Keep Kitchen Countertop Out Of the Shadows with Under Cabinet LED Lighting
If you’re looking for ways to illuminate your cabinets and add efficiency to your kitchen tasks, under cabinet lighting is the way to go. Not only will it add depth to the interiors, but it’s also easy on the pocket
When it comes to selecting the best under cabinet LED lighting for your home however, it can be overwhelming due to the number of choices available on the market. To help, we’ve found six of the best under cabinet lighting to get you started. Before delving into the details however, we’ll start off by giving you a comprehensive guide of under cabinet lighting from the pros and cons to installing one, to what you should look out for.
Benefits of LED Under Cabinet Lighting
There are a couple of benefits that you can reap from installing under cabinet lighting in your home. Firstly, it can help with lowering your energy bill because you’re not investing in lighting for the whole room. Most under cabinet lighting also utilize LED light fixtures that use much less energy than their regular counterparts.
These lights are also easy to install. Unlike certain lighting installations that require professional installation, some under cabinet options only require you to either nail a strip of light underneath your cabinets or screw a nail in. They’re also easy to configure so you won’t need to spend hours figuring out how to get your lights in working order.
One of the main benefits of under cabinet lighting is its minimal shadows as you’re not standing between the light and the counter. Shadows can impede your ability to cook and prepare meals properly so not having to deal with them is a huge bonus.
These lights also add a unique style to your kitchen and enhance interior value. Since it has a layered aspect, it adds a touch of modernity that can add value to your home. Finally, it’s easy on the budget. Since you can install them yourself, you won’t need to pay for professional help and there are a variety of options to choose from.
Pros and Cons of Under Cabinet Lighting
There are some pros and cons to getting under cabinet lighting and we’ve helped to summarize it in the list below.
Pros:
- Enhances interiors. Installing under cabinet lighting is the easiest way to embed a modern style and design into your home. It can also be done in various rooms from your kitchen to your bedroom and more.
- No shadows. Since it’s under the cabinet, it removes unwanted shadows. This can be useful in areas like the kitchen or the study.
- Energy-efficient. Since these lights only use a small number of bulbs, it reduces the overall consumption of electricity.
- Bulb variations. You’re able to pick the bulbs that you’d like to use for your lighting system from LED bulbs to fluorescent bulbs and more.
Cons:
- Not as bright as other fixtures. These lights may not be bright as overhead fixtures since they’re situated under the cabinet.
What to Look for in Under Cabinet Lighting
There are a couple of things that you need to consider when checking out under cabinet lighting. The first thing is what type of lights you’d like to use. For under cabinet lighting there are three types – light bars, puck lights, and tape lights.
Lightbars have the most professional look and can be linked together using linking cables. Puck lights on the other hand are available in small battery-powered models and are great DIY solutions. Finally, there are tape lights that are affordable and easy to install. They can fit into small spaces and you’re able to cut them to your desired size and adhere them to the underside of your cabinets and more.
Once you’ve chosen your preferred light, you’ll then have to think about size and placement. They should be shallow enough to stay behind the cabinet, and a simple measurement is all you need to confirm this. In terms of placement, your lights should have a finish that closely resembles your cabinets, and closely matches the width as well.
Next, you’ll have to think about the power source. How do you want to power your lighting? Do you want to do it with batteries, plug-in, or direct wire? Then, you’ll also want to think about the light source. LED lighting is by far the most popular since it’s both energy-efficient and long-lasting, but there are also other choices such as fluorescent and halogen lights.
Finally, you’ll want to think about whether or not you want your lights to have some extra features. Some other features to consider include whether or not you’d want your lights to be remote control operated and have color-changing functionality or have dimmers so you can adjust them in accordance with the ambiance you desire.
Top 6 Best Under Cabinet LED Lighting For Kitchen
Smart LED 196″ Under Cabinet Tape Light
This under the cabinet tape light will help enhance the atmosphere of your home. It’ll provide both instant and responsive lighting, and the light strips can be placed anywhere in your home from your bedside to your kitchen, living rooms, and more. It’s easy to mount as the light comes with its own adhesive. In terms of the power source, you’ll just need to plug-in the light and it’s good to go.
This light is also integrated with an LED light that’s built into the fixture. Not only is it more energy-efficient, it can also last up to 50,000 hours. Your purchase also comes with a two-year warranty, so you know that you’re covered even if you run into any issues. Those who have purchased this light also mentioned that it’s compatible with Alexa and you can control the brightness from the Alexa app and even set a schedule.
