Best LED Grow Lights Reviews

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Growing indoors requires the equipment necessary for the proper upbringing of the plants. This is to ensure a good harvest and a productive planting. In growing indoors, there are a lot of things to consider.

One of the most important is the proper lighting system. You want to ensure that all your plants receive the appropriate amount and type of light that will make photosynthesis possible at the correct rate.

Remember, if the plants are not happy they cannot walk away in search of a healthy environment.

LED Grow Lights – What to Look for

In choosing grow lighting, the new LED lighting systems must be given a close look. We have done our best to make this article a useful resource in choosing one. Top quality lighting is a large part of your start-up investment so value is an extremely important consideration.

Choosing a lighting system for growing indoors depends on many factors. You want to make sure to choose a light powerful enough to cover the area for planting. This depends if you only dedicate the space for seeding and cloning purposes or for growing until maturity as well. Another consideration is choosing an all-purpose light or a supplemental light for vegetation and flowering.

With LED lights, you don’t have to worry about replacing the bulbs, changing the ballast, adjusting the heat of the light, and the like. In LEDs, those are not issues unless you choose HID and HIP lights. Now, let us consider the best LED grow lights sorted by the area they cover. It will surely help you in matching a lighting system and the space intended for growing.

Choosing the Best Grow Lights

Below are some of the most important aspects you need to consider in choosing an LED grow light and ensure proper lighting for your plants.

The Area Coverage

First things first – in choosing a lighting system, you must make sure that the area and the light you choose will match to make sure of proper coverage for your plants. Decide on the area first and then decide on what type of LED light you need to have proper coverage for the best yield and quality. More space to be covered means more light is needed to supply the light crucial for the proper growth of the plants.

The Phase of the Growth

If you intend to have a lighting system that will be used for the full growth cycle, then you should choose the full-spectrum LED grow light to make sure the plant will receive sufficient amounts of proper light until maturity.

The Angle of LED Lens

Another thing to consider is the angle of the dispersion of the LED bulbs. The greater the angle means the greater the coverage while the lesser the angle means more direct light and lesser dispersion.

Why Choose a Full-Spectrum LED Grow Light?

If you intend to choose a lighting system that will be used until the maturity of the plants, then choosing a full-spectrum light is the practical way to proceed. Full-spectrum LED grow lights are innovative products in the market. Many growers are not so familiar with this lighting system and they believe that big fluorescent lights are the best way to supply light in growing indoors, especially growing Marijuana for food production and/ or medical purposes. They have not yet learned that the new, state-of-the-art, full-spectrum lights are capable of mimicking the variations of natural sunlight thereby supplying ideal lighting for the best plant growth.

Full-spectrum LED grow lights encourage high yields. As an LED, they consume less electricity compared to fluorescent lights. Also, they run cool, and needing extra fans is not necessary. They don’t flicker and the use of ballast is not needed. Finally, LED lamps don’t need to be replaced for approximately 50,000 hours or more enabling the user to have years of trouble–free service.

For those who still use fluorescent for their lighting system in growing indoors, this is the time to seriously consider updating your system to a full-spectrum LED panel today.

Gadgets Crucial for your Grow Room

In growing indoors, the lighting system is not the only thing you need to consider. There is a lot of equipment needed for the good upbringing of your plants.

Grow Room Sunglasses

Yes absolutely. You wear sunglasses out in the sun, right? Remember the full spectrum LED lights faithfully reproduce the various wavelengths emitted by the sun. This includes potentially harmful UV rays; you need to protect your eyes from full-spectrum lighting to avoid damaging them.

Nutrients and Fertilizers

We all know that plants also need proper nutrients; they don’t only affect the yield but also to a certain extent the flavor. Do not use poop-flavored fertilizers because you know that your plants are for consumption. Be sure to choose the plant nutrients wisely.

Grow Tent

Having a grow tent is a good idea when growing indoors. This makes it much easier to control the climate inside the grow tent rather than your entire room. Plants can protected from light sources not needed for their growth. Inside a grow tent, the humidity and temperature are easier to regulate.

Light Meter

You may think that only advanced growers use them but it is also important to have this device to monitor the light and ensure your plants are getting a sufficient amount of the correct light.

Thermometer and Hygrometer

Measuring the temperature and humidity inside the tent won’t be possible without these gadgets. You must ensure that your plants will be well taken care of so having proper meters will be a huge help in ensuring success.

Having proper equipment, growing indoors will be much less susceptible to surprises. It will now be possible to ensure that planting will not be a failure and good yield can be expected. You can enjoy the harvest even better using this equipment and planting indoors will become your passion.

Best LED Grow Lights for the Money – Our Top 10 Reviews

The Advanced Platinum Series LED grow light is one of the best for indoor plant production. It makes use of full-spectrum technology that keeps the plants and grow room cool while delivering the required light. Below are some of the products under the Platinum series.

