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If you are a gardening enthusiast and have decided to try growing plants indoors, an LED Grow Light will be necessary to help your plants grow strong and healthy. Here are a few things to look for when purchasing an LED Grow Light.
The 5 Best LED Grow Lights
- VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow Light
- ANKACE LED Grow Light (Our Top Pick)
- G8LED 450-Watt LED Grow Light
- MARS HYDRO LED Grow Light
- PlatinumLED Grow Lights P450 LED Grow Light
Our Top Pick for the Best LED Grow Light
Our top pick for the best LED grow light is the ANKACE LED Grow Light. With its large coverage area and efficient use of electricity, the ANKACE LED Plant Light is cost-effective. It creates the ideal atmosphere for your plants to go through the plant cycle.
The ANKACE saves gardeners money by requiring fewer LED lights needed to cover an entire greenhouse. It also uses less electricity to keep electric bills low. ANKACE is the most affordable grow light for its resulting plant yield and gardeners will enjoy the easy setup and installation.
What to Look for in an LED Grow Light
LED fixtures with an adjustable output spectrum
Since LED lights come in a variety of colors, you need to be able to control the light output spectrum depending on what plants you are growing or what season you are creating.
You will be able to match the LED bulb colors to the flowering season you are working with or the season you want. When you vary the light output, you can follow the growing circle of the plant by stimulating seasonal light changes.
A high power cooling system for the LED fixture
It is necessary to cool high-powered LED fixtures just like computer CPU fans. The LED fixtures themselves do not radiate heat. So, they need a metal pad that gives the fixtures a way for the heat to be removed from the LED.
What you will need to look for is a fixture that is mounted on a metal core printed circuit board (or MCPCB). This is space-grade technology that operates at high temperatures.
A fixture that has a circuit board mounted to a large enough heat sink; it should also have several fins
The fins help the circuit board spread out the heat faster and having more than one fan will stop any failures that only having one fan may cause such as overheating and damaging the fixture.
LED fixtures that have a constant current driver circuit
The electronic current circuit converts AC power to the right voltage and level of current that the LED fixture can withstand. This allows the circuit drive to provide a constant supply of current and support the strength with corresponding temperature changes.
Benefits of Using ‘LED’ Grow Light
What are the benefits of LED lights in comparison to other types available? LED light benefits are best seen when compared to what other lamps produce.
These are a few of the benefits of using LED Grow Lights:
Design Efficiency
LED Grow Lights are well known for their space-saving designs. Other types of grow lights require a lot of space as well as additional equipment to work well. LED lights allow you to have better space utilization since they are small and do not require extra equipment to run.
They are also easier to move around and change their positions with some lights designed to link together so they don’t require extra cords.
Light Spectrum Optimization
With LED lights, you can fine-tune your light spectrum producing the best light for plants to grow through various stages of their cycle. You can even concentrate energy on specific frequency bands. So, you aren’t wasting energy on the light that is in an unusable area of the spectrum. LED lights provide the correct kind of light that plants need to thrive.
Other lights cannot fine-tune their spectrum so the light that they produce is all you get.
Energy Efficient
Another benefit of LED lights is that they are energy efficient. They save you lots of money on your electricity bills each month. They are very reliable and a great way to save energy.
Long-Term Use
They also have a long lifespan. Many of these LED lights will last between 50,000-100,000 hours before dying. Comparable lights will last only about 20,000 hours.
They also run at a low temperature so they do not heat the room too much risking changing the room temperature and possibly destroying your plant growth.
5 Best LED Grow Lights – Reviews
1. VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow Light
The VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow Light is a reasonably priced, durable, and efficient indoor light fixture. It’s a great light for those that grow a variety of different indoor flowers and plants. It helps plants at all the different stages of their life cycle and helps them grow properly.
The VIPARSPECTRA is created to make sure your plants give you the best yield possible. It’s even and the balanced light keeps your plants from getting sunburned.
In comparison to other products, the VIPARSPECTRA lights are approximately 70% cooler due to their heat sinks and fans.
They range in frequency from 50-60Hz, have an LED angle of 90°. They also have an AC100-240V input voltage, a 200-watt power draw, and last about 100,000 hours. A 450-watt reflector plus a hanging kit and a 6-feet power cord are also included with the light.
The VIPARSPECTRA Reflector Series V450 LED grow light is one of the better LED grow lights out there. Most reviewers have listed a positive experience and think it is a great value for the price.
