This post was originally posted on 15/07/2020 & can be read here. Translated with DeepL on 30/01/2021. Hi, welcome! I would like to talk about some different (grow) lights, their plus and minus points. Price quality, what I like / dislike about it, ... Meanwhile, there are already many lamps on the market from different brands. Everything I write down here is from my own experience or research, do you have a lamp in your home and your experience is completely different? Do not hesitate to share your experience with me. The more experiences we collect the clearer our view on a particular product. In a previous blog I already talked to you about Elho's 'leaf light care', where I briefly explained the use of a grow light and why you should have one in your home. In some places in your home you just don't have enough light to keep that one plant happy, or throughout the winter -when the days get shorter and darker- some plants can be short on light. Would you like to read the previous blog? You can do so HERE! Which bulbs do I want to review with you?
(click on the name to go to the official websites) Here we go!LEAF LIGHT CARE & LIGHT GARDEN.The first two lamps I'm talking to you about are two from the brand Elho. If you know me a bit you know I'm a fan of this brand, Elho puts a huge focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly products and I can only applaud that! From them I have the "Leaf light care" and the "Light garden" in the house.
The lamp is available in 2 colors (on the outside) and I personally think it is quite beautiful. It is very subtle so it doesn't draw all the attention when you walk into the room. The light it gives off is not completely white, there is a slight purple glow but not strong enough to be experienced as disturbing. Furthermore, the lamp has a very long cord so it can perfectly stand on top of the cupboard here and the cord can be plugged in at the very bottom. It doesn't have a switch because you don't need this at all, the built-in timer does that job for you. If I really have to nitpick I think it's a shame that the lamp doesn't have a mega long range, it's a bit double. I love the lamp just because it is compact and subtle, on the other hand you can 'only' put in 1 larger plant or 2-3 little ones under it. The lamp has an adjustable stick so it can grow with the height of your plant. Recommended retail price: €44.99 - 3-year warranty.
I inquired a little more with Elho themselves to ask what the situation was now when the lamp comes to the end of its life, do you replace the circuit board or does the whole lamp have to go in the trash? As usual, I got a very reasoned answer pretty quickly from the always friendly Patty. She told me that the inside consists of a circuit board because the frequency is not obtainable with a regular lamp, the board is set to give the right frequency and duration of light. So unfortunately when the bulb stops working it cannot be fixed by replacing a bulb. The lamp has been thoroughly tested and has an extremely long life that lasts much longer than the light hours of a bulb.
This lamp does have an on and off switch on top of the lamp, there are 2 touch buttons to turn the lamp on/off & one to set the duration of the lamp. The lamp burns for 15h here with me just like the other lamp and then 9h rest. You can also adjust it in height so it grows with your plants or seedlings. It has a kind of 'scale' at the bottom, which I personally find handy when watering the plants under it. The lamp doesn't get extremely hot and I can leave them on with confidence even when we are away from home. Tip: Elho also sells grow houses that fit perfectly under this lamp. Recommended retail price: € 99,00 - 3 years warranty.
To conclude; I am very much a fan of both lamps, personally I think they both have more + points than - points. The price is reasonable, especially compared to their expected lifespan. They are subtle in the interior and grow with your plant. Built-in timers ensure that your plant gets enough light and you don't have to think about it. Unfortunately, the lamps cannot be replaced, but Elho would not be Elho if they could not recycle their own products. Is your lamp broken? Then be sure to bring them to a collection point so we can keep the waste mountain as small as possible. In the video below I would like to introduce you to the lamps. (video is in dutch for now - sorry!) PLANTSPECTRUM.Next lamp up... The PlantSpectrum of the Mother brand. This is the most recent lamp that I got in my house and therefore I have the least experience with it so far. The lamp had been on my wishlist for ages after I saw it at The Plant Corner in Berchem, where I attended an embroidery workshop and where the PlantSpectrum lamps were used as lighting for working! I thought they were ideal! Now that I finally have one, I have to admit that I sometimes steal them from the plants, when I have a job to do in the evening where I really need some bright light without hurting my eyes. Or sometimes even to take a picture. The lighting on this lamp just feels so natural that I quickly tend to turn it on. It's a bit more expensive to buy than the other lamps I've mentioned here but it's the one with the longest expected life span.
