noted it.
Size (in.): 23.6 x 23.6 x 11.8 | Drainage: Through the open bottom | Colors: 3 | Assembly time: 30 mins
Best Garden Bed with a Cover: Quictent Galvanized Raised Garden Bed with Cover
Why This is a Quality Choice: The Quictent Galvanized Raised Garden Bed with Cover is on this list because of its impeccable design. The greenhouse-style cover not acts as a barrier to pests, birds, and other animals. It also allows meticulous temperature regulation. That enables an early start and a late finish to your growing season. The added assurance of a five-year warranty from the manufacturer reinforces the trustworthiness of this garden bed’s quality.
Who is This For? This mini-greenhouse raised planter bed caters to the needs of seasoned gardeners seeking precise control and enhanced protection for their cultivated treasures.
Flaws but not Deal-breakers: Although it might not be the most economical option on the list, the Quictent Galvanized Raised Garden Bed with Cover justifies its price with the array of features it brings to the table.
Size (in.): 71 x 35.4 x 12 | Drainage: Holes on the sides | Colors: 5 | Assembly time: 50 mins
Best Tall Garden Beds: DTIG Galvanized Raised Garden Bed for Vegetables Flowers Herbs
Why This is a Quality Choice: The DTIG Galvanized Raised Garden Bed is twice as tall as the other raised garden beds on this list, which all max out at a foot tall. This product is two feet tall, which gives you more depth to work with. It also makes it easier on your back to get the weeding and pruning done.
Who is this for? If you’re looking to grow plants that need a lot of space for their roots but you’re worried about the soil underneath, then this is the perfect purchase for you to make.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: These garden beds take a lot more soil to fill up, but that means that you’re able to control the quality of the soil that deeply rooting plants need.
Size (in.): 72 x 36 x 24 | Drainage: Through the open bottom | Colors: 2 | Assembly time: 30 mins
Buying Considerations for The Best Metal Raised Garden Beds
Size
For the vast majority of gardeners, the primary consideration when buying a raised garden bed is size. These gardeners will want something that can make a big impact on how much they can grow. At the same time, they will be aware of the amount of space they have. Others might care a little bit more about the appearance of their garden beds as well as the size. Luckily, many of the options on this list are both very large and also have a lot of color options, like the GADI Raised Garden Bed Kit, which comes in 5 different colors.
Drainage holes vs. open Bottom
Next, there’s some question of whether you should prioritize getting a garden bed that has lots of drainage on the sides. The other option is going for one that has just an empty bottom that the water can naturally drain out of. Which will be best for you mostly depends on the type of ground you’re putting the raised bed onto. If you’re worried that the soil below your garden bed will impede draining because it’s very clay heavy or for some other reason, then there’s no problem with choosing an option that will provide lots of drainage through holes in the side.
Assembly time and difficulty
Finally, the difficulty and time investment of a raised garden bed should be taken into account. If you’re not very good with tools and dread putting together IKEA furniture, then you should definitely check out the reviews of any metal raised garden bed you’re considering buying to find what people are saying about the assembly process. Someone who’s very handy might not need to take the same precaution but will still enjoy a quick and easy assembly process more than a difficult and time-consuming one.
How I Choose These Products
I have almost a dozen metal raised garden beds on my property by my last count. I started adding one or two a year almost a decade ago, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. As a result, I had a lot of experience to lean on when I was coming up with this list.
I focused on choosing metal garden beds that deliver a lot of bang for their buck, both in terms of the gardening area they offer and for the amount of time you can use them. In addition, also took the time to verify my experience by reading about what others have to say about these products in online reviews, which helped alert me to some benefits I wasn’t aware of and some challenges I didn’t face. I hope that you’ve found a product you’re excited to add to your garden somewhere on the list.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, I rated the GADI Raised Garden Bed Kit at the top of the best metal raised garden beds on this list. I made that decision because of its functionality, strong construction, and innovative design. That’s not to say that the other raised garden beds on this list don’t have their own features to recommend them, since each of them fulfills a use case that might be exactly what you’re looking for.
FAQs
What metal is best for raised garden beds?
In general, any metal that’s strong enough to last for a long time and resistant to rust can work for a raised metal garden bed. That’s why most manufacturers opt to make their garden beds out of stainless or galvanized steel. Galvanized steel is just as resistant to rust as stainless steel but is also significantly stronger, so it’s the best material for raised garden beds.
Are metal raised beds worth it?
Raised metal garden beds are definitely worth it when it comes to increasing the size of the growing area you have available. However, a garden bed doesn’t do anything on its own. You need to fill it with high-quality soil to achieve the best results. We’d recommend using a home pH test kit or sending your soil off to a lab to be tested if you have any questions about how well plants will grow in it.
What are the cons of metal raised beds?
Metal garden beds are very functional, so they don’t have very many cons. Some gardeners object to the price even though it tends to be low. Why? They feel they can build it themselves for cheaper (perhaps by using a kit like this one). Some people don’t like the way they look. Onee solution for that is to buy a painted garden bed. Alternately, you can get out the spray paint and do it yourself. Another potential problem is the awareness of watering garden beds without disturbing the soil too much. You can solve that problem by picking up a great soaker hose.
