The Best LED Grow Light Panels
Five fixtures in the same class, similar prices and near-identical marketing. What separates them is what they are willing to tell you.
By Scooter M. — An enthusiast who's genuinely into this. I read the manuals, compile the published specs, and do the math. No lab coat.
Published · How we pick
Photographs on this site are licensed stock and are illustrative of the fixture type. We do not own the units we write about.
How this page is funded: the buy links here are Amazon Associates links, and we earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We have not been paid to feature anything on this page, we accept no free product, and commission plays no part in the ranking. Full disclosure.
We have not tested these units. Everything below comes from the manufacturer’s own published specifications, or from arithmetic we have shown our working for. Where a figure is not published, we say so instead of estimating one. Read the method.
Quick picks
Efficacy is photons out per joule in. Where a manufacturer publishes it we quote theirs; where they publish photon output and wattage but not efficacy, we divide and label it as ours; where they publish neither, the cell says so rather than guessing. Tap a row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Efficacy | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spider Farmer SF1000 Publishes PPF to two decimal places and an efficacy figure that actually divides out of it. That internal consistency is rarer in this category than it should be. | Verifiable claims | 2.5 umol/J | |
| 2 |  AC Infinity IONBOARD S22 The highest published efficacy of any fixture here at 2.7 umol/J, on Samsung LM301H diodes, with dimming in real 20% steps rather than a vague knob. | Efficiency and dimming | 2.7 umol/J | |
| 3 |  Mars Hydro TS 1000 The most photons of anything on this list, and one of only three fixtures here that publishes both PPF and efficacy so the claim can be checked against itself. | Most output | 2.3 umol/J | |
| 4 |  VIVOSUN VS1000 Samsung LM301 diodes and a published 2.75 umol/J — the highest efficacy claim on this list, though the photon output it implies is never printed anywhere. | Highest claimed efficacy | 2.75 umol/J | |
| 5 |  ViparSpectra P1000 Genuinely useful hardware — dimmer, daisy chain to 20 units, no fan — wrapped in a product page that publishes no photon data at all. | Daisy chaining | Not published |
The reasoning
Five panels, four of them nominally 100 to 115 W, all marketed with the same vocabulary. On appearance and price they are close to interchangeable. On disclosure they are not remotely alike, and that turns out to be the useful axis.
The disclosure table
| Panel | Power | PPF published? | Efficacy | PPFD with distance? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Farmer SF1000 | 100 W | Yes — 249.21 µmol/s | 2.5, and it divides out | No |
| Mars Hydro TS 1000 | 150 W | Yes — 343 µmol/s | 2.3, and it divides out | No |
| AC Infinity IONBOARD S22 | 115 W | No — derived ~311 | 2.7 published | A figure, but no distance |
| VIVOSUN VS1000 | 100 W | No — derived ~275 | 2.75 published | No |
| ViparSpectra P1000 | 100 W | No | Not published | No |
Reading that table
Two panels publish a photon output you can divide by an area. Two publish an efficacy from which output can be inferred. One publishes neither. That ordering is the ranking, and it is not the same ordering you would get from the headline efficacy numbers.
Spider Farmer: 249.21 µmol/s ÷ 100 W = 2.49 µmol/J, matching its published 2.5. Two independent figures that agree.
VIVOSUN: 2.75 µmol/J published, no PPF. Multiplying gives 275 µmol/s, but that is derived from the claim, so it cannot test it.
We are not saying VIVOSUN’s figure is wrong. We are saying one of these can be checked and the other cannot, and that difference is worth more to a buyer than 0.25 µmol/J.
What each panel is actually best at
- Spider Farmer SF1000 — verifiable output. Over its stated 3 × 3 ft maximum footprint it computes to 238 µmol/m²/s, giving a DLI of 12.0 mol/m²/day at 14 hours. That is the published seedling target, hit almost exactly, from published numbers.
- AC Infinity IONBOARD S22 — efficiency you can attribute. 2.7 µmol/J on named Samsung LM301H diodes, with dimming in real 20% steps rather than an unmarked knob. Its weakness is the distance-free PPFD figure.
- Mars Hydro TS 1000 — output. 343 µmol/s is 38% more than the SF1000 for 50 W more draw. If your area is genuinely large, this is the fixture.
- VIVOSUN VS1000 — the highest claim. 2.75 µmol/J on Samsung LM301 diodes, and the widest published spectral range at 380–780 nm.
