Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light Review

About the Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light

• Voltage: 120 volts
• Light Spectrum: 400 to 780 nanometers
• Height: 47 to 70.86 inches
• Brightness Levels: 5
• Timing Cycles: 8, 12, or 14 hours

The Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light is an adjustable floor lamp that uses 240 LED chips to deliver 10,200 lumens of brightness, equivalent to a 680-watt bulb. The Tall Standing Grow Light emits light across the full visible spectrum, from 400 to 780 nanometers, with a CRI (Color Rendering Index) near 100, meaning colors appear nearly identical to how they would under sunlight. It adjusts from as low as 47 inches (3 feet, 11 inches) to as high as 70.86 inches (5 feet, 11 inches), and has five adjustable light levels ranging from 20% of the maximum to full brightness.

How we tested

To see how the Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light performed for plant lovers, we set it up and let it shine. We tested the lamp in two locations: a moderately sunny office with southern exposure and afternoon sun, and a dark bedroom with northern exposure and blackout curtains, which we kept drawn. We positioned the lamp to provide direct light to the plants that needed it and indirect light to the others.

We tried all three of the lamp's time cycles and all five brightness levels, and set the lamp at a range of heights above several house plants, including a ZZ plant, spider plant, prayer plant, mint seedlings, and a Bird of Paradise.

What we like

It's tall enough for big plants

With a top height of 70.86 inches (about 5 feet 11 inches), the Tall Standing Grow Light offers plenty of options other grow lights don't, including positioning it at a safe distance above every tall house plant, like our nearly 6-foot-tall-in-its-pot Bird of Paradise. Similarly, its height lets you position it over light-loving plants on shelves, bureaus, or dressers, so you can bring the light to them rather than move the plants into the only spots the light can reach.

It's blindingly bright

Turning on the Tall Standing Grow Light feels like throwing open the curtains: when we plugged it in for the first time, it felt like looking directly at bright summer sunshine. (We saw spots.)

Once we'd gotten used to the light (and the different dimmer settings), we were impressed not just by the strength of the LED bulbs' output, but by the quality of the light itself. Sansi says the bulbs cover the entire visible spectrum (400 to 780 nanometers), and that's what it looked like: even in our darkest test space, colors looked true.

More importantly, our plants loved it. Because many factors contribute to plant growth (and because growth can look like many different things), we didn't compare plants to control samples. But the plants we kept under the light looked markedly healthy, robust, and flourishing.

Our only regret? We tested the Sansi Tall Standing Grow Light in the summer, when our plants were already getting the most sunlight they get all year (i.e., 15-plus hours of daylight). We think the bright, full-spectrum light that the LED bulbs emit will be even more useful in the winter, when our part of the world gets just 9 or 10 hours of weaker daylight.

It's easy to set up and use

Putting the light together was a snap: Open the box, and screw the three pieces of the telescoping pole together and into the base. Once you add batteries to the remote (not included—you'll need two AAA batteries) and plug the lamp into the socket, it's ready to go.

It's just as easy to use once assembled. A switch attached to the power cable turns the lamp on and off, with the brightness set to whatever level it was when it was switched off. The basic remote lets you switch the lamp on and off (so long as the physical switch is set to on), set the automatic timer, and adjust the brightness.

Even adjusting the telescoping pole's height is easy. Spin the corrugated metal cuff one way to loosen it, then move the pole and lamp head to the desired height. Spin it the other way to secure it in place. We adjusted the lamp to multiple positions and found it sturdy, easy to set up, and stable in each position.

It looks great

Unlike so many warehouse-ready grow lights, the Sansi Tall Standing Grow Light looks (almost) like a regular lamp—one you can put in a bedroom or living space without drawing unwanted attention. We like the sophisticated matte white metal with silver accents, too: While it won't go with every décor style, we think it fits with more than most, and we liked how it looked in both spaces we tested it in.

What we don't like

The remote controls it all

The remote is simple, reliable, and easy to use—all pluses. It feels lightweight and basic, but it works well. That said, it's the only way to reset the timer and, more pressingly, adjust the brightness. Once the lamp is on a set schedule, this isn't a big deal—but more than once, we wished we could adjust the brightness up or down on the lamp itself without having to search for the remote.

The cord is hard to ignore

Unlike many floor lamps, the power cable that connects the lamp to the socket doesn't run discreetly through or down by the lamp's pole—it's attached right by the top of the lamp arm. Is this a small thing? Absolutely. But if you hate the look of cables, you're going to notice this.

Warranty

For all Sansi products bought through official channels (the Sansi website, Amazon, and eBay), the company offers a 30-day unconditional refund or replacement warranty for users who submit a claim. The light is further protected with a two-year support and service warranty (note that after six months, shipping charges will apply for replacements). Tech support is available at [email protected] for the life of the product.

Should you buy the Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light

Yes, especially if you have tall plants

The Sansi LED 100W Tall Standing Grow Light (available at Amazon for $127.48) is easy to use, good-looking, and versatile enough to give our leafiest plants the bright, consistent light they need. If you have tall houseplants, plants up high, or want a functional addition to your plant toolkit that doesn't look like it belongs in a lab, this is a game-changer. If you're looking for something more compact, check out our roundup of the best hydroponic garden systems.