Best LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights have always been a modern trend for most users because of their impressive results in enhancing the growth of plants. It has never been easier to make a wise decision on the best LED grow lights due to the wide variety of options available in the market. Although most manufacturers will provide excellent quality and value of their products, some of them will also come up with a replica of the original model. They are always striving to lure more customers because of their affordable prices but the quality of the products have been greatly minimized.
To assist you to find the best brands in the market, we carried out a thorough research on the best LED grow that are proven to work best for their intended purpose. All of them have warranties that will be useful if you experience technical problems within the specified period. There are a few factors you need to consider when choosing your grow light. These include wattage, coverage, full spectrum, lifespan and replaces. Replaces show the equivalent light wattage of a particular non-LED technology it will replace to help save energy. The average wattage consumed during use is measured by the actual power draw rather than the approximate power output. The power draw allows you to estimate the costs of your energy.
Lifespan is one of the factors that determine how long the LEDs should last and it is always measured in hours. If you have a greater coverage of the lights then it means you have a bigger size kit. The grow lights having a full spectrum will mimic the intensity and spectrum of the sun. You can always grow your plants at any stage of their life cycle. The power of your lights will also be determined by the amount of wattage emitted. It is important to understand the features that make up the best LED grow lights since it gives you an idea of what to expect when shopping around.
Best LED Grow Lights Reviews for 2018
| Picture | Item | Wattage | Coverage | Full Spectrum | Lifespan | Power Draw | Replaces | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Advanced Platinum Series P300 Editor’s Choice | 300 Watts | 4.5 x 3.8 feet | Yes | 100,000 hours | 185 Watts | 400 W HPS | |
 | Viparspectra Reflector | 600 Watts | 3x3 feet | Yes | 100,000 hours | 276 Watts | 600 Watt HPS/MH | |
 | HIGROW Optical lens | 1000 Watts | 4x3 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 400 Watts | 1000 Watt HPS/MH | |
 | Kind K3 LED Grow Light | 300 Watts | 3x3 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 220 Watts | 300 Watt HID | |
 | Roleadro Second Edition | 300 Watts | 3x3 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 124 Watts | 300 Watt HID | |
 | Apollo Horticulture | 400 Watts | 3x3 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 195 Watts | 400 W MH/HPS | |
 | CrxSunny COB Grow light | 1000 Watts | .5 x 2.5 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 226 Watts | 1000 W MH/HPS | |
 | Galaxyhydro LED Grow Light | 300 Watts | 2x2 feet | No | 50,000 hours | 135 Watts | 250/400 Watt HPS/MH | |
 | KINGBO reflector LED light | 45 Watts | 2x2 feet | Yes | 50,000 hours | 35 Watts | 100 W HPS/MH | |
 | Aceple MR16 Grow Light | 7 Watts | 1.5 x 1.5 feet | No | 25,000 hours | 7 Watts | N/A |
1. Advanced Platinum Series P300
The advanced platinum series P300 provides a 12 brand spectrum of both ultra violet and infrared light. Your plants will experience enhanced photosynthesis because of the availability of the wavelengths. Unlike other brands, P300 provides an excellent light coverage at a ceiling height of up to 18 feet. It comes with two reflective lenses' 60 degrees - primary and 90 degrees – secondary that aid in the coverage.
When combined, they provide an intense, focused light that is consistent in the area covered. You can easily switch the light spectrum from flowering to vegetative using the two switches. This provides your plants with the most appropriate type of lighting for all phases in their growth cycle. It has one of the best warranty with a 90-day money back guarantee.
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2. Viparspectra Reflector
The Viparspectra is one of the best-selling grows light having an average lifespan of 100,000 hours. It comes with cooling fans that help maintain the powerful LEDs cool. The aluminum heat sinks will prevent overheating the space where you want to grow. It was designed to hang at 24 inches above a 3 by 3-foot area. You can get started very easily since there is a hanging kit included as well.
The Viparspectra is an ideal growing light because it has veg/bloom switches that allow adjustment of the light spectrum produced by the LEDs. This optimizes the emitted light which stimulates plants to flower or fruit. Its 600-watt rating makes it a versatile choice and is suitable for smaller growing areas.
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3. HIGROW Optical Lens
If you are looking for something epic that will go achieve an extra mile, consider choosing the HIGROW LED growing lights. It provides 1000 watts and hangs 24 inches above your plants. It also has 200 5-watt LEDs that can easily cover a 4 by 3-foot area. To keep the system cool, it has three heat sinks and fans that are essential when managing a lot of LEDs having a high output.
It is capable of covering the 12-band full spectrum including the UV and Infrared lights from 380 to 760 nm. The UV lights facilitate the growth of plants and also allows for effective transplant to the outdoors. The HIGROW optical lens helps to angle the light to reach the bases and sides of your growing plants for a more efficient photosynthesis.
