12 Best LED Grow Lights of 2023 – Buyer’s Guide

Are you looking to join in the cannabis community? After more than 80 years of outright prohibition on growing marihuaa, several US states have now legalised the regulation and growth of the plant.

This has led to a growing demand in the market for the best LED grow lights for growing weed. A grow light is your answer to creating artificial lights at home for the sake of kickstarting the process of photosynthesis (how plants make food!). As most parts of America experiences an unwavering amount of sunlight especially during the winters. Hence, it is best to grow them indoors where you can monitor them the best.

There are two main types of cannabis – that grown for fiber and other industrial purposes, commonly referred to as “hemp”, and that grown for drugs, commonly known as “marijuana”. There are different state policies for different regions besides the HID grow lights are suitable for growing different plants! You can grow your own fruits, vegetables, micro-plants for home decor, flowers for your lawn and even aqua-plants for your fish tank!

The Different Types of LED Grow Lights

Growing the hemp or cannabis anywhere using LED grow lights can be an interesting activity. Very few people actually know that these grow lights are available in a number of different types. However, a few of these varieties are very frequently used for growing these plants. Knowing these LED varieties is important and can help you make a better decision while investing in any set of grow lights.

Here are some of the most common types of best LED grow lights. We are not in the position to rank any of these varieties as the best or the worst type. The extent to which they can suit you is a relative idea and can be decided by what you expect your grow lights to do and how you use them.

So, let us jump right into the types of these LED Grow lights:

COB LED Style

COB stands for Chip on Board. Actually, these COB lights are like very big LED lamps with a lot of small bulbs inside each lamp. These smaller bulbs are further made up of many small LED chips. There is a small board inside the bulbs where all the chips are attached together. The intensity of numerous chips in such a limited space creates a very bright and intense lighting effect.

This high intensity of light in these COBs helps them throw more light on the under-growths. However, because they are intense, these lights need a lot of electrical energy and may increase the cost a lot.

Auto-COB LED Style

As their name suggests, these LEDs are also like the COB ones and have similar functionality. However, unlike the COB lights in which there are multiple bulbs per lamp, these lights have a single Bulb in each lamp. These LED grow lights are usually used where one needs to shed the similar level of light throughout the planted area.

However, you can also use these lights in different blub forms to make a customized spectrum of lights. This differing spectrum can help you focus different light intensity on different plants. This can turn their uneven growth to even in a manner that, after some time has passed, all the growths will have achieved similar length.

Spread Style LED Lights

These LED grow lights are unitary systems that spread out light on a large area using small LED bulbs. These spread lights are either available in the form of spider style LEDs or are like a single quantum board. These lights have low watt diodes that spread out light on a large area.

Why are LEDs a good choice to grow Marijuana and Cannabis?

Getting a plant to grow indoors is a full-time task. You are supposed to provide the best possible form of light with the highest possible intensity. LEDs, if compared to any other artificial light source, are the only form of light that one can rely on in terms of intensity.

Including all other benefits of LEDs, there are a variety of features these lights have that can make them the best choice for plant’s growth. No matter how much of these you use, the energy consumption of these lights will be far lower than any other source of light you will use to grow the plants. The plus point here is the average billing that comes without having you to compromise on the intensity of light at all.

LED lights usually last longer than any other light source and are usually priced reasonably. All of this combined with the fact that these LEDs can provide instant bright light to your plants makes them an event better plant growing source. Other features including the idea of these lights being environment friendly, incapable of producing harmful UVs, and their strong build are enough to regard these lights as the best choice to help your plants grow.

If you are a first-timer with LED grow lights, here is how your average grow light will work through the four stages of plantation:Taking a cue from the countrywide popular fad of growing marijuana, frits and flowers at home, we bring you a carefully compiled list of the 12 best LED grow lights review of 2019!

1. VIPARSPECTRA 900W LED Grow Light

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Looking for marijuana grow lights that can grow different indoor horticulture plants? Well, this full spectrum LED grow light is widely used for springing lettuce, organic herbs, orchid, strawberry, bloom and many other medicinal plants!

