How far should grow lights be from plants?

Though it depends on the wattage and light wavelengths, grow lights should be placed at least 2 feet away from your indoor plants to avoid overheating. That said, LEDs and fluorescent lights typically have lower heat outputs, so they can be placed a little closer.

How long should grow lights be on for?

To effectively mimic the sun's natural light, a grow light should be on for eight to 16 hours a day, depending on where you live, what time of year it is, and the type of plant. If your plants receive some natural light, they generally won't need as much artificial light, whereas a plant that doesn't get any natural light may need the full 16 hours.

Do you have to use LED lights?

LEDs are most often recommended for grow lights, though some fluorescent and incandescent bulbs can work. The most important thing is that the bulbs offer full-spectrum illumination and produce waves of red and blue light, which is often necessary for plants to thrive indoors.

The 8 Best Grow Lights of 2022

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

"Grow lights can help your plants [thrive], especially during winter when light levels are reduced," says Joyce Mast, Plant Mom at Bloomscape.

We researched and tested the top-rated grow lights available online, evaluating ease of setup, efficiency, brightness, and overall effectiveness. Our best overall pick, the GE BR30 Grow LED Light Bulb, is affordable, versatile, and highly effective.

Here are the best grow lights for your plants.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

GE LED Grow Light Bulb at Amazon

Read Review

Runner-Up, Best Overall:

Soltech Solutions Grow Light at Amazon

Read Review

Best Budget:

Aceple LED Grow Light at Amazon

Read Review

Best Hanging:

Roleadro LED Grow Light at Amazon

Read Review

Best Kit:

AeroGarden Harvest Elite at Amazon

Read Review

Best Mounted:

Feit Electric Dual Full LED Plant Grow Tube Light at Amazon

Read Review

Best for Herbs:

TorchStar Plant LED Kit at Amazon

Read Review

Best Adjustable Spectrum:

iPower Dual Head LED Grow Light at Amazon

Read Review

In This Article

Our Picks
How We Tested
What to Look for
Why Trust The Spruce

GE BR30 LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plant

Courtesy of Amazon

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GE Grow Light LED 9W Balanced Light Spectrum BR30 Light Bulb Review

What We Like

Affordable
Fits in most lamps
Soft, natural white light

What We Don't Like

Requires a nearby lamp
Burns out within a few months

What do buyers say? 93% of 16,400+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.

Our pick for the best overall grow light is the GE BR30, This balanced-spectrum bulb offers high-quality lighting that encourages houseplants, indoor gardens, cacti, and flowers to flourish every month of the year. Unlike some other grow lights that produce harsh lighting, it provides soft, natural illumination and warmth. Its balanced light spectrum is designed for seeds and greens, so you can grow herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables right in your home.

While our tester was initially underwhelmed by this option—it looks just like a regular lightbulb, and she was skeptical if it would actually do anything—she immediately found it to work great on her sun-loving yucca plant. She rated it a five out of five in all categories. It fits into any standard lamp, so you won't need to go out and purchase a new one.

Size: 4.06 x 5.94 inches | Type: Bulb | Wattage: 9 watts | Return policy: Dependent on retailer

What Editors Say

"I wasn't having a lot of luck growing seedlings until I got a GE BR30 bulb. Within days after I set it up, the seedlings were rapidly growing taller and sending off leaves. The light is bright enough to give the seedlings what they need, but it's not glaringly bright like a lot of grow lights are. It's like having an extra lamp in my apartment."—Jenny Hughes, Editor

4.5

Courtesy of The Sill

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Our Ratings

Setup

3/5
Instructions

5/5
Effectiveness

5/5
Design

5/5
Brightness

5/5

Soltech Solutions Hanging Grow Light, Minimalist Light Gives Major Results

What We Like

Minimalist design
Installation equipment included
Lasts 15 years
Available in different sizes and colors

What We Don't Like

Expensive
Installation requires about one hour

For an option that's long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing, and seriously effective, you can't go wrong with the Soltech Solutions Grow Light. "This LED grow bulb has a highly precise photosynthetic spectrum but also illuminates your space with warm white ambient light—so essentially, it doesn't look like a grow light," says Erin Marino, Editorial Lead at The Sill. "I also love that you can screw it into any traditional light fixture."