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4. Kind K3 LED Grow Light
The most popular alternative for indoor plant setups is the Kind K3 LED grow lights. They are suitable for medium to larger indoor gardens with their full LED spectrum. They produce a complete 12-band spectrum with the 90 3-watt LEDs that have been split into six groups. It also includes both the infrared and UV lights that encourage growth in the right amounts. If transplanting is your end goal, they can easily allow for plant transition. To maintain the cool temperatures, it is equipped with four fans and heat sinks.
The grow lights of the Kind K3 LED can be used for grow tents, hydroponic lighting, and other indoor applications. It is great for growing plants because of its larger coverage. The Secondary optical lens makes them more popular and allows lights to reach the base of the plants
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5. Roleadro Second Generation
This LED grow light is made up of sixty 5-watt LEDs that serve their intended purpose. It is one of the affordable options that offers a full spectrum lighting making it ideal if you are working on a fixed budget. We picked the lower end of the lifespan although it is rated as 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Either way, you won't feel disappointed by this grow light since it has much to offer.
It emits an overall number of 5000 lumens covering an area of 3.9 square meters (6,200 square inches). However, it is best suited for spaces that are closer to 3 by 3. Roleadro second generation comes with a stainless steel hanging kit as well as two fans that enhance the cooling process. There is also a daisy-chained model offered by the manufacturer with a 600 wattage.
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6. Apollo Horticulture GL80X5LED
The Apollo Horticulture comes with a simple design equipped with 400-watt full spectrum lighting. It has two fans that help to keep the area cool and eighty 5-watt LED chips that light up the surface of the board. Despite the fans, they may run on the hot side. With a few adjustments, Apollo Horticulture can provide impressive results to the growers.
It has an average lifespan of 50,000 hours with a hanging kit and can cover up to 4 by 4 feet. In the case of any technical issues, you will benefit from the warranty offered by the manufacturers. It is a good option for a simple setup that ranges from small to medium-sized plots. This LED Grow light has received good reviews over the past years because it offers great results.
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7. CrxSunny COB Grow Light
There are five integrated 200 watt LEDs incorporated in the CrxSunny COB Grow light. Unlike other brands, this one takes a different perspective because of the arrangement of the watt LEDs. The chip on board, abbreviated as COB refers to the setup of the LED lights in the device. Most people who have used it before found out that they simulate the full spectrum much better compared to other models.
Five LEDs is perfect if you have been searching for a LED grow light that has the fewest lights. There is no need to pull the plug to simulate nighttime since it comes with an on/off switch as well as a hanging kit. It is bound to produce some heat with 1000 watts LED grow light.
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8. Galaxyhydro LED Grow Light
If you are looking for something affordable yet worth your choice, you might consider having a look at the Galaxyhydro LED grow light. It has been a star among the hydroponics fans equipped with 300 watts LED grow light. It might not be a full spectrum setup as you would expect but lays emphasis on providing the spectrum areas that is needed by plants for growth. It provides both UV and infrared lights while covering up to 740 nm.
Growth is encouraged by these portions of the spectrum especially when you plan to transplant your plants in the outdoors. The hydro-lights also offer a two-year warranty that is useful if you experience any technical problems within the stated period. It can also be hooked up to a timer and your plants can have adequate time for resting between the growing periods.
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9. KINGBO Reflector LED Panel
It is one of the affordable options among the different brands of grow light kits. Your plants can handle outdoor transplants better since the UV lights encourage the plant growth. KINGBO reflector LED panel is ideal for young plant sprouts, seedlings, and small container gardens. It might not achieve the desired results if you use it on a larger setup.
It incorporates most of the features that are hard to find in the budget models. This includes the heat sinks as well as on/off switches. The amount of heat released by the 6-band spectrum of visible light is enough to stimulate plant growth. If you experience any technical problems within a year, you will be covered by a warranty offered by the manufacturer. If you are seeking to sprout plants before a spring plant, then it will be the right choice for you.
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10. Aceple MR16 Grow Light Bulb
The Aceple MR16 grow light bulb will help you forego the process of hanging up the kits. They can be installed in any E26 bulb socket and covers a 2 x 2-foot area. It is ideal for small setups and container gardens. There are four brands of light emitted by six LEDs. This includes 460nm, 610 nm, 630 nm and 660 nm.
During cloudy days, it can provide windowsill to plants or be used for a basic beginner system. Experts tend to prefer the full spectrum bulbs. You can easily incorporate the Aceple MR16 into your DIY LED grow light setup. For most setups, this makes it an easy add-on LED hydroponic light. A bulb is an affordable option if you find it too expensive to jump into the LED technology right away.
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Conclusion
Although it might be a little pricey, it is an ideal investment that will give you the best results. Other brands too had much to offer and Galaxyhydro LED Grow light was among the budget picks. Always be mindful of the factors we discussed earlier to determine the best grow light for your garden. It is possible to get a better deal without sacrificing on quality.