Best LED Grow Lights In The US 2023
Indoor growing has become a huge trend in 2023 - check out our selection of the best LED grow lights in the US and Canada.
Growing cannabis is becoming a more openly discussed topic in all types of circles as it becomes a reality in more and more places around the world. One of the most important factors in growing cannabis is the lighting - plants require tons of light to produce the best buds. LED lights are a fan-favorite among indoor growers, but what are the best LED grow lights you can get in the US and Canada?
Our selection was made based on several different factors. You’ll agree that the best LED grow lights for a beginner may not be as good for someone who’s been in the business for years.
Whether you’re a beginner grower doing research on his first set of grow lights, or a very experienced grower looking to maximize his yields - there’s something in this list for you.
Best LED Grow Lights
Let’s start our countdown with the best all-around LED lights - something that the whole growing community can agree on.
All these could take the title of the “Best LED grow light”, but which one comes out on top when we compare them? Let’s take a closer look!
Best all-around LED lights
In each of the following categories, we have selected a couple of the most competitive models out there in our opinion. In the best all-around LED category, we’ve chosen the SF 7000 and the Photontek X 600w PRO, as well as a couple more, such as Scynce LED Raging Kush 2, HLG Scorpion Diablo, and Iluminar ilogic8.
These models have the most well-rounded features and will definitely improve your grow, so you won’t be making a mistake by getting either one of them:
Best All-Around LED grow light:
- Photontek X 600w PRO
- Spider Farmer SF 7000
- Scynce LED Raging Kush 2
- HLG Scorpion Diablo
- Iluminar ilogic8
PhotonTek X600W PRO
Photontek X 600W PRO comes in as our best all-around LED light. However, the X 600W PRO isn’t to be written off just because of its price. It has a very good performance, and it consumes less power than the Spider Farmer SF 7000, which spends some 50W more.
The X 600W Pro is designed for both the vegetative and flowering phases, and this model also has the dimming option as well. Keep in mind that this model, along with most other PhotonTek models are quite sturdy and well built, so you won’t be regretting the extra money you’ll spend on it. You won’t have to deal with poor customer service, or any other issues which plague foreign companies and other less reputable brands.
Spider Farmer SF 7000
The Spider Farmer SF 7000 is one of the most popular LED grow lights, and with good reason. Many growers praise these lights for their wide spectrum, which you can see on the image below. The manufacturers achieve this by providing us with a healthy mix of warm white light, blue light, and some red light as well through it's 1716 LED pieces.
Aside from having a great light spectrum, the SF 7000 also offers several other helpful features such as the easily adjustable height, dimming lights, they have a layer of humidity-proof coating, and they operate at a lower heat than LED grow lights in this category.
If you don’t want to think twice about your lights performing well, check out this model as it truly might be the best all-around LED light out there. The SF 7000 is by far the most reputable model you can get for a reasonably low price.
Scynce LED Raging Kush 2
The Scynce LED Raging Kush 2 rapidly became one of the top acclaimed LED grow lights over the last years. And for good reasons. This fixture offers anything a grower could ever dream of when it comes to a grow light. Tunable spectrum, Wireless connectivity, patented optics and top quality components make this option one of our personal favorites.
The team behind Scynce LED keeps coming up with innovative products to fit the highest standards in plant lighting and growers who went for these will most often never go back to anything else. As their flagship model, the Raging Kush 2 is definitely worth taking a look at.
HLG Scorpion Diablo
The HLG Scorpion Diablo stunned the horticulture world when it came out. A clever merge between HLG’s signature Quantum Board technology and the increasingly popular Array design.
This fixture provides the best of both worlds and every review you’ll find out there will confirm it. Equipped with Horticulture Lighting Group top bin Samsung diodes, there isn’t any negative points to say about the HLG Scorpion Diablo which can easily cover up to a 5’ x 5’ canopy with unrivaled efficacy.
Iluminar ilogic8
The Iluminar iLogic8 is the most popular fixture from Iluminar’s extensive line of top-performing LED grow lights. With an excellent track record Iluminar keeps innovating and bringing lights to the market that will please both commercial and hobby growers.
