Welcome to the LED Grow Lights Review
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There is a lot of information out there about LED grow lights. Reading everything about them on different websites, blogs, and forums can be overwhelming; not to mention it’s hard to trust some of the things said.

There’s almost always one of these on the forums as well:

And finally, you can’t make it through any forums without running into one of these:

The overwhelming amount of information available and the lack of credible sources are leading many people to simply give up on using LED lights to grow their plants. This is a shame because LED lights are capable of doing so much with so little energy.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that growing with LEDs is for everyone. In fact, there are many circumstances where traditional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights are preferable. I even have an article that helps you decide if HIDs are a better fit for your situation.
The goal of this site is to provide all the necessary information in one place (emphasis on necessary). With four easy steps (listed below) you will be up and growing. This site is for beginners, not PhD’s (I promise you, you don’t need a PhD to grow a plant with LEDs). You’re not going to see a thousand page debate on light wave-lengths and why this light won’t work and this light will. You’re not going to see a bunch of charts that don’t make sense. And you’re definitely not going to see a philosophical debate on whether plants really exist or not. This site is about the basics; you know the stuff you learned in your first science class, the one where you put a seed in some soil and watched it grow.
One of the things that makes growing plants so rewarding is its simplicity. You put the plant in the soil, you provide it water, you provide it light and the dang thing grows. Against all odds, the thing grows. Remember to (KISS) keep it simple stupid and your time spent growing plants will be much more enjoyable.
- Step 1: Read “All the light science you need to know to grow a plant“
- Step 2: Read “Is an LED light ideal for your situation? (The truth is LED’s aren’t always the best fit)“
- Step 3: Read “Qualities of Good Lights“
- Step 4: Read My Reviews and Recommendations and Purchase a Light
Official Reviews

SolarStorm/SolarFlare Review: A Perfect Blend of Power and Coverage?
Recently California LightWorks ran an advertisement in Maximum Yield and High Times. This has led to me receiving an onslaught of questions about their new LED grow lights: the SolarStorm and the SolarFlare. When enough people ask about a light I try my best to do a review on it. Initially I was planning on [...]

The Penetrator X Series Review
There has been a lot of buzz lately over the Penetrator Generation X lights produced by Hydro Grow LED. Today, we’ll review these lights, but before we delve into the nitty-gritty, we need to get organized. Hydro Grow LED (HGL Technologies) currently produces four lines of lights: The X series lights are their newest lights. [...]

Lighthouse Hydro BlackStar 240W Grow Light Review
List Price: $386.95Sale Price:Usually around $290 at Amazon Availability: See Amazon for Details Click Here to Learn More or Buy Now at Amazon Today I’ll be taking an in-depth look at one of the most popular LED grow lights out there: the 240 Watt Blackstar (flowering edition) from Lighthouse Hydro (note that this light is [...]
More Reviews
- Reviewing the 357 Magnum LED
- Advanced LED Lights Review | The Diamond Series
- Spectra Grow LED Hydro Review
- Apache Tech LED Review: Hype or Hope?
- Kessil Review
- Jumbo Illuminator, Mother Keeper, and Hybrid Review
- Sunshine Systems UFO LED Review
- Lighthouse Hydro 90W LED UFO Grow Light Review
- 180 Watt Lighthouse Hydro Blackstar LED Review
- Review of LED Wholesalers 90 W UFO Grow Light (The 2506RBOW Round Grow)
Understanding and Learning Center

Do LEDs Lose Light Intensity with Time?
A special thanks to one of my readers for asking this question. We know that traditional high-intensity discharge lights like high-pressure sodium lights lose their light intensity with time (most lose a significant amount of their intensity in 6-12 months if they are used regularly). This means that if you aren’t careful your plant could [...]

Lumens, Lux, and Micromole Measurements for Plant Growing Lights
If you’ve been researching LED lighting long enough, then chances are you have heard someone say that lumens aren’t a good measurement of the amount of power a light is putting out. When people say this they don’t usually offer a better alternative, they simply mention that lumens are a bad measurement. Well today, we’ll look [...]

Should You Make Your Own LED Grow Light? DIY Instructions
Due to the high price of LED lighting, I get asked all the time about whether making a homemade light is worth it. The answer really depends on what you are trying to grow, your mechanical skill level, and the amount of free time you have available. Below you’ll find a general discussion on what [...]
More Learning
- Modular Design Can Save Your Grow
- Looking at the Inside of an LED
- The Science Behind LED Grow Lights – How they Work
- Underrated Advantage of LED Growing Technology: Cords!
- 1w VS 3w VS 3w-3chip in LED Growing Lights
- Understanding Watts, Amps, and Volts in the LED World
- Why Finding a Good LED Light is Worse than Eating Cardboard
- Polls and Surveys
- Reviews and Recommendations
- Why HIDs are Like Hand Grenades and LEDs are Like Sniper Rifles
