The Best Sprouter

- a review of one kitchen sprouter and tips on how to choose a good home sprouter

Picture: The best sprouter is one that gives abundant sprouted seeds easily and dependably - this one from Hometown seeds does just that

How to find the best sprouter for you 

First, some basic considerations for selecting a great kitchen sprouter:

• A good kitchen sprouter should be sturdy and easy to wash.
• There should be a good system of drainage so that water trickles down effectively to through the different layers.
• The trays of the sprouter should be easy to access and inspect.
• There should be several inter-changeable trays so that you can sprout a lot or just a few seeds at a time, including different varieties.
• There should be a well-fitting lid to keep out insects and dust.
• Ideally, the best sprouter kits will come with instructions and suggestions for use.

With these points in mind, here below is a kitchen sprouter review of a product from Hometown Seeds.

The sprouter shown was given to me by Hometown seeds in exchange for reviewing its performance. I have tried to be scrupulously fair and honest in evaluating it.

A kitchen seed sprouter review

This seed sprouter (shown above) from Hometown Seeds looks on first sight to be reasonably sturdy and large enough for most people’s sprouting needs.

I’ve now been using it for a couple of years now and appearances are not deceptive!

There are three generous tiers in which to sprout different sized seeds. The individual seed trays are large enough to deliver at least one generous family-sized portion of sprouts.

The sprouter kit comes with a pack of alfalfa seeds included.

You can use it to sprout seeds of different types at the same time because of the separate tiers. If you wanted to eat sprouted seeds almost every day of the week you could probably just about manage it with this seed sprouter. Two working along side each other would definitely give enough sprouts for several people, as in a family but I expect most families won't want sprouts every single day!

The trays and collecting tray are made from plastic which is quite thick and strong. Each tray contains small grooves which help the seeds to settle in a regular pattern. This helps towards regular growth and adequate space for each little seedling sprout. (Anyone who has used a jar to sprout seeds will know that some seedlings tend to twist and entangle each other as they grow.)

Each tray also contains a siphon which allows the water to trickle down from layer to layer in turn. This works quite well but mine seemed to need the occasional bit of encouragement - a light poke with a finger does the trick.

Each tray is about 1½ inches deep, which is deep enough for most sprouts to become large enough for using. As you can see, from the picture above, some seeds will stray beyond bounds if you forget to suspend growth by placing the sprouter contents in the fridge!

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Watering the crop

Picture: Alfalfa sprouts ready for use

The top tray has a water reservoir. You fill this – either from the tap or from your water filter.

It also has a securely fitting lid which will prevent dust or stray particles from getting into the water.

Once the tray is full, the water slowly trickles down to the next level where the seeds are. The siphon conducts the water down gently so that the seeds or seedlings are not damaged in the process. It’s quite easy to swap the different trays around so that different ones can take the top place. Because the walls of the trays are see-through, it’s easy to get an idea of how well things are progressing without actually opening up the trays.

However, if you do want to open the trays up and separate them, this is very easy to do. The last or bottom tray collects the used water from the seedlings. It is easy to take this off and throw away the contents. Alternatively, you can use the water remaining to water your houseplants as it is likely to contain some nutrients.

This is a very easy device to use and I’ve found it is definitely a whole lot more convenient to use than a jam jar! The sprouts grow straight and true and are less likely to get entangled one with another. It is also very easy to water the sprouts and to check them. Once they have grown enough for your needs they can even be placed in the fridge or cool store just as they are in their trays.

There are plenty of sprouters on sale in stores and at Amazon. I cannot recommend any specifically (as I have not tried them) but ones such as this have received some good reviews from buyers, as have the ones shown here on the right.

Picture: This product has had great reviews and is BPA-free, too.

Washing the sprouter kit

The sprouter kit is easy to wash except that some small seeds will tend to trap themselves behind the syphon device. This is easy to remedy. You just lift off the syphon with the aid of a blunt knife or something similar, wash it in hot soapy water, rinse it and put it back.

I haven't tried washing the sprouter in the dishwasher. Even the very best sprouter will doubtless become hazed if washed in the dishwasher so it's probably best to avoid this if you want to see your sprouts!

This is a great way to produce sprouted seeds reliably and I can whole-heartedly recommend this product. The Hometown Seeds seed sprouter was sent to me by the vendors to review. Nevertheless, I have tried to be as dispassionate as possible and give a fair review which people will find useful. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

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The best sprouter?

Is this the best kitchen sprouter? Well, I haven't tried that many yet but this one seems like a good deal. It's certainly a good deal better than the last one I used which was more flimsy and smaller. This is a good size for family use. I can find no problem with it and I can say that it is the best sprouter I've used so far.

It is quick and easy to use and robust. I've now had it for around five years. I'm sure there are equally good ones on the market. Bear in mind the simple requirements listed above when searching for a decent sprouter and you won't go far wrong. After that.. the best sprouter is one that is being used!

This is a simple and cost-effective way of obtaining top quality organic food at any time of year. Please see my article on sprouting seeds for a fuller discussion of how to use your sprouter to grow delicious sprouted seeds of many kinds. 

I'll add more reviews as I can. If anyone would like to add a seed sprouter review please use the Add Your Tips button on the nav bar. Tell us which you think is the best sprouter and why.

Happy sprouting! 

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