The top 3 recommendations and buying guides

Our recommendations

That we have the Niello COB in our comparison as the best LEDPlant lamp(€ 65.50 at Amazon *) imagine, is due to the positive reviews on Amazon, the very good basic properties and the fact that, despite having relatively similar features, it is cheaper than the Spider's model Farmer. Many buyers describe the lamp as extremely efficient and affordable.

Amazon reviewers praise the very good workmanship and are impressed by the functionality. The latter apparently also applies to the plants, which, according to experience reports, grow very well thanks to the bright, pleasant light. In addition, the

Plant lamp be quiet during operation.

The LED plant lamp from Roleadro is our comparison winner in terms of price-performance ratio. It is by far the cheapest model among our recommendations, but knows how to convince the majority of Amazon customers who bought the lamp. A quote that reflects the basic tenor of the reviewers: "The plants have developed superbly."

Purchase criteria

Luminaire type

Since LED grow lights, unlike conventional fluorescent tubes, don't get warm, you can put them in Place a relatively small distance above your plants (but not too close - light burns too high if it is too high Number of photons!).

It is also worth knowing that LED grow lights consume far less energy than normal lights and have a longer lifespan. So you should clearly prefer LED grow lights.

Full spectrum

Even if short-wave (blue) and long-wave (red) light are most important for the growth of plants, they benefit from white, green and yellow light in specific processes. For this reason, it is anything but wrong to buy a full spectrum plant lamp that does not “only” cover the blue and red wavelengths.

Color temperature of the light

Depending on the intended use of the plant lamp, the color temperature of the light must be taken into account and a suitable model must be selected:

• Germination and growth phase: bluish spectrum, 6,500 Kelvin
• Flowering phase: more reddish spectrum, 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin
• suitable in all growth phases: 3,500 Kelvin

Illuminance

The illuminance is given in lumens. The higher the value, the more intensely the light shines on the plants.

Energy efficiency

Prefer a plant lamp that is as energy-efficient as possible in order to save electricity and increase the service life of the lamp. By doing this, you are also doing the environment a favor. You are doing everything right with LED grow lights.

lifespan

The selected grow light should have a lifespan of at least 50,000 hours. The higher the better.

Attachment / assembly

Ceiling mounting: A ceiling-mounted plant lamp is commonly supplied with metal cords and a hook. You attach the latter to the ceiling in a resilient manner. Then hang up the lamp using the metal ropes.

Wall mounting: With a plant lamp for wall mounting, you usually only have to screw the supplied mounting bracket to the wall at the desired height.

For clamping: A clampable plant lamp can be clamped to the edge of a table or shelf. Often such a model also has an adjustable neck that you can adjust as required.

Tip: There are also clip-on plant lamps with several spotlights, so that you can illuminate around three plants at once.

Lamp holder: Perhaps you already have a lamp socket into which you can screw a suitable plant light. When buying the light, make sure that it harmonizes with the socket (for example E27).

quality

At this point our appeal: If possible, choose plant lamps from trustworthy manufacturers. There are also companies that forge CE marks and other seals. In addition, for most lamps you should assume that the specified performance data do not correspond to (practical) reality. Criteria such as illuminance et cetera are sometimes clearly exaggerated in the values ​​stated.

frequently asked Questions

What is a plant lamp?

Plant lamps are special light sources that give sensitive plants the brightness they need in order not to die, but to thrive magnificently. In dark rooms, the lamps provide the indoor plants with enough artificial light for the important photosynthesis. In addition, plant lights make it easier for many garden plants that are not hardy to hibernate in a healthy way.

Interesting: Plants almost exclusively use blue and red light for the aforementioned photosythesis. For this reason, most LED grow lights mainly contain blue and red light-emitting diodes as well as white light as a base.

• short-wave blue light accelerates stem and leaf growth
• long-wave red light promotes flower growth
• white light supports root growth

The light from a plant lamp is generally based on the spectrum of natural sunlight.

Our tip for ambitious hobby and professional gardeners: If you want to specifically promote the growth of a plant with red light, you should look out for a growth lamp. Classic plant lamps do not always have an explicit flowering phase mode.

Which plants benefit from a plant lamp?

Plant lamps are recommended for numerous plants, for example for the Palm lily (Yucca). The agave plant is one of the most popular indoor plants among Germans because of their beautiful appearance and ease of care. But: If the palm lily gets too little light in the living room (especially in the dark season), its leaves turn yellow and fall off. To prevent this from happening, it makes sense to use a plant lamp. Here is an overview of other light-hungry plant species that can make you happy with artificial light:

• various palm trees
• Hemp (so-called LED grow lamps are suitable for cultivation)
• Orange, lime and lemon trees
• some bonsai
• Plants that want to be sown early (such as chilli, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants)

When is a plant lamp useful?

There are essentially three indicators of using grow lights:

• Light-hungry indoor plants, especially those from warmer climes, need artificial light in winter, as the duration of illumination with natural daylight is too short in the cool season
• Bring frost-sensitive garden plants through the cold, dark season in an artificially lit room
• Improve the cultivation of vegetables (in the germination phase, sufficient exposure is essential; If the environment is too dark, the delicate germs grow too quickly to reach out towards the light, so to speak; Due to the rapid ripening, the shoots remain soft, pale and not stable, so that they often die)

How do I use a plant lamp correctly?

The light from the plant lamp should shine directly on the plant (s) in need of light. Thus, depending on the number of plants whose beauty you want to promote or maintain, you only need one or more lamps with artificial plant light.

During the germination phase, many plants need around twelve hours of light a day. It is ideal if you can cover most of the time with natural daylight. You can compensate for the remaining - dark - hours with the plant lamps.

Caution: You should not illuminate any plants artificially for longer than 16 hours. Even the most light-hungry green creatures need periods of rest in the dark.

Which brands offer good grow lights?

Numerous well-known brands manufacture plant lamps. Here is a selection:

• OSRAM
• Philips
• TaoTronics
• Mygdal
• MEGAMAN
• Lunartec

Where can I buy plant lamps?

You can find plant lamps in every well-stocked hardware store, such as OBI, Bauhaus, toom, Hornbach and Dehner. Some furniture stores also have such lamps in their range, for example Ikea. The first point of contact for most hobby gardeners is and will remain Amazon.

How much does a plant lamp cost?

The simplest plant lamps are actually available from around three euros. For a higher quality of the lights and special features such as the ability to adjust different light levels, you don't have to dig deep into your wallet. Good models are available from around 25 to 30 euros. If you want first-class professional plant lamps, you usually spend at least 100 euros.

Is there a plant lamp test by Stiftung Warentest?

No, so far the Stiftung Warentest has not made a plant lamp comparison.