- Flowers & Plants
- Vegetables
- Design Ideas
- Containers
- How To
- Projects
- Garden Plans
- Magazine
- Reviews
Though plants are commonly found in one’s garden, with a few pots, you can have your own array of plants in your home or on your porch. Indoor gardening is just as fun and rewarding as outdoor gardening, and it’s much easier to manage since you won’t have to deal with issues like weeds. There is one caveat to indoor plants, though — watering. Watering your indoor plants can pose a problem when the water spills out of your pot. This can lead to dirty indoor spaces but, luckily, shouldn’t be a problem with the top planter saucers of 2024.
Saucers are a great way to maintain a clean environment when you own indoor plants. They help hold any excess water and can even be decorated to make them complement your favorite plants. Read on to check out our list of planter saucers that you’ll definitely want to have alongside your plants.
To ensure your indoor plants don’t dirty their surroundings every time you water them, you’ll need some quality plant saucers. But, with so many kinds on the market, making a good choice can be a little tricky. Here’s a quick guide with everything you need to know about these useful items so you can find something that suits your needs.
A planter saucer is a saucer-shaped object placed below a plant. The purpose of the planter saucer is to catch any water or soil that comes out of the plant when you water it. You can then remove the saucer when the plant has already absorbed the water and clean it before reusing it.
Indoor plants must be grown in pots that have holes in them. This is so that the excess water doesn’t just stay at the bottom whenever you water the plant. If this happens, it can cause bacteria and fungus growth, which can be detrimental to the plant’s health. With holes at the bottom, the water seeps through. There’s just one problem, though — the water will end up on your shelves, floors, and other surfaces when indoors.
That’s where a planter saucer comes in. The saucer catches the water as it seeps through the holes in the pot, preventing your wooden shelves and tiled floors from getting all wet. It also prevents dirt from gathering, as the soil can sometimes accompany water as it pours through.
House plants aren’t exactly light and easy to carry. In fact, depending on the type of pot you’re using for your plant, they can be quite heavy. There’s a good chance that the plant’s weight can scratch surfaces or even crack tiles if not appropriately placed. This can potentially cause permanent damage to your indoor environment and living space.
With planter saucers, you can keep your potted plants from ever coming into contact with the surface. The added layer of protection ensures that your shelves and floors stay scratch-free, meaning your room and home will look much cleaner and more orderly.
Finally, planter saucers can also be used to decorate your home. You can place them on their own, and they’ll look nice, or you could add other objects as a complement. For example, an array of stones, pebbles, or marbles can add color and flavor to the saucer and make the plant look like it’s resting on a more natural surface.
Planter saucers are fairly simple objects, but you’ll need to keep a few things in mind before buying them. Here are some things to remember:
Size
Your planter saucer’s size determines whether or not you can fit your plant in it. In terms of size options, there are planter saucers with diameters ranging from 6 to 12 inches, with in-between options of 8 and 10 inches. There are also smaller and larger planter saucers available, but most of the ones you’ll find online will be between 6 and 12 inches.
When picking a size, find one that fits your house plant’s bottom while leaving around 1 or 2 inches of space. This gives room for the saucer to catch the water that comes out of the plant and also lets you place decorations, such as pebbles, should you want to do so.
Design
Plant saucers can vary in design, with some being purely aesthetic and others providing actual benefits. You don’t need to worry about the functional benefits of plant saucers as much as you should about the aesthetic appeal, though, as they’re more or less the same in terms of effectiveness.
Transparency
Planter saucers are mostly made out of plastic, but there are different kinds of plastic used, and some may be more transparent than others. For example, you can get a planter saucer set that’s completely transparent and shows everything inside. You could also get one that’s a little less transparent but still lets you vaguely see through it. Or, if you don’t like transparency at all, you can get planter saucers designed with completely solid colors. This choice is purely aesthetic, so choose one that you think fits your abode.
Planter saucers often come in sets of 10 to 20. These sets usually have more than one size, and many sets come in three sizes with options ranging from 6 to 12 inches. Despite the difference in amount and size, however, you can expect to spend $10 to $20 on most planter saucer sets. The sets we reviewed only cost around this price point, and you shouldn’t have to pay more than $20 for plastic saucers, anyways. Sometimes, you can find them on sale and get even better prices for high-quality planter saucers.
