Best Overall
Commercial Electric LED Tunable White Tape Light Kit
WALMART
- Our top pick comes on a roll-like tape for bending into whatever shape you need.
Our top pick comes on a roll-like tape for bending into whatever shape you need.
- The power box is very large and heavy, making it difficult to conceal.
The power box is very large and heavy, making it difficult to conceal.
During testing, we found that the Commercial Electric LED Tunable White Tape Light Kit had the most practical dimming settings, ranging from cozy and soft to surprisingly bright that is perfect for cooking or cleaning. It comes with a remote control, making it easy to adjust the settings.
The all-in-one LED light is ready to go out of the box. It’s a tape-like roll backed with 3M-brand adhesive, which can be stuck to almost any surface for immovable hold. Cut the tape to size, and use connectors (sold separately) to bridge gaps and make turns. Once the lights are installed, they have a 36,000-hour lifespan.
They emit soft white light at 3000 Kelvins, while using a mere 36 watts of electricity. You can control the lights with a remote, tuning them dimmer or brighter with ease. We were highly impressed with the temperature and brightness settings.
The light adds a high-end look to cabinets that we felt would be right at home in a modern kitchen. Our main complaint was the power block, which is large and heavy and difficult to conceal. This wouldn't be an issue if you had it hardwired, though.
We found the installation a touch cumbersome compared to other styles, but it's standard for a highly customizable tape light. Plug it into a regular household outlet or have an electrician hardwire it to a switch.
Product Details: Wattage: 36 | Lumens: 2950 | Color: White | Power Source: Hardwired | Light Type: Tape
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
Best Budget
Brilliant Evolution Wireless Ultra Thin LED Light Bar
AMAZON
- The light is super bright with a run time of over 100 hours.
The light is super bright with a run time of over 100 hours.
- The adhesive pulled paint and finishings off our cabinet.
The adhesive pulled paint and finishings off our cabinet.
If you’re looking for the best option for a small kitchen, consider the battery-operated Brilliant Evolution Wireless Ultra Thin LED Light Bar. Priced at under $20, the light is super bright and long-lasting, emitting a warm, white glow that’s perfect for brightening areas like your sink or stovetop.
The LED bar light operates on three AA batteries (not included) and has a run time of over 100 hours. Turn your lights on and off by simply tapping the lens. You can also use the included remote control for added convenience. Installation is easy with adhesive tape or screws (both included).
It took less than 5 minutes to set up with the adhesive tape, which is incredibly sticky (we weren't able to make minor adjustments once we laid the tape down). We like that it doesn't have any cords to clutter up the space, though we noticed the lights dimmed significantly as the batteries drained.
Another note about that sticky adhesive—thought it claims to be furniture-safe, we noticed that it peeled the paint and finish off the bottom of our cabinets when we removed it. This is important to keep in mind if you'd like to use the adhesive, especially if you're a renter.
These aren’t the longest lighting strips, measuring 8.5 inches long; you might need a few of them to illuminate your entire countertop. We did notice that the light could dislodge from the adhered back if you pressed it a certain way. This only happened once or twice—after you get the hang of where to push it’s easy to use.
Product Details: Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 2 x 0.9 inches | Wattage: 1W | Lumens: 65 | Color: Warm white (3000K)
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
Best Splurge
Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip
AMAZON
- This Philips light strip shines either white or colored light wherever you put it, with preset options that cater to your mood.
This Philips light strip shines either white or colored light wherever you put it, with preset options that cater to your mood.
- To add to the light strip, you need to purchase extensions from the same brand and the same model.
To add to the light strip, you need to purchase extensions from the same brand and the same model.
The Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip is flexible like a hose, so it can snake around corners or into various shapes—whatever you need to illuminate your kitchen countertops, highlight a bar, or showcase the contents of glass-front cabinets.
Once you have it where you want it, you can control the lights with your voice. The strip is Bluetooth-enabled; connect it to the Philips Hue app on your phone or tablet, or with a voice or smart home assistant, such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Homekit.
The lighting possibilities are vast—white light and a rainbow of colored options like red and violet. Both types are completely dimmable, so they can be low and moody or bright and cheery. Customize the settings to exactly what color and brightness you want, or use presets, such as Read, Relax, Concentrate, or Energize.