Pros:
- Instant and responsive lighting
- Light strips can be placed anywhere in your home
- Easy to mount
- Compatible with Alexa
Cons:
- Some mentioned that the adhesive at the back of the lights isn’t strong enough
Under Cabinet Light Bar
This under the cabinet lighting bar is the right amount of brightness that you need for your home. It emits 80 lumens of brightness and gives off a warm white glow. To turn the cabinet lighting on and off, you can utilize the remote control that comes with your purchase. If you’d like you can also purchase multiple lights and control up to 12 with the remote.
What’s great about this set of lights is that they also come with a dimmer button so you’re able to adjust the brightness to your desired level. If required, you can also use the optional timer that’ll automatically switch off the lights at different intervals from 15 to 120-minutes. Mounting these lights also isn’t difficult and you can choose to do so either by using the adhesive tape or utilizing screws. In terms of the battery source, these lights operate on batteries and have a run time of over 100 hours.
Pros:
- Comes with a remote control
- Has a dimmer button
- Comes with an optional timer
- Mounting isn’t difficult
Cons:
- Only operates in one color
4 Light LED Under Cabinet Puck Light
This under the cabinet puck light will provide you with the illumination you need. It’s great for providing efficient and high-quality brightness and its simple design allows it to seamlessly blend with different types of interior furnishings. Feel free to place it under the counter, in your bookshelf, in closets, and more.
In terms of power source, you can plug it in wherever you’d like, and you can choose to either flush mount or surface mount the lights. Since it’s integrated with an LED light, these lights won’t use too much energy but will last for up to 50,000 hours. If you run into any issues, you’re covered with a two-year warranty, and those who have purchased these lights mentioned that they’re impressed with the brightness and how easy it is to get it installed.
Pros:
- Provides efficient and high-quality brightness
- Simple design to seamlessly blend with any interior
- Has a two-year warranty
- Comes with LED lights
Cons:
- Doesn’t come with any additional features
Motion Activated Slim Under Cabinet Puck Light
Another great set of puck lights to add to your home, these lights are a great solution to your lighting needs. Installation is incredibly simple as all you need to do is use double-sided tape or use the provided screws for more permanent placement. The lights are battery-operated so you can just twist the light and top off the indented corners to change the batteries.
As there’s a stand that’s located at the back of the light, you can easily place it anywhere around your home from your kitchen to your bedroom. What’s unique about this light in comparison to the other ones is that it’s also motion activated. If motion is detected, the light will automatically turn on and it’ll also switch off after a minute.
Pros:
- Easy installation
- Lights are battery-operated
- Comes with a stand
- Motion activated
Cons:
- Battery life isn’t great
LEDUC9-3WK LED 9″ Under Cabinet Bar Light
This under the cabinet bar light is easy to install and is the ultimate addition to both your kitchen and your home. It’s specially designed so all you need to do is install it underneath your cabinets and shelves within minutes – that’s right, no tools required! It emits a warm white light and comes with 10 different brightness levels to suit your needs.
They’re also ultra-slim and utilize LED lights so they’re both energy-efficient and long-lasting. They’re great for all times of the day from task lighting while you cook to soft lighting in the evenings. The lights itself are controlled by either a motion sensor or a built-in power button. It’s truly a fantastic light that’ll satisfy all your illumination needs.
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Comes with 10 brightness levels
- Ultra-slim and uses LED lights
- Controlled by either a motion sensor or built-in power button
Cons:
- Light can get hot if you’ve left it switched on for a period of time
Taclight LED 17″ Under Cabinet Light Bar
This battery-operated under the cabinet light bar is inexpensive and will provide you with the brightness you need. It’s fitted with 60 LED lights that can last a total of 10,000 hours and is supremely light so you can easily carry it around and place it anywhere. It also comes with two built-in stands for you to place it in different areas of your home from the living room to the kitchen.
It’s a battery-powered light so you’ll get about 12 hours of power every time you charge it. The light emits 720 lumens of brightness and is also dimmable. Those who have purchased it are happy with the brightness levels of this light and have mentioned that it works really well.
Pros:
- Fitted with 60 LED lights with about 720 lumens of brightness
- It’s light so you can carry it around anywhere
- Comes with two built-in stands
- Battery-powered light
Cons:
- Not something that’s suited for hanging
The Bottom Line
There you have it, some of the best under cabinet lighting that we’ve found. There are plenty of options to choose from, and you’re sure to find an under cabinet light that meets your needs. The great thing about these options is that they come in various styles depending on what you require for your home. With numerous styles, you’re sure to find something suitable from the list above.