One windowsill of herbs
You want a small 36 mm coir pack for one tray, and you will water from below. GROWEASY is 24 paper-wrapped discs at about £7.99, with 4.2 from 56 reviews. Wet discs can fall apart, and one buyer reported surface mould.
The best seed starting pellets, compared.
Top pick: Weciau (30 mm, pack of 60) Best value: Lawei (30 mm, pack of 200) – Lowest unit price among named coir packs with a stated count and at least 25 reviews, about 8p a disc at about £15.99, on a different product from the top pick. Updated 21.10.2026.
A seed starting pellet is a dry disc of growing medium, usually coconut coir and sometimes peat, that you soak until it swells, sow into, and plant on as a plug. People in the UK buy seed starting pellets to start herbs, vegetables and flowers on a windowsill or in a greenhouse without keeping a bag of compost. The differences that change the basket are a stated dry diameter, a wrap you can live with, and a medium that matches the bag. England has announced a retail peat ban more than once, but as of 19 that ban is not an Act in force. Which column should decide the basket is set out in the [seed starting pellets buying guide](/hub/herb-seeds/seed-starting-pellets/sub/seed-starting-pellets-buying-guide). Paper-wrapped coir discs, such as e-pots and, are the straightforward windowsill type. Meshed coir discs, by the listing and by the reviews, transplant as a block, but the sleeve may need slitting. Rooting cubes, hydroponic sponges, mini greenhouses and wood plugs are not this category.
A seed starting pellet is a dry disc of growing medium, usually coconut coir and sometimes peat, that you soak until it swells, sow into, and plant on as a plug.
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1-2 of 7Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How many plugs do you need?
Weciau lists 60 coir pellets at 30 mm dry, each about 10 mm thick, wrapped in non-woven fabric, at £9.99, about 17p a disc. The star line is 4.5 from two ratings, and the file has no review text, so there is no UK comment on swell, roots or mould to weigh. The bullets say the mesh lets you transplant the whole block and that the medium supplies equal nutrients, without a feed analysis or a composting standard number. The indoor field says indoor, and the title names vegetables, herbs and flowers. A bestseller rank on the captured page is not a trial of germination. Buy it only if a 30 mm mesh disc at this count is what you wanted and you can return a pack that does not swell. Do not treat two stars as a reason to put it ahead of packs that have written reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mid-size indoor pack of 30 mm meshed coir and you accept a star line with no comments.
Less suitable: You want written UK reviews before you buy, or a 36 mm paper disc for larger herb seed.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the file include review comments?
No. The listing line is 4.5 from 2 ratings. Praise and complaint themes are not in the file, so the stars are not evidence of swell or roots.
What wrap does the title state?
Non-woven fabric. The bullets call it a biodegradable non-woven mesh and do not cite a standard.
Are herbs named?
Yes. The title includes vegetables, herbs and flowers, and the indoor field says indoor. Expanded height is not stated.
The e-pots 100-pack is 100 coco coir pellets, 36 mm dry, wrapped in FSC paper, listed at £16.99, about 17p a disc, with 4.4 from 134 amazon.co.uk reviews. That is the largest written sample in this set. Reviewers describe a soak of a few minutes, less mess than module trays, roots through the base, and potting on with little damage. One saw cosmos up in three days, and others used the discs for onion seed, herbs and jasmine. The listing says the fibre avoids harm to bogs and that the packaging is plastic-free, without printing the words peat-free, and this ASIN does not repeat the nutrient-free sentence from the 20-pack. The complaints are specific: some pellets only reached about 1 cm and felt hard, expansion was uneven and some fell apart, and one review says the netting is around the sides only so coir washes out. It is the top pick here when you want a 36 mm paper-wrapped coir disc with a large review count and you will set aside any disc that stays hard.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the largest reviewed 36 mm coir pack in this table and you will check that each disc has actually swollen.
Less suitable: You need the cheapest disc, a guaranteed expanded height, or a pack of only twenty.
Specifications
Common questions
Do reviews agree on how far these pellets swell?
