Growing plants without sun exposure aren’t possible at all. But grow light changed that concept. LED lights are the most effective and easy process to grow plants at home with less chemical usage. They produce less carbon and have control over the lighting spectrum which is unimaginable with High-Pressure Sodium Vapor (HPS) lights.
For better yield you need better quality grow light. They can be too expensive. But necessarily you don’t have to go for expensive ones as cheap LED grow lights can ensure you better yield too. You just have to find the right one.
Nevertheless, you may have no idea which cheap LED grow lights are of good quality. But as we are here you don’t have to worry at all.
We are here to suggest the top 10 best budget LED grow lights available in the market.
Things to consider before purchasing cheap LED grow light-
- Light Intensity
- Light Spectrum
- Coverage Area
- Power Consumption
- Material Quality
- Manufacturer Warranty
Without further due let’s start.
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List of Top 10 Best Budget LED Grow Lights
Before going into the detailed Specs, reviews and pros-cons, let’s have a short glimpse of our pickings.
[wptb id="4943" not found ]Top 10 Best Budget LED Grow Lights with Specs, Reviews & Pros-Cons
1. SPIDER FARMER SF-1000 Grow Light (Modern Bang For The Buck)
Specification
- Shade Material: Stainless Steel, Aluminum
- Finish Type: Polished
- Switch Type: Rocker
- Spectrum: 660nm,3000K,5000K and IR 760nm
- Vegetative coverage: 3 x 3 ft
- Flower coverage: 2 x 2 ft
- Max Yield: 2.5g/watt
- Frequency: 50-60HZ
- Input Volt: AC100-277V
- Power draw:100.5W±5%@AC12 0V 98.8W±5%@AC240V 98.39W±5%@AC277V
- Lumen:16439Lm±5%@AC12 0V 16327Lm±5%@AC240V 16292 Lm±5%@AC277V
- Amperage:0.8274A@AC120V 0.4246A@AC240V 0.3739A@AC2 77V Work
- Warranty: 3 Years
Firstly let us introduce to you a grow light from the brand Spider Farmer. The model is SF-1000.
Before proceeding with this product let me tell you that it’s a little bit costlier than the other LED grow lights we will introduce to you in this article. But still, it’s one of the best affordable LED grow lights without compromising quality.
For uniform canopy penetration to obtain higher yield Spider Farmer utilized the latest high yielding LEDs technology – Samsung LM301B diodes which is highly Energy Efficient with 2.5 umol/J and provides powerful light output.
While consuming 100 watts from your power source, it runs on 50% less power than HPS or other SMD LEDs that saves your electricity bill effectively.
This SF-1000 provides an ideal spectrum light for all growth stages. It consists of the white band of 3000K, a blue band of 5000K, a red band of 660 nm, and an IR band of 760 nm where the 660nm red light and IR spectrum speeds up flowering time and increases the amount of yield.
If you are trying to light up a 3 x 3 ft Veg footprint and 2 x 2 ft Flowering footprint then this best budget LED grow light can be the perfect choice for you. You can connect multiple lights with unified dimming as this best cheap LED grow light on a budget offers a dimming daisy chain switch function. It is beneficial if you have a large area of indoor growing.
Well, these best budget LED grow lights have no fan. So, it’s noise-free totally.
Anti-moisture and anti vulcanization board as well as coated light, Reliable Mean Well driver, thick and solid aluminum heat sink with protective covers for cables ensure its durability.
With good sides, these LED grow lights have bad sides too. The dimming option isn’t convenient at all. Some users said that the dimmable function does not work and it’s not good for blooming. Few lights are not working.
It’s one of the best cheap LED grow lights on amazon. For 2×2 ft coverage, it’s perfect. Ideal Light spectrum, Samsung LM301B diodes, flexibility in fixing light intensity, all we can say it’s really good value for your money. More than 95% of users are happy with these cheap LED grow lights and as concerns for 5% bad experience, the 3 years after-sale service can solve those issues.