For a relatively low price you can benefit from all the latest technology the iLogic8 has to offer. With two options available you can get the upgraded option which features UV and Far-Red bars. That alone should be enough to pique your curiosity but if you consider the long lasting reputation of Iluminar it certainly deserves its place on our list.
Best 4x4 LED grow lights
If you’re looking for the best 4x4 LED grow lights, look no further than the SF 4000 and the ThinkGrow model W. Firstly - the trusty Spider Farmer brand is highly competitive in this category with its cheap, low-power use model.
Here are our picks for this best 4x4 LED grow light category:
Best 4x4 LED grow light:
Spider Farmer SF 4000
Spider Farmer SF 4000 is the little brother of the SF 7000 which we mentioned earlier. Just like the SF 7000, this model also has a setting to dim your lights. The wide spectrum of this grow light will help your plants grow better in each phase of its life cycle. As for the power usage, the SF 4000 consumes 450w, which is about 50% less than HPS and Blurple lights while producing bigger yields.
The SF 4000 is a great choice for both growers who already have a couple harvests under their belt or beginners who are ready to take their game to the next level and get major yields from their plants. The price tag is what makes SF 4000 the best 4x4 LED grow light out there, as it currently goes for only $539.99 US. That price, along with a wide spectrum of white and red lights make this model by far one of the most user-friendly LEDs in the market.
The ThinkGrow Model W is a great choice as well, if you are not on a budget. The Model W has all the performances to make it the best 4x4 LED grow light on the market, however the price tag is not something to laugh at. Something very unique about this model is that it is capable of delivering deep red lights in the 600-800nm range to the crop.
Fluence SPYDR 2i
Backed by a team of top performing plant scientists, Fluence keeps pushing the frontiers of plant lighting technology. Every model they produce is based on highly reputable case studies and the SPYDR 2i is no exception to this rule. Until recently these LED grow lights were almost only available for commercial grow operations. At 630W this top light is ideal for a 4’x4’ grow space and gives you access to Fluence’s incomparable expert service.
HLG 600 Rspec
The HLG 600 Rspec is one of the most popular models offered by Horticulture Lighting Group. Also pioneers in LED grow light technology, HLG uses Samsung’s highest quality diodes which makes their lights some of the brightest and most energy efficient fixtures available anywhere.
Upgraded from their past generation which introduced to world to Quantum Board style LED’s, the HLG 600 Rspec hits a sweet spot of astonishing quality and output for a price that makes perfect sense. For these reasons, the HLG 600 Rspec is an all-time favourite among the growing community.
Best budget LED lights
Onto the best budget LEDs - which LED grow light gets you the biggest bang for the smallest buck? Well, we’re gonna have to throw the Spider Farmer lights into the mix again. We will also be taking a look at the Mars Hydro TS 3000 which is definitely worth checking out.
Best budget LED grow lights:
Spider Farmer SF 2000
Mars Hydro TS 3000
Best LED lights for beginners
Beginners, look no further than the same two brands we’ve just mentioned in the previous category - Mars Hydro and Spider Farmer. These trusty Chinese brands have proven to be a great fit for all those looking to step up their game. The SF 1000 and the TS 3000 are both great LEDs and they will teach you the basics of how to improve your yields with a small set of grow lights.
Best LED grow lights for beginners:
Spider Farmer SF 1000
The Spider Farmer SF 1000 is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a small light to cover just a couple plants, or maybe more than a few seedlings. Due to it’s great spectrum coverage it can be used for both purposes. It’s veg footprint is 3 x 3 ft, and the flowering footprint is 2 x 2 ft.
Mars Hydro FC 3000
The FC 3000 can yield up to 2.5 g/W, which is a lot better than most other lights in this category, and just this metric should be enough to support its higher price. Besides that, you can also improve your grow with the daisy-chain feature, which means you can connect up to 15 lights to be controlled through just one light.