While one of the more expensive options on the list, we found this grow light to be well worth the cost. When used for an average of 16 hours/day, the light lasts 15 years—far longer than cheaper options. It has a 15-foot fabric cord and comes with an LED bulb, three ceiling hooks, two wall fairleads, and a swag hook. You can choose from two sizes—5.8 x 3.8 inches with 2,000 lumens or 7 x 4 inches with 4,000 lumens—and two colors to customize it to your space and needs.

After treating her aloe plant with the smaller, 20-watt lamp for three weeks, our tester noticed significant growth. It also added natural-looking light to her space, practically doubling as a decorative overhead light (we gave it a 5/5 for design). One thing to note, though, is that installation can prove to be difficult—we gave it a three out of five. Our tester had to solicit the help of her husband, and even then it still took an hour.

Size: 3.8 x 5.8 inches | Type: Hanging | Wattage: 20 watts | Return policy: Dependent upon retailer

Soltech Solutions Grow Light — Courtesy of Stephanie Vermillion

What Our Testers Say

"Installation was far from my favorite thing about this lamp, but looking at the light itself? That’s a different story...After several weeks admiring it, I’d honestly install one of these even without the sun-starved plant."—Stephanie Vermillion, Product Tester

4.5

Amazon

View On Amazon

Our Ratings

Setup

5/5
Instructions

3/5
Effectiveness

5/5
Design

4/5
Brightness

5/5

The Aceple LED 6W Desk Plant Grow Light Is Compact

If you're on a budget, the Aceple Desk Plant Grow Light is an excellent product that produces impressive results. This grow lamp combines two light colors: red delivers 660 nm, which is ideal for flowers and fruits, while blue provides 460 nm to support photosynthesis. With a large clip and a flexible gooseneck arm, it has the look and size of a reading light—but with all of the power your plants need.

After using it both in her house and in a greenhouse for two weeks, our tester found this light to provide more than enough light for multiple small plants. Easy to set up and small enough to fold up and store in a drawer, it's a great option for households with a few plants that require light on an as-needed basis. However, we did a few points off for design: the gooseneck arm was a bit too short, and the light is also lacking a timer. All in all, though, this is a great budget pick suitable for a variety of needs.

Size: 2 x 2 x 16 inches | Type: Lamp | Wattage: 6 watts | Return policy: 30-day window, 1 year warranty

Aceple LED 6W Desk Plant Grow Light — The Spruce / Stacey L. Nash

What Our Testers Say

"With four potted African violets arranged in a circular potholder, we attached the Aceple to a towel rod and let it do its work in six-hour increments...After almost two weeks with the Aceple, one of our African violets—which hadn’t sprouted in years—started to produce a new bud."—Stacey L. Nash, Product Tester

4.3

Roleadro LED Grow Light, 75W Full Spectrum Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, Plant Light with IR & UV

Courtesy of Amazon

View On Amazon

Our Ratings

Setup

3/5
Instructions

3/5
Effectiveness

5/5
Design

5/5
Brightness

5/5

Roleadro LED 75W Grow Light Review

What We Like

Diverse range of light
Great for seedlings
Even light distribution

What We Don't Like

No timer function
Difficult to install

The best full-spectrum option is the Roleadro LED Grow Light. Thanks to the brand's proprietary spectrum with 460 to 465 nm, 620 to 740 nm, and a 6,000 to 6,500 K waveband, it provides indoor plants with a diverse range of light. This helps promote growth and allows even the most delicate tropical plants and flowers not only to grow but bloom year-round. You can also grow seasonal vegetables and herbs in the winter, spring, summer, or fall.

This 75-watt grow light also has an aluminum cooling plate to effectively dissipate heat, even on the highest setting. It comes with hanging brackets that you can hang just about anywhere in your home, making it a great option if you have lots of plants you want to cover.