Strengths
- Samsung LM301B diodes
- Great 2×2 foot coverage
- Mean Well Driver
- Dimming daisy chain feature
- Excellent Power Efficiency
- 3 Years warranty
Weaknesses
- Dimming option isn’t convenient
2. VIPARSPECTRA REFLECTOR SERIES 300W Budget Grow Light
Specification
- Material: Iron
- Veg Coverage: 2×2 ft at 24″ Height
- Flowering Coverage: 1.5×1.5 ft at 18″ Height
- Power Draw: 130W±3% at 120V
- Amp: 1.08A at 120V, 0.59A at 220V
- LED Bulbs: 60pcs
- Input Voltage: AC100-240V
- Frequency: 50-60Hz
- Lifespan: ≥100,000 hours
- Warranty: 3 Years
Viparspectra is one of the best cheap LED grow lights under $100.These grow lights are designed to provide high PAR output which is ideal for indoor gardening plants.
So, our next pick is this one.
Let’s know more about this cheap LED grow light-
Viparspectra provides optimal full spectrum light which is necessary for plants in all cycles from veg to flower. Fulfilling all the needs of natural sunlight ensures bigger buds and higher yield.
Recommended Lighting-
- For the germination stage 10 hours per day from 26-32 inches above the plants.
- For young vegetative stage 12 hours per day from 24-28 inches above the plants.
- For the vegetative stage 18 hours per day from 16 to 24 inches above the plants.
- And, For the flowering stage 18 hours per day from 14-18 inches above the plants.
As we mentioned earlier this best affordable LED grow light provides optimal full-spectrum light that is perfect for all grow stages for plants.
It has 12 different spectrum light consists of four blue spectra of 440 nm,445 nm, 460 nm, 475 nm; five red spectra of 580 nm, 595 nm, 615 nm, 630 nm, 660 nm; two white spectra of 3000K and 7500K and an IR band of 730 nm.
Tests have shown that this best cheap grow light has a PAR-efficacy of 1.26 umol/J. That’s satisfactory in this budget as it’s mainly recommended to be used at a minimum height of 15 to 17 inches(flowering stage).
This LED grow light is perfect for a growing territory of 2’x2’ vegetative stage at 24 inches and 1.5×1.5’ flowering stage at 18 inches.
This best budget LED grow light has a daisy chain feature which helps to connect multiple lights together with fewer outlets. You don’t need any extra cord. Just plug the given power cord into the second light’s outlet to obtain the connection among multiple units.
While consuming only 130W it can replace a 250W HPS/MH. So, it can save your electricity bill effectively. Due to using upgraded aluminum cooling heat sinks and advanced high-speed cooling fans, heat dissipation is great and that also makes V300 suitable for warmer environments.
Growers with limited height might not be interested in this best cheap LED grow light. Some users complained that diodes burned up within a few months after purchase.
Viparspectra is one of the best affordable LED grow lights. It offers a daisy chain feature that has decent PAR efficacy. Except for some users’ bad experiences, you won’t find any flaw in this LED grow light. As V300 offers a 3 years warranty you can solve any problem regarding this light by claiming a warranty.
Strengths
- Effectively saves electricity
- Decent PAR value
- Daisy chain feature
- Great heat dissipation
- 3 Years Warranty And 30 days money-back guarantee
Weaknesses
- Less coverage area
3. KING PLUS 600W Compact Grow Light
Specification
- Power Source: Electric
- Shade Material: Aluminum
- Spectrum Range: 380 nm-780nm
- Frequency: 50-60Hz
- Grow Tent: 4’×4’×6′
- Veg Coverage: 3 x 3.4 ft
- Bloom Coverage: 2.4 x 2.7 ft
- Power Draw: 125W
- Input Volt: AC85-265V
- Work Temperature: 68~104°
- Lifespan: 100,000 hours
- Warranty: 3 years
A definite light spectrum is essential for a plant in the germination, flowering, and fruiting stage. This best cheap full spectrum LED grow light provides a lighting spectrum in a range between 380 nm to 780 nm including UV & IR of natural light which is necessary at all growing stages for plants.
Recommended Lighting-
- For the germination stage 14-18 hours per day from 26 to 30 inches above the plants.
- For the growing stage 12-14 hours per day from 20 to 26 inches above the plants.
- For the flowering stage 9-12 hours per day from 18 to 24 inches above the plants.
- And, For the fruiting stage 7-8 hours per day from 18 to 24 inches above the plants.
In every stage for proper Lighting of plants, you can switch between Veg/Bloom. In the flowering and fruiting stage as plants need full spectrum you should turn on these two switches.
