The Best Under Cabinet Lighting to Brighten up Your Kitchen
Installing under cabinet lighting in your kitchen can provide many benefits. Focused task lighting over key areas like countertops and sinks improves visibility for food preparation, cooking, and cleaning. Under cabinet lights also create beautiful accent lighting that enhances the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen's design. The most popular options today are energy efficient, long-lasting LED lights that are easy to install yourself with adhesive or magnetic mounts.
With under cabinet lighting, you can illuminate exactly where you need it most. The focused light reduces shadows and makes it safer and easier to use kitchen surfaces and tools. It also lets you highlight and show off beautiful countertops, backsplashes, and other features of your kitchen. Under cabinet lighting gives you to control to set the perfect mood or ambiance in your kitchen with dimmable options.
Types of Under Cabinet Lighting
There are a few main options when it comes to under cabinet lighting. LED strip lights, puck lights, and light bars each offer their own advantages.
LED Strip Lights
LED strip lights are likely the most popular and affordable option for under cabinet lighting. The thin, flexible LED strips stick right to the bottom of your cabinets with an adhesive backing. They can be cut to size to fit any space. LED strip lights are available in both cool white, which gives off a bright, crisp light, and warm white, which has a softer yellow/amber glow. Many LED strip lights are linkable, allowing you to join multiple strips to cover a full run of cabinets with seamless light.
LED strip lights are also dimmable, letting you adjust the brightness as needed. Dimmable wireless remote controls make it easy to set the perfect lighting level.
Puck Lights
Puck lights provide a concentrated circle of light. The compact puck shape allows them to be mounted in a variety of ways under cabinets - flush mounted, on rails, or even under cabinet shelves. Puck lights are powered either by batteries or through hardwired electrical connections. Battery powered puck lights offer wireless convenience. Hardwired puck lights often provide features like dimming. Puck lights are available in both warm white and cool white light colors.
Light Bars
LED light bars are slim rectangular fixtures that mount to the underside of kitchen cabinets. Light bars direct light across a wider area and are a sleeker alternative to puck lights. Light bars do require hardwired installation. However, the installation process is still straightforward enough for DIY. Multiple light bars can be linked together to provide seamless under cabinet lighting across complete kitchen runs.
What to Consider When Choosing Under Cabinet Lighting
Here are some key factors to consider when determining the best under cabinet lighting options for your kitchen:
- Lighting Needs - Do you need broad general lighting or more focused task lighting? Both can be achieved well with under cabinet lights.
- Installation Type - Adhesive strip lights are the simplest. But magnetic or mounted lights work for some cabinet materials.
- Light Color - The choice between warm white or cool white depends on your desired ambiance.
- Kitchen Size & Layout - Consider how much lighting and what arrangement you need.
- Power Source - Hardwired vs. battery-powered. Battery can allow more flexibility.
- Budget - Prices range from affordable LED strips to higher-end branded systems.
- Energy Efficiency - LED under cabinet lights use very little electricity.
By determining the lighting goals, installation factors, and overall needs of your unique kitchen space, you can select the perfect under cabinet lighting kit.
Top Under Cabinet Lighting Brands
Some top manufacturers of under cabinet lighting products include:
- Litever - For affordable LED tape lighting kits in both cool and warm white.
- Wobane - Known for plug-in puck lights and battery operated kits.
- Brilliant - Offer WiFi-controllable LED strip lighting.
- Legrand - A high-end brand with gorgeous, sleek LED light bars.
- Lifx - Smart LED strip lights with app-based wireless control.
The major brands provide exceptional performance, tones, effects, and unique features like smart connectivity or remote controls. However, you can also find quality affordable generic under cabinet lighting kits from retailers like Amazon.
How to Install Under Cabinet Lighting
Installing under cabinet lighting usually a simple DIY project. Here are the basic steps for the main types of lights:
LED Strip Light Install
- Thoroughly clean and dry the cabinet surface where strips will be installed.
- Determine the layout and cut LED strips to fit each cabinet area.
- Remove adhesive backing and firmly press strips to cabinets.
- Connect LED strip ends to create seamless lighting.
- Hide connecting wires between cabinet and wall.
- Connect transformer to strip and plug in to power outlet.
Puck Light Install
- For hardwired, choose flush mount or rail mounts and mark spots.
- Cut electrical box holes for wiring at each puck location.
- Or use battery pack and mount pucks anywhere with adhesive.
- Insert puck lights and connect wiring for hardwired option.
- Use remote control to manage battery-powered pucks.
Follow the detailed instructions included with any under cabinet lighting kit. The basic install steps are quick and do not require special skills or wiring knowledge.
The right under cabinet lighting can make a huge difference in your kitchen's form and function:
- Brighten up essential countertop prep and cooking zones.
- Use accent lighting to show off beautiful kitchen features.
- Set just the right mood and ambiance with dimmable lights.
- Increase visibility for safer meal preparation and cleanup.
- DIY install provides an instant kitchen upgrade.
Under cabinet lighting comes in user-friendly kits that make it easy to add focused task lighting or ambient accent light exactly where you need it. With the wide range of styles and features available, you can find the perfect lighting to brighten up your kitchen.