Whether these are good or not or worth the money depends on what you want to use them for. After viewing a couple LED grow lamps in action, they definitely have their applications. Most of the higher power models put off less heat than comparable powered MH/HPS bulbs and are more compact, allowing them to be placed closer to the plants. They focus most of their energy into the PA regions of the spectrum, making them more efficient for the amount of power being consumed. That being said, the next question is, in what application you want to do use them? If you compare the transmission of the LED light through multiple layers of foliage, you'll notice that most of the energy is stopped within one or two sets of leaves, where as with a comparable HID light, there will still be some light shining through after several layers. So if you're planning to grow herbs or lettuce/vegetative plants in a small footprint, the LED grow lights are great. Fruiting plants will grow and eventually produce fruit to some extent in almost any lighting condition; however, the quality will not be optimum if sufficient light is not provided. That is where using LEDs to supplement other light sources would be useful. Also, if you're relying on HID lights to augment the temperature in a colder area, the LEDs will not perform this function, requiring additional energy to be spent on heating. Not a concern for most people, but its something to consider when totalling the energy costs. Bottom line: The LED Grow Lights have their advantages in certain applications, but are far from being a cure-all alternative to HID. As for buying lights on eBay or other bargain vendors, if the deal seems too good to be true, 9x out of 10 it is...

It isn't the model you listed but we are very happy with our Kobe. It is baffle model (something like 179?) On the quiet mode & low you can hardly hear it. Totally livable on the mid mode and the high I can hear but only needed it once in 3 years.

davidr- you should check out the Inova flashlights. Well, I finally did. I was at a Target store the other day and saw an Inova Radiant on closeout at a very attractive price (not much more than the Chinese knockoffs) so I gave it a try. I have to admit that I'm impressed. I tried it with the somewhat used AA alkaline cells from one of my Maglites (I use mostly NiMH rechargeables, but keep alkalines in the ones that don't get used very often). Open circuit voltage of the AAs totaled 2.98 volts. The Inova certainly seemed significantly brighter. But how much? The bluish light that "white" LEDs emit can be a fooler. I wanted some numbers. I used my old photographic light meter to measure the relative output of the two lights. It's calibrated in unidentified units (lumens? footcandles? Lux? Ivory? ;-), from 0.2 to 1600 in two sensitivities. I measured both lights on the high scale (50-1600 whatevers). I chucked the Inova in the vise and aimed it at the meter's PV element, so that the "hot spot" covered the PV (its edges aren't very sharp, so this was approximate). It turned out that this was exactly 6" from the meter. I then chucked the Mag into the vise 6" from the meter and adjusted its beamspread to cover the PV, getting the coverage as close to the Inova's as possible. The Mag measured 300 <mumbles>, and the Inova 1600 <mumbles>. I don't know whether the light meter's scale is linear (suggesting 4x the output for the Inova), but I'm going to assume that it's pretty much colorblind. It certainly seemed to confirm what my eyes told me. I then measured the current consumed by the lights. It was almost identical - the Mag used 305ma, the Inova 308ma. Remember, this is with a somewhat used battery, just slightly below nominal voltage. Results would no doubt be different with brand new or very nearly flat cells. Thus we can safely say that the Inova's efficacy is significantly higher than the Mag's. Now, some user-level notes on the lights. The Mag is considered a top-shelf item. It's constructed of machined aluminum and is made in USA. The beamspread is adjustable. It costs about $10 (less on sale). The Inova Radiant is part of the company's budget line. It's made of polycarbonate, and is made in USA "with US and imported components" (my guess is that the LED itself is Chinese, but I don't know for sure). It costs about $20 (I paid less on closeout). I'd say the Inova is pretty solidly built for the low end of the high end. ;-) I find the bluish light color unattractive but that doesn't really hurt its utility. I miss the Mag's beamspread adjustment a bit, but it's not that big a deal. My real concern with the Inova is the switch. It has a push-on / push-off switch on the end. On other gear, I've found these switches aren't especially long-lived. Time will tell.

Thanks -- I figured that that I'd probably be okay with the 6.5" holes, though obviously before I commit to something I'll have to ensure that they'll work for me. More than anything, though, I'm curious about what makes a "quality" retrofit/remodel housing, considering the wide range of prices. Here are some examples: I'd likely considering something 'cheap', like this, at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/6-in-i-c-remodel-housing/913659 Compared to others like these: http://www.canadalightingexperts.com/lighting/11-314-472-0-190925/Sea-Gull-Lighting_Remodel-Non-IC-Housing-11017.htm (mid-priced) http://www.canadalightingexperts.com/lighting/11-314-472-0-241530/Thomas-Lighting_6--Recessed-Housing-PS9-RM.htm http://www.canadalightingexperts.com/lighting/11-314-472-0-220274/Thomas-Lighting_6--Asic-Remodel-Recessed-Light-PS1-RM.htm http://www.canadalightingexperts.com/lighting/11-314-472-0-166926/WAC-Lighting_6-inch-CFL-Shallow-Remodel-Non-IC-Air-Tight-R-F608D-R-A.htm (airtight?) Any comments? Thanks again! ~Geoff