Best LED Grow Lights for Cannabis in 2021
Growing cannabis is a delicate process; you need to have a dependable grow light that will not disappoint you at any stage of growth. We have consolidated a list of the five best LED grow lights coupled with advice on how to pick out the best LED grow lights for cannabis in 2021.
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For keen growers who are unable to harness the natural sunlight from outside, using a grow light can be the key to a successful harvest.
With cannabis being such a finicky plant to grow successfully, having the best grow lights working by your side is essential, but if you’re unsure where to start the search can be overwhelming.
All plants require some form of light to grow, and without it, they’ll either wither and die or perform poorly.
With a man-made light that lets you control exactly how much sustenance they get, when they get it, and a whole range of other settings available on the best indoor grow lights, you're guaranteed a perfect plant.
So, how do you find the best grow lights for marijuana?
When growing any kind of plant, you can’t just rely on a standard lightbulb overhead to do the trick, as it needs to be the right color spectrum, wattage, and yield, as well as be within your price range and made with enough quality to last. Depending on your plans and setup, this could look different to every weed grower, so there’s a lot to consider.
We’ve searched far and wide to come up with the top contenders that meet all of these requirements and those that suit a wider range of growers.
With our help, you’ll be able to find the best lights for growing plants so you can yield a successful cannabis harvest with minimal effort.
Best Overall
The Black Dog Phytomax is the best grow light for you if you have smaller cannabis plants. The Phytomax LED efficiently saves on space and energy without compromising on the quality and intensity of light.
Best Full Spectrum Light
The Spider Farmer grow light is a full spectrum light suitable for all growing cannabis stages
Best for Hydroponics
The Mars Hydro LED light is a high-efficiency white light making it one of the best grow lights. This specific Hydro TS 1000 will yield you 30% more cannabis than the older purple led lights.
Best for Indoor Plants
The Exlenvce grow light has a triple chip LED design with three 5-Watt chips in every LED; this makes it brighter, hence, more efficient than lights that use single or double chips.
Best 1000 Watt Light
This Giixer grow light is an upgrade from other traditional 1000 watt lamps making it one of the best grow lights. It features 10w double chip LED lights.
Most Efficient
Bestva has created the ultimate grow lamp with their 1000W LED light, available in 2000W and 3000W styles as well, offering full-spectrum light for your beloved plants.
Easiest to Setup
If you’re just getting started in the cannabis game, you’ll want to test the waters before you start growing, and the Juhefa LED Grow Lights are the way to go.
Best for Safety
This unique light doesn't rely on a reflector to get its power and promises a safer growing experience for those who are concerned about overheating.
Most Powerful
When you want the full spectrum growing experience without the hefty price tag and the best grow lights for seedlings, our favorite is the LED Grow Lamp from Relassy.
Most Budget-Friendly
If you like powerful things in small packages, you’ll love the full spectrum LED Grow Lamp from Vivosun.
Our Recommendations for the Best Grow Lights
For a long time, CFL lights were considered the be-all and end-all when it came to the best grow lights for cannabis, but with the improvement of LED lights and their fine-tuning, it now seems this style is best.
We've reviewed some of the best lights for indoor growing to show you what to look for, and what exactly makes them so powerful.
Black Dog Phytomax - 2
The PhytoMAX-2 1000 uses only the highest-quality, latest-technology, top-bin LEDs to deliver Black Dog LED's proprietary full-cycle Phyto-Genesis Spectrum.
The Black Dog Phytomax is the best grow light for you if you have smaller cannabis plants. The Phytomax LED efficiently saves on space and energy without compromising on the quality and intensity of light.
The PhytoMAX-2 delivers full-spectrum, 365-750nmm Ultraviolet (UV) to Infrared (IV).
The package comes with a free pair of grow light hangers and a 5-year warranty.
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Spider Farmer LED Grow Light
Spider Farmer is an Asia based LED grow light manufacturer currently offering four models of quantum board LED grow lights for use with indoor gardening.