No. One UK review says they only reached about 1 cm and felt hard. Another says they expanded quickly into solid cylinders. Another says expansion was uneven and some fell apart.
What do reviews say about the wrap at the base?
One review says the netting is around the sides only, so coir falls out when you soak them. Another describes a fine mesh that forms a small bag.
Does this listing say the coir has no nutrients?
This listing does not say that. The separate e-pots 20-pack does. Do not copy that sentence across.
Across 56 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.2 stars, the GROWEASY pack is 24 paper-wrapped coir discs, 36 mm across and 5 mm thick when dry, listed at £7.99. Reviewers use them for tomato and flower seed on a windowsill and then plant the plug out, and one buyer reported germination in a little over a week when watering from below. Another said this larger disc was easier for bigger seed than a smaller brand used at the same time, and that the dry discs take far less cupboard space than a bag of compost. The listing says the pellets give delicate seedlings the nutrients they need, which is not a feed analysis, and it does not print the words peat-free even though the material field is coir. Wet discs can fall apart in the hand, one buyer found them less than half the size they expected, and one reported mould on the surface after the pellets were set up and watered. For a first tray of about two dozen plugs it is a usable small pack if you water from below and accept that expanded height is not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small 36 mm coir pack for one windowsill of herbs or flowers and you will water from below.
Less suitable: You need a pack of a hundred or more, or a listing that prints both peat-free and a nutrient analysis.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say you can start herbs in these pellets?
Yes. The listing names vegetables, herbs and flowers, indoors or outdoors. Expanded height is not stated.
What wrap does the listing give?
Paper. The special-feature field also says biodegradable. No standard number is in the file.
Does the listing say the coir already contains feed?
Yes. It says the pellets provide delicate seedlings with the nutrients they need. There is no feed analysis.
The e-pots 20-pack is 20 coco coir discs, 36 mm dry, wrapped in FSC paper, at £7.99, which is about 40p a disc and the highest unit price in this set. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 26 reviews, and the five UK texts in the file mostly say the pellets started seedlings as expected, with one buyer reordering. The listing states that coir contains no nutrients, so you add feed yourself, and it contrasts the fibre with digging peat bogs without using the phrase peat-free. One reviewer compared a dry disc to a £2 coin and found them smaller than expected, another said the paper casings were thicker and stiffer than other brands, and one sits the pellets in soil in a pot because they wobble. It suits a short sowing of larger herb seed if you will support the plugs and feed later. It is a thin sample if you wanted dozens of UK comments before you spend the money.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a short run of 36 mm coir discs and you will add your own feed.
Less suitable: You are sowing a whole season, or you wanted a listing that already claims nutrients in the disc.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the coir contains plant food?
No. The bullets say coir does not contain nutrients and that you can add your own. That sentence is not on the e-pots 100-pack.
What are the pellets wrapped in?
FSC paper. The listing also says the packaging is plastic-free. It does not print the words peat-free.
Do UK reviews mention how the pellets stand?
One UK review says they can be wobbly and puts them into soil in a pot for support. Another found the dry discs smaller than expected.
GOTVUGE sells 100 discs titled as 30 mm coir pellets at £12.20, about 12p each, with 4.1 from 141 amazon.co.uk reviews. Several verified UK reviews say the bag is labelled peat, not coir, and call the description misleading, so you should open the packet before you treat the title as the medium. Other buyers still report tomatoes and other seed germinating after a soak, and they like the small storage compared with loose compost. The same UK texts say the swollen pods are smaller than Jiffy pellets they knew, that the pods are hard to keep upright, and that pea roots could not get through the mesh, with one buyer describing deformed seedlings. One first attempt produced nothing. If the bag in your hand says peat and that is what you meant to buy, the reviews describe that product. If you ordered coir, the title and the bag are in conflict and this comparison does not resolve it with a lab test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will read the bag on arrival and you are sowing small seed in a large batch.
Less suitable: You need the listing and the packet to agree that the medium is coir.
Specifications
Common questions
Do UK reviews agree that these are coir?