Pros
- Durable design created with strong materials
- Cost-effective product compared to other models
- Produces a bright light with colors that include white, blue, and red light
- Easy to hang and well-balanced
- Easy to set up and use
- Quiet fans that keep the unit cool
Cons
- Some people find the light too narrow for covering the number of plants and flowers they are growing
- Light is sometimes hotter than you may expect, reducing plant moisture
2. ANKACE LED Grow Light
Designed to improve photosynthesis, the ANKACE LED Grow Light will help your plants to produce a better yield and flowering results. Making it a great light for indoor plant seedlings, a hydroponic greenhouse, or even for pot plants in your office.
This unique grow light has 84 long-lasting LED lights: 32 are red, 16 are blue and 36 are yellow, which provide the correct amount of light for indoor gardens. You can adjust the lighting to cater to the different stages of plant growth with the 3 lighting modes: red+blue+warm, red+blue, full-spectrum, and there are 5 dimmable levels.
The grow light has a 3, 6, and 12-hour timer on the controller. Once you set the timer, the grow light will come on automatically at the preset period.
Overall, the ANKACE light is an affordable and efficient LED grow light that will prevent expensive electric bills by consuming less electricity.
This grow light comes with a plug-in adapter and the strong 3-inches clip makes it very easy to install on a table or bench. It has four 360° adjustable goosenecks that allow you to rotate the lights to cover a large area or specific plants.
The ANKACE grow light is ideal for any indoor plant enthusiast. It has good reports on its performance from customers.
No matter what the season is outside, your plants will be able to enjoy the cozy warmth underneath this LED plant light.
Pros
- Designed to improve photosynthesis
- Efficient and energy-saving performance
- 84 long-lasting red, blue, and yellow LED lights provide the correct amount of light for indoor gardens
- 3-inches built-in strong clip and 360° adjustable gooseneck
Cons
- After a few days of regular use, the light has a tendency to get dim which drastically reduces its performance
3. G8LED 450-Watt LED Grow Light
The G8LED 450-Watt LED Grow Light is one of the Top 10 LED light fixtures on the market. This 8-color band light has increased LED density that optimizes the growth and photosynthetic phase of the plants and produces the highest yields. The G8LED has several features.
Intensity Ranges – The G8LED light is one of the only lights that have the capabilities to generate infrared and ultraviolet lights as well as white light intensities. The ability to produce the right light intensity at the right point in the plant’s growth boosts the effectiveness of the light, better vegetative growth, and robust flowering.
Unique heat up and cool down design –The light can generate enough heat for plant growth in a short amount of time. It also cools down and loses its heat quickly after being in use for 24 hours at a time. This reduces the risk of overheating and damaging the fixture.
Good coverage and energy efficiency – The G8LED Light can cover an area of up to 12-square-feet of your indoor garden and can penetrate up to 60-inches. It is very energy efficient and will reduce electrical consumption by 60% and save money on your electricity bill.
Installation is very easy as the light comes with a plug and hanging wires. G8LED offers a 2-year warranty on the grow light.
It is overall well received by thousands of happy customers. The G8LED 450-watt LED Grow Light is one of the best options available. This grow light is perfect for beginner indoor gardeners and small crops, but it may not suit professional growers, and it is a bit expensive.
Pros
- High-quality light utilizes the full-color spectrum to help grow healthy plants and produce the best yields
- Generates enough heat for plant growth in a short amount of time and has a unique heat up and cool down design
- Simple to install and energy-efficient
Cons
- Due to the cost, may not be considered of great value
4. MARS HYDRO LED Grow Light
Efficient and compact, the MARS HYDRO LED Grow Light is safe to use and ideal for indoor use or in a greenhouse. It is very cost-effective compared to other grow lights. It can be used to grow a variety of indoor flowers and hydroponic plants.
The sturdy light panel has a powerful white LED light bull that lasts from 50,000-100,000 hours. It provides sunlike natural light, which helps your plants to grow faster and produce a bountiful crop. Unlike other similar grow lights, the MARS HYDRO grow light has a fanless system so it is very quiet.
Its highly reflective lateral aluminum hood provides more light from the sides and the top which increases light intensity up to 20% and disperses the heat evenly around a grow tent or a room.
You can use this grow light in any area that measures 3 x 3-feet for vegetables and 2.25 x 2.25-feet for blooming flowers. The MarsHydro LED grow light comes with a steel hanging kit and a power cord.
The MARS HYDRO LED Grow Light is very popular with gardeners who especially appreciate this product’s affordable price, safety, and efficiency.
Who doesn’t love a cost-effective grow light that provides a high yield?
