Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights (Why White+ Fixtures Are Best)

Just about every fixture on the market is a full spectrum LED grow light, correct?

No. They are labeled as such, but they are not actually full-spectrum.

Most contain LED diodes in multiple colors. That means they have specific wavelengths, but not every wavelength. The wavelengths between the diodes the light contains are missing.

There is only one way to get a true full-spectrum output. And that is with white light.

I will explain why and also which combination of diodes gives you the best light for plants (hint: only white is not as effective as white plus additional diodes).

I will also show why LEDs and CMH bulbs are the only two cost effective ways to get the ideal full-spectrum white light.

And I will show you exactly which LED fixtures provide this ideal light and do so at a reasonable cost. Why spend over a thousand dollars on a light, when you can get the same thing for a few hundred.

 

Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights: Summary of Recommendations

Here’s a quick summary of the best plant grow lights. If you’re curious why I chose these lights, you’ll find brief reviews for each below and also links to more in-depth reviews.

 

Full Spectrum Grow Lights: Why LED?

HID lights are full-spectrum, as are fluorescent lights. So why should you go with LED?

You’ll find much more detail here, but basically, LED grow lights are the only form of horticultural lighting that give you the ideal mixture of different colors of light, (because they can have any color of light you want), that deliver that light efficiently, and that achieve enough output to flower plants.

Let’s look at each type of full-spectrum horticultural lighting.

 

Best Full Spectrum Grow Lights

HPS and MH both work well and have for a long time, but they do not give you the ideal mix of colors. HPS lacks blue light and MH lacks red light. Both work, but would work much better with a fuller spectrum.

Among HID bulbs, only CMH bulbs give you a full spectrum light. As such, they give you the ideal (or very close to ideal) mix of light, and they do it very efficiently.

Ceramic metal halide bulbs are the only type of lighting I recommend besides LED. I prefer LED, because it is more efficient (more output while using less power) and runs cooler.

As for fluorescent lighting, it simply does not have the power to flower larger gardens effectively. For a small grow, they are great. You can just pick up some fluorescent bulbs at Home Depot or a similar store and start growing without spending much on lighting.

But for a large grow, you would need too many lights and once you get that many, fluorescent lighting is no longer efficient (higher power usage and more heat).

In short: LED grow lights can provide the perfect spectrum and give you a large output while consuming less power. The only other lighting system that comes close is ceramic metal halide.

The only problem with LED lighting: most of it is not great.

You have to know exactly which ones to get, or you’ll end up with one that is far from ideal.

What you don’t want is a light using red and blue diodes. Often referred to a purple, or blurple, LEDs, the manufacturers of these lights refer to them as “full spectrum”. But they are not.

Even if they have diodes in many other colors, they are not really full spectrum.

Each diode emits one specific wavelength, which means that there is no light in the wavelengths in between. For example, if a light has red diodes emitting the wavelengths 630 nm and 660 nm, it does not emit light with a wavelength of 640 nm or 650 nm.

Can you really call this full spectrum, if it only has light in very specific wavelengths?

No you can’t. And the only way to get a full spectrum LED grow light is to use white diodes, since white light is made up of light in every color.

 

Full Spectrum White LED Grow Light

Full spectrum white LED fixtures can be made up entirely of white diodes, or they can have some white diodes, along with other colored diodes. Either way, the white light covers the full spectrum of visible light.

What is the best way to deliver full-spectrum white LED light?

COBs or quantum boards.

Chip-on-board LEDs are available in several different colors, but for horticultural applications, manufactures use two: warm white (3000K or 3500K) and cool white (4000K to 7000K).

Both deliver a full-spectrum white light that is great for all stages of plant growth. The warmer ones are better for flowering, while the cooler ones are better for vegging. Many fixtures will include a mix of both.

Quantum boards deliver the same color spectrum, but do so using many small diodes spread out over a large area, instead of using a few extremely powerful diodes.

Why are COBs and quantum boards better than “blurple” lights?

COBs have far more power than regular LED diodes, meaning they penetrate much deeper beneath the canopy. This huge advantage leads to bigger and better yields.

Quantum boards have a much more even coverage, due to their large size. This means plants throughout the grow area get large amounts of light, which also leads to bigger and better yields.

More importantly, all-white light contains light at every wavelength, making it a true full-spectrum light. “Blurple” LEDs usually only emit light at certain wavelengths, unless they also include white diodes (as the BestVA light does).

As good as the all-white spectrum is, there is an even better mix of colors. That is the all-white spectrum mixed with additional red and blue diodes, as well as UV and IR.

Let’s take a look at the best plant lights on the market that mix white quantum boards or COBs with additional diodes, the best COB only grow light, and the best grow lights using regular diodes only (with a mix of all-white and colored).

 

Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights: Reviews And Comparison

Below are the best full spectrum LED plant lights on the market today. My top recommendations combine COBs or Samsung quantum boards with supplemental diodes.

I’ve also included a line of fixtures that uses only CREE CXB3590 COBs (the industry standard), and a line of plant lights that achieves a great spectrum using a mix of colored diodes, for those who prefer regular “blurple” LEDs.