Color ratio: Red 56.91%,Green 12.59% and the Blue 30.5%.
You can see the Red part is larger than the others so surely the bloom stage will get the benefit most. The blue part is near about 30%. So, the light spectrum is mainly focused on Red and Blue light. Photosynthetically Active Radiation efficacy is also satisfactory. It’s 1 .153 umol/J.
This best inexpensive LED grow light only pulls 125watt electricity from your power source. It can replace 250watt HPS lights and produce more intense light for utilizing 60 double chip LEDs of 10 watts each. Every part of the plant will get equal intense light if placed in short range.
KingPlus LED grow light is most suitable for small grow environments. It’s equipped with 2 high-speed cooling fans. And the light bulb can work at 50°F to 60°F, which is less than other bulbs. So, during lower temperatures plants won’t be burned. Thanks to the aluminum radiator.
You must be wonder that why grow lights are purple? Check this.
This best cheapest indoor grow light is not waterproof as it’s for indoor use only. The company claims that it can cover 3.5ft×3.5ft. But it’s actually not. Maximum customers said that they don’t have that much coverage as they advertised. It’s basically good for 2×2 footage. Some users said that these light bulbs burned out within a year and some said multiple LEDs failed and fans also stopped working within a few months.
So, you have already learned about this best budget grow lamp. This LED grow light is best for small grow environments. It has Over 1300 reviews on Amazon and the maximum users are satisfied with the service. You will get a 3 years warranty as well.
Strengths
- Best affordable grow light
- Energy Efficient
- Durable and attractive design
- 2 high-speed cooling fans
- 3 years warranty+90 days free return
Weaknesses
- No daisy-chaining feature
- Not waterproof
4. LEOTER GROW LIGHT FOR INDOOR PLANTS
Specification
- Shade Material: Metal, Polyvinyl Chloride
- Timing Mode: 3(Auto)
- Switch Mode: 3
- Dimmable Mode: 10
- Flexibility: 360 degree
- Spectrum Range: 380 nm-800 nm
This LED grow light from Leoter is one of the very cheap LED grow lights.
Before purchasing, let me tell you more about this cheapest LED grow light-
Leoter grow lights come with 80 efficient growing LEDs from which 28 provides a full light spectrum of 380 nm to 800nm rest 36 red and 16 blue light provides wavelengths of 660 nm and 460 nm respectively. It fulfills the conditions of plant growth without sunlight and ensures optimal plant growth.
You’ll be amazed after knowing that these cheap LED grow lights come with the circular memory timer function which allows to automatically turn on/off every day according to your settings; it turns on the Blue lights for 3 hours, the Greenlights for 9 hours, and the Red lights for 12 hours to take care of your plants when you are busy.
This best budget LED grow light offers 10 dimmable modes and 3 spectral modes to meet the demand of plant growth in various stages.
To make this best cheap LED grow light convenient it includes the USB connector to connect in your office or home to a USB or AC power plug. 4 headlights with a flexible gooseneck of 360 degrees make it easy to focus on the right place. Leoter LED grow light won’t make you upset in durability matters as well.
Aviation grade heat sinks efficiently dissipate the heat generated by the light. No overheating issues as it controls the temperature on a safe level to ensure maximum lifespan.
Though maximum users are happy with this cheapest LED grow light but some users have been in trouble after purchasing this best cheap LED grow light. They complained that they heard loud vibrating noise after switching the lights and some users said that the USB cord burnt out while for some users it didn’t even last for a few months.
In such a low price range this LED grow light is really recommendable. It offers an upgraded auto on/off timer and ensures optimal growth of your plants. If your budget is very tight you can check this LED grow light from Leoter.
Strengths
- Auto Timer Function
- Adjustable Dimming System
- 3 Spectral Modes
- Includes USB Connector
Weaknesses
- No warranty
- Have to nail in a strong place
5. ROLEADRO GALAXYHYDRO 1000W LED Grow Light
Specification
- Shade Material: Plastic
- LED Source: 100pcs x 10W Epileds LED Chips
- Actual Power: 135w±5%
- Working Volt: AC100~240V
- Frequency: 50 or 60 HZ
- Core Coverage: 2ft x 2ft (24″ Height)
- Max Coverage: 3ft x 3ft (24″ Height)
- Lens: 90°
- Lifespan: 50000 Hours
- Warranty: 2 Years
Roleadro galaxyhydro is our 5th choice among the best budget LED grow lights.
