How to Choose the Best Grow Lights

There are many situations where a plant may not have the best possible chance of growing to its full potential. This could be because you are in an area that does not have the correct type of sunlight for the plant, or that you have no sunlight available at all, such as an indoor growing room. Grow lights are designed to counter this problem, and the best grow lights in the industry can give results that are above and beyond those found even in nature. With a range of different options on the market, choosing one could be quite the task. Below is a look at some of the best grow lights in each of the three main categories to help you narrow it down.

Incandescent

Grow lights fitted with incandescent bulbs emit a red to yellow color and a very low color temperature overall. The general use of incandescent bulbs is to highlight specific pant groupings rather than actually grow them, even though many are labeled as actual grow lights. With a seemingly short lifespan of around 750 hours and low energy efficiency, as most of the power is used in heat rather than light, these lights are not really some of the best grow lights on the market, but if fitted correctly they can have their uses.

Fluorescent

Fluorescent grow lights are now available in a range of color spectrums to suit a whole host of growing situations. They are most commonly used for growing indoor herbs or vegetables, but can also be applied to jump starting the growth of saplings ahead of the spring planting season. The life span of these bulbs is around 20,000 hours, making them a far better contender for the best grow lights crown when compared to incandescent lights. There are some disadvantages though, as replacement costs can be high, and restrictive light spectrums mean several bulbs may have to be bought.

LED

LED grow lights have many advantages over other types of grow light setups such as reasonably low costs, huge gains in potential wattage output, and an easily modified array of lights to suit almost any growing situation. Judging by sales figures alone, the best grow lights are LED setups, and several companies now specialize in these products alone. Some of the top manufacturers of LED grow lights include Hydro Grow LED and Illuminator, who both hold a wide range of reliable and price conscious products.