The 4 Best 700W LED Grow Lights (2023 Review)
Help your indoor plants grow with high-quality LED grow lights. In this review, we research the best LED grow lights online to help you find the one that’s right for you and your home.
Which bulb type is best?
Grow lights come in various types that range in price and longevity.
LED
LED or light emitting diode bulbs are the most effective at producing light and the most efficient to operate of all the home grow lights. They last up to five times longer than many other bulbs and have come down so much in price, there’s little reason not to choose them if you’re looking for a long-term, sustainable and non-toxic option. Choose a full spectrum LED bulb for your desk lamp or grow fixture, or opt for one of the many red-blue light combinations available for specific plant needs.
Compact fluorescent
These bulbs are less efficient than LEDs, making them more expensive to run. While they’re less expensive to purchase up front, they have a shorter lifespan and contain mercury, which can be released as vapor if broken. If using compact fluorescents, choose full spectrum for a broad range of plant needs.
Halogen
While not the best choice for growing plants, halogens are brighter than standard incandescent bulbs and can meet some of a plant’s requirements for light. Given that they produce light farther along the red spectrum, they lack the blue light needed for healthy growth. However, if combined with other types of light, they can contribute to overall requirements. Keep in mind that halogens get quite hot when activated, so take care to avoid burned and damaged leaves.
Incandescent
Incandescent bulbs are not well suited to growing plants indoors. When turned on, they get quite hot, meaning they need to be placed some distance away from your plants, which reduces their effectiveness. They also produce light farther along the red spectrum. Finally, they’re inefficient and cost more to operate.
ECO Farm ECO D700 700W Samsung LM281B Chip LED Grow Light
Features:
This ECO Farm LED grow light features the highest output white chips and Osram chips, with a high energy efficiency of 2.6 umol/J, PPF 1820 µmol/s, LED grow lights provide plants with powerful and high-quality light to maximize yield . The vegetable footprint is 5 x 5 feet and the flowering footprint is 4 x 4 feet. This grow light has an excellent full spectrum (3000K, 5000K, 660nm, 730nm IR, 395nm UV) and is ideal for all growth stages (germination, cloning or cuttings, mothering, vegetative and flowering applications) for higher yields . The dimming knob can adjust the light intensity at will. Designed with daisy chain function, up to 100 lights can be connected. Multi-light connections with uniform dimming are especially beneficial for large-scale indoor and commercial cultivation.
Optic Slim 720S Dimmable LED Grow Light
Features:
Optic LED grow light is the Most Powerful Triple Dimmer LED Grow Light Ever Created. Offering all the stunning proven technology from the highly refined Slim 650S, the Slim 720S features a start-up Meanwell drive system that emits up to 720 watts of light through 3,096 of the world’s most efficient LEDs. The Slim 720S is designed for growers in a 5x5 area or just want to save power in a 4'x4' area. The Slim720S is designed to give you more performance than any other LED grow light company on the market today. It features the new Samsung LH351H deep red LED rated at 3.75 umols/J and the Samsung white LM301H LED above 3.0 umols/J. Royal blue, infrared and ultraviolet round out the spectrum.
EYE HORTILUX Ascend LED 700-ES Grow Light
Features:
EYE HORTILUX LED uses upgraded SMD LED technology, which can save energy up to 50% compared to other HPS grow lights. It can provide strong light output and uniform penetration to achieve higher output. It is with incredible power and light that can cultivate healthier plants from beginning to end. Compared with other ordinary lighting equipment, LED grow lights are gentler and will not scorch seedlings. Use plant growth lights to improve productivity. The shell is made of sturdy aluminum alloy, fast heat dissipation, high performance. Built-in dimmer switch, simple and convenient. The nine-position dial will allow you to set the level you want for the stage of growing you are in. Adjust to a suitable position to adapt to the different growth cycles of plants. This full-spectrum lamp is infinitely close to natural sunlight, very suitable for the entire stage of indoor plant growth.
Neocision Spectra Pro 680W LED Grow Light-BVV
Features:
This BVV grow light features 18.5% blue spectra and 40.7% red spectra with a peak at 660nm for your flowering plants. Blue light promotes plant germination, and red light combined with blue light increases yield. This unique spectral combination creates stronger plant uptake of nutrients, maximizing red for increased photosynthesis. Get higher yields, superior bud formation and high cannabinoid production levels. This light is a great help in all stages of plant growth. This LED light is more than 50% higher than HID light in PPFD and consumes 37% less power in terms of energy saving; this high-quality LED light can support the photosynthesis of plants in an optimal and efficient way. The clamp can be folded up to 180 degrees, compact and easy to install; it doesn’t take up much space, keeping your pantry clutter-free.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Grow Lights
Whether you’re looking for grow lights to supplement natural light for overwintering your garden potted plants indoors, or want to start seeds indoors to transplant to your garden in spring, grow lights can help. Today’s options range from under $20 to $150 or more, depending on quality and range of light.
Cold, Warm and Full Spectrum
Grow lights are marked with numbers such as 2,500K or 6,500K to tell you the temperature of the lights based on the Kelvin measurement scale. The higher the number, the cooler the light. So a bulb with a Kelvin rating of 6,000K will have a white or blue tinge, while a bulb with a 3,000K rating will have a yellowish cast. Each type of light — warm or cool — stimulates specific plant behaviors.
If your goal is to improve foliage growth on houseplants or to grow leafy greens or seedlings, choose a cooler spectrum bulb around 6,500K. Warm light has a lower Kelvin rating, making it ideal for houseplants and flower production for fruit trees like citrus. When in doubt, full-spectrum lights take the guesswork out and offer a combination of warm and cool light for the best of both worlds.
LED vs Fluorescent Bulbs
Standard fluorescent bulbs are a weak source of household light, but they’re great for supplementing natural light for houseplants or seedlings. Their cooler light makes them one-dimensional, so they’re ideal when the goal is lush foliage rather than flowers. Because their light cannot penetrate the leaves of plants with high intensity, growers must position the light within a few inches of the top of the plant to be effective.
Full-spectrum compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are a better choice. CFL grow lights come in both tube and bulb form and are brighter than standard fluorescent lights.
LED grow lights, not to be confused with regular LED lights, are more expensive than fluorescent lights, but they make up for this with longevity and energy savings. LEDs come in blue and red to mimic the full color spectrum of the sun, and possibly bright violet. This isn’t a big deal if the lights are in the basement or garage, but it’s worth considering if they’re in the living area. Like fluorescent bulbs, LEDs can come in tubes to light a tray of seedlings, or in bulbs to light specific plants.
Bulb or Stand Setup
The number of plants or nursery trays you want to grow is a good indicator of the type of grow light that is best for your situation. While individual bulbs are perfect when placed above sun-loving succulents in winter, seedling trays are better suited for a trellis system, allowing you to increase light as seedlings grow taller. So whether it’s a prefab stand with lights, or one you build from scratch using cheap wire racks and a hanging grow light bar or two, in the end, your budget will have the final say.
Prefab booth setups are expensive, so if you don’t have many plans for a seed startup, consider building your own system. However, houseplant lovers may gravitate toward the more aesthetically pleasing prefab grow light stands, better suited to indoor living spaces.
Conclusion
Grow lights are becoming more and more popular with home gardeners and commercial growers alike. They can provide a range of benefits, from improved crop yields to extended growing seasons. LED grow lights are the most energy-efficient and cost-effective type of grow lights available.
