Where to Buy Grow Lights: Our 3 Favorite Online Shops for Grow Lights

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Where to Buy Grow Lights

Hoss Tools

Let’s be honest, the grow light market tends to be a little oversaturated. That’s why I recommend Hoss Tools as the first choice of where to buy grow lights.

While a search engine may pull thousands of product results, Hoss only gives three for seed starting.

You may wonder how that’s a good thing. Think about a restaurant with only a few menu items. Instead of offering many mediocre options, they can specialize and make a few spectacular dishes.

That’s how I view Hoss’ products. They’re always high quality, and they give a satisfaction guarantee and one year warranty on their products. They even have tips under each product on how to get your seeds started successfully.

Hoss offers three different types of grow lights.

Amazon

Amazon is next on my list of where to buy grow lights. This is an obvious choice for most shoppers. Between their fast shipping and user-friendly interface, Amazon always provides an easy shopping experience.

They’re also great if you’re sticking to a budget. Amazon has some of the best choices for a fraction of the price of other grow light stores.

The problem you can sometimes experience with Amazon is the number of products they sell. It can be overwhelming to sift through the amount of grow lights they offer and determine which is the best.

This is where I recommend leaning on the quality and quantity of product reviews. Products that have been reviewed thousands of times are usually the most popular products. Go through reviews to see what people like and to determine if the majority are positive.

We also have a detailed post outlining the Best Grow Lights for Indoor Plants. It features several Hoss and Amazon choices for best grow lights.

Here are a few grow lights I recommend looking at on Amazon.

Home Improvement Store Websites

If you can’t find what you need on Hoss or Amazon, check out a home improvement store website. This isn’t my first choice for where to buy grow lights, but there are definitely perks.

First of all, stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace Hardware almost always carry trusted brands. You’ll find grow lights from familiar brands like GE and Philips.

These store websites are also heavily-trafficked, so you can count on several reviews on most products. It’s always nice to see how products perform for real shoppers.

The best part about shopping home improvement store websites is the in-store option. You can see if that store carries a product in person if you want to see it before you buy it. This is helpful for getting exact measurements and comparing products.

This also makes returns simple. Instead of having to generate a return label and package the light up, you can quickly return it to your local store.

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Helpful Tips When Shopping for Grow Lights

Once you know where to buy grow lights, it’s helpful to have a strategy for finding the best lights. What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you. Let’s go over a few tips.

Measure Before You Shop!

This is my top recommendation once you’ve narrowed down where to buy grow lights. Measure your space.

Your setup is almost always going to differ from someone else. That’s okay! That’s why there are so many different products out there.

First, measure the space where your grow light will be hanging. If you are using a shelf, measure the entire width of the shelf. Finding a grow light to those exact measurements will allow you to utilize the entire shelf with seed trays.

Next, measure how much space is between where the light will hang and where the seed trays will sit. You may need longer light hangers to give your seeds adequate light.

Also, if you are planning a large garden, sit down and think about how many seeds you’ll be starting ahead. The more seeds trays you have, the more lights you may need. It’s better to have too much light than not enough.

Know the Characteristics of Good Grow Lights

Knowing where to buy grow lights is half the battle. You also need to know what you’re looking for. There are several factors that set apart grow lights from regular lights.

Here are a few characteristics of good grow lights:

• Full spectrum – A large part of what makes grow lights different is their spectrum. Unlike traditional lights, full spectrum lights imitate the colors given off by the sun. This is beneficial to seedlings, as they will get all the perks of being outside.
• LED – Grow lights are on for around 12 hours per day. That’s a long time in terms of energy consumption. Using LED lights is energy efficient, and they typically don’t overheat.
• Adjustable – Adjusting your light is important as your seedlings grow. If you raise the light too high, your seedlings will appear weak and leggy. If the light is too close to them, the young leaves may burn.

Look for Trusted Brands

Shopping for trusted brands is as crucial as knowing where to buy grow lights. Most of us have been buying light bulbs for a while now. If you have a brand of light bulb you like, look to see if they carry grow lights.

Popular brands often have warranties or guarantees on their products. It’s also easier to get in touch with customer service on common brands.

Of course, this isn’t always practical. There are several products on Amazon with brands you may not recognize.

In this case, I always recommend going by product reviews. They will let you know whether the product is worth buying or skipping.

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Common Companion Products You Might Need

Along with where to buy grow lights, you may be wondering if there are any accessories you need. Let’s go over a few common companion products for grow lights.

Adjustable Light Hangers

Many grow lights come with short light hangers, which works for many people. These sometimes resemble a chain, or they can be constructed from rope.

If you need a longer attachment, you can purchase specialty hangers that extend up to seven feet. This is useful if you are attaching grow lights to the ceiling or a high shelf.

These rope hangers have stainless steel carabiners that can support up to 150 pounds. They’re also rust-proof, so you can count on using them for many years.

Besides hanging lights, you may find these hangers useful for potted plants later on in the season.

Extension Cords

No setup is perfect. Sometimes the best spot to start your seeds is nowhere near an outlet. That’s when an extension cord come in handy.

If you plan on moving your setup outdoors for any reason before spring, look for outdoor-rated extension cords.

You may also need an outlet extender if you have multiple grow lights to plug in. These can easily be found online or in the hardware section of a grow light retailer.

Just make sure to secure or tape down your extension cord to avoid a potential trip hazard!

Timers

It is recommended that your seedlings receive 12 hours of light/12 hours of darkness per day. This helps your seedlings receive energy for growth, while getting used to outdoor light patterns.

It’s easy for some gardeners to turn on the lights when they wake up and shut them off before bed. That’s not as practical for others.

That’s where a timer comes in handy. Some grow lights have timers built in, but most do not.

A timer works by plugging it directly into your outlet. It will shut off power to your lights at the programmed interval. This is helpful for going on vacation or for simple convenience.

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FAQs on Where to Buy Grow Lights

1. How much should I spend on grow lights?

Grow light retailers offer a large range of grow lights. You can find them priced from $10 to $200. How much should you really invest in grow lights?

I recommend looking at how long you plan to use the lights.

Are you just trying gardening for the first time? Try out a low-end light to see if you enjoy it. After that, you could begin to invest in some of the more expensive lights.

If you’re a seasoned gardener that uses grow lights every year, you need quality grow lights. For example, Hoss’ grow lights are rated for 50,000 hours. If you’re using your lights 12 hours per day in late winter, those lights should last you forever.

2. How long do grow lights last?

The life of grow lights is directly related to the quality of their construction. If you purchase a cheap light from a grow light retailer, you can probably expect a few good years out of them.

Meanwhile, quality brands like Hoss or GE tend to last longer.

If you only plan on using the lights temporarily, sometimes it’s worth the gamble to save money.

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Wrapping Up Where to Buy Grow Lights

If you’re wondering where to buy grow lights, take a look at Hoss, Amazon, or a home improvement store website. Between those three choices, you’ll have more than enough range of lights to choose from.

Finish out your seed starting shopping list. Check out our Seed Starting page for the best product recommendations and tips.

Shopping for your garden can get overwhelming, fast. So if you’re looking for advice on garden tools and garden supplies, then you’re in the right place! And if you’re looking for a unique gift for a loved one, how about a gardening gift?