This first set of planter saucers is a great choice if you have plant pots of various sizes. You may have different house plants for different reasons — maybe you like having various plant species, for one. No matter what reason you may have, though, these plant saucers should serve you quite well. The pack includes 6, 8, 10, and 12-inch long saucers and you get five of each size, which gives you 20 plant saucers in total. You can also purchase each size by itself instead if that better suits your needs.
These planter saucers are designed to be able to hold water and soil drainage that occurs after watering your plants. There’s ample space on the sides, meaning you can even add marbles or pebbles to make them more presentable. This pack is great if you have all sorts of plants inside your home and want a saucer for every pot size. Because of the size variety, the number of saucers you get, and the simple clear design, we’ve picked these planter saucers as the best on our list.
One thing that some gardeners should pay attention to when it comes to planter saucers is their design and shape. While a saucer may look good, it may not function as well as you may think. In particular, a saucer may not properly keep the water separated from the pot, which will affect the soil and, by extension, the plant. Of course, this isn’t as important as other things you should consider when planning an indoor gardening landscape, but it’s worth noting nonetheless.
Luckily, the Idyllize Heavy Duty Planter Saucers are designed to be just as functional as they are stylish. The grooves found in the saucer aren’t for show — they ensure that the water that ends up in the saucer doesn’t touch the pot or plant, allowing the plant to be properly watered. Even without their amazing functionality, they’re still very stylish planter saucers. It may be worth getting over your standard flat saucer if you’re looking for something a little more interesting.
While planter saucers are generally the same no matter what type you get, there are a few differences from brand to brand. In particular, the transparency can differ, with some being completely clear and others being slightly less transparent. Mind you, this does not affect your plant and is purely for aesthetic purposes. Still, if you’re placing plants indoors, you may as well make them look as presentable as possible.
The Konanzo Planter Saucers are completely transparent and clear. This makes it incredibly easy to see marbles and stones, which is excellent if you like decorating your saucers. But, if you keep them empty, be sure to clean them regularly because the water and soil can build up over time, and it can be very easy to spot. Let’s be honest, the last thing you’d want is for your clear planter saucer to turn into a dark, muddy brown nightmare.
Planter saucers are used primarily to keep the surfaces in your house from getting dirty and wet. Still, there’s a second benefit as well that makes it a great choice for home gardeners. The saucer protects your surfaces from scratches and damage from excessive contact with the pot. Potted plants can be heavy, and moving the pot around can cause some damage to the surface that it’s placed on if not treated properly. With MUDEELA’s Planter Saucers, you can add another layer of protection to keep your floors and shelves scratch-free.
If you want to ensure that the saucers are durable enough for long-term use, you’ll want ones made out of heavy-duty plastic. These clear plastic saucers are more durable than your typical plastic saucer, as they’re both thicker and tougher. Each planter saucer can easily hold heavy pots and you won’t have to worry about the saucer or the surface getting damaged, whether you’re using a plastic or ceramic pot.
Some customers experienced sizing issues
These days, product manufacturers and companies come up with all sorts of quirks and features to make their products stand out from the rest. And while you can often get innovative products as a result of this, some people may prefer simpler products instead. This set of plastic planter saucers is as simple as it gets — a no-nonsense design and no extra features. Still, it gets the job done, which is enough for many gardeners.
The YOUniversal Products Planter Saucers are sleek and flat, making them great for minimal setups and environments. In fact, one may argue that the simplicity of the saucers adds to their charm. The saucers come in three sizes — 6 inches, 8 inches, and 10 inches — and you’ll have five of each to work with. That’s more than enough to keep all your potted plants on.
A: A planter saucer can catch excess water or soil that may come out of the pot, which is handy when you want to keep plants indoors but would prefer to avoid a mess.
A: Yes, they're actually very well-suited for indoor use. This is because planter saucers protect your indoor surfaces from scratching that results from coming into contact with your pots.
A: You should clean your planter saucer as often as needed. Ideally, you’ll want to clean your planter saucer whenever possible. Still, you can go a few days or more without cleaning it, depending on how dirty it is.
A: You should dump the water out of your planter saucer shortly after watering your plant. Ideally, you will empty it around 30 minutes to an hour after watering.
A: While planter saucers aren't strictly necessary, they are very helpful for any would-be gardener. They help keep the area cleaner and can prevent bacteria and fungus, among other things — sounds pretty useful to us!