After using this panel on various types of growing situations (including potted succulents and seed trays), our tester found this panel to be best for seedlings. It was the perfect size for a seed tray, and provided an evenly distributed amount of light—earning it a perfect 5/5 in effectiveness and brightness. However, the panel got just a 3/5 for setup and instructions. We found setting up the hanging element to be difficult, as you need to have hooks readily available.

Size: 10.87 x 10.87 x 0.55 inches | Type: Hanging panel | Wattage: 75 watts | Return policy: Dependent on retailer

Roleadro LED 75W Grow Light — The Spruce / Stacey L. Nash

What Our Testers Say

"In our test, the grow light gave our seedlings ample nourishment early on, so they didn’t outpace themselves. The light also proved to be the perfect size for a standard seed tray. It distributes light evenly, so each seedling gets an equal share of light."—Stacey L. Nash, Product Tester

4.2

AeroGarden Harvest Elite - Stainless Steel

Courtesy of Amazon

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What We Like

Full-spectrum illumination
Comes with grow pods
High-performance LEDs

What We Don't Like

Can be tricky to clean

Are you in the market for a desk garden? If so, we think you'll love the AeroGuard Harvest Elite. The high-performance 20-watt LED light provides full-spectrum rays for growing a wide range of herbs and veggies. We're talking mint, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, and dill.

With a sleek design and an LCD control panel, it looks almost like a high-end countertop kitchen appliance. The Harvest Elite comes in light green, white, black, or a stainless steel finish. At just 11 x 4.61 x 15 inches, it's the perfect size for a tiny desk garden. The kit also includes seeds for six different herbs—and because they grow in water, you can get started right away.

After using this kit for over a month, our tester found it to be much faster and easier than growing herbs outside. She had mixed feelings about its stainless steel look, which fit seamlessly in with her kitchen but looked a bit clinical in other rooms. As a result, we docked one point for design.

Size: 10.9 x 4.61 x 15 inches | Type: Indoor garden with built-in bulbs | Wattage: 20 watts | Return policy: Dependent on retailer plus 1-year warranty

Feit Electric 2 ft. 2-Light 19-Watt White Full Spectrum LED Non-Dimmable

Courtesy of Home Depot

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What We Like

Easy to install
Excellent blue/red ratio
Low heat emission

What We Don't Like

Not ideal for large plants

Looking for something you can mount? Your best bet is the Feit Electric Dual Grow Tube Light. This grow light is lightweight, durable, and easy to install. It arrives fully assembled and can be hung or mounted flush against your ceiling or walls. Designed to mimic natural sunlight and work as a replacement for traditional greenhouse bulbs, this product delivers.

It emits 450 nm of blue light and 655 nm of red light, a combination that has very promising results for plant growth. Plus, it has a low heat emission, which prevents burnt leaves and reduces your electric costs.

Size: 23.33 x 4.9 x 1.73 inches | Type: Hanging or mounted | Wattage: 19 watts | Return policy: Dependent on retailer plus 3-year warranty

The Best Wall Planters to Liven Up Any Space

Courtesy of Wayfair

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What We Like

Full-spectrum illumination
Mimics natural sun cycle
Minimalist design

What We Don't Like

Not adjustable

The best option for herbs is from TorchStar. With full-spectrum solar simulation, the LED Plant Kit provides both the right lighting and a container for growing herbs indoors. Mimicking natural sunlight, it illuminates for 16 hours a day and then turns off for eight hours at night. This herb grow light is the perfect size to place on your windowsill, desk, kitchen counter, mantle, dresser, or side table. And it has a sleek minimalist look that won't take away from your herbs.

