Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit vs Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Mushroom Grow Kits: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
North Spore's lion's mane is the kit to gift: gourmet variety, spray-and-grow, harvests in ~10 days - $35 from the specialists. The $20 Back to the Roots kit is the grocery-store classic. Forest Origins' pink oyster is the it-depends at $30. Skip the $170 Boomr Bin - a cultivation project, not a gift.
North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit
Buy itThe gourmet grow kit - organic lion's mane, spray-and- grow, from the mushroom specialists - $35.
- Lion's mane is the special variety - the gourmet 'crabmeat' mushroom you can't easily buy.
- North Spore is a mushroom-cultivation company - the specialist, not a box brand.
- Spray-and-grow simplicity: mist daily, harvest in about 10 days - beginner-proof.
- Organic substrate, US-grown - a quality fruiting block.
- $35 for one fruiting block - mid-range for a one-shot grow.
- Lion's mane is picky about humidity - needs more misting care than an oyster.
- A single block yields a modest harvest - a treat, not a supply.
Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit
Buy itThe $20 box kit - open, mist, harvest oyster mushrooms in ~10 days - the gateway kit.
- $20 - the cheapest real mushroom kit, and the one in grocery stores.
- Grows right out of the box - cut, mist daily, harvest in about 10 days.
- Organic and foolproof - designed for kids and beginners.
- Oyster mushrooms - fast, forgiving, forgiving of imperfect conditions.
- Oyster only - the basic variety, not the gourmet ones.
- One box, one modest harvest - a taste, not a crop.
- The mass-market kit - less mushroom than a specialist block.
Side by side
| North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit | Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | The foodie gift - the kit for someone who wants to grow a mushroom they can't buy at the store. | The entry gift - the cheapest, easiest way to grow a mushroom, for kids and curious cooks. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit - The gourmet grow kit - organic lion's mane, spray-and- grow, from the mushroom specialists - $35. Choose the Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit instead if the entry gift - the cheapest, easiest way to grow a mushroom, for kids and curious cooks.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Mushroom Grow Kits: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).