2017 STASH Awards
In every September issue of HIGH TIMES, our cultivation experts reveal their choices for the best grow gear of the year. We call our picks the STASH Awards (for Significant Technological Achievements in Secretive Horticulture), and our aim is always to reduce your hassles and increase your harvests.
Best Grow Tent: The Gorilla Grow Tent (9′ x 9′)
$1,295.99
gorillagrowtent.com
Grow tents provide the perfect alternative to building out an existing room or purchasing an expensive grow box. They can be easily put up or disassembled by one person, but they need to be strong as well as light- and odor-proof. We love the Gorilla Grow Tents, all made with a sturdy 100% metal interlocking frame and connectors. They even come with an infrared-blocking roof insertion and flood-protection pools for peace of mind—plus the free extension kit can add up to 2 feet to the height of the tent.
Best Grow Box: SuperTrinity LED Grow Cabinet
$5,595
supercloset.com
A grow box with multiple growing areas provides a perpetual harvest in a relatively small space. With three key-locking chambers—one for cloning and germination, one for the vegetative stage and one for flowering—the SuperTrinity Cabinet from SuperCloset produces plenty of pot that can be harvested every month. It’s lit by award-winning Kind LED grow lights that keep heat and electrical costs to a minimum. These cabinets also come with a nine-episode video tutorial, a “no hassle” three-year warranty, and complimentary lifetime customer support.
Best Dehumidifier: Quest 185 Cool Dehumidifier
$3,900
questhydro.com
Maintaining proper humidity levels is essential to successful indoor farming, but standard dehumidifiers create heat as they remove water from the air. The new Quest 185 Cool Dehumidifier is a split-system unit that pumps excess heat out of the growroom, while the condenser reduces moisture in the air that can cause molds and mildews to form. This reduces the burden on your air conditioner and lowers energy costs, while improving cooling ability and helping to reduce the risk of bud rot.
Best Cloning Products: EZ Clone
Prices vary
ezclone.com
Ever since 2000, when they essentially created the aeroponic-cloning industry with the introduction of the first EZ Clone machine, this company has been at the forefront of cutting and rooting technology. Their variously sized units supply a fine mist to the cut ends of clones in order to induce roots quickly and easily. Now they have products for every grower’s needs, including rooting compounds, pumps, misters, manifolds, collars and cloning tents.
Best HID Light: DEva 1,000-Watt Double-Ended HPS from Revolution Micro
$499
revolutionmicro.com
HID lighting hasn’t improved much in the past 30 years, but the new DEva 1,000-Watt Double-Ended HPS (high-pressure sodium) lighting system from Revolution Micro has changed the game. The low-frequency ballast is built right into the reflector, and the whole unit comes completely integrated, allowing the grower to simply plug and play. Couple this with their RLC-1 Smart Lighting Controller ($299), which will dim the lights to conserve electricity and reduce heat (or to simulate sunrise and sunset), and which controls up to 412 grow lights.
Best LED Light: The G8-600 Bloom Only Grow Light from DormGrow
$899
dormgrow.com
As LED (light-emitting diode) technology for plant growing continues to evolve, DormGrow have been on the cutting edge of new high-performance lighting units. Their G8-600 Bloom Only Grow Light is formulated for the flowering cycle and covers a footprint of 20 square feet. This light is meant to replace a 600- or 1,000-watt high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, but it generates far less heat and uses far less electricity, drawing only 380 watts of power on 3.3 amps—and it’s backed with a two-year warranty.