Roleadro provides everything that a plant expects from natural sunlight. They provided 76 red lights of 630 to 660nm, 18 blue lights of 450 to 470nm, 2 IR & UV of 740nm & 410nm respectively, and 2 white lights of 8000 to 10000K. Red light increases the yield by 35-50%, Blue and white light promotes the growing speed of plants up to 30% where IR & UV do stimulus cell division.
These best budget grow lamps adopted LED bead and Zener design instead of the reflector which works as a capacitor and ensures if one LED fails it won’t affect others.
It draws just 135-watt power from your power supply that is equivalent to a 250 watt HID system and can replace traditional 1000watt HPS/MH.
It provides max coverage of 3f×3ft. Roleadro 1000W provides higher PAR value and Lumen output compared to others for 90° optical lenses and epileds 10-watt chip design that’s not found in other budget grow lights. High PAR and fully light absorption effectively shorten the growth cycle to enjoy anti-season vegetables and fruits.
2 high-speed cooling fans, an aluminum heat sink, and a built-in temperature controller can dissipate heat inside to outside effectively.
This best cheap LED grow light isn’t moisture-resistant and gets foggy in high humidity, has a daisy chain feature but is suitable to connect just 3 lamps. Besides white LEDs are just 2 in number, much less than red and blue LEDs. Few users complained that few lights stopped working in just 3-4 months.
Roleadro 1000 watt is one of the best cheap LED grow lights under $100.Provides decent Spectrum for every growing stage. Zener design, built-in Temperature controller, High PAR value can really satisfy you. 90% of users are happy with this grow light. If you face any problem then that can be solved by the provided warranty.
Strengths
- Zener Design
- Decent coverage
- 90° optical lens
- Built-in Temperature controller
- 2 years warranty
Weaknesses
- Not moisture resistant
- Limitations in daisy chain feature
6. PHILZON 600W Grow Light for Money
Specification
- Material: Metal
- Finish Type: Painted
- Shape: Rectangular
- Actual Power: 100w±3%
- Voltage: 110 Volts
- Wattage: 600 watts
- Switch Style: Push Button
- Special Features: 2-way switching
- Coverage : 2 × 2ft
- Lifespan: 50000 Hours
- Warranty: 2 Years warranty
This LED grow light from PHILZON is really value for money. The PHILZON manufacturer is firstly concerned about safety.
Other grow lights used LED spotlight reflectors to make the outlook attractive but as the LED reflector isn’t heat resistant and may cause a fire so to avoid danger they didn’t use that reflector.
This best budget grow light has 2 modes- Veg & bloom. Blue LED and White LED are Veg switches. It’s essential for seedling or young vegetative growth. Red LED and White LED are for Bloom switches. For the flowering and fruiting stage, both switches are necessary as plants demand full spectrum at that time.
Philzon provides a full light spectrum for plant growth. Universal Blue, Red, IR, UV, and White LEDs provide everything that plants a desire in the sunlight.
For improving defense mechanisms of plants IR and UV LED works where Blue and Red LED is beneficial for plant growth; the strong intensity of blue light will ensure stronger root and the red light will increase the production of the hormone to prevent the breakdown of chlorophyll.
Philzon 600W LED grow light can replace 100-watt HPS/MH and generates less heat. This light is perfectly suitable for you if you are trying to light up a 2x2ft growing area at 24″ height.
This best affordable led grow light offers a daisy chain feature as well, which means you can connect multiple lights together by the power cord.
It has two fans for cooling. Doesn’t generate much heat. You’ll get a 2 years warranty and 30 days money-back guarantee as well If you face any problem with these LED grow lights.
Nothing to complain much about this LED grow light. Just a few users faced bad experiences with these. As per the complaint, few said that LED melted. And this Philzon LED grow light isn’t waterproof.
Pricewise Philzon LED grow lights won’t make you upset. They are valued for money. If you face any problem then that can be solved by the provided 24 months warranty.
