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Tips For Choosing The Right Under-Cabinet Lighting For Your Kitchen
By ETHAN HARRISON SMITH
Whether you want to brighten up your kitchen or need to see better, you should choose the right type of under-cabinet lighting to install based on what you want to achieve.
Tape or strip lights are ideal if space is limited — you simply tape them in place underneath your cabinets. Puck lights are focused spotlights that are also easy to install.
Plug-in, hardwired, or battery-powered LED light bars are less flexible, but they're more suitable for task lighting and often come with remotes so you can dim them as needed.
Depending on the lighting's purpose, you'll need more or less power, measured in lumens. For example, accent lighting only needs up to 200 lumens.
If the under-cabinet lights serve as a primary light source in your kitchen, you'll need 500 to 1,000 lumens or 200-500 lumens for a combination of task and accent lighting.
Battery-powered and plugged-in under-cabinet lighting is easier to install, but hardwired lights may look more elegant and professional as they have no visible cords.
You can install battery-operated or plugged-in under-cabinet lighting yourself, but for safety precautions, you'll need a professional electrician to install hardwired lights.