Last updated: April 12, 2021
The growing trend towards legalization of cannabis cultivation in the U.S. and Canada has led to rapid advances in horticultural lighting. With the possibility of more and larger commercial grows becoming available, lighting manufacturers are consistently being asked to produce more powerful and efficient lighting options for cannabis cultivators.
Double Ended (DE) grow lights are one of the latest waves in this technological push. Improving on the design of high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights – they’re more powerful efficient – leading to larger, more consistent yields.
Finding the best DE grow lights can be quite the challenge! That’s why we’ve put together this list of reviews from our hands-on experience with cannabis grow lighting. So read on, because by the end of this article you’ll have learned everything you need to know about choosing the best double ended grow light.
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Best Overall |
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TopoGrow 1000W Double Ended HPS Grow Light Kit |
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CHECK PRICE |
Best Value |
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XAMT DE HPS Grow Light Kit 1000 Watt |
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CHECK PRICE |
Premium Choice |
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Yield Lab Pro Series Double Ended Hood Grow Light Kit |
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CHECK PRICE |
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Hydro Crunch DE01-1000-ROPE Double Ended Grow Light System |
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Corporate Solutionz Double Ended Grow Light Kit System |
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CHECK PRICE |
TopoGrow is a well-known name in cannabis grow lights for good reason: They produce a compelling line of products, offering solutions for any growing operation, backed up with great durability and friendly customer service. No matter what sort of lighting rig you’re looking at for your indoor grow, TopoGrow is a reliable option.
This double-ended HPS grow light kit is exceptional. A single, high-efficiency bulb produces a light output of 145,000 lumens – almost 30% more than many single ended bulbs we’ve reviewed. Combine that with a durable reflector made from German aluminum, and this light can significantly increase the yields and potency of your cannabis during its flowering phase.
Adding a dimmer makes it versatile for use in the veg stage. An exceptionally long operating life and serious energy efficiency help round it out as the total package for a double ended HPS grow light. All things considered, it’s an incredible light for the price that is worthy of our #1 pick.
This offering from a relative newcomer to the grow light scene, XAMT, may well be the best double ended grow light for the money. With features comparable to DE grow lights from big names like TopoGrow and Yield Lab, we were impressed by its robust power output and good coverage area.
What really makes this DE grow light from XAMT our pick for “best value” though, is its warranty policy: With a 3-year warranty for the ballast and reflector and 1 year for the bulb, it’s an incredibly durable option that still comes in at a more affordable price than its competitors.
However, we couldn’t choose this as our top pick for one very good reason: The company is yet to have a proven track record for its products or customer service. With mixed reviews from buyers, we would recommend approaching this one cautiously until the company’s been around for a bit longer.
For a powerful all-in-one solution to your lighting needs, the Yield Lab Pro Series double ended kit might be the most convenient and reliable option around. While the cost increase is significant compared to similar models, its ease of use, reliability, and great warranties set it apart from the competition.
As our premium choice, it’s got everything you’d hope for from a double ended grow light: A huge wing reflector maximizes coverage area, while the dimmable ballast makes it suitable for different grow phases. Combine that with a 145,000-lumen output and excellent energy efficiency, as well as a significant warranty policy, and it’s clear why this lamp is worth investing in.
While most double ended grow light kits come with one 1000-Watt bulb, this offering from Hydro Crunch gives you the opportunity to choose your own double ended bulb. It’s not the most convenient option we’ve reviewed, but it does offer the ability to customize your lighting source without having to spend extra on the included bulbs from other systems.
The ballast, reflector, and dimmer for the Hydro Crunch are all top-notch, providing good reliability and a significant coverage area. Add in a 2-year warranty on the ballast, and it’s looking even better. Like most DE systems, power output is considerable (around 140,000 lumens), energy efficiency is high, and its lifespan is excellent.
Corporate Solutionz has been one of our favorite newcomers to the cannabis grow light market, offering pricey but extremely reliable solutions that are well-designed and easy to install.