Strengths
- Full Light Spectrum
- 2 Modes
- Daisy Chain Feature
- No noise at all
- Less Heat
- 24 Months warrant+30days money-back guarantee
Weaknesses
- Not Waterproof
- Less Coverage
7. VIPARSPECTRA P1500 LED Grow Light
Specification
- Shade Material: Aluminum
- Vegetative coverage: 3’x3’ at 20 inches
- Flowering coverage: 2’x2′ at 16 inches
- Power Draw: 150W±3%
- Amp: 1.36A at 110V, 0.68A at 220V
- Input Volt: AC100-240V
- Frequency: 50-60Hz
- Spectrum: 660nm,3000K,5000K and IR 730nm
- DB: 0
- Warranty: 3 years
We came here again with a LED grow light from brand Viparspectra. Its model is P1500. Let’s know more about this LED grow light–
P1500 provides an optimal full light spectrum for the balanced growth of plants. You’ll get IR light that can accelerate bloom time and can increase yield. Besides, it provides a red light spectrum of 660 nm and a white light spectrum of 5000K. So, it provides everything that plants demand from sunlight.
To achieve perfect growth at every stage P1500 includes a dimmer knob feature so that you can adjust the brightness level according to needs. VIPARSPECTRA always focuses on high PAR output. To provide high PAR output P1500 LED grow light has adopted the newest SMD LED Technology.
This best affordable grow light provides 3×3 ft veg coverage at 20 inches and 2×2 ft flowering coverage at 16 inches. While consuming only 150W electricity from your power supply it can replace traditional 400W HPS/MH.
The built quality of P1500 is admirable. Lights are coated to avoid moisture effectively and to increase the life of the board, also solid glue is processed on every chip.
No fan, no noise. Fanless design but heat dissipation is excellent for a large area of a solid aluminum heat sink.
Well, this LED grow light is especially good for the veg stage, not bad for the flowering stage too. But price-wise we expected a little better performance in the flowering stage. Besides, at this price, we expected the auto-timer function as this LED grow light is the costlier one than the other grow lights we introduced to you.
A conclusion-Except the drawback we mentioned here, this LED grow light is really worth purchasing. Noise-free, waterproof, decent PAR output, brightness adjustability, installation hassle-free just plug and play and a 3 years warranty can definitely draw your attention.
Strengths
- Very bright
- Provides Full Spectrum
- Good coverage
- No heat at all
- Waterproof
- Brightness Adjustability
- 3 Years warranty
Weaknesses
- No auto-timer function
- No Daisy chain feature
8. ROLEADRO PANEL 75W Grow Light
Specification
- Shade Material: Plastic
- Series: Grow light panel series–HY-MD-D169-S
- Actual power: 25.2±5% watt
- Lumen: 4546.2 Lux
- Input volt: AC 85-265v
- Frequency: 50-60hz
- Lifespan: 50000 hrs
- Size: 276*276*14mm
- Weight: 0.95KG
- Certificates: CE, FCC, ROHS
- Warranty: 30 Months
Our next pick is another LED grow light from the brand Roleadro.
This time it’s cheaper than the previous Roleadro grow light we introduced to you. Let’s check out what this grow light offering you-
Such a best led grow light for the money provides diverse Spectrum and promotes plant growth. Out of 169 LED- 117red bands of 620-740nm & 52blue bands of 460-465nm. Red and blue Spectral ratio 2.25:1. So, for quick growth it’s perfect.
Recommended Lighting-
- For the seedling stage 12-14 hours per day from 24 to 36 inches above the plants.
- For vegetative stage 14-16 hours per day from 18 to 24 inches above the plants.
- For the flowering stage 14-18 hours per day from 8 to 12 inches above the plants.
Red light boosts up plant roots growth and helps to become taller and thicker; where Blue light promotes the synthesis of plant chlorophyll, carotenoids, chlorophyll A&B along this promotes photosynthesis and leaf growth. So, they can provide sufficient nutrients to plants.
Unique 60° optical lens, this grow light has coverage of 3×3 tent for veg or clone and can be used for both hydroponics and indoor plants.
This best cheap led grow light is lightweight and easy to use with the upgraded hanging brackets. Just hang the lamp anywhere you want.
It runs on very low power and an Aluminum cooling plate made of advanced small molecular material is used for proper timely heat dissipation and heat dissipation much improved for attaching a small heat sink for each chip. No overheating issue and certified by FCC, CE, ROHS, and PSE.