Best LED lights for expert growers
Lastly, we’ve come to the hotly debated topic of what are the best LED lights for expert growers. There’s a lot of good choices out there, but we’ve chose one simple metric - the best LED for an expert grower is one that will give him the biggest yield. Lets take a look at our list of top 5 best LEDs for expers:
Best LED grow light for experts:
PhotonTek XT 1000w
The PhotonTek XT 1000w is arguably the best grow lights for expert growers at the moment. The “arguable” part is if their full capacity is being used for maximum results which is where the experts come into play.
If you are truly an expert grower, you’ll know that at one point the 1000w light intensity starts to bog down the plants, as they struggle to take in all the light due to a lack of CO2 in the growing environment. This can be fixed by supplementing the grow with carbon dioxide and controlling the environment with a grow tent and some CO2 controllers.
Growers Choice ROI-E720
Fohse Aries
The Aries is the home grown oriented grow light from Fohse. It boasts all the crucial aspect of a Fohse LED grow light but without the bells and whistles a commercial operation might need in order to bring the price in a more affordable range for hobby growers. That being said, you still get perhaps one of the best LED grow lights currently on the market.
Spring, Summer and Autumn modes. A sunrise and sunset feature. Not to mention the patent pending heat dissipation technology and so many features it would be too long to list here. If you are looking for the Rolls Royce of grow lights make sure you take a look at the Fohse Aries more in depth.
Nanolux LED X Modular
The Nanolux LED X Modular is one of the latest innovations available on the market. Needless to say they’ve somehow re-written the rules. The most interesting aspect of this fixture is included in the title: Modular. If you are an experienced grower and you already know a good deal about LED’s you’ll be blown away by this one.
With a wide range of bars to choose from you can literally build the grow light of your dreams by choosing your spectrum and spacing the bars in a way that delivers optimal results for your personnel needs. Backed by Nanolux acclaimed reputation, the LED X Modular gives you complete control.
Fohse A3i
The Fohse A3i could be compared to the Aries but here you get the absolute full package. The sheer amount of light this 1500W fixture produces is almost too much. However, if used correctly this LED grow light will do wonders for your plants. For this reason we recommend this product for experienced growers who will know how to make the most of all that power and ingenious features this fixture has to offer. T
he A3i is ideal for commercial purposes although it can also be a great option for veteran home growers looking to explore the next frontier of plant lighting technology.
Best LED grow lights for starting seeds
Starting seeds doesn't come easy to everyone, and the early days of the vegetation phase are crucial to plant health - so here are a couple of our picks that would definitely help in that aspect!
Best LED grow light for starting seeds:
- HLG (Horticulture Lighting Group) 600 Bspec
- Kind LED X220
- Growers Choice ROI-E420
- NextLight Veg8 Pro
- ThinkGrow Model V
- Scynce LED Raging Kale
HLG 600 Bspec
The HLG 600 Bspec has some of the highest quality diodes available on the market made by Samsung. They are spread out across 4 different quantum boards which put out a full-spectrum, high efficiency white light, as well as lots of blue 470nm light, ideal for the veg phase.
Another important aspect of the HLG 600 Bspec is it’s price point - this light fixture isn’t as pricey as some of the more popular brands, while still performing on an enviable level for a very long time.
Kind LED X220
Kind LED is one of the innovators in the Targeted-spectrum field. Their Targeted Full Spectrum technology is aimed at maximizing harvest weight as well as plant quality. The Kind X220 is a 2’ x 2’ grow light featuring 3 LED bars and an external, detachable driver.
This LED is a great example of where the industry is currently moving, as more and more brands are updating their designs and producing fixtures with the bar design. Kind LED has been an industry leader for years so it’s not surprising that their latest model would differ from the mass.
Growers Choice ROI-E420
Growers Choice is a well established brand that’s been putting out quality LEDs for years now. The ROI-E420 carries the Grower's Choice famous GC-3K Full Phase Spectrum diodes which are said to be some of the best you can get for a full plant cycle and that includes young plants, as they perform significantly better than regular full spectrum diodes made for homes and offices.
Another important thing to note about the ROI-E420 is that this LED is made for 4’ x 4’ if you aim to flower with it or 5’ x 5’ if you want to use it for the vegetative stage. Additionally, it can be folded in half - making it significantly easier to transport or store.