Imagine being able to grow your plants all year long, anytime during the night and even when it’s as cold as ice. With viparspectra, you can grow plants in a room, a tent or a greenhouse!

Viparspectra comes in different intensities. So, what is the difference between Viparspectra 600w and Viparspectra 300w?

The viparspectra 600w reviews suggest, that when compared to a digital ballast, its reflector designing can increase the PAR output by 50% while cutting your cost on your energy bill.

On the contrary, the viparspectra 300w reviews highlight its optimal full spectrum LED lights which provide properties of the natural sunlight to plants in all stages from veg to flower. This results in the growth of bigger buds and higher yields – and of course – all while saving your energy costs too!

In order to meet your cultivating and business objectives, Viparspectra 600w and 900w is designed in accordance with its three financial drivers, here’s the kicker:

1. It reduces operating cost per pound of the finished product.
2. It increases revenue per square foot.
3. It delivers consistent, high quality, year round production of crops.

2. King Plus 1000w LED Grow Light

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Out of the several LED lights we’ve reviewed, King Plus certainly hits a sweet spot in terms of the most bang out of your buck.

I know what you are thinking, can a 1000 watt LED grow light replace natural light? It absolutely can! For starters, it has a full spectrum design which produces 380 to 780 nm of visible light.

What does that mean? The full spectrum LED grow lights has an energy ranging from ultraviolet light rays to infrared, therefore, entailing the essential components of a natural day light. Isn’t that interesting?

Now let’s give it a closer look. King Plus (goes by the name of KingLED too) is made in China, but don’t let that fool you, they are very strong and can help the planting procedure from germination to fruition.

3. VIPARSPECTRA UL Certified Dimmable DS300 300W LED Grow Light

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For those who love Viparspectra 600w, but don’t quite have the budget for it or have a smaller grow tent, the VIPARSPECTRA 300W LED Grow Light is a great runner-up. Look at it this way, at half the price, it is more affordable, saves more energy and has the same features like the 900w / 600w LED grow light.

Besides that, the lights stay fairly cool and do not struggle with maintaining temperature even during the hot summers. This one is pretty lightweight and comes in a black plastic high quality shell. With a vegetative coverage of 2 x 2 feet, it is a smart economical buy that can replace a 250w hps/mh.
It has been constructed with fire-resistant iron housing making it sturdy and durable. The dimmable feature allows precise spectral control which is suitable for each growing phase. The daisy chain feature will assist you to connect multiple lights together with fewer outlets. This is akin to the best commercial LED grow lights.

LED Grow Light Distance from Plant

The best hps grow lights should at least be 24 inches over your plants. Likewise, there should be a certain distance between the traditional HID grow lights and the plants. With the recent developments, the LED grow lights panel can now replace the HID lights.

So, what is the LED grow light distance from the plant?

Well LED and fluorescent lights have a lower heat signature, because of that, they can be placed 6 to 12 inches above your plant. Viparspectra’s grow light comes with four adjustable hangers to maintain an appropriate distance for different kinds of plants.

4. Phlizon Newest 900W LED Plant Grow Light

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With some of the best lights for growing weed, this is a highly lauded grow light in the LED category. With a 2 x 2 feet of core coverage, it’s just perfect for small scale production at home.

This LED grow lights panel can effectively replace a 250 Watt HPS light while only using 176 watts of power – making it an energy efficient option to a traditional light.

More importantly, it has a full brand spectrum that gives your marijuana plants the most nutritional value including those needed from UV and IR. Its double switch can be used at the later stages of growth by using both veg and bloom, as I’ve explained before, it gives the plants ample light for maximum growth.

At Phlizon, the product quality is being maintained by their R&D department. To ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the spectrum, the LED grow lights tube has been experimentally tested by professional researchers to maintain its validity.

5. BESTVA 1000W LED Grow Light

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When you are looking for top quality, it is wise to opt for the top brands. With the confidence of 7 years of R&D and production experience, Bestva has been selling all over the world.

