5 Best LED Grow Lights 2024

In 2024, more and more people are starting to buy LED grow lights and cultivate green herb indoors. This makes us wonder: why is 2024 the ideal time for indoor cultivation? 

It could be because plants growing guides are becoming more expert and everyone's growing methods have improved. However, let’s not forget that LED grow light technology is advancing yearly!

When selecting grow lights, it's important to note that while there are many review posts about the best LED grow lights, they may not cover how to choose the best LED grow lights.

The difference is that we will provide a simple guide for choosing the best LED grow lights, along with reviews of the 5 best LED grow lights in this article, to help you make the most informed decision. Let's check them out!

Main Content:

• How to Choose the Best LED Grow Lights
• 5 Top Rated LED Grow Lights 2024
• 1. Medicgrow LED Grow Lights (Best Yields)
• 2. Mars Hydro (Best Budget)
• 3. Spider Farmer (Most Energy Savings)
• 4. HLG LED Grow Lights (Highest Efficacy)
• 5. Medicgrow Fold-800 (Best Cost-effective LEDs)
• Conclusion
• FAQs About Best LED Grow Lights

How to Choose the Best LED Grow Lights

Plants' needs for grow lights vary among plants, and nowadays grow light techniques have been updated. To choose the best LED grow lights in 2024, consider these 3 key factors:

Light Spectrum

To choose the best LED grow lights, always look for grow lights that provide a full light spectrum (similar to natural sunlight). This includes adequate blue light for the vegetative stage and sufficient red light for the plants flowering stage. Different plants require different spectrums with red-to-blue light ratios.

Therefore, some smart LED grow lights like Medicgrow NEO-780 and NEO-1000 offer switchable light spectrums tailored for both the vegetative stage and the flowering stage, allowing you to customize the best red-to-blue light ratios for different green herb growth stages.

Energy Efficiency

When it comes to the efficiency of LED grow lights, we often think of wattage and PAR. However, experienced growers prioritize PPF and PPFD over PAR.

PPF indicates how many photons the light source emits, while PPFD measures how many of those photons actually reach the plant's surface. PAR represents the quality of the photon and cannot be measured with ordinary tools; in fact, measurements with a PAR meter result in PPFD levels rather than PAR.

Why does PPFD matter?

One of the necessary conditions for producing plants is adequate PAR, but now plant biologists typically use photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) to quantify PAR. This is because the chemical reactions of plants' photosynthesis depend more on the number of photons(PPFD) than the energy of photons(PAR).

Therefore, PPFD is generally considered the most important parameter, as it directly measures the number of photons the plants receive in the growing area, which directly impacts the efficiency of photosynthesis and the plant's growth.

Higher PPFD generally means your green herb receives more energy and grows better while saving electric bills. It’s worth noting that Medicgrow Fold-800 produces up to 2080 µmol/s of PPF and when the light height is 12 inches, its PPFD can reach an impressive 1200 μmol/m2/s.

What's more? The Medicgrow NEO-780 LED grow lights are even better! We tested the Medicgrow NEO-780 PPFD this morning (July 31, 2024) using an Apogee MQ 500 PAR meter, and you can see that its PPFD can reach 1323 μmol/m2/s at 14 inches (36cm). Even at 24 inches (61cm), it can still achieve a remarkable result of 1054 μmol/m2/s.

 Medicgrow NEO-780 PPFD

As you can see, the PPFD value of the Medicgrow NEO-780 is significantly higher than that of other LED grow lights. This high PPFD value facilitates faster and bountiful plants growth.

It's also important to note that if the LED grow light PPFD value exceeds 1000, it is necessary to add sufficient CO2 to enhance plants growth. We don't recommend purchasing an LED grow light with a PPFD value below 600, as it may lead to poor plants growth.

Coverage Area

The area covered by LED grow lights is one of the most important factors for growing green herb. Proper coverage area ensures that light is evenly distributed across all plants, leading to higher yields. Uneven light distribution can lead to some plants

receiving too much light (causing light burn) while others receive too little (leading to weak growth).

