If you grow plants indoor, You definitely need a grow light. Plants can not thrive without the right kind of lighting.! The problem is that you will find hundreds of LED grow lights on the market, and not all are created equal. The question is, which ones? You may not have an outdoor space, or you live in a cold region with a short growing season, But it will not stop you from indoor gardening if you invest in an efficient LED grow light. So, what led grow light should you buy? Read our full guide to choosing the right LED light that fits your requirements.

Should I use a grow light for my indoor plants?

I would get grow lights if:
If you live somewhere that has ok light all year round, then you may not need to grow lights. But if you live in colder parts of the Northern hemisphere, they may help a lot.
Do you have a lot of plants? If so, and you find that they suffer from a lack of light in the winter, it might actually be more cost-effective to buy grow lights than it is to replace your plants.

This is, even more, the case if you have rare/expensive plants. Or if you get anxiety when your plants die, or you have plants that have sentimental value.

You have a dark area in your home that you want to put a plant in. Grow lights can make this happen. Just check there's an outlet nearby first. My house has (literally) 30 outlets downstairs and two (2) upstairs.

You love propagating/ want to get better at it. Whilst natural light is always best (it's free for a start) it isn't a guarantee (cries in the UK). Light is instrumental to root growth and having a backup is useful if the sun has fucked off.

I wouldn't get grow lights if:
You can't afford it. They're awesome to have, but not necessary. I've made it through a winter without grow lights and I didn't lose any plants. You can always trim back stunted growth in the summer.

You don't have many plants. Effective grow lights (especially aesthetically pleasing ones) can be pricy, and if they're more expensive than replacing your plant, you might want to consider whether or not they're worth it

Are grow lights effective?

Yes. Even the cheap grow lights I've found do a stellar job at not letting my plants die over the window, even though they're in the dark recessed corner of an east-facing window.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on grow lights if all you want in terms of results is for your plants not to die.
If you choose your plants carefully (for example plants like calathea and peace lilies) you can even encourage growth all year round, though it'll probably be a little small and stunted.

But for those of you with loftier goals, such as preventing Alocasia from going into dormancy, or even encouraging healthy growth in winter, you can get grow lights that will 100% deliver that.

More light = More weed

Regardless of whether you choose to grow your cannabis indoors or out, you are going to need a good source of light. More light means more weed. In nature, plants use the sun. Light is the force which makes photosynthesis possible, converting that energy into usable glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis splits hydrogen from oxygen and then combines with oxygen and glucose.
Glucose is the fuel of the plant, the chemical that powers the basic building and growing functions that carry Cannabis from seed to smoke. Your plants use a lot of light to produce it, and, in general, the more, the better. The important thing to remember is to keep the rest of the environment balanced with whatever amount of light you're applying. You need to monitor the temperature, humidity, and levels of carbon dioxide in the air. Beyond that, your plant requires adequate nutrients and plenty of water.

Your eventual goal as a grower is a high-quality yield of buds, and this will be determined in great part by the amount of light your plants receive. Cannabis is especially receptive to heavy lighting, and the quality and size of your flowers will be determined in part by all those lumens!

In general, you want a minimum of 30,000 lm per 10 square feet in your grow room. With the proper balancing of the environment, you can go all the way up to 80,000 lm per 10 square feet. Don't do this unless you are planning on devoting a lot of time, energy, and money into making sure that the environment is constantly getting the necessary tweaks.

The flowers or buds of the Cannabis plant are comprised of the stalk, the leaf, and the calyx. If a plant receives light in abundance, then the plant will focus more on producing calyces than making flowers. The reverse holds true. If a plant isn't getting enough light, then more energy will be devoted to the production of leaves, and you will end up with a worse harvest. This is because the plant is trying to compensate for the low amount of light by making extra leaves to pull in sunlight.
The spectrum of light your plants are receiving affect growth a great deal. The sun has a very full spectrum, but you can control the types of light you are using in your grow room to achieve some excellent effects. Photosynthesis and a number of chlorophyll related reactions are stimulated by the orange, red and blue sections of the spectrum. Phototropism is controlled by colors ranging from blue to ultraviolet. This is the phenomenon by which a plant grows itself into the best possible position for capturing light.

The most important general rule to remember about light and Cannabis cultivation is that red spectrum colors induce flowering, while blue spectrum colors promote growth.

