The 10 Best Grow Lights of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

GE BR30 LED Grow Light Bulb

5

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Our pick for the best overall grow light is the GE BR30. This light offers an advanced red spectrum, which is ideal for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, as well as fruit trees and flowers. At 120 volts, it conveniently fits into most standard lamps, which means you don’t have to go out and buy any additional accessories or equipment. Plus, it requires very little setup. However, you do need to have a lamp on hand to use it, or multiple lamps if you intend to use more than one bulb.

When we tested this light, we found it gave off a nice, warm glow without being as glaringly bright as other options. The light was still plenty bright to give seedlings what they needed though, and we noticed rapid growth within just a few days. We also used it on a yucca plant and reported noticeable improvements after three weeks.

Price at time of publish: $56 (4-pack)

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

Runner-Up, Best Overall

Soltech Solutions Hanging Grow Light

4.5

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  3/5
• Instructions
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Brightness
  5/5

This hanging grow light from Soltech Solutions is as sleek and attractive as it is functional. It comes in two sizes: 5.8 x 3.8 inches with 2,000 lumens, and 7 x 4 inches with 4,000 lumens. Both are extremely powerful and provide a nice amount of natural-looking light. We also like that this lamp is sleek and stylish and comes in two colors—black and white—to match your decor.

Although this hanging light is one of the more expensive options on the market, it should last longer than the competition: According to the manufacturer, it can last for up to 15 years when used for an average of 16 hours per day.

We tested this 20-watt lamp on an aloe plant with very favorable results. After three weeks of use, we noticed several new growths sprouting up, which was much more than we had experienced without the light.

Each unit includes a 15-foot fabric cord, three ceiling hooks, two wall fairleads, and a swag hook for do-it-yourself installation. Despite clear instructions, we found the installation process to be somewhat tricky, requiring two people, a ladder (given the ceiling installation), and a drill.

Tricky installation aside, we believe the Soltech Solutions Hanging Grow Light is highly effective and aesthetically pleasing.

Price at time of publish: $150

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

Best Budget

Aceple LED 6W Desk Plant Grow Light

4.5

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Instructions
  3/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Design
  4/5
• Brightness
  5/5

The Aceple Desk Plant Grow Light produces excellent results at an affordable price, and offers a combination of red and blue LEDs. The 660 nanometers (nm) of red light is ideal for flowers and fruits, while 460 nm of blue light encourages photosynthesis.

You can attach this grow light to almost any table, chair, desk, or countertop, thanks to a wide-opening clamp. Plus, the flexible gooseneck allows you to easily adjust the angle of light. It is extremely portable, easy to set up, and small enough to tuck away in a drawer. Its compact size makes it ideal for households with a few small plants.

We tested this light in a house and greenhouse on African violets and lemon cucumbers, and noticed a vast improvement in their growth. In particular, after two weeks of use, one of the African violets started to produce a new bud, after not sprouting for years.

However, it’s important to note several flaws in the design: Unlike many other options, this light doesn’t come with a timer, but it is easy enough to turn it on and off manually. Also, we'd prefer if the gooseneck arm were a little longer. But overall, we found this light to be an excellent budget-friendly option.

Price at time of publish: $12

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

Best Mounted

Feit Electric Dual Full LED Plant Grow Tube Light

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Designed to be mounted flush or hung against a ceiling or wall, the Feit Electric Dual Grow Tube Light is meant to replace traditional greenhouse lighting and delivers a full spectrum to help achieve optimal results for a variety of plants and flowers.

The energy-efficient LED bulbs have low heat emission, so you don’t have to worry about burning your plants' leaves. The bulbs emit 450 nm of blue light and 655 nm of red light, an ideal combination that encourages plant growth and photosynthesis.

For added convenience, the light arrives fully assembled and is easy to install. The unit comes with two 6-inch hanging wire harnesses, a 5-foot plug-in cord, and all the necessary mounting hardware.

Although the stated life expectancy of the bulbs is 25,000 hours, we noted that some bulbs stopped working within several months. However, this light is more affordable than some of the other options in this roundup, should it need to be replaced.

Price at time of publish: $34

_{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}

Best Hanging

Venoya 75W LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants

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Affordable and energy-efficient, the Venoya LED Grow Light is an excellent choice for a full-spectrum hanging light, with a spectrum of 380 nm to 730 nm, which includes UV, IR, red, and blue light. These lights have a vegetative coverage of 2 x 2 feet.

In addition to encouraging herbs and seedlings, this light can spur even the most delicate tropical plants and flowers to flourish year-round and at every stage of growth. At 75 watts, this grow light is powerful without getting hot.

