Different types of plants need different amounts of light. Check your seed packaging or plant tags or ask at the nursery for specific suggestions. While seedlings or vegetative plants can require as much as hours of light exposure each day, flowering plants benefit from at least hours. Timers or our C by GE Smart Plug can be connected to the lights to help manage or automate these cycles.

We researched the top-rated grow lights available online, ranging from as simple as adding a lightbulb, to a full indoor garden system that does all of the work of taking care of your plants for you. We then set up and tested several of these options in our own homes and at the lab for several weeks and up to three months in some cases. We then evaluated their size, wattage, bulb type, ease of setup, and overall effectiveness. Here are the best grow lights for your plants, backed by our thorough research and testing.

After researching dozens of indoor grow lights and reaching out to experts for insights, we sent several of these options to our testers around the country to test for several weeks. We also set up several in our lab to monitor over three months. At each location, we set up the light and recorded how long it took to set up, and noted any assembly that was required. Plus, we noted if the instructions were easy to follow, or were tricky and confusing. We then noted where we set up the light, how much space was required, and which plants we used it on. We noted the bulb type and wattage of each grow light, and then generally monitored the growth and health of the plant.

Similar to the AeroGarden Bounty Basic, the Click & Grow is an all-in-one system that keeps your plants thriving with both water and light, with little effort on your part. However, if you are looking for a smaller system for a few herbs, we love the Click & Grow, for its simplicity, and compact footprint. We also tested this product in our lab for three months and found it very easy to put together, living up to its name. Although it required a little bit more than clicking and growing, we just had to insert the pods, place the clear domes on top of them, pour water into the basin, and plug in the power cord.

There are various types of grow lights to consider, from panels to products that hang overhead or screw into standard light fixtures. The type of plants you have, the amount of existing natural light, and where your plants are located help you narrow down your choices. Typically, hanging lights are larger, while desktop lights are smaller and easy to move around. If you want a complete system, consider a full garden kit, like the