Therefore, measuring the area of your indoor grow room and choosing the right size for growing lights, as well as determining the appropriate hanging heights, will ensure that the plants receive the light they need to thrive.

Now that we know how to choose the best LED grow lights. By combining your expert plants growing skills with our hand-picked 5 best LED grow lights, we're confident that you can increase your yields by 15% to 20% this year!

This is the latest picture from a customer using the Medicgrow Fold-8, you can see that with the help of the Medicgrow LED grow light, the buds are very dense and full, and the yield is excellent.

5 Top Rated LED Grow Lights 2024

In recent years, with the advancement of LED technology, many LED grow lights have undergone significant updates. Philips Lighting experimented in greenhouses and found that the best light recipe was not the same for all plants.

Therefore, the author recommending the best LED grow lights should not only be a leader in LED grow light technology but also an expert in cultivation. The needed cultivation knowledge includes light intensity, light duration, daily light integral(DLI), light cycles, and spectrum for growing green herb.

Fortunately, Medicgrow has been deeply involved in the LED grow light industry for a decade and has produced lots of high-quality content on plants cultivation. You can fully trust our review on the best LED grow lights!

After rigorous testing and careful comparison in July 2024, we've rounded up the 5 best LED grow lights. Let's take a look at these top-rated LED grow lights.

1. Medicgrow NEO Series (Best Yields)
2. Mars Hydro FC Series (Best Budget)
3. Spider Farmer SE (Most Energy Savings)
4. HLG 750 Diablo (Highest Efficacy)
5. Medicgrow Fold-800 (Best Cost-Effective LEDs)

1. Medicgrow LED Grow Lights (Best Yields)

Medicgrow Grow Light is no stranger to professional growers for providing the most cost-effective LED grow lights. It’s worth noting that Medic Grow continuously innovates LED grow lights and grow tent kits while focusing on improving the growing experience and yield of green herb cultivators.

Their innovative Medic Grow Smart series offers the most intelligent and convenient growing lights control system, providing the optimal light cycles and intensity for plant growth.

Additionally, these LED grow lights have a very affordable price. If you’re looking for top-rated LED grow lights at the best prices, go to Medicgrow! Now, they've launched the brand-new NEO series. Come check out what's new and exciting.

Medicgrow NEO-780

• Price: $580
• Coverage Area: 4x4 ft (44.88"L x 43.31"W x 2.36"H), and is perfect for a 4x4 grow tent.
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2184 μmol/s, full power 780W, and is dimmable for your different growing stages.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED grow lights. This LED grow light is switchable in 2 spectrums (Tailored for the vegetative stage and flowering stage spectrum)
• Average Yields: 13-22+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, seeds and nutrients can greatly affect your yield).
• Additional Highlights: The integrated Aura Control system allows simultaneous control of timers, dimmers, sunrise and sunset mode, spectrum switching, group control and WiFi Mesh.

Medicgrow NEO-780

There is a verified review about Medic Grow NEO-780 LED grow lights, said by grower Justin Erickson: “Best grow light hands down for price! I've never had control like this. Dealing with heat is a breeze and the digital display helps me keep my light parameters met. I would recommend this light. I can't wait until she gets used to her full potential!”

Medic Grow NEO-1000

• Price: $630
• Coverage Area: 4x6 ft (68.50" L x 43.31" W x 2.36" H). It would fit perfectly in a 5x5 grow tent.
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2700 μmol/s, full power 1000W, and is dimmable for your different growing stages.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED grow lights. This light is switchable in 2 spectrums (Tailored for the vegetative stage and flowering stage spectrum).
• Average Yields: 15-25+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, seeds and nutrients can greatly affect your yield)
• Additional Highlights: The integrated Aura Control system allows simultaneous control of timers, dimmers, sunrise and sunset mode, spectrum switching, group control and WiFi Mesh.