At this price, Roleadro gives decent features. But no on/off switch. You have to unplug it to turn it off. That’s the drawback of this grow light. Besides some users said that few lights stopped working within a few months.
Conclusion-Considering the price we can say it’s the best led grow light for the money. Less power draw can save power effectively and provide bright light. You can use this light for almost every vegetable. The results will definitely satisfy you. Besides, a 30-month warranty is there for you if something happens.
Strengths
- Decent brightness
- Can grow every vegetable
- Low power consumption
- Heat sink for each chip
- Noise Free
- No heat generation at all
- 30 Months warranty
Weaknesses
- No on-off switch
- Not waterproof
9. EZORKAS FULL SPECTRUM LED GROW LIGHT
Specification
- Shade Material: Polyvinyl Chloride
- Wattage: 80W
- Item Weight: 1.87 pounds
- Switch Modes: Light On, Double light on, all light on
- Dimmable Modes: 5
- Timing Modes:3
- Optics: 60°
- Lifespan: 50000 hours
Now it’s the time to introduce to you the cheapest LED grow light but price-wise one of the best budget LED grow lights on our list. This is EZORKAS full spectrum LED grow light.
Are you interested? Then go on-
The latest 4 head full spectrum grow light emits all the light spectrum from 380 nm to 800 nm. It provides a full spectrum and can be used for food production, plant propagation, indoor gardening, and hydroponics. Just like natural sunlight, it fulfills all the demands.
These best cheap full spectrum grow lights give you auto-on/off-time features as well. Everyday Auto turns on and off can be set. This feature gives you ease if you are on work or vacation.
You can set the time function just like this: Light On, Double light on, all light on. 3 switching modes and 5 dimming modes (20% to 100% brightness) allow you to adjust lighting according to every growing stage.
It provides up to 300 Lumens brightness. 4 flexible 360° LED gooseneck with adjustability clip you can easily adjust the angle and distance and can get an estimated coverage of 4×3 footage.
This cheapest LED grow light is easy to use, just connect the adapter to the device and plug it into a power board.
The tube is 360° bendable. For perfect lighting, you have to adjust the lights at an optimal distance.
No cooling fans and about heat dissipation, the company didn’t say anything. Few users said that this LED grow light generates a lot of heat. You won’t get any warranty either.
Lack of features but considering the price this LED grow light can still satisfy you. Auto timer function,360° flexible gooseneck at this price is amazing. Besides, it provides a full light spectrum so you can use this grow light for any indoor growing.
Strengths
- Decent Brightness
- 360° flexible gooseneck
- Auto Timer Function
- 20% to 100% brightness adjustability
- Full Spectrum
Weaknesses
- Generates much heat
- No heat sink
- No warranty
10. SANSI 36W LED GROW LIGHT BULB (Cheap Supplemental Choice)
Specification
- Finish Type: Ceramic
- Light Source Wattage: 36 Watts
- Input Voltage: 90-132Vac 60Hz
- IP Rating: IP20
- Optics: 60°
- Lumen Flux: 2700lm
- Lifespan: 30000 hours
- Warranty: 5 years unlimited
If you are on a limited budget and limited space, then you should check a light from brand SANSI.
This smallest LED grow light in our list can provide a full spectrum in a range between 400-780nm. Every LED chip is a mixture of different colors instead of just a single color and provides a whitish color.
If you are a new grower or if you need supplemental light in the present setup or if you have very limited space then this light is a good choice for you. It gives you a coverage of 4.20 sq. ft. Advanced 60° optical design ensues uniform and intense light in every corner.
About heat dissipation, SANSI did something exceptional. For better heat dissipation efficiency, they used ceramic technology instead of an aluminum heat sink and a unique hollow-out structure.
The drawback is that you have to purchase a socket for using the light bulbs which should be provided with the box. Few users complained that the chip cover melted and a few users said that the light bulb burned out within a few months. No eye protection so for sensitive people, this light may hurt the eye and give them a headache.
At a very affordable price, SANSI grow lights provide outstanding features. If you have a short growing area then this LED grow light can be a good choice for you otherwise better not to go for it.