Finally, I have a second, but lower priced option for both COBs and quantum boards, for those on a budget.

 

Best Full-Spectrum LED Grow Light: Phlizon COB Series

Since the best full spectrum LED lights are ones that combine all-white COBs with supplemental diodes that provide additional red, blue, UV and IR wavelengths, it only makes sense that the best light overall provides exactly that spectrum.

Of course we could get a light from the industry-leader Optic LED. They make great fixtures. Or we could get a Phlizon COB Series fixture and pay half as much for virtually the same light.

That is why the powerful Phlizon lights are my top recommendation. They are an amazing value for growers.

I won’t go into too much detail here, since I already wrote an in-depth review of the Phlizon lights that you can check out.

Here are the highlights.

The CREE COBs are the stand-out feature. These high quality chip-on-board LEDs give you an intense light that penetrates far more deeply below the canopy than regular LEDs. They also have a great full-spectrum white grow light, with half emitting warm white and half cool white light.

The supplementary diodes add red, blue, UV and IR to that white spectrum, making it even more ideal for plants. It works great for any stage of growth.

All 3 Phlizon fixtures are highly efficient. They produce huge outputs over large coverage areas, while keeping power usage down (for exact numbers, check out the comparison table in the review). They also have two separate (but confusingly named) power switches, so you can dial back the power and save some money when you don’t need full strength.

Pros

• Perfect spectrum for plants
• Powerful, bright output
• Low power usage
• Two separate power switches
• 50,000+ hour lifespan
• 2-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee

Cons

• Slightly higher cost than other budget lights (mainly because they’re better)
• Labeling on the power switches is confusing
• No daisy chain feature

 

Best Full Spectrum White Quantum Board LED: HLG Quantum Board Series

When Horticulture Lighting Group first introduced quantum board lights to the market, they revolutionized the industry. Before that, “blurple” lights were all the rage, but suddenly, it seemed everyone wanted white LEDs, especially the quantum style LEDs.

Quantum boards were different to previous lights in a few ways. The most important is the type and arrangement of the diodes.

These lights use many smaller diodes, instead of fewer more powerful ones, and they spread them out over a larger surface area. This results in a more even coverage, which makes these types of lights more efficient than other styles.

It also means that no fans are needed, because the smaller diodes create less heat. You can simply attach them to an aluminum board and, because they are spread out enough, this passive cooling is sufficient.

Similarly, the smaller and cooler diodes also allow these fixtures to hang much closer to the canopy. This makes them great even in grow areas with less vertical space.

The other big difference between these lights and most other types is the spectrum. Rather than using a mix of colored diodes (primarily red and blue), quantum lights used all white LEDs. Because they got such good results, it moved the whole industry away from the previous “plants want only blue and red light” mantra.

In the years since they introduced the first quantum boards, HLG has made some changes to the spectrum. They still use mainly white LEDs (they offer a few different color temperatures, but the most popular is 3500K), but they have added deep red diodes with a wavelength of 660 nm. These add some red spectrum light for a great boost to both growth and yields.

HLG lights are very simple, in that they contain as few parts as possible. But the components they do have are all top-of-the-line, like Meanwell drivers and Samsung LEDs. Check out our in-depth review for more details.

Pros

• Highest quality components (Samsung, Meanwell, etc.)
• Dimmable to 50%, so you can reduce power and save on energy costs when you don’t need the full light intensity
• 2.6 μmol/joule (and 168 Lm/W) makes it one of the most efficient lights on the market
  Daisy chainable, so you can connect several lights together and run them from a single outlet

Cons

• Higher cost than other fixtures on this list
• No UV or IR

 

Best Budget Quantum LED: Spider Farmer SF Series

Once HLG’s quantum boards proved popular, it was only a matter of time before Chinese brands selling similar light started popping up, especially since HLG’s lights were made in China as well (they have since moved production to the US).

Naturally, most of the Chinese copies are not good. The lights and the companies just aren’t reliable. But there are a few standouts that sell very similar lights for a much lower price. More importantly, their lights work as advertised and they actually take customer service seriously.

The best among the Chinese quantum board lights is the SF series from Spider Farmer.

They also use Meanwell drivers and Samsung boards, but they made a few upgrades. First, they added deep red and IR diodes. Second, they added covers for the exposed wires. Both upgrades were so well received that HLG now also has deep red diodes and wire covers on their lights (but no IR yet).

Where HLG uses 3500K (or 3000K or 4000K, for some of hteir lights), Spider Farmer uses a mix of 3000K and 5000K diodes, to give you a great combination of cool and warm white light.

The biggest problem with most Chinese brands is quality control and after-sale service. Spider Farmer lights are far more reliable than other Chinese brands and the company has service centers in the US, Canada, UK and Germany. They also give you a 3 year warranty on their lights and a 30 day money back guarantee. Learn more in our full review.