Best LED Innovation: The Kind LED XL 1000 Grow Light
Starting at $1,895
kindledgrowlights.com
LED technology continues to advance by leaps and bounds, increasing light and lowering heat and electrical costs. The new XL 1000 from Kind LED is the only LED grow light that is UL-certified, and it offers a fully customizable 12-band perfect spectrum (including UV and IR) with remote control, a true 5′ x 5′ footprint, and Secondary Optical Lens technology that magnifies PAR and increases canopy penetration up to 200%. These lights come with lifetime customer support and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Best Rosin Press: Sasquash 2.0
$3,400
supporttheroots.com
Methods for the solvent-less production of cannabis oil have burst onto the scene, as more and more people turn away from using butane or other unsafe solvents to extract their hashish. The pneumatic 15-ton Sasquash 2.0 Rosin Press squeezes the essential oils right out of your buds, dry-sift or bubble hash in a way similar to how olive oil is pressed. Just the right amount of heat and pressure are applied to release the oil and still preserve those precious, flavorful terpenes.
Best Air Purifier: GT3000 from Go Green Environmental
$960.00. With promo code: HT3000 save $100
airador.com
If odor control is a priority, and it cer- tainly should be, you must find ways to eliminate telltale scents. The GT3000 Air Purifier attacks and neutralizes odors for up to 3,000 sq. ft. You can adjust the fan speed and purification settings by remote control, and the three di erent-sized units available are all quiet and energy-e icient. Built to last 10 years or more with a one-year full warranty, this is the last air cleaner you’ll ever have to buy.
Best Hydroponic System: SuperPonics
Prices vary
supercloset.com
Started in the garage of founder Kip Andersen in 2002, SuperPonics fuse together several proven hydroponic methods into one easy-to-use system that will accelerate growth rates during every stage of the plant’s lifecycle. These units are custom-molded, UV-stable and designed for fast-growing plants. The SuperCloners are perfect for starting seedlings and rooting cuttings, while the eight-, 12- or 16-site SuperPonics systems combine deep-water culture (DWC), top-feed and aeroponics for rapid growth. Their Bubble Flow Bucket system utilizes Constant-Flow technology to grow monster plants in huge 6.6-gallon buckets.
Best Nutrient Line: Advanced Nutrients
Prices vary
advancednutrients.com
For more than 20 years, Advanced Nutrients have been at the forefront of formulating plant foods specifically made for cannabis. While all of the other hydroponic companies hid their heads in the sand, Advanced Nutrients were proud of their connection to marijuana farmers. Over the years, they’ve developed a dizzying array of products for every stage of a pot plant’s growth. Their new pH Perfect line is pre-buffered, and their many additives provide everything your growing buds need to thrive. Plus their customer service is second to none.
Best Cal/Mag Additive: Suite Leaf Nutrients
$10.99, 250 ml; $39.99, 1 gallon
suiteleaf.com
Supplements of calcium and magnesium are essential for healthy plant growth and leaf production, while deficiencies of these two micronutrients account for many first-time growers’ issues. With a natural organic supply of these essential elements, Suite Leaf Nutrients’ Cal/Mag Maximizer improves chlorophyll production and results in healthier plants and heavier harvests. Used throughout every stage of the lifecycle, this additive will boost growth rates and protect your plants from debilitating setbacks that can negatively affect yields.
Best Potting Mix: SoHum Living Soil
$56, 3 cubic feet; $83, 4.5 cubic feet
sohumsoils.com
Many cannabis connoisseurs and cultivators swear by the TLO (true living organic) method of growing, which uses all-natural ingredients in the medium to bring out the most in the scents and flavors of the plants’ essential oils. SoHum Living Soil provides beneficial bacteria and microorganisms for a biodynamic mix that’s naturally pH-balanced and ready for your seedlings or clones immediately. Just add water! No additional nutrients or chemicals are necessary throughout all stages of growth.
Best New Hydroponic Innovation: DO Dissolved Oxygen by Direct Output
$57.99, 1 quart; $214.99, 1 gallon
dodissolvedoxygen.com
Oxygen is an essential, yet often overlooked, necessity for healthy root and plant growth. The DO Dissolved Oxygen additive provides plenty of O2 to clones or vegging and flowering plants. Use it as an additive to your hydro reservoir, a root drench for plants in a soilless mix, or as a foliar feed throughout and you’ll see an enormous difference. Still not convinced? Get a free sample from their website and find out what all the hype is about.
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