Their double ended grow light kit is equipped with all the qualities you could hope for out of this category of lights: An extremely reflective hood for maximum coverage, big power output and excellent energy efficiency, and a dimmer for tweaking light during different grow phases.
Their outstanding 5-year warranty might be our favorite part. Most complaints about DE grow light kits come at around the 1-year mark, as ballasts and bulbs start to show problems from manufacture defects. With Corporate Solutionz’s 5-year warranty, you know your investment in powerful lighting is safe for years to come. If it wasn’t so darned expensive, it could easily have become our #1 pick.
As a relatively new technology, plenty of companies are trying to get in on the double ended grow light game. But once you look past the features that just about all DE lights have in common, not every offering holds up as good value. What about this offering from SunStream?
There are a lot of things to love about SunStream’s 1000-Watt DE grow light system: Automated cooling and an emergency shut-off system are features not found in many competitors’ lights, and the durability of their materials is second to none. Great energy efficiency and power output round out the package, and are backed up by a reasonable warranty period, too.
For what this product offers, we’re not a big fan of the price. Compared to other DE grow lights we reviewed, it seems like a more expensive version of our favorites – but with added cooling features. Unless your grow room runs way too hot, this just won’t come in handy often enough to justify the price hike.
Last but not least, is VIVOSUN’s offering for a double ended grow light fixture. We’ve been fans of VIVOSUN for quite some time, regularly enjoying their products’ combination of utility, reliability, and value. But does their DE grow light live up to our expectations?
In short, yes: They’ve included everything that makes DE grow lights a desirable option for cannabis cultivation, from excellent power output and energy efficiency, to a well-designed reflector that gives considerable coverage area. An adjustable dimmer lets you customize the light output for each phase of your grow, and the fully sealed ballast keeps out any condensation from your grow room.
The only downside? Of all the units we reviewed, this one generates the most heat. To use it effectively and safely, you’ll need to equip your grow room with some serious ventilation – which we know isn’t always an option. If you have the space for a powerful ventilation system, this DE grow light from VIVOSUN comes at an excellent value.
Double ended grow lights are the latest advancement in high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting. Part of the family of high intensity discharge (HID) lights, they’re ideal for use in the flowering phase of your grow. By improving on both the efficiency and intensity of light provided by HPS bulbs, they’ve become a favorite of commercial and hobbyist growers alike.
When we’re trying to decide on the best DE grow lights in every category, we look for 3 major things:
HPS lights are renowned for one thing: Their incredible power output. Any time you’re looking for a double ended grow light, make sure that its lumen output adds up. We recommend no less than 140,000 lumens; otherwise, you might as well buy a different style of light at a lower price.
The design of a DE grow light’s reflector is a major factor in how much plant coverage you get out of it. The best double ended grow light systems will cover 9 square feet or more during the veg phase, and 6+ square feet during the crucial blooming phase where HID lights really shine.
Unless you want to invest in more than one style of light, you’ll need to be able to dim your DE lights to use them for each grow phase. Simply put, HID lights are way too intense to keep at full power during the veg phase – though you’ll absolutely want that power to increase your yields once your plants are flowering.
In our minds, an adjustable dimmer is a necessity for DE grow light systems; this way, you can easily customize your light output for veg and bloom stages and avoid having to buy a different frequency of light.
After carefully weighing all the available options for double ended grow lights available today, we confidently stand by the TopoGrow 1000W Double Ended HPS Grow Light Kit as the best overall choice for cannabis cultivation. For the best value, though, look towards the lesser-known XAMT DE HPS Grow Light Kit – it has an impressive warranty for the price.
Thanks for reading today! With the huge amount of options available for grow lights, we hope that this guide has made it easier for you to decide which double ended grow light is best for your indoor grow setup. By carefully examining their features and comparing prices to your available budget, we’re confident that you’ll now be able to choose the absolute best light for you.
Featured Image: VIVOSUN Double Ended Grow Light Fixture, Amazon
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