Medic Grow NEO-1000

In another verified review, a grower Michael R. wrote this for Medic Grow NEO-1000 growing lights: “Great light! V1 and F1 spectrum allows for tunable control. Solid build design with LED screen to see exact wattage, spectrum, amps and a built-in timer! Really good value with all the bells and whistles. Doesn’t get much better than this!”

2. Mars Hydro (Best Budget)

The folks at Mars Hydro are a dedicated bunch, and their LED grow lights are loved for their PAR levels and even light distribution. These growing lights feature Samsung chips and ensure high PPFD across the entire canopy.

I'd also like to mention Mars Hydro's FC series, which are fantastic LED grow lights. I tried the Mars Hydro FC-E8000 because it was more affordable than other 800W LED grow lights.

The only slight hiccup with these growing lights may be that it's not very smart and convenient. For instance, there's the Medicgrow NEO-780 LED grow lights which can adjust the light spectrum, intensity, and duration all in one screen, making it very convenient!

Mars Hydro FC-E8000

• Price: $609.99
• Coverage Area: 4x4 ft (45.1*44*3.5 IN). It would fit well in a 4x4 grow tent.
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2240umol/S, full power 800W, and can be dimmed depending on your plants growing stages.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED lights
• Average Yields: 14-22+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, fertilizer and topping technique can greatly affect your yield)
• Additional Highlights: The detachable power supply and remotely mounted for effective growing lights temperature control.

Mars Hydro FC-E8000

“The lights seem very sturdy and well-made. The only issue I had was the dimmer. Always seems to be such a cheap switch on otherwise great lights from Mars Hydro. The first light had to be exchanged for one that worked. Mars Hydro made it right quickly though with a replacement light sent immediately” said Kcc.

3. Spider Farmer (Most Energy Savings)

Spider Farmer is dedicated to improving plants cultivation. Their LED grow lights provide the ideal spectrum to ensure plants thrives and grows healthily.

The Spider Farmer SE1000W also uses passive materials to prevent the light itself from overheating, which means your plants won't overheat and you'll save energy.

These growing lights are the most energy-efficient option compared to other LED grow lights, but they are pricey, especially when compared to the Medicgrow Fold-800, which sells for only $280! Let's take a look at the Spider Farmer SE1000 specifications to learn more about it.

Spider Farmer SE1000W

• Price: $959.99
• Coverage Area: 4x4 ft (45.31″X45.31″X3.03″ IN). It would fit well in a 4x4 grow tent.
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2780μmol/s, full power 1000W, and can be dimmed by your plants growing stage.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED grow lights.
• Average Yields: 15-26+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, fertilizer and LST tech can greatly affect your yield)
• Additional Highlights: Passively Cooled & Detachable Driver & Waterproof Coating

Spider Farmer SE1000W

“Great light. Efficient, low heat and very high output. Customer service is okay but it can take a while to get replacements needed. I have not had one se1000w fail we had one se700 needing a ballast replacement it took around ten days turn around to fix the light.” wrote Bob for this grow light.

4. HLG LED Grow Lights (Highest Efficacy)

Horticulture Lighting Group (HLG) is a manufacturer of high-efficacy LED grow lights. Moreover, HLG is renowned for pioneering full-spectrum white LED grow lights, which mimic natural sunlight for improved plants growth and yield. This makes them the highest-efficacy growing lights.

Their products, such as the HLG 750 Diablo, are known for their quality and efficacy. The downside is that they are expensive and cover a smaller area than other LED grow light brands. Let's take a peek at the specs to learn more about it.

HLG 750 Diablo

• Price: $1,014
• Coverage Area: 4x4 ft (37.5" x 27.125" x 3.75"  IN). It would fit well in a 4x4 grow tent.
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2000μmol/s, full power 715W, and can be dimmed depending on your plants growing stages.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED grow lights, and is available in 2 spectrums.
• Average Yields: 13-22+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, seeds and fertilizer can greatly affect your yield)
• Additional Highlights: Passive-cooled Design

HLG 750 Diablo

Ghostface wrote this review for these growing lights: “This grow light is amazing at 20% it still reads at 500 Par and that 3ft from the canopy. I turned it up to 30% and scorched my girls at 2ft from the canopy.”