The Spider Farmer grow light is a full spectrum light suitable for all growing cannabis stages. The light comes with a customized dimming design allowing you to adjust the intensity of light as you wish.
The supplier offers up to three years of local maintenance.
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Mars Hydro TS 1000W LED Grow Light
Quickly heat dispersing material aluminum reducing light lost to aisles and walls.
The Mars Hydro LED light is a high-efficiency white light making it one of the best grow lights. This specific Hydro TS 1000 will yield you 30% more cannabis than the older purple led lights.
The light only consumes 150W with the 342 LEDs. It has a sunlike spectrum, making it great for indoor farming of marijuana.
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Exlenvce 1500W 1200W LED Grow Light
The 1200W LED grow light offers the option to Daisy Chain multiple lights together in order to keep the grow space organized and avoid the need for excessive wiring.
The Exlenvce grow light has a triple chip LED design with three 5-Watt chips in every LED; this makes it brighter, hence, more efficient than lights that use single or double chips.
The coverage area is 4.9 4.9 feet, with a maximum of up to 5.9 5.9 feet if you wish to go as far.
Pros:
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Giixer 1000W LED Grow Light
Giixer 1000W LED Grow Light, 3x3ft Sunlike Full Spectrum led Plant Light Hydroponic Indoor-(Samsung 3030 LEDs).
This Giixer grow light is an upgrade from other traditional 1000 watt lamps making it one of the best grow lights. It features 10w double chip LED lights.
The lights are brighter, bigger, and more efficient with a consumption of just 100 watts. It's a full spectrum light with a 2-year quality guarantee and a 30-day refund window.
Pros:
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Bestva 1000W LED Grow Light
Bestva has created the ultimate grow lamp with their 1000W LED light, available in 2000W and 3000W styles as well, offering full-spectrum light for your beloved plants.
- Wattage: 1000W
- Type: LED
- Design: Hanging
Using dual-chip LEDs in its unique design, it works a lot more efficiently than standard 3W and 5W LEDs that other grow lights use and produces more lumens outputs per watt than the rest.
There are two options for light settings, bloom and veg, and you can switch between them to give your plant as much energy as they need during each stage.
If you’ve had other lights that seemed to struggle with even distribution, you'll love this lamp. It's been made with a 3mm thickness aluminum plate radiator which means it dissipates the heat better and spreads it evenly over the plants.
Customers have noticed huge improvements with how their crops grew without overheating and found that it used less energy to get the same amount of heat.
However, some users commented on a failure with the LEDs in this lamp, which could be a hindrance once you've gotten into a good groove with your plant growth.
After a few months of use, it seemed the faulty ones stopped working, but they were able to get them replaced by the manufacturer in a short amount of time.
Keep in mind this wasn’t the case with every purchase, but it’s something to be mindful of if you notice the lamp not doing as it should.
You’ll get the entire package with this light from Bestva, including the 1000W LED grow light, adjustable rope, hanging kit, 6ft power cord, grow room glasses, and user manual to guide you through the process.
Even amateurs growers will find it easy to set up and you can adjust it to suit with just about any type of grow room. The 1000W light suits a 5.1’ x 4.7’ growing area and works up to 24” height, with the option to upgrade to one of the larger wattages if you have more plants to grow.
Reasonably priced at around $110 for the 1000W design and with all the included extras, this is a bargain when you shop for the Bestva Grow Light Amazon.
You’ll also receive free shipping to your door and an impressive three-year warranty from Bestva, as well as their 90-day satisfaction guarantee, so you have nothing to lose when giving this customer favorite a go.
Juhefa LED Grow Light
If you’re just getting started in the cannabis game, you’ll want to test the waters before you start growing, and the Juhefa LED Grow Lights are the way to go.
- Wattage: 45W
- Type: LED
- Design: Hanging
With just 45W of power but a full spectrum of light on offer, it’s the best way to see what these LEDs are all about on a much smaller scale.
When you’re ready to upgrade, the Juhefa can be used on any indoor plants like micro-greens and succulents, so it won’t go to waste.
