Your kitchen can be made more beautiful by adding lights under the cabinets. This guide will help you choose the best under-cabinet lighting for your budget.
This lighting is great for lighting dark areas in your cabinets and helping you prepare food. You can also double the lighting in your evening and turn off the overhead bright bulbs when you want a dimming ambiance. For safety, you can also use under-cabinet lighting.
It all depends on what you want from your under-cabinet lighting. Do you want it to be a decorative option or do you need it for practical and functional purposes? This article will help you decide which under-cabinet lighting option is best for you.
American Lighting 3Complete
Three Kelvin color temperatures can be obtained from a single fixture. The color temperatures are suited to different designs and granite colors. You can also use your favorite granite to complement the lighting. This lighting requires a 120V power source.
You can also choose from a bronze or white finish to eliminate the problem of LED dots forming on counter tops. The full-length extruded acrylic lens allows for this feature. There are three color options available in various sizes: 8, 16, 24 and 81 cm.
Things We Like:
- You have many options for color temperatures
- You can be versatile in a variety of sizes
- For versatility, bronze and white finishes
- There are many options for lighting with a variety materials.
Things We Don’t Like:
- It emits a faint hum but is barely noticeable
GM Lighting LARC6 Dimmable Linear Light Bar
These bar lights have been a popular choice for homeowners. Their slim profile is what many of them love. This is especially useful when the lights are to be hidden under cabinets. The GM Lighting LARC6 24V system is designed to last for many hours.
Things We Like:
- Warm white 3000 Kelvin
- Light for 50,000 hours
- Remote transformer required
- You can integrate them into a series using a single 24-volt power outlet
- Dimmable light from a dimmable power supply
- Ca be hardwired, and monitored via a dimmer
GE Premium
GE Premium is a direct-wire fluorescent fixture measuring 122cm. The fixture lights an area instantly, without flickering or making humming sounds. This lighting kit comes complete with all the hardware needed to install it. It is important to contact a professional electrician.
Things We Like:
- There is no flickering, humming or buzzing sound
- It is extremely easy to set up
- Coverage of 122 cm
Things We Don’t Like:
- Models with shorter life expectancies than others
Modular Kichler Lighting 10565BRZ
Modular Kichler, a low-voltage Xenon lamp with aluminum construction and bronze finishing, is a low voltage Xenon light. It is available in different sizes and requires 18W bulbs of the T5 size. The slim depth of the unit allows you to conceal it under your cabinet while casting a warm glow onto your cabinets. It is easy to install and you can choose between 1 to 4 different light configurations to brighten your kitchen.
Take A Look At These Features
There are many lighting options available. They vary in their brightness, life expectancy, energy consumption, color, and color. These are the features that will help you choose the best lighting option.
Energy Efficiency
This is an important factor in residential lighting. The LED bulbs have been the most efficient in terms of energy consumption. LEDs require very little energy to produce light, e.g. LEDs consume only 5W to produce sufficient illumination. They can also dimming, which saves more energy.
Xenon lighting is better than Halogen and should be your first choice if you want a warm, inviting atmosphere. If you had to choose between fluorescent and Halogen bulbs, the former would be your best choice. It produces less heat so it uses less energy. The fluorescent bulbs are usually not dimmable, so it is impossible to control the intensity.
Voltage
Cabinet lighting can be either low voltage (12-24 volts) or normal 120V. There is no difference in light quality or energy savings between the two types. Low voltage lighting has many benefits, including the ability to install more fixtures in tight spaces.
Low voltage also emits less heat so you can have a more comfortable work space. You will need a transformer to reduce high voltage. This transformer can be found in the cabinet or at another location along the electric circuit.
Heat Output
For energy efficiency and low heat output, opt for fluorescent or LED lighting. You don’t want your food items to melt on your counter tops from excessive heat production. Xenon and halogen lights are close behind.
Dimming Capability
Dimmable lighting is the best option for cabinet underside lighting. You will need to purchase dimmers, which can add extra cost. Dimmable lights are great because you can control the intensity of the light. This is one way to save energy.
Dimming is a great option for situations where you don’t need bright lighting. Family members may have different visual needs. To reduce the glare, low-intensity lighting might be an option if your dad has trouble seeing.
Wiring
You can choose to have cabinet lighting fixtures hardwired or plugged in. Hardwired lighting is connected directly to the existing wiring in the house. The power comes directly from the source. The electricity drawn from plug-in fixtures is either an outlet or a socket. This is easier and more affordable to install, and it’s easy to do yourself.
If you require hard wiring, it is best to seek professional assistance. Some under-cabinet lighting fixtures can either be plugged in or hardwired. Others, however, are plugged-in or only hardwired. Before you buy the system, make sure you understand the wiring requirements.
Fixture Lenses
These important components of the lighting system ensure uniform light distribution. An even distribution of light results in less reflections and minimal glare. You might consider adding lenses to Xenon and Halogen fixtures as they produce more glare.
Different Types Of Lighting
Fluorescent Under-Cabinet Lighting
This is another popular option to lighten up your kitchen. Although it has a higher energy efficiency, it is not as efficient as an LED. Fluorescent lights don’t flicker or make humming noises anymore. It takes them much less time to illuminate an area than they did in the past. These are just a few of the reasons to think about them as under-cabinet fixtures.
Look for thinner strips of 1 cm in diameter when shopping. They are called T4. These designs are discrete and provide sufficient lighting underneath the cabinets. You can choose from T5 and T8 models that are 5/20 cm or 3 cm, respectively.
These are the minimum requirements for the bulb to be placed under cabinets. You can also choose from the CFL and compact fluorescents if you don’t like linear designs. CFL bulbs look a lot like hockey pucks. The wattage specifications are what indicate the intensity of the light emitted by CFL bulbs. Brighter lamps with higher wattage can be purchased, but you should install a dimming switch to reduce the intensity.
Incandescent Under Cabinet Lighting
These bulbs use hot wire filaments to produce light. This category includes both Xenon and Halogen light bulbs. They emit light through a thin, electric-heated tungsten bulb. Xenon lamps are more efficient than Halogen lighting and last longer. However, they are not as efficient as fluorescents or LEDs.
Xenon bulbs are preferred by most homeowners because they provide brighter, warmer illumination underneath the cabinets. There are both plug-in and hardwired options.
LED Under Cabinet Lighting
Lighting technology has undergone a lot of innovation. LED lighting is the best option. Since the 1980s, LED technology has been a great help. Light emitting diode lamps last for an average of 50,000 hours.
Because of their slim profile and dimming capabilities, they seem to be a natural fit for under-cabinet fixtures. They are very cost-effective and keep cool. The most efficient type of bulb on the market is LEDs. The majority of LED fixtures can be wired directly so that they don’t hog power outlets. This allows them to have the best appearance.
Each unit requires 120-volt power input to hardwired lights. Their installation should be carefully planned by a qualified technician. Direct wire lights can be retroactively installed in a fully-equipped kitchen. However, this installation will require major renovations such as cutting into the backsplash wall.
Another advantage of LEDs is their dimming capabilities. Dimmers are a good addition to the LED array to adjust the intensity to suit different situations.
Conclusion
Lighting is an important aspect of any home, but especially your kitchen. It allows you to see what’s in the pot and what’s on the shelves, and sets the mood while setting the table.
Your personal style can be reflected in your interior decor. While overhead lighting is the most important, it is also important to install a variety underside fixtures.
You should have the right information and knowledge to help you choose the best lighting fixtures for your cabinets. American Lighting 3-Complete is our favorite.
