If you are talking about the light in the link below, save your money, I wouldn't buy it. You could get basically the same thing with a normal cheap cfl bulb. The best thing i found is a 4 foot fluorescent shoplight. They are cheap, bright, and efficient

Thanks Nature, I looked at Big lots after posting and found some adjustable desk lamps that will serve my purpose for $2 each!

Wertach,

I am sorry, I was in a rush and must of not pasted the link in my previous post.

Here is a link that might be useful: Is this the light?

I have to agree that a conventional CFL bulb would do the same. Get a cheap office desk lamp, and put a 23W CFL bulb in it! That's a 100W incandescent equivalent. If you want to spend some extra bucks, go for a "daylight" CFL, that will be incrementally better suited as a grow light. I frankly don't see anything that special about this Burpee lamp, except the shade is rectangular. I actually use two swing-arm desk lamps, which makes it easy to position the lamps over the plants. Those sit on a table next to a big window, which gives a few hours of sun in the morning.

Shoplights are long, and require a bit of engineering to hold the light up above the plants.

I bough a 48" shop light that takes 2 T8 bulbs, fo about $13 and the bulbs you have to buy separately. The whole thing costs about $20. You will need a set up to hang it with chains that the height can be adjusted. It comes all wired. Just put the bulbs in and plug it. I use 6500k Philips bulbs.

I think what I got is the most economical system. You want more output, get the T5 -48". it will cost about $40.

I think it really depends on what areal coverage you're after. The Burpee Ultimate Grow Light illuminates a 12x12 inch square with about 1000 lumens -- that's maybe about 9 small pots. A CFL in a desk lamp will do exactly that for $15-20. Now, a shop light will cover a lot more area, maybe 4x1 foot, with about 4000 lumens. No question that in $/unit area covered, a shop light is the way to go if you need the coverage and have the room for it.

Yes Nature, that was it.

I have two 48" shop lights set up on a table with shelves that I am using. I bought the table from Lowes it is ideal. The shop lights were free, I have been replacing some lights at work and they were headed for the dumpster.

I was just looking for something to be able to use on the top shelf that would be an easy set up. I bought 4 of the "goose neck" table lamps from BL's.