The best thing about the Juhefa LED Grow Lights is how easy it was to set up, and they've included everything you need to get started.
They've recently improved the included hanging kit so you can set it up anywhere you have space, even if you've never tried to grow a plant before.
Although small, you'll be surprised at how efficient the Juheefa Grow Lamp can be, especially in the initial stages when you’re trying to sprout a seedling.
This is a smaller design that’s suited to be the best lights for growing weed in closet or another small space, but some customers weren’t thrilled at just how small of a space it worked with.
If you plan on growing large quantities or have a larger grow room to use, there’s a good chance this won’t be sufficient.
The panel size measures 12.2 x 4.7 x 1.2 inches and it suits an area of 1.2 x 3 feet. Juhefa recommends a height of between eight and 30 inches for this light, which is ideal for cannabis, and you’ll be able to run it for 12 hours a day without a hitch.
Juhefa estimates that running their LED light will cost just $3 in electricity a month at this rate, so it’s a great way to save yourself money.
If you only have a small grow area to service, the Juhefa LED Grow Lamp is one of our favorite. This miniature plant light costs just over $20 when you shop on Amazon, and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee from the manufacturer.
If you’ve been waiting for a chance to dip your toes in the water with cannabis farming, the Juhefa Lamp is one of the best grow lights for cannabis on a smaller scale.
Phlizon Grow Lamp
For a grow lamp with a difference, the Phlizon LED Lamp is certainly a standout.
- Wattage: 600W
- Type: LED
- Design: Hanging
This unique light doesn't rely on a reflector to get its power and promises a safer growing experience for those who are concerned about overheating. If you’ve ever had problems with over-achieving lamps or crops being burned and wilted, this will definitely appeal to you.
The 600W grow lamp suits a 2 x 2 feet growing area and can be adjusted up to 24 inches height, depending on where your plants are up to, and they have other sizes for larger grow rooms as well.
The double switch option on this lamp is one of its best features, and it makes growing plants a whole lot easier, especially if you're a beginner. The veg button uses blue and white LED which is better for the early stages when the plant is still a seedling.
The bloom switch uses red and white LED so it's better left for the flowering stages. Having an easy setting to use for both means less second-guessing for you and far better growth.
Phlizon has designed this lamp to last longer than most thanks to a double cooling fan that extends its life, however it comes with a problem of its own.
This is one of the noisiest grow lights on the market, so if you're trying to be discreet about your crop, you'll probably be too afraid to turn it on, let alone leave it running for weeks at a time.
As a full-spectrum light, it utilizes all of the colors so get the most effective energy output as possible for your plants. The grow lamp from Phlizon measures 15.7 x 6.7 x 2.3 inches so you’ll be able to fit it in most small grow rooms or spaces.
The 600W version of this lamp creates the equivalent of 100 watts of power from an HPS/MH light, and it gives you far more coverage as well.
Phlizon has covered this grow lamp with two years warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can be sure of its quality.
Priced at around $80 for the 600W version, it's a little pricier than most but gives a professional lighting output that's worth the money. If you want the best lights for growing weed indoors but don't mind the noise, this is one of our favorite picks.
Vivosun LED Grow Lamp
If you like powerful things in small packages, you’ll love the full spectrum LED Grow Lamp from Vivosun.
- Wattage: 300W
- Type: LED
- Design: Daisy chain
This light comes in three sizes of 600W, 900W, and 1200W, and is one of the more expensive options on the market, but it’s all thanks to its efficiency.
As well as being potent in a compact package, these lights also come with a large 5" cooling fan that helps it run at the correct temperature without overheating your precious plants.
What customers loved most about the Vivosun LED Grow Lamp was its robust casing, made of a metal-composite material.
The special material means it dissipates heat more through the top and all four sides, and not only does it extend the light of the LED lights, but also makes for a more even distribution of light coverage on your plants. It’s warm to the touch but doesn’t overheat like other lamps, so there’s no need to be careful when you’re working around it.
According to customers, you should avoid using the tent that comes with the Vivosun LED Grow Lamp as it can do more harm than good and restrict the plant’s growth.