It acts as an indoor sun with full spectrum design producing 380 to 780 nm of visible light that can replace daylight. It is packed with a six feet power cord, hanging kits, an adjustable rope and your very own grow room glasses!

The  10W of double chips have both bridgelux and epileds LEDs that are brighter and more efficient than traditional 3W and 5W LEDs. This lamp has been scientifically engineered to keep the balance of the PAR & lumen output. Beyond that, it gives the best veg lights a run for their money beating it on a dollar per watt rate.

Advanced Thermal Management

The most efficient way to design a “zero-impact” thermal LED grow lights tube is by far using aluminium plate radiators. Bestva uses a 3 mm thickness of aluminium plates with holes to create a heat sink.

What is a heat sink? A heat sink made with aluminium is a passive heat exchanger that transfers the heat generated by the lights into the air for dissipating it away from the unit.

6. King Plus 3000W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum

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This 3000 W LED light is an extension of the 1000 W grow light. We are sure you are wondering: “How are they any different than a difference in power?” Well, with a dimension of 26 x 15 x 6 inches and a core coverage area of 7.8 x 8 ft, this full spectrum LED also covers a wider ground for extensive plantation.

The variation doesn’t stop here. The 1000 W LED can actually replace 600 W of HPS but the 3000 W LED – can replace 2000 W of HPS! Get this; with a steeper price, King Plus 3000 W also offers more value for money.

Besides the jump in light intensity, King Plus 3000 W caters to all four stages of plantation too. With a Veg / Bloom switch, it helps the seeds sprout into a plant, preparing it for the bloom stage.

Veg Switch

During the germination stage, the plant seedling growth requires blue and white LEDs (430-660nm) for 14 to 18 hours a day. Blue light (the best veg light) is essential for encouraging the development of strong roots. Stronger concentrations of blue light provided by King Plus will help the plant to sprout towards its growing stage.

Bloom Switch 

The full spectrum LED lights in King Plus will help the plant in its flowering and fruiting stage. It glows with red and white hues that regulate the growth of the plant in numerous ways. Certain specific red wavelengths increase the production of a hormone that inhibits the breakdown of chlorophyll.

All On 

During the stage of flowering and fruiting, plants need full spectrum LED lights to shoot up to an optimal degree. As KingLED has an all-on switch, we would suggest turning on both the veg and bloom switch to shine all three colors (red, blue and white). This will provide the plants with enough light to increase your yield twofold.

7. VIPARSPECTRA Dimmable PAR700 700W LED Grow Light

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This 700W LED grow light is one of the most popular variants from Viparspectra and for good reason. The Dimmable series from Viparspectra all come with full spectrum lighting and a full control over red, blue and white lights with three dimmers.

If you are looking for cheap LED grow lights, Viparspectra 700W is a highly efficient option when compared to a traditional 600W HPS. For the power it produces, it consumes a maximum of 325 watts only.

Like most Viparspectra’s range, this 700W LED is scientifically engineered, uses epiled or bridgelux LEDs and has aluminium sheets for cooling down the heat.

Wait! So, what is different about this unit.

This LED grow lights panel offers a quieter dissipation of heat with the heat sink measuring up to 0.8 inches of height. It uses a secondary optical lens which can increase the canopy penetration by 200% while alternately increasing the PAR output too.

8. MARS HYDRO TS 1000W Led Grow Light

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Looking for a LED lighting apparatus that provides the right value for your money? If yes, then we suggest you go for these cost-effective and powerful light sources with your eyes closed. These lights are a great help when it comes to covering considerable growth areas and also ensure a faster and healthier growth of the plants covered.

These MARS lights come in two variants. One Kit has it all, including the material and tools to hang these LEDs at the right spot whereas the cheaper variant of the kit comes with just the LEDs and hanging materials.

The LEDs shed an intense white light on the focused area through its new SMD LED technology that has a great LUMEN output rate. These lights promise to improve the plant’s yield and growth by 30% while consuming a very little of your energy.

