Best Red LED Grow Light

Red light is the key to a productive flowering phase and high yield. That’s because heavy-fruiting and flowering plants need significant quantities of red light.

Unfortunately, many modern LED grow lights will only give your plants a limited quantity of red light.

So, if you want to increase the intensity of the red light, you must buy separate supplemental grow lights.

Below, we’ll show you the best red LED grow lights you can use for that purpose. Let’s get started!

Top 5 Red LED Grow Lights

If you’re searching for the highest quality red LED grow lights, then G8LED lamps are your best choice.

These award-winning G8LED lamps are made to maximize yield for professional growers. They have a light spectrum ranging between wavelengths 630 and 660 nm.

The lower model is the all-red 90-watt G8LED lamp. It has a coverage area of 3’ x 3’ (≈ 1m x 1m) at 12″ with a PPFD of around 750 μmol/m²/s at the center.

As supplemental lighting, that will be more than enough for your flowering plants. It will highly increase the yield.

Although it has three cooling fans to dissipate heat, the lamp only draws 90 watts of power, so it’s very efficient. 

If you have a growing area that measures above 10 sq ft (≈ 1 m²), you can use the higher model, the 270-watt G8LED lamp.

That light has a coverage area of 30 sq ft. (≈ 2.8 m²) or 5.5’ x 5.5’ (≈ 1.7m x 1.7m) with a PPFD of around 1050 μmol/m²/s at 14″.

G8LED lamps are high-priced compared to other grow lights. But that’s because their quality is superior, and their intensity is unmatched.

Growstar UFO is more affordable than G8LED lamps, but it is less bright.

At 12″, the light puts out around 370 μmol/m²/s (at the center) and has a coverage area of 2’ x 2’ (0.6m x 0.6m). The PPF output of this light is almost half of the 90-watt all-red G8LED lamp. 

According to the company, they make this device to increase yield by 50%.

The light uses epiLED diodes that emit an all-red spectrum. It ranges between wavelengths 620 and 600 nm.

They’ve equipped the device with optical lenses to improve light penetration. That also enhances yield by increasing photosynthesis in lower leaves.

The device only consumes around 50 watts of power, so it has a high PPF efficiency rate.

It has excellent reviews on Amazon, and it’s also very affordable.

A cool-looking grow light bulb is the all-red Wolezek 36W. They’ve designed it to enhance the light spectrum for flowering plants.

We don’t have information about its PPFD values. But looking at its wattage, it has a smaller coverage area than the lights we’ve already mentioned.

If you have a large growing area, you’ll need to use several Wolezek bulbs. You want to ensure all your plants receive beneficial quantities of red light.

The light can fit in any fixture of your choice, but you need to be able to adjust its height as your plants grow taller.

The device uses one type of diode that has a wavelength of 660nm, so it has a monochromatic spectrum.

Wolezek 36W is more affordable than all the above choices. So, if you’re growing plants in a tight space, this light will work well for you. 

Luxbird 18W PAR38 is similar to Wolezek 36W but has less wattage and intensity. 

It’s designed with 18 660nm LEDs, producing a spectrum identical to that of Wolezek.

According to some growers, the lamp doesn’t have a good spread of light. It’s best suited for providing light to individual plants.

The light is waterproof, so you can use it in wet environments.

Luxbird 18W PAR38 is terrific for growers cultivating a minimal number of plants. It’s the cheapest light on our list.

HQRP is the last grow light on our list. That’s because it’s the least bright all-red grow lamp among all the lights we mentioned.

It has a great spread of light but only consumes 14W of power, so it’s not very intense.

Although it’s advertised as a grow light, most people purchase this lamp for skin therapy.

Despite its low intensity, you can still use this lamp as a supplemental light for your plant.

The quality of HQRP LED grow light is not the best, but the device is very inexpensive, so it’s suitable for starters.

Here Is How Red Light Can Affect Your Yield

You already know that red light is essential for yield. Here is some specific data to show you how red light affects your plant’s productivity.

A study conducted in 2019 on basil plants showed that low red to blue light ratio resulted in lower yield. They achieved the highest yield when the amount of red light was three times that of blue light. 

The low red to blue ratio also decreased the levels of volatiles in basil plants.

Researchers conducted another study on strawberries (660 nm). They found the highest rate of photosynthesis in plants that were grown under red light.

But only growing your plants under red light will lead to lower yield and impaired growth.

Researchers did another study on cannabis. It showed that growing plants under red light only inhibited their bud formation. That’s because other light frequencies control important processes in plants. Gas exchange is a good example.

We figure you want to grow healthy and productive plants. You’ll need to use a grow lamp or several grow lamps that produce a mixed spectrum of light.

You can read more about the best spectrum for flowering plants here!

Final Words 

Supplementary red LED grow lights are a great way to enhance the light spectrum and boost yield. But make sure your plants receive other frequencies of light, including blue. 

Enjoy growing, and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments below!