No. Several verified UK reviews say the packaging says peat, not coir, and call the description misleading. This page does not treat that as a lab test of the fibre.
What do reviews say about the mesh?
One UK review says pea roots could not get through the mesh. Another says the outer case was too tight once the medium expanded.
How do buyers describe the size?
Several UK reviews say the swollen pods are smaller than pellets they were used to, including Jiffy pellets. The dry diameter on the title is 30 mm.
Lawei lists 200 compressed coco coir discs, 30 mm across and 13 mm high when dry, at £15.99, about 8p a disc, which is the lowest unit price in this set where a count is printed. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from 35 reviews. One UK reviewer described a dry disc about 1 cm tall that swelled to a pouch about 4 cm tall, used the pods for wildflower, lawn plugs and autumn lettuce, and counted 203 discs in the bag. The listing names herbs, vegetables and flowers and says you can plant the whole disc, but it does not name the wrap. That same reviewer found the netting fiddly to remove, said it does not biodegrade particularly well, and thought it could hinder roots if left on. The discs arrived in a plastic bag with no instructions. It is the best value pack here when you will sow a large number of small seeds and you are willing to slit or remove the net. Skip it if you only wanted a couple of dozen paper-wrapped 36 mm discs.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are sowing a season of small seed and you will check the net before you plant out.
Less suitable: You only need a couple of dozen 36 mm paper discs for a herb windowsill.
Specifications
Common questions
What size does the listing give for a dry disc?
30 mm across and 13 mm high. One UK review described a dry disc about 1 cm tall that swelled to a pouch about 4 cm tall.
What do UK reviews say about the sleeve?
One reviewer said the netting was fiddly to remove, did not biodegrade well, and could hinder roots if left on. The listing itself does not name the wrap.
Does the listing include instructions in the box?
Not stated. One UK reviewer said the discs arrived in a plastic bag with no instructions.
Mr Fothergill's 35 mm plantable pellet refill is listed at £9.49, and the file does not state how many discs are in the pack, what they are wrapped in, or whether the organic materials are coir or peat. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.2 from eight reviews, with three UK texts. One buyer said an earlier pack germinated well and transplanted without much root disturbance. Two of the three said this refill did not expand as much as they expected, and one said the pellets that came with the matching planter set swelled much more, so they added compost. At 180 g for the package you cannot work out a fair unit price. It is a refill for someone who already owns that planter and will check the swell against the original discs. It is a weak first buy if you need a named medium and a known count.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are refilling a Mr Fothergill's planter and you will compare the swell with the discs that came in the set.
Less suitable: You want a stated count of coir discs, or this is your first pack of seed pellets.
Specifications
Common questions
How many pellets are in the pack?
The file does not state a count. At 180 g for the package there is no unit price.
Does the listing say the pellets are coir or peat-free?
No. It says organic materials. Coir, peat and peat-free are not named.
What do the UK reviews say about expansion?
Two of the three reviews say the refill did not expand as much as expected. One buyer added compost. One buyer said an earlier pack germinated well.
Scores use the seven amazon.co.uk listings kept for this comparison, the prices and star lines on those pages, and the UK review notes for the same ASINs. Shelf date 19 October 2026. This is not a germination trial and not a laboratory test of the medium. A star rating does not prove the fibre. Weights sum to 100. The highest score is the top pick. The lowest pence per disc among named coir packs with a stated count, at least 25 reviews, and no peat-label deduction is best value, on a different product.
Amazon stars
40%Stars are scaled as (stars / 5) × 40. The e-pots 100-pack is 4.4 from 134. Weciau is 4.5 from two ratings, so the star line alone cannot carry that row.
Review evidence
20%100 or more reviews score 20, 50–99 score 16, 25–49 score 12, 10–24 score 8, 3–9 score 4, and 1–2 score 0. The e-pots 100-pack and GOTVUGE clear 100. Weciau has two ratings and no review text.
Listing clarity
20%Five points each if the listing names a medium (coir or peat, not only organic materials), a dry diameter, a pack count, and a wrap. Mr Fothergill's refill misses the medium, the count and the wrap.
