I recently installed under cabinet lights in the kitchen of my rental apartment, and for a relatively small investment, they have made a big impact: They provide lighting for such kitchen tasks as dish washing and food prep, and their ambient glow is a pleasant alternative to the harsh overhead lighting I relied on previously. Fluorescent, halogen and xenon are all popular choices, but if you are looking to go the energy saving route, check out these LED options below:
TOP ROW
1. NON LED Countertop Light, $20 from IKEA
2. LEDme Button Light, $54 from WAC Lighting
3. LED Tape Lights, $30–$40/lineal foot from E2 Contemporary Lighting
4. Pro Series 21 LED Super Deluxe Kit, $149 from Inspired LED
5. Design Pro LED Discs, $42 From Kichler
BOTTOM ROW
6. LED Linear Wire Cabinet Wire, $18 from Kichler
7. LED Dimmable, Linkable Under Cabinet Light, $83 from Juno
8. LED Battery Operated with Motion Sensor, $25/2 pack from Pegasus Lighting
9. LED Recessed Undercabinet Light Kit, $106 from Elco
10. LEDme Ten Light Bar, $190 from WAC
Do you have under cabinet lights in your kitchen? Is there a brand or model you prefer?
MORE CABINET LIGHTS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Smart Solutions: Under – Cabinet Lighting
• Minimal & Efficient: Use LEDs for Under Cabinet Lighting
• New Under Cabinet Lighting: Utilitech Xenon Lights
• Kitchen Task Lighting Solutions for Renters
(Images: as linked above)
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Wow--prices have come down since we did our LED under-cabinet lighting in 2008. Even at the price we paid, the lighting was totally worth it. We love it.
If you buy a plug-in fixture, make sure you can daisy-chain several units together for easier installation. Command adhesive cord clips are very useful to keep cords out of sight.
We have a 6" inch one under the cabinet next to the microwave that we love. It's electric and we keep it on at night while we're up.
We wanted one over the stove but there's no outlet so we opted for a GE battery operated...I do not recommend battery operated!! It takes eight AAs and was dead within a week just using it as task lighting (not on for longer than an hour at a time).
I wanted to install the under cabinet lighting in the condo. A little hesitant because I don't know the basics of installing them. If I am going for it, I would love to have the LED one.
Wish, you have the details of the installation in the post
It's not that easy to post instructions for installation. Different kinds of lights need different kinds of installation. The ones that you can plug in seem self explanatory, but some you can daisy chain together and connect to one outlet and some you cannot. And there are some that are made to be hardwired and that is a much more complicated set of instructions and you would likely need an electrician. And still there is no one exact perfect way of installing lighting.
The plug-in lights are great if you're a renter, and can't modify your cabinetry. Be aware, though, that if you daisy chain them together, you will end up seeing the cords from one light to another if you can't modify your cabinetry (i.e. cut a notch so it sits flush with the cabinet bottom).
Ours are hardwired. The cost of materials was probably around $200-$250. They're fantastic. We had a hard time finding hardwired ones, though. It seems like the plug-in ones are a lot more popular, most likely for the convenience and because you wouldn't need a contractor or electrician. The overall look of hardwired is much nicer though.
we just installed under cabinet lights with our kitchen renovation. I have to say I love the overall glow and look BUT the lights get very hot! this concerns me a great deal. has anyone else experienced this?
Not with LEDs. They're supposed to run much cooler than regular lights or halogens. What kind do you have?
The image for the Ikea (#1) is actually the Rationell product at $49.99.
I got LED strips from Amazon ad put in under the wall cabinet shining above counters. Installation couldn't be simpler. The strip has a sticky back, so just peel off the paper covering the back, and stick it onto any surface.
The power is a 110v AC- 12V DC converter. Again, you can get it on Amazon. You will see them when you select LED strips. So jsut connect the leads -- red to red, and black to black.
I leave it one 24/7 so for small kitchen chores, I don't need to turn on overhead lights at all. These strips run around $10-16/per 16 feet!
Fengxia41103, do you have a link or product # for that Amazon product?
I bought an LED strip via Amazon to install as an undercabinet light but the color of it was horrible - my wife said it was like living in Times Square or Vegas because it had that cool sort of neon tone to it. Maybe I bought the wrong kind, and I should try a "warm" light...
I bought warm white LED rope lights from LED Wholesalers (I think) via Amazon, had an electrician wire them to a switch. He ran then under the cabinets, then drilled holes in the corners and ran them up through to the top (I have glass cabinet doors) and then over the cabinets. It looks amazing.
wow! supposedly I bought LEDs from the electrician. is there a way to find out for sure? how can I identify an LED bulb?
They look more like little computer chips, but if there is a cover on them, it might be hard to tell. Maybe post a pic on flickr or something and then post the link here so we can see?
I installed my own under-cabinet lighting using the thin strip LEDs from Amazon. They make a HUGE difference and only took a small amount of skill with a solder iron to install. Total cost was $78!
Step-by-step instructions on my blog
I also bought the LED strip lights from Amazon (there are a LOT to choose from). Wonderful and quite bright. Here's a pic from the project after I put them up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9625687@N08/8341062816/in/set-72157632416677331
SwingNCocoa what a nice tutorial. You make it seem do-able for me. Thanks!
And Wow, Fred B, what a project--I loved watching the basement transform. Lovely work and nice documentation.
My halogen bulb undercabinet lights I installed a few years ago do get burning hot but they have ventilation slots so I don't worry too much...I'd avoid them with small children however.
Another issue with halogen (apart from being power hogs) is the heat under a counter will melt the chocolate and spoil the jam in the cabinet above it...