The base kit comes with an 80-inch light strip, power adapter, and connector box (which reattaches cut pieces). To lengthen this strip up to 32 feet, you’ll need to buy 40-inch extensions and connect them to the main strip.
Note that the connector box is compatible only with this model, so you need to buy coordinating extensions to add to the light strip. And it’s suitable for indoor applications only.
Product Details: Product Dimensions: 80 inches; can be lengthened with extensions up to 32 feet | Wattage: 10 watts | Lumens: 1600 | Color: Warm white (2700K) and multicolor
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB
Best Hardwired
UltraPro 48-Inch Direct Wire LED Light Fixture
AMAZON
- These lights don’t require plugging into an outlet, and they have no visible cords.
These lights don’t require plugging into an outlet, and they have no visible cords.
- The installation is more extensive than other options on our list, so it may not be the best option if you aren’t DIY-savvy. We recommend hiring a pro.
The installation is more extensive than other options on our list, so it may not be the best option if you aren’t DIY-savvy. We recommend hiring a pro.
Hardwiring under-cabinet lighting is more complicated than installing other plug-and-play options. However, the result—no visible cords or power adapters using up your wall outlets—lends to a clean look that’s desirable in a kitchen.
The UltraPro 48-Inch Direct Wire LED Light Fixture offers a high-powered diffused LED light source with three color options: 2700K (soft), 3000K (bright), and 5000K (daylight). Whether it's a warm white light for ambiance or a cooler daylight look for functionality, you can customize your space to fit your needs and aesthetic.
We also like the sleek, non-bulky design, which fits well with most kitchen cabinets. Included is all the hardware needed for installation, including a direct wire for easy operation from a wall switch. Strain relief screws also help streamline the direct-wire process and keep your wiring setup safe and secure.
Keep in mind that these lights may be difficult to install if you’re not familiar with DIY wiring. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure proper and safe installation.
Product Details: Product Dimensions: 48.82 x 3.15 x 1.5 inches | Wattage: 20.6W | Lumens: 1585 | Color: Three setting options: 2700K, 3000K, and 5000K
Best Rechargeable
Szokled Wireless Under Cabinet Lighting
AMAZON
- Magnet strips make installing these lights a breeze.
Magnet strips make installing these lights a breeze.
- A full charge can take about two hours.
A full charge can take about two hours.
Battery-operated lighting is convenient until you find yourself out of replacement batteries. With the rechargeable Szokled 20 LED Under Cabinet Lighting, you’ll save time, money, and the stress that comes with constantly remembering to buy batteries.
This pack includes four lights that are as simple and convenient as they come—each light is made up of 10 pure white LEDs with 100 lumens and 10 warm LEDs with 100 lumens, creating an ideal layer of color. The lights are easy to operate via the included remote with an on/off switch, dimming option, timer, and color change mode.
Turn on your entire set of lights using “auto” mode, or choose from three different color options -3000K, 4500K, or 6000K. You can also navigate through 10 levels of brightness, from 10% to 100%. Preserve battery life by using the timer function.
Automatic shut-off is available after 15, 30, or 60 minutes. Keep in mind that lights will turn off after 90 minutes if there is no timer setting selected.
We also love the included magnetic strip that makes these lights extremely easy to install—no hammers, drills, or screws are needed. These lights require four lithium-ion batteries (included) and take about two hours to fully recharge. The batteries can power the lights at 100% brightness for eight to nine hours before needing a charging session.
Product Details: Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.3 x 0.59 inches per light | Wattage: 1.5W | Lumens: 200 per light | Color: Three setting options: 3000K (soft), 4500K (bright), and 6000K (daylight)
Best Puck Lights
Brilliant Evolution Stick-On LED Lights
AMAZON
- These spotlights provide a high-end feel at a very accessible price.
These spotlights provide a high-end feel at a very accessible price.
- Each individual light takes three AAA batteries.
Each individual light takes three AAA batteries.
Sometimes lighting is more about aesthetics than functionality. If you’re looking to add a bit of luxury to your kitchen without investing too much time or money, the Brilliant Evolution Stick-On LED Lights are a great option.
Unlike strip lights, which provide balanced illumination across an area, puck lighting provides more of a spotlight, which can show off specific areas of your counter, including your coffee bar, cookbook or wine collection, vases, and other decor.