Strengths
- Perfect Red: Blue light ratio
- Ceramic technology and hollow out structure
- Full-spectrum
- 5 years warranty
- IP20 rating
Weaknesses
- Had to purchase a socket
- May hurt the eye and give headache
Buying Guide Of Best Budget LED Grow Light
We talked about the top best cheap grow light available in the market. But there are few things you need to consider before purchasing a cheap grow light so that your money doesn’t go in vain. These are-
Light intensity:
Obviously, a cheap LED grow light will provide you enough lighting for a small space so that your plant can have healthy growth. These budget grow lights will provide 20 to 40 moles of light a day.
So, definitely with a 40-mole level to obtain maximum yield you will search for a grow light that emits in between 200 uMols to 900 uMols PPFD of light per square meter.
Satisfactory PPFD per square meter
For seedling- 200 to 400 PPFD approx.
For veg- 400 to 600 PPFD approx.
For flowering and fruiting-600 to 900 PPFD approx.
When you have sufficient light intensity you don’t have to worry about wattage. Your plant growth depends on sufficient light intensity.
To learn more please continue the reading.
Light Spectrum:
A balanced light spectrum is very essential for the proper growth of plants. Always go for a grow light which will give you full-spectrum light not just excessive blue or red lighting as blue or red light is only beneficial when your plants reach in vegetative and fruiting stage.
Our suggestion is to opt for a LED grow light which will provide a spectrum range between 380nm to 780 nm.
Auto Timer Function:
If you remain busy at your work all day and don’t get enough time to take care of your plant every day then definitely you should go for such a light that has automatic control on lighting.
For the proper growth of plants, such a type of light will automatically change the phase of light. In that case, you can consider LEOTER GROW LIGHT FOR INDOOR PLANTS as this grow light is of decent quality as well as offers an auto-timer function.
Coverage:
The best affordable grow light will give you coverage around 2 x 2 or 2.5 x 3 feet. But will definitely provide equal intense light to every part of the plant.
If you need coverage of larger space then you can check our another article on 4X4 Grow Light.
Build Quality:
Safety is above everything. Though you go for a cheap grow light but make sure the product you are going to purchase has decent build quality.
So, purchase a grow light that has an aluminum or plastic heat sink. They are very effective to reduce heat. Also, consider the fact that the product is fire retardant and water-resistant as well.
What are the Different Types of Grow Lights?
There are few types of grow light available in the market. Considering your needs you can purchase them.
- Bulbs: Bulbs are good for single plant growth.If you have a small area then you can go for a bulb they can fit on lamps and small socket.Growing a sprout plant with utmost effectiveness at seedling stage bulb can do an excellent job.
- Bars/Strips: It seems a little bit impractical to go for strips as they are large in size but they can provide a decent performance for larger footspace.By connecting several bars/strips together you will get amazingly larger coverage area.
- Panels: Panels are made with the combination of bulbs and strips.They are powerful and provide high brightness very effective for plant growth.Also much durable but little bit expensive.
FAQ about Best Cheap LED Grow Lights
Why Are LED Grow Lights So Expensive?
Lots of complicated engineering work is hidden behind the production of a grow light.Huge research and development done for promoting healthy growth of plants and for maximum yield.
Also high quality materials need to be used for making the grow light safe and durable.These increases manufacturing cost and makes LED grow light so expensive.Are LED grow lights harmful for pets?
No,they are not harmful for your pets.Though some grow light emits UV or radioactive rays but the damage done by such rays is so so less.
So,nothing to worry about if you use LED grow lights as they are not dangerous at all.But if you use HPS or other grow lights that can be dangerous as they contain mercury as well as generate too much heat.Can I Use Any LED Lights To Grow Plants?
No,you can’t.If the light doesn’t provide full spectrum then it has no relation with plant growth,it’ll just brighten up nothing else.
What Is An LED Grow Light?
Light Emitting Diodes in short LED lights are the most effective and easy way to grow plants at home without sun exposure.LED grow light will provide the all necessary light energy that a plant expects from sun.
Are Cheap LED Grow Lights Good?
Yes,there are a good number of well renowned cheap grow lights which are very good.For a small coverage you can go for budget grow lights and that will definitely do its duty perfectly.
Few best affordable grow lights are SPIDER FARMER SF-1000 Grow Light (Modern Bang For The Buck) and VIPARSPECTRA REFLECTOR SERIES 300W Budget Grow LightHow do HPS grow lights compare to the best cheap LED grow lights?