While using the lamp I noticed that it can get quite warm after a while, because I was naturally curious why this happens I started reading about the design of this lamp. It is designed in such a way that the aluminum casing takes the heat away from the circuit board, thus extending the life of your LED bulb. The lamp is made from recycled aluminum & has a very clean look, clearly a lot of thought has gone into its functionality & longevity as well as its design. The bulb is really designed with the idea of lasting a lifetime, the LED strip has a 4 year warranty and after 8 years of intensive use, the LED board can be replaced without having to throw away the light module. Once you are registered as a customer, you can update PlantSpectrum for life for a fraction of the cost. It sounds a bit advertising, but I'm super happy that you can just replace the LED strip, so you don't have to throw away the bulb. You invest in something to enjoy for the rest of your life. Price: € 199.00 - 4 years warranty on the LED strip. Choice of holder (vertical/horizontal to be purchased separately)
As I said I have only been using the lamp for a few weeks, Mother has much more than just the PlantSpectrum. They also grow microgreens that they cook with and share the recipes with. You can find more info on their website or visit their Instagram. I also gathered as much confidence as I could and made my first video. I was so excited about this! In this video I briefly present you the lamp. I'm sure there will be more to come, I'm planning to make some about the other lamps and put them in the blog before it goes online. (video is in dutch for now - sorry!) Växer.The Växer lamps are, in my opinion, the most well known when it comes to greenhouses. Most of us know about the #ikeagreenhousecabinet, there are two different lamps on the market, both with the same name. One is ready to use, the other you still need to provide a fixture or socket with cord. I have both in the house, and will introduce them to you separately for a moment.
Recommended retail price: € 35
Recommended retail price: € 14,99
hema's LED lamp.Hema's LED lamp was originally made to be attached in their greenhouse (see photo), as you can see from the attachments at both ends of the lamp. With some creativity you can also manage to attach them in a different way. For example, I have 2 of them hanging in my homemade 'greenhouse' using 2 magnets per lamp. These lamps are much more purple in color, especially compared to the previously mentioned lamps. The LED strip sits on a metal plate, which I think is to direct the heat away from the strip (as I learned at PlantSpectrum) and of course to brace the strip for attachment.
Recommended retail price: € 11.00 (BE price)
Below I placed a short movie in which I introduce you to the Hema grow light. This is to give you a better idea of the product & so you can also see a bit of what I mean with my homemade greenhouse. (For those who want to know, I used the HYLLIS shelf with cover from Ikea). (video is in dutch for now - sorry!) growlight.
The one I have in my house is yellow in light. It is much more yellow than a regular lamp, an advantage of the 3 part lamps is that you can make them shine in different directions. You can therefore put one lamp closer to a certain plant than the other. Personally I find the timer not always reliable, sometimes it works for a few days as set & then suddenly it goes off for a day. I don't have a light meter in the house, so this is something I judge by feeling; but I have the impression that sometimes the lamp is not strong enough to be the only source. By this I mean that the lamp is good for lighting a less bright spot, but I question whether the lamp as the sole source could keep a plant alive. Recommended retail price: € 20-25
To finish also about this lamp a little video to show them to you better. (I made the video after a long day of work, my apologies for the tired head ;) ) (video is in dutch for now - sorry!) CONCLUSIONAll suggested lamps are LED, which gives them a longer (expected) life & makes them more energy friendly. The prices are very different so there is a lamp for every budget. Of course there are many other lamps besides the 7 that I have presented to you here. If I had to choose a lamp again I think I would go for the PlantSpectrum from Mother & the lamps from Elho. In the cheaper class, I would choose the single light bulb from Ikea. I think your choice also depends a bit on where you want to put the bulb, how many plants it has to illuminate? Is it the only light source or will there also be natural light to the plant? Is it a larger plant or cuttings / seedlings? All important things to consider when choosing the perfect lamp. As a personal recommendation, if your budget allows you, I would choose a slightly more expensive bulb where a longer life is expected & one that I know is made from recycled materials. I notice in practically all the plants that get the 'help' of a grow light, that they benefit from it. Many of them are stimulated in growth, and often they start to grow straighter (toward the light). Except for the doubtful case of the ALiExpress lamp, I dare say that a grow light is a great added value for your plant that is not able to get enough daylight (just). I hope I have been able to inform you a bit and that most of your questions regarding these products have been answered. If not? Feel free to ask them! I am happy to help where possible. Disclaimer: The images in this blog were used from the internet and/or named websites. The videos are the property of ©️Greenplantmom. I am speaking from my own experience, if you have a different experience with any of these products please feel free to leave a comment. Did you like it? Please leave a 👍 below & follow my plant adventures on Instagram!
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AuthorCrazy plant lady who likes to inspire others! Everything I write here comes from my own experience, knowledge that I gained by reading books and on the internet. If I would literally copy someone's info, I would do my best to link it of course! Do you spot typos or do you have other concerns, let me know! Have fun reading! I've only just started writing English blogs since January 2021, that's why there are many Dutch blogs and not so many English ones.
I use DeepL to help me translate. ARCHIVES
Maart 2022
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