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Have you ever wondered if a $300 grow light is really ten times better than a $30 one?
I came across a video by a content creator who ran an experiment, and I found it super interesting—so I thought I’d share it with you.
He set up a super practical comparison test using five lighting options: the $30 Sndo light, $75 Monos light, $100 ViosSun light, $330 Spider Farmer light, and even free natural light from a windowsill.
He didn’t just track how quickly the seeds germinated or how tall and strong the seedlings grew—he also paid close attention to how the color of the light affected the plants.
Let’s take a look at the setup, testing process, and clear winners from this indoor gardening “Grow Light Olympics.”
To keep things fair, the gardener set up five identical seed trays containing lettuce, basil, tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli. Each tray was placed under a different light source, and all other variables — such as soil mix, seed type, and watering schedule — were kept constant.
Here are the five grow light environments:
All lights were kept at the same height above the seedlings, and lux readings were recorded to measure light intensity.
Lux is a key indicator of how much usable light plants are getting. Here’s how each setup performed:
As you can see, the Vivosun and Spider Farmer lights offered dramatically higher light intensity, which would later prove to make a real difference.
Environment | Paradicsom | Paprika | Broccoli |
Windowsill | 13/15 | 8/15 | 13/15 |
Sndo ($30) | 15/15 | 11/15 | 8/15 |
Monios ($75) | 14/15 | 12/15 | 12/15 |
Vivosun ($100) | 15/15 | 13/15 | 13/15 |
Spider Farmer ($330) | 14/15 | 12/15 | 11/15 |
Windowsill
Plants were leggy, pale, and leaning toward the light.
Poor overall growth. Natural light just wasn’t enough.
Sndo ($30)
Slightly worse than the windowsill. Very low lux output.
Plants were thin, stretched out, and weak.
Monios ($75)
Decent growth on tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli.
Lettuce and basil were still a bit leggy, due to light placement.
Best budget performer if used closer to the seedlings.
Vivosun VS1000 ($100)
Best overall performance: strong, short, leafy, vibrant plants.
Great results across all seed types.
Even beat the $300 light in many areas.
Considered best value for money.
Spider Farmer SF2000 ($330)
Impressive results, but not significantly better than Vivosun.
Slightly larger and faster-growing in some cases, but high heat output required more moisture care.
This real-world test showed us that more expensive doesn’t always mean better — especially when the $100 Vivosun VS1000 matched or even outperformed the $330 Spider Farmer in some areas.
Here’s the bottom line:
Skip the super cheap options — they simply don’t provide enough usable light.
Vivosun VS1000 is the clear winner for performance and value.
If you’re experimenting or have more budget, Spider Farmer is still great — just be careful with heat and watering. Windowsills are okay in a pinch, but you’ll get much better results with real grow lights.
After watching all five setups grow side by side, one thing became clear: it’s not about how much the light costs—it’s about what your plants actually need.
Don’t assume the most expensive grow light is the best. But don’t blindly trust the cheapest either. Understanding your light’s output, coverage, and your plant’s needs will get you much further than the price tag alone.
Whether you’re a beginner starting seeds for the first time, or an indoor gardening veteran leveling up your setup, let this experiment inspire you to look beyond the label and pay attention to what truly helps your plants thrive.
Az egyedi világítástervezéstől a személyre szabott árajánlatokig, és minden, ami a kettő között van, kertészeti szakértőink mindig készen állnak a segítségére.
Mitt LED
Guzhen, Zhongshan, Guangdong, Kína
WhatsApp: +86 180 2409 6862
E-mail: info @ vantenled.com
Professzionális LED-es növényi lámpagyártó vagyunk, elkötelezettek a technológia alkalmazása mellett, hogy növeljék a lámpa maximális potenciálját, folyamatosan maximalizálva a termelők számára nyújtott előnyöket, és energiát takarítsanak meg a bolygó számára.
