The 12 Best Plant Grow Lights of 2021

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If you live in an apartment or house with low to almost no light in certain rooms, you certainly know the frustration of trying to grow plants indoors. Most potted plants require at least some degree of light, as Erin Marino, director of brand marketing at The Sill says, “Light is an incredibly important factor when it comes to maintaining houseplants. Light is food for plants! They won’t survive in your space without it.” So to that end, what do you do if it’s the dead of winter with low amounts of natural light or you live in a low-light home? Turn to grow lights—but be warned, not all bulbs are created equally.

“Unfortunately most regular bulbs are designed with human eyes in mind—they’re not the right spectrum for plants, and are too weak,” Marino says. “Instead look for a full spectrum grow light with a high number of lumens, and set it a foot or two above your plant, depending on plant size.” To help you get started on your search, we’ve picked out some of our favorite plant grow lights. Some are better for larger plants, others for herbs and smaller plants, and all of them have designs that much outshine (sorry, we had to) the grow lights of yesterday.

Here, the best plant grow lights.

Buy on Bloomingdales

Best suited for edible plants, this lighting, and self-watering Smart Garden allows you to grow up to four different types of plants at once while taking up minimal counter space.

Buy on Houzz

Another solution that helps incorporate a grow light into your decor, this hanging pendant can be placed over any number of plants to facilitate healthy growth. We love the idea of hanging it over a planted centerpiece on a long dining room table.

Buy on Williams-Sonoma

Boasting the ability to grow your herbs five times faster than in regular soil, this machine sends out an alert when water is running low. It also can be set up easily on vacation mode when you’re away so your plants keep thriving and it has timers to give your plants the exact right amount of light they need each day.

Buy on Gardeners.com

For the heavy-duty indoor plant growers who are fully committed to using grow lights year-round, this large bamboo shelving structure with two levels of LED lights will fit the bill. Mount it on the wall, tuck in a corner, or put directly on the kitchen counter.

Buy on Williams-Sonoma

For all the low maintenance gardeners out there, this grow light and kit does pretty much everything for you. It comes with three basil plant capsules so you can just pop them in the machine, set it and (basically) forget it.

Buy on Amazon

Another self-contained grow light set, this light is perfect for smaller plants and herbs. The sleek and modern design allows it to fit in seamlessly to the background of any room decor layout.

Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart

To turn pretty much any light into a grow light without buying a new pendant, desk or table lamp, go with this genius bulb from GE. It features balanced spectrum technology that helps generate chlorophyll but also has a more natural look.

Buy on Gardeners.com

This shiny aluminum pendant looks super stylish, but cleverly disguises a full-spectrum grow light bulb—no one will know but you. Place it close to any indoor plants that need a little extra love.

Buy on Amazon

This minimalist floor lamp is flexible and swivels around to accommodate more than one plant. Because it's made with LED technology, it's also energy-efficient—a win-win situation.

Buy on West Elm

Talk about double-duty! This grow light and watering system also doubles as a side table so you don’t waste even an inch of floor space. It comes with a kit containing everything you need to get started, from seeds to plant fertilizer.

Buy on Amazon

This sleek micro garden is perfect for growing all the parsley, basil, and cilantro you could want. Lightweight and compact, it's the ideal size to keep on your kitchen counter.

Buy on Amazon

This combo pack (including light, dome, and tray) is perfect for starting off seedlings. If you're planning to garden outside in the summer, it's a great way to get tender plants started before transplanting into the soil.