COB LED Lights for Growing Marijuana

What Are COB LED Lights?

COB LED lights are a popular type of LED grow light. COB stands for chip on board: many small LED chips are mounted together on one board, so the module works as a single, very bright light source.

Many COB grow lights use white, full-spectrum chips from LED makers such as Cree and EpiLED. Some fixtures also add separate red or blue diodes. Like other LEDs, they are a common choice for indoor growing.

Legal note: This guide is for adults 21+ where home growing is legal. Cannabis is still illegal under US federal law for nonmedical use (Schedule I), and state rules on home grows differ, per the Congressional Research Service.

If you’re unfamiliar with how COB lights work, it might be hard to know which ones are right for your grow room. Below are COB LED grow lights we've looked at.

Many of these are budget brands sold mainly through online marketplaces, and models change often. We couldn't verify wattage, coverage or spectrum figures on official maker pages, so check the current listing and spec sheet before you buy.

How to compare grow lights

Plants use light in the 400-700 nm range, called photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), per University of Missouri Extension. Look for a spectrum graph showing output in that range.

Rather than lux or lumens, compare a light's PPF (photons per second) and efficiency in μmol/J; higher μmol/J means more plant light per unit of electricity. Lux and lumens describe light as human eyes see it, not as plants use it.

A Selection of Trusted COB LED Grow Lights

Mrhua 600W Cob Full Spectrum LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants VEG and Flower

The Mrhua is marketed for a hydroponic grow site, greenhouse, or indoor garden.

It uses reflector cups with lenses over each COB to focus the light downward. It's sold as a full-spectrum light for both the vegetative and flowering stages.

Pros:

• Focused light from reflector cups and lenses
• Full-spectrum light for all growth stages
• Built-in cooling

Cons:

• Extremely bright
• Suitable for indoor use only

Rapid 75W COB LED Grow Light Fixture

If you want an economical, low-wattage COB LED grow light, the Rapid is a compact option. It's remarkably bright for such a small unit.

The light is well-designed and sturdy. It's best suited to a very small grow space; check the maker's coverage recommendation for your plants' growth stage.

Pros:

• Sturdy and compact design
• Suitable color temperature for vegging
• Easy to hang with a rope ratchet
• Low power draw

Cons:

• Smaller coverage area

Niello 600W Full Spectrum COB LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants

The Niello COB LED grow light is a good light for beginners who want to shorten the learning curve of setting up grow lights. It's a high-intensity light that's easy to set up, and it comes with hanging gear and an installation manual.

It uses reflector cups over the COBs and cooling fans with a heat sink. The cooling system is fairly quiet.

Pros:

• Reflector cup design focuses the light
• Full-spectrum for all growth stages
• Glass lenses protect the chips
• Fans for cooling

Cons:

• Not waterproof
• Extremely bright

Hipargero 450W COB LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower

The Hipargero combines COBs with smaller LEDs and is sold as a full-spectrum light for all growth stages.

Check the maker's listing for its recommended coverage area for veg and flowering.

Pros:

• Suitable for indoor plants
• Solid construction with good heat dissipation
• Full spectrum covers veg and flower

Cons:

• Too bright to look at directly
• The cooling system is a little bit loud

MaceGrow 450w COB and Crew LED Grow Light for Greenhouse Hydroponic

MaceGrow COB lights combine COBs with smaller LED chips to give a broad spectrum.

The unit uses optical lenses to focus the light. It also supports daisy-chaining, so you can connect similar lights to increase coverage.

Pros:

• Combines LED chips and COBs
• Lenses focus the light
• Daisy chain design allows for multiple connections
• Easy to use on/off switch

Cons:

• Bright enough that you should avoid looking at it directly

Aglex 600W COB LED Grow Light

The Aglex COB light is another full-spectrum option.

The unit comes with two channels, one for blooming and fruiting and the other for vegetative growth. Turn both channels on during flowering.

Pros:

• Separate channels for vegetative growth and blooming
• Quiet cooling system
• Reflector to direct the light
• Daisy chain design allows for multiple connections

Cons:

• Very bright; use eye protection when working under it

Canagrow 200W COB LED Grow Light

This light combines LED chips with COB technology and is sold as a full-spectrum light for every growth stage.

