The 10 Best Under Cabinet Lights
Updated by · How we research
Hardwired, plug-in, battery and smart under cabinet lights compared for brightness, dimming and wiring; the Litever LL-008-6W kit suits most kitchens best. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A kitchen counter needs far more light than most people expect. This Old House suggests at least 250 lumens for each foot of counter, which rules out most battery pucks for cooking. The picks here fit anyone lighting a prep area, a closet or a workbench, whether they can run new wiring or can only reach an outlet.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Litever LL-008-6W takes over the top spot because one box lights a whole kitchen, it plugs in on day one, and it can be hardwired later. Bob Vila and This Old House both picked it as their favorite, and its weak spot, a dimmer that ignores wall switches, is easy to live with.
The Wobane CS6, Brilliant Evolution pucks and Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus stay. The Albrillo, Solmore and Keylola sets have disappeared from sale, the GE 34289 has been replaced by a pricier successor, the Getinlight IN-0202-5-BZ now costs far more than a standard bar, and the Mr. Beams MB852 is a night light rather than a counter light. The new arrivals answer the searches that bring readers here: hardwired bars that work with wall dimmers, a bright plug-in bar, a smart fixture and a rechargeable motion pair.
We checked each fixture's rated brightness against This Old House's lumens-per-foot rule and Bob Vila's prep-counter range, then read Family Handyman's and Bob Vila's side-by-side reviews for where each type falls short. Looking for sound under the cabinets instead? See our under-cabinet radio list.
Earlier notes
December 1, 2020, by Karen Bennett:
Today we added in the GE 34289, a tried-and-true model from a reliable name in lighting, and it boasts a generous lifespan of 50,000 hours and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Once it’s installed, you can set it to produce warm, cool, or daylight illumination. This hardwired choice is compatible with various dimmer models and is available in three lengths. It’s got a convenient on-off rocker switch and a high-quality steel housing. We also added in the Philips Hue 555334, a set of LED strip lights that is also from a popular lighting brand. This high-tech set can be voice-controlled when you have the necessary smart home technology. It can be controlled in tandem with other smart bulbs from Philips. It comes with adhesive tape for installation, and its printed-on markings make it easy to trim as needed. It puts out 1,600 lumens in total, and measures six feet in total, and you can purchase extra extensions, as necessary. These two new models replace a couple of others are that unavailable, the Hyperikon T5 and the Ustellar Kit.
The Getinlight IN-0202-5-BZ is another choice that remains in a prominent spot on the list. It’s available in sizes ranging from 9 to 40 inches in length, and the swiveling bulb lets you position it just right once it’s installed. This versatile selection comes with everything required to either hardwire it or plug it in. You can choose a housing with either an oil-rubbed bronze finish or a white one, to match your decor. The Brilliant Evolution BRRC135 is a highly popular set of six puck lights that will run for up to 100 hours when you have them at full brightness. They can be set up in just a few minutes, and they come with 18 AA batteries. If you purchase a set that requires hardwiring, be sure to rely upon a licensed electrician for installation, for safety's sake.
November 19, 2019, by Will Rhoda:
This round of updates saw quite a few changes to these rankings, but that’s unsurprising in a category that’s evolved as rapidly as this one over the past decade. To begin with, we removed the Eshine EL3003W, ADX Wireless Motion Sensor and WenTop LED Strip – all due to availability issues. We also eliminated the Lightkiwi E7574, which still presents as a respectable option, but didn’t appear to be bringing anything to the table that wasn’t already being offered by more affordably-priced options in the category.
In the place of our fallen rankings, we included the Getinlight IN-0202-5-BZ – a pricier option that’s well-suited to line-voltage hardwiring, the Brilliant Evolution BRRC135 – a pack of battery-powered puck lights, the Wobane CS6 – an affordable set of low-voltage LED strips, and the Solmore 3919 – a batch of chromatic puck lights that are great for lighting parties.
As an electrician, advances in this category have been a tough pill to swallow, because they’ve really put the power back in the hands of the consumer, offering products that make it easily possible for somebody with virtually no construction experience to safely install their own under cabinet lighting. That being said, this isn’t the case for all options in this category. So, if your under-cab lighting is a project you’re planning tackling on your own, here’s a couple things you should keep in mind:
Power Source: The biggest factor facilitating homeowners’ safe self-installation of options like the Mr. Beams MB852, the Solmore 3919 and the Brilliant Evolution BRRC135 is the simple fact they’re battery powered – effectively eliminating the risk of electrocution and need for an electrician. Discreet installation of options like the Ustellar Kit, the Keylola 10ft and the Aiboo Dimmable will still require a subtly located under-cabinet receptacle, which should only be installed a reputable, licensed electrician – but should still save you some money compared to hiring a contractor to hardwire your fixtures.