Next Light Veg8
The NextLight Veg8 Pro is a high efficiency - bright white LED grow light designed to efficiently outperform your typical Fluorescent 8 Tube T5. And just like the name says, the Veg8 Pro has the power and versatility for all stages of vegetative growth. Making it the most dedicated lighting option on our list if your focus is really on seedlings and early stages of the plant.
ThinkGrow Model V
The ThinkGrow Model V is specifically designed for vegetative cultivation practices. The Model V has a very sturdy body and 4 bars attached to it, which create a full spectrum coverage.
In addition you have an independent 730nm channel which is designed to target Phytochrome Far Red in photomorphogenic lighting applications, this can improve plant structure in the vegetative cycle and if used correctly can also speed up the pace of your plant’s growth.
Scynce LED Raging Kale
The Scynce LED Raging Kale is a low profile LED grow light designed for early stages of growth. This light is designed according to the highest botanist standards with Wireless connectivity, IP66 water resistance, Patented optics and much more. The Raging Kale or RKa as some people call it is a particularly interesting choice for any serious grower.
Best LED for autoflowers
Autoflowering plants are a truly special breed - they almost do everything on their own! So - why not supplement their natural resilience with a LED grow light made just for autoflowers? Here are a couple you could check out!
Best LED grow light for Autoflowers:
Growers Choice ROI-E200
The Growers Choice ROI-E200 is certainly one of a kind. Drawing only 200W this LED grow light is perfect for a 2’ x 4’ area and it features a bar or array design which is quite rare for a light of this size.
This design along with Growers Choice top quality components gives the ROI-E200 an excellent efficacy and even light distribution. If you are growing autoflowers or any other kind of plant for that matter in a small tent the ROI-E200 should certainly be on your watchlist.
Kind LED X420
The Kind LED X420 boast the same technology as it’s smaller brother the X220 but is made for larger grow spaces. As it is, this LED grow light will perfectly light up a 2’ x 4’ canopy.
One of the perks of this design is that if you eventually want to illuminate a larger space like a 4’ x 4, for instance, you only need to purchase a second Kind LED X420. This allows for a modular strategy to scale up as you increase the size of your grow operation.
PhotonTek SQ300W
The Photontek SQ300W is part of the latest generation of PhontonTek. With a bold design, this LED grow light is actually made of interlocking squares to provide optimal light coverage.
At 300W, this fixture is optimal for a 3’ x 3’ canopy so it makes a very interesting choice for home growers who are used to smaller grow spaces. Boasting the latest generation of top bin diodes and Photontek’s cutting edge components, this unit is worth every penny.
PhotonTek X465W PRO
The PhontonTek X465W Pro, although from a previous generation, has proven to be one of the most acclaimed grow lights of its kind. With a very reasonable price point, you get access to Photontek’s outstanding reputation.
As reviewed by the industry’s top critics, the Photontek X465W Pro has surpassed expectations and keeps delivering up to date efficacy rating, lifetime and total output that rival any lights of its category.
Best LED grow lights for greenhouses
Greenhouses are great for utilizing the natural sunlight and complementing it with additional light once the sun goes down. Here are 5 LED grow lights perfectly suited for greenhouses:
Best LED grow lights for greenhouses:
Fluence VYPR 3P
The Fluence VYPR 3P is one of the best greenhouse LED available on the market. Featuring a wide array of spectrums it allows you to pick and choose the exact supplemental lighting for your specific needs.
As with any LED grow light designed for greenhouse purposes, the VYPR 3p allows you to swap your HID lights with having to make fundamental changes to your current infrastructure. By doing so you can expect to save up to 40% in electricity costs all while providing a much more optimal spectrum to your canopy.
Fohse o6i
The Fohse o6i is the high output greenhouse model from Fohse. At 1200W it has been designed to replace your old DE HPS and this unit has all the features you can expect from a top manufacturer such as Fohse.
It has a slightly higher price point than its competitors but this shouldn’t be an issue if you consider that the o6i features industry leading components and all sorts of innovations that makes this LED grow light the most future-proof option available in 2021.