It has separate red and blue channels for veg and bloom.

Pros:

• LED chip and COB combination
• Good build quality and cooling
• Full-spectrum for all growth stages
• Red and blue channels for veg and bloom
• Daisy chain structure allows for multiple connections

Cons:

• Smaller coverage for its size, but may be suitable for small grow tents

Canagrow 360W COB LED Grow Light

This Canagrow model has no fans. It relies on its aluminum housing to shed heat passively.

The slim design is easy to install and has an easy-to-reach on/off switch.

Pros:

• No fans, so it runs quietly
• Durable aluminum housing
• Slim, space-saving design

Cons:

• Doesn’t have a daisy chain set

Growstar 300W Cree COB LED Grow Light

Growstar makes sturdy grow lights. The venting around this light helps keep it cool.

This light features a single power cord input, a click on/off power button, and three anchors for hanging. It combines a set of small LEDs with a larger COB at the center.

Pros:

• COB plus LED combination
• Quiet venting system
• Suitable for flowering, greenhouse gardening, and indoor growing

Cons:

• Bright enough that you should wear eye protection
• Doesn’t have a daisy chain design

CF Grow 200W Cree COB LED Grow Light

The CF Grow COB light is marketed for hydroponic grow systems.

It combines LED chips and COBs for a broad spectrum covering all growth stages.

Pros:

• Strong, broad spectrum
• Glass lenses over the chips
• Comes with two fans and side venting for cooling

Cons:

• Installation gear not provided
• Fans are a bit noisy

OFADD 1000W COB LED Grow Light

The OFADD COB light uses dual-chip LEDs and is sold as a full-spectrum light for veg and bloom.

As with many budget lights, the number in the name doesn't tell you the actual power draw. Check the real wattage and PPF on the spec sheet.

Pros:

• Full-spectrum for all growth stages
• Even light spread

Cons:

• Overstated advertised lux

CF Grow 300W COB LED Grow Light

The CF Grow 300W model is built to grow plants indoors in any season.

It uses flip-chip COBs and has no cooling fan; instead, it relies on an aluminum housing to shed heat.

Pros:

• No cooling fan, so no fan noise
• Aluminum housing for passive cooling

Cons:

• The housing gets hot; keep it clear of plants, flammable materials and hands
• Check the voltage rating matches your outlets before buying

Roleadro 800W COB LED Grow Light

The Roleadro is designed for both vegging and flowering.

It includes blue and red light in its spectrum. The design uses two fans and side vents for cooling, and the light has a daisy chain setting for multiple connections.

If this is too much light for your grow space, check whether a lower-wattage version is available.

Pros:

• Broad spectrum for all growth stages
• Daisy chain for multiple connections
• Fans and vents for cooling
• Reflectors focus the light

Cons:

• Fans are a little bit noisy
• Runs hot if airflow is blocked

YaeTek Full Spectrum COB LED Grow Light

The YaeTek combines COBs with smaller LEDs for an even, full-spectrum light.

It has cooling fans and side venting, and daisy chain settings for multiple connections.

Pros:

• Even color mix
• Good heat dissipation
• Angled reflectors spread the light across your grow area

Cons:

• Fan operation is noisy
• Fans can fail over time, so check them regularly

MaxBloom 800W COB LED Grow Light

This light is sold with a wide spectrum running from UV to infrared.

Both the COB lights and the small LEDs sit under lenses. One switch controls the smaller LEDs and another controls the large COBs.

It cools with fans and side vents: cool air enters through the vents and hot air leaves through the fans.

Pros:

• Wide spectrum for indoor growing
• Two switches for veg and bloom
• Good cooling system

Cons:

• Not waterproof
• Very bright to look at

Final

We hope this list of COB LED grow lights makes your decision a little easier. When buying, consider the size of your grow area, the spectrum, the light's PPF and μmol/J efficiency, and your cooling.

Smaller grow spaces can heat up quickly under high-output lights, so make sure you have fans, or choose lights that run cooler. Never look directly at a bright grow light, and keep fixtures and drivers away from water.

It might take a bit of trial and error to find the right light for your grow space, so be patient.

Sources

• Controlled Environment Agriculture: Understanding Grow Lights, University of Missouri Extension
• Department of Justice Eases Control of Medical Marijuana, Congressional Research Service