Pros
- Amazing light coverage with a very bright sunlike light
- Cost-effective
- Compact fixtures work well in small spaces
- Quiet fanless system
- Lateral aluminum hood increases light intensity and distribute heat evenly
- Grow lights do not get very hot
- Simple to install, set up, and use
Cons
- Small size contributes to small coverage areas
- Some people preferred T5 fluorescent fixtures
5. PlatinumLED Grow Lights P450 LED Grow Light
The PlatinumLED Grow Lights P450 LED Grow Light delivers maximum performance from seedling through to final flower and fruit harvest.
Featuring a superior 12-band full spectrum LED with the highest Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR), this grow light delivers the most powerful UV lighting available for your plants. The P450 has separate light spectrum switches for vegetables and flowers, a new upgraded aluminum design, and 2 high-speed whisper-quiet fans.
As this grow light has a coverage area of 4.5-feet x 4-feet and a height of 18-inches, it is perfect for compact applications.
The Advanced Platinum Series grow light comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
This light is one of the most energy-efficient LED bulbs on the market with a wide light spectrum which is ideal for maximum yield.
Pros
- Highest Photosynthetic Active Radiation
- Powerful light intensity LED light
- Energy efficient
- Delivers maximum performance from seedling through to final flower and fruit harvest
- Separate vegetable and flower light spectrum switches
- New updated aluminum design and 2 high-speed whisper-quiet cooling fans
Cons
- Pricey
- Light tends to become disturbing inside a grow tent
Our Top Pick for the Best LED Grow Light
Our top pick for the best LED grow light is the ANKACE LED Grow Light. With its large coverage area and efficient use of electricity, the ANKACE LED Plant Light is cost-effective. It creates the ideal atmosphere for your plants to go through the plant cycle.
The ANKACE saves gardeners money by requiring fewer LED lights needed to cover an entire greenhouse. It also uses less electricity to keep electric bills low. ANKACE is the most affordable grow light for its resulting plant yield and gardeners will enjoy the easy setup and installation.
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FAQs
What is the best LED grow light on a budget? ›
Best Budget Friendly: VIVOSUN VS1000 LED Grow Light
With a good build quality and a competitive price, this VIVOSUN VS1000 is a great budget-friendly option that will work well for just about any beginner looking to buy a new LED grow light.
White LED's use the least amount of power and last the longest, and grow plants just as well as every other kind of light available today.
What wattage is best for LED grow lights? ›As a rule of thumb, aim for 20 to 40 watts per square foot.
Can LED grow lights be too bright? ›It is true that your seedlings need bright light to grow healthy and strong—but, too bright a LED light could actually damage them if it's too close! Standard fluorescent lights or regular LED grow lights will likely be perfect for your seedlings.
How many lumens do I need for a grow light? ›For growing plants indoor, the optimal light is 7000 to 7500 lumens per square foot. However, for plants requiring only minimum lighting, roughly 2000 lumens per square foot should be fine.
Are cheap LED grow lights worth it? ›Cheap LED lights have flooded the market, and many home growers have purchased them hoping to take advantage of their efficiency. However, cheap led grow lights while appealing in price will typically lead to unappealing final yields, and maybe even higher electricity bills than you had hoped.
Who makes the most powerful LED grow light? ›The Photontek XT 1000W is one of the market's most powerful full-spectrum LED grow lights. It features a spider form factor that makes it lighter, despite the power it uses. This grow light comes with a photon efficacy of 2.7 umol/J while delivering a homogenous light spread across a 6 x 6 feet footprint.
What color LED grow light is best? ›What Color Light is Best for Plant Growth? Violet-blue light in the 400 – 520 nanometer range encourages chlorophyll absorption, photosynthesis, and growth.
What type of grow light is best? ›LED. LED or light emitting diode bulbs are the most effective at producing light and the most efficient to operate of all the home grow lights.
What type of grow light is most efficient? ›LED lights are one of the most popular, as well as the most efficient options. They also offer ideal light spectrum ranges.
What lights do professional growers use? ›
Lights are essential because they largely determine your plants' grow cycles, their photosynthesis and therefore their health and their buds. Lighting is the food of your marijuana plants. Today, the most widely used lights for professional use are HIDs and fluorescents.
How far should a 1000W LED grow light be from a plant? ›Lower wattage LEDs of around 200 watts should sit between 12-20 inches from the top of the plant. Higher wattage LEDs of 1000 watts and above should sit between 36-46 inches from the top of the plant.
How many plants can a 1000W LED light grow? ›Yield Lab 1000W HPS Cool Hood Reflector Grow Light Kit (Price: $229.95) — With a 1000w grow light, you'll get 130,000 lumens from an HPS bulb and 110,000 lumens from an MH bulb. That's sufficient to provide coverage for up to 6 plants.
