Mammoth Lighting Fold Series MF08 LED Grow Light VS Dio-Tech Satellite Unit 830W LED Grow Light
There are many factors to consider when looking for the best grow lights, and that’s where we’re here to help point you in the right direction.
They can be a handy solution for growing houseplants, especially if you don’t have that much light where you live, and when light levels drop in winter, no matter what.
The first key thing to notice is the price. Some grow lights are affordable and therefore a great option for everyone, while others can be a bit pricey, so it’s worth weighing how much you want to spend on some grow lights.
Plus, you’ll need to consider their brightness and efficiency, which can get you into the debate over whether to choose fluorescent or LED bulbs. Fluorescent lights are cheaper but less efficient than LEDs, and LEDs do need to be farther from the plan than fluorescents.
This leads to the space point nicely. If you’re working with a tighter growing space, then there are some fluorescent lights that can hang just 3 inches above the plants, while LEDs usually work best between 14 and 24 inches. You can read more about the optimal height for grow lights here.
This distance is also closely related to the brightness data — the more lumens, the brighter the light. If you have some brighter lights, you don’t need to place them very close to your plants as if they were a little dim.
So, with all that in mind, we’ve listed what we think are the best grow lights based on specs, general reviews, and the features they offer that make them stand out from the crowd, and answer your most common questions as well.
Let’s get started — here are some of the best grow lights available today.
Why Choose Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights?
Different LED Grow lights emit different wavelengths based on their spectral patterns. These different light wavelengths stimulate different stages of plant growth, so when choosing the right grow light, you must examine its spectrum for the type of stimulation you want. For example, LEDs that are great for vegetation may not be as effective for flower development.
Mammoth Lighting Fold Series MF08 LED Grow Light
Features:
The Mammoth LED grow lights are built with high-quality Samsung diodes. The lights encompass a continuous range of wavelength from blue and green to red, creating a light blend matching the natural sunlight. 469 Samsung LM301B diodes per bar delivers the industry’s Highest PPFD and Yield. Mammoth customized their light spectrum to optimize plant growth and increase yields while consuming less energy and reducing operating costs compared with traditional horticulture technologies. With a proprietary blend of 3000k+5000k+660nm+730nm, for full cycle growth. 730nm speeds up flower (~5 days) and adds up to 5% more yield. Up to 5x5 flower coverage, 7x7 veg coverage. Strategically designed bars/spacing delivering more even lighting coverage (and growth) over a 5'x5'.
Dio-Tech Satellite Unit 830W LED Grow Light
Features:
Dio-Tech lighting solutions are designed by growers for growers. The result of years of research and development devoted to optimizing plant growth performance. Dio-Tech is powerful enough to not only replace but completely outperform your existing HID lighting, with a lighting formula that provides the ultimate spectrum for your garden at every stage of the plant growth cycle. The Dio-tech 830W LED combines a high-end Osram chip with a built-in dimmer. Dio-Tech 830 starts in F1 mode (flowering spectrum) but has a wide spectrum for excellent vegetative growth.
What to consider when choosing your grow lights.
The decisions don’t stop once you choose between LEDs and fluorescents. There are many types of grow lights on the market these days, but these considerations can help narrow your search:
When you’ll be using them for: Again, fluorescent lights tend to be better for beginners who are using grow lights on a small plant collection for a limited time window (i.e., to start seeds). A light that holds two 40-watt T12 fluorescent bulbs would be plenty in this case. If you are a more advanced grower looking to keep plants alive year-round, or you’re working with a finicky crop you really want to see succeed, go with LEDs.
How much room you have: Do you have room for an entire shelving unit with built-in grow lights, or are you looking for a single bulb that can fit into an existing clamp light? Consider vertical space, too. LED lights need to hang at least 14 to 24 inches above the plants, whereas fluorescent lights can hang as little as 3 inches above the plants, making it easy to hang several shop lights on one stacked shelving unit.
What you’re growing: Generally, lights that have a bluer hue (5,000 to 7,000 Kelvin) promote vegetative growth while red ones (3,500 to 4,500 Kelvin) are better for fruiting and flowering. Plants that need a lot of sunlight will require brighter bulbs that have a higher wattage number.
Your sensitivity to light: If you experience any photosensitivity (or just don’t want bright, colourful lights in your living space), we recommend choosing white, full-spectrum bulbs.
Conclusion
We can only tell you so much about buying your new best led grow lights. But we are confident that if you follow the recommendations that we have given here, you will find something that caters to your needs the best.
Best of luck with your new purchase!