The cycles or periods of time during which your plant receives light is also important. While your plant is growing, it should be receiving about 18 hours of light for every 6 hours of darkness. When it's time to flower, you'll want to switch to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness (hint: there are only 24 hours in a day). One of the really nice things about indoor growing is that you have full control over the light. You choose how the passage of night and day will occur, and so you should be mindful of providing it in ideal proportions so that your plant thrives.

ECO Farm LUX 700W Full Spectrum Dimmable LED Grow Light

Features:
With a total of 708pcs LED chips, this ECO Farm LED grow light offers an extremely large irradiation area for plenty of plants. Coverage 5x5ft for veg, 4x4ft for bloom. Perfect for indoor, greenhouse planting, personal and commercial growth. Newest SMD LED technology provide light output PPFD up to 1575.2 μmol/㎡s, high energy efficiency at 2.5umol/J.The best solution to get more and better quality fruits. This full spectrum LED Grow Light uses 660pcs 3500K leds, 36pcs 660nm deep red led,12pcs 730nm. Adequate and sun-like light can prevent the growth of plants from spindly and moulding. The best lighting solution for indoor hydroponics and soil cultivation, such as potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, etc. The actual power is 700w. Increasing the heat dissipation area by utilized a special surface treatment of the aluminum heat sink. Saving up to 50% energy and 30% cooler than than other grow light.

Model: LUX 720W Bridgelux
Spectrum: 3500K+red light 660nm+IR 730nm
PPF: 1575.2μmol/s
Efficacy: 2.5μmol/J
Flux : 104691lm
Input Power： 700
Input Voltage： 100–277V
Power Factor： ＞0.95
Dimming： 0–10V
Light Distribution： 120°
Working temperature： -20℃-55℃
Lifespan: ＞50000hrs
Dimensions /(mm): 1000*1000*113
Certifications: CE、Rhos、Fcc
Warranty: 3 years
Packing: 1140*255*245mm 
Weight：17.5kg
Diodes: Bridgelux 3500K/660PCS
（1W/Chip）
660nm/36PCS
730nm/12PCS

AgroMax AFS 1830 LED Grow Light

Features:
AgroMax AFS 1830 LED Grow Light features a spanning 6-bar design that provides 1830 µmol/s with an advanced full-spectrum and an impressive light footprint. Samsung LED chips with added red, blue, UV and IR LED chips combine to provide complete nourishment for horticultural applications. The system offers the flexibility of on-board dimming and external control capabilities. Built for both home and commercial use, the AFS-1830 uses 720 watts for an extraordinary 2.54 µmol/watt and operates on 120–277v power supplies.

Max Wattage: 720w
Input Power: 120–277v 50/60hz
Amperage: 6.0@120v, 3.0@240v, 2.7@277v
Chip Model: Samsung LM561C - 5630
Driver Model: Mean Well XLG-240
PPF (400–700nm): 1830 µmol
Spectrum: AgroMax Advanced Full Spectrum
Dimensions: 35.5″ x 35.5″ x 2.5″
Weight: 37lbs
Warranty: 3 Year

Factors Consider When Buying Indoor Grow Lights

When looking for an excellent grow light that's ideal for professional indoor growing, pay attention to the following crucial qualities.

Solid build - The grow light you decide to use must have a sturdy material construction for maximum durability. You don't need to worry about updating your setup or making any changes.

Full-spectrum light - Plants can grow under numerous lighting conditions, but using full-spectrum lighting can create the ideal state for maximum yield. Besides, with a full-spectrum grow light, the same light can serve you throughout the cannabis grow cycle. You just have to switch from veg to bloom!
Minimal heat emission - For an ideal growing environment, your light should produce as little heat as possible, only sufficient for maintaining room temperature. Grow lights that emit a lot of heat require more powerful HVACs to be running all the time, thus more overhead costs.

Energy efficiency - Don't only focus on the initial cost. Your preferred fixture should be the most reliable in terms of your overall electricity consumption.

Safety and reliability - Safety is a paramount consideration for your indoor gardening. Check out for stickers to confirm quality tests and compliance to avoid short-circuits, malfunctions, or fire risks.

Easy to install and use - Whether it's a traditional lighting system or a more advanced fixture, it should have a simple installation process and be ready to be used immediately.
Warranty - It's a great idea to go for an artificial indoor light that has a warranty. Even if it has a long lifespan, you can never be too safe from product defects.

Conclusion

Grow lights can help you grow and maintain your indoor plants and vegetable garden through the seasons without a problem.
Using this comprehensive guide, you should be able to pick out the best grow lights for plants based on your needs and spatial requirements. Once you get it set up, you can easily keep your plants healthy and thriving all year round.