Burpee SuperSeed 36-Cell Reusable Seed Starting Tray Review
Silicone cells that flex to pop a seedling out root ball intact, in a tray designed to be reused rather than binned.
| Brand | Burpee |
|---|---|
| Model | 96512 |
| Cells | 36, flexible pop-out |
| Cell material | Food-grade silicone |
| Tray dimensions | 11.5 x 10-3/8 x 2-1/4 in |
| Drainage | Moulded corner slots in each cell |
| Best for | Indoor seed starting where transplant shock has been the problem |
Product Overview
Most seed trays are thin plastic with a hole in the bottom, and the problem shows up at transplant time. Pushing a seedling out of a rigid cell either tears the root ball or means cutting the tray apart, and either way the plant takes a check it did not need.
Burpee's answer is soft food-grade silicone cells that flex. You press the base and the plug lifts out whole, which the company frames as reducing stress on seedlings so you do not damage their roots. That one material choice is the reason to pick this over a standard tray.
The rest is sensibly detailed. Moulded corner slots in each cell handle drainage and soil aeration. Deep channels in the watering tray draw excess water away from the cells rather than letting them sit in it, and a raised perimeter edge keeps that water in the tray instead of on your windowsill.
Score Breakdown
This verdict is based on the manufacturer's stated specifications, the current Amazon listing and its product images, the confirmed materials and design, real buyer ratings, and our research into the product category. Scores are consistent editorial judgments, not laboratory measurements, and we did not receive a paid sample.
Key Features
Press the base and the plug lifts out whole, so the root ball goes into the ground intact instead of being torn free.
Moulded corner slots in every cell let water leave the growing medium and air reach the roots.
Deep channels draw excess water away from the cell bases so plugs are not left standing in a puddle.
Keeps the water you pour in inside the tray rather than running onto the windowsill or shelf.
Rows are marked and a Plant-o-Gram diagram is included, so a mixed sowing of several varieties stays identifiable.
Lift the tray to pour off excess water or inspect seedlings without sliding a wet tray across a surface.
Top shelf safe, so cleaning between seasons is a machine job and the tray is reused rather than replaced.
Design and Build Quality
The tray measures 11.5 by 10-3/8 by 2-1/4 inches, which is a standard windowsill footprint, and it is finished in blue. Thirty six cells sit in the tray, with rows labelled alphanumerically and a Plant-o-Gram diagram included so you can record what went where. Anyone who has sown four varieties and lost track by week three will see the point.
The cells are food-grade silicone rather than moulded polypropylene. That is what allows them to flex, and it is also what makes the tray genuinely reusable: silicone does not crack with age or go brittle in sunlight the way thin plastic trays do after a season or two.
Side handles are moulded into the tray. Their job is specific: lifting the tray to pour off excess water from the watering base, or to check seedlings without having to slide a wet tray across a surface. The whole thing is top shelf dishwasher safe, so cleaning between seasons is not a hand-washing job. Model and part number are both 96512.
Performance in Everyday Use
The pop-out cells work on the principle that matters most for young plants: root disturbance at transplant is the main setback a healthy seedling suffers. A plug that lifts out intact goes into the ground still growing, where one that has had its roots torn spends a week recovering instead.
Drainage is handled at two levels, which is better than most trays manage. Each cell has moulded corner slots so water leaves the growing medium and air reaches the roots. Then the watering tray underneath has deep channels that draw that excess away from the cell bases, so the plugs are not standing in a puddle. Overwatering is the commonest way indoor sowings fail, and this addresses it structurally.
Thirty six cells is one tray of capacity. For a household sowing tomatoes, peppers, herbs and a few flowers that is about right, and the alphanumeric row labelling makes a mixed tray workable. For a larger plot you will want several trays rather than expecting one to cover a season.
Burpee also prints useful timing on the listing: peppers started 8 to 10 weeks before the average last frost, tomatoes 6 to 8 weeks before. That is the kind of practical information most tray listings leave out entirely, and it is the detail that actually decides whether a sowing succeeds.