Easy to install with heavy-duty adhesive tape or screws (both included), these lights provide long-lasting brightness with a 3000K warm glow. Use the wireless remote to turn the lights on and off, adjust the brightness, and set the timer function—available for 15-, 30-, and 60-minute time intervals.
These lights are also touch-sensitive, which means you can also operate with a slight tap of the lens when you aren’t near the remote control. Keep in mind that each light requires three AAA batteries (included).
Product Details: Product Dimensions: 3.4 x 3.4 x 1.25 inches per light | Wattage: 5.04W | Lumens: 55 per light | Color: 3000K
Best Color-Changing
Tjoy Multicolored LED Strip Lights
AMAZON
- These lights give you endless color options to fit any aesthetic.
These lights give you endless color options to fit any aesthetic.
- They come in a roll, making it a challenge to get your strip to lay completely flat.
They come in a roll, making it a challenge to get your strip to lay completely flat.
Bored by the idea of ordinary white lights and looking for a way to create colorful ambient lighting in your home? Then we recommend the TJoy Multicolored LED Strip Lights. Each 25-foot strip (two included) is outfitted with high-quality 5050 LEDs to give you vibrant color and illumination.
The 44-key remote controller comes with 20 preset colors, six DIY color options (mix hues of reds, blues, and yellows to create a custom color setting), and eight levels of brightness. Installation is simple thanks to the cuttable and linkable design that lets you adjust the length of the strip to fit your space.
Just cut along the marked areas to your desired length and link strips via the four-pin connector. The strong, self-adhesive mounting tape makes it easy to attach to any clean, dry surface. Keep in mind it may take a bit of time to get the strip to lay flat since it comes in a roll.
Product Details: Product Dimensions: Two 25-foot-long rolls (width and height measurements not listed) | Wattage: Not listed | Lumens: Not listed | Color: 20 preset colors, six DIY color options
Best Plug-In
JUSJUBR Plug-in Under Cabinet Lighting
AMAZON
- The USB plug allows you to connect multiple strips of the lights together on one outlet.
The USB plug allows you to connect multiple strips of the lights together on one outlet.
- There is an audible buzzing sound on some settings.
There is an audible buzzing sound on some settings.
Plug-in under-cabinet lighting is a great option if you’re working with a rental where hardwired lighting isn’t feasible. It’s also a decent alternative to battery-operated; you won’t have to worry about swapping out batteries every few weeks, which can offer a more permanent-seeming solution.
The Jusjubr Plug-in Under Cabinet Lighting comes equipped with a very discreet wire that can easily be hidden and plugged into an outlet on your kitchen backsplash. It has an on-off switch so you won’t have to unplug it to turn it off, and a built-in dimmer for adapting to your preferences.
It’s worth noting that the light strip features a USB plug, so you can connect multiple strips of light together and plug them into a single outlet. Keep in mind that some report a humming or buzzing noise when the lights are on certain settings.
Product Details: Wattage: 12 | Lumens: 400 | Color: Cold White | Power Source: Plug-In | Light Type: Strip
Best Smart
Black+Decker LED Under Cabinet Lighting Kit
AMAZON
- In addition to smart home compatibility, the light is motion controlled.
In addition to smart home compatibility, the light is motion controlled.
- It’s expensive compared to other options, especially for a plug-in.
It’s expensive compared to other options, especially for a plug-in.
Under-cabinet lighting can be a major upgrade, and smart lighting like the Black+Decker 4-Cabinet Smart LED Lighting Kit takes it one step further. The set allows you to pair your lights with Amazon Alexa to control your lighting from your phone or with your voice.
This option is also motion-controlled, which is an excellent feature to have in the kitchen when you might have wet hands from cooking or tidying up.
We also really like that this option is dimmable and features three different color settings ranging from warm to cold white. Being able to set the mood when you want to—or opting for the brightest white for cooking and cleaning—is a major bonus.
The only real downside is that it’s a fair bit more expensive than other options on the list, especially considering it’s a plug-in power source and not hardwired. This makes sense due to the smart features, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Product Details: Wattage: 25 | Lumens: 335 | Color: Warm White, White, Cold White | Power Source: Plug-in | Light Type: Tape