Advanced Platinum Series P900 Quick Review

This light has twelve bands of visible light wavelengths combined with ultraviolet and infrared that are not seen by the naked eye. This light panel alongside others within the Advanced Platinum brands offers excellent light for indoor plants and is perfect for use in every stage of growing cannabis.

It has a Veg switch that provides the smaller amount of light required for the sprouting of the plant. The bloom switch is used to increase light intensity. LED focusing lenses are placed at a 90-degree angle to send light into the canopies of your plants which encourages great growth.

The P900 can be used as a replacement for a 1000-watt HPS light since it uses only 515 watts of power. Considering the price of electricity these days, running the P900 will save you money by providing better light intensity and quality at almost half the price.

When suspended 18 inches above plants, the P900 covers an area up to 3 by 5 feet. It thoroughly covers an area of 4 by 6 feet.

These dimensions may seem confusing, but they matter during the different stages of growth of plants. Various stages of plant growth require the lowering and raising of the light to meet the needs of the crop. During sprouting the light should have a coverage of up to 4 by 6 feet. Other stages especially flowering require less coverage since the light needed is more intense. The P900 can flower between 12 to 24 plants at a go since an adult cannabis plant takes 1 square foot of space at the least.

Although not an inexpensive lighting system, it is preferred because its drivers work all around the world since the P900 accepts an input of 110 or 220 volts. Platinum LED comes with a better warranty than usually found in the market. It offers a 5-year full warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Advanced Platinum Series P900 Review

Advanced Platinum Series P600 Quick Review

The Platinum Series P600 is the most technologically advanced grow light in the series. Though it’s quite expensive, its results are worth the price tag. It is easy to set up and sure to prove very durable. If you are looking for the best investment in growing your crops, the P600 is the best light to buy. It covers two by 5 feet so that the Bloom switch can offer light for 5 to 10 plants.

The P600 combines powerful fans with its intense light so that the plants don’t overheat. The intensity of the light is quite strong it penetrates through the leaves of the plants. The purchase of these lights comes with excellent terms. You get a five-year warranty and exceptional customer service directly from the company. Considering its energy savings against an 800W HPS, the P600 light will pay for itself before the 5-year warranty runs out.

Advanced Platinum Series P300 Quick Review

This light is perfect for 3″ by 2″ tents for smaller-scale growing. It is best for those who have a lower budget or small growing tent. It is an affordable light panel compared to the others and offers the same benefits as the P600 at half the price.

It has a coverage of about 4.5 by 3.8 feet at a height of 18 inches. This makes it perfect for grow tents or in larger areas where they can be used in combination with additional lamps. This light replaces the 400W HPS light while using a power of 180 watts hence it is very energy efficient and an excellent alternative to traditional bulbs. This panel is the perfect light for small-scale home growers. Compared to the P600, it offers outstanding results and coverage.

The P300 has a high PAR per Lumen output compared to other LED grow lights. This means that it gives off two or three times the light intensity of other lights. It also has an 11-band light spectrum required by marijuana plants for the best nutritional value including those for infrared and ultraviolet. P300 light chips are 3W LEDs with an additional lens to enhance the focusing of light. This light panel comes with a primary lens placed 60 degrees and a 90-degree secondary focusing lens that increases light intensity for plant growth.

Chips found in this lamp are replaceable hence the reason for a slightly high price tag. Even if one chip blows, the other can keep the 400-watt output. One chip can be ordered and then easily replaced after arrival from the manufacturer. To offer customers security, Platinum LED sells the P300 with a 5-year guarantee.

California Lightworks 440W LED Grow Light Quick Review

This light panel is ideal for a 3″ by 3″ grow tent. California Lightworks 440W LED Grow Light falls into the category of the more expensive light panels on our list, but you are guaranteed results that make the price worth it. Its bright red color is the feature that makes it stand out from light panels made by other manufacturers.

The light uses 5W LEDs unlike those that use 3W chips. Its optics use jewel-quality focused glass that is placed at 90 degrees. To enhance growth during the flowering stages, there are two 15W Ultraviolet-B tubes. It has built-in fans that make it run quiet and cool. This light panel is sold with a 3-year warranty.

G8LED 600 Watt MEGA LED Grow Light Quick Review

High Times magazine named G8LED MEGA LED light the Best LED Grow Light of 2016. The G8LED Grow Light is worth the price since it gives proven quality results. It has an eight-band wavelength combined with Ultraviolet which ensures it covers the plant’s entire growth cycle. These light panels are always cool even if they run for 24 hours. Platinum LED backs it up with a 2-year warranty in which they provide repair services themselves. During this two-year warranty, they also reach out to the customers to make sure everything is running smoothly.

