8 Best LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants

Did you know that plants need the right color spectrum for optimal photosynthesis and growth? If you’re thinking about growing indoor plants under artificial light, plan for the best LED grow lights to get the best produce.

When choosing a good LED grow light for indoor gardening, you want to shop for those that produce wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers for optimum photosynthesis. Blue and red on the color spectrum are the best for indoor plant growth.

With that in mind, here are the 7 best LED grow lights for growing plants indoors:

Best LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants (Reviews)

With 3 indoor gardens, an ever expanding profile of desk plants, bedroom plants, air purification trees, potted flowers, and a few hydroponics, I have tried quite a couple of grow lights for my indoor plants.

Here are the top LED grow lights for indoor plants:

1. EZORKAS 80W Tri Head LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants

• 9 dimmable levels.
• Effective timer integrated for intensity control.
• 3, 9, and 12-hour timing modes.
• 360-degree flexible goosenecks.
• Balanced red and blue spectrum for proper plant growth.
• Lifespan: 50,000 hours.
• Wavelengths 660nm red and 460nm blue.

Apart from being an esthetic lamp, the EZORKAS 80W Tri Head LED Grow Light produces the most effective spectrum of light for almost any type of indoor plants.

The dimmable levels make it easy to adjust the intensity of light. This enabled me to use this light for germination in my indoor garden as well as utilize it for my potted plants. I figured you can also use it for growing leafy vegetables.

The goosenecks also make it possible to adjust the direction you want the light to go with a lot of ease.

2. Roleadro 2000W LED Full Spectrum Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, Greenhouse, Seedlings

• Wattage: 2000 watts provides great coverage.
• Efficient cooling system.
• Improved red LED light for 30%-50% more yield for indoor gardening.
• 50,000 hours lifespan.
• High light output per watt.

I like this LED grow light for indoor plants because it produces a full spectrum of light while keeping heat emission at the very minimum. You also save a lot of energy with this LED lamp compared to other options with the same wattage.

The red light is improved and intense, making it a good option if you’re trying to grow a bushy foliage of vegetables in your indoor garden. If you have some indoor leafy plants that may be suffering from yellow leaves due to low light, this grow light is the one you want to buy.

The grow light kit from Roleadro makes it possible to germinate seedlings, grow leafy greens, and potted flowers inside poorly-lit rooms with success.

3. Ankace 40W Dual Head LED Grow Light

• 40 watts – great for potted indoor plants.
• Adjustable light modes.
• Timer included to help control light and darkness.
• Great blue and red spectrum balance.
• 460nm (blue) to 660nm (red) wavelengths.
• 3 timing modes for 3, 6 and 12 hours.

This is one of the best adjustable LED grow lights for indoor plants, those placed on the floor and even those on your desk or raised platforms. You can dim it to provide light for seedlings, and brighten it for leafy vegetables and flowering plants.

The Ankace 40W grow light has The 12 blue and 24 red LED chips, providing optimal wavelengths for high-yield indoor plant growth.

The great spectrum range makes this light very competitive for growing just about any type of indoor plants, including hydroponics, vegetable gardens, potted plants such as peace lilies etc.

4. King Plus 1000W LED Grow Light Double Chips Full Spectrum with UV&IR

• Wattage: 1000 watts
• Switch between vegetative and blooming options.
• Full spectrum light 380 nm to 780 nm with UV and IR.
• Effective cooling system.
• Can replace the standard 600 watt HPS lamp.

The option to switch modes on this lamp is great. You can set the lamp to a vegetative mode and you’ll have the best LED grow light for indoor vegetable gardens. As soon as your plants start to bloom, you can also switch to the flowering mode.

You also get a wide coverage area from the 1000 watt bulb. The lights are very bright but the good thing is that the bulb does not heat up, thanks to the properly designed cooling system.

The only disadvantage of this lamp is that it is not waterproof, meaning it can easily be start to degrade on those days you use frequent watering schedules in your indoor garden.

5. VOGEK 72W LED Plant Grow Light for Indoor Plants

• Offers full spectrum range 380nm up to 800nm.
• 72 Watts provides strong and uniform coverage.
• On and Off timing functions.
• 10 adjustable brightness options.

Not so many LED grow lights on the market come with a brightness adjustment option. The Vogek 72W LED Plant Grow Light provides just that, making it a great buy for different types of indoor plants.

You can therefore use it to grow succulents, foliage vegetables, seedlings, flowering plants, and other potted plants.

With this grow light, you get the spectrum of 300 to 800nm that’s very desirable (as in our review criteria) for growing plants indoors successfully without the need of direct sunlight.

The goosenecks are flexible on this lamp, making it easy to direct the light where you want it to go in your garden.

However, this light is a lot suitable for small areas of indoor plants. If you’re planning to grow some desk plants as well, I’d recommend the Vogek 72W LED grow light for your indoor plant.

6. MARS HYDRO TS 1000W Led Grow Light Sunlike Full Spectrum

• Great PAR value – 709umol produces 30% higher yield.
• 1000 Watts with full sun-like spectrum.
• Maximum 3x3ft coverage per unit for 90% light absorption.
• Very low energy consumption.
• Water + moisture resistant.
• 3-year warranty.