Size: 16.54 x 11.42 inches | Type: Indoor garden with built-in bulbs | Wattage: 14 watts | Return policy: 30 days plus 2-year warranty

The Best Herb Garden Kits to Plant Indoors or Outdoors

Courtesy of Amazon

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What We Like

Flexible gooseneck arms
Two light heads
Three light modes
11 dimmable settings

What We Don't Like

Not ideal for large plants

The iPower LED Grow Light has two flexible gooseneck arms and two light heads—but the rotatable necks aren't the only thing that's adjustable on this lamp. It has three light modes (red, blue, and a red/blue combo) and 11 dimmable settings. The smart timer allows you to set it to turn off after a certain amount of hours and then turn on at the same time the next day for a 24-hour cycle.

Like the CFGROW lamp, this grow light has a large mounting clip, which you can attach to a desk, table, shelf, or any other slim ledge. It comes with a USB cable and plugs into standard outlets. Plus, it comes in three different wattage levels, so you can pick the right one for your needs.

Size: 4.53 x 3.15 x 13.78 inches | Type: Lamp | Wattage: 10 watts | Return policy: 30 days

The Best Self-Watering Planters for the Busy Gardener

Final Verdict

Our top pick for grow lights is the affordably-priced, GE BR30 LED Grow Light Bulb, This balanced-spectrum bulb fits into any standard-sized lamp to help plants grow year-round. We also recommend the Soltech Solutions Hanging Grow Light, which got high marks for its effectiveness and aesthetically pleasing look.

Best Grow Lights — The Spruce / Nusha Ashjaee

Over the course of 2+ weeks, our testers used all different types of grow lights in their kitchens, bathrooms, greenhouses, and more. They assessed each option on their ease of installation, clarity of instructions, effectiveness, design, brightness, and overall value. We combined these insights with our editors' and writers' independent research to bring you this list.

Size

When deciding what size grow light you need, think about how many plants you'll need to cover. Also, if you’re planning to move your light from place to place, you might want something lighter and portable, whereas if you know it’s going to stay put, that might not be as much of a factor. Also, consider the space where you plan to put it, and make sure there’s room for it to operate safely and not up against furniture, drapes, or other items.

Type

There are various types of grow lights to consider, from panels to ones that hang overhead or screw into a regular light fixture. The type of plants you have, the amount of existing natural light, and where your plants are located will help you narrow down your choices. Hanging lights are typically larger, while desktop lights are smaller and easy to move around. If you want a complete system, consider a full garden kit that includes the planter with a built-in light.

Wattage

Wattage isn't as important as you might expect when it comes to grow lights, but it's still a factor worth considering. The more important metric is actually PPFD, or photosynthetic photon flux density, which measures the specific light emission a lamp gives off. Because this is a bit complicated to figure out, wattage is a useful tool to determine the correct fixture for your plants. The rule of thumb is that you need 32 watts per square foot, so most indoor plants (especially herbs) will do just fine with a lower-watt light.

FAQ

How far should grow lights be from plants?

Though it depends on the wattage and light wavelengths, grow lights should be placed at least 2 feet away from your indoor plants to avoid overheating. That said, LEDs and fluorescent lights typically have lower heat outputs, so they can be placed a little closer.
How long should grow lights be on for?

To effectively mimic the sun's natural light, a grow light should be on for eight to 16 hours a day, depending on where you live, what time of year it is, and the type of plant. If your plants receive some natural light, they generally won't need as much artificial light, whereas a plant that doesn't get any natural light may need the full 16 hours.
Do you have to use LED lights?

LEDs are most often recommended for grow lights, though some fluorescent and incandescent bulbs can work. The most important thing is that the bulbs offer full-spectrum illumination and produce waves of red and blue light, which is often necessary for plants to thrive indoors.

Expert Buying Tip

"Plants 'see' light differently than us. They qualify light not by its intensity but by the required specific wavelengths in the spectrum, and a photosynthetic spectrum is key for plant growth. If you are providing the correct spectrum of light, all different types of plants should thrive from it."—Erin Marino, Editorial Lead at The Sill.

The Spruce contributor Theresa Holland has several years of experience covering gardening products. She's well-versed in indoor planting essentials, including pots, watering tools, plant food, and grow lights. To write this post, she considered products that have been tested and vetted by Spruce reviewers and chose products for their functionality, power, and features.