Using LED grow lights for indoor plants cultivation is a rather new progression in the industry. They have been around for only about a decade. Best LED Grow Lights use far less electricity, are durable, can keep your grow area temperate, and most importantly they can produce higher yields. You want to have a grow light that best mimics the intensity and spectrum of light from the sun.

What are LED Grow Lights?

LED stands for light-emitting diodes. These lighting systems emit low heat, are turn-key, and can produce high yields with extreme energy efficiency. Prices for LED grow lights have rapidly come down in the last few years, thus allowing home growers to switch towards them as their preferred lighting options.

When compared to HIDs, LED Lights don't require a reflector and ballast for operation and can last for decades. HID bulbs will often need to be replaced every couple of years and aren't able to produce spectrum as LED lights.

What makes the best LED grow lights in 2021?

The best LED grow lights have the following common features:

Uniform Spectrum

The major characteristics of a good LED grow light is that it has a uniform spectrum, so all the plants under the light receive the same intensity and allow you to grow from seed to harvest with the same light. The best spectrum consists of not just red and blue light, but also infrared (IR) and Ultraviolet (UV).

Power

Best yields for the plants come out from LED lights which have the capacity to give more light. Hence, the best LED grow lights need to be incredibly powerful.

Efficiency

Efficiency in LED grow lights is a must-have need. When operating at a high level and producing high power, maintaining a low cost to run is very important.

Sturdy

LED grow lights are a high-cost investment and thus need to last a long time to show a positive return on investment. This can only happen if the grow lights are sturdy and reliable. Therefore, the best LED grow lights need to be reliable and durable, lasting for a long time. All of the lights below listing are from the most reputable brands and include some sort of warranty. This will ensure your peace of mind, knowing that purchases are protected.

ECO Farm Z8–800 Samsung LM301B LED Grow Light With Separately UV+IR...

Features:
The ECO Farm LED grow light is equipped with a SAMSUNG LM301B chip to ensure high-efficiency PPE 2.7umol/J, better heat dissipation, and long service life. Compared with HID fuzzy LED lights; the maximum output of 2.0g per watt (Power consumption) to achieve maximum quality and quantity. Much better than traditional HPS. 0–10 levels are optional. This means that you can see clear brightness levels and record while adjusting. No need to worry about differences. At the same time, it also has an ideal full-spectrum and amazing heat dissipation: Excellent full spectrum mixing of white, blue, red, and ultraviolet, IR LED (3500K, 660nm and IR 760nm & 396nm UV), close to natural sunlight. The spectrum applies to the entire stage of indoor planting. This ECO Farm LED grow light has 3 channels control: adjustable knob, IR switch and UV switch, three-way light control mode, suitable for different growth periods. UV and IR can be controlled separately. In this case, if an experienced grower uses it at the beginning of flowering, IR will induce the plant to bloom and increase the number of flowers. Using it during the last two weeks of the flowering period, ultraviolet light will increase the THC content in the plant. Finally, it is a fanless and zero-noise design, which is very quiet. And the assembly and maintenance of the light bar is super simple

Model： Z8–800 PRO 
Spectrum: Samsung LM301b 3500k + 660nm Far Red + IR + UV
PPF(µmol/s): 2002.1 
Efficacy(µmol/J)： 2.7 
Flux (lm) ：127325 
Input Power ：800 
Input Voltage ：100–277V
Power Factor： ＞0.95
Dimming： 0–10V
Light Distribution： 120°
Working temperature： -20℃-55℃ 
Lifespan ：＞50000hrs 
Warranty ：3 Year

TopoGrow Professional 800W LED Grow Light

Features:
TopoGrow LED Grow Light uses durable IP65 waterproof aluminum material, Branded led chips, and drivers provided. high Efficiency is 2.6 umol/J, delivers a powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration to resulting maximum higher yields. PPF is 2080 umol/s, maximize yield with 50% higher Average PPFD, achieve 60% higher yield & quality compared with the traditional led lights. Consume power is 800W. The easy manual dimming could be adjusted range is 350W/500W/650W/800W/EXT, and the light could be daisy chain max up to 15 lights and could use master light to control. utilize the latest in high yielding LEDs technology today, max yield Spectrum with enhanced red 660nm led chips and warm 4000K led chips, it speeds up blooming & fruiting stages, perfect for Density Buds. Low energy consumption 800W LED growing light with 8 passive-cooled bars, makes the light create less heat when working.