Sometimes you find yourself not being a fan of colored LED lights in your garden. This does not mean you compromise the quality of the spectrum. This MARS Hydro Spectrum is exactly that option you want to consider and review.

It produces great spectrum just like the sun, making it suitable as one of the best LED grow lights for indoor plants – at germination, seedling, flowering, and leafy vegetation stages.

In my review, I used this LED lamp for my in-house garden since it comes with hanging ropes. You get a nice headroom which also helps with keeping your vegetables and flowers from burning.

If you have a small vegetable garden or a small row of flowers, I recommend you go for this  LED grow light for your indoor greenhouse and hydroponics.

BEST ADJUSTABLE LED GROW LIGHT

7. Phlizon 1200W LED Plant Grow Light with Thermometer and Humidity Monitor

• Wattage: 1200W full spectrum with universal blue red IR UV.
• Also works as an indoor garden humidity and thermometer.
• Energy efficient with low heat emission.
• Adjustable for vegetative and seedling options.

I recommend this Phlizon 1200W LED because it has additional functions in helping you monitor the humidity of your indoor plant gardens. You can also keep an eye on the temperature.

1200 watts is great for approximately 8.4 square feet coverage, providing full spectrum light for photosynthesis and plant development.

I have used this for my seedlings and also flowering plants, hanging it low for flowering stages and a little higher for germination. The adjustable hanging ropes make this a lot easier.

At about 18 inches height, you get a 1200W PPFD value of 972.5 umol/m²s, which is impressive for promoting photosynthesis and growth.

8. TORCHSTAR Plant Grow LED Light Kit

• Wattage: 14W output enough for several indoor plants.
• Stylish design for display.
• Great for kitchens, offices, living rooms.
• Easy to install – you won’t need screws.

Torchstar is a stylish 4000K cool white glow LED light built in a stand where you can vividly display your potted plants. It is great for promoting photosynthesis, thanks to its full-spectrum light production.

The timer makes it simulate the natural day pattern, so it will make your work a lot easier. You can keep it on for 16 hours and have it turn itself off for 8 hours and repeat that pattern.

How do I choose a grow light?

Every beginner finds it a bit overwhelming when they start their houseplant project. An indoor garden will need light that’ll substitute natural sunlight and support photosynthesis.

When shopping for the best grow light for indoor plants, keep in mind that all plants prefer natural sunlight because it offers complete spectrum of light that includes all colors especially blue, red, yellow, and violet.

An effective LED grow light should produce both cool and warm light in order to replicate the action of sunlight to support photosynthesis and proper growth of houseplants.

Here’s a guide on the features to look for when buying the best grow light for indoor plants:

Spectrum range

Grow light spectrum is key to successful indoor gardening. What should you look for when buying a good LED grow light kit for indoor plants?

Choose grow lights that produce Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), which is  400–700 nm. But that is not enough since your plants need to develop in form and structure (photomorphogenesis) apart from just carrying out photosynthesis.

This means that even with the right spectrum range in your LED grow lights, look for lights that produce a wider color spectrum including red, blue and green wavelengths.

Photomorphogenesis will require a wider spectrum, preferably 260–780 nm with UV and far-red radiation.

The quality of all these factors in a grow light will affect germination, growth, photosynthesis, and even flowering of your indoor plants.

Pro tip: If you can find lights LED grow lights with adjustable spectrum, go for them. With this option, you’ll be able to optimize the light for either flowering or germination of your indoor plants.

Wattage and Coverage Area

What is the size of your indoor garden? This is a question you want to answer before selecting an indoor LED grow light for your garden.

I’d advise that if you have a single plant, a simple LED desk light for your indoor plant will suffice.

For those who have small, medium, and large gardens, you want to make sure the LED bulbs are enough to cover your indoor plants adequately.

Pro tip: The wattage of your grow light determines how much area in your indoor garden you can light up. For example, 1000 watt LED light will cover approximately 7×7 feet of indoor growing area with no extra sunlight.

• 600 watt light covers 6×6 feet
• 400 watts is suitable for about 4×4 feet
• 250 watts will cover 3×3 feet of garden
• 150-watt LED light will cover 2×2 feet.

Type of the grow light

You can narrow down your choices by looking at your needs. For example, you may want to choose between different types of LED grow lights for indoor plants:

• Desk grow lights
• Screw-on bulbs for attaching to existing fixtures
• Hanging LED light panels for overhead installation

All these are considerations you want to keep in mind depending on the type of indoor plants you’re growing.

Also, some lights are great for hydroponic gardens while others may be suitable for indoor vegetable gardens. You might also want to consider spectrum that’s suitable for germination and vegetative plants.

Energy efficiency

If energy efficiency is a concern of yours, you really want to look at LED grow lights. In fact, both fluorescent and LED grow lights are great when it comes to low energy demand. LEDs in general have a lower heat signature as well.

In addition, you can place these types of lights a short distance above your indoor plants without causing them harm.

Last but not least, you want to read reviews of other gardeners to see what works best for them. Your neighbor can help you choose the best indoor LED grow light that works best for their type of plants.

Finally, warranty is also a great thing to look at. For me, it is usually one of those pointers to durability and lifespan I can expect from a gardening product. So, keep that in mind as well.

References

• Michigan State University, MSU Extension: Green light: Is it important for plant growth?
• Erik Runkle – Michigan State University: Red Light and Plant Growth