Indoor and tent growers who are serious about maximizing bud quality and yield tend to choose LED grow lights over high-intensity discharge (HID) and fluorescent lights. That is, of course, if their budgets allow them to spring for the initial investment.
Our experts at Grow Supply Shop have tested a lot of different products. We only sell the products that pass our difficult tests. We also guarantee the lowest prices. The whole point of the company’s existence is to ensure high-quality grow operations at the lowest possible cost. Feel free to call or text us at 1 - (800) 587-6207 with your growing questions. You can also email us.
We’ll review some of the best LED grow lights setups here. First, we’ll make the case for the superiority of LED’s.
Why are LED Lights Better for Your Plants?
LED grow lights are better because they:
- Save you money by conserving energy
- Reduce environmental impact
- Radiate less heat so you can keep the plants closer without your plants getting fried
- Give you control over light frequencies & intensity during different growth stages
- Generate light straight from electricity without having to heat the lightbulbs
Reviews of the Best LED Grow Lights
K3 & K5 Series’ by Kind LED
This Santa Rosa-based company makes feature-rich lighting systems for the premium end of the market. Each one provides a 12-band spectrum of light.
Kind’s K5 light models let you adjust the intensities of different frequencies of light to give each plant exactly what it needs to thrive. They are made with 3W and 5W diodes. The K3 models have only 3W diodes. Both lines also provide ultraviolet and infrared diodes.
K5 features also include timers and remote controls. The customization allows you to give different settings to different groups of diodes.
Kind’s X-Series is a line of highly versatile bar lights.
Biggest advantages of Kind LED’s:
- Highly efficient
- UV diodes amplify quality & potency while boosting terpene & flavor profiles
- Customized lighting in the K5 models
- Timers & remote controls for the K5 models (control multiple lights simultaneously)
- Larger footprints & uniform lighting within those footprints
- Made with the highest safety standards & listed by Underwriters Laboratories
- Best canopy penetration in the market
- When you dim the lights, they decrease the power output, unlike many other LED systems
- No need for energy-hogging air conditioners, cooling fans, reflectors, expensive ballasts, or water chillers
SolarSystem® & SolarXtreme® by California LightWorks
The two most popular lines created by California LightWorks are designed with different types of growers in mind.
SolarXtreme is designed more for personal rather than large-scale commercial use. They launched the SolarSystem models for large growing facilities. This intent for each is evident in the price differences between them.
The SolarSystem Series’ most notable advantage is the digital spectrum control options capability. SolarXtreme comes with fixed full spectrum light that’s optimized for all growth stages, giving you less to think about.
If your grow is in a tent, a room, or a closet, these are the best uses for the SolarXtreme series. Their COB LED diodes emit light at a wider-than-normal angles so you can move them closer to the plants. LED’s may be known for low heat output, but you can still scorch your crop. SolarXtreme reduces the chances of doing that.
SolarSystem models feature high power Osram LED diodes with narrow angles. This allows you to fly them high over the canopy.
While SolarXtreme’s footprint ranges from three to five square feet (91 to 152 square centimeters), SolarSystem starts at five square feet. The model with the highest coverage is 8’ X 8’ (2.44m X 2.44m)
Like the Kind LED K4 Series, SolarSystem allows for a remote control. You need to buy it separately, though. It works for the 1100, 550, and 275 models.
Just one of those remotes lets you program all of your SolarSystem lights. You can even automate an entire growing cycle so there’s no need to fuss with your lights every day or week. Just set and forget!
Both models are user-friendly. You don’t have to know what all the SolarSystem features and settings do to get above-average quality and yield in your grow room. For small operations, the extra features are there for extra precision in case you care to use them.
All models from both lines are made in California.
Biggest advantages of the SolarSystem Series:
- Suitable for small grow rooms and large warehouse grows
- Flexible options for light spectrum & intensity
- Light is highly focused, even if mounted far above the plants
- You can program them for an entire day, growing phase, or season
- Beginners & advanced growers can use them
- Footprints are as large as 64 square feet (6 square meters)
Biggest advantages of the SolarXtreme Series:
- Easy to use
- Optimized red, blue & white light that works for all growth phases
- COB LED diodes emit wide-angle light, so they can be close to the plants
Browse SolarXtreme Grow Lights
Browse SolarSystem Grow Lights
Black Dog LED PhytoMax-2
Black Dog’s PhytoMax-2 models are known for truly full spectrum (UV to NIR) light that they deliver to your plants efficiently. Users report high bud yields, too.
These are designed to save small growers a lot of energy costs. For example, the 200W model can outperform a 400W HPS using half the electricity. The 400W PhytoMax can outperform a 600W HPS light.
The company holds a patent full cycle Phyto-Genesis Spectrum® technology, which raises the bar for PAR levels and canopy penetration. Their manufacturing process is a result of more than six years of research and real world tests.
Black Dog says these models use the most efficient light spectrum for plants, and user reviews back this up. The light intensity is also uniform over the entire footprint.
Another thing Black Dog is known for is third-party testing to ensure top quality products.
Certifications for all PhytoMax models include:
- FCC (Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering & Technology, USA)
- RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances, European Union, International)
- CE Marking (safety, health & environmental standard, European Union)
- ETL (Electrical Testing Labs, same safety standards as Underwriter Laboratories)
Biggest advantages of the PhytoMax Series:
- Excellent quality control
- High energy efficiency
- Users consistently report higher yields over other grow light systems
- Lots of original research & testing to ensure superior products
- Multiple safety certifications
- Lights & fans are built to last
Grow Supply Shop’s Lowest Price Guarantee
If you can find a link to any competitor’s product page with a lower price than we offer for the same product, we will not only match the price. We will BEAT the price.
This goes for LED grow lights or any other products we sell.
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