People found that they were able to get much higher growth without it, so factor in the cost of purchasing your own tent if you’re getting this kit, which makes it even more expensive than originally thought.
The Vivosun LED Grow Lamp enables you to target intense light at a 2 x 2 feet area when working with a height of 24 inches, otherwise, you'll get a 1.5 x 1.5 feet space for 18 inches of growth.
With the daisy chain style of lights, the lamp uses just 135 watts of power for the 300W it gives you, so if you’re worried about a more eco-friendly growing experience, the Vivosun can help you achieve it.
Vivosun’s LED Grow Lamp comes with an amazing three-year limited warranty, and they also offer a 90-day satisfaction guarantee for your peace of mind.
This grow lamp costs around $80 for the 600W and $130 for the 1200W when you shop on Amazon, so there’s something there for every budget and size.
If you want to utilize the power of a daisy chain lighting setup, the Vivosun LED Grow Lamp is one of the best.
Relassy LED Grow Lamp
When you want the full spectrum growing experience without the hefty price tag and the best grow lights for seedlings, our favorite is the LED Grow Lamp from Relassy.
- Wattage: 45W
- Type: LED
- Design: Gooseneck
This light offers a full spectrum of LED colors, with blue, red, and green lights each offering their purpose and it's priced well below other comparable lamps on the market.
With only 45W of light but a lot of power, it’s suited to those with smaller grow spaces and basic seedlings to start with.
The best thing about the Relassy LED Grow Lamp is how small and adjustable it is compared to other hanging lights, so you get a lot more flexibility in how you can use it.
It looks and operates just like a bedside lamp with and has an 18-inch gooseneck that can be changed into any shape and facing any angle you want.
On the downside though, you won't get a lot of cover from this light, which comes with the territory when you're shopping on a budget.
If your plants are kept in the closet or a small space like this, you probably won't have an issue, but otherwise, it'll be useless for a larger crop. With only 45W of light, it's better suited to the seedling stage as a larger plant that's blooming requires a lot more than this.
The Relassy light operates with a 120-degree beam angle that comes off the lamp and with the option to adjust it to wherever you want, you’ll get the ideal height for your plants you can achieve a full 360 degrees of light.
There are 88 high quality LED chips in the lamp, giving off around 45W of power, but operating with only 20W of energy, so it’s great for saving electricity as well.
If you’re shopping on a budget but still want one of the best LED grow lights for indoor plants of a smaller size, the Relassy is a great choice.
Priced at around $30 and with free postage to your door, it’s an absolute bargain for beginner growers or those with smaller plants, proving you don’t have to spend a fortune to get started.
Although Relassy doesn’t offer a warranty on this lamp, it’s worth taking a chance for the price, and your easy entry into the world of cannabis farming.
What To Look For When Buying A LED Grow Light
One of the most common questions we get from people that are new to growing marijuana is, “what should I look for to get the Best LED grow lights?”
To answer this question, we have compiled a list of the necessities to check for in a grow light if you intend to grow cannabis.
The Output
Always read the product description to check the total output. Always look for a light with at least 300W. The deal is, you do not ever get 100% power and the wattage claimed. Therefore, the higher the wattage, the more the compensation for the wattage is lost.
Spectrum
When growing Marijuana crops, the UV, IR, red, and blues also count. The photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) values are essential. Reach for light with blues ranging from 440-5470nm and reds ranging from 640 to 660nm.
LED Chip
Always start with the LED chip, it must be at least 3W; anything less will starve your cannabis off sufficient and consistent light coverage. Do not mistake this with three lights featuring 1W LEDs; no, all individual chips need to be 3W. This light is the best quality in blues, whites, and reds.
Cooling Aspects
Your lamps will remain on for most parts of the day, often around 15 hours. Therefore, you need to ensure that they have internal fans or cooling mechanisms to protect the lamps and marijuana. A quality lamp will feature a thick aluminum at the back exterior to force away heat from the chips.