Actual Power:800W
Numbers for light bars:8
Input Voltage: 100–277V Auto-sensing
Mounting Height:≥6"(15cm)
Lifetime: 50000hrs
Chip: Samsung LED LM283B+Chips.
Color rendering index:90ra
Power factor: >90%
Ambient temperature: -40–40℃
Manual Dim:350W/500W/650W/800W

What to look for when buying LED grow lights

Below we have rounded up what to look for when shopping for LED grow lights, followed by a list of the best LED grow lights available on the market today. 

The type of light you use has a monumental effect on your plants' growing efforts. Many factors go into what LED light to use for growing plants. We did the research for you and have rounded up the most important ones below.

Light spectrum

While plants can grow under most spectrums, to make the process efficient they need specific wavelengths throughout each growth stage. High-quality LED lights provide the full spectrum of light, allowing you to select the best one for each growing stage. Plants naturally react and grow based on the spectrum of light they get outdoors. They will grow as long as they receive blue and red lights, though most good LED lights offer the full spectrum. The spectrum you use in different stages will affect the plant's growing patterns.

Blue lights (400nm - 500nm): Blue lights are often used in the vegetative stage of growth. That's because this spectrum mimics the sunlight during summertime. Plants use this blue spectrum as a hint to spread their leaves in order to soak up as much sun as possible during the summer. It's recommended to use blue light during the plant's vegetative stage so it spreads and grows leafy. However, if you use blue light throughout growing you'll get plants with short stems but with large healthy leaves.

Red lights (660nm - 730nm): Red or yellow lights are often used in the flowering stage of growth. This spectrum mimics the sunlight during the fall. This is when plants grow tall to prepare for the upcoming winter. Taller plants are in a better position to bud and pollinate via winter winds. Using more red light stimulates your cannabis to grow taller and flower (promoting bud growth).

Since you're playing the role of the sun, you can choose the optimal spectrum of light for the strain of weed you're growing. Most LED grow lights come with customized spectrums of light that are optimized for speedy growth. Manufacturers often state the great PAR of their LED grow lights.
Photosynthetically active radiation, or PAR, is the wavelengths of light between 400nm and 700nm. These wavelengths are the best for photosynthesis.

Amount of light

The more light your plants receive, the better they grow. So, how do you find an LED grow light that emits the highest quantity of light? For one, LED lights are already designed to directly aim at the plant. Panels that are 3W per bulb produce the highest yield without burning the plant. More panels help spread light over more areas. It's recommended to use an LED grow light with over 2 panels if you plan on having a large growing space.

Wattage per square foot and coverage area

Your grow lights will be running for long hours, so you'll want to save electricity. You'll want to check the electrical output of your light, which should optimally stay over 300W. If the wattage is too high, you can run the risk of burning your plants. The recommended amount for growing cannabis is 50–60 watts per square foot. You will also want to know how much area your lights can cover. Most lights we recommended today have a coverage area of 3 ft x 3 ft at the vegetative stage.

Low heat emission

It's important to find an LED grow light with low heat emission. You don't want to run the risk of burning or discoloring your plants. You can put lights with low emission close to your plants, allowing them to receive more direct light. Controlling the temperature of your grow room is important for saving electricity and room temperatures contribute heavily to plant growth. If the air is humid, similar to the tropics, your plants grow optimally. Grow lights that emit too much heat turn the air dry, meaning your plants won't grow.

Quality of materials

LED lights can be an expensive investment and the quality of your light source highly affects the yield. You want an LED light that gives off 3W per bulb, meaning the semiconductor chip needs to be of high quality. You need to look for durability; very durable LED grow lights last for 50,000 hours plus. Look for manufacturers that state longer warranties (2 years plus). They are most likely using the highest quality materials. Most grow lights we suggested today come with a hanging hook and power cord.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading the whole Led product comparison. This is by no means a complete list. But we have done our best to hand-pick the best and proven LED grow lights for growing on the market. Whatever choices you make, we believe you'll enjoy large results with your indoor garden.

Happy growing!