Value
15%Pence per disc where the title states a count: under 10p scores 15, 10–20p scores 12, 20–35p scores 8, and over 35p scores 5. A missing count scores 4. Lawei is about 8p. The e-pots 20-pack is about 40p.
UK review sentiment
5%Themes in the UK review texts score up to 5. No review text scores 0. A title that UK reviews contradict on coir versus peat is deducted 12. A small review set that repeatedly reports weak expansion is deducted 6.
Choose the medium, the dry diameter and the wrap before the word biodegradable. A 20-pack for one windowsill and a 200-pack for a season are not the same purchase, and a coir title is not a lab result.
A seed starting pellet is a dry disc of growing medium, usually coconut coir and sometimes peat. You set it in a tray, add water, and wait until it swells into a plug. You then sow, and later plant the plug on. In the UK the usual job is herbs, vegetables and flowers on a windowsill or in a greenhouse, so you do not have to store a bag of compost. Paper-wrapped coir discs, such as e-pots and GROWEASY, are the straightforward windowsill type.

Those are not seed starting pellets. A pellet is a dry disc you soak into a plug. A seed bomb already holds seed. If the listing is a sponge, a cube or a mini greenhouse, it is a different product.
Expanded height is rarely stated, and reviewers disagree. Some discs only reach about 1 cm and feel hard. Water from below, drain so the plug is moist rather than soggy, and set aside any disc that does not swell.
A GOTVUGE review said pea roots could not get through the mesh. A Lawei reviewer said the netting may hinder roots if left on. EN 13432 is industrial composting, not a home compost bin. Only the e-pots 20-pack states that the coir contains no nutrients. Do not copy that line onto other ASINs.
Prefer a listing whose material field is coir if you want to avoid peat. e-pots names coco coir or coconut fibre. GROWEASY and Weciau name coir. None of the seven listings prints the words peat-free. e-pots contrasts the fibre with digging peat bogs, which is not the same as that phrase. GOTVUGE is titled as coir, and several verified UK reviews say the bag says peat and call the description misleading. Open the packet.
Dry diameters here are 30 mm, 35 mm or 36 mm. A seller size guide puts small herbs and lettuce toward a smaller plug and larger herbs such as parsley toward about 36 mm. That is seller guidance, not an RHS trial. e-pots and GROWEASY name paper. Weciau names non-woven fabric. Lawei's listing does not name a wrap, and a UK review mentions netting that was fiddly to remove. A tight mesh has blocked pea roots in a GOTVUGE review.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a small 36 mm coir pack for one tray, and you will water from below. GROWEASY is 24 paper-wrapped discs at about £7.99, with 4.2 from 56 reviews. Wet discs can fall apart, and one buyer reported surface mould.
You care about pence per disc and you will check the net before you plant out. Lawei is the best value here: 200 coco coir discs at about £15.99, about 8p each, with 4.1 from 35 reviews. The listing does not name the wrap.
You want the listing and the packet to agree that the medium is coir, and you want a large written review file. The e-pots 100-pack is the top pick: 36 mm coco coir in FSC paper, at about £16.99, with 4.4 from 134 reviews. Some discs stay hard.
The top pick is the e-pots 100-pack at about £16.99. It scores 91, the highest here: 100 coco coir discs, 36 mm dry, in FSC paper, with 4.4 from 134 reviews. Some discs swell poorly, stay hard, or fall apart, so you set those aside. Best value is a different product, Lawei at about £15.99, 200 discs at about 8p each, the lowest unit price among named coir packs with a stated count and at least 25 reviews. Skip the e-pots 100-pack if you only need twenty discs. Skip Lawei if you wanted a couple of dozen 36 mm paper discs and you will not deal with netting.

Lawei (30 mm, pack of 200)
Lowest unit price among named coir packs with a stated count and at least 25 reviews, about 8p a disc at about £15.99, on a different product from the top pick.
Editorial

Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these seven listings were read on 19 October 2026. Page updated 21 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are taken from those listings. We did not run a lab test.