The grow light is where most of your electricity bill goes and where most beginners overspend on the wrong thing. The market is flooded with "1000W" panels that draw a fraction of that from the wall, so the headline question, LED or HPS? matters less than knowing which numbers are real. Here's how to choose, what each option actually costs to run in an Irish home, and the lights we stock to do the job properly.
LED vs HPS for ladies: the quick answer
- LED what most beginners should buy in 2026: cooler, cheaper to run, full spectrum, lasts years
- HPS still grows heavy, dense bud, but it runs hot and your electricity bill feels it
- CMH/LEC the underrated middle option: gorgeous spectrum, a little more setup
- CFL/T5 seedlings and clones only, never a flowering light
- Ignore the wattage on the box. The only number that matters first is wall draw, what the light actually pulls from the socket
If you want one answer: for most first grows, buy a single full-spectrum LED grow light sized to your tent. We stock Lumatek for exactly this reason b the wall draw and coverage are published, not invented.
Are LED grow lights good for ladies?
For most people starting out, yes, not because LEDs are magic, but because the maths works. Lower running cost than HPS, far less heat (which means an easier job for your extraction), 50,000+ hours of life against roughly 10,000 for an HPS bulb, and a full spectrum that handles both veg and flower from one fixture. A good LED bar at 200 - 320W actual wall draw covers an 80 x 80cm to 120 x 120cm tent and runs for years without a bulb change.
The catch is the market. That "1000W LED" online for sixty euro draws maybe 130W from the wall, the wattage is fiction and the money's gone. When you compare lights, look at wall draw first, then efficacy (micromoles per joule, how much usable light per unit of electricity), then the PPFD map showing how evenly it covers the tent. As a rough Irish guide, expect, €140 - €250 for an honest 200W LED and €200 - €400 for a 320W to cover a bigger tent. Browse the full grow-lights range here and we'll tell you the real wall draw rather than the sticker number.
Is HPS still worth it for growing ladies?
It still grows dense, heavy buds, anyone who says HPS can't compete on quality is wrong. That orange-red spectrum is exactly what flowering plants love. The problem is everything around it. A 600W HPS pulls 600W from the wall, the ballast adds another 60 - 70W, and roughly 60% of all that becomes heat. In a 1.2m tent that's a furnace your extraction setup has to fight all summer. Running one twelve hours a day in flower costs around €75 - €90 a month in Ireland; the equivalent LED does the same job for roughly half. HPS isn't wrong, it's just not the smart first buy anymore. If someone hands you a free HPS kit, use it. If you're spending money, spend it on LED.
What about CMH and CFL?
CMH/LEC (ceramic metal halide) is the quiet favourite. A 315W produces a beautiful full spectrum, the closest to sunlight of any grow light, with less heat per watt than HPS. Growers who switch to them tend to stay. The downside: dearer to buy, the bulb needs replacing every 12 - 18 months, and it needs its own ballast. For a second or third grow, well worth a look. For a first tent, one more thing to think about.
CFL/T5 is for seedlings and clones, full stop. The intensity falls off so fast that anything past 10 - 15cm gets almost nothing b flower under CFLs and you get airy popcorn. A T5 running four 54W tubes draws 216W and makes maybe 150 - 200 PPFD up close; you need 600+ to flower properly. Brilliant for keeping a mother plant alive or rooting cuttings, but not a flowering light.
How many watts do I need to grow ladies?
Think in real wall-draw watts, not box claims. As a rough rule: around 200W of genuine LED draw for an 80 x 80cm tent, stepping up to roughly 320W for a 120 x 120cm. The honest figure is the one measured at the socket, not printed on the lid. Match the light to your tent footprint, a light that under-covers leaves dark corners, and one that over-drives a small space just adds heat. If you tell us your tent size, we'll point you at the right wattage in one go.
Pop in and we'll size your light with you
If you're stuck between LED and HPS, or between two wattages, the quickest way to decide is to tell us your tent size and your budget, we do this every day at the shop. DIG is Ireland's largest grow shop, based in Dublin, with collection available in store and delivery across Ireland.
Want the full breakdown of the spectrum science, PPFD and efficacy figures behind all this? Our friends at Grow Good Bud have the free in-depth guide.
FAQ
What's the best grow light for a beginner?
A single full-spectrum LED matched to your tent size, roughly 200W for an 80 x 80cm, 320W for a 120 x 20cm. Cooler, cheaper to run, and it handles veg and flower without a bulb change.
Is LED or HPS better for ladies?
LED for most people: less heat, lower bills, longer life. HPS still grows excellent bud but runs hot and costs more to run. If you're buying new, choose LED. If an HPS is free, use it.
How many watts do I need to grow ladies?
Think in real wall-draw watts, not box claims, very roughly 200 - 320W of genuine LED draw per small tent. The honest number is the one measured at the socket, not printed on the lid.
Can I flower ladies under CFL lights?
Not really. CFL and T5 are for seedlings and clones. The light is too weak past a few centimetres to make proper flower, you'll get loose, airy buds.
Where can I buy a grow light in Ireland?
DIG (Dublin Indoor Gardening) stocks Lumatek LED and other grow lights to suit every tent size, with collection in Dublin and delivery across Ireland.