The best grow light for a 3ft x 3ft or 1m x 1m grow tent 2022 

I have tested 5 of the best grow lights for a 3ft x 3ft or 1m x 1m grow tent and compare them for PAR output, efficiency and value for money.

The 3ft x 3ft or 1m x 1m grow area will deliver a good yield for personal use in a compact grow space. To maximise the potential yield from the space you need about 200 to 300 watts of high efficiency LED lighting. Ideally the light fixture will be suitably sized to cover the area evenly i.e. the fixture is square and close to the physical size of the grow tent. The PAR chart is shown below for each model so you can judge the best solution for your grow space.

Spectrum

 All of the lights have a mixture of mid temperature white LEDs with 660nm reds to improve their electrical and photosynthetic efficiency. Therefore all of the grow lights tested are full spectrum and suitable for growing from seed to harvest.

Grow light comparison method

The comparison chart uses the results from Shanes PAR output and efficiency tests to calculate and compare the total cost of each fixture to deliver an average PAR of 750µmols/m²/second over 1m² grow area over a 3 year period. The 3 year costing includes the cost of the fixture and adds the electricity costs at 17c/KW hour over 14 hours per day average.

MIGRO ARAY 3

Our own MIGRO ARAY is designed by Shane and built here at MIGRO. The ARAY 3 is the largest LED bar type light on the list and delivers a very even spread across the grow area with the lowest hanging height of all the lights tested.

The high efficiency LED driver can be located outside of the grow tent to minimise heat in the grow tent and has on board dimming so you have full control for all stages of growth. 

The ARAY 3 is excellent build quality and uses the highest quality and efficient white LEDs by Seoul Semiconductors and Osram 660nm reds.

Buy the ARAY 3 here

Grow 200 by Grow Light Science

The Grow 200 is the lowest wattage tested and the lowest PAR output but is also the highest system efficiency and has a relatively low purchase prise per watt.

The fixture is rectangular in shape so the spread of light across the grow area is not the most uniform but it delivers a good average PAR of 588 µmols/m²/second and a very good system efficiency of 2.36 usable PPF/watt.

This is a well built fixture with on board dimming and high end white Samsung LEDs & Osram 660nm reds for higher system and photosynthetic efficiency. A 5 year warranty and UL certification is standard for all models.

Growealth G3000

The Growealth G3000 is a 300W LED grow light suitable for a 3ft x 3ft or 90cm x 90cm grow area with a wideband spectrum with added IR and UV.

The Growealth G3000 is an excellent value for money grow light. The G3000 is 300 watts of White and Red LEDs with added 15W each of Infra Red and UVA LEDs. Although it is not the highest build quality of the lights in this list it delivers a high PAR intensity and good spread.

This fixture delivers the highest average PAR of all the models chosen and has the added benefit of a wide band spectrum with added UVA and Far red.

 MAXSISUN MG3000 (discontinued)

Maxsisun is one of Shanes' favourite LED grow light brands because of the mix of excellent build quality and low price. The MG3000 is designed for a 3ft x 3ft or 90cm x90cm space and to hang at 40cm or 16" over the plant canopy.

The Photontek (Lumatek) SQ300W PRO