Materials
LEDs, especially those on the expensive panels, should have a life span of approximately ten years. Naturally, these come with a five to 10-year warranty. Seek panels that are made of steel, aluminum, or any other material that does not break easily for the best grow light for your marijuana.
The Lens
The best LED grow lights should have an optical lens that magnifies the light and gives around 25% more nutrition penetration to the marijuana plants. An optical lens is often a feature of the most expensive lamps, but it is worth it.
The Guarantee
Look for lights that have a warranty of over a year. The best grow lights should live up to 10 years. Thus, a manufacturer that only offers a guarantee for one year is a major red flag. You can also look for manufacturers that provide warranties on parts.
Know Your Surface Area
If you intend to grow cannabis inside your home, you may not necessarily need many grow lights. However, if you are planning to grow on a large scale, you will need to look for grow lights that give maximum surface area. This way, you won’t have to buy too many.
Programmability
Look for programmable lights so that you can tune them to your needs. Search for ones that allow you to adjust the light intensity and spectrum. A light that allows you to schedule when it comes on and off saves you the hustle of doing it manually, especially if you are not always around.
Invest in Quality Grow Lights
To be as frank as we can with you, you cannot afford to be cheap with LED lights. Cheap is expensive. Cheap lamps will either break down pretty soon or, even worse, ruin the growth of your cannabis.
So, prepare budget-wise if you want to get the best LED grow lights.
Faq
In the initial stages of setting up your cannabis crop when you’re beginning with just a few seedlings, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the information out there.
Knowing which lights to choose is one of the most important decisions to make and one that will impact the success of your harvest, so we’ve answered some questions about what to look for that will point you in the right direction.
There are a few types of lights that work best for growing plants indoors, but to be successful, they should feature full-spectrum bulbs.
This means they're able to produce both warm and cool light, which is intended to replicate the natural solar spectrum, and this type of light is ideal from the seedling stage until they're ready to harvest.
A full spectrum light works with red, blue, green, and white lights, as well as UV and IR.
The light positioned over your plants from a grow lamp should be replicating the natural patterns of the sun, so it’s not recommended to leave them on the whole day.
As a rough guide, seedlings need around 14 to 16 hours of sunlight a day, so you can turn them off overnight. This gives them time to rest and ensures they’ll soak up more light the following day.
If you have an LED grow light positioned on your plants in a space of one square foot, you’ll need them to have at least 32 watts of power for it to work successfully.
The best results can be achieved at more than 50 watts, but no more than 80, otherwise it’ll be too powerful for the plants and can overwhelm them leading to wilting and burning.
The Right Light for a Successful Crop
The market for grow lights is evolving and with advancements in technology and new findings of how these plants react to light, there's so much out there to help you have a successful crop.
With the lights taken care of and an understanding of how to use them for the best results, there's little else you need to do when growing your own cannabis plants.
There's nothing more daunting than setting up for your first grow, but knowing that you've got a light that's been loved by thousands before you can certainly take some stress out of it.
Rather than searching blindly in the dark for yourself, you can feel confident that the grow lights we’ve reviewed have been tried and tested by many others with great results, and get started with this fascinating hobby.
Buying The Best LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights are a revolutionary solution to the growing of cannabis. Relying purely on sunlight to grow cannabis, especially in places that usually experience sunless winters, is often not enough, or even manageable.
Picking out the best LED grow lights is the most critical stage of the growing season; your LED light will determine whether you will even have a final product at the end.
Give the purchase procedure a lot of time and consideration and only get the best recommended LED lights.
Create a budget, decide on the amount of cannabis you want to grow, and start there. List down what you will require from your LED grow lights as advised on the ‘what to look for’ section.
Finally, look at our top-recommended LED grow lights and pick whichever one of them that perfectly suits your needs.
Recommended Grow Light: Black Dog Phytomax
Recommended
Black Dog Phytomax - 2
The PhytoMAX-2 1000 uses only the highest-quality, latest-technology, top-bin LEDs to deliver Black Dog LED's proprietary full-cycle Phyto-Genesis Spectrum.