5. Medicgrow Fold-800 (Best Cost-effective LEDs)

When it comes to the best budget grow lights, I have to mention MedicGrow again. Their Fold-800 features 8 lighting bars, 72 OSRAM red chips, and 3300 San'An white chips, providing a full spectrum tailored to each stage of plants growth. 

The best part? It's under $300! You'll never find a more cost-effective LED grow light in the 4x4 grow light series. Plus, its high-quality materials drive up production costs, ensuring you're getting great value. Just try it once and you’ll see what it can do.

Even at a distance of 12 inches from the Medicgrow Fold-800, I measured an impressive PPFD of 1249 μmol/m²/s. If you're still on the fence about which LED grow lights to buy, this is your best choice!

Medicgrow Fold-800

• Price: $279.99
• Coverage Area: 4x4 ft (44.88" x 43.30" x 2.04" IN)
• Energy Efficiency (PPF&WATT): 2080 μmol/s, full power 800W, and is dimmable only when buying with a grow light controller.
• Light Spectrum: Full-spectrum LED grow lights, specially designed for different growing stages.
• Average Yields: 12-21+ oz (Please remember that different light heights, light duration, seeds and fertilizer can greatly affect your yield)
• Additional Highlights: Passive-cooled Design, Foldable Design, and 24/7 Customer Service.

Medicgrow Fold-800

Verified review by grower Diego Borunda for the Medicgrow Fold-800 LED grow lights: “The best grow light that Inverso ever had, New customer for sure! My plants loved it, and they started getting bigger in the first week of use, it's an amazing light and worth every penny that I spend on it, the next light that I'm getting is from you guys 100% sure”

Here’s another verified review by grower Richard Barnett about the Medicgrow Fold-800 light for growing plants: “Great light at a great price. I bought the Fold 800 and am loving this light and so are my plants. I have since bought 2 of the Mini Sun 2 320 and they do an amazing job also. I tell everyone looking to buy a new light to check out Medic Grow. I'm a customer for life.”

Conclusion

You’ve just learned about the 5 best LED grow lights in 2024. By now, you probably have your own opinion too—expensive doesn't always mean the best. Companies like Medicgrow are doing great work helping growers like us to achieve higher yields.

By using the most cost-effective grow lights and the growing tips posted on Medicgrow, I'm sure we'll get the most out of plants. I hope you find your best grow lights for plants and start your new joyful growing journey!

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Do Grow Lights Work?

What Type of Light Is Best for Growing Plants Indoors?

FAQs About Best LED Grow Lights

1. LED vs HID, Which is the Best Grow Light?

LED grow lights are the best grow lights because they are energy-efficient, have a long lifespan, and offer a full spectrum of light tailored to different growth stages. They also generate less heat, reducing the need for extensive cooling systems.

On the other hand, HID grow lights are known for their high intensity. They provide deep light penetration, but they consume more electricity, generate significant heat, and require frequent bulb replacements. For these reasons, HIDs are now overtaken by LED grow lights.

2. What Are the Best LED Grow Lights for Beginners?

The best LED grow lights for beginners are those easy to use and energy-efficient. Options like the Medicgrow Fold-800 and Medicgrow NEO-780 provide a full spectrum of light suitable for all growth stages and are beginner-friendly with simple setups, minimal heat output, and higher PPFD.

3. Will Any Grow Lights Work for Green Herb?

Not all grow lights are suitable for plants cultivation. The best grow lights include LED and HID lights, as they provide the necessary light intensity and spectrum for different growth stages.

Besides, LED grow lights are particularly favored for their energy efficiency, low heat output, and customizable spectrum, making them ideal growing lights for all stages of growth.