How many plants can I grow with a 300W LED light? ›For example, one single 300W LED light fixture may be fine for one or maybe two plants, but it may not be enough to cover a bigger space with multiple plants. So make sure to reference any recommendations from the vendor and/or LED manufacturer on how much light you will need for your growing space.
How do you tell if grow lights are too strong? ›The most apparent sign is leaf burning. This typically causes the yellowing of leaves at the top of the plant but the veins stay green, and the leaves take on a yellow or brown, burnt look.
How far should my LED grow light be above my plants? ›During the flowering stage LED Grow lights should be located between 16-36 inches from the plant canopy. Moving the grow light closer will increase the light intensity which can maximize photosynthesis.
Can you overuse a grow light? ›While some plants need less darkness time than others, too much light will impede any growth schedule over time. Too much light can also refer to the intensity of the light. Intense, direct light is great for some plants, but it will damage (or even kill others).
How many plants can you grow with a 600 watt light? ›Each 600W grow light covers roughly a 1.2m x 1.2m area. That's enough space for 1 - 4 plants.
What is the best color temperature for grow lights? ›So, as a general rule of thumb, if you're looking to promote vegetative growth, pick lights ranging between 5,000 and 7,000 Kelvin. To promote fruiting and flowering, opt for lights in the 3,500 to 4,500 Kelvin range.
How bright should I have my grow light? ›The more lumens, the brighter and more powerful the light is. Vegetable seedlings and other “full sun” plants require about 2000 to 3000 lumens (at minimum) per square foot of growing space. So, if you're growing just a single standard tray of seedlings, using a grow light that emits 3000 lumens is sufficient.
What are the disadvantages of grow lights? ›
Some potential drawbacks of grow lights include:
Grow light requires more maintenance than traditional methods - you'll need to keep an eye on your plants and make sure they're getting enough light. They can be difficult to use effectively - it takes trial and error to find the perfect lighting setup for your plants.
Extensive setups or a more powerful led light will increase your daily expense because your electricity usage will go up. If your setup has a high power consumption, see if there are things you can do to reduce how much energy you're using.
What is the best LED manufacturer? ›- Philips Lighting/Signify. Philips Lighting, now known as Signify, is one of the most recognized brands when it comes to LED lighting. ...
- Osram Lighting. Osram is a German LED lighting company headquartered in Munich, Germany. ...
- LG Electronics. ...
- Nichia. ...
- Samsung. ...
- Panasonic. ...
- Acuity Brands. ...
- Eaton.
For a cultivation area or a grow tent of 80 x 80, you will need LED systems from 100W to 200W depending on the manufacturer. Any LED system between these watts will be enough to fully grow up to 4 plants.
What grow lights does NASA use? ›NASA's use of LED grow lights in the Vegetable Production System has shown that it is possible to grow food in space using artificial light. LED grow lights are highly energy-efficient, emit less heat than traditional grow lights, and provide the specific spectrum of light that plants need to grow.
Which is better Cree or COB LED? ›Cree LEDs produce a fair amount of heat for a single chip but can disperse that heat easily. COB LEDs produce a similar amount of heat but as a harder time dispersing that heat. That means Cree LEDs may have a longer lifespan than COB LEDs depending on how much use they get.
What color light do plants grow worst in? ›Green light is the least effective for plants because they are themselves green due to the pigment Chlorophyll. Different colored lights help plants achieve different goals. Blue light, for example, helps encourage vegetative leaf growth. Red light, when combined with blue, allows plants to flower.
What color is a full spectrum LED? ›Full spectrum lights are lights possessing a 6500K color temperature, a CRI of greater or equal to 95, and closely mimic natural daylight in terms of spectrum.
What is the best light for starting plants indoors? ›Sowing seeds indoors under fluorescent lights is the easiest way for the home gardener to control growing conditions and grow healthy transplants. Incandescent bulbs give off more heat and less light (mostly red) than fluorescent tubes and will not produce good transplants by themselves.
What is a good grow light for Marijuanas? ›High-Pressure Sodium bulbs, or HPS bulbs, contain sodium, xenon, and mercury. This results in a yellow or orange light, compared to the blue of metal halide bulbs. This light spectrum produced by HPS bulbs are considered best for the flowering phase of cannabis growth.
How many square feet does a 1000w LED grow light cover? ›
A 1000w HID grow light draws on 1000w's of power and gives you 6-8 sqft of coverage.