Scynce LED Dragon Alpha
The Scynce LED Dragon Alpha is a favorite among craft growers and the reason for this is simple. It features Scynce LED acclaimed tunable spectrum which allows it to morph into exactly what’s needed at any given time.
On top of that you get the build quality, wireless connectivity and other interesting features which make the reputation of Scynce LED unquestionable. At 600W the Dragon Alpha is the ideal choice for craftsmen who need a high-output, small-footprint indoor warehouse, high bay or greenhouse lights solution.
ThinkGrow Model I
The ThinkGrow Model I is a high performance LED grow light designed specifically for greenhouse and single-level indoor cultivation. It provides full spectrum and even UV! Paired with individual Far Red channels, this makes for a drastic improvement from any HID counterpart.
Sleek design, unrivaled heat dissipation technology, outstanding customer service, there are so many reasons the Model I should be in your top list when it comes to transitioning your greenhouse to profit from the latest technology.
Honorable mentions
These are some of the fixtures we did not have the chance to review but are popular choices in the growing community.
This is an all-time favourite among growers and pioneered the Bar LED design along with a few other companies. With a very reputable background in HID grow lights, Gavita has lived up to the expectations with this fixture.
One particular feature of this light is the impressive amount of diodes. Although this does not necessarily improves the intensity, each diode is under-driven thus increases the life span of the overall system.
Photobio MX680W
Thats certainly an underrated fixture in every way. A recent independent test ranked this fixture among the top performers in almost every category from efficiency to pricing and built quality. At this price it doesn't get much better.
What is the most powerful LED grow light?
According to some industry experts, the most powerful LED grow light on the market is the Gavita Pro 1700e Gen 2 LED. However, we’d like to differ as we believe that the Photontek XT 1000w and Fohse A3i when used with the proper CO2 supplements can really do magic for your plants.
If you don’t supplement the plants with CO2, they might start get light-burned to the high amounts of light this LED produces. Keep that in mind when making your choice and your plants will definitely appreciate it!
How do I choose the best LED grow light?
This one is totally up to you and your needs - however, many people don’t know what their needs really are. If you are just getting started, you have a couple plants, and you want to supplement them with a cheap light, you should probably go with one of the Spider Farmer models. The Spider Farmer LED lights are a highly reputable brand with a very good selection of cheap, yet very cost-effective lights.
On the other hand, if your needs are geared more towards a profession than a hobby, then we’d recommend looking into the PhotonTek, Scynce LED, HLG, Fluence, Fohse models. These come at a little higher price initially, but offer a lot of great features and customization opportunities which will definitely maximize your yields and help your plants grow faster.
What is the best wattage for LED grow lights?
The best wattage for LED grow lights is 30-35watts per ft² which can be a little tricky to measure. So, to break it down - best wattage for 4x4 LED grow lights is around 500w, while the best wattage for a 5x5 LED grow light is around 700-800w. Anything over that and you risk exposing your plants to too much light.
What lights do professional growers use?
Professional growers use LED lights in most cases, unless they are trying to experiment and compare results to other types of lights such as HID and HPS. LED lights are by far the most cost-effective lights out there, while also showing good and even better results than its competitors. HPS lamps are deficient in blue light which is why most professional growers use a combination of both metal halide and HPS lights, or just one set of LED lights.
Many professional growers use the Growers Choice ROI-E720 as these LEDs pack a very powerful punch. Besides that, they cover the full spectrum of light and use comparably little power to other models in the same price range.
Will any LED light work as a grow light?
Yes, any LED light will work as a grow light, as long as you have a good sense of placement. If you place it too far away from the plants, then they won’t receive as much light as they would if the light source was closer to them. This will result in slower growth and smaller yields. You could also set up a couple individual bulbs, but it’s always best to simply buy a fixture and hang it at the height recommended by the manufacturer.
What are the best LED lights to grow cannabis?
The best LED lights to grow cannabis are most likely Spider Farmer LED lights. The SF line has models covering all your needs. If you’re an expert grower looking for very strong, yet cheap lights - check out the Spider Farmer SF7000. If you’re just looking to get your first light and cover a couple plants, then the SF 2000 will be the perfect LED for you to start with.