G8LED 450 Watt LED Grow Light Quick Review

This light is best for small and medium-sized growers. It is best for these growers because it removes the need to spend money buying many single lights. Though slightly expensive, it is a great choice for an upgrade. It covers all eight bands of the spectrum combined with infrared which makes it useful for all your needs.

Mars Hydro Reflector 480 Watt LED Grow Light Quick Review

It is best suited for a 4″ by 4″ grow tent. When set in the flower setting it produces some singing, but this can be avoided by using the veg setting. This is achieved due to the ability to adjust the spectrum. For those with bigger lights, it can serve as a backup light.

VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 300W Quick Review

The VIPARSPECTRA 300 W impresses many customers because it guarantees them the right features and results for their money. This light is chosen as a top choice in the category of growing light fixtures. It is ideal for small-scale growers with 3″ by 3″ or 2″ by 2″ grow tents.

Apollo Horticulture GL45LED 135W Quick Review

Apollo is listed as one of the better manufacturers of LED grow lights. This small Horticulture LED grow light panel is an ideal option for small-scale plant growers. This light can fit in a 2 by 2-foot area that covers up to three plants, and it uses 90 watts of electricity. Since the LED light does not need a ballast it is lightweight and easy to hang. It can also be fastened closer to plants because of the cool operating temperature. This lamp is best for marijuana seedlings since it covers the four wavelengths of the light spectrum.

Though small, this lamp has a long life span of well over 50,000 hours and is offered with a 2-year warranty which is not usual for a light panel that is inexpensive. It works with all the phases of plant growth plus the flowering stage. A second lamp is required during the flowering stage.

Galaxy Hydro 300W Quick Review

The Galaxy Hydro 300-watt light is among the least expensive lights reviewed in this article. It has a 9-band light spectrum whose red-to-blue ratio is seven to one LEDs with Ultraviolet and Infrared. It is best for a 2″ by 3″ grow tent at most. It covers the sprouting phase only and is not employed during the flowering period, but it is built to be daisy-chained. You can purchase two or three lights for a price that’s the same as that of a larger light and join them together so that they cover a bigger space. GalaxyHydro sells this light with a 2-year warranty combined with a money-back guarantee of 30 days.

Apollo Horticulture 300W LED Grow Light Quick Review

Apollo Horticulture is a familiar brand to us, so it should come as no surprise that its 300W LED Grow Light is also reviewed and featured on our master list. The 300W is smaller than most other lights but it gives off light that is quite substantial for its size. This light panel radiates a broad range of wavelengths which guarantees every phase of the plant’s life is fully covered with light. This is not your inexpensive light for beginners, but its price tag is well below that of an average system for commercial purposes. The Apollo Horticulture 300W is the best choice for those who need a device that performs highly on a small budget.

Global Star G02 300W Quick Review

Although this full-spectrum light is relatively inexpensive, it gives great value for money. It has huge LEDs which are 6 watts each, and they are 50 in number. This means it gives intense light which is suitable for dense plants. This light panel covers a space of 2 by 1.5 feet during the flowering phase of the crops.

Customization choices are the same as those of more expensive light panels. It has two switches; one is for flowering plants and the other for veg. The spectrum covers 11 bands plus UV, IR, and white light. The G02 300W also features two built-in fans with a backup system that keeps them running even if their chips fail. It is offered with a 1-year warranty that includes servicing and parts.

TaoTronics Hydroponic LED Light Quick Review

This unit is tailored for beginners in growing who are in need of light that works best for a small-scale operation. For those with one plant, there is no reason to spend a lot of money on other lights. This light is perfect for those who have a passion for the craft of growing but don’t have the initial investment. A great introduction to growing that will need to be upgraded when more production is wanted.

ABI 12W PAR38 Flowering Lamp Quick Review

This lamp is added to the grow room tent to encourage blooming. Their relatively long lifespan makes them a good cheap investment. It is a 12-watt red light bulb manufactured by ABI offering an inexpensive way of getting more flowers and buds on your weed. It can fit in standard household sockets for lamps and can also be plugged into extension cords for light bulbs. Unlike incandescent red bulbs, it is very cool when running.

Spider Farmer Reflector 450W Grow Light Quick Review

Manufactured by MEIZHI, this light is both dimmable and full spectrum. Its PAR ratings are 540 umols at 18 inches of height and covers an area of 3.5 by 2 feet. It also features dual dimmer switches. You can select the light intensity for each stage of the plant’s growth. Veg is chosen for the sprouting of seedlings and Bloom for flowering and bud growth. You can replace any MH or 450W HID HPS light bulb with the Reflector 450W light since it consumes only 210 watts of electricity.