HPS grow lights are very inexpensive compared to LED grow light.HPS grow lights are surely better in consideration of light intensity and coverage area with best budget LED grow light.
But the main problem is that HPS lights generate excessive heat.
For small space HPS definitely isn’t a good choice as you need to buy fans additionally which will eventually increase the cost.
It’s better to always opt for LED grow light whether it’s small or large space as in terms of providing proper light spectrum for plant LED is incomparable as well as it’s eco friendly.Where HPS contains mercury which is harmful for the environment.
Additionally,though LED is costly, it consumes a very small amount of electricity whereas HPS is inexpensive but draws a lot of power.What’s the Difference Between Fluorescent and LED Lights?
Both of these lights are energy-efficient compared to traditional incandescent bulbs.
Fluorescent lights consist of inert gas and produce UV radiation that may harm your eye.On the other side LED lights are a solid state technology and do not contain mercury or any harmful gases as well as 30% energy efficient than fluorescent.How much LED wattage needs for per square footage?
Generally it depends on the plant you wish to grow but for an idea you need to provide 30 to 40 watts per square foot.
But be careful to give attention to the actual watts, not the watts that are usually mentioned in the title as they are used for misleading marketing strategy.Is there any need of fan in a grow tent?
Few LEDs come with high quality cooling fans that increase the lifespan of LEDs.In extreme temperature it’s very much important.
Few grow lights come with fanless designs,they have built in Temperature controllers but to stay in the safe zone it’s better to go for a grow light with cooling fans.
You can also add fans externally for fresh air supply.Grow tent or open space. Which one is better?
Grow tent is not essential for growing plants but it’s better to go for a grow tent as you can control the growing environment by this (temperature, humidity,light intensity).It’ll ensure high yield quality.
How to control temperatures and humidity in the grow tent?
To cool down the tent temperature you can open windows or use a fan or air conditioner and if the tent is too cold then you may have to purchase a heater.
By using a humidifier you can increase humidity and by dehumidifier you can decrease humidity.Which colour combination is necessary for balanced growth of plants?
Blue light will ensure strong healthy stems and leaves where for flowers and fruits Red light is must.
White light provides a full spectrum and gives a better growing environment.What is the best light for vegetable and fruit growth?
For vegetables you have to go for lights that offer full Spectrum,for fruits you need blue and red light mostly.
What’s distance needs to be maintained between the plants and lights?
At the initial stage of plants for proper heat and light you can maintain a distance of about 30 to 32 inches.
The distance needs to adjust as the plant grows.
Besides,it also depends on the power output of the grow light.
Generally for every 5 watt 18 inches distance needs to be maintained.
And for a 20 watt bulb about 50 inches distance is necessary for proper growth and damage prevention.How to use a grow light?
LED grow light needs to be placed 12-34 inches above the plants according to needs.Better to hang in a place where every plant gets equal intensity of light.
For most of the plants you need to light for 12 to 16 hours so better to find energy efficient light.
Heats need to be under control.Some plants need much heat and some need very small amounts of heat.
Final Thoughts
We introduced you to the top 10 best budget grow lights available in the market. After much research and taking reviews from customers, we selected these top 10 grow lights.
If you’re a new grower who wants to test grow light for the first time and have limited space for plants then according to our opinion SANSI grow light may be the perfect choice for you. Though Sensitive people should not go for it. Affordable price, Ceramic technology of better heat dissipation, uniform intense light with a long 5 years warranty surely deserve thumbs up.
If you’re searching for a grow light with High PAR Efficacy and satisfactory performance from all aspects, then you can go for VIPARSPECTRA P1500. This LED grow light has a high PAR Efficacy of 2.7umol/J, optimal full light spectrum, and dimmer knob feature an A1 build quality.
And, if with a very tight budget you are looking for a LED grow light with decent performance then Loeter grow light may bring a smile to your face. These grow lights offer you 80 Efficient growing LEDs, circular memory timer function, dimmable Modes with flexibility as well as an aviation-grade heat sink.
We wrote this review from each aspect of a grow light and from a consumer point of view. We suggested here what we will prefer during purchasing a budget grow light.
You can go for anyone from these LED grow lights according to your requirements.
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