- ViparSpectra P1000 — hardware features. No fan, daisy chain to 20 fixtures, and a coverage claim that at least states the distance it applies at. No photon data whatsoever.
The panel-shaped caveat
Everything above assumes a panel is the right tool. On a long shallow shelf it is not: a compact source over a 2.7:1 rectangle lights the middle and misses the ends, whatever its specification says. Check the geometry before the specs — that argument is in bar versus panel coverage, and the bar picks are in the best grow light bars.
Running cost across the class
| Panel | Power | kWh/month | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Farmer SF1000 | 100 W | 42.0 | $7.70 |
| VIVOSUN VS1000 | 100 W | 42.0 | $7.70 |
| ViparSpectra P1000 | 100 W | 42.0 | $7.70 |
| AC Infinity IONBOARD S22 | 115 W | 48.3 | $8.86 |
| Mars Hydro TS 1000 | 150 W | 63.0 | $11.56 |
The spread across the whole class is under $4 a month. That should tell you how much weight to give running cost when choosing between these specific fixtures — and how much more weight to give whether the thing covers your actual shelf.
Every pick in full
Spider Farmer SF1000
LED panelVerifiable claims
Publishes PPF to two decimal places and an efficacy figure that actually divides out of it. That internal consistency is rarer in this category than it should be.
What Spider Farmer publishes
- Power draw
- 100 W +/-5% at 100-277 V AC (source)
- PPF (photon output)
- 249.21 umol/s (source)
- Efficacy
- 2.5 umol/J (source)
- Stated coverage
- 2 x 2 ft core, 3 x 3 ft maximum (source)
- Spectrum
- 650-665 nm, 730-740 nm, 2800-3000 K, 4800-5000 K (source)
- Diodes
- Bridgelux (source)
- Dimming
- Yes, dimming knob (source)
- Dimensions
- 32.5 x 29.0 x 5.9 cm (source)
- Rated life
- 55,000 hours (source)
Our arithmetic
- Does the published efficacy check out against the published PPF?: Yes — 2.49 umol/J computed against 2.5 umol/J published
249.21 umol/s / 100 W = 2.4921 umol/J. The published 2.5 umol/J is that number rounded. Not every brand's two figures agree like this, which is exactly why we divide them. - Average PPFD across its 2 x 2 ft core footprint: about 536 umol/m2/s
2 ft x 2 ft = 4 sq ft = 0.372 m2. 249.21 / 0.372 = 670 umol/m2/s at perfect uniformity; at a 0.8 uniformity factor, about 536 umol/m2/s.
Who should skip it
Skip it if raw output is what you are buying — the TS 1000 delivers 38% more photons per second, at the cost of 50 W more draw.
AC Infinity IONBOARD S22
LED panelEfficiency and dimming
The highest published efficacy of any fixture here at 2.7 umol/J, on Samsung LM301H diodes, with dimming in real 20% steps rather than a vague knob.
What AC Infinity publishes
- Power draw
- 115 W (source)
- Efficacy
- 2.7 umol/J (source)
- PPFD
- 1098 PPFD (no measurement distance published) (source)
- Stated coverage
- 2 x 2 ft (source)
- Spectrum
- Samsung LM301H, plus 660 nm, 730 nm, 3000 K, 6500 K (source)
- Diodes
- 272 diodes (source)
- Dimming
- Yes, 0-100% in 20% increments (source)
- Dimensions
- 30.0 x 30.0 cm board, 1.1 cm thick (source)
- Rated life
- 50,000 hours (source)
Our arithmetic
- Photon output implied by the published wattage and efficacy: about 311 umol/s
115 W x 2.7 umol/J = 310.5 umol/s. AC Infinity does not print PPF directly, so this is our arithmetic from two figures it does print.
What AC Infinity does not publish
- PPF in umol/s — only efficacy is given, so photon output has to be derived
- The measurement distance for the 1098 PPFD figure, without which the number cannot be compared to anything
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want to place it by the numbers. AC Infinity prints 1098 PPFD with no measurement distance attached, which makes that figure impossible to use or compare.
Mars Hydro TS 1000
LED panelMost output
The most photons of anything on this list, and one of only three fixtures here that publishes both PPF and efficacy so the claim can be checked against itself.