Installation: Once you’ve got your power source figured out, there’s still the matter of mounting to contend with. While most do-it-yourself-inclined folks will be comfortable grabbing a screwdriver or drill to drive a few fasteners into a cabinets underside, those who are less enthusiastic about tools might appreciate the simple, self-adhesive design of options like the Keylola 10ft and the Brilliant Evolution BRRC135. This style of stick-on mounting is also handy for drywall applications, as it saves you the hassle of installing anchors for your screws.
Special Honors
WAC Lighting Under Cabinet WAC Lighting sells under-cabinet bars, edge-lit task lights, tape light and puck lights through lighting showrooms and electricians, with matching power supplies and controls. It's the route to take for a custom kitchen where every run has to be sized, dimmed and wired as one system, and it costs more than the kits on this list. waclighting.com
How Much Light A Counter Needs
Bob Vila recommends white light between 3,000K and 5,000K and warns that anything warmer than 3,000K casts a yellow-orange tint that makes colors hard to judge.
Start with the counter, not the fixture. This Old House suggests at least 250 lumens per foot of counter, and Bob Vila puts the target for a cutting or cooking area at 1,000 to 2,500 lumens. A 24-inch bar rated near 900 lumens covers its own two feet well; a single battery puck, at a few dozen lumens, makes a reading light, not a work light.
Color matters as much as brightness. Bob Vila recommends white light between 3,000K and 5,000K and warns that anything warmer than 3,000K casts a yellow-orange tint that makes colors hard to judge. Look for a color rendering index (CRI) of 90 or more if you want raw meat, herbs and stone counters to look like themselves. Several bars now let you pick the shade with a switch, which helps when a kitchen mixes warm cabinets and cool tile.
LEDs rarely burn out the way old bulbs did. Energy Star explains that they dim slowly instead, and a rated lifetime marks the point where output has dropped by 30 percent. Good heat sinking, usually an aluminum body, is what keeps them bright for years.
Hardwired, Plug-In Or Battery
There are three ways to power these lights, and the right one depends on what's behind your backsplash. Hardwired bars run on 120-volt house current, hide every wire and work with a wall switch or an LED-rated in-wall dimmer. Family Handyman notes that they need a skilled electrician to install, and adding a new circuit or switch may need a permit where you live.
Plug-in kits run either on a cord or a 12-volt adapter, so anyone can install them in an afternoon. The trade-off is a cord to hide, usually along the back of the counter or inside a cable cover, and many kits dim only from their own knob or remote. Some, like the Litever kit, can later be hardwired by cutting the plug.
Battery and rechargeable lights need no wiring at all. They suit closets, pantries, bookcases and rentals, but their output is low and batteries add an ongoing cost or a charging chore. Bob Vila notes that pucks make pools of light, so for a counter they must be spaced closely enough that the light doesn't break between them.
Placement, Dimmers And Safety
Mount bars and strips toward the front of the cabinet, not against the wall. Bob Vila points out that the cabinet's front rail then hides the fixture whether you stand or sit, and light lands on the counter instead of glaring off the backsplash. Glossy stone and tile show every hot spot, so continuous bars or edge-lit panels look smoother there than pucks or bare strips.
Match the dimmer to the fixture. Hardwired bars in this list work with most LED-rated in-wall dimmers, while most plug-in kits ignore wall dimmers and use their own control. An old incandescent dimmer can make LEDs flicker or buzz.
Turn off the breaker before any wiring, and look for a UL or ETL mark on anything that runs on house current. Don't daisy-chain power strips to feed a long run, keep paper towels and dish cloths off the fixtures, and charge rechargeable lights only with the supplied cable. We found no recalls for any brand on this list in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission database.
How we researched this
We compared 19 under-cabinet fixtures and kits, read the published specs, wiring options and warranty terms for the 10 finalists, weighed three side-by-side reviews from Bob Vila, Family Handyman and This Old House, analyzed owner feedback for failure patterns, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently asked questions
Should under cabinet lights be hardwired or plugged in?
Hardwired lights look cleanest and work with a wall switch or in-wall dimmer, but new wiring usually needs an electrician. Plug-in kits install in an afternoon if there's an outlet nearby, at the cost of a cord to hide.
What color temperature is best for under cabinet lighting?
Most kitchens look best between 3,000K and 4,000K. Below 3,000K light turns yellow-orange, and above 4,000K it reads cool and bluish. Bars with a color switch let you choose after you see them in place.
How many lumens do I need under kitchen cabinets?
This Old House suggests at least 250 lumens per foot of counter. A six-foot run therefore wants about 1,500 lumens or more, spread evenly.
Are puck lights good for kitchen counters?
Not for prep work. Pucks make round pools of light with dark gaps between them, and battery pucks are dim. Bars or strips light a counter more evenly.
Do battery under cabinet lights work in a kitchen?
They work for a soft glow or a night light, and they're handy in rentals. For chopping and cooking, plug-in or hardwired lights give far more light without battery swaps or charging.