Can you run a grow light 24 7? ›A: In general, you should not leave grow lights on 24/7. Plants need a light-dark cycle to develop properly. It's believed that they truly do “rest” during periods of darkness, and probably use this time to move nutrients into their extremities while taking a break from growing.
How long should plants be under LED grow lights? ›To be effective, grow lights really need to be on for at least 8-10 hours a day. This can vary up to 16 hours, depending on the conditions. That's why LED grow lights are so popular – when they have to be left on all day, it's best to use an energy efficient type!
How many watts does it take to grow 4 plants? ›LEDs are very efficient, and thus can perform well at a lower wattage. Within the growing community, the upper limit of 1 gram/watt is typically used. This means that for every watt of light you give your plants, you can hope to get 1 gram of weed back. So the average yield per plant under a 600W light would be 600g.
How many LED grow lights can you have on one circuit? ›You can run six lights at 4.5 amps, 220 volts for a total of 27 amps, 220 volts or six lights at 9 amps 110 volts (three lights each side of the 220 volt circuit) for 27 amps at 110 volts and 27 amps on the other 110 volts.
Is a 300W LED enough for 2 plants? ›For example, one single 300W LED light fixture may be fine for one or maybe two plants, but it may not be enough to cover a bigger space with multiple plants. So make sure to reference any recommendations from the vendor and/or LED manufacturer on how much light you will need for your growing space.
How far should a 30W LED grow light be? ›For example, if you have a 30W globe with optics then you should try your grow light at 30 - 39".
How many LED grow lights for a 10x10 room? ›| Grow Room Size | Square Feet | Veg Wattage |
|---|---|---|
| 6' x 6' | 36 | 720 watts |
| 4' x 8' | 32 | 640 watts |
| 8' x 8' | 64 | 1,280 watts |
| 10' x 10' | 100 | 2,000 watts |
Blue light helps plants produce chlorophyll, the pigment they need to grow. It also helps encourage germination and root development in young plants and seedlings. Red light regulates plant growth and helps plants produce flowers and fruit. Green light helps maximize photosynthesis.
Do lumens matter for LED grow lights? ›
The more lumens, the brighter and more powerful the light is. Vegetable seedlings and other “full sun” plants require about 2000 to 3000 lumens (at minimum) per square foot of growing space. So, if you're growing just a single standard tray of seedlings, using a grow light that emits 3000 lumens is sufficient.
What light color should not be used to grow a plant? ›Green light is the least effective for plants because they are themselves green due to the pigment Chlorophyll. Different colored lights help plants achieve different goals. Blue light, for example, helps encourage vegetative leaf growth. Red light, when combined with blue, allows plants to flower.
What is the best light for growing indoors? ›When growing most houseplants, use light bulbs between 4000 and 6000 Kelvin, as the bulb's color temperature will borrow from a full spectrum of colors—cools and warms. With these lights, you can actually mimic the growth you would get in a greenhouse or outdoors.
What color LED light is best for indoor plants? ›We could say that the two most important light colors to place in an LED lamp are: red and blue. Red is the main component that plants need for photosynthesis and stem elongation inhibition. Additionally, it signals to the plants that there are no other plants above it and that it can thus have uninhibited development.
Is more watts better for grow lights? ›And using a high wattage LED gives you the ability to produce greater yields during the growing process. That's why it's important to choose a high wattage light. Another reason is that using high wattage lights brings more than just high yields, it provides an important environment for adding CO2.
What is the brightest LED grow light? ›The Photontek XT 1000W is one of the market's most powerful full-spectrum LED grow lights. It features a spider form factor that makes it lighter, despite the power it uses. This grow light comes with a photon efficacy of 2.7 umol/J while delivering a homogenous light spread across a 6 x 6 feet footprint.
How close should grow lights be to plants? ›In general, you'll want to hang your light no more than 12" away from your plants. - Remember: after 12" fluorescent lighting loses its power, so make sure you don't raise it any more than 12" above your canopy otherwise your plants aren't getting light energy.
Can plants get too much grow light? ›Plants cannot get too much light, but they can get too much of the heat energy that comes with the light. Photosynthesis and other plant growth processes will shut down when the environmental and tissue temperature gets high enough that all the water taken up by the plant is used to cool the plant tissue.
How far should a 1000w LED grow light be from a plant? ›Lower wattage LEDs of around 200 watts should sit between 12-20 inches from the top of the plant. Higher wattage LEDs of 1000 watts and above should sit between 36-46 inches from the top of the plant.
Can you have too much light in a grow room? ›Too much light can harm cannabis plants, and a thoughtful grower needs to be strategic about the placement and strength of light sources in a greenhouse environment.