The Venoya Full Spectrum Grow Light is lightweight and comes with four stainless steel wires and an S-hook, which you can attach to a dowel, rod, or hook.

A potential downside is that it lacks a timer, so you need to reach the light to turn it on or off. We like that it comes with a 12-month warranty, should you have any issues.

Price at time of publish: $32

_{Size: 12.2 x 12.2 x 1.4 inches | Type: Hanging panel | Wattage: 75 watts | Return policy: 12 month warranty or 30 days return}

Best Adjustable-Spectrum

Leoter Grow Light for Indoor Plants

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The LEOTER Grow Light emits a full spectrum of color to encourage varied phases of plant growth. It emits 660 nm of red light and 460 nm of blue light, and a full-spectrum bandwidth of 380 nm to 800 nm. A combination of all three delivers the most positive growth results.

This light is equipped with an array of convenient features, including three timing modes, 10 dimmable modes, and three switch modes. The timer has 3-, 9-, or 12-hour increments and automatically turns on and off each day. That way, your plants receive adequate light even if you are at work or away on vacation.

“We use timers on our lights for ease of maintenance every day, note Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera of Fog City Gardener. "It will automatically turn off and on based on our desired schedule."

This grow light can be powered by a USB port or plugged into a standard outlet. An adapter is included for added convenience. It has four light heads, and four flexible gooseneck arms that can be adjusted by 360 degrees. Thanks to a sturdy mounting clip, it can be attached to any surface up to 3 inches thick, allowing for versatile placement.

The only downsides are that the light tends to stop working within months, and we couldn't find any information regarding a warranty.

Price at time of publish: $24

_{Size: 3.35 x 5.87 x 13.66 inches (only the package dimensions are provided) | Bulb Type: LED | Wattage: 40 watts | Return Policy: Not listed}

Best Kit

AeroGarden Harvest Elite with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit

4.2

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The AeroGuard Harvest Elite offers full-spectrum 20-watt LED light, so your indoor garden can thrive. In the large grow deck and bowl, you can grow up to six different herbs, flowers, or vegetable varieties year-round. (The kit also includes seeds for six different herbs: Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil, and mint.) Measuring just 11 x 4.61 x 15 inches, with a sleek design, this seed pod kit looks great on a desk or countertop.

The digital control panel includes a timer, vacation mode, and advanced settings, so your hydroponics get proper care, even when you’re out of town. Since the height of the lamp is adjustable up to 12 inches, you can make more room for your plants as they grow.

We read some reports that AeroGarden Harvest Elite stopped working shortly after setup. Be sure to take advantage of the one-year warranty if you encounter any problems or defects.

Price at time of publish: $205

_{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}

Best for Herbs

TorchStar LED Indoor Herb Garden

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With full-spectrum solar simulation, the LED Plant Kit from TorchStar provides the ideal amount of light for growing indoor herbs. To mimic natural sunlight, it illuminates for 16 hours and then shuts down for 8 hours overnight.

Measuring 14 x 19.89 x 16.54 inches, this herb grow light is the perfect size to place on a desk, table, or countertop. Thanks to an all-white design and modern aesthetic, it should blend in well with most decor without detracting from your herbs.

This grow light requires a minimal amount of assembly, but we expect you can put it together in about 10 minutes. You can plug it into a standard outlet, and the product comes with a UL-certified power adapter for added safety.

Be sure to take advantage of the two-year warranty if you encounter any problems.

Price at time of publish: $45

_{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}

Best Stackable

Gardener’s Supply Company Stack-n-Grow Lights System

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This modular unit from Gardener's Supply Company allows you to grow plants vertically and expand as needed. Measuring 31 x 15.5 x 21 inches at its base, the compact, stackable design frees up precious floor space. Each shelf can hold up to 110 pounds, and you can add up to two shelves—in addition to the base unit. When stacking two or more units, you may need to anchor it to a wall with the supplied brackets for added stability.

With 3.5 square feet of space on each tier, you should have plenty of room for seedlings and a variety of other plants. Meanwhile, two full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs cover a large growing area. High-tech reflectors direct light downward, reducing glare and encouraging plant growth.

The unit is easy to assemble: The pieces snap together, and no extra tools are required. It’s also lightweight, which is a major plus. Each shelf weighs 7 pounds, and they come apart for easy storage when not in use.

It’s important to note that water drips from the upper shelves onto the light fixtures. You can purchase small boot trays from the manufacturer, or another type of drip tray, to prevent this from happening. Also, this product lacks a timer setting, but you can plug it into a power strip that has a built-in timer.

Price at time of publish: $215

_{Size: 31 x 15.5 x 21 inches (base measurements) | Bulb Type: Fluorescent | Wattage: 62 watts | Return Policy: Not listed}