Reflector Series R450W Grow Light Quick Review

This brand by Meizhi goes head-to-head with Mars Hydro and VIPASPECTRA. It has an incredible PAR rating of 779 umol. It has 90 5W LEDs that cover full spectrum required to get healthier and bigger buds during harvest. Replacing it with a 450W HID light will save lots of money since it consumes electricity up to 195W. It has a Bloom switch for flowering and Grow switch for vegetating. The light panel covers an area of 3.5 feet by 2 feet, or it can be daisy-chained for large grow tents.

 FAQs about LED Grow Lights

Here are our FAQs section about LEDs. We hope you find answers to your queries.

What is an LED?

LED is the acronym for Light Emitting Diode, a recent innovation that saves energy in lighting applications.

What are LED Grow Lights?

These are the LED lights designed to utilize the light spectrum useful for plant growth. They are mostly used for indoor gardening and control applications for growing plants.

How Do LED Grow Lights Work?

LED grow lights essentially mimic the sun by providing light to plants grown indoors. LED grow light is the latest technology in indoor horticulture, replacing fluorescent tubes, Metal Halides, and High-Pressure Sodium systems. The LEDs are designed to emit energy in the spectrum that is most absorbed by plants, concentrating on the deep red and deep blue parts. Full-spectrum LED lights are also available to assist the growth of plants in their different growth phases.

Do LED Grow Lights Enhance Plant Growth?

LED lights enhance plant growth in the vegetative as well as the flowering phases of growth. The key to succeeding in any stage is to provide the right spectrum band and light intensity for each phase. Different plants also require different levels of Photo-synthetically Active Radiation, a value often measured in micro-moles per square meter per second. Increasing the PAR above a certain value does not help as plants have a light saturation point beyond which the rest of the energy is reflected.

The second important aspect to consider for maximum flourish is to restrict the radiant temperatures within acceptable levels. Given their low-temperature output, LED growth lights are the best choices for vulnerable plants that would be destroyed by intense heat. Experiments show there is increased yield when one switches from conventional lighting systems to LEDs partly because of the cooler running temperature.

How Many Watts Do I Need?

A common mistake among growers is to use wattage to determine the usefulness of an LED or the coverage area per fixture. Instead, wattage should only be used as an approximate measure.

Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density is a more thorough measure determined by the number of photons within the visible light spectrum that reaches a given target area within a second.

Light fixtures with higher PPFD are good as this means your plants will be absorbing enough light for photosynthesis. Remember some lights may have high wattage but have low PPFD values due to high heights above the canopy, wide beam angles, or large distances between individual LEDs.

Back to the metal halide and HPS days, a typical fixture would draw 40 watts per square foot to sufficiently light a 25-square-foot coverage area. This would mean 62.5 watts per square foot if the coverage area is reduced to 16 square feet. On the other hand, an LED fixture draws only 32 watts to cover a square foot, meaning 38 percent of energy is saved. Total savings may even rise to 50 percent if you consider less ventilation is used.

Going by the wattage achieved on the field for flowering plants rather than the advertised values, 1 plant per square foot requires an LED fixture with 32 watts of output. Assuming 2 square feet per plant, you require a light with 64 watts, and 128 watts if you double the number of square feet and plants grown. If your plants are in the vegetative phase, consider reducing these values by half as plants in this phase draw approximately half of the light energy required for flowering.

How Far Should I Place My Light Above the Plant Canopy?

Recommended distances vary from one LED brand to the other, and also depend on plant type, beam angle, and coverage area. Consequently, it is crucial to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer and make minor adjustments if the results are not satisfactory. However, these distances range between 18 and 36 inches. A distance of 18 inches is typical for the flowering phase and 24 inches for the vegetative.

Why Should I Choose LED Grow Lights Over Other Types of Grow Lights?

LED innovation is the new revolution for indoor horticulture bringing with it advantages that were unrealistic in the past.

• LED grow lights are energy efficient, saving up to 50 percent of the energy used by conventional lighting systems
• Higher growth yield
• Lower heat loads mean reduced ventilation and air conditioning costs
• Low maintenance cost with no ballasts, reflectors, additional cooling equipment, or bulbs to replace
• It is possible to adjust the spectrum, dimming, and timing with some fixtures. This makes it easy to choose between vegetative and blooming phases
• Easy installation- most fixtures are plug-and-play as they come pre-assembled
• Long Bulb Life – LED lights have a lifespan of between 50,000 – 100,000 hours, meaning 5 to 8 years of continuous use without the need for replacement
• They are safe to use as they do not contain mercury

Conclusion

We hope you have found this buyer’s guide for the best LED Grow Light useful. Buy one today for a new experience in your indoor gardening. We appreciate your feedback; please express your thoughts in the comments area below.