Under Cabinet Lighting for the Kitchen

There is something about autumn that just makes you want to cook; a pressing need to make apple crisp, fall soups and nearly every mouth watering creation you can think of while wearing a sweater.

With food processers and mixers on the go there is a lot happening on those countertops. These work surfaces benefit from exceptional lighting as all kitchen designers will attest.

Under counter lighting takes a countertop to a whole new level of functionality. When you have only overhead lighting, your own shadow casts directly onto the spot where you are working. Under cabinet lighting puts the light exactly where you need it— right on that cutting board. They expand your workspace by transforming dark corners usually reserved for olive oil bottles and blenders into functional counter space.

Mini-fluorescents give good light, a bit warm; running at about 170F, but are quite bulky. This means they need quite a deep valence to conceal them.

Small, round puck lights give great bright light, but burn very hot at 275F and cannot provide an even light. The light pattern resembles triangles and leaves areas of working space without proper lighting.

The best solution is new linkable LED cabinet lights. They join end-to-end, insuring that the light is distributed along the entire length of cupboard. They are tiny; an amazing 1/2 inch deep making them very inconspicuous. Each foot of lighting using only 2.8 watts so they are cool to the touch. They also boast an incredible 50,000 hours of shine-time making them very energy and cost efficient.

Because they are also dimmable, these lights are perfect for the midnight fridge raid and magical for making china cabinet crystal look like sparkling diamonds.