Pros

• Highest quality components (Samsung, Meanwell, etc.)
• Great spectrum for any stage with 3000K and 5000K white light, plus 660 nm red and 760 nm IR
• Highly efficient with 2.7 μmol
• Monster yields of 2.2 grams per watt max
• 3 year warranty and 30 day money back guarantee

Cons

• Lack of fans mean boards can get quite hot
• Dimming function is not as easy to use as you might like
• No UV

 

Best Budget COB: Aglex COB Series

The Phlizon lights are my top choice, because they give you everything the industry standard Optic and Amare plant lights do, but at half the price. Nevertheless, they are still priced a bit higher than other budget lights, so I decided to include my second favorite series that combines COBs with supplemental LEDs.

The Aglex COB series keeps costs down even more by using Bridgelux BXCD1734 COBs. These are high quality 5500K LEDs and provide a cool white light. That said, they are not CREE chips, which cost more and are the industry standard.

Apart from the less expensiveness components, there aren’t too many differences between Aglex and Phlizon. One big one is that the Aglex series has four grow lights, while the Phlizon series only has three.

Note that Chinese brand naming conventions are in full force here, meaning 2000w is nowhere near 2000w. My reviews of these plant lights tell you the actual wattage of each one.

Since the Aglex lights use 5500K COBs, their spectrum is a bit different from the Phlizon, which uses a mixture of 3000K and 6000K. The difference is not huge, but the Aglex has a bit more blue light and slightly less red.

Apart from that, Aglex does a better job of labeling their dual power switches (veg switch and bloom switch) and their lights can be daisy chained, so you can connect multiple lights and run them from a single outlet. These are great lights for any indoor garden.

Here is a summary of the main advantages and disadvantages for growers. For all the details, make sure to check out my review of the Aglex COB series before making any purchase.

Pros

• Great indoor grow light for all stages
• Low price
• Separate veg and bloom switches
• Daisy chain feature
• 3 year warranty

Cons

• Bridgelux COBs instead of CREE (they are also good, but Cree is industry best)
• No money back guarantee

 

Best Full Spectrum White LED: CREE CXB3590 COB Series

The best plant light for growing is achieved by combining full-spectrum white light with additional red, blue, UV and IR, but many prefer not to have any additional diodes. They prefer a grow light with only white COB LEDs and they want the highest quality diodes to boot.

When it comes to high quality chip-on-board LEDs, there is one name above all the rest: CREE. And their CXB3590 COBs are the industry standard and are known for their efficiency. There are a few fixtures that include them, but the best value is the Canagrow line of CXB3590 lights.

Canagrow have 3 lights in this series: one with a single COB, one with two of them and one with four (pictured above). All deliver an intense light that achieves deep penetration. And they manage to keep the power consumption down.

The best feature of these lights is the quality components. Not only do they use Cree LEDs, but they also use Meanwell drivers (top in the industry). In fact, every component used is top-of-the-line. Naturally, the price is higher than the other lights listed on this page as well.

One nice feature that is missing from the Phlizon light is the ability to daisy chain several fixtures together and run them from a single outlet. If you have multiple lights in your grow tent, this can be very useful.

The Canagrow light also has a dimmer, which is better than having two switches. Instead of completely powering off a section of the fixture, you can simply dial back the intensity of every diode together. You choose how powerful you need the light to be.

I’ll just give a quick summary of the major advantages and disadvantages here. You can check out my in-depth review to get all the details.

Pros

• Highest quality components (CREE, Meanwell, etc.)
• Dimmer so you can reduce power and save on energy costs when you don’t need the full light intensity
• 3 year warranty and 30 day money back guarantee

Cons

• Higher cost than other fixtures on this list
• No additional diodes for added red or blue light
• No UV or IR

 

Best “Blurple” Full Spectrum LED: BestVA DC Series

COBs give you a deeper canopy penetration than regular LEDs, but not everyone is a fan. And the truth is, the best non-COB LED fixtures are almost as good for indoor gardening.

My favorite series is the DC Series of lights from BestVA. DC stands for “double chip” and refers to the chip arrangement in the fixture. It uses two 5 watt chips in conjunction to form a single 10w diode, which is actually similar to COB technology, except on a much smaller scale.

These 10 watt chips end up giving you a deeper canopy penetration than 3 watt or 5 watt chips, which is their main advantage. Of course, they actually consume far less than 10w.

The biggest disadvantage of the larger chips is heat, so you need to make sure the fixture can adequately deal with the additional heat output. The BestVA lights do a great job at keeping heat down, so that is not an issue here.

All of the fixtures in the BestVA series (600w, 800w, 1200w, 1500w, 2000w, and 3000w) give you a large output and don’t consume much power. This makes for a more efficient indoor garden setup.

They use warm white and cool white diodes, in addition to diodes in multiple colors. Most are shades of red or blue. The results are full spectrum lights that work great for any stage of growth.

The color spectrum is similar to the spectra of the other lights on this list, but has more red and blue and less of the other colors, especially green and yellow. It still has a good amount of these colors, which is what makes it so effective. These are not blue/red only grow lights.

Here are the main pros and cons. For much more detail, check out my review of the BestVA DC Series.

Pros

• Great indoor garden light for all stages of growth
• Low price
• Great heat management
• 3 year warranty and 30 day money back guarantee

Cons

• 10w chips get less penetration than COBs (but still very good)
• No daisy chain feature