If you’re an outdoor grower, you have plenty of sun to meet this need. Indoors, however, you need to provide your plants with plenty of light to promote strong growth and a good harvest. But how do you pick the best LED grow lights, and what do you need to know to find them? This blog sheds light on these key questions, so read on and be inspired.

Advantages of LED Grow Lights

1. Driving crops to their full potential
LED grow lights can replicate natural solar energy to a great extent. This feature allows growers to use the same light source from germination to harvest. However, the biggest advantage is that LEDs can simultaneously produce wavelengths suitable for different parts of the plant. Purple light stimulates bud growth and photosynthesis in the canopy, while the bottom and middle leaves require yellow wavelengths. Growers using LEDs will benefit from a larger harvest per square foot than with alternatives such as fluorescent or HPS bulbs.

2. Compatible with smartphones
Recent innovations have resulted in LED grow lights that allow farmers to control light cycles and intensity remotely. After setting up the panels, growers download the app and connect to the LEDs via Wi-Fi. This is quite a lifesaver for growers who travel long distances and may forget to activate flowering or adjust light intensity. This same feature is essential for first-time growers who are still learning the ropes.

3. Compatible with compact spaces
LED grow lights are popular in compact grow kits, such as the 24 x 24 inch models, because crops can thrive without experiencing heat stress. This advantage makes LEDs a safe choice for novice growers eager to learn about indoor growing while nurturing a plant or two.

ECO Farm ECOZ 510W Samsung 301H Chips LED Grow Light With Separately UV+IR Control

Features:

The ECO Farm grow light is Built with the best parts, Top Bing Samsung LM301H & Osam Chip and brand driver for higher efficacy and longer lifespan; to ensure high-efficiency PPE 2.75umol/J, better heat dissipation, and long service life. Compared with old plant lights, the average PPFD is increased by 30%, and the yield and quality are increased by 50%. With 6 LED growth lights, each rod is covered with high-grade glue, waterproof, and easy to clean, not easy to be filled with dust. This plant growth light also uses a special dimmer, which can precisely adjust the brightness. 0–10 levels are optional. This means that you can see clear brightness levels and record while adjusting. No need to worry about differences. Full-Cycle Sunlike Spectrum, close to natural sunlight. The spectrum applies to the entire stage of indoor planting.

Mammoth Lighting Fold Series MF04S LED Grow Light

Features:

This Mammoth LED grow light draws 430 watts from the wall,achieving the high efficiency and higher average PPFD at 4'x4' flowering coverage,completely beat the 800w HPS/MH grow lamp. Simple structure,detachable driver,no fan,no noise. 4 aluminum light bars for better heat disappear and stay cool while enabling even light spread.Save you a lot at ventilation and exhaust. The most powerful daisy chain, controller available, especially beneficial for home,grow tent,grow room,greenhouse,garden,vertical Racks,hydroponic,soil growth. Proven high-yield full spectrum. Born for big buds,Rapid plant response from seed to flower,speeds up flowering time and boost yields.Easy dimming design meets needs of indoor plants at different stage of growth

What features to look for a LED grow light

On the verge of staying on top of the list of best manufacturers, most brands have started improving their products.

Also, competition is increasing massively, so brands are doing their best to attract lifetime customers. In this case, we consumers should always be looking for something different and something better to take advantage of. Below is a list of the features we should be looking for in an ideal LED grow light.

However, it’s still up to your own plants, not you. Plus, if you’re looking for something to make you feel comfortable while caring for your plants, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing LED grow lights.

So let’s explore these features that can help you determine the best option.

Space: Coverage
To determine light suitability, you must prepare the space that can be allocated to mature growing areas. Yes, if you plan to grow in a wide space, it would not be wise to use LEDs that meet small coverage requirements, and vice versa.

Coverage is the intended area that an LED grow light can illuminate with sufficient brightness. So make this feature your primary focus when looking for LED grow lights in the market.

Spectrum: Growth
Yes, different brands have different mechanisms when making their products. Also, every product from a different manufacturer will have a completely different LED location.

The better the spectrum that has a balanced red-blue ratio and includes infrared and ultraviolet rays, the better the growth. So, look for a full-spectrum LED grow light that has been proven to include all wavelengths in its efficacy. Yes, one of the best LED grow lights will have just about every band available in sunlight, and you should look forward to that too if you plan to grow bigger and healthier plants.

Build: Lifespan
Well, it doesn’t need to be stated that the quality of a product’s components is directly related to the useful life of any product. Therefore, the aim is a robust and durable product, with all components certified by the respective standards bodies. Better build, less maintenance cost.

Cooling: safe
Since the grow light will be functional for most of the day, it must dissipate heat in a timely and consistent manner. Always aim for LEDs with state of the art cooling mechanisms, for example the Viparspectra PAR range has a good logic behind putting the fan in the front and we think it is the safest LED from a factory safety point of view.

So yes, a cool, stable environment in your growing space means safer, happier plants for you.

Dimming: control capability
While it’s not mandatory, if the LEDs are dimmable, the control of providing the most suitable light for your plants is entirely in your hands. Plus, with the dimming feature, you can test or experiment with multiple settings and use them later based on the best-resulting parameters.

Daisy Chaining: Scale Freedom
Beginner indoor gardeners or planters should keep this feature in mind when making their decision. Yes, it’s good to have backup options when you take your growing passion to the next level. Well, this feature isn’t mandatory, but it’s great if you’re starting with a 2' X 2' or 3' X 3' planting space.

Price: Budget
Even if you’re on a low budget, don’t bring junk home. Yes, it will be more harmful than beneficial to your plants. There are many affordable LED grow lights on the market with a few working mechanisms available. If you are on a tight budget, we want you to check out this best cheap yet working led grow lights review.

Yes, you can get a quality product on a decent budget too, so don’t panic and do your research. Invest in a product that is worth the money.

Conclusion

These are some of the best grow lights you can get for indoor plants. Note that these lights do not guarantee miracle growth. You will have to monitor the plant for a while to see how the leaves (or the plant) react to the brightness of the light. Although LED lights do not emit heat, it is wise to monitor the temperature as overheating may damage the leaves.

Suffice it to say, if your houseplants need some light and you can’t keep them in the sun, these Grow LEDs are the perfect replacement.