These lights offer a full-spectrum that can be dimmed with high reflective capacity and noise free working. Moreover, the lights are water resistant with a daisy chain function that promotes more flowering.

The SMD LEDs used in this set makes it last 50% longer than your average LEDs and the adjustable wattage feature is sure to help you with the bill adjustments.

Overall, a perfect addition to the LED growth lights’ market, these budget friendly and efficient LED lights should be on your wishlist.

9. SUNRAISE Full Spectrum LED Grow Light 1000 Watt

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As it turns out, this LED grow light for indoor plants combines the optical lens technology to increase the loss of light by 30%. It is better than the reflector series, and can be controlled by a timer.

As if that’s not enough, it offers a higher PAR output than most brands. With Sunraise 1000 W, here’s the deal: It uses 15w triple chip LEDs which gives out 50% more LED than a grow light panel with a double chip.

How can we assure its promise on providing the brightest of all LEDs? Well, it has 96 pieces of LED in the lamp with each piece having a zener diode installed. The larger number of zener diodes increases its lifespan for a longer shine that doesn’t lose its intensity.

Powerful grow lights can place your growing space at a risk because of its high intensity and extra heat. Lucky for you, Sunraise comes with two cooling fans that drop the temperature without affecting your yield.

10. LED Grow Lights, Full Spectrum Panel Grow Lamp

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Most grow lights for weed come in a panel. A panel? Now there is a difference between HID full spectrum LED grow lights and a full spectrum LED grow light panel. The difference is minute but necessary to understand if you want to grow different kinds of plants under the same light.

A panel has an inbuilt customised setting of the IR/UV LED lights making it a suitable beginner choice as the tailored adjustments support the general growth of a plant. This stuff is very technical, so hear us out: Juhefa’s panel comes in 47 red, 19 blue, 3 white, 3 IR and 3 UV lights. It is important to note if any one of the light fuses as it could affect your plants.

Now some plants grow best under UV lights while others are happier with an increased frequency of IR lights. It is crucial to know what type of plants you are looking to seed. For risk aversions, if this is going to be your first experience with LED grow lights for indoor plants, then we would suggest growing only one type of plant initially.

The IR/UV lights on this panel are particularly dim as added brightness can actually do more harm than good. It’s recommended LED grow light distance from plant is 8 to 30 inches.

The main aim of Juhefa for building this panel was to sell it as a side panel to supplement the plants during the bloom. Fortunately, due to its customised mild brightness it went on to be a keeper for small plants.

It may not offer enough coverage but if your goal is to target micro-greens with this then this is one of the best hps grow lights. It roughly takes around $3 a month if you are running it for 12 hours a day.

11. Giixer 1000W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light

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If you are someone who likes to add a hint of color and glam in everything, then these lights are something you would love. The splash of colors with an amazing design is the first thing that everyone can easily notice about these Giixer 1000W LED lights.

Perfect for hydroponic indoor growths, these lights come with dual chips and dual switch features and have 1000W of power that is supplied through 100 distinct LEDs of 10W each. The dual chips make this LED set more intense in its power output and brighter.

Don’t let a low price get you doubting the quality of these strong lights at all. They are capable of helping your plants grow in the way similar, and sometimes even better, than that of any hi-end LED growth lights set.

The best part about these environment friendly and long lasting lights is their energy efficiency that ensures a lighter addition to your cost in electricity bills. There is a VEG button with blue and white LED to help young seeds sprout and grow. The Bloom switch, on the other hand, gives off Red and White light to help the plant flower and bloom. There are protective diodes added to the assembly too, so that the long lasting working is ensured even more.

Made to last long, these LED lights make sure that you don’t stay behind anymore when it comes to helping the indoor marijuana grow even if you are a little tight on budget.

12. VIPARSPECTRA Timer Control Series TC1350 1350W LED Grow Light

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VIPARSPECTRA’s 1350w grow light is the highest intensity of light that the company offers. It covers a 5 x 5 area for vegetation, but as growing flowers need more space, hence, it gives a 4 x 4 coverage for different flowers.