How It Performs: The Evidence
| Decision factor | What we found | Evidence and measurement | Score | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transplant handling | Soft food-grade silicone cells that flex to pop seedlings out | Listing states soft food-grade silicone cells cradle seedlings and gently flex to pop out, designed to reduce stress so roots are not damaged | 9.5 | Root disturbance at transplant is the main setback a healthy seedling suffers |
| Cell drainage | Moulded corner slots in each cell | Listing states moulded corner slots in each cell improve drainage and soil aeration | 9.5 | Overwatering is the commonest way an indoor sowing is lost |
| Watering tray | Deep channels with a raised perimeter edge | Listing states deep channels draw excess away from the cells while the raised perimeter edge keeps water contained | 9.5 | Plugs standing in a puddle rot regardless of how good the cell is |
| Organisation | Alphanumeric rows plus a Plant-o-Gram diagram | Listing states rows are labelled alphanumerically for seedling identification with an included Plant-o-Gram diagram | 9.0 | A mixed tray becomes unidentifiable within weeks without labelling |
| Reusability | Top shelf dishwasher safe, designed to store between seasons | Listing states trays are easy to clean and reuse or store for next season, and are top shelf dishwasher safe | 9.5 | Silicone does not go brittle the way thin plastic trays do after a season |
| Handling | Moulded side handles | Listing states side handles make it easy to lift and pour off excess water or check seedlings daily | 8.5 | A full wet tray without handles is awkward and spills |
| Capacity | 36 cells in an 11.5 by 10-3/8 inch tray | Listing states 36 flexible pop-out cells with tray dimensions of 11.5 by 10-3/8 by 2-1/4 inches | 7.0 | One tray's worth, so a larger plot needs several |
Who Should Buy It
- Starting tomatoes and peppers indoors before last frost
- Mixed sowings of several varieties in one tray
- Gardeners who have lost seedlings to transplant shock
- Windowsill propagation
- Anyone replacing disposable plastic trays each spring
- Growers wanting a heated propagator or a grow light included, or very large scale sowing
- Thirty six cells is a single tray's capacity
- No grow light or heat mat included
- Silicone cells need a firm surface under them when moving a wet tray
Full Specifications
How It Compares
| Feature | Burpee | Typical budget | Premium option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell material | Food-grade silicone, flexes | Rigid thin plastic | Peat or coir pellets |
| Transplanting | Plug pops out intact | Pushed or cut out | Planted whole with the pellet |
| Cell drainage | Moulded corner slots | Single hole | Open mesh base |
| Watering base | Channelled with raised edge | Flat tray | Capillary matting |
| Labelling | Alphanumeric rows plus diagram | None | Write-on strip |
| Reuse | Dishwasher safe, multi-season | Single season | Single use |
Alternatives Worth a Look
The tray to pick if transplanting is where your seedlings have been losing time. Flexible food-grade silicone cells let a plug come out whole, drainage is handled in both the cell and the watering base, and the alphanumeric rows with a Plant-o-Gram make a mixed sowing trackable. Being dishwasher safe and genuinely reusable is what justifies it over a thin plastic tray you replace each spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the pop-out cells work?
The cells are soft food-grade silicone, so pressing the base flexes the cell and lifts the plug out whole. Burpee frames it as cradling the seedling and reducing stress on the roots, which is the problem rigid plastic cells cause when you push or cut a seedling free.
Why does transplant shock matter?
Because a seedling with torn roots spends a week recovering rather than growing. Getting the root ball out intact means the plant goes into the ground still developing. On a short growing season that week is the difference between a crop and a near miss.
How is the watering handled?
At two levels. Each cell has moulded corner slots for drainage and soil aeration, and the watering tray underneath has deep channels that draw excess away from the cell bases. A raised perimeter edge keeps the water inside the tray rather than on your sill.
How many seeds can I start in it?
Thirty six, in a tray measuring 11.5 by 10-3/8 by 2-1/4 inches. For a household sowing tomatoes, peppers, herbs and a few flowers that is about right. A larger plot will want several trays rather than one covering the whole season.
Can I tell which variety is which?
Yes, and it is one of the better touches. Rows are labelled alphanumerically and a Plant-o-Gram diagram is included so you can record what went into each position. Four varieties in one tray become indistinguishable within a few weeks otherwise.
Is it actually reusable?
Yes, and that is the material argument for silicone. It does not crack with age or go brittle in sunlight the way thin plastic trays do after a season or two. Burpee states the trays are top shelf dishwasher safe and designed to clean and store for next season.
When should I start my seeds?
Burpee gives useful timing on the listing: peppers 8 to 10 weeks before your area's average last frost date, and tomatoes 6 to 8 weeks before. Check the instructions on individual seed packets, since timing varies by variety as well as by crop.
Does it come with a grow light or heat mat?
No. The tray comes with its watering base and the Plant-o-Gram diagram. You add seed starting mix, seeds, water and light yourself. If you want a lit or heated kit as one purchase, this is not that product.
This review is based on the manufacturer's stated specifications, the current product listing and its images, the confirmed cell count, tray dimensions, materials, drainage design, labelling, dishwasher suitability and model number, and our own research into how seed starting trays differ. It is editorial analysis, not laboratory testing, and we have not sown in this tray ourselves. Where a figure was not confirmed by the listing, we left it out.