Hello, Auto pot are pretty good. I've used one since I started growing. Very easy to use. Getting the base of your pot right is what makes a difference. The right amount of pebbles at the bottom so the soil doesn't saturate. Oxygen deprival can be an issue. hence why they brought out the airdome. Worth getting as makes a difference. Hand watering for the first few weeks is standard, until the roots have reached the bottom where it can draw water. Worth buying all the little things to make it easier, isolation valves, copper disks for root control, extra lengths of tubing etc... Depending on your space, I would go for the XL pots. more root space. Plus you can get the larger pipe with the xl. I hope this helps, good luck and happy growing