This variant has a timer control feature that lets you set the timings for the veg/bloom switch beforehand. This will help you to go out for days on your vacation while the timer takes care of your plants for you.

Instead of looking for the buttons near the panel, Viparspectra packs a remote along with this unit which lets you navigate freely. You can adjust the brightness in response to your plant’s growth rate.

What is a reflector design?

A reflector design uses scientific engineering to balance the PAR output with the coverage output. This helps the grow lights not focus on the parameters of the coverage region too. Grow lights without the reflector design tend to focus all light in the middle of the plants which can cause them to burn or wilt at times.

Editor’s Choice – Recommended Best LED Grow Lights

The grow lights for weed need specified light channels which I believe can be provided by a combination of zener diodes, lens and triple chips. Most of the LED grow lights for indoor plants use two-chip LED that takes around 6 to 10 watts, but this beauty – “SUNRAISE Full Spectrum LED Grow Light 1000 Watt” – on the other hand – uses triple chip LED that takes 15 watts to power up. It might pull on more power but it also has a zener diode installed in each bulb.

What is the benefit of having a zener diode in full spectrum LED grow lights? For commercial grow lights, a flicker of light or an undue load shedding can backfire on the growth of the plants. The zener diode on the other hand makes sure that the voltage is being stabilised and regulated. This helps in preventing problems when the load supply varies.

A 400 watt LED grow light might be easy on the pocket but it is also a cheap LED grow light for many reasons other than a clear difference in its energy power. Sunraise has introduced the lens technology in its recent variants which makes the zener diode feature look old!

The lens technology is a give away feature for commercial grow lights. It helps the light beams to focus on different angles which covers the plants not just from a right angle but crossway and sideways too! With this, you can also choose to focus the light into a narrower beam to the parts of the plant that needs more attention!

Best LED Grow Lights – Buyer’s Guide

If you have decided on your LED grow light, here are a few pointers that you should not miss before making the final purchase:

Spacing

This is a first step. Take out your measurement tape as it is better to know accurate measurements than to buy a grow light on an estimated guess. As each light has a specific coverage area it can offer, hence, you need to know what can you fit within the space you have at home. Knowing you space measurements will also help you out in knowing the feedback from reviewers who had the same growth space as you.

Brand / Price

This will be critical as the grow lights offering better quality will generate maximum benefits. If you’re a learner, you’ll probably want to get your feet wet with a low-priced solution. If you’re skilled, you will know that with LED grow lights – good quality means more price. Knowing the product brand and their reliability is equally important. A popular brand with raving reviews is almost always – a safe bet.

Spectrum

A full spectrum LED grow light will help your plants grow to their maximum nutritional value. Depending on the stage of growth, you will need a red and blue spectrum, as well as infrared and ultraviolet lights. To ensure maximum growth, it is important to have a powerful light with different wavelengths.

The industry’s full spectrum yields are slightly newer, but they are quick to take their place in a grower’s catalog. Full spectrum grow lights run cool and need no extra fans. They save on energy and cost less overtime. Most LED lights have a variety of colors emitted – including the best LED grow lights that have a full range of IV/UR rays.

Electrical Usage

As they use a lot of electricity, it is wise to get a grow light that cuts down on the electricity bills. An average LED grow light operates for around 10 to 12 hours a day. The higher light intensity you choose (1000w, 400w, 300w etc), the lesser electrical usage takes place in the most cost-effective ways.

Light Control

Depending on the stage, you’ll want to ensure that your plants receive the proper amount of lighting (down to the exact hour). It’s extremely important that light cycles are followed to a tee as it can severely alter the growth and potency of your plants.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Conclusion

It might be hard for you to understand the technicalities behind the LED grow lights at first – but once you are able to work through them it will be a charm to be able to grow your home-based produce! This product does take a little learning to do but it goes a long way in helping you get organic farm-fresh fruits and vegetables with the highest nutritional value possible.

Overall, LED is an effective lighting solution to replace the natural light. The more familiar you get with the technique – the better your indoor plants will look.