What Mars Hydro publishes
- Power draw
- 150 W +/-5% at 100-277 V AC (source)
- PPF (photon output)
- 343 umol/s (source)
- Efficacy
- 2.3 umol/J (source)
- Stated coverage
- 2.5 x 2.5 ft vegetative, 2.3 x 2.3 ft flowering (source)
- Spectrum
- 660-665 nm, 730-740 nm, 3000 K, 5000 K (source)
- Diodes
- Bridgelux (source)
- Dimming
- Yes, 0-100% dimmer knob (source)
- Dimensions
- 406 x 326 x 50 mm (source)
Our arithmetic
- Average PPFD across its stated 2.5 x 2.5 ft vegetative footprint: about 470 umol/m2/s
2.5 ft x 2.5 ft = 6.25 sq ft = 0.581 m2. 343 umol/s divided by 0.581 m2 = 590 umol/m2/s at perfect uniformity; applying a 0.8 uniformity factor gives about 472 umol/m2/s average. - Electricity used at 14 hours a day for 30 days: 63.0 kWh a month
150 W x 14 h x 30 d / 1000 = 63.0 kWh.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you are lighting a bookshelf. 343 umol/s concentrated into a 2.5 ft square is far more light than a monstera wants, and you pay 150 W to deliver it.
VIVOSUN VS1000
LED panelHighest claimed efficacy
Samsung LM301 diodes and a published 2.75 umol/J — the highest efficacy claim on this list, though the photon output it implies is never printed anywhere.
What VIVOSUN publishes
- Power draw
- 100 W (source)
- Efficacy
- 2.75 umol/J (source)
- Stated coverage
- 2 x 2 ft (source)
- Spectrum
- 380-780 nm, including 660 nm and 730 nm; 3000 K and 5000 K (source)
- Diodes
- Samsung LM301 (source)
- Dimming
- Yes, four dimming levels, daisy chain (source)
Our arithmetic
- Photon output implied by the published wattage and efficacy: about 275 umol/s
100 W x 2.75 umol/J = 275 umol/s. Our arithmetic from VIVOSUN's two published figures, not a VIVOSUN figure.
What VIVOSUN does not publish
- PPF in umol/s
- PPFD at any stated distance
- Rated lifespan
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want the efficacy claim independently checkable. With no published PPF there is no second figure to divide against, so the number has to be taken on trust.
ViparSpectra P1000
LED panelDaisy chaining
Genuinely useful hardware — dimmer, daisy chain to 20 units, no fan — wrapped in a product page that publishes no photon data at all.
What ViparSpectra publishes
- Power draw
- 100 W (described as comparable to a 250 W HPS) (source)
- Stated coverage
- 2.5 x 2.5 ft vegetative at 16 inches, 2 x 2 ft flowering at 10 inches (source)
- Spectrum
- 660 nm red, 3000 K and 5000 K white, 730 nm far red (source)
- Dimming
- Yes, plus daisy chain up to 20 fixtures (source)
What ViparSpectra does not publish
- PPF in umol/s
- Photon efficacy in umol/J
- PPFD at any stated distance
- Fixture dimensions and rated lifespan
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want to compute coverage before you buy. With no published PPF and no published efficacy there is nothing to compute with, and we will not invent a figure to fill the gap.
Questions people actually ask
+Which LED grow light panel is best?
+Are 100W grow light panels enough?
+Should I buy a panel or bars?
+Does the extra efficacy justify a more expensive panel?
Sources
- Spider Farmer — SF1000 published specification table — consulted September 2, 2026
- Mars Hydro — TS 1000 published specification table — consulted September 2, 2026
- AC Infinity — IONBOARD S22 published specifications — consulted September 2, 2026
- VIVOSUN — VS1000 product page — consulted September 2, 2026
- ViparSpectra — P1000 product page — consulted September 2, 2026
- University of New Hampshire Extension — Growing Seedlings Under Lights — consulted September 2, 2026
- US Energy Information Administration — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3 (US residential average, June 2026) — consulted September 2, 2026
Read next
Reviews
The Best Grow Lights
The main ranking: nine fixtures sorted on published data, with every gap named.
Reviews
Mars Hydro TS 1000 vs ViparSpectra P1000
Two panels in the same segment: one publishes photon data, the other publishes none.
Coverage & Sizing
Bar vs Panel Coverage and Uniformity
How the two form factors distribute light, and which shapes each one suits.
Running Cost
The Most Efficient Grow Lights by µmol/J
Every fixture we cover ranked on published photon efficacy, with derivations shown.
Where this sits
This page belongs to Fixture Reviews and Roundups. Every figure on it is either quoted from a named published source or derived in view — the full method is on our methodology page, and how the site is funded is on the affiliate disclosure.