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Upgrade Your Kitchen With Under Cabinet Lighting That’s Affordable & Easy To Install
If your kitchen lighting is lackluster, under cabinet lighting can enhance the overall ambiance and also make it easier to see while cooking and prepping. The best under-cabinet lighting have fuss-free installation and an easy way to power them — through battery, USB-charging, or wall outlet, depending on your preference.
Most under-cabinet lighting options are LED, which is long-lasting and affordable, but you'll have to choose between wireless and plug-in lights. Wireless under-cabinet lighting is easier to install, but you’ll need to remember to change the batteries or recharge via USB from time to time. Plug-in lights require less upkeep, but installation can be more time-consuming if you want to hide the power cords. To keep it easy, I've organized this list based on power source, so you can star there.
Beyond that, there are three main light styles to choose from: bars, strips, and pucks. Bars and strips provide even lighting, with light strips having the benefit of length customization. Puck lights — a more affordable option — create a spotlight effect.
You might also want extra features like dimming, remote control, voice control, or a timer function. No matter what kind of lighting is perfect for you, these are the best under-cabinet lighting options for your kitchen and beyond — stock up on some to illuminate closets, bookshelves, display cases, and more, too.
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The Best Wireless Lights
1. These Dimmable Light Bars With A Remote Control
This three-pack of LED under-cabinet lights comes with a remote control that makes it easy to turn the lights on and off and adjust the brightness levels. Each light bar can be turned all the way up while cooking and turned down to create mood lighting. The remote control has a timer you can set for 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes — one of only two picks on the list with a timer option. The lights are USB-rechargeable so you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries. However, the maker doesn’t state how often the lights need to be recharged and some reviewers only got a few hours of use on one charge. There are two ways to install, and everything you need is included: Use screws and clips to mount or opt for adhesive magnetic strips that make it easier to take the lights down for charging.
According to a reviewer: “Added so much brightness to my dark kitchen. Really easy to install and the remote control makes it convenient!”
2. These Motion Sensor Light Bars
With these under-cabinet light bars, you can toggle between three light modes: on, off, and motion sensor. The LED lights are USB-rechargeable and last for eight to 10 hours in continuous light mode or one to two months in motion sensor mode. The light bars have built-in magnets for easy installation — just attach the included magnetic strips where you want to install the lights or stick the lights onto any magnetic surface. Plus, they’re easy to turn on and off with the switch on the sides. You can choose from six different styles with warm and white light options, but the brightness is not adjustable.
According to a reviewer: “These come with everything you need to mount them just about everywhere and the motion detection has been perfect for me. We use them under the top cabinets in our kitchen to provide additional lighting on the counters and as use as night lighting for the dark late night kitchen trips. Really awesome.”
3. A Set Of Puck Lights That You Can Tap On & Off
These warm white LED puck lights can be turned on and off with a tap, and they’re easy to install using the included screws or adhesive tape. The lights are powered with three AA batteries that run for about 100 hours before needing to be replaced — easy to do just by twisting off the cover. However, you can't adjust the brightness of this option.
According to a reviewer: “These little lights are awesome! I just finished a kitchen upgrade and under cabinet lighting was the final thing I needed to make the look complete. These lights are perfect and so easy to install and were nowhere near the $600.00 the electrician quoted.”
The Best Plug-In Lights
4. These Light Strips That Link Together For More Coverage
If you want to illuminate a wider under-cabinet area, these warm white LED lights can be connected together with an 18-inch linking cord or mounted separately. The lights come with mounting hardware and linking cord, but there’s no adhesive tape. They have a 5-foot power cord with a flat plug that takes up less space on your wall outlet. There’s a switch to turn the lights on and off, but you can’t adjust the brightness. Choose from packs of two, three, four, five, and six lights.
According to reviewers: “I just finished re-building my kitchen, and I needed some under cabinet lighting to aid in countertop food preparation. These have become my primary lights in my kitchen — not overwhelming, powerful, illuminates my entire countertop.”
5. These Strip Lights That You Can Trim
This flexible 16.4-foot-long LED light strip can be trimmed to fit perfectly under your cabinets, and the strips can also be linked together if you want to cover more surface area. The lights are easy to install using the included 3M tape, and they come with a 5-foot power cord and 2-foot adapter to plug into a standard wall outlet. The dimmer allows you to turn the lights on and off and adjust to your desired brightness, and it remembers the last brightness setting. The lights are available in white, warm white, and yellow.
According to reviewers: “We're currently renting and didn't want to break the bank with under cabinet lighting. This was a perfect, easy to install solution!”
6. A Set Of Dimmable Puck Lights
With an ultra-thin profile, these plug-in LED puck lights provide lots of light without unnecessary bulkiness. The lights are easy to install with the included adhesive tape and have a 4.9-foot power cord that plugs into a standard wall outlet. Use the switch to turn the lights on and off and toggle between four brightness levels. Plus, there’s a memory feature to save your last light setting.
According to reviewers: “These lights provide excellent light for under cabinet use. Bright white light. I spaced them out one per cabinet or two for a large cabinet. Nice very low profile design.”
7. These Smart Light Strips You Can Control With Your Voice Or An App
These LED light strips might be the easiest to turn on and off since you can control them with a handy smartphone app and they're voice control-capable with Alexa. There’s also an on-off button for manual control. The lights are easy to install with the included 3M adhesive tape and have a 4.9-foot power cord that plugs into a standard wall outlet. These lights can also be linked together, and extension wires are included for extra reach. You can also adjust the brightness and set the lights on a timer. The lights are available in warm white or daylight. You can also opt for manual switch or motion-activated light kits if you're not in the market for smart features.
According to reviewers: “Works wonderful. I hooked it up to a TP-LINK WiFi plug and now my wife can turn it on and off through Alexa voice control. Bright and clean looking."
